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Fire can be very dangerous. We should be careful with it. This is what to do in a fire: Shout out. Shout as loudly as you can, because people may be asleep. Call 119. Don't try to put out the fire yourself. Tell 119 where you are and what is on fire. Keep down next to the floor. There is less smoke down there, so it's easier to breathe and see where you are going. Test the door. If the door is cool, open it carefully. If the door is hot, do not open it! Try to find a different way out. Get out. Do not stop to pick up anything. A fire can become very big in a few seconds! Don't use the lift. Always use the stairs .The lift may go wrong and keep you inside. *Don't go back. Even if your pet is still inside, do not go back for it Animals have a very good sense of smell. They often get away from buildings before people. The lift is dangerous in a fire because _ . A green roof is a roof of a building that is covered with vegetation over a waterproof membrane . It is a proper method of growing plants on the roof and does not refer to the mere green color of the roof. People benefit a lot from these green roofing systems, and they are gaining popularity day by day. Human beings have occupied major areas of land and transformed them into huge buildings, which has severely affected the environment and the natural habitat of bird and insects. Green roofing compensates for that. It creates a natural habitat for creatures like bees, grasshoppers and other insects. Modern roofs need a lot of energy to control the temperatures in winter and summer. However, green roofs reduce the amount of energy required for controlling temperatures, thus making them energy-efficient. As green roofing is highly energy-efficient, it can act as a encouragement for people who are interested in green roofing systems and their benefits. It will increase the market value of the building and fetch the owner a great share of profit. As the vegetation requires a water supply, there is a inbuilt water preservation layer in the green roof system. This layer helps to keep the rainwater. It makes full use of the rainwater and prevents wastage. During heavy rains, the water runs off the flat roof. The green roof prevents this overflow by slowing down the volume of running water. Green roofs can compensate for the lost greenery in urban areas and increase the artistic value of an area. Your building will look beautiful, coated with green vegetation. Green roofs can serve as local community garden and create a natural atmosphere, giving physical and psychological benefits like reducing stress levels in people and keeping them physically fit. Besides, people can start their own small-scale cultivation and experience the pleasure of gardening. Mr. Black who owns two buildings is interested in the green roofing system probably because _ . I came to the USA because I needed to study English here. I went to an English language school. I was not a beginner, but I was not good at English. At the end of the first term, I could read, write and speak, and I thought I was good at them. However, I was not good at understanding when people spoke to me. My teacher said," Why don't you repeat the classes?" I was not happy. I made progress every month, so I did not want to repeat them. However, it was true -- I was not good at understanding when people spoke to me. My teacher said, "Repeating the classes is a good way to practice listening. And if you repeat them, you will understand more spoken English." In the end, I repeated the classes. In the second term, I studied the same books that I did in the first term. My teacher was right. It was a good idea. Now, after studying English for a year, I can understand more spoken English. And I know that reading, writing and speaking are not enough; listening is also very important. At the end of the first term, what was the writer bad at? Do you want to go out of town for a bit of rest and relaxation? Before you start packing, visit these best travel sites for vacationers. In my opinion, they help people deal with common problems that pop up during a trip. Oyster.com Based on the advertised photos, the hotel you are considering appears to be clean and modern. Take a second look through the eyes of Oyster.com. Their representatives inspect resort areas and post the real images uncovering marketing lies. You see ACTUAL pictures of the rooms, attractions and beautiful beaches. Skyscanner.net Are you planning to travel on a budget? Discover the best deals for flights, hotels and car rentals at Skyscanner.net. They offer reasonable and comprehensive travel comparison. The best part is that their services are free. You don't have to sign up, provide personal information or go through a social network. Virtualtourist.com Chat with someone other than a travel agent about a location. At Virtualtourist.com, fellow travelers and locals talk about their experiences in specific areas. This site is set up like a forum , so you can ask questions and get answers in the comfort of your own home. Find out where to eat, play and get pleasure in a place without getting food poison or robbed by criminals. Travel.state.gov Unfortunately, Americans get into trouble abroad sometimes. Prepare for possible emergencies by visiting Travel.state.gov. There, the Bureau of Consular Affairs offers advice on how to handle the bad things that happen to good people in other countries. You learn what to do in the case of child abduction , a lost passport and illness. In addition, these officials post travel warnings regarding dangerous regions and why foreigners should avoid them. Are you ready to do your homework? Prepare for your departure by checking out these best travel sites for vacationers. Learn what you need to know now before walking out of the door. We can learn from this passage that _ . BEIJING - For the first time in decades, Chinese drivers will enjoy a toll-free journey home during the upcoming eight-day holiday, which begins on Sunday.An 820-km drive from Beijing to the coastal city of Dalian takes travelers through four toll stations and costs a total of 380 yuan ( $ 60) in toll fees, while a sleeper train is just 240 yuan. Amid growing calls, the State Council, or China's cabinet , issued a tollfree road policy in August, allowing passenger cars with seven seats or less to travel forfree on toll roads during four major holidays.The first toll-free holiday will be the upcoming eight-day Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday. The removal of toll fees will not only make travel cheaper and more convenient, but will also _ the service industry, as people will spend more money on related services, such as food and accommodation. Hu Fangjun, an expert from the China Academy of Transportation Sciences, said companies funded by the toll fees will lose about 20 billion yuan each year throughout the four extended holidays due to the toll-free policy. However, new revenues earned from increasing spending during the longest holiday season will likely compensate for the losses. The companies that run the toll booths are largely state-owned, while the sector has been named as one of the most profitable in China. Roads are public. Every citizen has the right to be on the road. The toll-free policy during holidays will give the roads back to the public. and is also a way of returning wealth to the people, which will eventually boost the public's trust toward the government. China's financial revenues have enjoyed rapid growth for decades. The government is capable of offering more welfare to its people. Cars with _ fails to be included for the policy of toll-free holiday.
Mr. Brad wants to see a film. After lunch, he goes to a cinema, buys a ticket and goes in. But after two or three minutes he comes out again and buys a second ticket and then walks in again. After a few minutes he comes out again and buys a third ticket. Two or three minutes after that, he comes out a third time and asks for another ticket. But the girl says to him, "Why are you buying all these tickets? Are you meeting your friends in the cinema all the time?" "No, I'm not doing that." Mr. Brad says, "But a big woman always stops me at the gate of the cinema and she tears all my tickets." The girl has a good laugh and says, "One ticket is enough. She is on duty." Mr. Brad _ goes to the cinema after lunch. A strong wind can be a dangerous thing-sometimes it is powerful enough to knock you off your feet.But to plants,the wind is a source of new life,carrying them or their spores thousands of miles. A NASA satellite called QuikSCAT has discovered highways of wind over the Earth's oceans.Scientists believe these invisible roads may explain why many nonflowering plants,such as mosses and lichens ,grow where they do. The satellite is able to send microwaves from space to the surface of the ocean.The pattern of signals that come back shows which way the winds are blowing. Using this _ , the scientists studied a group of islands in the southern hemisphere ,near Antarctica.Winds tend to blow anticlockwise in this region,but there are lots of local differences. When the researchers compared these local patterns to botanical data,they found that the wind had an important effect on where species of mosses,lichens,and other nonflowering plants grow. For example,Bouvet Island and Heard Island,share 30 percent of their moss species,29 percent of liverworts ,and 32 percent of lichens-even though they are 4,430 kilometers apart.In contrast,Gough Island and Bouvet Island,separated by just 1,860 kilometers of sea,share only 16 percent of mosses and 17 percent of liverworts.They have no lichens in common. Ferns and flowering plants don't travel as well in the wind,so they don't show the same kinds of distribution patterns. Which of the following is WRONG? a force acting on an object in the opposite direction that the object is moving can cause that object 's speed to decrease in what motion? Ask any person who is successful in whatever he or she is doing what motivates him/her, and very likely the answer will be "goals". Goal Setting is extremely important to motivation and success. So what motivates you? Why are you in college? If you are in college because that's what your parents want, you may find it difficult to motivate yourself. Sure, it's possible to succeed with someone else providing the motivation for you. ("If you graduate from college, I'll give you a car!" or worse "If you don't graduate from college, you won't get a car.") But motivation that comes from within really makes the difference. Certainly, you need some intelligence, knowledge base, study skills, and time management skills, but if you don't have motivation, you won't get far. Think about this analogy. You have a car with a full tank of gas, a well-tuned engine, good set of tires, quadraphonic CD system, and a sleek, polished exterior . There it sits. This car has incredible potential. However, until a driver sits behind the wheel, puts the key in the ignition , and cranks it up, the car doesn't function. You guessed it; the KEY is MOTIVATION. Interest is an important motivator for a student. So is a desire to learn. When you link these two things together, you create success. Often success in an endeavor leads to more interest and a greater desire to learn, creating an upward spiral of motivation toward a goal you have established. So be honest with yourself. Are you genuinely interested in being in college? Have you set realistic goals for yourself? How can you develop the internal motivation that really counts? When it comes to motivation, KNOWING is not as important as DOING. What is the CORRECT comparison between the internal motivation and the external motivation? A young woman was driving through the lonely countryside. It was dark and rainy. Suddenly she saw an old woman by the side of the road, holding up her hand as if she wanted a lift . "I can't leave her out in this weather," the young woman said to herself. She stopped the car and opened the door. "Do you want a lift?" she asked. The old woman nodded and climbed into the car. After a while, she said to the old woman, "Have you been waiting a long time?" The old woman shook her head. "Strange!" thought the woman. She tried again. "Bad weather for the time of year," she said. The old woman nodded. Then the young woman noticed the old woman's hands, which were large and hairy . Suddenly she realized that "she" was a man! She was frightened at first. Then she stopped the car. "I can't see out of the rear screen ,"she said. "Would you mind cleaning it for me?" "The old woman" nodded and opened the door. As soon as "she" was out of the car, the frightened young woman drove off as fast as she could. When she got to the next village, she stopped. She noticed "the old woman" had left "her" handbag behind. She picked it up and opened it. Inside was a gun From the story we can see that the young woman was _ .
Around the world more and more people are taking part in dangerous sports and activities. Of course, there have always been people who have looked for adventures--those who have climbed the highest mountains, travelled into unknown parts of the world or sailed in small boats across the greatest oceans . Now, however, there are more people who look for an excitement from a risky activity which may only last a few minutes or even seconds. I would think bungee jumping to be a good example of such an activity. You jump from a high place (perhaps a bridge or a hot-air balloon) 200 metres above the ground with an elastic rope tied to your ankles . You fall at up to 150 kilometres an hour until the rope stops you from hitting the ground. It is said that about 2 million people around the world have now tried bungee jumping. Other risky activities include jumping from tall buildings and diving into the water from the top of high places. Why do people take part in such activities as these? Some psychologists suggest that it is because life in modern world has become safe and boring. Not very long ago, people's lives were often in danger. They had to go out and hunt for food, diseases could not easily be cured, and life was harder than that of the present days. Nowadays, to many people, life offers little excitement. They live and work in safe conditions; they buy food in shops; and there are doctors and hospitals to look after them if they become ill. The answer for some of these people is to look for danger in activities such as bungee jumping. What is the best title of this passage? A Modern Life is Boring B Dangerous Sports: What and Why C Bungee Jumping: Is It Really Dangerous? D Need for Excitement Answer: B. Dangerous Sports: What and Why Harbour Cruises LTD. Dining, Sightseeing and Special Events Get on board to experience Vancouver from a different perspective . Join Harbour Cruises Ltd. For Vancouver's only guided tour of the inner harbour, the always popular dinner cruise , or a luncheon cruise through a quiet coastal mountain bay . Special event cruises are available throughout the year including during the yearly fireworks competition and December's Christmas Carol Ships. Harbour Cruises Ltd. is located next to world-famous Stanley Park. Dates of Operation: April - October and December Seasonal Hours: 8 : 00 am - 7 : 00 pm, 7 days a week Directions: Drive west on Georgia and turn right at the lights at Denman Street. Take the # 135 Stanley Park bus or walk west along Georgia for 15 minutes towards Stanley Park from downtown. Information: 604.688.7246 Reservations : 1. 800. 663. 1500 Website: www. boatcruises. corn Email: tours@boatcruises . corn # 1, North Foot of Den-man Street, Vancouver, BC V6G 2w9 The Lookout at Harbour Centre Tower Not sure where to start? The Lookout,which is high atop Harbor Center Tower,is your best first choice in Vancouver.Majestic cruise ships,mountains sprinkled with fresh snow and a west coast sunset are but a few highlights of this grand 3600 view.Drink your cappuccino,join a free guided tour,learn something new about Vancouver and enjoy the view! Dates of Operation:Open 365 days/year Seasonal Hours:Winter 9:00 am - 9:00 pm Summer 8:30 am - 10:30 pm Directions:Located downtown at the SeaBus and SkyTrain station. Just steps away from the Cruise Ship Terminal and historic Gastown. Infonnation and Reservations:604.689.0421 Website: www. vancouverlookout.com Email: info@vancouverlookout.com 555 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 4N4 Burnaby Village Museum And Carousel Step back in time to 1925. The museum features a village, a farmhouse and the historic CW Parker Carousel. Costumed townspeople welcome you to exhibits that include a schoolhouse, a blacksmith, a Chinese medicine store and an ice - cream parlour. Seasonal Hours: May 4 - Sept 2 (11: 00 am - 4:30 pm ) Christmas Hours: Nov 23 - Dec 13 & Dec31 - Jan 4(12:00 - 5:30 pm) and Dec 14 - 30 (12:00 - 8:00 pm) Closed Dec 24& 25 Directions: Take exit 33 from Hwy 1 to Canada Way. Follow the signs along the sidewalk to Deer Lake Park. 20 minutes from downtown Vancouver. Information: 604. 293. 6501 Telephone: 604. 293. 6500 Website: www. city. burnaby.cb.ca. 6501 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby, BC V5G 3T6 The main purpose of the advertisements is to attract tourists to Vancouver A for the view of mountains B for a ship sightseeing C for a cultural visit D for great fun Answer: D. for great fun Nice to meet you. I'm David Beckham. I'm from England and I'm English. I'm twenty-nine years old. I like playing football and I can play football very well. My name is Zhou Jielun. I'm from Taiwan, China. I'm thirty years old. I like singing. My name is Liu Qian. I'm from Taiwan,China. I'm thirty-three years old. I like playing magic cards Hello! I'm Li Yuchun. I live in Chengdu now. I'm twenty-five years old. I like singing. . David Beckham is _ years old. A twenty-nine B twenty-five C thirty-three D thirty Answer: A. twenty-nine I sat at my seat waiting for the school paper to be passed around. I waited anxiously, knowing that once I received it I would know how good a writer I really am. When the paper arrived at my classroom, I nearly knocked down five of my classmates to get to the first paper. With a school paper in my hands, I returned to my seat. About a month earlier, I had handed in one of, what I believed to be, my best stories. I named it Symbol of Success. The head of the English Department at my school, Professor Cullen had said that she would include some reviews of students' stories in the latest school paper. Professor Cullen was known for her rough criticism. Impressing her was very hard but I wanted to be the first to do so. I sat at the edge of my seat as I read through the other story reviews. There wasn't one story that got more than three stars .I became calm and wasn't anxious to know my review. It was long after that I heard someone shout out "Five stars?! Seriously !" from behind me. I turned around and saw the shocked expression of Gene's face, "Peter, your story got five stars!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I turned my attention back to my story and saw the five stars at the end of the review that I had not read yet. I looked through the review written by Professor Cullen. She wrote that I had a gift for story writing. I was proud that I achieved what I thought was impossible .For so long I believed I wasn't as good as I thought I was and that my talent was not enough to cover up my lack of wring skills .But this review proved that I was truly a good writer and that there was a future ahead of me in the field of fiction writing. The review and the five stars meant the world of me. Those five stars became the symbol of my success. What did Professor Cullen think of Peter's story? A She thought highly of it B She thought it was just so-so C She thought it was extremely bad D She doubted if it was written by him. Answer: A. She thought highly of it Over the years I've been teaching children about a simple but powerful concept -- the ant philosophy .I think everybody should study ants. They have an amazing four-part philosophy, and here is the first part: ants never quit. 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, they'll climb under, 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 you're supposed to go. Second, ants think winter all summer. That's an important viewpoint. You can't be so naive ( ) as to think summer will last forever. So ants are gathering in their winter food in the middle of summer. An ancient story says, "Don't build your house on the sand in the summer. " Why do we need that advice.'? Because it is important to be realistic. In the summer, you've got to think storm. You've got to think rocks as you enjoy the sand and sun. Think ahead. 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 dive back down, but then they come out on the first warm day. They can't wait to get out. And here's the last part of the ant-philosophy. How much will an ant gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? All he possibly can. What an incredible philosophy, the "all-you-possibly-can" philosophy. Wow, what a great seminar to attend -- the ant seminar. Never give up, look ahead, stay positive and do all you can. We can learn from the last part of the ant philosophy that we should A never stop gathering food in the summer B always get prepared for the winter C gather as much as possible for the future D do whatever we can for the future Answer: D. do whatever we can for the future
Think about the different ways that people use the wind. You can use it to fly a kite or to sail a boat. Wind is one of our cleanest and richest power sources, as well as one of the oldest. Something shows that windmills began to be used in ancient Iran back in the seventh century BC. They were first introduced to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power. For many centuries, people used windmills to make wheat into flour or get water from deep underground. When electricity was discovered in the late 1800s, people living in faraway areas began to use them to produce electricity. This allowed them to have electric lights and radio. However, by the 1940s when electricity was available to people in almost all areas of the United States, windmills were hardly used. During the 1970s, people started becoming more cared about the pollution that is created when coal and gas are burned to produce electricity. People also realized that the supply of coal and gas would run out one day. Then, wind was rediscovered, though it means higher costs. Today, there is a global movement to supply more and more of our electricity through the use of wind Why was wind rediscovered during the 1970s? A Because coal and gas had been used up. B Because it was cheaper to produce electricity. C Because it's cleaner than other sources. D Because it could only be used in faraway areas. Answer: C. Because it's cleaner than other sources. Once a neighbour stole one of Washington's horses. Washington went with a police officer to the neighbour's farm to get the horse, but the neighbour refused to give the horse up; he claimed that it was his horse. Washington placed both of his hands over the eyes of the horse and said to the neighbour, "If this is your horse, then you must tell us in which eyes he is blind." "In the right eye," the neighbour said. Washington took his hand from the right eye of the horse and showed the police officer that the horse was not blind in the right eye. "Oh, I have made a mistake," said the neighbor. "He is blind in the left eye." Washington then showed that the horse was not blind in the left eye, either. "I have made another mistake," said the neighbor. "Yes," said the police officer, "and you have also proved that the horse does not belong to you. You must return it to Mr. Washington." When Washington asked the neighbor to tell them in which eye the horse was blind, the neighbor _ . A didn't say anything B knew the horse wasn't blind at all C thought the horse was really blind D said he had stolen the horse Answer: C. thought the horse was really blind California has a new program called the Digital Textbook Initiative. "Starting this fall with high school math and science, we will be the first state in the nation to provide schools with a state-approved list of digital textbooks." That was Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in June, talking about his effort to get schools to use materials available free online. He listed reasons why he thinks digital textbooks make sense. California approves traditional textbooks in six-year cycles. Digital ones can offer the latest information. They lighten the load of school bags. They save paper and trees, and make learning more fun and interactive. And above all, he said, they help schools with their finances. The state has had to make severe cuts in school spending because of deep financial problems. More than six million students attend California public schools. Earlier this year, California invited content developers to offer digital math and science materials for high schools. These had to meet at least 90% of the state's learning requirements. Specially trained teachers examined 16 textbooks and approved ten of them. Six of the ten were published by the CK 12 Foundation, a nonprofit group that had been developing digital science and math books for about two years. The foundation paid teachers and other education professionals to write and edit them. The money came from a group financed by the Khosla Family. California cannot require schools to use the digital textbooks. Individual school districts will have to decide for themselves. Susan Martimo, a California Department of Education official, says she does not expect widespread use right away. Her best guess is that some schools with a lot of technology will be the first to use them, but only in addition to their traditional books. School administrators point out that the texts may be free online, but students need a way to access them. Not everyone has a computer or electronic reader. Schools could print out copies, but that would not help the environment. Also, there is the cost to train teachers to use digital textbooks effectively. Digital textbooks are most meaningful in that they are to _ . A help save money B benefit the environment C provide interesting materials D reduce students' heavy burden Answer: A. help save money If too many humans move into to an given area they may take more resources then possible to sustain themselves, which is what concept? A illness from malnutrition B reproduction going over C population just right D death Answer: B. reproduction going over It is a hot summer day. A group of animals are waiting in line for the bus under the hot sun. They are all swearing . Then Elephant comes and stands in front of all the other animals. "Elephant please wait in line!" the animals tell him. Elephant still stands there and he doesn't say anything. The other animals are very angry, but they can do nothing to Elephant. "He is too big and we are too small," says Ant. "We have to _ to him," says Rabbit. "Hey, do you feel cool now?" asks Monkey. "Yes. We are standing Elephant's shadow ," Panda says happily. Suddenly, they all feel some wind. Oh, how cool! Elephant is fanning(......) the animals with his ears. At last, the bus comes. All the other animals get on, but Elephant still stands there. He doesn't want to get on the bus. "Elephant, the bus is here. Why don't you get on? " asks Monkey. "Oh, I'm just passing by and want to give you some shade ," says Elephant. Now, all the other animals know how friendly Elephant is. At first, the animals feel _ when Elephant comes. A unhappy B excited C afraid D lucky Answer: A. unhappy
A study shows that nearly ninety percent of teens report that they have tried alcohol. That's an increase of 23 percent in just four years! Each year, 1.1 billion cans of beer are drunk by students aged 15-19 years old. Beer is the most common alcoholic drink among teens--81 percent of the drinkers had tried it. Beer is followed by wine with 63 percent, hard liquor with 53 percent and wine coolers with 35 percent. When the young people are asked why they drank, the most common answer is that drinking is "something to do". If a teen's parents drink alcohol, the teenager is more likely to start drinking at an early age. Also, tens see all of their friends drinking alcohol so they think it is the must-to-do thing. Peer pressure is probably the hardest thing teens have to deal with. What's more, teens often drink alcohol because it makes them feel older and cooler. Researchers asked 56,000 students about their drinking habits and grades, to see how drinking might affect their grades in school. The results seem to be clear. Students who got a C level or lower tend to use three times as much alcohol as those who got B's or A's. Alcohol use can be deadly. About 8,100 young people are killed per year in alcohol-related accidents. Eight young people die per day as a result of a drunk-driving accident. Between 50 and 65 percent of all teen suicides occur after the young people drink. So you see, drinking the alcohol doesn't always end up with a good time. The next time you try to push someone to drink or someone tries to push you to drink, please remember this. One drink can set the habit for life. Why not throw it away? The passage was written mainly to _ . tell teenagers not to try alcohol Which best describes two organ systems working together to help maintain homeostasis? The muscles of the chest tighten to push carbon dioxide out of the lungs. New rules and behaviour standards for middle school students came out in March Middle School is going to use a new way to decide who the top students are. The best students won't only have high marks. They will also be kids who don't dye their hair, smoke or drink. The following are some of the new rules. Tell the truth. Have you ever copied someone else's work on an exam? Don't do it again! That's not something an honest student should do. If you have played computer games for two hours in your room, don't tell your parents you have done homework. Do more at school. Good students love animals and care for other people. April is Bird-Loving Month in China. Is your school doing anything to celebrate? You should join! That way, you can learn more about animals and how to protect them. When more people work together, it makes it more fun for everyone. Have you ever quarreled with your teammates when your basketball team lost? Only working together can make your team stronger. Be friendly to the people you are with. Try to think of others, not only yourself. Be open to new ideas. Have you ever thought that people could live on the moon? Maybe you'll discover Earth II someday. Don't look down on new ideas. Everyone's ideas are important. You should welcome them, because new ideas make life better for everyone. Protect yourself. Has someone ever taken money from one of your classmates? Don't let it happen to you. If you have to go home late, you should let your parents know. Use the Internet carefully. The Internet can be very useful for your studies. But some things on the Internet aren't for kids, so try to look at Web pages that are good for you. You can use the Web for fun or homework. Can't you find any good Web sites for children? Here are some: http://kids.eastday.com. http://www.chinakids.net.com http://www.cycnet.com The school new rules will help kids by telling them _ . what is right and what is wrong Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States.In recent years,it has been regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season and most major shops have opened extremely early and offered promotional sales .Black Friday is not an official holiday,but many employees and schools have both Thanksgiving and the following Friday off,followed by a weekend.It has been the busiest shopping day of they ear since 2005. The day's name began in Philadelphia,where it originally was used to describe huge crowds and heavy traffic that would occur on the day after Thanksgiving.The use of the name started before 1961.Later all alternative explanation was made:"Black Friday"indicates the point at which retailers begin to turn a profit or are"in the black". For many years,it was common for retailers to open at 6:00 a.m.,but in the late 2000s many had opened at 5:00 a.m.or even 4:00 a.m..This was taken to a new degree in 2011,when several retailers opened at midnight for the first time. Black Friday Shopping is known for attracting aggressive crowds,with annual reports of terrible noise and crowds of people trampling on other shoppers in an attempt to get the best deal on a product before supplies run out. What's the main reason for aggressive crowds on Black Friday nowadays? That shoppers rush to buy the cheapest goods. Impossible cases are not forever. While it is impossible for one person, it is possible for another. In a word, everything is possible. Someone says, "Success belongs to those who can look at the complex challenges offered by the world as inspiration." So your challenges are golden opportunities for success. How can there be miracles if there are no obstacles? How will you chase the storm if there is no storm? You need challenges to reveal your ability. Success doesn't come out' of nothing; success comes from the problems you face. Those who refuse to give in come out smiling. Robert X. Perez says, "The seeds of success spring from failure's ashes. "Failure is not defeat; it is the pointer to do better than what you just did. You have to know that you are in a constant study of life. What you face is for your training. Samuel Aidoo says, "Each failure is simply another chapter in the story of our lives. To fail is to understand what not to do. Remember it and don't give up until your goal is achieved." What do you do when you face difficulty? Yeah, life is difficult, but you do not give up. Have a positive and calm outlook on your circumstances and make the best of them. You may learn something new. You can develop mental toughness. Mental toughness means to be able to see the long-term gains rather than be put off by short-term pains. Once you have this toughness, you have the winning edge . The only things in life you ever really regret are the chances you didn't take. You will regret when you see the consequences of not seizing the opportunities when they arose. Take chances every day! By saying "How will you chase the storm if there's no storm?" the writer means _ . we should not be afraid of challenges because they are opportunities for success
Think back to a time in your life when you tried something new. When I was a teenager I volunteered to pass out water at a local race. I was so excited to see all the different runners who passed by and quickly took a cup of water. Some ran past, some walked past and a few wheeled past.[:ZXXK] I saw so many types of people doing it. I thought maybe I could do it too! The next year I decided to run for the race, but I had little running practice. I just wanted to finish. On the day of the race, it was terribly hot. After running for about 5 miles, I was thinking, "I must be crazy. Why did I do this? What was I thinking?" And at one moment, I said to myself, "I am never doing this again!" That first 10 km race was quite an experience. I jogged, I walked, I jogged and walked. At times, I didn't know if I could finish. Near the end, a 70-year-old man ran past me, very fast, and I felt a little embarrassed that I was more than 50 years younger than he and I couldn't even keep up with him. But then I realized something. He was running his race and I was running mine. How often in life do we compare ourselves to others when we really shouldn't? I decided that I would not give up on running races,and that one day I would be one of those 70yearolds who were still running. As I crossed the finishing line, I was proud of myself. I didn't regret having such an experience. Why did the writer join the race? Answer: In the eighteenth century one of the first modern economists, Adam Smith, thought that " the whole annual produce of the land and labour of every country" provided revenue to "three different orders of people: those who live by rent, those who live by wages, and those who live by profit". Each successive stage of the industrial revolution, however, made the social structure more complicated. Many intermediate groups grew up during the nineteenth century between the upper middle class and the working class. There were small-scale industrialists as well as large ones, small shopkeepers and tradesmen, officials and salaried employees, skilled and unskilled workers, and professional men such as doctors and teachers. Farmers and peasants continued in all countries as independent groups. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the possession of wealth inevitably affected a person's social position. Intelligent industrialists with initiative made fortunes by their wits which lifted them into an economic group far higher than that of their working-class parents. But they lacked social training of the upper class, who despised them as the "new rich." They often sent their sons and daughters to special schools to acquire social training. Here their children, mixed with the children of the upper classes, were accepted by them, and very often found marriage partners from among them. In the same way, a thrifty, hardworking labourer, though not clever himself, might save for his son enough to pay for an extended secondary school education in the hope that he would move in a "white-collar" occupation, carrying with it a higher salary and a move up in the social scale. In the twentieth century the increased taxation of higher incomes, the growth of the social services, and the wider development of educational opportunity have considerably altered the social outlook. The upper classes no longer are the sole, or even the main possessors of wealth, power and education, though inherited social position still carries considerable prestige. Who were the 'new rich' during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries? Answer: Today, almost everyone has heard of Harry Potter.The books detailing his experiences at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have aroused passion, creativity, and interest in reading throughout the world. But have you ever considered why you are a fan of the Harry Potter series? JK Rowling has created a list of characters and an environment for them to inhabit that appeals to both adults and children. The fantasy aspect of the wizarding world expands the imagination, and takes the mind to new and exciting places.Anything could happen there.Her stories contain parts of the believable and unbelievable, changing the predictability that readers commonly come across and bear in fiction. The main theme of the series, including good versus evil, prejudice, love, death, sacrifice, friendship and loyalty, in actuality contributes to the ever-lasting nature of the stories.At the same time, these themes remind us of classic literature, offering mature readers tales that wear like a comfortable pair of shoes, while introducing younger readers to concepts they will meet throughout their lives. Much of the appeal also comes from the characters.In each book, JK Rowling introduces and describes the characters in such a way that we wonder not only about their futures, but also about their pasts.Even supporting characters are suddenly more than just extras in the background.And what of Harry Potter himself? We care about Harry, because we watch him grow from an innocent boy to a powerful wizard.We see him as both Hero and Victim.He experiences endless love and extreme pain, and as readers, we experience them with him. This perfect combination of emotion, suspense and fantasy, together with the fact that JK Rowling is a superb storyteller is the reason why we are Harry potter fans.People are fond of Harry Potter series.With books like these, it' s hard not to be. The themes of the Harry Potter series do not contain _ . Answer: Fix it on your own Did you know that a bowl of rice could save your iPod if you drop it in a swimming pool by accident? Or that the camera on your phone could tell you what's wrong with your TV remote control? The experts at Geek Squad (geelsquad.co.uk) have made a gadget rescue guide.So, let's take a look at some of their useful advice. How to get more juice out of your phone batter If your battery goes dead but you need to get a number or send one last text, try warming it up.That may give you a tiny bit of power.Take the battery from the phone and rub it between your hands.Or warm it under your arm for a few minutes.Then try to start the phone but use it quickly. What to do if your gadget gets wet First, try drying it out with a vacuum cleaner .If a vacuum cleaner isn't at hand, fill a pot or bowl with uncooked rice and put your wet gadget inside.The dry, uncooked rice will absorb all the water and, after a few hours, you should be able to use the gadget.Don't forget to remove the battery and SIM card before you dry it. What to do if your TV remote control stops working If replacing the batteries doesn't work, get the camera function up on your phone and point the remote at the lens .When you press a button on the remote, if it is working, the glass bobble at the front of the remote will light up when you look at it on the screen of your phone.This is because the screen on a phone or digital camera picks up infrared rays , even though your eyes don't.If the glass bobble doesn't light up, the remote is broken.If it does, the receiving device is broken. The purpose of this passage is to give people _ . Answer: You eat to stay fit and keep your body working, right? Then reading is food for your mind and soul. Reading informs you of what's happening around. Reading encourages you to think and imagine, think out of the box and imagine the impossible. In the past, people just read books, only books. Today, we have books online, which makes reading easy. The web, our new storehouse of information is just a click away. _ .You can lie in bed with a book, but with a computer you possibly can't. No matter how you read, reading is important. Remember those bedtime stories? We read fun facts about animals, plants and the universe. We ask "whys" and "hows". In books, we find their answers. Children who are introduced to reading at an early age are seen to have a better understanding of phonics . They master language skills easily, have a richer vocabulary and have greater reading abilities. Children, who grow up reading good books, mostly stand out. The way they think and act is very different from those who have never been introduced to reading. Reading not only adds to their knowledge but also shapes their personalities. Reading has a great influence on one's life. Teenagers are easily influenced by whatever they read. If inspirational stories and life experiences are read in one's teens, they can change a person for the better. They stay with him and keep encouraging him to achieve his goals and choose the right against the wrong. The more you read, the more creative and imaginative you will become. Reading develops vocabulary, improves language skills and sharpens your problem-solving abilities. It leads to a better understanding of self. Reading gives you knowledge, it makes you more confident. The more you read about others' lives and experiences, a better decision-maker you will become. Reading about the importance of reading should lead you to read more, and more, and more. So choose a book you like and don't stop reading until you reach the end. And even after that read as much as you can. What can we infer from the passage? Answer:
There was a heavy snow last night. Maria stayed at home. Her cousin Cara came to visit her. She came back from Beijing. She told Maria something about her vacation. "It was pretty good. "She said. Cara visited the Palace Museum and the Great Wall. She took a lot of photos. It was lunch time. Maria's parents were not at home. They decided to cook by themselves. Maria cooked noodles with some tomatoes and peppers . After Cara ate up the noodles, she said slowly, "I think it is delicious!" But Maria thought the food was too awful. She said," Cara, thank you, but I put too many peppers!" --Where did Cara go on vacation? --She went to _ A Hainan B Tianjin C Beijing D Anhui Answer: C. Beijing Dear Editor , I used to be a doctor in a children's hospital. Sometimes I treated children who had been poisoned by medicines for older family members. The children didn't know the medicine was dangerous; they just knew it tasted sweet. Children easily opened the bottle that we now use in China. Some days ago I talked about medicine with an American. He showed me a kind of plastic bottle. The design was very quite simple and I'm sure our Chinese factories could produce these bottles. The top of the bottle locks but can be opened by pressing down on it while turning. This is difficult for most young children to do, though grown-ups can open these bottles very easily. I'm certain that the price of making such tops would be very low. As a doctor, I'd love to see this done. And most parents would be grateful. Yours, Li Hua The writer's job in the hospital was mainly to _ . A treat sick children B treat poisoned children C give medicine to people D give medicine to children Answer: A. treat sick children While I was in my 4th month of pregnancy with my second child, we were preparing for a trip to Louisiana, where Marshall's family live, to celebrate Jane's 2nd birthday. Two days before we were to leave, we got the shocking news that I was going to lose the baby. Not knowing when this would happen, we decided to continue with our trip. Since Marshall's family lives on a 600-acre cattle farm, you often find that you have a lot of time to yourself to think when you are there. That is precisely what I did not want to do at this time. I told Marshall that I needed to get a good book to get lost in while I was there. I told him I heard the Harry Potter books were good, so he went out and got the first one for me. During that trip, I totally got lost in the book, which was of great help during a time when I needed a distraction to forget about the sadness. In the book, I noticed the name "Seamus". I vaguely remembered it was pronounced "Shamus" and I liked the sound of that. I mentioned it to Marshall and he liked it too. Toward the end of the trip, I had just 5 chapters left and I knew I was about to finish the first book, which I was pretty excited about. Soon after we put Jane down to bed, I had started labor , so I was unable to read. The labor lasted 5 and 1/2 hours, but Marshall stayed there with me, sitting beside me and reading aloud the last 5 chapters of Harry Potter. I can never fully explain how much that helped me through the experience. And ever since then, Marshall and I both have been fans of the Harry Potter books. We remember how they helped us get through that time of our lives. We were sad to have lost the baby, but the name Seamus started our journey toward adoption. And we gave this name to our adopted son. Though our Seamus doesn't have a drop of Irish blood in him, the name fits him perfectly. Why did the writer want a good book during the trip? A Because the trip to Louisiana would take a long time. B Because she didn't want to think of losing her baby. C Because she had nothing else to do except reading. D Because a good book could help her enjoy her trip. Answer: B. Because she didn't want to think of losing her baby. Human beings have a natural desire to explore the unknown. People with a strong interest in space like to say it is the last place left to explore. But scientists are warning that space exploration for long periods is not going to be easy. They say the human body is not designed to stay in space over an extended period. The New York Times recently published a report about scientists who are preparing astronauts for a trip to the Moon. The newspaper said the scientists want to make sure that their crews return home in good health. But there are many problems to be solved before people are ready for long trips to the Moon, an asteroid or even the planet Mars. Humans developed on a planet with a surface that is more than 70 percent water. Our bodies are also about 70 percent water. When there is no gravity that water moves up toward the head, raising pressure in the skull. Arms and legs grow weaker at what is called zero gravity because they no longer need to push against the force of gravity. Five years ago, astronauts who spent weeks in space reported a change in their eyesight. These astronauts were members of the crew on the International Space Station. Research showed a change in the shape of their eyes. Normally-round eyeballs had become flat during time in space. The research also showed that the right eye was affected more than the left, and that men were more affected than women. Scientists could not find an explanation for the differences. Bone loss was one of the problems first reported by astronauts returning to Earth after longer stays in space. So scientists designed exercise machines to use on the space station. Tests showed that the exercise equipment helped space travelers keep their bones almost as strong as when they left Earth. There are other health issues for astronauts who spend a long time in space. They may have problems eating and sleeping. But the biggest health issue is exposure to radiation. On Earth, human beings are protected by the atmosphere and the planet's magnetic field. In outer space, there is no such protection. What is true according to the passage? A The biggest health issue is exposure to Sunshine. B Research showed a change in the size of their eyes. C The right eye was affected less than the left. D Men were more affected than women. Answer: D. Men were more affected than women. Bad Hobbies It's easier to walk downhill than to climb uphill. So it is easier to fall into bad habits than into good ones. Bad habits do not form suddenly. They form little by little, so you don't realize their danger. Schoolboys and schoolgirls first pick up little bad habits at school or on the streets. When they cannot do their homework, they copy from their classmates. If they see bigger boys or girls smoking, they also want to learn to smoke. If they see their friends gambling ,they want to gamble. When they get older, the habits become stronger and stronger. Then they can no longer give them up. From copying, they learn to steal; from gambling, they learn to cheat. At last, no one believes in them. It is very important to stop bad habits as soon as they begin! My son is eight years old. He is now in Grade Three. When he was five, he started school. Every evening we have homework battles. Three afternoons a week he has activities after school. By the time we get home, homework is the last thing he feels like doing. The other two afternoon, he gets home early and we argue about whether he should do his homework straight away, or if he should have some time to rest and play first. When my son finally sits down to do his homework, he seems to want me there helping him all the time. I do want to help him, but I am sure that he can do it by himself. In fact, I often end up telling him the answers to most of his homework. He has fallen into the habit of depending on me to do this. He never wants to use his own brain. My wife and I have given up all our outdoor activities. We sit with him when he does his homework. We want to train him form some good learning habits. But what should we do? Schoolboys and schoolgirls first pick up little bad habits _ . A at home B at school or on the street C in the library D at the other's home Answer: B. at school or on the street
A tropical rain forest is an amazing place. Thousands of different kinds of plants and animals make their homes there. Some are not found anywhere else in the world. If the rain forests are not protected, some species of plants and animals could disappear forever, taking their resources with them. Scientists have known for a long time that medical cures can come from plants. The rain forest is the perfect habitat for various types of plants. They compete for space, sunlight, water, and nutrients. The plants that survive are strong. They also contain many types of chemicals. These chemicals are part of the plants' defence system. They can help protect the plants from bacteria, insects, diseases, and other threats. Experts believe that some of these chemicals might be useful to human beings, too. The native people of the rain forests have healers who help those who are sick. For hundreds of years, they have known which leaves, roots, and berries can be used to treat different illnesses. Western scientists have begun working with these native healers. They learn about different plants, cures, and treatments. Then, they can perform tests on the plants to see what chemicals they contain and how they might be used. When they do find something important, it goes through more and more tests. Lots of experiments must be done over a long period of time before something can be safely sold as a drug. Scientists want to be sure that it works and that the risk of using it isn't too high. American scientists have set up labs in the countries where the rain forests are. They do studies and research there. They also employ scientists and workers who live in these countries to help them. This allows the local people to benefit from research on the rain forests. They can make money from the rain forest without destroying it, which is very important. If the rain forest is valuable to them, they will help protect it. The more people who are trying to protect the rain forests, the better. Just imagine the cures that might be found there! The text is mainly about_. A. the native healers of the rain forests B. the plants and animals living in the rain forests C. the medicinal value of plants in the rain forests D. the diseases which attack plants in the rain forests Answer: C. the medicinal value of plants in the rain forests At the age of 16, Clara Barton was advised to become a teacher, since she was quite shy. She taught in Massachusetts for ten years, and was invited to Bordentown, New Jersey, to teach in a private school. She saw personally that these communities needed free education for their citizens, and she responded by creating a free school, one of the first in her state. Later, officials ignored her and appointed a male as principal instead. She resigned and moved to Washington DC, becoming the first woman employed by the U. S. Patent Office. Clara Barton was forever changed by her experience with the troops in the Civil War. She saw surgeons dressing wounds with cornhusks , since they had nothing else. The medical supplies for the Army were well behind the troops, who were moving faster than their medical supply lines. She brought in a wagon of bandages and medical supplies that she had collected personally beforehand. Barton continued to work on the battlefields throughout the war. She helped in the identification process of 13,000 dead Union soldiers. Afterward, she was an important figure in a campaign to identify missing soldiers from the Civil War. This non-stop work _ her, and upon recommendation by her physicians, she traveled to Europe to recover herself. While in Europe, and still in poor health Miss Barton was moved by the hardship on civilians brought about by the France-Prussia war. She helped in their relief effort, and in that work she was inspired to create the Red Cross, which served all troops and civilians. Clara Barton returned to America and then began the establishment of the American Red Cross. The US government did not think there would ever be another war, after the horror of the Civil War. But she convinced them that the Red Cross would be valuable to serve in times of natural disasters, as well. This was her lasting legacy , an agency that still provides aid to victims today. Why did Clara give up her job in the free school? A. Because officials didn't make her principal. B. Because she wanted to work in a Patent Office. C. Because she wanted to serve in the army. D. Because she was not satisfied with the pay. Answer: A. Because officials didn't make her principal. One stormy night many years ago, an elderly man and his wife entered the hall of a small hotel in Philadelphia. Trying to get out of the rain, they came to the front desk hoping to get some shelter for the night. "Could you possibly give us a room here?" the husband asked. The clerk, a friendly man with a winning smile, looked at the couple and explained that there were three conventions in town."All of our rooms are taken," the clerk said."But I can't send a nice couple like you out into the rain at one o'clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It's not exactly a suite, but it will be good enough to make you folks comfortable for the night." When the couple declined, the young man pressed on."Don't worry about me; I'll make out just fine." the clerk told them. So the couple agreed. As he paid his bill the next morning, the elderly man said to the clerk,"You are the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe someday I'll build one for you." The clerk looked at them and smiled. The three of them had a good laugh. As they drove away, the elderly couple agreed that the helpful clerk was indeed exceptional, as finding people who are both friendly and helpful isn't easy. Two years passed. The clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the old man. It recalled that stormy night and enclosed a round--trip ticket to New York, asking the young man to pay them a visit. The old man met him in New York, and led him to the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th street. He then pointed to a great new building there, a pale reddish stone, with turrets and watchtowers thrusting up to the sky."That," said the older man,"is the hotel I have just built for you to manage.""You must be joking," the young man said."I can assure you I am not," said the older man, a sly smile playing around his mouth. The older man's name was William Waldorf Astor, and that magnificent structure was the original Waldorf--Astoria Hotel. The young clerk who became its first manager was George C.Boldt. This young clerk never foresaw the turn of events that would lead him to become the manager of one of the world's most glamorous hotels. Which of the statements about the story is NOT true? A. The story took place at about one a.m.. B. The old couple was too poor to afford a luxurious room. C. The clerk was willing to help those in need. D. The clerk received an unexpected invitation from the old man. Answer: B. The old couple was too poor to afford a luxurious room. In the United States,boys and girls start school when they are five years old.In some states they must stay in school until they are sixteen.Most students are seventeen or eighteen years old when they graduate from secondary school.another name for high school.Most children go to public elementary and secondary schools .The parents of public pupils do not have to pay for their children's education because taxes support the public schools.If a child goes to a private school ,his parents have to pay for the child's education.Today about half of the high school students go on to colleges and universities .Some colleges and universities receive money support from the government .A student at a state university does not have to pay very much if his parents live in that state.Private schools are expensive,however.Almost half of the college students in the USA work while studying.If a student's family is not rich,he has to make money for part of his college expenses . In the USA almost half of the college students work while studying.This is because _ . A. their families aren't rich enough B. they don't want to depend on their parents C. they are interested in work D. their parents don't live in that state Answer: B. they don't want to depend on their parents We are not born doubting ourselves. We learn to do it. In fact, we are usually taught to doubt ourselves. We can learn some ways that allow us to become more accepting of ourselves. Following are two behaviors that might explain the reasons why you can't move towards greater self-acceptance. One thing that might cause you not to accept yourself is over-generalizing about something you've done that you don't like.For example, if you fail a test you might generalize and say, "I'm really a stupid person." When you do this you are making a statement about all of you all of the time and not just about this one situation at this time. Instead, you might decide that your grade on this test in this subject at this time was indeed poor, and then go on to decide what you want to do about your poor grade, if anything. Getting stuck in over-generalizing discourages you from taking steps that might allow you to do better on the next exam and to build an expectation of future failure. Having standards that are impossibly high is a second way you can not accept yourself. It may not come as a surprise to you that most of us are more demanding of ourselves than we are of others. Somehow we can tolerate the fact that other people fail, that they aren't always kind, that they've done things they aren't proud of, but we have difficulty accepting those very human aspects of ourselves. The need to be perfect is another way to set yourself up for failure and enhance the feeling that you are not acceptable. We all make mistakes. Accepting less than perfection simply means recognizing the limitations natural in being born a human being. Learn to value who you are rather than who you could become. Wouldn't it be overpowering if we always had to do what we imagine we could do? Nobody has the time and energy to do all of that. We must make choices about what we will pursue and do them the best we can under the circumstances, which aren't always ideal, by the way. What is the author's attitude according to the passage? A. It's necessary for people to be perfect. B. It's acceptable for people to be imperfect. C. It's strange for people to be born with limitation. D. It's possible for people to do what they imagine. Answer: B. It's acceptable for people to be imperfect.
Dear Eric, How are you? This is a picture of my room. You can see a nice computer on my desk. It is my birthday present from my uncle. A tape player is next to the computer, and some tapes are on the computer. My school-bag is on the chair. My pencil-box and two books are in the schoolbag. And you can see a set of keys in the schoolbag, too. My bed is blue, and my green quilt is on it. Under the bed, you can see a baseball, and I can play it well. My books are in the bookcase, and my white model plane is in it, too. My room is tidy, isn't it? Do you have a room? Can I have a picture of your room? Yours, Liu Peng What is on the computer? Over 70 percent of the "double single-child couples" in China need help from their parents in taking care of their own kids, according to a recent survey. "Women of China" magazine and a consulting company carried out a survey recently on young couples of the "single-child" generation, the Morning Post reports. The couples surveyed were around 29 and have been married for three years on average, with university education and monthly income of 4.000 yuan ($531). Among them, 43.5 percent have kids. Results show that 71.9 percent of the young couples have help from their parents in taking care of their kids. Grown up as the "single-child", the only child in a family since the family planning policy was adopted in 1979, this generation depends much on their parents. The parents of the "single-child" generation focused more on their children's physical well-being rather than their attitudes and values, according to some psychologists. The research also found that the "double single-child couples" follow a rather traditional value system. Survey shows that 27.5 percent of them got married after dating for one to two years, 25.2 percent two to five years, and 20 percent didn't tie the knot until dating for five years. Also, 30 percent of the couples were schoolmates, while 43.8 percent were introduced by someone. Since their marriage are based on enduring relationships, 65.2 percent of the husbands and 62.9 percent of the wives think that compromise and tolerance are necessary in their marriage. Meanwhile, 21.7 percent of the husbands and 37.1 percent of the wives support the idea that happiness is the key standard for a marriage. Which of the following is NOT supported by the passage? The human brain contains ten thousand million cells and each of these may have a thousand connections. Such enormous numbers used to discourage us and cause us to dismiss the possibility of making a machine with human-like ability, but now that we have grown used to moving forward at such a pace we can be less sure. Quite soon, in only 10 or 20 years perhaps, we will be able to assemble a machine as complex as the human brain, and if we can we will. It may then take us a long time to render it intelligent by loading in the right software or by altering the architecture but that two will happen. I think it is certain that in decades, not centuries, machines of silicon will arise first to rival and then exceed their human ancestors. Once they exceed us they will be capable of their own design. In a real sense they will be able to reproduce themselves. Silicon will have ended carbon's long control. And we will no longer be able to claim ourselves to be the finest intelligence in the known universe. As the intelligence of robots increased to match that of humans and as their cost declines through economies of scale we may use them to expand our frontiers, first on earth through their ability to withstand environments, harmful to ourselves. Thus, deserts may bloom and the ocean beds be mined. Further ahead, by a combination of the great wealth this new age will bring and the technology it will provide, the construction of a vast, man-created world in space, home to thousands of millions of people, will be within our power. A robot can be used to expand our frontiers when . Work-Study Program The Work-Study Program gives you the chance to work part-time on campus. If you need more money to cover all of your education-related costs, you may be qualified for this program. Advantages * Work experience: Last year, more than 1,400 positions were available across all departments. The jobs vary from one department to the next, and in most cases, participants find a position in their chosen field. * Money: During the regular academic year (September to April), you can work part-time and earn $3,200---sometimes more---while you take courses! During the summer time, you work full-time and can earn around $6,000 over 18 weeks.om] Easy access: Applying for the program is easy. There is no need for face-to-face interview. All the forms you need are online; just fill in the forms and email us; we accept no letter or phone application! Did you know? At the University of Ottawa, it is not essential to receive government assistance to qualify for our Work-Study Program. You simply need to demonstrate financial need. You could have one of these great Work-Study jobs: Student ambassador Computing and network technician Marketing assistant Sports team manager Researcher / translator *Writer And more! The Admission Section receives and evaluates applications to undergraduate programs, in addition to answering applicants' questions. Phone: 613-562-5315 Toll-free: 1-877-868-8292 (#5315) Financial Aid & Awards Service Section: Phone: 613-562-5734 Toll-free phone: 1-877-868-8292 Regular Office Hours: Monday to Friday September to May: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. June to August: 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. To earn most each month, you may choose to work _ . Become a volunteer and help those who need your help in your community ! Volunteer work includes helping the poor, helping the families whose houses were destroyed by national disasters or creating green spaces for neighborhood families. Whichever service activity you choose, you have the "power of one" to make a difference and create a real change in the community! Our holiday volunteer jobs are open to all Americans. You don't need any special skills to join and there are no age limits . With Biosphere Expedition , you can be a wildlife and environmental volunteer for anywhere from two weeks to two months. You'll work with local scientists, and the leaders from Biosphere Expedition will be by your side. We need students at the age of 16 and up who study at school and want a chance to use their talents, skills and knowledge to help the little kids. Most of them have enough patience and are warm-hearted. Join the Volunteer Service Center today! Volunteers are the greatest people in the world. Let's work together to make the world a better place. If Wu Dong is _ years old, he may join the Volunteer Service Center.
"Memorize these words." "Learn this spelling rule." "Don't forget about the exam tomorrow." You remember things every day, but how do you do it? When you want to call a store or an office that you don't call often, you look in the telephone book for the number. You _ the number, and then you forget it! You use your short-term memory to remember the number. Your short-term memory lasts about half a minute. However, you don't need to look in the telephone book for your best friend's number because you already know it. This information is in your long-term memory. Your long-term memory has everything that you remember through the years. The major reason for forgetting something is because you do not learn it well at the beginning. For example, you meet some new people, and right away you forget their names. You hear the names but you do not learn them, so you forget them. How long does the long-term memory last? As long as you live The source of energy for the Earth's water cycle is the Sun's radiation It's not Christmas Day yet. But wherever I go on the streets, I see shops selling Christmas trees and all kinds of beautiful decorations, waiters wearing Christmas hats; I hear children singing Christmas songs on broadcast; I get messages of Christmas's best wishes from friends. I just got quite confused again, since when have Chinese begun celebrating Christmas Day? What do these people celebrate it for, the birth of Chris? But we all know that most of Chinese are not Christians, they don't even know the origin of Christmas Day, and they celebrate it for no reason. I don't celebrate Christmas Day or any other western holidays since I'm not a Christian and nor am I a westerner. I don't know what Christmas really means. Anyway I can't get reasonable answers from my friends. Some of them think they would like to just take this chance to enjoy themselves regardless of the meaning of the festival. Some of them think I'm an old-fashioned girl, a _ who doesn't appreciate the spirit of Chinese cultural tolerance and understanding of other cultures. Well, if it is about cultural tolerance, why don't we ever celebrate the month of Muharram, or festivals of colours in India, or Fiestas Patrias in Mexico? I really appreciate cultural exchanges and communications with all nations, but I don't think this is what it's about. People are celebrating more and more western festivals while ignoring our traditional ones. Is it part of globalization ? Do people in other non-western countries also celebrate Christmas? It can be inferred from the passage that the writer _ . prefers Chinese festivals to western festivals People all over the world today are beginning to hear and learn more and more about the problem of pollution.Pollution is caused either by man's release of completely new artificial substances into the environment,or by releasing greatly increased amounts of a natural substance,such as oil from oil tankers into the sea. The whole industrial process which makes many of the goods and machines we need and use in our daily lives,is bound to create a number of waste products which upset the environmental balance,or the ecological balance as is also known.Many of these waste products can be prevented or disposed of.But while more and more new and complex goods are produced,there will be new,dangerous waste to be disposed of,for example,the waste products from nuclear power stations.Many people,therefore,see pollution as only part of a larger and more complex problem,that is,the whole process of industrial production and consumption of goods.Others again see the problem mainly in connection with agriculture,where new methods are helping farmers grow more and more on their land to feed our ever-increasing population.However,the land itself is gradually becoming worn out as it is being used,in some cases,too heavily,and artificial fertilizers can not restore the balance. Whatever its underlying reasons are,there is no doubt that much of the pollution caused could be controlled if only companies,individuals and governments would make more efforts.In the home there is an obvious need to control litter and waste.Food comes wrapped up three or four times in packages that all have to be disposed of;drinks are increasingly sold in bottles or tins which can not be reused.This not only causes a litter problem,but also is a great waste of resources,in terms of glass,metals and paper.Advertising has helped this process by persuading many of us not only to buy things we neither want nor need,but also to throw away much of what we do buy.Pollution and waste combine to be a problem everyone can help to solve by cutting out unnecessary buying,excessive consumption and careless disposal of the products we use in our daily lives. Much of the pollution could be controlled if only . all sides concerned would make more efforts 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 . Which of the following does not agree with the chosen passage? People suffer from colds just because they like to stay indoors.
There is a very special wolf that lives in Africa. They are actually called, the African wild dog, of painted dogs. These animals live in open woodlands, or in the plains of Africa. Today, however, most of the animals can be found in eastern or southern Africa. These animals are beautiful. They have rounded ears instead of pointed like most dogs, and they have four toes on each of their four feet, also a unique characteristic because other dogs have five. Their fine fur is always different from each other. The fur is usually a combination of black, brown, red, and white, and sometimes even yellow. No wonder they're called the painted wolf. The African wild dog is a very social animal. They live in groups and have numbers from five to about twenty. The members of a group are always very close to one another. They communicate in their own language or body language. When someone is very old or sick, the others will help, and they are willing to share the food with the elders and with those who are weak, which is what we should learn from. The family does everything together, from raising young, to sleeping together, to hunting. When they hunt, they will work together suing team work to kill animals that are larger than them. They sometimes hunt farm animals. This is unfortunate, because both poachers , and people who own farms shoot the painted dogs who are just trying to survive. Before, there used to be many large groups throughout the land, but now the African wild god is very rare. They are also losing their population because of their own loss of habitat thanks to human's farming and forest cutting. Why do African wild dogs get the name "painted dogs"? A. They all have colorful fur. B. The dogs in the same group are of different colors. C. Artists love to paint them in different colors. D. None of them has the same color. Answer: A. They all have colorful fur. Interactive Home-security Systems Tarik Celebi, who lives in San Francisco suburb, takes his home-security system with him to work, to dinner, just about anywhere.By his cell phone, he "arms" his home-security alarm from his car before he leaves for work.During his workday, he gets e-mail alerts every time his front door opens, even though he's miles away.If the door opens at an unusual time -say midday when no one should be coming or going - he can order a 30-second video clip from the camera that watches the door.If it's just his mother-in-law getting a package delivery, no worries. Celebi is one of the first users of the latest interactive home-security systems.In addition to sounding alarms when the house is broken into and notifying homeowners or police, as traditional systems do, the interactive systems give users new ways to remotely control their systems and their home environment.Different from traditional home-security alarms, which homeowners typically have to press buttons on a keypad to turn on before they leave their homes, the interactive systems enable consumers to arm and disarm systems from smart phones, iPads and PCs, no matter where they are. Most traditional systems are set up to sound an alarm if doors or windows are opened. The interactive systems give homeowners more options.For example, users can elect when they want to be notified.They might want an e-mail or a text every time a door is opened, or only during the hours of 3 to 4 p.m., when kids come home from school.Like Celebi, they can add cameras and get video clips when doors open.That could be helpful in making sure kids aren't bringing friends home when they're not supposed to. Nationwide, about 20% of homes have.traditional home-security systems.About half stop using them because they tire of the trouble.Being able to arm systems even while dashing to the subway or while at work will increase their usage of the new interactive systems.Although the new functions add costs to home security, the interactive-systems are believed to push home-security systems' usage rates closer to 30%, which would be a big movement for an industry that's been largely stuck at 20% for the past decade."We all know it's going to get bigger, though we don't know how long it's going to take," Eric Taylor, an officer from San Francisco Security Department says. The interactive systems enable the user to _ . A. improve his home environment remotely B. lock his house's door while he is miles away C. operate the home-security systems at any place D. sound the alarm and inform the police at the same time Answer: C. operate the home-security systems at any place In the old days, children were familiar with birth and death as part of life. This is perhaps the first generation of American youngsters who have never been close by during the birth of a baby and have never experienced the death of a family member. Nowadays when people grow old, we often send them to nursing homes. When they get sick, we send them to a hospital, where children are forbidden to visit terminally ill patients - even when those patients are their parents. This deprives the dying patient of significant family members during the last few days of his and it deprives the children of an experience of death, which is an important learning experience. Some of my colleagues and I once interviewed and followed about 500 terminally ill patients in order to find out what they could teach us and how we could be of more benefit, not just to them but to the members of their families as well. We were most impressed by the fact that even those patients who were not told of their serious illness were aware of its possible result. It is important for family members, and doctors and nurses to understand these patients' communications in order to truly understand their needs, fears and fantasies. Most of our patients welcomed another human being with whom they could talk openly, honestly, and frankly about their trouble. Many of them shared with us their great need to be informed, to be kept up-to-date on their medical condition and to be told when the end was near. We found out that patients who had been dealt with openly and frankly were better able to deal with the coming of death and finally to reach a true stage of acceptance prior to death. What may be concluded from the text? A. Dying patients are afraid of being told of the coming of death. B. Most doctors and nurses understand what dying patients need. C. Dying patients should be truthfully informed of their condition. D. Most patients are unable to accept death until it can't be avoided. Answer: C. Dying patients should be truthfully informed of their condition. Hello, I am a box. I am big and I am green. I have many things. Look! This is a pencil box. It's white. It's Jack's. He likes white very much. What are in the pencil box? Three pens are in it. What is that? It's an orange. It's Linda's. Oranges are her favorite fruit. Some baseballs are in me, too. They are John's and Mary's. They lost them on the playground. Whose keys are these? They are Anna's. She lost them in the library. A boy found _ . You can see an English book in me, too. Whose book is it? I don't know. Who am I? I am the Lost and Found box. What did John and Mary lose? A. Some keys. B. An English book. C. A pencil box. D. Some baseballs. Answer: D. Some baseballs. In recent years, advances in medical technology have made it possible for people to live longer than in the past. New medicines and machines are being developed every day to extend life. However, some people, including some doctors, are not in favor of these life extending measures, and they argue that people should have the right to die when they want. They say that the quality of life is as important as life itself and that people should not be forced to go on living when conditions of life have become unbearable . They saw that people should be allowed to die with dignity and to decide when they want to die. Others argue that life under any conditions is better than death and that the duty of doctors is always to extend life as long as possible. And so the battle goes on and on without a definite answer. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A. Most of the medical workers join in the argument. B. The argument has ended in favor of the patient. C. The argument hasn't ended yet. D. The quality of life is not as important as life itself, so it is generally thought that people should not be allowed to die under any conditions. Answer: C. The argument hasn't ended yet.
Tu Youyou, 84, honored with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on Oct 5, 2015. She was the first Chinese citizen to win a Nobel Prize in science for her work in helping to create an anti-malaria medicine. In 1967, Communist leader Mao Zedong decided there was an urgent national need to find a cure for malaria. At the time, malaria spread by mosquitoes was killing Chinese soldiers fighting Americans in the jungles of northern Vietnam. A secret research unit was formed to find a cure for the illness. Two years later, Tu Youyou was instructed to become the new head of Mission 523. Researchers in Mission523 _ ancient books to find historical methods of fighting malaria. When she started her search for an anti-malarial drug, over 240,000 compounds around the world had already been tested, without any success. Finally, the team found a brief reference to one substance, sweet wormwood , which had been used to treat malaria in China around 400 AD. The team isolated one active compound in wormwood, artemisinin , which appeared to battle malaria-friendly parasites . The team then tested extracts of the compound but nothing was effective until Tu Youyou returned to the original ancient text. After another careful reading, she improved the drug recipe one final time, heating the extract without allowing it to reach boiling point. After the drug showed promising results in mice and monkeys, Tu volunteered to be the first human recipient of the new drug. "As the head of the research group, I had the responsibility." she explained. When did Ms. Tu start her malaria research? One beautiful day, there was a watermelon. This watermelon was sitting on a bench. The bench was on the grass. The grass was in the park. It was a beautiful place. But Watermelon had a problem. It was bored. All of its friends were busy! "I'm so bored!" cried Watermelon. "Come talk to me!" answered a voice from the park. "But who are you? Where are you?" asked the watermelon. "I am a rock. I am behind you." Watermelon turned around. Off in the distance, it saw the rock. "But Rock, you are so far away! Can you come closer?" "No, I can't. I am a rock. I am big and flat and heavy. I am not round like you. I can't roll to join my friends. I can't play with everyone like you can. My shape is no good. No good at all. But I want to play! I want to talk!" "That is a very sad story, Rock. But what can I do?" "Can you roll?" "Well, yes, yes I can." "Then roll over here!" And so Watermelon did. They talked for a long time. They sang songs. They played games. It was so much fun that Watermelon did not see the weather was changing. Suddenly a strong wind blew, and it pushed Watermelon away. "Help! Help! I am rolling away, help!" "Quick, Watermelon! Get behind me!" Rock was afraid for his new friend. Watermelon rolled behind Rock, and there it was protected by Rock from the dangerous wind. "You saved me! Thank you" "No problem!" "You may be big and flat and heavy. And maybe you can't roll around like me. But I am very happy because of that! I am safe because you are what you are!" What does Rock want to do? Mr. Brown lives in America and has a big factory there. He is busy all the time. But when he takes his holidays, he always goes traveling and has been to about thirty countries. One summer he went to visit Moscow. There he heard the workers were paid much less than those in his countries. And most factories couldn't work because they were short of money. He thought he would save much money if he invested in a factory there. The Russians knew it and warmly met him and he was invited to visit a modern factory. He went to the workplaces, watched carefully how the machines worked. The workers worked hard when he went in. Soon it was time to have lunch. Mr. Brown went in the dining -room. Meat, eggs, milk and bread could be bough there. It seemed that they weren't short of anything. Mr. Brown came up to an old worker and sat down next to him. Are you satisfied with your life, sir? Asked Mr. Brown. "Of course," the worker answered and went on drinking. "What do you have now?" "I live in beautiful villa ," answered the man. "I have a new fridge, a new color television and I drive a new car to my factory." "What's your next wish, then?" "To buy a pair of strong shoes!" The Russians warmly met Mr. Brown because _ . What do you want to be when you grow up? A teacher? A doctor? How about an ice-cream taster? Yes, there really is a job where you can get paid to taste ice-cream. Just ask John Harrison, an"Official Taste Tester"for the past 21 years. Testing helps manufacturers to be sure of a product's quality. During his career Harrison has been responsible for approving large quantities of the sweet ice cream--as well as for developing over 75 flavors . Some people think that it would be easy to do this job: after all, you just have to like ice cream, right? No--there's more to the job than that, says Harrison, who has a degree in chemistry. He points out that a dairy or food-science degree would be very useful to someone wanting a career in this"cool"field. In a typical morning on the job, Harrison tastes and assesses 60 ice-cream samples. He lets the ice cream warm up to about 12degF. Harrison explains,"You get more flavor from warmer ice cream, which is why some kids like to stir it, creating ice-cream soup." While the ice cream warms up, Harrison looks over the samples and grades each one on its appearance."Tasting begins with the eyes,"he explains. He checks to see if the ice cream is attractive and asks himself,"Does the product have the color expected from that flavor?"Next it's time to taste! Continuing to think up new ideas, try out new flavors, and test samples from so many kinds of ice cream each day keeps Harrison busy but happy--working at one cool job. Which of the following is probably the best title of the passage? Film director James Cameron first became interested in sea exploration when he was a little boy.His love for the ocean grew after he made the 1989 undersea adventure film The Abyss and the 1997 blockbuster Titanic,one of the most successful movies of all time.Following that big success,James Cameron decided to put his film career on hold to become an explorer. In 2012,James Cameron made a journey to the deepest spot in the Mariana Trench,known as Challenger Deep.And now the great journey has been made into a documentary film,named James Cameron's Deep-sea Challenger 3D. In James Cameron's fantasy films,such as Avatar and The Abyss,the unexplored areas are decorated in colors and full of danger.But on his dive into Challenger Deep,the reality proved far different: white, deserted and dull. "I felt like I had gone to another planet,"Cameron said after returning from the cold and dark place in the Western Pacific Ocean,nearly 7 miles below the surface."I really have a sense of being separated and realize how tiny I am down in this big, black and unexplored place." Cameron captured the moon-like landscape of the deep sea and documented the sea creatures he observed in the ocean. James Cameron's Deep--sea Challenger 3D tells the story of Cameron' s journey.It is a film about determination,danger and the ocean'S greatest depths.The movie shows a unique insight into Cameron's world when he makes his dream reality and makes history by becoming the first person to travel alone to the deepest point on the planet. It's an exciting film and inspiring reminder that our beautiful planet still has a lot to explore. When did James Cameron become interested in the ocean?
The worst danger is a house on fire when people are asleep. Always be ready to leave through a window into the garden by making sure you can open it if necessary. If you should be on holiday in a tall building or hotel, make sure you know where the fire escape is . When you can't find any way out, try to find pieces of cloth and make a rope to get out of a window to safety. If you smell burning in your home, get out right away. If you can't breathe properly because of smoke on your way out, crawl on your hands and knees because smoke rises and the air will be cleaner near the floor. Smoke is a killer and more people have died from breathing it in than actually being burnt. Fire in a cinema, hall or public place often means people pushing to reach a door. Keep your head up with arms up in front of your chest .This protects your chest and gives you the best chance to breathe. Above all, don't get frightened! Which of the following is NOT true? Answer: Helen and Betty are very good friends. They are in the same class at school. Now they are eight years old. Helen's mother has a new baby. Helen is very happy to have a little sister, so she always talks about her to Betty. At first Betty is very interested in the new baby. But after some time she begins to get unhappy because Helen doesn't stop talking about it. One morning, the two girls meet in the library, and Helen says to Betty happily, "Do you know, Betty, my baby sister puts on about half a pound this week." "That is not much," says Betty. "I know a baby that puts on ten pounds a day." "Oh, that can't be true?" says Helen with a laugh . "Whose baby is it?" "An elephant's," says Betty. What happens to Helen's family? Answer: Short and shy, Ben Saunders was the last kid in his class picked for any sports team. "Football, tennis,cricket -- anything with a round ball, I was useless." he says now with a laugh. But back then he was the object of jokes in school gym classes in England's rural Devonshire. It was a mountain bike he received for his 15th birthday that changed him. At first the teen went biking alone in a nearby forest. Then he began to cycle along with a runner friend. Gradually, Saunders set his mind building up his body, increasing his speed, strength and endurance. At age 18, he ran his first marathon. The following year, he met John Ridgway, who became famous in the 1960s for rowing an open boat across the Atlantic Ocean. Saunders was hired as an instructor at Ridgway's school of Adventure in Scotland, where he learned about the older man's cold-water exploits . _ , Saunders read all he could about Arctic explorers and North Pole expeditions, then decided that this would be his future. Journeys to the Pole aren't the usual holidays for British country boys, and many people dismissed his dream as fantasy. "John Ridgway was one of the few who didn't say, 'You are completely crazy,'" Saunders says. In 2001, after becoming a skilled skier, Saunders started his first long-distance expedition toward the North Pole. He suffered frostbite, had a closer encounter with a polar bear and pushed his body to the limit. Saunders has since become the youngest person to ski alone to the North Pole, and he's skied more of the Arctic by himself than any other Briton. His old playmates would not believe the transformation. This October, Saunders, 27, heads south to explore from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back, an 1800-mile journey that has never been completed on skis. What do we know about Saunders? Answer: People in the United States honor their parents with two special days: Mother's Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father's Day, on the third Sunday in June. Mother's Day was proclaimed a day for national observance by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915. Ann Jarvis from Grafton, West Virginia, had started the idea to have a day to honor mothers. She was the one who chose the second Sunday in May and also began the custom of wearing a carnation. In 1909, Mrs. Dodd from Spokane, Washington, thought of the idea of a day to honor fathers. She wanted to honor her own father, William Smart. After her mother died, he had the responsibility of raising a family of five sons and a daughter. In 1910, the first Father's Day was observed in Spokane. Senator Margaret Chase Smith helped to establish Father's Day as a national commemorative day, in 1972. These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care. These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother's Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead.Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery. On these days families get together at home, as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues for Father's Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories. According to the passage, which of the following about the second Sunday in May is not true ? Answer: Three months after the government stopped issuing or renewing permits for Internet cafes because of security concerns, some cafe owners are having financial concerns of their own. The permits were stopped suddenly three months ago by the government until new safeguards could be put in place to prevent misuse of the information superhighway, but for cafe owners it's a business breakdown with no fix in sight. "I handed in a request to open up an Internet cafe and received the conditions," said the businessman Obeidallah. "I rented a place in the Sharafiah district at SR45,000 and prepared the place with equipment that cost me more than SR100,000. When I went to the local government after finishing everything, I was surprised to find that they'd stopped issuing permits for Internet cafes." Having an Internet cafe without Internet is much like having a coffee shop without coffee. "I'm avoiding closing the place, but it's been more than three months with the situation ongoing as it is." Obeidallah said. "Who will bear the losses caused by the permit issue?" The decision took many cafe owners by surprise. "I asked to open an Internet cafe, and I was handed a list of all the things that were needed to follow through, such as a sign for the place, filling out forms," said Hassan Al-Harbi. "I did all that was asked and rented a place. And after the Haj vacation I went to the local government and they surprised me, saying that there are new rules that forbid the issuing of any more Internet cafe permits and that one can't even renew his permit. I've lost more than SR80,000," Al-harbi added. As for the government, officials say a method to deal with it is on the way. But security concerns come before profit . The government stopped issuing or renewing permits for Internet cafes_. Answer:
Everyone knows that the Frenchmen are romantic, the Italians are fashionable and the Germans are serious. Are these just stereotypes or is there really such a thing as national character? And if there is, can it affect how a nation succeed or fail? At least one group of people is certain that it can. A recent survey of the top 500 entrepreneurs in the UK found that 70% felt that their efforts were not appreciated by the British public. Britain is hostile to success, they said. It has a culture of jealousy. As a result, the survey said, entrepreneurs were "unloved, unwanted and misunderstood." Jealousy is sometimes known as the "green - eyed monster" and the UK is its home. Scientists at Warwich University in the UK recently tested this idea. They gathered a group of people together and gave each an imaginary amount of money. Some were given a little, others a great deal. Those given a little were given the chance to destroy the large amount of money given to others - but at the cost of losing their own. Two thirds of the people tested agreed to do this. This seems to prove that the entrepreneurs were right to complain. But there is also conflicting evidence. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development recently reported that the UK is now the world's fourth largest economy. That is not bad for people who are supposed to hate success. People in the UK also work longer hours than anyone else in Europe. So the British people are not lazy, either. "It is not really success that the British dislike," says Carey Cooper, a professor of management at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. "It's people using their success in a way that seems proud or unfair or which separates them from their roots." Perhaps it is the entrepreneurs who are the problem. They set out to do things in their way. They work long hours. By their own efforts they become millionaires. But instead of being happy they complain that nobody loves them. It hardly seems worth following their example. If they were more friendly, people would like them more. And more people want to be like them. The best title for this article can be _ . Answer: Be More Modest and We Will Love You More When you choose a freezer, remember it's probably going to be with you for a long time. So it's important to know which freezer is right for your needs. First, decide if you want an upright or chest model. Uprights are more convenient. Their storage space is more accessible and they take up less floor area. However, chest models are more energy-efficient because less cold air escapes when they are open. If you are buying an upright, you'll have to choose between frostless or manual defrost . Chest freezers are always manual. Frostless freezers automatically defrost at present intervals and remove the water. Manual models must be defrosted by hand every few months or whenever frost pile up to about a quarter of an inch. To help your freezer reach a ripe old age, try to find a spot that's cool, dry, and away fromdrafts . Drafts and heat will raise the freezer's cabinet temperature, which makes it work harder to keep cool. That means wasted energy. That means wasted energy and a shortened life. Dry air is important because highhumidity can cause the freezer to rust outside and frost up inside. With proper care, a freezer can serve you for 15 years or more. Regular cleaning and simple maintenance will help it maintain a zero-degree temperature and keep it smelling fresh and looking almost new. Frostless models requires less care than manual defrost freezers. The inside of a frostless unit should be washed periodically with warm water and baking soda or a mild soap, rinse, and dried. Good habits go a long way toward a freezer that runs efficiently. To get the most from your freezer, check regularly to make sure it's providing a true zero-degree temperature. Keep the freezer at least three-quarters full. The emptier it get, the more energy is wasted. If more than three pounds of food per cubic foot of storage space is added every 24 hours, the resulting high or low temperature can damage the food. Which statement best describes the main idea of the passage? Answer: It gives useful advice on how to choose and maintain a freezer. Where will a sidewalk feel hottest on a warm, clear day? Answer: In direct sunlight Jackie visited his grandparents on their farm. And he was playing with a slingshot in the woods. He practised in the woods but he could never hit the target. As he was walking back, he saw Grandma's pet duck. Without thinking, he shot, hit the duck in the head, and killed it. He was very afraid. He knew Grandma loved the duck. She would be sad or even angry if she knew that her duck was killed. He then hid the dead duck under a tree. His sister Susan saw it all, but she said nothing. After lunch that day Grandma said, "Susan, let's wash the dishes." But Susan said, "Grandma, Jackie told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today, didn't you, Jackie?" And then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So Jackie did the dishes. Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing, but Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Susan to help clean the house." But Susan smiled and said, "Well, that's all right because Jackie told me he wanted to help." and she whispered again, "Remember the duck?" So Susan went fishing with Grandpa and Jackie stayed. These "remember the duck" went on for many days. Then finally Jackie _ it any longer. He came to Grandma and told her that he had killed the duck. She gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing. But because I love you, I forgave you. But I just wanted to see how long you would let Susan make a slave of you. " What lesson does the story want to tell us? Answer: It makes you feel better to tell than to hide. GAOMI, Shandong, Oct.11( Xinhua)--Chinese writer Mo Yan said last Thursday that he was "very surprised" at winning the Nobel Literature Prize. Speaking to reporters at a hotel in his hometown Gaomi city in east China's Shandong Province, Mo said, "(I was)very surprised upon winning the prize because I felt I was not very senior in terms of qualification(among Chinese writers).There are many good writers and my ranking was not so high." "I am very happy," he said."I was having dinner when I received the news.I was surprised." "Thank you for coming all the way to Gaomi.This should be a season of red sorghum, but no such crop is planted any more.I believe none of you have seen the crop," he said. "The Nobel Literature Prize is a very important literature prize, but not the top award.It represents the opinions of the jury( ).I am satisfied with my major works and I still keep writing by hand.My works are Chinese literature, which is part of world literature.They show the life of Chinese people as well as the country's unique culture and folk customs.Meanwhile, my novels described human beings in the broad sense.I wrote in the perspective of a human being.These works stand beyond regions and ethnic groups," he said. "The folk arts and folk culture accompanied my growth and I was influenced by the cultural elements I witnessed through my childhood.When I picked up the pen for literature creation, the folk cultural elements inevitably entered my novels and affected and even determined the artistic styles of my works," he added. Mo's win brought joy to other writers and readers throughout the country as he is the first Chinese national to win the Nobel Literature Prize in its century--long history. Born into a farmer's family in a village in Gaomi, Mo has been known since the late 1980s for his novels such asBig BreastsandWide Hips and Red Sorghum, which was later adapted into a film by director Zhang Yimou. Mo Yan was surprised at winning the Nobel Prize because he felt _ . Answer: he was not the best writer in China
A major new development in system of work in Britain is taking place. Flexible working hours, or "Flextime", are catching on fast, and trend is continuing. In 1973, over 500 organizations had adopted the idea, and by 1974, this number had risen to over 200,000. Flexible working hours were invented in Germany in the late 1960's, but reached Britain only in 1972. The system allows workers to start and finish work whenever they want, with only two requirements. These are, firstly, that all workers must present for certain "key" times in the day, and secondly, that all workers must work an agreed total number of hours per week. The system had proved a total success wherever it has been tried. A survey of 700 workers on flexible hours showed three main advantages: a better balance between working and private life, avoidance of the need to travel during rush hours and the ability to finish a certain task before leaving. From the employer's point of view, the system tends to increase productivity, reduce labour turnover and give workers a greater sense of duty. At first, "Flexible" was mainly confined to white-collar workers, but it is now being applied to manual workers too. No matter where it is used, this system has proved _ . The lights were turned off in a room, who could find the light switch? There is an old English saying.It tells us that we must go to bed early and get up early in the morning.Then we shall be healthy.We shall also be rich and clever.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 well and they may not be healthy.The body also needs exercise.Walking, running, jumping and playing games are all exercise.Exercise keeps the body strong.Exercise also helps the blood to move around inside the body.It is very important.Our blood moves to all parts of our body.The head also needs blood.Exercise helps us to think better. The body also needs _ . Malaysia is a country of exciting beauty, with a tropical climate. Malaysia's weather is hotter in the lowlands and cooler in the mountains and highlands. Temperatures vary between 20 and 30 centigrade. Rainfall can be expected at any time, with an average of between 200 and 260 centimeters. The Malaysian population consists of Malays, Chinese, Indians and Eurasians. Its main religions are Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and Christianity. Its national language is Malay. English is widely spoken and is used all over the country. Other languages spoken in Malaysia are some Chinese dialects, Tamil, Portuguese and Arabic. Malaysia is an exciting and fascinating place for tourists, with something special planned throughout the year. The natural attractions are plentiful, with magnificent mountains lying in green, large stretches of sandy beaches and hospitable and friendly people. Malaysia's economy is the most advanced in this part of the world. The annual income is M$1, 680, one of the highest in the whole of Asia. Malaysia is the world's leading exporter of rubber, tin, tropical hardwood, palm oil, pepper, tea, coffee and cocoa and has vast resources of oil. Malaysia's capital is Kuala Lumpur in the southwest of the Malay Peninsula. Kuala Lumpur arose in the 1860s when tin was discovered, grew and spread very quickly. It became the state's capital within forty years of its founding. Now it is home to over one million inhabitants , about 56% of whom are Chinese, 28% Malays and the rest are from anywhere and everywhere. If you visit Malaysia, you will see _ . Some people think only school children do not agree with their parents,however,it is not true. Communication is a problem for parents and children of all ages.If it's hard for you to communicate with your parents,don't worry about it.Here are some advice for you to bridge the generation gap . Don't argue with your parents.Don't get to your parents when you are angry.Your parents probably won't consider your ideas if you are shouting at them. And you can't express yourself well if you are angry. Go someplace to _ . Make sure you understand why you are unhappy. Then think about what you want to say to your parents. If you don't think you can speak to them at the moment, try writing a letter. Try to reach a compromise . Perhaps you and your parents disagree on something. You can keep your disagreement and try your best to accept each other. Michael's mother didn't agree with him about buying a motorcycle. They argued over it. But they finally came to a compromise. Michael bought the motorcycle, but only drove it on certain days. Of course, your parents might refuse to compromise on something. In these situations, it is especially important to show love and respect to them. Showing respect will keep your relationship strong. Talk about your values. The values of your parents are probably different from those of your own. Tell your parents what you care about, and why. Understanding your values might help them see your purposes in life. A good relationship with your parents can make you a better and happier person. Your parents probably won't consider your ideas if you _
For most caffeine consumers, its chief benefit is that it helps you get more done. This is what makes it unusual, says Stephen Braun, author of Buzz: The Science and Lore of Alcohol and Caffeine. "Its appeal is that it helps us earn more money," he adds. "What makes it different from other drugs is that it's used as a productivity tool -- not for pleasure." Many of history's creative minds have also been associated with a large amount of caffeine consumption. According to one biographer, the French novelist and playwright Balzac drank as many as 50 cups of coffee a day. "Were it not for coffee one could not write, which is to say one could not live," he once insisted. For seven years, the film-maker David Lynch ate at the same Los Angeles diner every day, drinking up to seven sweetened cups of coffee "with lots of sugar" in one sitting, which he said would guarantee that "lots of ideas" arrived. Ludwig van Beethoven was said to have painstakingly counted out exactly 60 coffee beans per cup when he brewed coffee. Perhaps recent tales of caffeine excess featured the singer Robbie Williams, who reportedly consumed 36 cups of black coffee and 20 cans of Red Bull a day. It is the routine task itself, as much as the stimulating effects of caffeine, that makes the process so important, says Mason Currey, author of Daily Rituals: How Artists Work. "A lot of artists use the process of making coffee as a gateway to the creative process," he adds. "You need to get into the right mindset to do that sort of work, and the preparation process provides a focus." One problem with attempting to control caffeine, says Braun, is that it affects everyone differently -- it is impossible to work out a "safe" limit that works for everyone. "Eventually, you have to become your own scientist -- there isn't an alternative to careful self-experimentation," he says. The examples of some famous people are given to show that _ . there's a link between drinking coffee and creating ideas Nowadays, computer games are becoming more and more popular in many cities and towns. A lot of small shops along busy streets have been made into small game houses in order to get more money. These places are always crowded with people, especially young boys. In the computer game houses, people spend a lot of money competing with the machines. It's hard for one to win the computer, but one can make progress after trying again and again. People have a kind of gambling psychology when they play computer games. The more they lose, the more they want to win. When class is over, the school boys run to the nearby computer game houses. Little by little , they forget all about their lessons and fall far behind others. Some of them can get enough money from their parents. But some of them are not lucky enough to get the money. They begin to take away other students' money and become thieves. People made small shops into small game houses in order to _ . get more money. Scientists have found what look like caves on Mars , and say they could be protecting life from the planet's terrible environment. The first caves discovered beyond the Earth appear as seven mysterious black dots on the pictures sent back by NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter. Each as large as a football field, they may be openings into natural caves below the Martian surface. "If there is life on Mars, there is a good chance you'd find it in caves," said Jut Wynne, one of the researchers who noticed the features while working on a US Geological Survey Mars Cave Detection Program. Jonathan Clarke, a geologist with the Mars Society of Australia, yesterday described the discovery as exciting. One photo taken at night by an infrared imager showed one hole to be unusually warm, suggesting hot air trapped during the day is flowing out. "I said: 'Wow, that's a cave'" Dr. Clarke said excitedly. "People have been looking for these for a long time; now we have found them." He agreed such caves would be perfect places to hunt for life escaping from the bitterly cold, radiation-soaked , dry surface. "Tiny drops of water could collect inside," he said. "If there are gases coming out, they could provide energy for a whole range of bacteria. A cave is also a protection from radiation; the surface of Mars is exposed to high levels of space radiation." The caves probably formed when tube-shaped lave flows spread across the planet long ago. The outside of the tubes cooled, forming solid walls, while something hotter inside allowed the remaining have to flow out, forming caves. What does the passage mainly talk about? Caves on Mars may be full of hot air or a sign of life. What should you take in with you when you take an exam? Pen, pencil, eraser, ruler..., and don't forget a bottle of water! According to a study at the British Psychological ( ) Society Annual Conference held in London, students who bring water into exams may improve their grades by up to 10 percent. Scientists at the University of East London and the University of Westminster, UK, did a study on 447 students. The students were studying for different degrees at the University of East London. Only 25 percent of them entered the exam hall with something to drink. Scientists then compared their exam results with their normal schoolwork grades. They found that all those who had brought drinks with them got better grades by between 2 and 10 percent. It is unclear why drinking water improves exam results. But scientists say having enough water in our bodies and not feeling thirsty could have a helpful effect on our brains. Drinking water may also cut down on anxiety ( ), which has a bad effect on exam performances, according to Chris Pawson, PhD, of the University of East London. "Whatever the explanation, it is clear that students should try hard to stay hydrated with water during exams," he said. So next time, when you are going to have a big exam, try bringing a bottle of water with you.Who knows - it may help you pass the exam! Where can you probably read the article? Newspaper. Father's Day has a very short history. It was started because there was a Mother's Day. And just because some Americans thought that if we had a Mother's Day, we should also have a Father's Day. Father's Day has become important in North America. And shopkeepers found it was a good way to get people to buy presents for their fathers, presents from their shops. By the way, very few countries have a Father's Day, though some have Children's Day, or a special day for boys and another for girls. More and more countries are having Mother's Day, so maybe Father's Day will also become popular before too long. Now, what do people in North America do on Father's Day? The newspapers, radios, and TV tell children what they should do-buy a Father's Day present for your father. They even tell a wife to buy a Father's Day present-not for her father but for her husband, even if he is not yet a father. And they tell grandchildren to buy a Father's Day present for their grandfathers. The important thing to remember about Father's Day is that American children can show their love to their fathers in a more open way. On Father's Day, shopkeepers always want _ . people to buy as many presents as possible
Almost everyone accepts the fact that crime can never be wiped out entirely. Thus control of crime becomes the focus of police and government around the world. The question lawmakers must answer is, "Which system of criminal punishment works best for society?" Each country has developed its own ideas for solution to this question, and these solutions then determine how criminals are punished under different systems. However, none of the current system in use has proved 100 percent effective. There are many ideas about punishment of criminals. Some systems look only to get retribution against criminals. These systems work to frighten criminals away from repeating a crime in the future. These systems also try to deter others in society by using the criminal as an example of what can happen to a person if he or she is caught committing crimes. Rehabilitation is another philosophy by which many systems of punishment operate. The goal of these systems is to return a former criminal to society after a required period of treatment and training, usually in prisons. The idea is to help change the person's behavior so that he or she becomes a law-abiding citizen. Capital punishment is another form of punishment which systems use in extreme criminal cases, sometimes involving such crimes as a murder, rape, and violent theft. In these cases, the person is put to death. Today, capital punishment is used in relatively few countries. Many countries have done away with it. In other words, capital punishment remains only in officially law books but is rarely used. However, capital punishment remains in use in some countries including the United States. When looking at the number of crimes committed, the effectiveness of any of these forms of punishment comes into question. In the United States, for example, 80 percent of the people arrested each year are male, and the majority of these are young men or boys. One-third of all auto thefts, robberies, and burglaries are committed by young men under the age of 18. Generally, young people have less responsibility in society, so they risk losing little if they are caught in a criminal activity. However, it can also be argued that today's youthful criminals do not fear the punishment they receive if caught by police. Current methods of criminal punishment do not serve the purpose of deterring young criminals in the United States. A major problem with the current system of rehabilitation in the United Stated is that most criminals return to crime after they have supposedly been rehabilitated. Two-thirds of those caught by police each year are repeat criminals. As a result of this fact, many people feel that rehabilitation of criminals is a lost cause. Since the late 1970s, many see retribution as a preferred punishment in criminal cases in the United States. What is the main purpose behind retribution? A. To satisfy the victim B. To create repeat offenders C. To frighten future criminals D. To take criminals out of society Answer: C. To frighten future criminals How does an ecosystem benefit when leaves fall from a tree and decompose on the soil? A. Nutrients are released into the soil. B. Soil erosion decreases. C. Carbon dioxide is absorbed by the soil. D. Soil temperature decreases. Answer: A. Nutrients are released into the soil. Yes, it's still 2015, but as USA Today says, "it's never too early to plan your 2016 travels". With so many hot destinations around the globe, "where should I go?" can be difficult to answer. According to Lonely Planet, though, Brazil is a fine choice - on April 29, the travel guide named that country the top one to visit in 2016. "As if endless strands of coast and mountains splashed with rainforest didn't already add up to an unfair share of heaven , Brazil held one of the greatest sporting events in the world, the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and the 2016 Summer Olympics, another greatest one, will be followed ," explained Lonely Planet. Brazil is the largest and most populous country in South America. It boasts the Amazon, the world's largest jungle , which is home to a variety of plants and animals. But the great landscape is not the only thing Brazilians take pride in. The colors green and yellow might make most people think of Brazil's soccer team even more than its national flag. Soccer is more than a sport in Brazil; it's a way of life. In fact, the World Cup brings Brazilians together. It is interesting to note that the general elections in Brazil are usually held during the same year as the World Cup. Political parties try to take advantage of the patriotic enthusiasm created by soccer to inspire political energy. Alongside soccer, samba is another emblem of Brazil. The country's most traditional dance is highlighted every February at the Rio Carnival, which is one of the world's biggest. "Brazil has left its second-class nation status ," said former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2009 after Rio de Janeiro was awarded the 2016 Olympics. Brazil's growing economy, fueled by oil and aircraft factories, has made it more than just a nation of samba, soccer and beaches. These days, it might just be the best tourist destination in the world. We can tell Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is _ his country from his words. A. honest about B. ashamed of C. modest about D. proud of Answer: D. proud of I have a close friend who has a good family tradition, that is, each year after Thanksgiving dinner, all of the people sit around in the living room and each person takes a few minutes and gives thanks for what really matters and what has added value to their life over the last year. This is something I valued and followed. I have thought about a lot in the last year, and I finally came up with two things. The first one is the healthiness of my daughter. She's as healthy as she can be, and her weight and height are in good condition and she has no illnesses or genetic diseases. I am so thankful for having this wonderful baby in my life, and thankful that she has the gift of good health. Secondly, I am thankful for the discovery of the value of writing in my life. A year ago, my website. The simple Dollar was only a few weeks old and was far from popular, but on Thanksgiving Day Last year it had about three score readers who ordered it in advance. The process of writing was bringing me enjoyment, but I hadn't yet realized that I could be successful in it and attract many readers. This past year showed me a lot and I am deeply thankful for it. After thinking for a while, I began to realize that it was a very powerful and wonderful positive exercise. You spend time reflecting deeply on the positive things in your life, and you often realize that even when things are bad, you do have a lot to be thankful for because there is lots of good in your life, and it can shine a bright light even in a dark spot in your life. The author is thankful for all the following thins EXCEPT _ . A. her success with writing B. the enjoyment in writing C. the healthiness of her daughter D. the founding of a magazine Answer: D. the founding of a magazine I have nothing to say about whether or not "A Day Without Immigrants" had a positive or negative effect on the question of how the federal government should deal with the huge population of undocumented illegal immigrants in this country. I'll leave that question to others. Regardless of how you feel about the event, one conclusion is obvious. Using the theme of" A Day Without" as a way to focus national attention on a particular subject is a great idea, and could serve as a method for increasing public awareness about other issues that affect daily life in America. Here are my top three examples: "A Day Without Speeding." How hard could this be? If all drivers would strictly obey every posted speed limit on highways, downtown, on neighborhood streets, and in parking lots for one 24-hour cycle, the benefits would be huge. "A Day Without Losing Your Temper." A higher degree of difficulty here, and I know that from personal experience. When something goes wrong at home or on the job, there may be brief satisfaction in yelling or kicking the furniture, but erupting with anger usually doesn't do anything to solve the problem, and in many cases it makes the situation more unpleasant. "A Day Without Having All The Answers." I would like to get a break from hearing anyone speak the phrase, "Here's what you're doing wrong." Right now the US is jampacked with citizens who believe they can point out the cause of every single problem in existence and then solve it on the spot. I believe they need to be quiet sometimes and use their ears instead of their voices. I wonder how would average Americans react to such a collective pause? Would it be a day of angry protests, or joyful celebrations? According to the writer, losing one's temper is _ . A. personal B. satisfying C. pointless D. unpleasant Answer: C. pointless
Question: What would it be like to take a walk on the surface of Mars? If you could design the tallest building in the world, what would it look like? Do you dream of being the next J.K. Rowling? This summer, you can experience all of these things, and more. All you need is an Internet connection and your imagination. A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that kids spend an average of 1 hour and 29 minutes online each day. Many kids like to use that time to chat with friends, play games or check emails. But the next time you get on the Web, try exploring the world instead. "With the Internet, you can go back 11,000 years in time, or go 11,000 kilometers across the planet." said Russell, Web search expert of Google. "The whole scope of history and the world is open to you." There is a wealth of information to be found online. For example, if your family is going on vacation somewhere,do a quick online search on the area before you even get in the car. "What's the background of the place; what's the history?" says Russell. "I like to tell my kids, 'Whenever you have a question, whenever you have a doubt, search it out.'" Ready to launch a virtual journey of your own? Here are a few starting points to get you thinking and to help you on your way. You can invite your parents along for the ride, too. Always ask for permission before downloading programs and software onto your computer. And check with a parent or an adult before visiting a new Web site. Navigate the world in 3D with Google Earth. Begin in outer space and zoom into the streets of any city, from Hong Kong to San Francisco. Or visit ancient monuments, watch the changing rainforests over time, and dive underwater to explore tropical reef. With the Moon in Google Earth tool, you can walk in Neil Armstrong's famous footsteps. Take a guided tour of the moon's surface with Armstrong's fellow shuttle mate astronaut Buzz Aldrin. When you're exploring that part of the solar system, hop on over to the Red Planet with Google Mars. There, you can move very quickly around the surface and see images from the Mars Rovers. What's the purpose of the passage? A. Encourage the kids to spend more time online. B. Encourage the kids to do some research on science. C. Encourage the kids to learn to use the computer. D. Encourage the kids to explore the world online. Answer: D Question: The Confucius Institute is a centre of education excellence for Australian companies wishing to do business in China, the general public who has an interest in Chinese language and culture and for Chinese companies and executives working in Australia. The Institute is a partnership between the University of Melbourne and the State Government of Victoria, and is affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education. It is one of over three hundred Confucius Institutes globally. The Institute conducts: * Chinese language classes (all levels) * In-house language and Cross-Cultural training--Strategy, Human Resources, Marketing, Management, Legal and Financial issues * Market research focus groups * Cultural events Broaden your skills and knowledge on China, Chinese business, language and culture with the Confucius Institute at the University of Melbourne. 2014 Confucius Institute Scholarship applications have opened. Confucius Institute students and alumni (aged 18-35) are encouraged to apply . Scholarships available in 2014: * One academic year of in-country Chinese study * One semester of in-country Chinese study * Master of Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (MTCSOL) * One academic year of Chinese study + MTCSOL Scholarships cover tuition fees, registration fees, fees for basic learning materials and accommodation on campus; a monthly allowance; one-off settlement subsidy and comprehensive medical insurance and benefit plan for international students in China. See http://cis.chinese.cn for more information. Please contact Lianying Hao before applying. Apply before 3 May 2014. Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens in good health. The scholarship will be offered every year. Please contact the Confucius Institute at the University of Melbourne for further information. Contact Person: Lianying Hao: lyhao@unimelb.edu.au If you want to know more about Scholarships available in 2014, you should_. A. call the Confucius Institute B. write a letter to the headmaster of the Confucius Institute C. log on http://cis.chinese.cn D. ask your friend in Australia Answer: C Question: Thirty years ago not many people would have dreamed of doing the repairs and decorations in their own homes. In those days labor was fairly cheap and most people would have thought it worthwhile to employ a professional painter and decorator, unless of course they were either very hand up or were in the trade themselves. Today, however, it is quite a different story. Men and women in all walks of life turn their hands to all sorts of jobs round the house including painting, papering, putting up shelves and wall units, and tiling walls and floors. Some people with no professional training of any kind have even successfully built their own houses. These jobs have been made easier today by the introduction of prepared materials, which require the minimum amount of skill to use. In every high street throughout Britain nowadays there is at least one "Do-It-Yourself" shop containing a vast range of timber, tiles, paints, wallpapers and floor coverings besides tools of every description including power drills and many accessories. "Do-It-Yourself" is a booming business; all these shops do a roaring trade and look like continuing to do so. Probably the main reason for the craze is the high cost of present-day labor and the shortage of building firms willing to do small jobs. Thirty years later what changes took place? A. People could do everything themselves. B. Few people chose to be a professional worker. C. People with no professional training successfully built their own houses. D. New expensive materials required no skills at all. Answer: C Question: Yesterday, Dad and I made a big snowman. I was very cold, so Dad made some delicious soup and bread. When I got sleepy, Dad carried me to my bedroom and said, "Good night, Pumpkin ." This morning, there was a truck in front of our house. A truck is not a bad thing unless it' s carrying your dad's things to the other side of town. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, Jzzie," Dad said, giving me a kiss, I said "bye" and ran to my bedroom. I got a stomachache again. I' ve had lots of stomachaches since Mom and Dad told me about the divorce because I can't get used to _ . When Mom told me it was time for dinner, I told her. I was not leaving my room. Mom led me downstairs anyway. Dad's chair was empty. We didn't talk. We didn't eat. The phone rang. "Hi, Izzie. My new apartment building has an indoor pool, so bring your swimsuit tomorrow, OK?" "I don 't want to go swimming, Daddy. " "Well, think about it," he said. "It could be fun." But I didn't want to have fun. In fact, I thought I would probably never have fun again. I waited for him to say "Good night, Pumpkin." But all he said was "See you tomorrow." When. I lay in bed, I found something under my pillow . It was an envelope. I opened it and pulled out a picture of a pumpkin. It was not even close to Halloween. I turned the picture over and saw the words "Good night". I held the picture to my face and thought of Dad. Then I opened my top drawer, pulled out my favorite swimsuit and put it on my desk. . The writer found _ in the envelope. A. some stamps B. some money C. a picture D. a letter Answer: C Question: The United States covers a large part of the North American continent. Its neighbours are Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. Although the United States is a big country, it is not the largest in the world. In 1964, its population was over 185,000,000. When this land first became a nation, after winning its independence from England, it had thirteen states. Each of the states was represented on the American flag by a star. All these states were in the eastern part of the continent. As the nation grew toward the west, new states were added and new stars appeared on the flag. For a long time, there were 48 stars. In 1959, however, two more stars were added to the flag, representing the new states of Alaska and Hawaii. Indians were the first people of the land which is now the United States. There are still many thousands of Indians now living in all parts of the country. Sometimes it is said that the Indians are "the only real Americans". Most Americans come from all over the world. Those who came first in greatest numbers to make their homes on the eastern coast of North America were mostly from England. It is for that reason that the official language of the United States is English and that its culture and customs are more like those of England than those of any other country in the world. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. America is the largest country in the world. B. The population of America is larger than that of any other country in the North American continent. C. America covers a large part of the North American continent. D. Mexico is to the north of Canada. Answer: C
It is surprising that eating three meals a day -- breakfast, lunch and dinner -- has been a custom only since 1890. Before this time, they only had two meals a day -- breakfast and dinner. In the 16th century, breakfast was only to break one's fast . But 200 years later it had became a large meal, not just for family, but for numbers guests as well. It was a social event. It began at 10 a.m. and lasted until 1 p.m. Then breakfast began to be less popular. It became, instead, a lighter meal and was taken at a much earlier hour. By 1850 it had been pushed back to 8 a. m. and became a family meal. Dinner, however, went to the other way. In the 16th century it was eaten at 11p.m.Years later, it had moved to the early afternoon, then to 5 p. m. By 1850 dinner time had reached 7 p. m. Lunch is a recent idea. It first appeared as a snack to fill the gap between breakfast and dinner. The passage leads the readers to believe that _ . A. after1890 people couldn't eat the three meals a day B. our custom of meals is based on English custom C. breakfast is the most important meal for us D. the body can get used to two or three meals a day Answer: D. the body can get used to two or three meals a day Mattel Inc.is recalling 4.4 million Polly Pocket toys with magnets after some of them caused serious injuries to children who swallowed magnets that fell off.Tiny magnets inside the toys may fall off without being noticed by parents and babysitters.The magnets can be swallowed or placed in children' s noses or ears.When more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestine perforations which can be deadly. The Consumer Product Safety Commission received 170 reports of the magnets coming out of these recalled toys.There were three reports of serious injuries to children who swallowed more than one magnet.All three suffered intestine perforations that required operations.A 2-year-old child stayed in hospital for 7 days and a 7-year-old child was hospitalized for 12 days. The recalled Polly Pocket toys contain plastic dolls and accessories that have small magnets.The magnets measure one-eighth inch in diameter and are fixed in the hands and feet of the dolls, and even in the plastic clothing, hairpieces and other accessories to help the pieces stay on the dolls or the dolls' houses. The model number is printed on the bottom of the largest pieces on the toys.Contact Mattel if you cannot find a model number on your product to determine if it is part of the recall.Polly Pocket magnetic toys currently sold in stores are not included in this recall.The model numbers included in the recall are: B2632, B3158, B7118, G8605, H1537 and H3211.The toys were on sales in department stores and toy stores from May 2006 through September 2009. Consumers should immediately take these recalled toys away from children and contact Mattel for the return of the toys.For more information contact Mattel at 888 597-6597 anytime or visit the company' s website. The main purpose of the passage is to _ . A. criticize Mattel Inc.for their bad products B. inform readers of Polly Pocket toys' recall C. warn readers the danger of swallowing magnets D. suggest some ways to return Polly Pocket toys Answer: B. inform readers of Polly Pocket toys' recall There's a big distinction between working hard and being a workaholic. Working hard involves being organized, focused, getting a lot of work done, knowing when to stop, and having a life other than work. Workaholics, on the other hand, are often disorganized, always find reasons for working more, feel lost without work to do, hide from problems through work, don't know how or when to relax, bring work home from the office, can't communicate well with fellow workers and family members, and have unbalanced, one-dimensional lives. Workaholics, like those who are constantly drunk, suffer from a controlling habit, usually defined as compelling behavior despite negative consequences. They are sometimes pushed into their habit by their work beliefs, by workaholic role models, and by a work system that automatically sanctions workaholism. Despite lip service to the contrary ("a balanced employee is a productive employee"), most employers want loyal employees who work longer hours, rewarding them with higher pay and better benefits. _ Certainly, they hazard their jobs by working normal hours. Americans tend to become trapped in a materialist work-and-spend cycle, that leads them to ratchet up their expectations. According to some psychology counselors, workaholism can be both good and bad for us. It can fuel a sense of self-worth and accomplishment. And we get paid for it and praised for it, which produces good feelings we may not necessarily be able to attain in other parts of our lives. As a matter of fact, workaholism is a problem that has been evident since the Stone Age whenever people have sought to escape other parts of their lives through work. And psychology counselors have noticed three types of workaholics who generally share the same features. Which of the following is Not the characteristic of workaholics? A. They often deal with their work in a disorganized way. B. They can't balance their work with family life well. C. They often drink a lot and always get drunk at work. D. They are sometimes driven to work by a controlling habit. Answer: C. They often drink a lot and always get drunk at work. In China,people born in and after the 1980s are called the post-80s generation .Most of them come from single-child families. However,this generation is playing a more and more important part in China,and their image in people's minds is changing.Han Han,a popular youth writer,is one of them. Han Han was born in 1982 in Shanghai.His talent for writing was clear at an early age.When he was 17,he drew the public's attention with the article Viewing the People through the Glass. The article won first prize in the national New Concept Composition Competition.Later,Han Han again surprised the public by leaving high school. "I did poorly in Grade One of high school and failed to move up to the next grade. I tried my best to improve my studies,but failed ,so I gave up. However ,I am always learning, since learning and going to school are two different things." Han Han said. Han Han's first novel Three Folded Gates sold very well in China.Later the book wastranslated into several languages and sold abroad. In the following years,Han Han wrote a lot of books. All of them were welcomed by the market.In 2006,he started blogging and had great success. Today,Han Han's blog has become one of the honest blogs on the Internet. Which of the following is TRUE,according to the passage? A. Three Folded Gates was only sold in China. B. Nobody was surprised that Han Han left high school. C. Han Han was not liked by the post-80s generation. D. Han Han's blog is very popular on the Internet. Answer: D. Han Han's blog is very popular on the Internet. Mr. George works at the school lost and found. He works very carefully. Every day, when he gets a lost thing, he takes notes about it. There are pens, books, school uniforms, keys, walkmans and many other things in the lost and found. Most of them are the students'. If you lose your things, it's easy for you to go to the lost and found for help. But you must tell Mr. George what it is and its color and the day when you can't find it. I think Mr. George is very helpful, and you will be happy when you find the lost there. Most things Mr. George takes care of are the _ . A. boys' B. girls' C. students' D. teachers' Answer: C. students'
The silent young woman in bed number six is called Jasmine. So am I, but names are only superficial things, floats on the surface of the water, and we share deeper connections than that. That is why she fascinates me--why I spend my off-duty time sitting beside her. Today is difficult. The ward is full of patients and I am kept busy emptying bed-pans, filling out forms, changing dressings. Finally, late in the afternoon, I get a few moments to make coffee, to take it over to the orange plastic chair beside her bed. I am thankful to be off my feet, glad to be in her company once again. "Hello, Jasmine," I say, as if greeting myself. She does not reply. Jasmine never replies. She is down too deep. She has been sea-damaged. I too am the daughter of a fisherman, so I choose my words like fish-hooks, cast them into her ears, imagine them sinking down through cold, dark water. Down to wherever she may be. "I have little time today," I tell her, touching her hair. With Jasmine, it is always difficult not to touch. She is that rare thing, a truly beautiful woman. Because of this, people invent reasons to walk by. I catch them looking, drinking her in, feeding on her. They are barracuda , all of them. Great beauty is something Jasmine and I do not share. I am glad of it. "Your father may be here soon," I say. "Last week he said he would come." Jasmine says nothing. Her left eyelid flickers, perhaps. It is two months since the incident on her father's fishing boat, since she fell overboard, sank, became entangled in the nets. It was some time before anyone noticed, then there was panic. Her father hauled her back on board and sailed for home. When he finally arrived, he carried ashore what he thought was his daughter's body. "Jasmine," I whisper. I want her to take our baited name. I want her to swallow it. Fortunately, there was a doctor in the village that morning, a young man visiting s. It was he who brought this drowned woman back from the brink, he who told me her story. She opened her eyes, he said, looked up at her father and spoke a single word--then sank again, this time into coma. Barracuda. That is what Jasmine said. When her father visits, he touches her hair, kisses her cheek, sits in the orange plastic chair at the side of her bed and holds her hand. Like my own father, he has the big, brown, life-roughened hands of a fisherman. He too smells of the sea, and pretends he is a good, simple man. Jasmine. We share so much, we are almost one. I remember early mornings, my hair touched to wake me, my father lifting me half-asleep from my bed, carrying me, dropping me into his boat. His voice rough in my ear, his hands rough on my skin. I never wanted to go, but I was just a child. He did as he wished. I remember salt water, hot sun, my mother shrinking on the shore. I remember the rocking of the boat, the screams of the seagulls. "Jasmine, you have a life inside you. Can't you hear it calling?" Nothing. The ward door bangs, and I see Jasmine's father walking towards us, carrying flowers. He smiles at me. Even in death, my own child had my father's smile, and Jasmine's will have this man's. I know it. He stops by her bed and touches her hair. Something stirs deep inside me. I watch Jasmine's eyelids, waiting for her to bite. What kind of situation is Jasmine in now? A. She is unconscious. B. She is nearly dying. C. She is completely deaf. D. She is in a bad mood. Answer: A My favourite restaurant is called 'Annablella's cafe'. It is a small restaurant serving Western food. It is in a city called Bristol. It is difficult to find because it is behind a very tall building. Only local people eat at this restaurant, and visitors can never find it! I think the food at the restaurant is the best in the whole country. I like to go to this restaurant every two weeks. The waiters know me very well now. They are my friends. They know what my favourite drink is, so when I arrive, there is always a bottle of coke on the table. The menu changes every week so there is always something different to eat. My favourite meat is chicken, so I always order something with chicken in it. For dessert , I usually have apple pie with custard or chocolate cake. Delicious! Sometimes I go to this restaurant for breakfast. I have a typical English breakfast: eggs, bacon, sausages, tomatoes and bread. The breakfast is delicious, but I like to eat at this restaurant at dinnertime better. What can we know from the passage? A. A typical English breakfast is eggs, bread, bacon and milk. B. The writer would like to have breakfast at the restaurant better. C. Chicken and banana pie are the writer's favourite food. D. The menu often changes and there is always something different. Answer: D The story began on a downtown Brooklyn street corner. An elderly man had fallen down while crossing the street , and an ambulance rushed him to the nearest hospital. There, when he came to now and again, the old man repeatedly called for his son. From a worn letter located in his pocket, an emergency-room nurse learned that his son was a sailor stationed in North Carolina Camp. Obviously there were no other relatives. Someone at the hospital called the Red Cross office in Brooklyn, and a request for the son to rush to Brooklyn was sent. Because time was short--the patient was dying, so they found the young man and rushed him to the airport in time to catch the only plane that night enable him to reach his dying father. It was dusk when the nurse took the tired, anxious sailor to the bedside. "Your son is here," she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened. The medicine he had been given because of the pain from his heart attack made his eyes weak and only saw the young man in uniform( ) standing outside the oxygen tent. He extended his hand. The sailor wrapped his strong fingers around the old man's, releasing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought him a chair, so the sailor could sit by the bed. Nights are long in hospitals, but all through the night the young sailor sat there, holding the old man's hand and offering words of hope and strength. It was nearly dawn when the patient died. The sailor placed his lifeless hand he had been holding on the bed, and went to inform the nurse. "Who was the man?" the sailor asked. "He was your father." the nurse answered surprisingly. "No, he wasn't," the sailor replied." I never saw him before in my life." "Why didn't you say something when I took you to him?" she asked. "I knew immediately there'd been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here. When I realized he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, I guessed he really needed me. So I stayed." Two days later a message came in that there had been two sailors with the same name and similar number in the Camp. Someone in the personnel office had pulled out the wrong record. But _ And he proved, in a very human way, that there are people who care what happens to their fellow men. An emergency-room nurse found out that the old man's son was a sailor _ . A. by calling the Red Cross office in Brooklyn B. because the old man repeatedly called for his son C. from a letter found in the old man's pocket D. from someone in hospital Answer: C You can't hide a natural disaster from children, so how do we prepare them for it? First of all, you should explain to them that acts of nature aren't necessarily disasters but can become one. These may include floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms, wild fires, and earthquakes. The way to prepare children for these disasters is to educate them about what each type is and then make it fun by making them "Disaster Masters" or whatever title you can think of. Making them a Disaster Master won't be easy. They must know what's in a disaster emergency kit and why it's included. You can get your friends involved, too. If your friends have children, they may want to be involved in your emergency preparations. Make it a group project. This is the opportunity for everyone to become familiar with the equipment. We have to be aware of our conduct and the way we react to stress. The children will be easily influenced by your attitude and _ . The calmness, steady manner, and good humor of your spouse and you will go a long way toward the easing or the reduction of stress. Explain to them what they're likely to encounter or see and describe how people may react. Disasters can come and go very quickly and generally don't last long. If you must stay away from home, try to get into a routine quickly and encourage them to make new friends. Let them know they can look to their parents and other adults if they become scared or confused. And it's important to let them know it's OK to cry during a disaster. It's sometimes helpful to let the children draw pictures of what they've experienced. Encourage them to write what they learned and what could have been done better. Save the story. Make it part of a documented family history! It is a must that a Disaster Master knows _ . A. when a natural disaster will come B. why there are natural disasters C. how to use a disaster emergency kit D. how to teach others about emergency preparations Answer: C Will you get a good job? What will you do? Many new graduates feel lost when they consider the endless list of career choices. They've invested a lot of money for their diploma and now an important question stares them in the fact. I've seen so many new graduates who do not know how to use the degree they have just earned. An example was Dave, who loved sports and had played baseball throughout his college years. He had his heart set on working for Nike. But he had never made clear in his own mind what kind of job he could do for Nike, so nothing ever happened. Another example was Allison, who was a history major. She wanted to work as an event planner but, unfortunately, no one hired her. Why? No experience. Failing to do some solid career exploration first or to get a clear idea of the types of jobs you can do is a big error that many college students make. After our suggestion, Dave and Allison both found their jobs. To ensure a brighter future, follow these effective strategies: -- Make educated career choices. Identify the job you want. Conduct research. Ask parents to advise you on actual job duties. Consider what your matured talents are, and look for positions where you can use them. -- Don't rely on the Internet. Networking is an effective tool -- be sure it's a job-hunting strategy you use. New studies from the Department of Labor state that only 4% of job-seekers found their job on the Internet. The fact is that 63% of all jobs are filled by contacts. -- Employers are making quick decisions. Most people lose the job in the first minute of the interview. It's deadly to let the employers focus quickly on how well you can perform the job. -- Practice your interviewing skills. Be ready for the tough questions by first writing out good answers to possible questions and having a role-playing interview with your friend. What does the author seem to be most probably? A. A job-hunter. B. A magazine editor. C. A website owner. D. A job-seeking advisor. Answer: D
One day, a boy named Jack wanted take a trip on his red tricycle. He was not sure where he wanted to go, but he knew he wanted to go somewhere far away. It was a cloudy and chilly day, so Jack wore a warm shirt. Jack worried that he might get lonely on his trip. He borrowed his mother's phone and taped it to the handle bars of his tricycle so he could call home. He also put his music player in his pocket. Jack put some left over pizza in his backpack in case he got hungry. Jack pedaled down his driveway, heading out on his big trip. When he got to the end of his driveway, Mrs. Jones, his teacher from school, was walking by on the sidewalk. "Hello Jack", said Mrs. Jones, "Where are you going on that nice red tricycle?" "I'm going on a trip to someplace far away" said Jack. Mrs. Jones smiled, and thought for a second. "Make sure you are back by morning, we have a field trip tomorrow", said Mrs. Jones. Jack had been waiting for the field trip for weeks. He looked at Mrs. Jones and said, "I think I'll wait to take a trip until I can fly. I don't want to miss the field trip and this tricycle is not very fast." What is the name of Jack's teacher? A. Mrs. Edwards B. Mrs. Jones C. Mr. Hopkins D. Mr. Smith Answer: B. Mrs. Jones Around 200 million years ago, the earth was 18 degrees warmer than it is now. That might be a bit hot for humans, but it was just right for the giant dinosaurs that wandered about the earth during the Mesozoic era. A new study found that planteating dinosaurs may have contributed to the warming of the earthby releasing significant amounts of methane . The study, published in science journal Current Biology, focused on sauropods, longnecked herbivores that munched on the top of trees. They were the largest of the dinosaurs; food broke down in their stomachs for long periods of time. The researchers estimate that a sauropoda released 2,675 liters of methane per day--adding up to a large amount of the greenhouse gas being pumped from dinosaur's gut into the atmosphere. Plant eaters naturally release methane as part of their digestive process. The larger the animal, the more methane it produces. Methane, a greenhouse gas, traps heat and remains in the atmosphere for approximately 915 years, which warms the atmosphere. Today, some animals, such as cattle, goats and sheep, produce large amounts of methane as a byproduct to their food digestion. Methane is also released from human--influenced sources such as landfill, agricultural activities, coal mining and other industrial practices--which all contribute to today's climate change, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The researchers estimate that earth's sauropods would have produced about 520 million tons of methane per year--similar to the total amount of methane produced today by natural and manmade sources. However, the researchers warn that their numbers are estimates based on multiple assumptions about the digestive systems and populations of dinosaurs. The author of the study David Wilkinson says the emission of methane from dinosaurs would have been just one of the causes of warm climate during the Mesozoic era. Other causes include gases produced from volcanoes, swamps, shallow seas and so on. Still, Wilkinson says," The amount of methane from dinosaurs is large enough to have a measurable effect." Which of the following activities doesn't produce methane? A. Coal is dug out by machine. B. Trees and flowers are planted. C. Goats digest grass under the tree. D. Food is being processed in the factory. Answer: B. Trees and flowers are planted. In tests, it shrank breast tumours by 80 percent and researchers believe it could also treat prostate, pancreatic, bowel and ovarian cancers. Even tumours that resist treatment with the best medicines on the market, including the "wonder drug" Herceptin, may surrender to the vaccine. The experiments so far have been on mice - but researchers hope to pilot the drug on people within two years. If all goes well, the vaccine could be on the market by 2020. Rather than attacking cancer cells, like many drugs, the new treatment arouses the power of the immune system to fight tumours. The search for vaccines has been prevented by fears that healthy tissue would be destroyed along with tumours. Researchers from the University of Georgia and the Mayo Clinic in the US focused on a protein called MUC1 that is made in bigger amounts in cancerous cells than in healthy ones.Not only is there more of it, but a sugar that it is "decorated" with has a distinctive shape. The vaccine trains the immune system to recognise the rogue sugar and turn its weapons against the cancer. "Cancer cells have a special way of thwarting the immune system by putting sugars on the surface of tumour cells so they can travel around the body without being detected," researcher Professor Sandra Gendler said. "To enable the immune system to recognise the sugar it took a special vaccine that had three parts to it. "She said it was this that "turned out to be a winning combination". Which of the following might the writer agree with? A. The vaccine could treat nine in ten fatal cancers. B. The vaccine could be on the market within two years C. Healthy tissue might be destroyed by the vaccine. D. The vaccine could teach the immune system to recognise the rogue sugar. Answer: D. The vaccine could teach the immune system to recognise the rogue sugar. Most people graduate from school and then get a job. Everyone wants a job that pays well. How much money can you make? Ask yourself these questions: What can I do? What skills do I have? Also ask yourself: How much education do I have? For most jobs, the higher your education, the higher your earning power. In the United States, high school graduates make about $18,600 a year. If you do not finish high school, you make only $10,800 a year. You can make $7,800 more each year by staying in high school! If you stay in school, then you can make more money. A person with a high school degree makes about $18,600 a year. If that person goes to college and gets a bachelor's degree , he can make $42,000. With a master's degree , he can make about $53,000. If the person gets a PhD , he can make almost $79,000 or more a year. We can learn a very important thing from this information. If you want to work and make more money, get a good education. The passage mainly talks about _ . A. how education and pay are connected B. high paying jobs C. jobs for high school students D. good schools Answer: A. how education and pay are connected Topic: "Enjoy Worldwide privileges with BOC cards" 5% cash rebate from UnionPay credit card issued by Bank of China Time: April 1, 2014 to February 28, 2015 Customer: Personal credit cards with card number starting with "62" and with the UnionPay logo on the card Details: Payments with business cards, corporate cards or transactions through third-party platform (PAYPAL, Alipay and the internet banking payment and Kuai payment supported by Alipay) are not eligible for the promotion. The promotion is applicable to online shopping payments to appointed business partners only, and all the transactions need to be completed via UnionPay online. Amazon (U.S.) personal credit cards with card number starting with "62" and with the UnionPay logo on the card are eligible for the promotion. As the promotion has no pre-defined upper limit on the number of transactions, all transactions meeting the criteria above will enjoy the cash rebate. The value of eligible transactions will be the settlement amount in RMB according to the UnionPay system. All single transactions of RMB 500 or more with payment made by UnionPay credit card issued by Bank of China (card number starting with '62') via UnionPay online platform will enjoy a 5% cash rebate, capped at RMB 100 per card per month. Cardholders will receive the cash rebate within 90 calendar days after every promotion period. If the cardholder has any questions on the amount of rebate, please contact Bank of China Credit Card Customer Care Hotline(4006695566)within 30 calendar days since receiving the rebate; if no question is raised within 30 calendar days, the bank with deem the client agreeable to the amount of rebate. The date of cash rebate arriving in client's account could be later than the date described above due to force majeure that is not unforeseeable. Only transactions made with specified credit cards to appointed business partners will be eligible for the cash rebate promotion; in case of refund, no cash rebate will be made. At the same time, Bank of China reserve the right to recall any unqualified cash rebate already made. Cardholders will need to ensure no late payment, card freeze or other abnormal occasions during the promotion period, otherwise the cardholder will not be eligible for the promotion. Income tax associated with the cash rebate will be taken care of by the cardholder. Cardholders hold the responsibility to declare the income and settle the tax payment. How much rebate can I get from a 500 dollars payment? A. About 5RMB B. About 25 RMB C. About 100 RMB D. About 125 RMB Answer: C. About 100 RMB
After living in the United States for quite a long time, I do not think about the cultural differences any more. Last month, my parents came to visit me. Their observations on the American lifestyle reminded me that cultural differences between living in China and America are actually everywhere. When my parents came to America, they praised my house. Everyone had his/her own bedroom; there was a front yard, a backyard and a garage; there were many bathrooms - all convenient and comfortable. However, they were not used to the glass doors at the first floor. My mom, from southern China, was worried that someone would break open the glass doors. Though I said that nobody would do that, she was still worried about it. When I brought them to eat in fast food restaurants, whether it was in McDonald's or KFC, they saw that refilling drinks was for free. This concept of free refill was so new to them. A Chinese friend told me a story. He and his American girlfriend ate at a restaurant. His girlfriend wanted to drink English tea. He was curious, so he tried some and found that it didn't taste bad with milk and sugar in it. Adding more water to tea is free of course, so he drank more cups. His girlfriend found it embarrassing and explained to him that what he was doing was not exactly fair. If he wanted to drink more tea, he should buy another cup. My friend thought that Americans could take advantage of the free refills, but only a few of them did that. After staying in America for some time, he changed his habit. What made the writer's parents worried? A That someone would break into the house. B That someone would be hurt by the glass doors. C That they wouldn't have a bedroom of their own. D That they wouldn't live comfortably in the house. Answer: A When I was at university,I studied very hard.But a lot of my friends did very little work.Some did just enough to pass exams.Others didn't do quite enough.Fred Baines was one of them.He spent more time drinking in the Students' Union than working in the library. Once at the end of the term,we had to take an important test in chemistry.The test had a hundred questions. In my room the night before the test,Fred was watching TV.Fred usually worried a lot the night before a test.But on that night he looked perfectly calm.Then he told me of his plan."It's very simple.There are a hundred questions and I have to get fifty correct to pass the test.I'll take a coin into the examination room.I haven't studied a chemistry book for months,so I'll just toss the coin.That way,I'm sure I'll get half the questions right." The next day,Fred came happily into the exam room.As he sat tossing a coin for half an hour he marked down his answers.Then he left,half an hour before the rest of us. The next day,he saw the chemistry professor in the corridor."Oh,good,"he said,"Have you got the result of the test?"The professor looked at him and smiled,"Ah,it's you,Baines.Just a minute."Then he reached into his pocket and took out a coin.He threw it into the air,caught it in his hand and looked at it. "I'm terribly sorry,Baines,"he said,"You failed!" Fred Baines was one of those who _ . A did just enough to pass the exam B didn't work hard enough for their studies C had too much other work for the Students' Union D were quite good at passing exams Answer: B In 2009, the Taiwu Elementary School Folk Singers were invited to perform in Belgium, France, Germany, and Luxemburg. In 2011, they were voted as one of the world's top five performance groups by audiences of Japan Broadcasting Corporation's Amazing Voice program. Thinking back the group's first tour in Europe, Camake Valaule, a physical education teacher and the founder of the Taiwu Elementary School Folk Singers, admitted that he felt very nervous. He was worried that the audience would fall asleep since most of the 75-minute performance was a cappella, that is, singing without instrumental sound. Surprisingly, the audience listened with full focus and high spirits. Camake said, "They told me afterward that through our performance, they had a vision of our country, our village, without having to visit it. This experience greatly increased our confidence." According to Camake Valaule, singing traditional ballads has helped students and their parents to re-understand their culture. "It used to be that the only ones who could sing these songs were tribal elders aged between 50 and 60. Now with the children performing the pieces, parents are beginning to ask, 'Why do we not know how to sing these ballads?' Many times nowadays, it is the children who teach the songs to their parents, putting back _ ." Winning international fame, however, was neither the original intention nor the main reason why Camake founded the group in 2006. The most important thing was to make children understand why they sing these songs and to preserve and pass on their culture. Referring to the relocation of Taiwu Elementary School and Taiwu Village following Typhoon Morakot in August 2009, Camake said, "We could not take the forest or our houses in the mountains with us; but we were able to bring our culture along. As long as the children are willing to sing, I will always be there for them, singing with them and leading them to experience the meaning of the ballads." On his first trip to Europe, why did Camake think the audience might fall asleep? A The average age of the audience was between fifty and sixty. B Most of the performance was not accompanied by any instrument. C Nobody could understand the language and the meaning of the songs. D The audience could not visualize the theme sung by the school children. Answer: B In junior high school in America, kids study English, writing, math, physics, biology, music and art. At 12 o'clock, the students eat lunch at school. They have meat, vegetables, fruit, bread and a drink, but they like hot dogs and hamburgers best. American kids like sugar, and after the meal they can have a small piece of cake. Students sleep for a short time after lunch. They begin classes at 1:30 in the afternoon. They go to school on weekdays and have classes for six hours every day and then return home. Parents let their kids play or watch TV until dinner at 6:00 p. m. After dinner, they do their homework. Sometimes kids and their parents have a family activity after dinner. What do the students like best for lunch at school? A Meat and fruit. B Hot dogs and hamburgers. C Hot dogs and sugar. D Bread and hamburgers. Answer: B According to an old story, a farmer once found that a bag of corn had been stolen from his house. He went to the judge and told him about his loss. The judge ordered all the people of the farm to come before him. He took a number of sticks of equal length and gave one stick to each man. He then said, "Come before me again tomorrow. I shall then know which of you is the thief because the stick given to the thief will be one inch longer than the others." The thief was afraid of being found out, and so he cut an inch off his stick. The next day the thief's stick was found to be one inch shorter than any of the others. In this way the thief was found out, and was at once taken away to prison. The judge gave each man a stick _ . A to change back the farmer's corn B to beat the thief C as a tool to find out the thief D so as to play a game together Answer: C
Edward Estlin Cummings was a poet well-known for how he wrote his poems He wrote his poems with capital letters in the words . For example, the title of one of his poems is "The little horse is newlY" The "Y" is a capital letter. He also used "i" instead of "I" to refer to himself in the poems. Edward was born on October14, 1894 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Edward's father was also named Edward. Young Edward's mother was named Rebecca. She loved to spend time with her children. She also taught Edward Jr how to write poems. Edward's sister was born 1896 and her name was Elizabeth. Edward's father was the first professor of Sociology at Harvard University. He later became the minister of one of Boston's respected churches. He was the one who taught his son to use his hands as well as his mind. Edward Jr used his hands to paint abstract art. E.E.Cummings was a very smart boy. Edward was 12 when he became a freshman in high school. He loved circuses, ballets, music and amusement parks. Edward graduated from Harvard in 1916. During World War I , he joined the army and was sent to France where he drove an ambulance. He and his friend from Harvard were arrested because people thought they were German spies. They were kept in one room where they slept , ate , talked and tried to deal with their fears and boredom. Edward wrote his first book, published in 1922, called The Enormous Room, based on his wartime experiences. E.E.Cummings was a poet that made his own rules in poetry. He was one of the most popular poets of the 20th century. E.E.Cummings was arrested in the war because _ . Answer: he was thought to be German agent British Summer Time runs from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. In the depths of winter the nights in the UK are anything from 15-19 hours long. Longer nights mean frost and fog are more likely to form. Twice a year the clocks change, forward in the spring and then back again in the autumn. But why? It happens twice a year. We all change our clocks and watches by one hour. In the spring, we add an hour, and go onto what is called British Summer Time, while in the autumn, we do the reverse, and return to Greenwich Mean Time. Why bother? It's all to do with saving the hours of daylight, and was started by a guy called William Willett, a London builder, who lived in Petts Wood in Kent. Basically, he figured that you could improve the population's health and happiness by putting forward the clocks by twenty minutes every Sunday in April and do the opposite in September. Economics His idea was not taken up, even though a "Daylight Saving Bill" was introduced some five years before the outbreak of World War One. But once the war started, it was considered wise to economics, to promote greater efficiency in using daylight hours, and in the use of artificial lighting. And so in 1916, "Daylight Saving Time" was introduced. Even though most countries abandoned this after that war, some eventually decided that it was a good idea, and most of these nations began to keep it throughout the year. Experiment Since 1972, Britain has decided to go with Greenwich Mean Time in winter, and British Summer Time in Summer. But back in 1968, Britain tried a four-year experiment by advancing time one hour ahead of GMT throughout the year. But those living further north, particularly in Scotland, found it most unsatisfactory, with dark mornings for much of the year, and the experiment was dropped. Why some countries decide to change the clocks after World War One? Answer: To save energy to develop economies. John works in a market. It's near a secondary school. Every day, students come to buy things there. In the morning , John gets up at six and then has breakfast. He goes to work by bike. He gets to the shop at about six thirty. The market opens at seven. They sell things like food and drinks. They have school things, too. So there are often many people in their market from morning to evening. John has supper there. At seven in the evening the market is closed. John _ to the shop every day. Answer: rides a bike The federal government is about to make a huge investment in high school. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Congress has put aside more than $100 billion, including a competitive "Race to the Top" fund that encourages innovation in public schools. But the real revolution, hidden in the Race to the Top guidelines released by the Department of Education last month, is that high school has a new mission. No longer is it enough just for senior graduate students, or even prepare them for college. Schools must now show how they increase both college enrollment and the number of students who complete at least a year of college. In other words, high schools must now focus on grade 13. Some states, school districts and nonprofit educational organizations have begun to gather data about how freshmen get along in college after graduation, but they haven't made fast progress. Florida has one of the best systems, but even it can't explain a high school graduate who enrolls in college in another state. The nation is asking principals to deliver students who can succeed in college, without ensuring they know whether what they're doing is working. The Department of Education has begun to solve this problem by instructing states on how to keep good records of its graduates' progress in college. This gives high schools the two pieces of information they most need: their college enrollment rate and "college proficiency" rate (the speed with which graduates complete a year of college-level coursework). Race to the Top has finally established a realistic purpose for high school in the 21st century. If principals can now get the support they need to fulfill that purpose, high schools can once again be top producers of American potential . Who directs states on recording the graduates' progress in college? Answer: The Department of Education. Since weeks ago, China has been involved in a worldwide A/H1N1 flu that has already killed more than 80 people in the middle of May, 2009, in Mexico and has turned into a global _ . The central government has asked people entering China from the virus-hit countries to report flu-like symptoms to the authorities.In an emergency notice issued on Saturday night, the country's top quality watchdog ordered the Customs to check passengers' temperature, too. A Beijing airport official Li said Customs officers are on a high alert level. "Three temperature detectors are now in operation.We're ready with protection garments and equipment, too.Passengers flying in from Mexico and other A/H1N1 flu-hit countries are being monitored closely," he said. The Ministry of Health, however, said yesterday there was no evidence to suggest that a person would contract the disease by eating pork. Hong Kong, too, has raised its alert level against the flu to "serious".Secretary for Food&Health, Mr.York Chow urged people to avoid visiting places from where A/H1N1 flu cases have been reported, and said the virus would be added to Hong Kong's list of the diseases which have been noticed. The terrible A/ H1N1 flu has been contracted by about 4000 people in Mexico, and most of the killed were aged between 25 and 45. The virus has also infected about 5,000 people in the US.The US Center for Disease Control said this kind of virus is spreading from human to human, raising fears of a global pandemic. We can infer from the passage that _ . Answer: passengers from the United States are being monitored closely
Question: Ode to Joy(<<>> ),a 42-episodes TV series, is about five young women living on the 22nd floor of Shanghai's "Ode to Joy" high-rise community. They become friends while pursuing love and career advancement. Since its appearance on April 18, Ode to Joy has been praised for its realistic description of the hidden struggles of city life. "The audience can relate to the characters since their experiences can be traced back to real life too," commented the Dahe Daily. "Even better, female audiences can find themselves in one or two of the characters because the characters _ feminine archetypes found throughout the society."But the idea of following a group of women as they lead a city life is hardly a pioneering concept. In many ways, Ode to Joy resembles American TV series like Sex and the City (1998-2004) and Desperate Housewives (2004-2012). These two series were praised for their feminist themes, but they also employed well-known female archetypes to illustrate the range of dilemmas women face. Deborah A. Macey, a communications professor at Saint Louis University in the US, divides these archetypes up into four ways: the iron maiden, the sex object, the child,and the mother. "The iron maiden is portrayed as masculine and career-oriented. The sex object owns her sexuality and genuinely loves her body. The child archetype is naive, optimistic, and dim-witted. The mother archetype connects the characters in the series and serves as the dominant storyteller," Macey said on the online media forum "In Media Res". Sounds familiar? Yes, these features can be seen in the characters of Ode toJoy. Andy (Liu Tao), for instance, partly embodies the iron maiden role. She's super smart, rational and direct. She moves from the US to Shanghai and takes the position of CFO at a top Chinese company. Fan Shengmei (Jiang Xin) can be seen as the "mother" in the series. Despite the fact that she s in charge of her own family issues,she takes her friends under her wing and stands up for them. Qu Xiaoxiao (Wang ziwen), the sexy and beautiful girl born with silver spoon, perfectly illustrates what is bitter-sweet relationship between friends and lovers. With that being said. Ode to Joy doesn't lack creativity. It assigns the "child" role to two characters-the straightforward, naive Qiu Yingying (Yang Zi), and the good-tempered, hard-working Guan Ju'er (Qiao Xin). But this category of TV series has its risks. Having five main characters means the drama isn't story-driven but character-driven. "It's not something you often see in Chinese TV dramas," Yuan Zidan, Ode to Joy's screenwriter, told Changjiang Daily. "But we want to challenge the norms." According to Deborah A. Macey, Fan Shengmei in Ode to Joy is the _ archetype. A. iron maiden B. child C. mother D. sex object Answer: C Question: Tom arrived at the bus station quite early for Paris bus. The bus for Paris would not leave until five to twelve. He saw a lot of people waiting in the station. Some were standing in line , others were walking around. There was a group of schoolgirls. Their teacher was trying to keep them in line. Tom looked around but there was no place for him to sit. He walked into the station cafe . he looked up at the clock there. It was only twenty to twelve. He found a seat and sat down before a large mirror on the wall. Just then, Mike, one of Tom's workmates came in and sat with Tom. "What time is your bus?" asked Mike. "There's plenty of time yet," answered Tom. "Well, I'll get you some more tea then," said Mike. They talked while drinking. Then Tom looked at the clock again. "Oh! It's going backward !" he cried. "A few minutes ago it was twenty to twelve and now it's half past eleven." "You're looking at the clock in the mirror." said Mike. Tom was so sad . The next bus was not to leave for another hour. Since then Tom has never liked mirrors. ,. Which of the following is true? A. Tom arrived in Paris on time. B. The next bus would leave in half an hour. C. After that Tom didn't like clocks any longer. D. Tom looked at the clock in the mirror only once. Answer: D Question: Easy Steam Mop PS29.99 WASPS79.99 SavePS50 Buy 2 or more and get an extra 5% off Product Description Use the power of steam to clean and disinfect your home in minutes without using expensive and harmful detergents . Perfect for use throughout the home, this steam mop heats up almost instantly and takes just eight seconds to kill bacteria from any area it targets. It works by changing water into steam using a microfiber cloth to enhance the ability to absorb liquid, and features a clever triangular mop head and swivel joint to allow it to reach into comers and other spaces that many similar cleaning tools cannot. The 1,300W motor helps the mop reach temperatures of between 90-100degC, making it suitable for all heat-resistant floors including hardwood, tiles and stone. Comes apart for easy storage. 2 x microfiber cloths included. Additional pack if three spare mop heads are also available Easy Steam Mop White/Green: D6430 Easy Steam Mop White/Blue: D7149 Spare Pads~3 packs: D6431 Standard Delivery--Only PS 3. 95 Please note standard delivery on all items is only PS 3.95;delivery charge applies per order regardless of number of items purchased. Delivery to Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Scottish Highlands and Islands is PS 6.95. Delivery to the Channel Islands and Scilly Isles is PS 14.95. Delivery to Eire is PS 9.95 and deliveries to BFWO postal addresses are PS 6.95. Satisfaction Guaranteed For your complete piece of mind, our Home and Garden products may be returned to us within 30 days of purchase for a refund of the purchase price. Items must be returned unused. In which two places is delivery charge the same? A. Northern Ireland and Scilly Isles. B. Scottish Highlands and Islands and Eire. C. Isle of Man and Northern Ireland. D. The Channel Islands and Eire. Answer: C Question: Malls are popular places for Americans to go. Some people spend so much time at malls that they are called "mall rats ". Mall rats shop until they drop in the hundreds of stores. People like malls for many reasons. They feel safe because malls have police stations. Parking is usually free, and the weather inside is always fine. The newest malls have beautiful rest places with waterfalls and large green trees. The largest mall in the United States is the Mall of America in Minnesota. It covers 4. 2 million square feet . It has 350 stores, eight nightclubs, and a large park! There are parking spaces for 12,750 cars. About 750,000 people shop there every week. The first indoor mall in the United States was built in 1965 in Edina Minnesota. People love doing all their shopping in one place. More malls are built around the country. Now malls are like town centers where people come to do many things. They shop, of course, they also eat in food courts that have food from all over the world. They see films at theaters. Some people even get their exercise by doing the new sport of "mall walking". Others go to malls to meet friends. In some malls, people can see a doctor and even go to the church. In other words, people can do just about everything in malls. Now people can live in their favorite shopping center in fact. Here "mall" means " _ ". A. a large park B. a big church C. a square D. a shopping center Answer: D Question: Sunshine is a great film, which takes us on a voyage into space when mankind is in danger. In 2057, our Sun is dying and mankind faces extinction. A spaceship named IcarusII, carries an enormous bomb to return life to the dying star. As the movie begins, the spacecraft is approaching the Sun. Suddenly, the operating system is out of control;then the crew receive a frightening signal from the original IcarusI which was sent to carry out the same task seven years ago. Should the crew continue flying to the Sun in the endangered ship? The question is not so much about whether any crew member can survive--the chances of that hardly exist--but should they try to grab the other bomb in IcarusI and take it to the Sun? Two shots at saving mankind are obviously better than one. After the decision is made, a crew member makes a mistake that places the mission in extreme danger. More accidents occur, and the crew face a difficult situation:there isn't enough oxygen for them on the ship. www.ks5u.com Among the most exciting scenes is a space walk by Capa and Kaneda when the ship's shield is damaged and must be inspected and repaired. Then when docked with IcarusI, the crew find it will be difficult for them to achieve the goal of the voyage. The film reaches its climax when the computer in IcarusI detects the presence of an unknown crew member. Indeed, the major task of the flight is to take back the world by restarting the failing Sun. However, Sunshine also makes clear the psychological and physical danger of space travel. Why do Capa and Kaneda take a space walk? A. They want to appreciate the view of the space. B. They have to fix their spaceship. C. They try to dock with IcarusI. D. They plan to grab the bomb in IcarusII. Answer: B
Eating 40 percent less food could extend a person`s life by 20 years, according to scientists. Researchers at the Institute of Health Ageing at University College London are developing a treatment that they hope will fight the `disease` of getting older. They are looking into how genetics and lifestyle can affect ageing and add years, possibly decades, to a person`s life. Age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and neuro degeneration can also be treated, it is claimed. They want to find out how the life of a rat can be increased by up to 30 percent simply by reducing its food intake. Researcher Dr. Piper told the Independent : `If you reduce the diet of a rat by 40 percent it will live for 20 or 30 percent longer. So we would be talking 20 years of human life. This has shown on all sorts of animals, even Labradors(a kind of dog).`The scientists are also studying fruit flies, which share 60 percent of human genes and age in a similar manner, and mice. They have already made the healthy lifespan longer in both flies and mice by using drug treatments and a balanced diet. It is hoped that this combination will also work to extend human life. Dr. Piper said: `If we discover the genes involved with ageing, we should be able to delay ageing itself. This is what we`ve found.` He added that the field of research into extending life is only a decade old, so remains `in theory . It is their special approach to treating all age-related diseases caused by the `disease` of ageing itself that sets their research apart. How can people live longer according to the text? Answer: Reduce their diet properly. A man lives in a very tall building. He has a lot of money and he has a parrot at home. It's a clever bird. Every morning, after the man gets up, the bird says "hello". When the man comes back from his work, the bird says, "Is that you? Come here. I can see you." One evening, when the man is sleeping, a thief comes into his building by climbing up the window. When he finds some money and begins to leave the house by climbing down through the window again, he hears a voice in the dark. "Hello! Is that you? Come here. I can see you." The thief is so frightened that he falls down from the window. The parrot is the man's _ . Answer: pet Do you know why different animals or pests have their special colors? Colors in them seem to be used mainly to protect themselves. Some birds like eating locusts. but birds cannot easily catch them. Why? It is because locusts change their colors together with the change of the colors of crops. When crops are green, locusts look green. But as the harvest time comes, locusts change to the same brown color as crops have. Some other pests with different colors from plants are easily found and eaten by others. So they have to hide themselves for lives and appear only at night. If you study the animal life, you'll find the main use of coloring is protecting themselves. Bears, lions and other animals move quietly through forests. They cannot be seen by hunters. This is because they have the colors much like the tree. Have you ever noticed an even more strange act? A kind of fish in the sea can send out a kind of very black liquid when it faces danger. While the liquid spread over, the enemies cannot find it. And it immediately swims away. So it has lived up to now though it isn't strong at all. , . The kind of fish live up to now because _ . Answer: the liquid it sends out help it escape from its enemies It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. There was no rain for almost a month. The crops were dying. Cows stopped giving milk. On this day, I witnessed a wonder. I was making lunch when I saw my 6-year-old son, Billy, walking very slowly towards the woods. Minutes later he came running out again, towards the house. Soon after, I saw him walking towards the woods again. This went on for an hour. Finally I walked out of the house quietly and followed him. Billy cupped both hands in front of him as he walked, careful not to drop the water he carried. Then I saw an amazing sight. Several large deer stood in front of him. Billy walked right up to them. I saw a baby deer lying on the ground. It was dying of thirst, and it tried to lift its head to drink the water in my boy's hands. When the water was gone, Billy ran back to the house. I followed him to the kitchen. Billy opened the tap and a small trickle came out. He let the drips slowly fill up his "cup". Now I understood what was going on. The week before, he tried giving water to our horses but I told him not to waste water. Now when he stood up and turned, I was there in front of him. His eyes filled with tears . "I'm not wasting," he said. I joined him with a small cup of water from the kitchen. I let him walk to the baby deer alone while I stood by the woods. Tears rolled down my face. Suddenly there were some drops falling, as if the sky itself was crying. What's the best title for the passage? Answer: The wonder of water To many students, joining social media "circles" is now more important than making new friends in real life. And it's easy. If you have a cell phone, you can download apps such as Sina Weibo, WeChat and QQ. "I love to check my friends' updates . I also enjoy news and humor shared on social media," Said Ou Wei, 14, from Hongling Middle School in Shenzhen. Because of enjoying these, Ou _ himself from real life. "I love playing the plane-shooting game on WeChat, but have no interest in playing flying chess with my classmates," said Ou. Deng Yunyun, 14, from Jianfeng Middle School in Shanghai, said that social media had influenced their life. Recently his school held a basketball match, and a student hurt his leg. Instead of giving him some help, students were busy with updating micro blogs about the accident. "I think they need to learn to balance their real and online lives," said Deng, What makes parents and teachers worried is safety. "Many students are happy to tell their interests and personal information to their social media "friends". Such information could bring them danger," said Han Songjun, a teacher at Hongling Middle School. For example, WeChat's shake-shake function allows users to connect to other users close by. But the police warn about the danger of socializing in this way. "Be careful. Do not use the locating function in any app, do not give your name, and do not post the photos of your residential area ," said the police. What does the writer want to tell us? Answer: Social media can be bad and dangerous.
We had known for along time that flowers of different plants open and close at different time of day. Yet no one really understands why flowers open and close like this at special time. The question is not as simple as we might think, as recent experiments have shown. In one experiment, flowers were kept in constant darkness. We might expect that the flowers ,without any information about the time of the day, did not open as they usually do. In fact, they continue to open at their usual time. This shows that they have some special ways of knowing the time. Their sense time does not depend on information from the outside world. It is inside them: a kind of "inner clock". This discovery may not seem to be very important. However, it is later found that not just plants but animals have this "inner clock" which control the working of their bodies and influences their activities. Human beings, then, are also influenced by it. Whether we wish or not, it _ such things in our life as our need for sleep or need for food. What will happen if we make good use of the "inner clock" We'll have more energy to do our work better. Hi, I'm Harry. I'm fourteen years old. I live in Taipei, Taiwan. I am a second grader in a junior high school. I'm interested in playing computer games and watching TV. My favorite food is pizza. Hello, my name is Dolly. I was born on January 12th. There are four people in my family -- my mother, my father, my sister and me. My favorite food is green tea. Now, I am a junior high school student. My hobbies are watching TV and climbing mountains. My best friend Tom lives in Canada. Maybe some day, you will be her friends, too! My name is Eric. My hobbies are fishing, reading books and playing computer games. My favorite subject is History, because my dad is a History teacher and I read a lot of books about history. I'm very bad at English, because it's hard for me. My favorite sport is ping-pong. I play ping-pong with my dad and my cousins every weekend. What are Harry's hobbies? Watching TV and playing computer games. It was Saturday afternoon and Andrew was bored. He had been watching TV all day. He told his dad, "There's nothing to do!" Andrew's dad said, "I think the newspaper is here. Maybe we can find an idea in the newspaper." Andrew looked outside the window and saw the newspaper by the door. On the front was a picture of an elephant. He picked up the newspaper and brought it to his dad. Andrew and his dad read the story. The circus was in town! Andrew had never been to the circus. He asked his dad, "Can we go?" "Yes, we can,' Andrew's dad said, 'but first you need to feed your goldfish." Andrew fed his goldfish some goldfish food. He promised to bring it some peanuts from the circus for later. Andrew and his dad went to the circus. The people and animals at the circus did lots of tricks. The elephant even went down a slide! Andrew and his dad ate lots of peanuts. There weren't any peanuts left to bring home to the goldfish. Andrew and his dad had a lot of fun at the circus. Which character in the story went down the slide? the elephant Television has taken the place of schools as the main educator in America. There are several reasons for this. First, there is the number of hours. While Americans spend about 13,000 hours in schools, they spend 15,000 to 16,000 hours in front of a TV set. Second is the age at which viewers start watching TV. People start watching and understanding TV at about the age of 3, which is several years before they start to do school work. Finally, there is the number of viewers. About 90,000,000 young people are attending school, but most of the Americans watch TV every day. It seems, then, that TV shows are taking the place of teachers and professors as the educators in America. The first reason shows _ . in his life an American spends more time watching TV than at school Talk to yourself It may be obvious, but the best way to get better at a language is to speak it. Even if there is no one around to speak to, talk to yourself. Name things as you pass them - chair, television, cat, tree, school. Learn basic phrases like - 'it is cold today' or 'it is sunny today' and use whichever is appropriate when you first look out of the window. This simple language learning tip will help this everyday vocabulary sink in and become second nature. Talk to friends Even if they don't speak the language, talk to the people you know in your new language. Warm them in advance that you are practicing your new knowledge and they will know what's coming. Even a simple 'good morning ' or 'see you later' in your new language will make those phrases more natural to you. Your friends may even start to pick up a few phrases as well. Listen to music Listen to music in your new language. You'll hear the language used in a real context and this will help you pick out the rhythm and the pronunciation even better. You will also come to further understand and better appreciate the culture behind the language. Make mistakes The easiest language learning tip to try! Go ahead and speak and write! Don't be afraid to make mistakes, because I guarantee you will! In fact, you will learn as much from your mistake as you will learn from your success .Never let the fear of making any mistakes hold you back. Without making any mistakes, how will you ever to be fluent or even comfortable with the language? Find a language club When you are ready, try to find a language club in your area. Speaking with other people who have already gone through or are still going through the process of learning the language can be extremely helpful. They will give you lots of language learning tips and helpful advice. According to the passage , we know _ the more mistakes we make, the more fluent our English might be
Seasonal changes happens Answer: A job is more than a job,especially to the old. "It's not the money that matters,but the sense of self-worth."56-year-old Cbeng Wonlan said. So,every day Ms Cheng carries a bag of parcels,letters and documents and does her rounds in North Point. She's a courier Five years ago.Ms Cheng was a nurse at a private clinic. She had worked there for 30 years but was Jobless when the doctor migrated. It was difficult for her to find another job as a nurse. "People do not trust my ability when they learn how old I am,"she said. After two years of searching, she eventually found another nursing job. But then after two years,she quit Why? 'My colleagues were young and they didn't understand me because of my age. They often asked me 'You are so old what are you working for? I was very unhappy" She said. So while the rest of her family left for work,she was left to lonely boredom at home .Then her neighbours told her about Employee's Retraining Board(ERB)offering retraining courses for older people. These courses are specifically designed to encourage the older people back to work. "I was interested in courier work. I didn't think my age was a barrier because I was fit." She said .Upon graduating,Ms Cheng was offered a job by the Speeding Shuttle Courier Service Company. But then Ms Cheng was faced with a conflict:she was caught between honour and employment"I felt embarrassed about carrying and delivering letters and parcels." she said. It took Ms Cheng 24 hours to make up her mind:there was nothing wrong or embarrassing about doing the job. So she went off to work as a courier. Ms Cheng's employer is delighted with her responsible attitude and said."I hired older people because they were able and reliable .Age is not an important factor but attitude is Many old people will not run from difficulties but the young ones will" Why was it difficult for Ms Cheng to find another nursing Job? Answer: My name is Mike. I have a big family. It's Saturday morning. My grandfather is sitting on the sofa near the window. He is reading the newspaper. My grandmother is taking photos of some flowers in the garden near the house. My father is watching sports games on TV in his bedroom. Basketball games are his favorite but he can't play basketball. Where are my two sisters? Oh, look! Lily is over there. She is listening to music. She likes music very much. Lucy is in her room. There is a computer in her room. She is surfing the Internet . She is writing an e-mail to her friend. What am I doing? I am doing my homework. Do you know who is cooking? Who may be cooking for the family now? Answer: New rules and behaviour standards for middle school students have come out. The middle school is going to use a new way to decide who the top students are. The best students won't only have high marks. They will also be kids who don't smoke, drink or dye their hair. The following are some of the new rules. Tell the truth. Have you ever copied someone else's work on an exam? Don't do it again! That's not something that an honest student should do. If you have played computer games for two hours in your room, don't tell your parents you have done homework. Do more at school. Good students love animals and care for other people. April is Bird Loving Month in China. Is your school doing anything to celebrate it? You should join! That way, you can learn more about animals and how to protect them. When more people work together, it is more fun for everyone. Have you fought with your teammates when your basketball team lost? Only working together can make your team stronger. Be friendly to the people you are with. Try to think of others, not only yourself. Be open to new ideas. Have you ever thought that people could live on the moon? Maybe you'll discover Earth II someday. Don't look down on new ideas. Everyone's ideas are important. You should welcome them because new ideas make life better for everyone. Protect yourself. Has someone ever taken money from one of your classmates? Don't let it happen to you. If you have to go home late, you should let your parents know. Use the Internet carefully. The Internet can be very useful for your studies. But some things on the Internet aren't good for kids, do try to look at _ pages that aren't good for you. You can use the Web for fun or homework. Can't you find any good Web sites for children? Here are some: http://kinds.eastday.com / http://www.chinakids.net.com / http://www.cyenct.com The new school rules will help kids by telling them _ . Answer: If an electromagnet is active then a nail touching it will become what? Answer:
March 22, 2011---Most restaurants in the United States offer their customers a glass of tap water at no charge with their meal, but this week many restaurants are asking dinners to pay a dollar, or more, for a glass of water. Cards on their tables explain that this small amount helps bring clean water to children around the world. It's called the UNICEF Tap Project. "UNICEF's Tap Project is really all about bringing attention to the fact that over 900 million people around the globe do not have access to good, clean, healthy drinking water," says Cary Stem, who heads the US Fund for UNICEF. She adds that water-borne illness is the second-highest cause of preventable childhood death in the world. "Each and every day approximately 4,100 children die just because they don't have that access - 4,100 every single day." The public service campaign encourages people to help change that statistic with a simple, affordable action: paying a dollar to get a glass of tap water at a restaurant. "One dollar buys enough good, clean water for a child for 40 days," Stem says. "The tap project has expanded since it began five years ago with 300 restaurants in New York City. This year, Stem says, about 3,000 restaurants across the country are participating in the campaign. We raised about $2.5 million over the last five years of this campaign," says Stem. "Last year, we raised over $1 million for the first time. This year we're hoping to top that." Stem credits the continued success of the campaign to an army of volunteers who support the tap project and raise money in their communities. The UNICEF Tap Project is promoting its efforts with a simple motto: when you take water, give water. Currently, UNICEF works in more than 100 countries around the world to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities in schools and communities. Stem hopes that, by participating in the project, more Americans will realize that what they often take for granted is a precious and scarce resource in many other parts of the world. Restaurants began to charge for tap water to _ . Answer: Like most English children,I learned foreign languages at school.When I made my first visit to the United States,I was sure I could have a nice easy holiday without any language problem.But how wrong I was. At the American airport,I was looking for a public telephone to tell my friend Jenny that I had arrived.A worker asked if he could help me."Yes,"I said,"I want to give my friend a ring.""Well,that's nice.Are you getting married?"he asked."No,"I replied."I just want to tell her on the phone I have arrived.""Oh,"he said."There is a phone downstairs on the first floor.""But we're on the first floor now,"I said."Well,I don't know what you are talking about.Maybe you aren't feeling too well after your journey,"he said."You just go and wash up,and you will feel a lot better."And he went off,leaving me wondering where on earth I was:at home we wash up after a meal to get the cups and plates clean.How can I wash up at an airport At last we did meet.She explained the misunderstanding:Americans say "to give someone a call",but we English say"to give somebody a ring".When we say"to wash your hands",they say"to wash up".And Englishmen start numbering from the ground floor,so the first floor is the second for Americans. The writer's friend is an _ . Answer: As a young adult, Noah Webster was a teacher. At this time, the colonies were fighting for independence from Britain. Yet the books that American children used in school all came from Britain. The books were all about British people and British places. Webster wanted books that would mean more to American children. So he wrote three books that used American examples -- a grammar book, a spelling book, and a reader. These books were very popular, and millions of them were sold. Webster was interested in changing the spellings of words. He wanted words to be spelled the way they were pronounced. For example, he thought the word "head" should be spelled "hed", and the word "laugh" should be spelled "laf". People liked Webster's suggestions. However, few words were actually changed. One group of words that were changed were words in which an unpronounced "u" followed an "o". That is why Americans write "color" and "labor", and the British write "colour" and "labour". With the money he made from his books, Webster was able to write. It was the first American English dictionary, published in 1828. Webster's dictionary had over 70000 words and gave the meaning and origin of each. To this day, Webster's work is the example that most dictionaries of American English follow. Which of the following statements is right? Answer: Recently, some concerns have been raised about the health of the world's banana plants. Many media reports have said that bananas may completely disappear in the coming ten years. Bananas are one of the world's most important food crops. They are also the fourth most valuable export. Bananas do not grow from seeds. Instead, they grow from existing plants. Bananas are threatened by disease because all the plants on a farm are copies of each other. They all share the same genetic weaknesses. For example, the Cavendish banana is most popular in American markets. It is an important export crop. However, some kinds of fungus organisms easily infect the Cavendish. Black Sigatoka disease affects the leaves of Cavendish banana plants. The disease is controlled on large farms by putting chemicals on the plant's leaves. Farmers put anti-fungal chemicals on their crops up to once a week. Another fungal disease is more serious. Panama disease attacks the roots of the banana plant. There is no chemical treatment for this disease. Infected plants must be destroyed. Panama disease has affected crops in Southeast Asia, Australia and South Africa. There is concern that it may spread to bananas grown in the Americas. This could threaten an important export product for Central and South America. The International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain, whose headquarter lies in France, supports research on bananas. The group says that more research must be done to develop improved kinds of bananas. The group says that fungal diseases mainly affect only one kind of banana. In fact, there are five-hundred different kinds of bananas. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says the Cavendish banana represents only ten percent of world production. The UN agency says farmers should grow different kinds of bananas. This protects against diseases that affect only one kind. Experts warn that disease may cause the Cavendish banana to disappear. This has already happened to one popular banana because of its genetic weakness against disease. (words: 335) Bananas are threatened by diseases because _ . Answer: Life in space will certainly take some getting used to!But the space station has been designed to keep the astronauts as comfortable as possible--the modules are roomy,bright,and kept at a constant 70 degrees Fahrenheit.It's important the crew members are comfortable because they'll be busy aboard the station.In a typical workday,crew members will spend 14 hours working and exercising,1.5 hours preparing and eating meals,and 8.5 hours sleeping.Here are some other fun facts about life aboard the station: Food Come mealtime,astronauts will have a special dining kitchen.Space food just keeps getting better--and more like food we enjoy here on Earth.In early space missions,astronauts could eat only freezedried food that didn't require any preparation.But the space station is equipped with water,microwave ovens,and refrigerators,allowing the folks on board to eat more "normal" types of food,including fruit,vegetables,and ice cream! Sleep Each crew member has a private room.With no gravity,they'll need to tie themselves to their beds,or they will float away!That might sound like a strange way to sleep,but astronauts from past space missions report that sleeping in space is actually pretty great! Exercise You might not think it,but exercise is even more important on the station than it is on Earth.There is not much gravity in space.Astronauts don't stand up,sit down or walk in space,so their muscles and bones don't have to work much--and this muscle and bone loss can be dangerous back on Earth.To fight this,astronauts on the station will exercise on bikes,rowing machines,and other equipment about two hours every day. Clothing Astronauts will have to wear special space suits while traveling aboard the U.S.shuttle or Russian rockets.But once they're safe inside the space station,crew members can wear regular clothing.Of course,a specially designed,pressurized space suit is required for space walks.It has to withstand flying pieces and protect the astronauts from dramatic temperature changes.It can range from 120 degrees below Fahrenheit in the shadow of the station to 250 degrees in the hot sun. Personal Cleanliness Simple tasks like brushing your teeth can be challenging in a weightless environment.A little water doesn't flow in a stream--it suspends in a bubble!Astronauts will use a freshwater hose to take showers,shampoo,and wash off--then a second vacuum hose to suction off the dirty water.And how do you go to the bathroom in space?With a special "air toilet" that uses flowing air instead of water to dispose of waste. The facts about life in space are all mentioned EXCEPT _ . Answer:
When Andrea Peterson landed her first teaching job, she faced the task of creating a music program with almost no money for equipment or supplies in a climate where standards-based learning was the focus and music just provided a break for students and teachers. For her drive and creativity in overcoming those challenges, she's been name national teacher of the year. Principal Waynes Kettler said he's worked with many outstanding teachers in his 22 years as an educator, but Peterson is "just that one step above anybody I've ever worked with before." Kettler and others at Monte Cristo Elementary School talk about the ways she has introduced the learning from other classrooms into her music program and her creativity in working around things such as the lack of money for new music. When students were reading S.E. Hinton's novel in their regular classroom, Peterson helped them write a 30-minute play with scenes from the book. Then they chose three Broadway tunes that focused on race, equality and social justice, the themes of the book. Peterson composed two other sons herself after classroom discussions about the play and the book. The honor means a lot to residents of Granie Falls. It's inspiring to know that people from small towns can even win national honors. As national teacher of the year, Peterson will spend the next year outside classroom, as a national and international spokeswoman for education. Not surprisingly, she is a big believer in the value of arts education. She said it's essential for schools to offer classes such as art or music and physical education because for some kids one of those subjects is the only thing that motivates them to come back to school day after day. In Peterson's opinion, _ . A. art, music and PE classes are all important. B. more subjects should be offered to students. C. students should be motivated to attend art classes. D. arts education is more important than other subjects. Answer: A Once upon a time there was a cute brown puppy. He was a very happy puppy. His name was Rudy. Rudy had a best friend. His name was Thomas. Thomas had a nice dad named Rick. Thomas and Rudy had been friends for almost a year. Rudy and Thomas loved to play in the big back yard. Sometimes, Thomas would ask his friend Jacob to come to the back yard and play with them. Jacob would always bring his puppy too. Jacob's puppy was named Sally. Thomas and Jacob would run around the back yard and Rudy and Sally chased them and barked. They all had so much fun playing together. One day, Thomas told Rudy that tomorrow would be a very special day. It would be Rudy's birthday. Rudy was very excited. The next day came and Thomas threw a birthday party for Rudy. All of Rudy's friends were there and they had presents for him. Jacob brought Rudy a new ball and Sally brought him a bone. There was one more present for Rudy to open. When he opened the gift from Thomas, Rudy was so exited that he jumped and barked. It was a new red collar with a shiny name tag on it. It was the best gift Rudy had ever been given. What color was the cute puppy? A. brown B. yellow C. black D. white Answer: A Tomorrow is my best friend's birthday and I don't know what to get him. He's eleven years old like me, and to be honest, everyone likes to always mix us up. It's not that we look alike or sound alike or even dress alike, but it's our names, Tim and Tom, that do it. Anyways, he likes dinosaurs, board games, and toy cars so I'm not sure if anything under ten dollars has both of those in it. He also told me not to get anything that has feathers included in it as his mom always gets headaches when she's around them. My mom took me to the store and I looked around for something Tom would like. We had to pass through the clothing, medicine, and jewelry sections before we got to the toy aisle. My mom told me to not let her forget that we need to go to the garden section to get a new sprinkler before we go, but I was too into the toys to understand her. Finally, I found a board game where you play as different cars to try and finish a race first and thought that was perfect even without the dinosaurs. From there, we checked out and I gave the present to Tom on his birthday. He loved it and we played with our other friends, Daryl, John, and Angie. Sadly our other friend, James couldn't make it as he was sick, but we still had so much fun together. Which of the following sections did Tim and his mom not go through to get to the toy aisle? A. Clothing B. Medicine C. Jewelry D. Garden Answer: D Moods, say the experts, are feelings that are likely to become fixed, having effects on one's outlook (way of looking at things) for hours, days or even weeks. That's great if your mood is a pleasant one, but a problem if you are sad, anxious, angry, or simply lonely. Perhaps the best way to deal with such moods is to talk them out; sometimes, though, there is no one to listen. Modern pharmacology offers a lot of tranquilizers and anti-anxiety drugs. What many people don't realize, however, is that scientists have discovered the effectiveness of several non-drug methods to make you free from an unwanted mood. These can be just as useful as drugs, and have the added benefit of being nonpoisonous. So next time you feel out of sorts, don't head for the drug store--try the following method. Of all the mood-changing self-help techniques, aerobic exercise seem to be the best cure for a bad mood. --If you could keep the exercise, you'd be in high spirits, says Kathryn Lance, author of Running for Health and Beauty. Researchers have explained biochemical and various other changes that make exercise a better mood-raiser than drugs. Physical work such as housework, however, does little. The key is aerobic exercise - running, cycling, walking, swimming, or other repetitive and sustained activities that increase the heart rate and circulation , and improve the body's use of oxygen. Do them for at least 20 minutes a time, three to five times a week. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A. when one is in a bad mood, he or she may not work very well B. the best way to overcome a bad mood is to talk to oneself C. some drugs are more effective than physical exercises D. taking drugs is at risk of being poisonous Answer: D DNA molecules contain the genetic information that determines the characteristics of a living organism. How do DNA molecules express the genetic information they contain? A. by breaking down proteins within the cell B. by directing the process of protein synthesis C. by regulating the storage of cellular proteins D. by controlling the movement of protein molecules Answer: B
Question: On 23rd December, 2013, Michael Schumacher -- the famous Formula-One race car driver -- received serious brain injuries after hitting his head on a rock while downhill skiing with his son. The accident happened during a family holiday in the French Alps. Although he was wearing a helmet, which broke apart on impact, the F1 celebrity was moving at speeds of up to 62 mph and skiing outside the off-piste safety demarcations . Doctors reported that he would have died on impact if he hadn't been wearing a helmet. He has been in a coma since arriving at a nearby hospital where he was airlifted to from the site of the accident. Michael Schumacher grew up in frugal conditions and started what would become his remarkable professional career when his working class father -- a bricklayer -- built him a _ from where he started participating in competitions. He started his adult career racing for Formula Ford in 1988 and later raced for Formula One Ford, Ferrari, and Mercedes AMG. He holds numerous F1 world records including most race victories, fastest laps, and most races won in a single season. According to the Formula One website, he is "statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen". Also notable are his contributions to charity, during the peak of his career he has given away more than 50 million Euros to a variety of charity organizations, most to help children around the world. Millions of Europeans and other fans around the world are holding their breath and waiting for information about his hopeful recovery. We wish him and his family the best. What is a _ most likely to be? A. A medical instrument. B. A small car-racing field. C. A racing-car driver's safety helmet. D. A small motor vehicle used for racing. Answer: D Question: Andrew Carnegie, once the world's richest person, was born in 1835 to a weaver's family in Scotland. As a child, he was expected to follow his father's profession. But the industrial revolution destroyed the weavers' craft, and the family had to leave for new possibilities in America. In 1848, the Carnegies arrived in Pittsburgh, then the iron-manufacturing center of the country. Young Carnegie took odd jobs at a cotton factory and later worked as a messenger boy in the telegraph office. He was often asked to deliver messages to the city theater, where he would stay to watch plays by great playwrights. He also spent most of his spare time in a small library that a local sponsor made available to working boys. After the Civil War, Carnegie saw great potential in the iron industry. He devoted himself to the replacement of wooden bridges with stronger iron ones and earned a fortune. He further introduced a new technique to change iron into steel. By 1900, Carnegie Steel produced more of the metal than all of Great Britain. However, Carnegie often expressed his uneasiness with the businessman's life. Wishing to spend more time receiving instruction and reading systematically, he once wrote, "To continue much longer overwhelmed by business cares and with most of my thoughts wholly upon the way to make more money in the shortest time, must degrade me beyond hope of permanent recovery." The strong desire for getting knowledge led him to sell his company and retire at 64. Fond of saying that "He, who dies rich, dies disgraced," Carnegie then turned his attention to giving away his fortune. He opposed charity; instead, he used his money to help others help themselves. He established over 2,500 public libraries, and sponsored numerous cultural, educational and scientific institutions. By the time he died in 1919, he had given away 350 million dollars. Why did Andrew Carnegie move to the United States? A. Because his father was offered a good job in Pittsburgh. B. Because he did not want to follow his father's profession. C. Because there were serious political problems in Scotland. D. Because his family could not make a good living in their hometown. Answer: D Question: In Europe, many people make friends between their countries through town twinning. Town or city twinning means two towns in different countries agree and decide to become "twins" with a sister-city relationship. The people find pen friends in the twin town. They exchange newspapers and stamps. The school teachers discuss teaching methods with the teachers in the twin town. Officials visit the twin town for celebrations. Ordinary people travel to the twin town, too, but not very often if it is far away. Sometimes, schools even exchange their classes for two or three weeks! For example, German middle school students study for a while at the school in their twin town in Britain, staying with British families. A few months later, their British friends come to study in Germany. Many British towns are so pleased with the results of the twinning that they set out to find more than one twin town! Tonbridge, a small town in Kent, for example, has twin towns in both Germany and France. Richmond near London has relationships with Germany, France and even a town in a Balkan country! Town twinning can help make friends. It helps students improve their language skill, and also helps people to understand the differences between nations. How many countries are mentioned in this passage? A. 7 B. 6. C. 5 D. 4 Answer: D Question: Drinking a lot of water does not do any good to the body, according to two experts in the United States. In fact, they warn, drinking too much water could be, in certain cases, harmful. In a study, Dr Stanly Goldfarb and Dr Dan Negoianu, both of the Renal, Electrolyte and Hypertension Division at the University of Pensylvania, the United States, have denied the popular belief that drinking a lot of water clears body toxins better, improves skin, and helps reduce weight. Dr Goldfarb and Dr Negoianu say that they found little proof to back the public opinion that drinking 8 glasses of water every day benefits health. At the same time, they fond little proof of harm in drinking 8 glasses of water every day. It is widely believed that in some cases-such as athletes, people who live in hot, dry environments, and those with certain medical conditions-drinking a lot of water indeed helps, but no studies have been done to prove the benefits of this practice in average, healthy people, the website medheadlines.com reports. The study at the University of Pennsylvania also examined reports that some people experienced increased headaches when their consumption of water was low. In one small study, which the doctors reviewed, the group drinking the most water reported fewer headaches than the control group, "but the difference in the number of headaches was o small between the two groups as to be considered unimportant." The researchers concluded that there is no scientific proof to support that average, healthy people need to drink at least 8 glasses of water each each day. The website medheadines.com says that, according to an Indian doctor, drinking too much water is harmful. If water enters the body more quickly than it can be removed, problems can occur. We can learn from the passage that 8 glasses of water every day _ . A. proves good for the body B. has scientific proof of harm C. is sure to reduce headaches D. is generally considered necessary Answer: D Question: You may think, salt is just a simple cooking element we shake on our food for a little extra taste. But salt is much more than that. Without salt our muscles would not move. Our nervous systems would not operate. Our hearts would not beat. But do not think rubbing salt in a wound will help. Doing that would be painful and not heal the wound. To rub salt in a wound is an idiom that means to purposefully make a bad situation worse. Early humans got the salt they needed to stay alive from the animals they killed. But advances in agriculture led to a diet low in salt. So, humans needed to find other sources. Those who lived near the ocean or other natural sources for salt were lucky. Those who did not had to trade for salt. In fact, people used salt as a method of payment in many parts of the ancient world. The word "salary" comes from the word "salt". Salt also played an important part in population movement and world exploration. Explorers understood that if they could keep food fresh,they could travel longer distances. So they used salt to preserve food and explored the world. Salt was so important that, according to food historians. it was traded pound-for-pound for gold. Today, people still use the expressions "to be worth one's salt" or "worth one's weight in salt". The expressions describe a person of value. A person might also be called salt of the earth. That description means he or she is dependable and trustworthy. However, when you say "I think we should take what he said with a grain of salt" you mean you accept it but maintain a degree of doubt about its truth. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A. Salt Is More Than a Four-letter Word. B. Salt Is a Basic Element in Cooking. C. Salt Is a Word with a Long History. D. Salt Is Popular with Different Persons. Answer: A
The airline lost your baggage. The hotel laundry ruined your favorite shirt. The taxi driver overcharged you. When you're abroad, sometimes things go wrong. Now you can do something about it! Use these tips when you want to express an effective complaint in English. No matter how unfair the situation, it's best to phrase your complaint politely. In English, you'll sound more polite if you use indirect language. Here are some examples: "I'm sorry to bother you..." Starting a complaint like this puts the listener who may have heard many complaints that day at ease. Use this phrase if the situation isn't that serious. For example, "I'm sorry to bother you, but I wanted a baked potato, not fries." "Can you help me with this?" Everyone would much rather be asked to do something than told! So try phrasing your complaint as a request for help: "Can you help me with this? My shirt came back from the laundry without buttons." "I'm afraid there may be a misunderstanding." This is a polite way of saying, "Your information is wrong. Please fix it now." You'll most likely use this phrase if you made reservations for a flight, hotel or restaurant, and when you arrive, it's not what you expected. For example, "I'm afraid there may be a misunderstanding. I requested a non-smoking room." "I understand it's not your fault..." Often when you make a complaint, you deal with a person who was not directly responsible for the problem. But the problem isn't your fault, either! This phrase is helpful when you need swift action. Tell the person you're dealing with you understand they're not at fault and then directly state the problem: "I understand it's not your fault, but the airline promised they would deliver my baggage yesterday." "Excuse me, but I understood that..." Using this phrase lets the person know you're well-informed and are suspicious they might be trying to take advantage of you. Don't say, "Hey! You're trying to cheat me!" Instead, start indirectly by stating what you know to be true: "I understood that the taxi ride to the airport was only 25 dollars." Then give them an opportunity to do the right thing. According to the passage, if we meet an unfair situation, we'd better _ . Answer: For years I wanted a flower garden. I'd spend hours thinking of different things I could plant that would look nice together. But then we had Matthew. And Marvin. And the twins, Alisa and Alan. And then Helen. Five children. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden. Money was tight, as well as time. Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much, and I'd have to say, "Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn't grow on trees, you know." Finally, all five got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking again about having a garden. I wasn't sure, though. I mean, gardens do cost money, and after all these years I was used to living on a pretty lean, _ budget. Then, one spring morning, on Mother's Day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, I realized that cars were tooting their horns as they drove by. I looked out the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard. I thought it must be a weeping willow, because I saw things blowing around on all its branches. Then I put my glasses on - and I couldn't believe what I saw. There was a money tree in my yard! I went outside to look. It was true! There were dollar bills, one hundred of them, taped all over that tree. Think of all the garden flowers I could buy with one hundred dollars! There was also a note attached: "IOU eight hours of digging time. Love, Marvin." Marvin kept his promise, too. He dug up a nice ten-by-fifteen foot bed for me. And my other children bought me tools, ornaments, a trellis , a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books. That was three years ago. My garden's now very pretty, just like I wanted. When I go out and weed or tend my flowers, I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they're right there with me. I live up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where winters are long and cold, and summers are too short. But every year now, when winter sets in, I look out my window and think of the flowers I'll see next spring in my little garden. I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes - every time. I'm still not sure that money grows on trees. But I know love does! The best title for the passage would probably be _ . Answer: Which of the following has a population of zero? Answer: Mr. Black works on a big farm. His wife Mrs. Black works in a school Mr. Black is nearsighted. But he doesn't like wearing glasses when he has meals. Mr. Black has a son. His name is Tony. He is in Class One, Grade Eight of No.2middle School. He likes talking very much. He often talks about his school and his friends at table. Mr. Black is angry, he always shouts, "Don't talk when you have meals." And Mrs. Black also says to him, "Be a good boy, Tony." One day, when they are having supper, Tony finds there is a fly in his father's bowl. Then he wants to tell his father about it,"Dad, there is ..." His father looks at him and says,"Stop talking!" After supper, his father asks him , "Well , my boy, what is it?" "There is a fly in your bowl, and it is in your stomach now."says Tony."Why don't you tell me earlier?" shouts his father angrily. Mr. Black is a _ . Answer: Dickens & London Exhibition Date: 9 December, 2013---10 June, 2014 Location: Museum of London Celebrate the 202th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens in the first major UK exhibition for over 40 years. By recreating the atmosphere of Victorian London through sound and projections . You'll be taken ton an unforgettable journey to discover the city that inspired his writings. Paintings, photographs, costumes and objects will show different themes that Dickens wrote into his works, while rarely seen manuscripts including Bleak House and David Copperfield--written in the author's own hand--will offer clues to his creative genius. During your visit you'll discover how Dickens' childhood experiences of London were introduced into the stories he wrote. The great social questions of the19th century will also be examined, all of which set the scene for Dickens' greatest works. Highlights of the exhibition will include an exciting audio-visual experience bringing to life the desk and chair where Dickens worked on his novels, and a special film shot by one of the UK's leading documentary filmmakers. Packages include afternoon entry (1:00 pm--4:00 pm) to the exhibition plus overnight accommodation at a nearby hotel. If you wish to visit the exhibition the day after your hotel stay, please call us. Call: 08712212717. Book a trip online with us, with tickets to Dickens & London Exhibition--afternoon entry and hotel accommodation included in the price. All taxes included. No credit card fees. No booking fees. No discount. Price Information: a package costs an adult PS180 and a child PS90 (4--15) ; an afternoon entry costs an adult PS28 and a child PS14 ( 4--15 ). How much should a couple with one child at 10 and another at 18 pay if they have a package? Answer:
You can recharge your iPhone by using Answer: wind Joey felt the very first rain drop hit his hat. "Let's go inside!" he said to his friend Billy. The two ran inside the house as it began to rain more outside. Joey's mother was very happy that they missed the rain and got inside before it made a big mess. Joey and Billy weren't as happy. "What are we going to do in here all day?" asked Billy. "I don't know" said Joey, looking out the window as the rain came down. Harder. And harder. "Oh no! I left my baseball glove outside" said Joey as he watched it begin to fill up with rain. His glove was going to be a mess! Thankfully, Joey's dad pulled up in his car. Seeing the glove on the ground, he picked it up as he ran inside. "Careful sport, you almost lost this" he told his son as he tossed him the wet mitt. But Joey wasn't listening, he was looking past his dad as he walked through the door. The sky was clearing up! Joey ran outside, Billy came after him. "Look at that!" Billy said as he pointed at the sky. A rainbow was appearing, it was so beautiful! The rain wasn't bad after all! How did Joey and Billy see the rainbow? Answer: Joey saw the sky clearing up behind his dad and they ran outside People with mentally taxing jobs, including lawyers and graphic designers, may end up having better memory in old age, research suggests. A study of more than 1,000 Scottish 70-year-olds found that those who had had complex jobs scored better on memory and thinking tests. One theory is that a more stimulating environment helps build up a "cognitive reserve" to help buffer the brain against age-related decline. The research was reported in Neurology. The team, from Heriot-Watt University, in Edinburgh, is now planning more work to look at how lifestyle and work interact to affect memory loss. Those taking part in the study took tests designed to assess memory, processing speed and general thinking ability, as well as filling in a questionnaire about their working life. The analysis showed that those whose jobs had required complex skills in dealing with data or people, such as management and teaching, had better scores on memory and thinking tests than those who had done less mentally intense jobs such as factory workers, bookbinders, or carpet layers. While the study did not look at biological reasons for the protective effect of certain jobs, potential explanations include that structural changes within the brain mean less damage is accumulated over time. Study leader Dr Alan Gow said: "Our findings have helped to identify the kinds of job demands that preserve memory and thinking later on." "However," He added, "while it is true that people who have higher cognitive abilities are more likely to get more complex jobs, there still seems to be a small advantage gained from these complex jobs for later thinking skills." Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said the study added to the growing evidence about factors that affected brain health as we aged. "Keeping the brain active throughout life could be helpful and different types of work may play a role. However, it's important to note that this study points to a small and subtle association between occupation and later-life cognition rather than offering proof that people's occupation has a direct influence." What is the best title of the passage? Answer: Complex jobs may protect memory Everybody has had at least one experience from which he knows the meaning of life.This time, which took place several years ago, but seems as if it just happened. On an afternoon several years ago, my brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's dress and picked out a beautiful skirt."Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago.She never wore it.She was saving it for a special occasion." he said.I guess this was the occasion: it was the funeral of my sister, after her unexpected death. He took the shirt and put it on bed, with the other clothes we were taking to the funeral.Then he closed the drawer and turned to me, "Don't ever save anything for a special occasion.Every day you're alive is a special occasion." I'm thinking about his words, and they've changed the way I live my life.I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings.Whenever possible, life should be a kind of experience to enjoy, not to suffer."Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their importance on my vocabulary.If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing,I want to see and hear and do it now. Ever since that day, I have been trying very hard not to put off, hold hack or save anything that would add laughter and color to our lives.Every morning when I open my eyes.I tell myself that every day, every minute, every breath, truly is a gift.So every day and find the true meaning of your life. Why did Jan buy the beautiful skirt but didn't wear it? Answer: She waited for a special occasion to wear it on. Dear Lucy, In your last letter, your asked me how to love to your parents. Here is my advice. Make a picture for them. Whether with pencils or paints, it will be a treasure to them forever. Write a letter to them. Take your time to put your thoughts in _ . keep your room clean! Though it's a kind of the chore, it shows mom and dad that care. Cook them a dinner! It can be some rice , some cheese or some hot dogs; it can give them a break. tell them that you love them very often. Your love can make them feel warm and proud. Never tell a lie to them. Probably the biggest way to show them you love them is, never to lie. This shows them that you not only love them, but also believe in and respect them. Create time to be with them. Watch a film with your mom once in a while, or go to a sports match with your dad once in a while just to show them how much you care and want to close with them. If you do something wrong, apologize and explain it! They will know you are sorry. You could do something for them to show you want to make it up to them. Just saying sorry can really show how much you love them. Yours , Agony Aunt Please apologize to your parents if you _ . Answer: do a wrong event
My children are perfect. All four of them. Perfect and beautiful and clever. I bet yours are, too. Except, of course, they are not. In reality, my children and yours are likely to be reasonably average in terms of looks, behavior, intelligence and charm. That's why it is called average. Your belief in your child being special is more probably a biological thing than a fact. A loved one, particularly a loved child, is edited as we observe them. Other people's children are spoiled; ours are spirited. Theirs are naughty; ours are confident. This is all natural and even touching when not taken too far. However, it is one thing feeding this idea to ourselves but feeding it to our children may be a little less desirable. We have the idea that -- unlike my parents' generation -- we should build our children's self-respect as high as we can. Therefore, their random scribble is up there with Picasso, their C-minus is an unfortunate oversight on the part of the teacher, and the fact that no one wants to be friends with them is because they are particularly clever or sensitive. Children see through this kind of thing very quickly and ignore their parents' praises as a matter of course. As they grow up, they sense that the wider world judges them differently. This leads to a - hopefully gentle - cynicism about anything their parents tell them about their achievements. Perhaps that is OK -- but I'm not sure if it is good for them to have the parental praise so overlooked. If parents were a little _ sometimes, this could have two positive effects -- first, when praise came, it would be more likely to be believed and, second, it would fit in rather more accurately with the picture of reality that the child is forming in their heads. A lot of pressure is put on children who are told they are beautiful, special and perfect. Because then, where is there to go? Only downwards. They become too much aware of their status in your eyes, and a danger must be that they fear failing you. To be over-praised by your parents is the counter side of being criticized all the time. Both can have negative consequences. It is important to give your children the freedom to be flawed -- to know that it's OK to be imperfect, and that, in fact, we often love people for their flaws -- perfect people (whom we can only imagine, as they do not exist) are easy to respect, but hard to love. Now I am nearly 60, my main insight is that I am much less special than I once believed. This knowledge has actually been helpful in leading a more well-balanced life. I certainly wouldn't like to go back to attitudes that my parents, particularly my father, held, that to praise the child was to "spoil them" or make them bigheaded. However, the history of families is like the history of everything else -- the story of overreactions. We praise our children to the skies, partly because we think it makes them feel good, but also because it makes us feel good. And perhaps it is more the latter than the former. Too much love can be as big a burden as a shortage of it. My advice is to limit your praise. Then every piece of praise will count, rather than being just ignored. In some parents' eyes, who is to blame for their children's poor grades at school? A. Picasso. B. The children C. The teacher. D. The children's friends. Answer: C What picture do you have of the future? Will life in the future be better, worse of the same as now? What do you hope about the future? Futurologists predict that life will probably be very different in 2050 in all the fields of activity, from entertainment to technology. First of all, it seems that TV channels will have disappeared by 2050. Instead, people will choose a programme from a menu and a computer will send the programme directly to the television. Today, we can use the World Wide Web to read newspaper stories and see pictures on a computer thousands of kilometers away. By 2050, music, films, programmes, newspapers and books will come to us by computer. In what concerns the environment, water will have become one of our most serious problems. In many places, agriculture is changing and they are growing fruit and vegetables to export. This uses a lot of water. Demand for water will increase ten times between now and 2050 and there could be serious shortages. Some futurologists predict that water could be the cause of war if we don't act now. In transport, cars will run on new, clean fuels and they will go very fast. Cars will have computers to control the speed of the car and there won't be any accidents. Today, many cars have computers that tell the drivers exactly where they are. By 2050, the computer will control the car and drive it to your destination. On the other hand, space planes will take people half way around the world in two hours. Nowadays, the United States Shuttle can go into space and land on Earth again. By 2050, space planes will fly all over the world and people will fly from Los Angels to Tokyo in just two hours. In the field of technology, robots will have replaced people in factories. Many factories already use robots. Big companies prefer robots -- they do not ask for pay rises or go on strike, and they work 24 hours a day. By 2050, we will see robots everywhere -- in factories, schools, offices, hospitals, shops and homes. In particular, medicine technology will have conquered many diseases. Today, there are electronic devices that connect directly to the brain to help people hear. By 2050, we will be able to help blind and deaf people see again and hear again and scientists will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look, how they behave and how much intelligence they have. Scientists will be able to do these things -- but should they? . The following statements are wrong EXCEPT _ according to the text. A. The future world will be controlled by robots. B. People won't be blind or deaf in the future. C. Fewer and fewer workers are needed in the future in factories. D. Scientists have the right to clone people of different kinds. Answer: C Imagine you're in a dark room, running your fingers over a smooth surface in search of a single dot the size of this period, How high do you think the dot must be for your finger to feel it? Scientists have determined that the human finger is so sensitive it can detect a surface bump just one micron(l0-6m)"high. The human eye, by contrast, can't tell anything much smaller than100 microns.No wonder we rely on touch rather than eyesight when faced with a new roll of toilet paper. Biologically, touch is the mother of all sensory systems.It is an ancient sense in evolution: even the simplest single-celled living things can feel when something brushes up against them and will respond by moving closer or pulling away. It is the first sense aroused during a baby's development and the last to weaken at life's peak. Patients in a deep coma who seem otherwise lost to the world will show skin reaction when touched by a nurse. "Touch ,is so central to what we are that we almost cannot imagine ourselves without it," said Chris Dijkerman."It's 'not like eyesight, where you close your eyes and you don't see anything. _ .It's always there." Long ignored in favor of the sensory heavyweights of eyesight and hearing, the study of touch lately:: has been gaining new concern among scientists.They're exploring the effects of recently reported false touch impressions, of people being made to feel as though they had three arms, for example, with the hope of gaining the true understanding of how the mind works. Others are turning to touch for more practical purposes: to build better touch screen instruments and robot hands, a more well-rounded virtual life.. "There's a fair amount of research into new ways of offloading information onto our sense of touch," said Lynette Jones. "To have your cell phone buzzing (making a low sound) as opposed to ringing turned out to have a lot of advantages in.some situations." Touch is our most active sense, our means of seizing the world and experiencing it 'first hand. Dr.Susan Lederman pointed out that while we can become aware of something by seeing or hear,ing7;-.from a distance and without really trying, if we want to learn about something by means of touch, we must make a move.We must rub the cloth, or pet the cat. Touching is a two-way street, and that's not true for seeing or hearing. If you have a soft object and you squeeze it, you change its shape. The physical world reacts back." Our hands are smart and can do many tasks automatically - button a shirt, fit a key in a lock, play the; piano for others.Dr.Lederman and her colleagues have shown that blindfolded subjects can easily recognize a wide range of common -objects placed.in their hands.But on some feeling tasks, touch is all thumbs (very clumsy). When people are given a raised line drawing of a common object, they're puzzled."If all we've got is outline information;" Dr.Lederman said,."no weight, no texture, no temperature information, well, we're very, very bad with that." Touch also turns out to be easy to fool, Among the sensory tricks now being investigated is something called the Pinocchio illusion. Researchers have found that if they shake the band of the biceps , many people report feeling that their forearm is getting 'longer, their hand floating ever further from their elbow . And if they are told to touch the forefinger of the shaken arm to the tip of their nose, they feel as though their nose was lengthening, too. In the view of _ , movement is needed when we want to know something by touching. A. the author B. Chris Dijkerman C. Lynette Jones D. Susan Lederman Answer: D $2,000/1-bedroom Furnished Apartment with Parking An employed, non-smoking professional male looks for 1-bedroom well-furnished apartment with parking in the Newport area for one month and possibly longer, starting as soon as possible, but it must be available by January 2nd. No pets, no drugs and no parties. The Internet access should be included. I am willing to pay security deposit. Reply to: hous-tf7ew-2108157286@ craigslist.org Room/Apartment Share for Use as Art Studio I am looking for a space to rent as a painting studio. It can be a stand-alone apartment or a room in a house or an apartment. I do not need to use a kitchen, but need access to the bathroom. Just need lots of light. I am a responsible, neat adult female. The following towns are convenient: Edgewater, Fort Lee, Englewood, West New York, Cliffside Park, Ridgefield, Palisades Park and Fairview. Reply to: hous-pax4c-2107692675@craigslist.org $1,900/3-bedroom Apartment I have a nice 1,500-square foot apartment for rent. With 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a big parking area and a nice backyard. It is close to East Orange General Hospital and VA Hospital. Major supermarkets and stores are just a short walk away. Hot water is included! Small dogs and cats are OK. Please just call Tony at 973-886-9094. Thanks. $1,200/2-bedroom Lovely Newly-Renovated Apartment A lovely newly-renovated apartment. Clean and tidy! Living room, dining room, and eat-in kitchen. New appliances: air conditioners and ceiling fans. It is one of Irvington's best neighborhoods, situated near Union, Hillside and Maple-wood border. It is convenient to major highways. HURRY! Call Louvenia at 908-313-3007 Mr. and Mrs. Smith, who have a son, a daughter and a dog, may be interested in _ . A. Advertisement 1 B. Advertisement 2 C. Advertisement 3 D. Advertisement 4 Answer: C The area south of the Thames at Greenwich has a long history. Throughout time different buildings have been constructed on the same site. The Palace of Placentia, an English Royal Palace built in 1447, no longer exists apart from a few remains under the present buildings. The grand buildings on the South Bank of the Thames at Greenwich were designed by Sir Christopher Wren, most famous for St. Paul's Cathedral. The buildings were finally completed in 1745, although some parts started to be used as early as 1705. They're now part of a university -- having served as a naval hospital and a naval college and the setting for several cinemas. But the buildings stand on a site which has a much longer history, of which now only a part remains that is below the ground. For nearly two hundred years, from around 1450 to 1650, Greenwich was one of the main royal palaces of England. Some of the most famous English rulers, such as Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, not only lived there, but also were born there. Henry VIII put an armory there, and there were also gardens, a great fountain and a mass of buildings. The Palace was also in a strategic location, because at the time either side of Greenwich on the Thames were important Royal Dockyards . Eventually, though, the Palace fell into disrepair. In 1664, the King at the time, Charles II, decided to replace it with completely new buildings in a modern style. Only a cellar from the former Royal Palace now remains, under one of the new buildings. Its red brick, typical of the 16th century, contrasts sharply with the white stone above it. Would you like to join us to have a good view of Greenwich? According to the passage, when did the Palace of Placentia disappear from the ground? A. In the late 1400s. B. In the early 1600s. C. In the late 1600s. D. In the early 1700s. Answer: C
A group of teenagers: they laugh and talk over each other, dance and make faces -- you wouldn't believe they had just played on the same stage as famous American singers Kid Cudi and Eminem. These seven kids, all under the age of 20, are members of the band Kids These Days (KTD). Fresh out of high school, the band already has done things that most teens couldn't even imagine. They played at festivals including the recent SXSW in Austin and Lollapalooza in their hometown, Chicago, to crowds of loyal fans. KTD uses a mix of hip-hop, jazz, blues and classic rock to make a sound of their own. "KTD simply mixes most, if not all of my favourite music styles," said Kamia Jones, as Chicago high school student."I like that they aren't afraid to be different and that their music is real and speaks to the soul." The band formed two years ago. Now, as well as local fans, they are becoming popular around the world. Their facebook page is filled with supportive posts from admirers from California to Tokyo. "It's really strange to me that people from London, Australia and Russia... They have heard of us and they like our music because it's really cool feeling," says Marcie Stewart, who plays keyboard for the band. Despite their recent fame, KTD is a group of normal teenagers and they remain very close to one another. While talking to the reporters, they dance and make fun of each other. When asked what advice they would give to other teen musicians, Greg Landfair, KTD's drummer, said, "Keep your heart in it. Never lose the music and what you are doing, because that's what you're here for. Let the music always be first." KTD's music is popular among teenagers mainly because _ . Answer: it mixes many music styles teenagers love into their music While in college, Tim started to look for easy ways to make money. One of the opportunities he saw was gambling . He started learning about all forms of gambling. He got lucky enough to make $9,000, but sadly it didn't last long and over the next year he lost all of that money. It was at this point that Tim realized that he needed to stop gambling and focus on learning about finance. One day, he was talking to one of his friends about creating a business, and his friend turned him onto Quick Sprout. So he started reading every blog post on Quick Sprout in the hope that he could learn about how to become a successful businessman and meet some people through Quick Sprout that he could partner up with. A year ago Tim read a blog post on Quick Sprout about another businessman by the name of Timothy Sykes. Tim visited Timothysykes.com and learned about his Millionaire Challenge program that taught people how to buy and sell penny stocks . Tim thought it would be worth giving a try. Tim spent the next few months learning from Timothy Sykes on how to trade stocks. After he felt that he had learned enough, he wanted to start trading. Within the first 6 months of using what he learned in the Millionaire Challenge program, he made over $40,000. At one point he even made $11,000 in 15 minutes. Over the next 12 months Tim is on track to make even more money. So far things are looking good and he is already ahead of schedule. The Millionaire Challenge program has worked out so well for him and he is now starting to enjoy the finer things of life. How did Tim come to know Timothy Sykes? Answer: By visiting a website by chance. Making friends might seem to come easy for some persons, but it's maybe very hard for most persons. No matter how many friends you might already have, it is always a good idea to make new friends. Being shy keeps a lot of people from making friends. Also, making friends might need a person to step outside of their comfortable places, which are hard for a lot of people, whether they are shy or not. However, overcoming the shyness to step out of your box is an important step in making friends. There are lots of ways to meet new friends. First of all, remember that a good friendship is based on interests, so if you are ready to make friends, start to join clubs or go places where you have interest. For instance, if you like to play sports, join a sports team or after school sports club. If you have interests in music or writing, join clubs or organizations that you are interested in. When you see someone in a place like that, and you think that they look nice, it is always a good idea to go up to them and introduce yourself and ask interesting questions so that you can start a conversation. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, and remember that friendships don't always happen quickly. Some friendships happen right away, and you'll be able to tell if someone will be a great friend right after you meet them. Some friendships take a long time to develop. Anyway, the friends that you meet are going to be worth it. If a friendship develops quickly, it doesn't mean that it is extra valuable, and if a friendship takes a long time to develop, it doesn't mean that it isn't worth it because it's too hard. Making friends might be a bit difficult for you, and the friends you will make may not look anything like you. However, even though it might be scary to start conversations, you are worth doing it. All friendships start with a single hello. According to this passage, we know _ . Answer: the same interests among persons may make you get the friendship A company has just launched what it calls "the world's first free standardized English test" recently. Anyone can take the test for free. The new exam is called the EFSET, which is short for Education First Standardized English Test. The company, Education First, is known by the letters EF. It is estimated that there are two billion English language learners worldwide. Many of them are interested in attending an American college or university. To do so, foreign students need to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language -- better known as TOEFL. However, many foreigners are not wealthy enough to take the TOEFL. In addition, test-takers often have to travel overnight to reach an official testing site. The World Bank says an average Cambodian worker earns only about $1,000 per year. Approximately the cost of taking the TOEFL is 17.5 percent of the average worker's yearly wage. It is not just individuals who find the test pricey. Some governments also find it prohibitive. What's more, not everyone needs official results from the TOEFL or IELTS -- the International English Language Testing System. In the future, it's likely that the government may use the EFSET to test millions of employees and students. Experts believe that the EFSET meets the highest value in language testing. It uses special computer software that makes the questions easier or harder, depending on one's performance. The EFSET measures all the English learners' levels while the IELTS and TOEFL only measure learners' levels from moderate to advanced. The EFSET is unique in the sense that it gives free online access to anyone interested in measuring their English level. There is a 50-minute and a two-hour version of the test, which its developers are calling the EFSET Plus. Both versions test only reading and listening skills. It's hopeful that speaking and writing skills will be tested in the future. The IELTS and the TOEFL still use humans to rate the speaking and writing sections. It's a huge deal for students who are in areas where they can't get to the TOEFL or the IELTS. However, it is too early to know whether the EFSET results are acceptable for colleges and universities in America. Why do many foreign students take the TOEFL? Answer: To receive further education in America. Soap operas are a kind of popular culture in America. Every weekday, lots of fans from all over the world are waiting to see their favorite soap operas. Soap operas were first on TV in 1952. The soap opera is not about soap, and it is not an opera. It gets this name because soap companies paid for the shows, and they tell stories just like operas do. What makes the soap operas special is that the story never ends. There are daytime and nighttime soaps. Daytime soaps usually have more information. Nighttime soaps are usually once a week, and each _ for about an hour. Soap operas are having a difficult time in today's TV market, but they are here to stay. Big fans will never give them up easily! Why are soaps operas special? Answer: Because the story in them never comes to an end.
American researchers have developed a technique that may become an important tool in fighting AIDS virus from attacking its target-cells in the body's defense system.When AIDS virus enters the blood,it searches for blood cells called T4 lymphocytes .The virus connects to the outside of T4 lymphocytes.Then it forces its way inside.There it directs the cells' genetic material to produce copies of the AIDS virus.This is how AIDS spreads. Researchers think they may be able to stop AIDS from connecting to T4 ceils.When AIDS virus finds a T4 cell,it actually connects to a part of the cell called CD4 protein. Researchers want to fool the virus by putting copies or clones of the CD4 protein into the blood.This way the AIDS virus will connect to cloned protein instead of the real ones.Scientists use genetic engineering methods to make the clones.Normally a CD4 protein remains on the T4 cell at all times;the AIDS virus must go to it. In a new technique,however,the cloned CD4 protein is not connected to a cell.It floats freely,so a lot more can be put into the blood to keep the AIDS virus away from real CD4 protein on T4 cells.One report says the.AIDS virus connects to cloned protein just as effectively as it connects to real protein.That report was based on tests with blood cells grown in labs.The technique is just now beginning to be tested in animals.If successful,it may be tested in humans within a year. The AIDS virus connects to cloned protein instead of the real CD4 protein because _ . A cloned protein stays On the T4 cells B it connects to cloned protein more effectively C cloned protein is made by genetic engineering methods D cloned protein floats freely,and many more can be put into the blood Answer: D A woman from Japan was telling a friend about her trip to the United States.The woman had visited major businesses and investment companies in New York City and Chicago. "I studied English before I left home,"she said."But I still was not sure that people were speaking English." Her problem is easy to understand.Americans in business are like people who are in business anywhere.They have a language of their own.Some of the words and expressions deal with the special areas of their work.Other expressions are borrowed from different kinds of work such as the theater and movie industry. One such saying is "get your act together". When things go wrong in a business,an employer may get angry.He may shout,"Stop making mistakes.Get your act together." Or,if the employer is calmer,he may say,"Let us get our act together." Either way,the meaning is the same.Getting your act together is getting organized.In business,it usually means to develop a calm and orderly plan of action. It is difficult to tell exactly where the saying began.But,it is probable that it was in the theater or movie industry.Perhaps one of the actors was nervous and made a lot of mistakes.The director may have said,"Calm down,now.Get your act together." Word expert James Rogers says the expression was common by the late 1970s.Mister Rogers says the Manchester Guardian newspaper used it in 1978.The newspaper said a reform policy required that the British government get its act together. Now,this expression is heard often when officials of a company meet.One company even called its yearly report,"Getting Our Act Together." The Japanese visitor was confused by another expression used by American business people.It is cut to the chase. She heard that expression when she attended an important meeting of one company.One official was giving a very long report.It was not very interesting.In fact,some people at the meeting were falling asleep. Finally,the president of the company said,"Cut to the chase." Cut to the chase means to stop spending so much time on details or unimportant material.Hurry and get to the good part. Naturally,this saying was started by people who make movies.Hollywood movie producers believe that most Americans want to see action movies.Many of their movies show scenes in which the actors chase each other in cars,or in airplanes or on foot. Cut is the director's word for stop.The director means to stop filming,leave out some material,and get to the chase scene now. So,if your employer tells you to cut to the chase,be sure to get to the main point of your story quickly. In which situation could the words "get your act together" be used? A A task is completed successfully. B Players perform badly in a match. C Audience is satisfied with the actor's performance in a movie. D Visitors make a tiresome and unpleasant trip to someplace. Answer: B How You Can Learn a Language in Only 10 Days Most people recognize the many benefits of learning a foreign language: You can travel to foreign countries and feel comfortable, be a more productive and attractive employee in today's competitive job market, and immerse yourself in the vast cultures around the world. In addition, scientific studies have shown that learning a new language helps to keep memories sharp and naturally improves brain function. But do you know that you can learn a new language in as little as 10 days? The Pimsleur Approach to learning new languages help users pick up new languages quickly .Even the FBI and National Security Agency have purchased the Pimsleur Approach. The Pimsleur Languag Programs The entire Pimsleur Approach is what language learning should be : quick, fun and easy. You will learn a new language effortlessly without any reading, writing or computer use. The Pimsleur Approach has a 100 percent guarantee : speak in 10 days or you don't pay. Who is Dr. Pimsleur? Pimsleur Approach is a language educator. He noticed that children have an amazing ability to learn new languages quickly. He spent his life developing this course to let you , as an adult , learn a new language as easily as a child would .You might not realize it , but you have already learned one language using the Pimsleur Approach. Limited availability of special offers The company is currently offering new customers a special offer of 50 % discount on tuition fees.The programs which normally cost $100 are now available for just %50. Better yet ,they are also offering a money-back guarantee. So ,if you find you are not learning as fast as they said , simply return it for a full payment . For more information , please click here. The author writes the passage to _ A introduce an effective language -learning environment. B present a language educator's experiences. C appeal to potential customers to use the approach. D call on more adults to learn foreign languages. Answer: C Just a Quick Nap Do you feel a little sleepy after lunch? Well, that's normal. Your body naturally slows down then. What should you do about it? Don't reach for a coffee! Instead, take a nap. It's good to have a daily nap. First of all , you are more efficient after napping. You remember things better and make fewer mistakes. Also, you can learn things more easily after taking a nap. A nap may increase your self-confidence and make you more active. It may even cheer you up. But, there are some simple rules you should follow about taking a nap. First, take a nap in the middle of day, about eight hours after you wake up. Next, a 20-minute nap is best. If you sleep longer, you may fall into a deep sleep. After waking from a deep sleep, you will feel worse. Also, you should set an alarm clock. That way, you can fully relax during your nap. You won't have to keep looking at the clock, so you don't oversleep. Now, the next time you feel sleepy after lunch, don't get stressed. Put your head down, close your eyes, and catch forty winks. After taking a nap, you may feel more _ . A tired B confident C sleepy D excited Answer: B It started as a game.Wendy and Peter were in River Park.They watched the boats in the river and visited the zoo.They played on the slides and swings.They watched the merry-go-round,but they did not have money for a ride.They ate their sandwiches at a picnic table.Suddenly Wendy jumped up. "I know what to do,"she said."Look at all that junk under the tables.Let's pick it up." So they picked up paper and empty boxes and cans.They put them in the green cans marked"Litter".Peter's dog Stoopy picked up some paper and ran away with it.Peter called him back and took it from him.Then they taught Stoopy to carry trash for them.They put it in the cans.They worked until there was no trash left on the picnic grounds. The next day their friends Mario and Andy came to the park with them.They helped to tidy the picnic grounds again.Then they ran all over the park looking for litter.They tried to see who could find the most.After that,it was a game they played every time they came to the park. One day,a man came with a camera.He watched what they were doing.He asked to take a picture for them.Then he took them all for a free ride on the merry-go-round,even Stoopy.The next day their picture was in the newspaper.It said."Five Litter Lifters at River Park".After that all their friends wanted to be litter lifters.It was the beginning of a club that was a model for others to follow. What does the last part of the story show? A The man with the camera joined the club. B People laughed at the children for picking up trash. C Other children began to help keep the park clean. D People came and took the litter cans away. Answer: C
Most schools forbid chewing gum, but in a few years they might consider changing that rule. Why? Scientists are finding evidence that gum chewing may be good for your health. It may even help improve your test scores. This exciting research is just beginning. And in the meantime, companies are also experimenting with adding vitamins, minerals, medicines, and other substances that could give gum the power to cure headaches and fight everything from serious diseases to bad breath. Other researchers are finding that gum might work better than a pill to deliver medicines and other substances into the bloodstream. That's because the lining of our cheeks can absorb certain substances more quickly than our stomachs and intestines can. That discovery could help other researchers develop medicine-containing gums that fight colds, ease headaches, battle nervousness, and more. Scientists might even create antimicrobial gums that cure bad breath. Those projects may take years, but gum scientists have already had at least one recent success: They've created a gum that could help us stay awake. Researchers have produced a gum called Stay Alert. Each stick has as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. It can take an hour for the caffeine in coffee to have its full effect, but the caffeine in Stay Alert _ in just a few minutes. The gum is easy to transport and it's stable in cold and hot climates. Unlike a pill, it doesn't require water to swallow. Those qualities make it easy for soldiers to use. For now, Stay Alert is available only to the military . The manufacturer may one day offer it for sale to the public. People who work at night, such as truck drivers and medical personnel who ride in ambulances, might benefit from a product like Stay Alert. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A stay Alert is not easy to store B stay Alert needs water to swallow C stay Alert is available to the public now D we can't buy gums that cure bad breath now Answer: D. we can't buy gums that cure bad breath now The biggest hamburger restaurant chain in the world is McDonald's. It started in 1955 with just one restaurant, but now has more than 20000 worldwide. There are more than 12000 McDonald's restaurants only in the US. You can find them in 100 countries on six continents. There isn't a McDonald's in Antarctica, but I don't suppose they eat hamburgers at the South Pole. When you eat at a McDonald's restaurant you are joining the 35 million people who eat and drink at McDonald's every day, and there are more than one million people who work there. McDonald's has sold 100 billion hamburgers since it opened, and it sells more than 6.8 million pounds of French Fries every day. How do you like your hamburger restaurant? There are old McDonald's ---- part of one restaurant in England is 600 years old. There are elegant McDonald's ---- there is one on the Champs Elysees in Paris. There are cool McDonald's ---- there is one in Hollywood. There are McDonald's restaurants on ships and trains, in hospitals and zoos, in airports and in colleges. Clearly many people like the speed, hygiene and cheapness of fast food restaurants. However, not everyone likes fast food. Some people question the nutritional value of the food; some people think the fast food causes too much waste and pollution. So the fast food business gives us _ , as well as convenient, affordable meals. There are _ McDonald's restaurants outside the US now. A about 20000 B about 8000 C about 12000 D about 32000 Answer: B. about 8000 Alex Rawlings, from Oxford University, Has been named the UK's most multilingual person. The 21-year-old British student can speak 11 language and is learning a 12th, He knows English, Greek, German, French, Dutch, Afrikaans, Spanish,Catalan,ltalian, Russian and Hebrew.Rawlings' mother, who is half Greek, spoke to him in English, Greek and some French when he was growing up. Rawlings is studying German and Russian at university now. He taught himself other languages like Dutch because he wanted to talk to people on his travels or simply because he thought the language was interesting or beautiful."When I was a kid, I always wanted to speak different languages," Rawlings said. "My parents often took me to my mom's family in Greece. My dad worked in Japan for four years. I was always frustrated that I couldn't talk to other kids in those countries because of the language. " Thanks to his talent for languages, Rawliings has made many friends. He also thinks that picking up new languages getseasier over time.Rawlings plans to perfect his Russian while studying in the small Russian city of Yaroslavi and the next language he plans to learn is Arabic."No matter how many languages I Iearn, my favorite language is always Greek because I have spoken it since childhood," he said. Alex Rawlings likes Greek best because _ . A his parents speak it B he thinks it's interesting C he thinks it's easy to learn D he has spoken it since childhood Answer: D. he has spoken it since childhood The workers who brought the girl to the orphanage knew little about her. The street where they found her had been her home for many years. Her parents were unknown. They left her long ago. At the orphanage, the girl, like all the children there, was taught to read and write. While she was studying at the orphanage, she learned something else-to be independent . At twenty-one, she left the orphanage and began to work as a secretary. And then, in 1975, while she was still working as an ordinary secretary, something special happened. She entered the Miss Hong Kong Competition and won it. This was the turning point in her life. Now her name, Mary Cheung, was known to everybody. Mary entered the competition because she wanted to show that orphanage girls could be something. Winning the competition gave her the chance to start a new life. This led her first into television and then into business as a manager. When she was working as a manager, she had trouble with her reports. "My English just wasn't good enough." she says. Luckily, she had a boyfriend (who later became her husband) to help her. Mary studied management at Hong Kong Polytechnic and graduated in 1980. She started her own business in 1985. But she did not stop developing herself. She then studied at the University of Hong Kong. Since 1987, she had spent a lot of time on photography . She has held several exhibitions of her works in many places-China, New Zealand and Paris. She still found time, however, to work on TV, write for newspapers and support her family. The girl from the street has come a long way, but her journey has not finished yet. Before Mary Cheung was brought to the orphanage, _ . A she had lived with her parents whose names were not known B she had lived in the street for many years C the workers knew her well D she had learned to write and read by herself Answer: B. she had lived in the street for many years National Forecast LONDON --This Evening and Tonight: Rain, locally heavy across northwest Scotland. Mostly cloudy but dry in other northern and western areas. Dry with clear spells in more central and eastern parts, but some low cloud and fog will develop. Generally mild with light winds. Saturday: Cloud and rain over western Scotland at the beginning will gradually push down over N. Ireland and northwest England. Largely dry, warm with sunny spells elsewhere, once early fog and low cloud clears. http://www.times.online.co.uk/tol/news/weather/ The Nation's Weather Fri, Aug 24, NEW YORK--Heavy rain was forecast throughout Friday in parts of the Midwest. The heaviest rainfall was over northern Illinois, with more than 4 inches possible around Chicago. Wet weather was also expected in the Plains as the same storm system tracks through the region. Periods of heavy rain were also forecast for the Northeast as the remnant of tropical storm Erin moves into the Canadian Maritimes. Hot weather was expected to continue in the South and West. http://www.underground.com Death toll rises to 36 in China typhoon Wed, Aug 22, BEIJING-- At least 36 people were killed by Typhoon Sepat in four provinces in eastern and central China in widespread destruction that also forced the evacuation of l.37 million people. More than 60,000 homes in the provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Hunan also were destroyed or damaged, Xinhua News Agency said. Total economic losses in the provinces have reached $ 663 million. Fujian was the worst-hit province, with 18 people killed, Xinhua said. Earlier, the storm, named after a Malaysian fish, killed at least one person in Taiwan, and left three dead in the Philippines. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap The name of Typhoon Sepat comes from _ . A a tropical storm B a Malaysian fish C a place D a person Answer: B. a Malaysian fish
Last week, while visiting my dad with my daughter, we went to a restaurant for dinner. When we were seated, my dad asked the waitress if there were any soldiers eating at the restaurant. Then waitress said there was a soldier having dinner with his friend. My dad told the waitress to tell the soldier and his friend that their dinner was paid for! He also said that he did not want to be known as the benefactor . Then waitress later commented on my dad's thoughtful behavior saying that she had never seen anything like this before. At a local college, she had studied opera and so she used this to thank my dad by performing a piece from The Pearl Fisherman. Her voice brought me to tears because it sounded perfect! After a while, the soldier appeared at our table (I don't know how he knew my dad paid the bill for him.) and said that he would be sent to the front the next morning and that he could not leave this country without saying "thanks" to my dad. My dad replied that it was he who wanted to say "thanks". They shook hands as the soldier left. Before we left, the waitress came by again. She did a magic show as another way to show her "thanks" to my dad. Her show was really great. My dad left her a note with email address asking for her next performance time in addition to a $ 50 tip. Everyone witnessed something exemplary in the human spirit that night. I can only hope to see more of this in the future. What did the soldier do in response to the author's father's kindness? He said thanks to the author's dad in person. Read the following interview with Dr John Bass, an international shark specialist who has spent many years studying sharks: First of all, doctor, are all sharks dangerous? No, they aren't. There are about 250 different kinds of sharks, but fewer than 30 of them are dangerous to humans. Certain sharks are very aggressive and we should fear them, but the danger of shark attacks is much lower than most people think. So which sharks are dangerous? The Great White shark is the most dangerous. Then there is the Tiger shark, which other sharks are afraid of, and the Blue shark. Both of them are very fast and dangerous. Which are the biggest and smallest sharks? The Whale shark is the biggest shark in the world. It grows up to 15 m in length and weighs as much as six large cars. The smallest shark, which is found near prefix = st1 /Japan, could fit into the palm of your hand because it is only 15-20 cm long. Do all sharks have teeth ? Yes, they do. Most sharks have hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of sharp teeth. These are arranged in rows of four or more. They fit quite loosely in the jaw. When the front ones break off or fall out, spare teeth move forwards from the rows behind: Sharks get a new set of teeth every two weeks. In 10 years, a Tiger may lose as many as 24,000 teeth! That's lots of teeth! What kind of food do sharks eat? Most sharks feed on small fish, and they keep the oceans healthy by eating sick and injured fish. However, hungry sharks will eat almost anything, including smaller sharks and even rubbish. Inside one Tiger shark which was found, there was a tin can, a bicycle tyre , a leather wallet and an alarm clock! And how do sharks find their food, doctor? A shark's sense of smell is excellent. It will follow the smell of blood across thousands of metres of ocean. They also see well, and they have good hearing. Sharks can feel movement in water very easily too, and it is possible for them to feel a fish moving as far as 30 m away. Most types of sharks are _ . not dangerous Nowadays, the food we eat seems to have great effects on our health. Although science has made enormous steps in making food more fit to eat, it has, at the same time, made many foods unfit to eat. Some research has shown that perhaps eighty percent of all human illnesses are related to diet and forty percent of cancer is related to the diet as well, especially cancer of the colon. Different cultures are more likely to cause certain different illnesses because of the food that is characteristic in these cultures. That food is related to illness is not a new discovery. In 1945, about 68 years ago, government researchers realized that nitrates, commonly used to preserve color in meats, and other food additives, caused cancer. Yet, these carcinogenic additives remain in our food, and it becomes more difficult all the time to know which things on the packaging labels of processed food are helpful or harmful. The additives which we eat are not all so direct. Farmers often give penicillin to beef and living animals, and because of this, penicillin has been found in the milk of treated cow. Sometimes similar drugs are given to animals not for medical purposes, but for financial reasons. The farmers are simply trying to fatten the animals in order to obtain a higher price on the market. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has tried repeatedly to control these procedures, the practices continue. The word 'carcinogenic' most nearly means ' _ '. cancer-causing Rockwatch--The Best Club on Earth If you are young and interested in geology , then Rockwatch is the club for you. When you apply for membership, you'll receive a Rockwatch Rox file each. It has the information and top tips you will need to start enjoying geology. It's designed to serve as your own field notebook as well. In it you will find your membership card fullcolour minimap thumbsup guide fact cards Rockwatch Magazine Our lively magazine is mailed to members three times a year. They can read reports and news from around the world, and articles on everything from diamonds to dinosaurs, earthquakes to erosion . Rockwatch Events With each magazine you will receive a Rockwatch events calendar. Rocky activities suitable for families are listed and include road shows and guided walks. The Rockwatch Rock Artist Are you an artist, or a photographer? This is your chance to turn Rockwatch Rock Artist of a year and win amazing prizes in our annual competition. Special Offer Rockwatch members can have specially discounted Wildlife Watch membership. Wildlife Watch is the biggest environmental action club for young people, with 100 groups across the country. You can join both clubs together by filling in the boxes in the membership form. You may join both Rockwatch and Wildlife Watch clubs by _ . filling in one form This is the twin's bedroom. The two beds looks the same . This bed is Wang Lei's. It is near the window. That one is Wang Fang's. It's behind the door. The twins have one desk and two chairs. Their clock, books and pencils are on the desk. Their schoolbags are on the chairs. Wang Lei's shirt is on his bed. On Wang Fang's bed there is her skirt. It's yellow. The room isn't big, but nice. The bedroom is _ . nice
Indoor and outdoor courts. Coaching from beginners to advanced, every day not evenings.Children only-Sat. mornings. SKIING Dry slopes--3 levels instructors at weekends and Fridays. Daytime parcitice. 8 years upwards. SWIMMING 2 pools I heated Olympic length. Tuition available. Women: Tuesday and Thursday. Men: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Children: Saturday Family day: Sunday GOLF 9 hole practice course. Professional Coaching. Lessons must be booked in advance in daytime. Evening practice. Minimum age -- 9 years. GYMNASTICS Maximum age--18 years. Children aged 5--10. Monday and Wednesdays. 4:00--6:00 p.m. 10--18 year-old. Friday evenings. Bar work on Sunday mornings. AND MUCH MORE Table Tennis, Snooker, Darts , Chess(everyday and evening), Cafe (all day),Bar(lunch time and evenings), Nursery(weekdays and weekends, not evenings). Centre open 10:00 a.m.--10:00 p.m. Daily. Interested? More details inside. Quote Card Number: 99. What is this ad mainly about? Answer: On a hot summer day, ice-cold watermelons serve up a delicious treat. Sure, the rosy flesh quenches your thirst . But now there are more reasons than ever for people to reach for a slice of watermelon. Meet Dr Alison Edwards. She is a scientist at the Agricultural Research Service. Scientists are people who come up with new ideas called theories . They usually do scientific research to test their new theories. That's how they find out if a new idea is a good one, or if the new idea will bring an even better idea. At her lab, Dr Edwards recently learned more about the secrets of why watermelons are good for you! Dr Edwards has known for a long time that watermelons have vitamin C. But recently she learned that watermelons also have lycopene . It is something that gives tomatoes and watermelons their rosy red colour. What's so special about the lycopene in watermelons? Dr Edwards says that watermelons and tomatoes both have lots of lycopene. It seems that your body can use the lycopene from watermelons more easily than the lycopene from raw tomatoes. In fact, the lycopene from tomatoes is more easily absorbed inside your body once they have been cooked. How does a scientist usually test a theory? Answer: Droughts can cause Answer: Don't you just love ice skating every winter?I am sure,that since winter is approaching,your skates are set to come out,just waiting to be used.Impress your friends with your new trick on how to iceskate backwards with the help of these tips.Skating backwards on ice is a bit difficult but once you master the basic,there's nothing like it.Follow the steps given below and you will be able to skate backwards in no time. Stand Straight The first thing that you need to do is,stand straight.If you feel that you are falling backwards,then just put your chin up and slightly bend your knees.Don't worry;this happens to all. Confidence Is What You Need The most important step while learning how to skate backwards,is having enough confidence in yourself and in what you are doing.How can you achieve this?By practice.Just practice rolling backwards down a gentle slop every single day or just by pushing off from a wall or something of that sort.But before you do that,make sure that the place where you are practicing is free from any kind of debris because otherwise,you could land up in the hospital due to some accident.While going backwards,just get used to the feeling of moving backwards.One of the important ice skating tips and techniques is that if you feel that you are losing your balance,then scissor your skates.Keep practicing this till you are confident about it. Maintain Speed Confident now?Great!Now the next step is to maintain your speed.While rolling in a straight line with one skate,with the other try sculling ,that is,keep pushing yourself backwards with an outwards stroke .Now bring the skate which you were using to scull,and then again,repeat the same process.Make sure that you put most of your weight on the skate which is moving straight and not the one with which you are sculling.Now,try the same thing using the other foot.Again keep doing this till you are confident enough. Increase Your Speed Now Once you are confident that you can scull with either foot,the next thing that you have to do is increase your speed.Try some of your own tricks now.Scull with either foot or with both at the same time. Scull and Be Aware While you keep one foot straight,keep sculling with the other.You can do that simultaneously with both feet.Concentrate on what you are doing but don't get so involved,that you don't see where you are going.If you are not watching your back,you might just bang against something or someone. In order to keep balance when skating backwards you should _ . Answer: Pushy parents and teachers who "hothouse" the under-5s risk causing damage to the children's long term development, a leading education expert said. Lilian Katz, Professor of Education at the University of Illinois, said that four-year-olds engaged in reading and writing went on to perform worse academically than those engaged in imaginative learning. They scored higher in tests at the age of 5, but children whose first year at school was stimulating _ them four years later. The findings suggest that the government's structured approach to early years' learning could be storing up problems for children. They also raise serious questions about the plan for all children to be able to read by the age of 6. In many countries formal teaching does not start until children are 6 or 7 and have improved their social and manual skills. Children start learning to read and write at 6 in the United States, France and Germany, and at 7 in Finland and Sweden. Professor Katz said that in many schools the courses were "boring children to tears". Much academic teaching required children to learn by memorizing pieces of information out of context, she said. Teaching in reception class should instead allow children to develop their intellect by exploring their environments and asking questions. "Research suggests the benefits of formal academic instruction for four- and five-year-olds seem to be promising when they are tested early, but considerably less so in the long term. When these children are followed over a period of three or more years, those who had early experience in more intellectually engaging curricula were more likely to do well in school than their peers, who had received early academic instruction." She advocates teaching children through first-hand experience and play, in mixed-aged classes. This can include puppet shows, drawing or running a pretend shop in the classroom. According to Lilian Katz, the government's structured approach to early-years learning _ . Answer:
Question: There is no denying that over the years college education has been accepted without the slightest doubt. All high school graduates should go, says conventional wisdom and statistical evidence, because college will help them earn more, become "better" citizens and be more responsible than those who don't go. But college can never work its magic for everyone. Now with half our high school graduates attending college, those unfit for the pattern are getting more. College graduates are selling shoes and driving taxis; college students interfere with each other's experiments and write false letters of recommendation in the fierce competition for admission into graduate schools. Others find no stimulation in their studies, and consequently have to drop out, which is often encouraged by college administrators. Some observers say the fault lies with young people themselves --- they are spoiled and expecting too much. But that's a condemnation of the students as a whole, and doesn't explain all campus unhappiness. Others blame our society. Both are partly right. We have been told that young people have to go to college because our economy can't absorb an army of untrained eighteen-year-olds. But disappointed graduates are learning that it can no longer absorb an army of trained twenty-two-year-olds, either. Some campus watchers suggest that college may not be the best, the proper or the only place for every young person after finishing high school. It seems that through the rosy glow of our own college experiences, we may have been looking at those surveys and statistics upside down. Perhaps college does not make people intelligent, ambitious, happy, or quick to learn things--maybe _ . Intelligent, ambitious, happy, quick-learning people are merely those who are attracted to college in the first place. And perhaps all those successful college graduates would have been successful even without college education. This is heresy to those who have been brought up to believe that if a little schooling is good, more has to be much better. But contrary evidence is beginning to pile up. More young people drop out of college because _ . A. they are no longer motivated in their studies B. they can start selling shoes and driving taxis C. they compete for admission to graduate schools D. college administrators encourage them to do so Answer: A. they are no longer motivated in their studies Question: I'm taking my family to other countries to have a trip.My wife and I and our two children are all going along.My elder brother will go with us,too.He has never been overseas and he is even more excited than the children.My father is so old that he'd like to stay at home and take care of the house. We're going by train to New York,and then take a ship to Europe.When we arrive in Europe,we're going to some countries for sightseeing .We'll go to places either by train or by bus.We're going to fly home. It took us a long time to decide where to go,but I think we'll have a very interesting trip.We'll go to England,France and Italy.We also talked about how we would go to Europe.At first we wanted to fly because it would be faster and would save more time.But my brother likes to take a boat trip and the children like that,too. My brother and my children would like to _ . A. do some shopping in Europe B. study Italian in Italy C. enjoy a trip by ship D. learn French in France Answer: C. enjoy a trip by ship Question: A little girl in my family got a typewriter for Christmas. Not a laptop. Nothing with a screen. The old-fashioned manual kind. Typewriters had pretty much gone the way of dodo birds quite some years before my granddaughter was born. But it was the typewriter used by a journalist in the movie "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" that attracted her. Or maybe it was the way the typewriter was used. In the movie, Kit does old-fashioned journalism and writes stories that help right a wrong. In a challenging environment she keeps her wits -- and a strong sense of ethics -- about her. However, another reporter, Chuck Tatum in "Ace in the Hole" is totally different. He tells an editor, "If there's no news, I'll go out and bite a dog." Later, referring to a sign in the newsroom that reads "Tell the Truth," Tatum acknowledges some guilt. But, "Not enough to stop me on my way to the top." In both movies, the journalists use typewriters. It's what they do with them that makes the difference. And today, it's what we do with our hardware -- the journalism we produce -- that makes the difference. Typewriters have long since given way to laptops, camera phones and video phones. But here at Thomson Reuters , and in the media as a whole, the need for a strong sense of ethics has never been more necessary. To me, at the heart of ethics are the preservation of honesty, independence and freedom from prejudice. It means ethics and standards are compatible with innovation . In fact, they have to go hand in hand. There's a lot of room for innovation here, but there's no room for a Chuck Tatum, who would do anything to get to the top. In about 2020, my granddaughter will probably be using technology that hasn't been developed yet to work on her school "newspaper". She won't be using her typewriter but she will, I hope, be using what she's learned from the journalists of this generation. It's up to us to set the right example. The purpose of the passage is _ . A. to advocate the sense of ethics in journalism B. to criticize the lack of ethics among journalists C. to ask adults to set a good example for the young D. to encourage more people to work on newspapers Answer: A. to advocate the sense of ethics in journalism Question: The entertainment profession or "show business" attracts many young people. Unfortunately, only very few can hope to become famous and successful. Talent is not enough, because show business is as competitive as any other business .Without a good manager ,a performer can never hope to succeed .Fashion is important in this business, too. The best tailor in the world will never be a success if he makes old-fashioned clothes. In exactly the same way, a performer must change his "act" in order to follow the taste of the moment. This is true for actors, dancers and comedians, but perhaps most of all singers. "Pop" stands for "popular" and a pop singer has to work very hard to become popular .He must either give the public what they already want, or he must find a new way of singing that will attract their attention. Even when he has succeeded, and his records are sold everywhere, he can not relax. Then he must work harder than ever because there are always younger singers trying to become famous and to steal some of the popularity.The life of a successful pop singer is not at all easy. He can only relax when he is alone, because everything he does is watched and reported in the special newspaper written for the "fans". The fans are the most important people in the world for the singers. They buy his records, they go to his concerts and they make him rich and famous. But they can be very annoying, too. Sometimes their enthusiasm get so hysterical that they do anything to get a "souvenir" . They steal handkerchiefs, they tear off buttons, and they even cut off pieces of the unfortunate singer's hair. Many singers have been forced to hide. A pop singer has to spend a lot of money on clothes, because he must always look smart or at any rate different. He must have a luxurious car. And -- most important -- he must always keep smiling for the benefit of his public. Why must a pop singer work even harder when he has become famous? _ A. Because he wants to attract the attention of the public B. Because he wants to sell more records C. Because he wants to become popular D. Because he wants to stay popular Answer: D. Because he wants to stay popular Question: American cities are similar to other cities around the world.In every country, cities reflect the values of the culture.American cities are changing,just as American society is changing. After World War II,the population of most large American cities decreased;however, the population in many Sun Belt cities increased.In the late 1940s and early 1950s,city residents became wealthier.They had more children so they needed more space.They moved out of their apartments in the city to buy their own homes.They bought houses in the suburbs . Now things are changing,the children of the people who left the cities in the 1950s are now adults.Many, unlike their parents,want to live in the cities.They continue to move to Sun Belt cities and older ones of the Northeast and Midwest.Many young professionals are moving back into the city.They prefer the city to the suburbs because their jobs are there;or they just enjoy the excitement and possibilities that the city offers. This population shift is bringing problems as well as benefits.Countless poor people must leave their apartments in the city because the owners want to sell the buildings or make apartments for sale instead of for rent.In the 1950s,many poor people did not have enough money to move to the suburbs;now many of these same people do not have enough money to stay in the cities. Only a few years ago,people thought that the older American cities were dying.Some city residents now see a bright,new future.Others see only problems and conflicts.One thing is sure:many dying cities in America are alive again. What does the author think of cities all over the world? A. They are dying. B. They are hopeless. C. They are similar. D. They are different. Answer: C. They are similar.
Question: Sports and amusing activities have given benefits to people. Besides the entertainment that they offer, health, emotional and personal aspects have also been developed through sports and amusement. It's amazing how one can say that he just found his purpose in life through sports. Some people may even devote their lives to a certain sport. Whether being seen as an amusing activity, a pastime or a way of life, sports and amusement are worthy of everyone's praise. A large number of sports and amusing activities have become very popular both in the past years and at present, such as baseball, basketball, golf, computer and online games, fitness, motor sports, tennis, and so on. Computer and online games have become very popular at this age. Young people are mostly the fans of this amusement. Entertainment is what it gives. A lot of online games are there to be played. Some are for sale while others can be downloaded for free. Fitness is in much the same rank. Women are the major customers who take this activity into their lives. The goal for reshaping their bodies to improve their looks is getting more and more attractive. Considering the lovely points of being healthy and fit, all seem to hash through the lines. No one wants to get behind. This is also a way of giving love to ourselves. We cannot always pass money by. Taking sports or amusement, you'll have to pay for it sometimes. The cost for learning and enjoying sports changes from one to another. Some sports cost very little while others are costly due to expensive equipment and tools to use. Choosing a sport, however, requires health considerations. Some people are not allowed to play volleyball and similar activities due to having asthma . Playing may make a person tired easily and will trigger an attack of asthma at once. What will most probably be discussed if the text continues? A. Different kinds of sports and amusing activities. B. How women reshape their bodies more effectively. C. Health problems that sports and amusement cause. D. Suitable sports or activities for different people. Answer: D Question: You have the ability to decide if you are happy or not. Happiness is a choice. You can't depend on someone else to make you happy. That is a lesson I learned early on in my marriage. I realized that I couldn't rely on my husband as my source of happiness. I learned that my happiness depended on me and not my husband's actions. I learned that you have to choose to be happy. You can choose your emotions. True happiness comes from within; it can't be forced by outside forces. So how do you choose happiness? The same way you choose to smile or choose to wear a certain outfit. You choose it because that's what you want to experience in your life. You want to buy a new pair of shoes so you choose a pair that you like and feel good. You wouldn't buy a pair of shoes that you don't like or that don't fit well, right? So why do we keep choosing emotions and feelings that don't make us feel good? Choosing to be happy after you realize your anger has shown up (or even choosing to be calm) can be beneficial. We choose our feelings; no one can do that for us. If we let others get to us, influence our emotions - we are giving them power over us. When others cause us anger or pain, we are giving them our power. We need to keep our feelings in check and not react automatically to what is thrown at us. We need to think our actions out instead of just reacting to what someone says or does. Remember that we can always choose happiness. At first it will be difficult to just switch your thoughts and feelings from anger, self-doubt, or fear to joy and happiness. But it is only a thought away. Don't dwell on what happens to you unnecessarily but realize what is causing you to feel that way. Realize that thoughts, feelings and emotions can change. Then move on and choose to be happy. What's the best title of this passage? A. Choose to Be Happy B. Choose Your Emotions C. Pretend to Be Happy D. Find Happiness Answer: A Question: What is animal competition? A. wolves and bears eating salmon B. a shark and marlin swimming fast C. gazelles and zebras living on the plains D. an oxpecker helping a rhino Answer: A Question: Have you ever had an embarrassing experience? Last week we asked readers to tell us about embarrassing experiences. We received thousands of letters! Here is a selection. Tony: My most embarrassing experience happened when I had just left university. I had just started teaching in a Liverpool middle school. One morning my alarm clock didn't ring. I woke up at half past eight and school began at nine. I quickly washed, dressed, jumped into my car and rushed to school. When I arrived, the students had already gone into class. I didn't go to the office, but went straight into class. After two or three minutes the students began laughing, and I couldn't understand why! Suddenly I looked down and understood. I had put on one black shoe and one brown shoe! Henry: The most embarrassing experience I've ever had happened two years ago. After seeing a film, my wife and I had lunch in our favorite restaurant in town. Then we decided to take a walk along the street. The street was very busy and we started holding hands. Suddenly my wife saw a dress that she liked in a shop window, and stopped. I started looking at some watches in the next window. After a minute or two I reached for my wife's hand. There was a loud _ , and a woman slapped my face. I hadn't taken my wife's hand. I'd taken the hand of a complete stranger ! The students began laughing when they saw Tony _ A. wearing a wrong shoe B. his alarm clock didn't ring C. looking down suddenly D. rushing into the classroom Answer: A Question: Adults are happy to tell their children that crusts will give them curly hair, carrots will help them see in the dark, and spinach will make them strong. Even though adults know it's not totally true, they think it's good for their children's health, a study had found. In a study about 31 per cent of adults said they once told their children the curly hair tale, and 36 per cent said they'd been told the same thing by their mother or father. Among the over-50s, almost half said they'd been promised curly hair if they ate their crusts. A quarter of the 2,000 adults questioned in the study told their children carrots would help them see in the dark. This could be true to some extent because of the high levels of vitamin A and beta-carotene in root vegetables. Another favorite among parents is that milk will make one strong. A third surveyed said their parents told them this, and about 29 per cent said they told their children the same thing. But while there is plenty of evidence to suggest milk is good for people's health, there are also a lot of scientific papers saying it isn't. Thanks to Popeye, spinach is also fed to children, along with the idea that it will make them strong. While there is also some truth in this one, scientists now believe it is not the iron, but the inorganic nitrates that improve physical power. One in seven of the surveyed admitted telling their little ones that runner beans will make them run faster, which is nothing more than wordplay and has no basis in science. Almost one in five adults were subjected to the same tale in childhood. Just over one in 10 parents told their children green food would turn them into a superhero, and a quarter admitted hiding vegetables in meals. Lyndsay Jones, spokesman for Persil Washing Up Liquid, said, "It's clear that the most persuasive stories about food are passed on from generation to generation. Our research shows that the ideas continue, and we tell our kids the same things our parents told us, even if they're not always entirely true." Crusts may not make your hair curly, but there's plenty of research that says crusts contain more of the goodness than the rest of a loaf. Hopefully, as a result of our Cook with Kids promise, more parents will be encouraged to spend time with their children in the kitchen and teach them the truth about food. We can learn from the passage that _ . A. scientists think the iron in spinach helps children grow strong B. parents are expected to tell children the truth about food C. runner beans can really make children run fast D. crusts are said to contain less nutrition than a loaf Answer: B
"Dr.Papaderos, what is the meaning of life?" The usual laughter followed, and people stirred to go.Dr.Papaderos held up his hands and stilled the room and looked at me for a long time, asking with his eyes if I was serious and seeing from my eyes that I was. "I will answer your question." Taking his wallet out of his hip pocket, he fished into a leather wallet and brought out a very small round mirror, about the size of a quarter.And what he said went like this: "When I was a small child during the war, we were very poor and we lived in a remote village.One day, on the road, I found the broken pieces of a mirror.A German motorcycle had been broken in that place. I tried to find all the pieces and put them together, but it was not possible, so I kept only the largest piece.This one.and, by scratching it on a stone, I made it round.I began to play with it as a toy and became fascinated by the fact that I could reflect light into dark places where the sun would never shine--n deep holes and crevices and dark closets.It became a game for me to get light into the most inaccessible places I could find. I kept the little mirror, and, as I went about my growing up, I would take it out in spare time and continue the challenge of the game.As I became a man, I got to understand that this was not just a child's game but a metaphor for what I might do with my life.I came to understand that I was not the light or the source of light.But light--truth, understanding, knowledge--is there, and it will shine in many dark places only if I reflect it. I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know.Nevertheless, with what I have I can reflect light into the dark places of this world--into the black places in the hearts of men--and change some things in some people.Perhaps others may see and do likewise.This is what I am talking about.This is the meaning of my life. The best title for the passage might be " _ " . Answer: The Meaning of Life In the food chain process what has the role of producer? Answer: flora Mary is an American schoolgirl. She is now in Beijing with her parents. She doesn't know Chinese, but she is trying to study and speak it. She often tries to speak Chinese to her Chinese friends. Sometimes they don't understand her, because she can't speak Chinese well. It's Saturday morning. Mary goes out. She is on her way to the park. She is going there to see a flower show . But she doesn't know how to get there. She asks a Chinese boy. The boy can't understand her. Then she takes out a pen and some paper. She draws flowers on it, gives the picture to the boy and says something about it. The boy smiles and then shows Mary the way to the park. How does she ask the way to the flower show? Answer: She draws a picture to ask the way. On the broad landing between Miss Havisham's own room and that other room in which the long table was laid out, I saw a garden chair -- a light chair on wheels that you pushed from behind. It had been placed there since my last visit, and that same day I pushed Miss Havisham in this chair (when she was tired of walking with her hand upon my shoulder) round her own room, and across the landing and round the other room, which, from that day on, became my regular job. As we began to be more used to one another, Miss Havisham talked more to me, and asked me such questions as what had I learnt and what was I going to be? I told her I was going to be apprenticed to Joe, my sister's husband; then I explained my knowing nothing and wanting to know everything, in the hope that she might offer some help. But, she did not; on the contrary, she seemed to prefer my being ignorant. Neither did she ever give me any money - or anything but my daily dinner - nor even mentioned that I should be paid for my services. Estella was always about, and always let me in and out, but never told me I might kiss her again. Sometimes, she would coldly tolerate me; sometimes, she would be seemingly kind to me; sometimes, she would be quite familiar with me; sometimes, she would tell me energetically that she hated me. Miss Havisham would often ask me in a whisper, or when we were alone, "Does she grow prettier and prettier, Pip?" And when I said yes, Miss Havisham would seem to enjoy it greedily. Also, when we played at cards Miss Havisham would look on Estella's moods, whatever they were. And sometimes, when her moods were so many and so contradictory of one another that I was puzzled what to say or do, Miss Havisham would hold her tightly with great fondness, saying something quietly in her ear that sounded like "Break their hearts my pride and hope, break their hearts and have no mercy!" Miss Havisham held Estella tightly because _ . Answer: she thought Estella did something right. "OK,"I said to my daughter as she bent over her afternoon bowl of rice."What's going on with you and your friend J.?" J.is the leader of a group of third-graders at her camp-- a position Lucy herself occupied the previous summer. _ and every day at snack time, she tells me all about it, while I offer the unhelpful advice all summer long. "She's fond of giving orders, "Lucy complained."She's turning everyone against me.She's mean.And she's fat." "Excuse me," I said, struggling for calm."What did you just said?" "She's fat." Lucy mumbled ."We're going upstairs," I said, my voice cold."We're going to discuss this." And up we went.I'd spent the nine years since her birth getting ready for this day, the day we'd have the conversation about this horrible word.I knew exactly what to say to the girl on the receiving end of the teasing, but in all of my imaginings, it never once occurred to me that my daughter would be the one who used the F word-Fat. My daughter sat on her bed, and I sat beside her."How would you feel if someone made fun of you for something that wasn't your fault?" I began."She could stop eating so much," Lucy mumbled, mouthing the simple advice a thousand doctors have given overweight women for years. "It's not always that easy," I said ."Everyone's different in terms of how they treat food." Lucy looked at me, waiting for me to go on.I opened my mouth, then closed it.Should I tell her that, in teasing a woman's weight, she's joined the long tradition of critics? Should I tell her I didn't cry when someone posted my picture and commented , "I'm sorry, but aren't authors who write books marketed to young women supposed to be pretty?" Does she need to know, now, that life isn't fair ? I feel her eyes on me, waiting for an answer I don't have.Words are my tools.Stories are my job.It's possible she'll remember what I say forever, and I have no idea what to say. So I tell her the only thing I can come up with that is absolutely true.I say to my daughter, "I love you, and there is nothing you could ever do to make me not love you.But I'm disappointed in you right now.There are plenty of reasons for not liking someone.What she looks like isn't one of them." Lucy nods, tears on her cheeks."I won't say that again," she tells me, and I pull her close, pressing my nose against her hair.As we sit there together, I pray for her to be smart and strong.I pray for her to find friends, work she loves, a partner who loves her.And still, always, I pray that she will never struggle as I've struggled, that weight will never be her cross to bear.She may not be able to use the word in our home, but I can use in my head.I pray that she will never get fat. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . Answer: the author earns a living by writing stories.
Even at school there had been an unhealthy competition between George and Richard. "I'll be the first millionaire in Coleford!" Richard used to boast. "And you'll be sorry that you knew me," George would reply "because I'll surely be the best lawyer in our town!" After graduation, George never became a lawyer and Richard was anybody but a millionaire .... Instead, it happened that both men opened bookshops on opposite sides of Coleford High Street, while it was hard to make much money from books then, which made the competition between them worse. Eventually, Richard closed down his, dreaming of making a fortune elsewhere. Now, with only one bookshop in the town, business was better for George. But sometimes he sat in his narrow old kitchen and gazed out of the dirty window, thinking about his former rival . Perhaps he missed him? George was very interested in old dictionaries, and he had recently found a collector in Australia who was selling a rare first edition. When the parcel arrived, the book was in perfect condition and George was quite delighted. But while he was having lunch, George glanced at the photo in the newspaper that the book had been wrapped in. He was astonished -- the smiling face was older than he remembered but unmistakable! Trembling, George started reading: "Bookends Company has bought ten bookstores from its competitors. The company, owned by multi-millionaire Richard Pike, is now the largest bookseller in this country." How did George feel about Richard after his disappearance? A He envied Richard's good fortune very much. B He thought about Richard from time to time. C He felt unlucky with no more rival in the town. D He was unhappy of Richard's disappearance. Answer: B. He thought about Richard from time to time. If its food supply in a field decreases, the mouse population in that field will probably A increase. B decrease. C remain the same. D become extinct. Answer: B. decrease. Riding School: You can start horse-riding at any age. Choose private or group lessons any weekday between 9 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. on Saturdays). There are 10 kilometres of tracks and paths for leisurely rides across farmland and open country. You will need a riding hat. Opening Hours: Monday through Friday:9:00 a.m. ~ 8:30p.m. Phone: (412) 396-6754 Fax: (412) 396-6752 Sailing Club: Our Young Sailor's Course leads to the Stage Sailing qualification. You'll learn how to sail safely and the course also covers sailing theory and first aid. Have fun with other course members afterwards in the clubroom. There are 10 weekly two-hour lessons (Tuesdays 6p.m.~ 8p.m.) Opening Hours: Tuesdays: 6:00p.m.~ 8:00p.m Phone:( 412)396-6644 Fax: (412) 396-6644 Diving Centre: Our experienced instructors offer one-month courses in deep-sea diving for beginners. There are two evening lessons a week, in which you learn to breathe underwater and use the equipment safely. You only need a swimming costume and towel. Reduced rates for couples. Opening Hours: Monday and Friday: 6:30p.m.~ 8:30p.m Phone: (412)396-6312 Fax: (412) 396-6706 Medical Center: The staff of the Medical Center aim to provide convenient and comprehensive medical care to students and staff of the university. The center is well equipped and the staff here are trained to deal with a broad range of medical problems. Both female and male doctors as well as nursing staff are available for consultation. Also, all kinds of medicines are sold here and are cheaper for students than other drugstores. Opening Hours: 24 hours from Monday to Sunday Phone: ( 412)396-6649 Fax: (412) 396-6648 Watersports club: We use a two-kilometre length of river for speedboat racing, and water-skiing. A beginners' course consists of ten 20-minute lessons. You will learn to handle boats safely and confidently but must be able to swim. The club is in a convenient central position and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with lessons all through the day. Opening Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00a.m.~ 4:00p.m Phone: (412)396-6899 Fax: (412) 396-6890 If you want to do an activity one evening a week and get a certificate in the end, you can go to _ . A Sailing Club B Diving Centre C Watersports Club D Riding School Answer: A. Sailing Club Will online courses transform world of education? Some may wonder what it feels like to attend a class at Stanford University. The recently popular MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) can satisfy this desire. But they are also most likely to change the situation of higher education. Only last month,both Peking University and Tsinghua University announced plans to start open online course on the edX platform,one of the world's major providers of MOOCs,to explore this new form of online education. Gaining momentum "It's not only a change of platforms from offline to online. It's more about a reform of teaching methods,even the whole education system,"said Chen Jining,president of Tsinghua University. The potential of MOOCs to reform education has been obvious in the US ever since the immediate popularity of the course Artificial Intelligence,taught by Stanford University professor Sebastian Thrun, who later co-founded Udacity, a platform with 1.6 million enrolled students in 200 countries. According to Nature magazine,by June 2013,74 percent of universities in the US offered some type of online course. Lu Fang, vice-president of Fudan University,explains the appeal of MOOCs as a simple case of supply and demand:"The demand for high quality educational resources from both enrolled students and professionals is feeding the rise of MOOCs,in which classes usually taught by top teachers are available to everyone,"said Lu. Too early to replace With easy access and free of charge, MOOCs are said to have the potential to change the present education system. But there are barriers,because hardly any universities offer degree certificates, as college administrators point out, it's difficult to confirm if students are foaming anything in MOOCs,reposed USA Today. The Wall Street Journal also reposed that,presently,a typical MOOC student is likely to have already graduated from college and is using the course to explore an interest or acquire professional skills. Even so, an increasing number of undergraduates are signing up. "What we are really establishing are educational pathways for people who want skills that are related to contemporary jobs,"Thrun told The Wall Street Journal. MOOCs have been considered likely to reform education since _ . A the founding of Udacity B the wide application of online education C the popularity of the course Artificial Intelligence D the opening of MOOCs on the edX platform in China Answer: C. the popularity of the course Artificial Intelligence Villa Nicoletta, Genuine Relaxation Somewhere in the world, there's a place where stress isn't allowed and peace and genuine relaxation are the only demands of the day. If you could go there, you would thoroughly enjoy yourself. There are not too many places in the world like this, but this is one of them. It's luxurious. It's ultra-private. Welcome to Villa Nicoletta Villa Nicoletta is a 4-bedroom luxury villa and an oasis of rest and rejuvenation in a land of unspoiled peace. Located on a 70-foot cliff overlooking the north shore of the island of St. Thomas and the pretty waters of Caret Bay, Villa Nicoletta offers the finest accommodations in the Caribbean for those seeking a vacation of elegance, peace and privacy. You'll see how the sun blankets the landscape and water in shimmering brilliance by day and how the sky twinkles like billions of bright diamonds at night. Completed in 2000, the 3,300-square-foot Villa Nicoletta is fully equipped with state-of-the-art electronics. When you book Villa Nicoletta, you shall book the entire villa. Off Season: April 16 to December 14 4 bedrooms -- $5,700/week (8 people max) Sleep sofa can add additional 2 people $200/night Peak Season: December 15 to April 15 4 bedrooms -- $6,300/week (8 people max) Sleep sofa can add additional 2 people $200/night We can infer that _ . A you can share the villa with other tourists B the island of St. Thomas is famous for the ocean theme amusement park C fewer tourists stay in Villa Nicoletta in autumn than in spring D you can go in for extreme sports in Villa Nicoletta Answer: C. fewer tourists stay in Villa Nicoletta in autumn than in spring
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. All the following might be a promoted gift EXCEPT _ . Answer: a box of heavily packaged chocolate What's the weather like today? Harmful rays are dangerous even on cold, cloudy days. Sunscreen is important year-round protection no matter where you are. Remember, you're being struck by the sun's powerful rays when you are walking on the street playing on the ground relaxing on the beach or pool taking part in outdoor activities Sun Veil Sunscreen can reduce the harmful effects of the sun. Sun Veil Sunscreen is guaranteed 100% effective or you will get a full refund. Sun Veil Sunscreen provides long-lasting waterproof protection from the sun's burning rays that will last for a full 6 hours in or out of water. Instructions: Apply Sun Veil's disappearing blue-colored sunscreen to all exposed skin. The blue color disappears as you rub Sun Veil Sunscreen onto the skin. The coloring is safe and easily washes from most clothing. For best results, allow Sun Veil Sunscreen to dry for 15-30 minutes before exposure to the sun. Warning: Discontinue use immediately, if the skin becomes painful or there are some red spots. Sun Veil Sunscreen is not recommended for pregnant women and babies under the age of six months. If you're interested in our product, just order now! $20.00 for one bottle. There will be a 10% discount if you buy two at a time, and a 15% discount for three or more! How much should you pay for Sun Veil Sunscreen in all, four bottles of it at first and one more bottle a week later? Answer: $88.00 I had just gone to bed after a very hard day when the phone rang. It was an eccentric farmer. I had never met him before although I had often heard people talk about him. He sounded quite nervous and he had been talking for a minute or so before I understood anything. Even then I could _ that someone called Milly had had a very bad accident. I hadn't the slightest idea who she was but I obviously had to go. It had been snowing so heavily that I didn't know the way. I had been driving for at least an hour when I finally found his place. He was standing there, waiting for me. It seemed Milly had died. "She meant more to me than anyone... even my own wife!" he said. I could see that he had been crying. I thought something terrible had taken place, a possible scandal . I was even more shocked when he told me he had put her in the barn. "I wouldn't leave her out in the cold!" he said. Milly had clearly been a secret lover of his. I was about to tell him he could not expect me to cover anything up when he opened the barn door. He lifted his candle and I saw a dark figure on the ground. "She was such a good cow! I wouldn't let anyone but a doctor touch her !" he said, and burst into tears again. The person who told the story is probably a _ . Answer: country doctor My friend Tom is a schoolboy. Everyone likes him very much because he is funny. He can play many instruments. When he is with his friends, he often plays for them. Today is October 8th. It's Tom's birthday. He has a big and interesting party at home. Many friends come to his party. Tom's mother cooks a lot of food for them. Everyone gives a beautiful gift to him. Sally gives him an English dictionary because Tom also likes English. Bob gives Tom a guitar because he likes playing the guitar very much. At the party, Tom plays the guitar and he also plays the piano. We sing many songs and play some interesting games. We have a good time today. ,. What does Tom do on his birthday? Answer: He has a big and interesting party at home. It was Christmas Eve. When everyone went to bed, Bunny couldn't fall asleep. He still couldn't think of what he wanted as a special Christmas present. He wondered how Santa -- Father Christmas would know what to bring him if he didn't know himself.,. . As he was sitting up in bed, Bunny heard a big noise on the roof and a sound downstairs. It was Santa Claus, he realized. Bunny jumped out of bed and ran down the hall to the stairs. He hoped to take a look at the old man before Santa left for his next stop. By the time Bunny was at the bottom of the stairs, everything was silent again. Lots of presents were put under the Christmas tree, but Santa was gone. A little disappointed , Bunny turned to climb back upstairs when he heard a cry. "Hello," said Bunny. "Is somebody there?" He was answered by another cry. Bunny looked around the big pile of presents to see what was making the noise. Right under the tree was a funny looking brown animal with big feet and sad eyes. It also had antlers on its head. Bunny almost mistook it for a dog. "Are you a reindeer?" asked Bunny. "Yes," replied the brown animal with antlers. "My name is Ralph." "And you were pulling Santa's sled ?" "I was until I got air-sick," replied Ralph. "Santa had to leave me here and go on with the other seven reindeer." "Isn't it a bit unusual for a reindeer to get air-sick? I mean, isn't flying what reindeer are famous for?" "Not me, I'm afraid. It makes me scared. I always feel sick when it comes to flying," replied Ralph. "But everyone wanted me to pull Santa's sled, so when it was my turn I gave it a try. I'm afraid I just wasn't _ for the job. Now I'm stuck here and I don't know how to get back to the North Pole." "Well, if you like, you can stay with us as a friend," said Bunny. As he made the offer, Bunny suddenly realized the special present he wanted from Santa was a new friend! What can we learn from the article? Answer: Ralph is afraid of flying in the air.
Football T-shirts are more commonly connected with boys than girls. This can often cause a problem when you want to find a cool shirt for a girl. That is not to say that there are no cool shirts out there for girls to wear. The problem is that they are often harder to find than the ones for boys. You can get custom shirt printed for girls from a number of custom print stores. Of course you have to make sure that they are legally allowed to use the logos and colours of the team you want to support. You can also go through official channels to get the shirt you want. The official channels will generally be the large sportswear stores or the official stores of the teams. These stores will be able to use the colours of the teams and even put the name of the person who the shirt is for on it. If you do not feel like you have to try the T-shirts on, then an online store may be your best choice. The reason for this is that you can visit various stores and find the best ones. If you want to see what the T-shirt looks like in real life, then going to a store is the best choice. Large sportswear stores often have football shirts. These are the best places to go if you do not live close to an official store. And these stores usually have lower prices than the official stores. According to the text, football T-shirts _ . A. are all made by boys B. are seldom loved by girls C. are only designed for boys D. are difficult to find for girls Answer: D If the ground is fully shaded, and plants there barely grow, likely the reason is A. water there is clean B. people there are silly C. oaks there are mighty D. birds there are fat Answer: C Q: My problem is computer gaming. I do it day and night, averaging four hours of sleep. I can't control of this, and I don't know where to go for help. Do you? --Player A: Dear Player, You have an addiction. For some people playing video games releases dopamine, a powerful brain chemical that makes you feel good. You'd toss your cigarettes if you were ready to quit, right? To kick the habit, get help from a health professional. And don't look for help on line; that would be like an alcoholic going to the bar for advice. Q: My brother's wife just had triplets . This is such a joy! Yet every time I share the news with co-workers, they ask me if she was on fertility pills. I think this is rude--or has society just become so talk-show numbed that you can ask anyone anything? --No Show Host A: Dear Host, Yes. Our society has become increasingly disrespectful of privacy. But don't blame it all on the talk-shows. Continue to celebrate and greet impolite questions with stony silence. Their fertility history is nobody's business but their own. Q: I work at an amusement park, and my manager steals supplies. She has a catering business on the side, and we've seen her load up her van at the back gates. The big bosses think she is the best thing since buttered bread, and we're all afraid that if we say anything, we'll lose our jobs. What can we do? --Righteous A: Dear Righteous, Be sure you're right. You must have evidence about what and why things are going out the back gates. Once you know for certain, it's time to go to the bosses and report what you have seen. Q: My stepson's wife sometimes leaves their eight-year-old home alone for "a short run to the store." That may be an hour or so. I believe by law we should report it. What do you think? --The In-laws A: Dear Laws, I don't know what the child-protection laws in your state are, but I do know that children need care and attention. This child may be able and unafraid, but kids aren't always careful. It also sounds like there is stress in your family relationship. One thing you can do to help this situation is offer to baby-sit when Mom needs to step out. Which Q&A mentioned transport? A. The first B. The second. C. The third. D. None. Answer: C Beijing-- During the 24-hour period ending at 4 pm on Sunday, China confirmed six new cases of human H7N9 bird flu , including five in Zhejiang and one in Jiangsu. The National Health and Family Planning Commission said that a total of 102 H7N9 cases have been reported in China, including 20 that have died. Of the total, 12 H7N9 patients have been _ from hospitals after receiving treatment, and the other 70 patients are being treated in designated hospitals, according to the commission. A total of 33 cases, including 11 that have died, have been reported in Shanghai. Twenty-four cases, including three deaths, have been reported in Jiangsu province, and 38 cases, including five deaths, in Zhejiang province. Anhui province has reported three cases, including one death. Beijing has reported one case and three have been reported in Henan province. China officially confirmed the human cases infected with the H7N9 virus since last month. According to the commission, China's confirmed H7N9 cases are isolated and there has been no sign of human to-human transmission . According to the passage, how many new cases have been found in China? A. 4 B. 6 C. 5 D. 1 Answer: B Long ago there lived a powerful king. Some of his ideas were good, but others caused people to suffer. One of the king's ideas was to set up a public arena . When a person was accused of a crime, his future would be decided in this arena. It had two doors, side by side, exactly alike. The accused person was taken into the arena and asked to open one. Behind one door was a hungry tiger, while behind the other was a lady chosen especially for him. To this lady he would be immediately married, in honor of his innocence. The king had a beautiful daughter whom he loved very much , and she secretly loved a young commoner . When the king discovered their relationship, the man was immediately put in prison, and a day was set for him to enter the arena. The princess knew behind which door stood the tiger, and behind which a lady. She also knew that the lady was one of the loveliest in the kingdom. The princess hated the woman behind that silent door. As he entered the arena and his eyes met the princess's, the young man knew that she knew behind which door waited the tiger, and behind which stood the lady. The princess raised her hand, and made a short, quick movement toward the right. No one but her lover saw it. Every eye was fixed on him. He turned, and with a firm, quick step he walked across the empty space to the door on the right and opened it. Now, the point of the story is this: Did the tiger come out of that door, or did the lady? The more we think about this question, the harder it is to answer. It involves a study of the human heart. The soul of the princess loved the young man but also burned under the fires of sadness and jealousy . The question of her decision cannot be easily answered. And so I leave it with all of you: which came out of the open door? The lady or the tiger? Which of the following is TRUE about the princess's decision? A. The question of it is left open by the author. B. It has no influence on the life of the young man. C. It was never shown to the young man. D. It is hard to understand why she loved the young man. Answer: A
Women are friendly. But men are more competitive. Why? Researchers have found it's all down to the hormone oxytocin . Although known as the love hormone, it affects the sexes differently. "Women tend to be social in their behavior. They often share with others. But men tend to be competitive. They are trying to improve their social status," said Professor Ryan. Generally, people believe that the hormone exytocin is let out in our body in various social situations and our body creates a large amount of it during positive social interaction such as falling in love or giving birth. But in a previous experiment Professor Ryan found that the hormone is also let out in our body during negative social interactions such as envy. Further researches showed that in men the hormone oxytocin improves the ability to recognize competitive relationships, but in women it raises the ability to recognize friendship. Professor Ryan's recent experiment used 62 men and women aged 20 to 37. Half of the participants received oxytocin. The other half received placebo . [( )] [( :Love my Dog.)] After a week, the two groups switched with participants. They went through the same procedure with the other material. Following each treatment, they were shown some video pictures with different social interactions. Then they were asked to analyze the relationships by answering some questions. The questions were about telling friendship from competition. And their answers should be based on gestures, body language and facial expressions. The results indicated that, after treatment with oxytocin, men's ability to correctly recognize competitive relationships improved, but in women it was the ability to correctly recognize friendship that got better. Professor Ryan thus concluded: "Our experiment proves that the hormone oxytocin can raise people's abilities to better distinguish different social interactions. And the behavior differences between men and women are caused by biological factor that are mainly hormonal." Why did Professor Ryan conduct the recent experiment? Answer: A new study, conducted by British company Mindlab International, has found that listening to music at work increases accuracy and speed,The Telegraphreported. Perhaps, some parents disagree with this idea, saying, "Switch off the music and concentrate!" Well, if that's the case with your parents, you might now be able to convince them that you have science on your side. The company gave 26 participants a series of different tasks for five days in a row, including spell checking, mathematical word problems, data entry, and abstract reasoning. The participants completed these tasks while listening to music or no music at all. The results showed that while music was playing, 88% of participants produced their most accurate test results and 81% completed their fastest work. David Lewis, chairman of Mindlab International, toldThe Telegraph, "Music is a very powerful management tool if you want to increase not only the efficiency of your workforce but also their emotional state... _ are going to become more positive about the work." However, you may have a list of your favorite songs, but not all kinds of music match all homework. For maths or other subjects involving numbers or attention to detail, you should listen to classical music, the study found. In the study, pop music enabled participants to complete their tasks 58% faster than when listening to no music at all. If you are reviewing your English writing, pop music is the best choice, as it is the best kind for spell checking. It cut mistakes by 14%, compared to listening to no music. After finishing your homework, do you often take time to check your answers? Maybe, some dance music is suitable for you. What did the participants have to do in the study? Answer: Any passenger on the subway who caught a glimpse of me may have already thought that I was strange. In particular this gentleman sitting opposite me was staring at me, at the cheese bun on the floor in front of me, and then back at me; "Next stop, St. Patrick Station" my stop was quickly coming up. I had minutes to either take the cheese bun, which nobody else was claiming(as a passenger probably dropped it by mistake and got off at a previous stop), or leave it there and hope that it didn't go to waste. In those few minutes I felt my pride getting in the way. "What would other people on this subway think of me if I took the Cheese bun? Would they think that I was poor and hungry? Would they think that I'm stealing?" The ignorant thing to do was say "yes" to any of those self-imposed questions, which would only justify my ego. But then I'd get off the subway, walk a block up the street to my office, get settled at my desk, and despite feeling comfortable, warm, and being well-fed myself for the whole day, there would be a weight of guilt and regret weighing on my consciousness. My thoughts were pushing me towards pride and ignorance when the truth was evident:this missing cheese bun is a gift. For a homeless person who is hungry and cold. For me to overcome a little bit of ego and pass along so much kindness. It was clear that the homeless person who would receive this cheese bun needed it just as much as I did. ks5u Just as the doors opened at my stop I grabbed the cheese bun and exited the subway. It felt awesome and I didn't care if people were looking or what they thought. Instead of going directly to my office as usual, I walked a few more blocks up to Queen's Park where I have seen a homeless man sitting outside many times on my walk from the gym to my office. I always wanted to give him something. There he was this morning, wrapped in a sleeping bag. As the author was getting off the subway, he _ . Answer: Many people rely on a cup of coffee or two to wake them up in the morning or refresh them during the working day, but now a chemist has come up with a speedy alternative to drinking coffee. U.S. biochemist Ben Yu has created 'Sprayable Energy', which claims to be the world's first caffeine - based topical energy spray. He said tired workers can spray a 'shot' of caffeine onto their skin without experiencing a strong noise, taking in unnecessary calories or being stuck with a nasty aftertaste like they might get from drinking energy drinks or coffee. The tasteless caffeine spray is absorbed through the skin and spread through the body over a number of hours to deliver a caffeine hit that lasts longer than drinking a cup of coffee. The only active ingredient in the spray is caffeine, which is very similar to nicotine in structure. Each spray 'Sprayable Energy' contains around a quarter of the amount of caffeine found in a cup of coffee, but apparently has the same effect as a full cup. The website said: "The reason for this is our product isn't entirely metabolized by the liver before entering your system and becoming available to your body." Sprayable Energy's website recommends that users apply the spray in places where they normally spritz perfume, such as wrists, the neck or behind the ears, but warns users not to exceed 20 times a day. It claims that after spraying the product on the skin, users will feel awake and focus without being over-excited, which is common with coffee and energy drinks. Compared with an energy drink or a coffee, what is good about "Sprayable Energy"? Answer: Organic food, once considered something that only health fanatics desired, is now a regular feature at most supermarkets. And that has created a bit of a dilemma. On the one hand, you have a conventionally grown apple. On the other, you have one that's organic. Both apples are firm, shiny and red. Both provide vitamins and fiber, and both are free of fat, sodium and cholesterol. Conventionally grown food generally costs less, but is organic food a better choice? The advantages claimed for such foods over conventionally grown and sold food products are now being debated on a large scale. Supporters of organic foods -- a term whose meaning varies greatly --are frequently telling the world that such products are safer and more nutritious than others. The growing interest of consumers in the safety and nutritional quality of daily foods is a welcome development. However, much of this interest has been aroused by sweeping claims that the conventional food supply is unsafe or inadequate in meeting nutritional needs. Almost daily, the public is surrounded by claims for "no-aging" diets, new vitamins and other wonder foods. There are numerous unsubstantiated reports that natural vitamins are superior to man-made ones, that fertilized eggs are nutritionally superior to unfertilized eggs, that untreated grains are better than those treated with insect spray and the like. Although most of these claims are not supported by scientific evidence, large amounts of written material about the benefits of organic foods makes it difficult for people to separate fact from fiction. As a result, claims that eating a diet consisting of organically grown foods prevents or cures disease or provides other benefits to health have become widely advertised and form the basis for people's opinion. One thing that most organically grown food products seem to have in common is that they cost more than conventionally grown foods. But in many cases consumers are misled if they believe organic foods can maintain health and provide better nutritional quality than conventionally grown foods. So there is real cause for concern if consumers, particularly those with limited incomes, distrust the conventional food supply and buy only expensive organic foods instead. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . Answer:
Which is an example of melting? Answer: Butter changing into liquid in a warm pan "If music is the medicine of the soul , let it play on," said a famous person. I think he said so because probably he got some help from music. Music has some strange abilities. Medical scientists have found that a person that feels stressed can actually listen to some kind of music and become well. The researchers said that since stress comes as a result of life events such as starting a new family, starting a new business, and starting a new job, one can actually listen to good music and feel good because good music touches the human mind in a positive way. Music helps you to forget the life events that make you worried and remember the important events that once happened in your life. Depression is a disease cause by stress, smoking, social problems and so on. Depression is also caused by problems such as failure in business. Depression may bring us weakness, headache, and loss of concentration. Good music makes one remember happy moments or good days. If you play music about love, it makes you feel like falling in love again though you may have had several upset experiences. And such good feeling make you healthy. Anxiety is another health problem that can be controlled by music. Anxiety is a side effect of some major health problems such as cancer of the liver and cancer of the breast. Good music makes you feel relaxed and removes the pains from these diseases and you feel all right. Good music can send you to sleep. And you need to know that sleep puts your body in a healthy condition. Sleep takes away the effects of stress, depression and anxiety from a person. Good music helps people remove stress mainly by _ . Answer: making people think positively For years, business people in Western Europe were worried. They knew they could not compete against business from the U.S. The United States is much larger and had many more resources than any Western European countries. Some European people realized that the European nations need to join together to help each other. If they could forget their language differences and the differences in customs, they might become strong competition against other countries. In 1958, six of the European countries --- Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Germany and Italy got together and decided to cooperate. They called their group the European Economic Community, or the Common Market. These countries agreed to join their resources together. Within a few years, the European Economic Community had worked so well that its members were more prosperous than many other European nations. Soon, other nations began to realize the advantage of the Common Market. Today the Common Market includes most of the important countries in Western Europe. It is helping Western Europe to again take its place as a leader among the industrial nations of the world. From the passage we know the U.S. is much richer than _ in resources. Answer: any country in Western Europe Counterfeit goods, or false versions of products, may cost the government of Kenya as much as $1 billion each year. The fake goods also hurt business owners who find it hard to keep customers. But information technology is being used to try to stop the problem. Jemima Mwafigu is a 34-year-old businesswoman who sells products like perfume. But in the first year of running her business, she found it hard to keep customers because of counterfeit goods. Ms. Mwafigu says her business has improved since she began using a smart phone application called Barcode Scanner. The app is used to authenticate products. It checks to make sure the products are not counterfeit. "With this application I'm able to scan the bar codes of each perfume and instantly I get the production date, the _ and I'm able to know the safety," she says. "That way, I have confidence in selling to my customers." In 2010, Kenya created the Anti-Counterfeit Agency, or ACA, to fight against illegal trade. The ACA has successfully asked government officials for stronger punishments for counterfeiters. Agnes Karingu is the agency's acting director for research and awareness. She says the ACA is trying to stay one step ahead of those making fake goods. "We are also looking into IT solutions where we can be able to use SMS programs, bar codes and information sharing," she says. "The end users of the products will actually be able to get the authentication information, and this information comes back to ACA and intellectual property rights holders." The agency is testing another program called Allvirtuous. The application is another way to find out if a product is real or not by scanning its barcode. The barcode information is sent to a database. Then a result is sent back to the app. The International Chamber of Commerce is a global business organization. It says the value of counterfeit goods produced around the world is expected to be more than $1.7 trillion this year. Why did Kenya create ACA? Answer: To deal with illegal trade. One day three Frenchmen who did not know English very well were talking about the English language. The first Frenchman said, 'I heard someone shout 'look out' ,I put my head out of a window and a basin of water fell on me. It seems that 'look out' may mean 'don't look out!' The second one followed, ' I was once on a ship and heard the captain shout, 'All hands on the deck ' I put my hands on the deck and someone trod on them.' The third one told his friends his experience too, 'One early morning I called on my English friend and the maid said, 'He is 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 not up and he is not down, where is he then? What a strange language it is!' What do you think was the three Frenchmen's real trouble? Answer: They knew nothing about the English idioms.(\)
On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that 42% of Americans could be overweight by 2030.Our expanding waistlines lead to not only a medical problem, but according to a recent article in The New York Times, it could also endanger personal safety in some situations-in an airplane crash, for example. The New York Times' Christine Negroni reports that engineers and scientists are questioning whether airplane seats are adequately constructed to protect overweight travelers. Government standards for airplane seat strength -first set more than 60 years ago---require that the seats be made for a passenger weighing 170 pounds(77kg).Today, the average American man weighs nearly 194 pounds(88kg) and the average woman 165 pounds(75kg).Negroni reports: "If a heavier person completely fills a seat ,the seat is not likely to behave as intended during a crash,"Robert Salzar,the leading scientist at the Center for Applied Biomechanics at the University of Virginia. "The energy absorption(,) that is built into the aircraft seat is likely to be overpowered and the passengers will not be protected properly". "Nor would the injury be limited to that passenger only," Dr. Salzar said. "If a seat or a seat belt fails,"he said, "those people who are seated nearby could be endangered from the uncontrolled movements of the passenger." Most complaints about airplane seats focus on their lack of comfort and high ticket price, and whether overweight passengers should be made to buy two seats. But The New York Times' article bring up another reason to feel anxious about flying. Investigators of the issue got in touch with the airplane seat and seat belt makers, but they refused to comment on the problem.Experts agreed that crash testing should be done with overweight dummies .Both airplane seats and seat belts should be tested, _ said. Fortunately, however, according to Nora Marshall, a senior adviser at the National Transportation Safety Board, the board's investigators have never seen an accident involving a commercial plane in which the weight of a passenger was a problem. what is the best best title for the text? Are Airplane Seats Safe Enough for the Overweight? Mail lay scattered across the kitchen table. I couldn't put off sorting through it any longer. I checked the envelopes, putting aside the ones addressed to my husband. It had been over three years since Bob had died. To friends and family it looked like I had moved past the worst of my sorrow. I took care of my house, socialized and kept up with community. On the outside everything appeared to be normal. But inside I was anything but I worried I would never get better, never be myself again. They say sorrow has no set time limit, but I was so tired of feeling empty and hopeless. My sorrow was sharp and fresh as ever. It was like a wall of pressure in my chest, pressing my heart. I picked up a piece of Bob's mail and held it out to tear in half, but stopped myself from cutting up the envelope. The letter was from an organization that funded a Haitian orphanage called _ . Its founder, Carol Hawthorne, had given a presentation at our church. Bob and I had donated, and Bob ended up on the mailing list to receive the newsletter with updates on the children. I hadn't read one since Bob died. But just three months before, in January 2012, the country had been hit by a terrible earthquake. In my depressed state, it hadn't even occurred to me to wonder whether the orphanage had survived. I opened the newsletter and was surprised to find out that My Father's House was still standing. Of course now it was more crowded than ever. At the bottom of the page was an announcement about an upcoming trip to visit the orphanage in person. "I should go." The thought wouldn't leave me. I contacted Carol Hawthorne."What would I do if I go?" I asked."Build houses?" "The Haitian people there are eager to work and they know what they're doing," said Carol. "What they need are raw materials, and we provide them. We also visit with the children. We go to clinics and schools, pass out supplies. You'll be very busy, I promise!" I reserved a seat but didn't mention it to any of my friends. Just a few weeks later, I was at the airport with seven strangers, waiting to board a plane to Haiti. Even after takeoff I wasn't really sure of what I was doing. In Haiti we were met by Pastor Ronald Lefranc, the director of My Father's House. We piled into an old school bus and drove over uneven roads full of stones and mud. We passed women shaking under the weight of huge water buckets balanced on their heads. Piles of rubbish scattered across the landscape, and the land was covered with broken tents. Finally we pulled up to the orphanage. A crowd of children--52 in all--rushed up to greet us. I couldn't understand the words of the song they sang in Creole, but with the smiles on their faces I didn't need to. Each child planted a big kiss on my cheek. Carol and Pastor Ronald led us into the main building. "What are those over there?" I asked, pointing to a collection of thin tents. "Is there not enough room in the building for all the children?" "We have the room," said Pastor Ronald. "But many of these children came here after the earthquake. They still don't feel safe sleeping under a roof." There was no sign of fear in the playroom inside. I played dolls and other games. Children I'd just met presented me with pictures they'd drawn and letters written in Creole. In the evening the children gathered in the dining room. They took turns reading aloud and then they all joined in song. The words were strange, but the tune sounded familiar. They'd lost so much, yet were so joyful. In the evening the children gathered in the dining room. One of the older children stood up to speak and then they all joined in song. The words were strange, but the tune sounded familiar. The children settled down. In the silence, a quiet noise began. What can we conclude from the passage? The writer overcame her loss by helping others. In today's class, I will teach you how to send birthday e-cards to friends anywhere in the world without leaving our classroom.I'll show it to you on 123 Greetings, which is one of the most popular free-card websites. Step 1 Connect your computer to the Internet and go to 123 Greetings.Click "Happy Birthday".You will see hundreds of e-cards.Choose the card you'd like to send. Step 2 Design your e-card.After clicking the card you want, you'll see the "Design" menu.In it you can find many things you can change to suit your taste, such as the colors and music. Step 3 Add your message in the message box.The message box provides space for you to type a message.Think of something special and type the message into the box. Step 4 Enter your e-mail address.Then enter the e-mail address of the recipient.Choose whether you want to be notified when your birthday e-card has been read.You can also choose whether to send the card immediately or at a later time. If you want to change the music of your e-card, you need to _ . go to the "Design" menu They wear the latest fashions with the most up-to-date accessories . Yet these are not girls in their teens or twenties but women in their sixties and seventies. A generation which would once only wear old-fashioned clothes is now favoring the same high street looks worn by those half their age. Professor Julia Twigg, a social policy expert, said, "Women over 75 are now shopping for clothes more frequently than they did when they were young in the 1960s. In the 1960s buying a coat for a woman was a serious matter. It was an expensive item that they would purchase only every three or four years -- now you can pick one up at the supermarket whenever you wish to. Fashion is a lot cheaper and people get tired of things more quickly." Professor Twigg analyzed family expending data and found that while the percentage of spending on clothes and shoes by women had stayed around the same -- about 5 or 6 percent of spending -- the amount of clothes bought had risen sharply. The professor said, "Clothes are now 70 percent cheaper than they were in the 1960s because of the huge expansion of production in the Far East. In the 1960s Leeds was the heart of the British fashion industry and that was where most of the clothes came from, but now almost all of our clothes are sourced elsewhere. Everyone is buying more clothes but in general we are not spending more money on them." Fashion designer Angela Barnard, who runs her own fashion business in London, said older women were much more affected by celebrity style than in previous years. She said, "When people see stars such as Judi Dench and Helen Mirren looking attractive and fashionable in their sixties, they want to follow them. Older women are much more aware of celebrities. There's also the boom in TV programmes showing people how they can change their look, and many of my older customers do yoga to stay in shape well in their fifties. When I started my business a few years ago, my older customers tended to be very rich, but now they are what I would call ordinary women. My own mother is 61 and she wears the latest fashions in a way she would never have done ten years ago. " What can we learn about old women in terms of fashion? They are now more easily influenced by stars. Long bus rides are like television shows. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end with commercials thrown in every three or four minutes. The commercials are unavoidable. They happen whether you want them or not. Every couple of minutes a billboard glides by outside the bus window. "Buy Super Clean Toothpaste." "Drink Good Wet Root Beer." "Fill up with Pacific Gas. "Only when you have fallen asleep, which is equal to turning the television set off, can you get separated from the unending cry of "You Need It! Buy It Now!" As for the ride itself, the beginning of it is comfortable and somewhat exciting, even if you've traveled that way before. Usually some things are keeping changing out of the windows -- various houses, crop fields, attractive bridges, ... and sometimes even a small accident. Your bus driver may have a unique style of driving and it's fun trying experience it the first hour or so. If the driver is particularly reckless or daring, the ride can be as thrilling as an adventurous story. Will the driver pass the truck in time? Will the driver move into the right or the left hand lane? After a while, of course, the excitement dies down. Sleeping for a while helps pass the middle hours of the ride. Food always makes bus rides more interesting. But you've got to be careful of what kind of food you eat. Too much salty food can make you very thirsty between stops. The end of the ride is somewhat like the beginning. You know the riding will soon be over and there's a kind of expectation and excitement with that. The seat, of course, has become harder for the hours having passed. By now you may sit with your legs crossed, or with your hands in your lap, or with your hands on the arms, or even with your hands crossed behind your head. That is to say that the end comes just at no more ways to sit. What is the purpose of this passage? To give the writer's opinion about long bus trips.
Lots of folks don't think about what they eat over the holiday season until January, when they stare sadly at the number on the scale and then hurry off to hit the gym, join Weight Watchers or pick up the latest diet book. It doesn't have to be that way. Health experts say you can still enjoy the holidays. "It's OK to indulge , but it doesn't mean you have to gain weight," said Karen Ansel, a New York-based registered dietitian and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). Jessica Crandall, a registered dietitian from Denver who's also an ADA spokeswoman, added that gaining weight during the holidays and then working hard to lose it again is not good for a person's body. For starters, people interested in maintaining their weight during the holidays should keep eating on a regular schedule, the two dietitians said. Research has shown that people who skip meals -- particularly breakfast -- end up eating more throughout the day. "Try and stick to consistent meal times so you can avoid being overly hungry," Crandall said. "When you're overly hungry, you can make some bad decisions regarding what you eat. Don't starve yourself during the day waiting for that party at night -- because you'll eat too much or overeat." Ansel suggests that you think now about the foods you really enjoy and plan to focus on those while eating less of more common fare. Be careful, too, about alcohol intake, for a couple of reasons. Alcoholic drinks, particularly the fancy ones handed out at holiday time, tend to come loaded with calories. "It's usually what you're adding to a drink that contains the calories," Crandall said. Also, if you're drunk, you might forget to watch what you're eating. "It totally lowers your inhibitions ," Ansel said. Other holiday eating tips, suggested by Crandall and Ansel, include: Eat lots of vegetables, and eat them first before moving on to the other items on your plate. Recognize that many holiday extras, like cheese or cranberry sauce, come loaded with calories. "If those aren't your favorite foods, don't put them on your plate," Crandall said. If your favorite food has a lot of calories, be sure to minimize your portion. "Two bites cure the craving," Crandall said. "After that, you're just really feeding your old habits. After a big holiday meal, don't sink into a chair or couch. Go for a walk outdoors or participate in some other activities that help burn off some of the calories you've just eaten. Which of the following is the proper way to keep slim according to the passage? A Eating more vegetables than rice and other food. B Eating more cheese or cranberry sauce. C Never eat food with a lot of calories. D Sitting less and walking more after meals. Answer: D A Trap Mr. Smith left his car outside his apartment one night as usual, but when he came down the next morning to go to his office, he discovered that the car wasn't there. He called the police and told them what had happened, and they said that they would try to find the car. When Mr. Smith came home from his office that evening, the car was back again in its usual place in front of his house. He examined it carefully to see whether it had been damaged, and found two theater tickets on one of the seats and a letter which said, "We're very sorry. We took your car because of an emergency." Mr. and Mrs. Smith went to the theater with the two tickets the next night and enjoyed themselves very much. When they got home, they found that thieves had taken almost everything they had had in their apartment. What happened when he came home from his office that evening? A The police was waiting for him. B His car was back. C His car was damaged. D His car was stolen. Answer: B This parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule . The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule praying for whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together , told them what had happened, and asked them to help pour dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out his misery. At the beginning, the old mule was crazy! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shovelling and the dirt hit his back, _ . It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, he would shake it off and step up! This he did, blow after blow. "Shake it off and step up... shake it off and step up... shake it off and step up!" He repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him actually helped him... all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity . That's life! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity. The adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the very real potential to benefit us! Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that amateurs built the boat. Professionals built the Titanic. Who saved the mule at last? A The farmer B The farmer's neighbors C The farmer and his neighbors D The mule himself Answer: D Two new whale sharks arrived at the world's largest aquarium on Friday. Both whale sharks, the world's largest fish, arrived at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta after 6 a.m. The pair had been flown 8,000 miles from Taipei, Taiwan. They will join the aquarium's three whale sharks--the only ones on display outside of Asia. " We re the only people in the world that can claim three times, " aquarium director Jeff Swanagan said, " Each time we learn more and more." The two young males were given Asian names. One is Taroko, named after Taroko Gorge, a national park in Taiwan. The other is Yushan, which means "Jade Mountain", and is named after a mountain in Taiwan. The sharks were flown from Taiwan on a plane in 20-foot-long tanks with oxygen machines and other equipment to keep the water suitable for them. They arrived at about 3:30 a.m. in Atlanta, where their tanks were moved to two trucks and driven to the aquarium surrounded by some of Atlanta police cars with their blue lights flashing. They were lowered into their new home--as Norton and two females, Alice and Trixie, circled nearby, seemingly curious about the new arrivals. It is difficult to tell the age of the whale sharks, but at least one of the new arrivals is believed to be the smallest the aquarium has got. They are believed to be the aquarium's youngest whale sharks yet. The passage makes us believe that _ . A the author helped ship the sharks B the author loves sharks too much C the two new sharks are younger than the former ones D Sharks are widely seen across the world Answer: C Mr. Brown was on his way home from the railway station. It was very late, and he was alone on the dark road. Suddenly he heard someone behind him. He began to walk faster. The man behind him walked faster, too. He walked more slowly, and the man moved more slowly, too. He began to run, and the man was following him and he was really scared. There was a wall on one side of the road, and he quickly climbed up on it and jumped down on the other side. "If he passes and doesn't stop," Mr. Brown thought, "everything will be all right." But the man didn't pass. He climbed up on the wall and jumped down, too. Mr. Brown's only thought was, "I'm in great danger!" He stood up and shouted, "What do you want? Why are you following me?" The man was so tired that at first it was difficult for him to speak. "I didn't know that you were a very good runner," he said at last, "I have to go to Mr. White's house, but I don't know the way. A man at the station told me that you lived next to Mr. White's and he told me to follow you. I'm too tired to go any farther." The man followed Mr. Brown because _ . A he wanted to scare Mr. Brown B he wanted to get some money from Mr. Brown C Mr. Brown lived next to Mr. White D Mr. Brown was one of his good friends Answer: C
Question: IT'S over - millions of Senior 3 students across the country have finished their last exams. But in two years, it'll be your turn in the examination room. How can you spend the time you have left to best effect? Read these thoughts from new graduates to get some pointers. Cao A'min, 18 Xuanhua No 1 High School, Hebei Study: Keeping pace with teachers is a good way to study. Teachers are experienced and their plans are systematic . But remember to work in a way that suits you. It's also important to learn from past mistakes. Keep a notebook to make a record of the mistakes you make - it'll help you avoid making the same ones later. Zhang Zilu, 17 Xinyu No 1 High School, Jiangxi Friendship: This time of life may be hard, but you're not alone. You may be busy studying, but you can show you care by calling your friends or sending a short message. Don't let your friendships die. Some boys and girls in my class were in love, but I'd advise against a relationship at this stage. Zhan Yu, 17 Huanggang High School, Hubei Health: It's as important to live well as it is to study well, I think. I went to bed no later than 11:30 pm. It put me in the right mood for the next day. I didn't follow a special diet , but I did make sure I ate a nutritious breakfast each day. Ju Shuntian, 18 Yantai Economic and Technological Development Zone Senior High School, Shandong Relaxation: The person who plays well, studies well. Having a lot of schoolwork doesn't mean having to give up on every other activity. I played basketball or took a walk to relax when I felt tired. Time out is not a waste of time but helps you study more efficiently . Zhang Qingzhou, 17 Dongtai High School, Jiangsu Options: Besides taking the big exam, you have other choices for college. I took the independent enrollment exam held by Peking University and some other students even prepared to study abroad. Pay attention to any relevant information you can find, whether it's from school, the news media or another source . This passage shows students some aspects of proper arrangement except _ . A. Study B. Friendship C. Health D. Sports Answer: D. Sports Question: Is your TV connected to the Internet? What about your chair or your fridge? It is possible that they are not. But in the future, most things in your home may be connected, as the so-called "Internet of things" is developing. The Internet of things may be coming sooner than you think. It is reported that during his speech earlier this year, Samsung CEO BK Yoon spent a lot of time talking about the Internet of things. He said that five years from now,every Samsung product will be part of the Internet of things, whether it's a washing machine or a vacuum cleaner . So, how do household objects that are part of Internet of things work? Well, think of a usual chair. When connected to the Internet, the chair warms up when it knows that the user has just walked into the room and is feeling cold. An Internet-connected camera, like a smart-home camera, could help people feel safer in their homes. It can recognize people's faces, and even can see when someone passes by in the dark. Then it can send you a message on your smartphone to let you know who's there. If the person is someone you don't know, it can tell you that, too. But according to MIT Technology Review, whether companies are connecting dog food bowls or security systems to the Internet, there may be problems. For example,many early connected-home devices don't have much built-in security, which means they could be hacked ,In addition, it could be difficult to get these devices to work together because they are made by different companies. To fight this, many companies have joined the Open Interconnect Consortium, which had 45 members by late 2014. So, picture this: you walk in through the front door of your home. The temperature changes to make you feel comfortable after a long day at school. Your favorite music starts playing for you. Do you think that this would be a good thing? It may happen sooner than you think. The Samsung CEO's speech is mentioned to prove that _ . A. the Internet of things will appear in our daily life sooner B. Samsung has produced the Internet of things recently C. Samsung products have been part of the Internet of things D. he spent a lot of time talking about the Internet of things Answer: A. the Internet of things will appear in our daily life sooner Question: Do you like Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf ? It's an interesting cartoon movie. Do you want to know what they do in their village every day? I'm Nuan Yangyang. On school days, I always go to school at 8:00 in the morning. Then I go home at four fifteen in the afternoon. Then I do my homework at 5:00 in the afternoon. I have no homework on weekends. I'm Fei Yangyang. I want to be healthy, so I always get up at six o'clock in the morning. And I run to a sports club to play sports at 8:15 in the morning. Then I play games with my friends and get home at three o'clock in the afternoon. I'm Lan Yangyang. I love eating and sleeping. And I don't like doing sports. I have meals at home but I never wash the dishes . I'm Mei Yangyang. I am a pretty girl. I like going to clothes stores. The clothes there are nice, so I often buy nice skirts there. I go to a singing club on weekends. I'm Xi Yangyang. I like helping others. So I usually take the bus to the English club at ten thirteen in the morning. There I help two kids learn to speak English. Fei Yangyang may be _ at 3:12 pm. A. at school B. at home C. on the bus D. in a sports club Answer: B. at home Question: Which of these is a property of water that allows it to transport materials through the Earth system? A. It expands as it solidifies. B. It is transparent. C. It dissolves many substances. D. It is a compound. Answer: C. It dissolves many substances. Question: Mabel's aunt wanted to give her the best birthday present ever. So the day after Mabel's birthday, her aunt brought her to the pet store! Mabel had been asking her aunt for a pet for a very long time. Many of her friends had pets, and she wanted one too. Her friend Faith had a hamster named Peaches. Bobby had a rat named Hugo! Melissa had two snakes and a lizard! Heather had a fish bowl with three fish. Mabel couldn't wait to get her pet and tell her friends all about it. At the pet store, Mabel and her aunt looked at all the animals they had. They saw puppies, kittens, fish, turtles, frogs, and bunnies. Mabel saw a cute black puppy that she thought she might like. There was also a white kitten with blue eyes. But then Mabel saw a gray bunny who was fluffy and soft, and she knew that she wanted the bunny as her pet. Her aunt helped her buy the bunny. They also got everything they needed for the bunny. They got a cage, a water bowl, and bunny food. Mabel named her new bunny Fluffy. Mabel thanked her aunt, and she had the best birthday ever! Why did Mabel name her bunny Fluffy? A. Because the bunny had blue eyes. B. Because the bunny was cute. C. Because the bunny was fluffy and soft. D. Because the bunny was gray. Answer: C. Because the bunny was fluffy and soft.
Question: They are the sort of friends who are so close they trust each other with their lives. If one falls, the other is there to catch him. They are Wellman, whose legs were permanently injured nine years ago in a rock-climbing accident, and Corbett, an experienced rock climber. Together, they climbed up Half Dome, the famous 2,000-foot rock in the Yosemite National Park, through one of the most difficult routes . During the climb, Corbett took the lead, hit in the metal spikes that guided the ropes and climbed up. Then, after Wellman pulled himself up the rope, Corbett went down to remove the spikes and climbed up again. This process was repeated time and again, inch by inch, for 13 days. Wellman's job was not easy either. He got himself up the rope through upper body strength alone. In all, Wellman figured that he had done 5,000 pull-ups up the rope on the climb. However, when the two men first met, they never talked about climbing. "He knew that was how I got injured." Wellman said. Until one day Wellman decided that he wanted to climb again and they started training. Their climb of Half Dome was not all smooth. At one point, pieces of rock gave way, and Corbett dropped down quickly. Wellman locked their rope in place, stopping the fall at 20 feet. His quick action probably saved his friend's life. "Your partner can save your life -- you can save your partner's life," Wellman said as the pair received congratulations from friends. "There are real close ties." Which of the following was a challenge for Corbett in climbing Half Dome? A. To climb up to remove the spikes. B. To climb it again after falling down C. To do 5,000 pull-ups up the rope. D. To lock the rope in place. Answer: B. To climb it again after falling down Question: One day while driving from my home to work. I noticed a car in front of me had a wobbly wheel. It was clear that the wheel had been changed recently and had not been fixed correctly. On a slow road this would not show much of a problem but I knew a highway was coming soon. There the traffic would move much faster and the driver would be in danger as the wheel could come off at that speed. I was driving a large jeep at the time and the car in front was a small one driven by a young lady on her own. So as I tried to flash my lights and wave her to pull over, I was worried that she wouldn' t pull over on the road side when she found in her mirror a single man chasing her down in a jeep and waving for her to pull over. Thankfully. she trusted more in the good nature of people and pulled over where I could explain the problem. She said the wheel was changed only the night before and that she would pull into the nearest garage where the repairman had tools to fix the wheel correctly. My belief is that the act of kindness was hers and not mine. How so? Well, it was she who chose to believe in the possibility that people are good over the belief that bad things would come from being waved over to the side of the road by strangers. I am glad I was able to wave her down in time and so a serious accident might have been avoided. But I am even happier that she believed in a stranger. The writer worried about the lady because _ . A. she was driving a second-hand car B. a traffic accident might happen to her C. a single man was chasing her down D. she drove faster than any other car Answer: B. a traffic accident might happen to her Question: When light is bounced off a mirror, the light is A. reflected. B. refracted. C. absorbed. D. diffracted. Answer: A. reflected. Question: On July 16th 1995, a new bookstore opened in the American city of Seattle. No one steps inside to buy anything. Yet, the store, if you could call it that, had sales last year of 7000 million dollars. Ten years ago, few people bought things over the Internet. Few thought it was safe. Amazon.com changed many people's minds. Ten years later, an estimated seven out of ten American adults have used a computer to buy something. Market researchers at ComScore Networks estimate online spending last year at 117,000 million dollars. That was for goods and travel services. The person who started Amazon, Jeff Bezos remains its leader. In the 1990s, he urged employees to help Amazon get big fast. Yet, Amazon invested in many similar businesses that failed. Amazon lost plenty of money. It did not make a profit until 2003. Its most recent profit and earnings report released last week was better than many market watchers had expected. Today people can buy not just books and music but also many other products through Amazon. It competes with eBay, which celebrates its 10th birthday in September. eBay calls itself "the world's online marketplace". It does not sell anything. Instead, it provides a way for others to sell goods and services. People who want to buy something make competing offers through online auctions. eBay has grown to include several other businesses. These include Paypal, a company that processes online payments. As online sellers grew, traditional stores saw the future. Today, stores from the smallest to the biggest sell on the Internet. These include the biggest of all, Wal-Mart. The passage is most likely to be _ . A. an economics report B. an entertainment report C. a political report D. a cultural report Answer: A. an economics report Question: Don't go to Kauai. Go to any of the other Hawaiian Islands--Maui, Lanai, the Big Island-- but leave Kauai for us. The weather on Kauai is so unpredictable that sometimes it rains all day--in fact, it's the second-wettest spot on the earth. Yes, there are giant double rainbows all the time, and the sunlight through the clouds is magical. But if you are not interested in these, go somewhere else. You just can't control the nature on Kauai, and who wants to surrender to the nature when you could be at a fine hotel, lying in a comfortable chair next to a swimming pool, with food served upon request? So what if Kauai produces surf champions the wayprefix = st1 /Texasproduces cowboys? Most of its 300 white-sand beaches are unmarked. Unless you connect with the local people, the hidden spots are hard to find. While Hanalei is the most beautiful town you've ever dreamed of, you can forget about discos and clubs. Worse, it doesn't have one single four-star restaurant. What it does have is the original drive-through places where you pass by a rambutan tree, and pick a piece of fruit. Shopping in Kauai? Forget it--unless you are interested in shell necklaces and beautifully carved wood bowls. Kauai is not about pampering. It's about going natural and finding the nature within you. It's a do-it-yourself place that offers walking along the coast, diving and swimming in the Pacific Ocean, and lying on the beach. Don't go to Kauai unless you have a lot of time, because there's only one road, which can be slightly dull. It winds through the beautiful scenery of waterfalls, rivers flowing into the ocean, and taro fields. You have no choice but to look at everything, because the speed limit is 35 m.p.h. If you're not interested in color1, don't bother with Kauai, because that's what you get--red roads, blue oceans, and a hundred different shades of green. It's like diving on land. Many people on Kauai believe that this is Lemuria--a lost island in the Atlantic. Can you imagine? Those Hawaiians, surfers, New Agers, and people who love nature and beauty and want a different quality of life--what do they know, anyway? Forget about it--you're not going to like it. Go somewhere else. Leave Kauai for us. In the writer's real opinion, Kauai _ . A. is not worth visiting at all B. is well worth visiting C. is not a beautiful island D. is a dangerous island Answer: B. is well worth visiting
When I was younger it seemed that the super hero was Batman or Spiderman. As I grew up, I looked to real people with some of these qualities to be my super hero including being strong, honest, friendly, brave, skilled, hardworking, and reliable. The person I think of when I hear these words is my dad. My dad is one of the toughest people I have ever met. He has been through it all. When I was five, 60 percent of his body was burned. In 1999 he fell from a tree, breaking his arm and _ his ankle. In 2004, he had a liver transplant after being on the list for six years after a bad blood transfusion that gave him Hepatitis C. Now, my dad is 45 years old and feels better than he has in 15 years. My dad is one of the most reliable people I know. Anything I ask of him, he does. Whenever he tells me he is going to do something, it is always done before I get home from work. Whenever I need my dad, he is there. When I was ten and he told me my grandmother was going to die, I felt really down. He was the one there trying to cheer me up. My dad has worked hard for everything he has. At home, he is always busy doing projects and has painted every room in our house. After our shop was built, he constructed an office you would think a professional built. When I do something stupid, he helps me fix it. Of course, he does his complaining, but I know he likes fixing things just as much as I like tearing them up. My dad has been one of the greatest parts of my life. I have learned a lot from watching him and I don't believe I will ever meet anyone like him. I hope when I grow up, I can possess the same qualities as my dad, and have someone look up to me as a good role model. This is why my dad is my hero. Which of the following can best serve as the title of this passage? A My Father--My Hero B My Father and I C A Man Who Survived D A Good Model to Respect Answer: A What typically occurs between a sixth and a half of a minute? A a volcano B a television series C an hour D an earthquake Answer: D You have been working hard to learn English. Do you know American kids are trying to learn Chinese? More than 60,000 American students now study Chinese. "Because of China's fast development, Chinese has become more useful, and more and more Americans begin to learn it, " said Scott McGinnis, a Washington language expert . For example, in 1999, only three schools in Chicago had Chinese lessons. This year more than 30 schools there have Chinese during school days. Last year China gave them 3,000 textbooks because they had done a good job. Although Chinese is becoming more and more popular, it is one of the most difficult languages to learn. Usually, an English speaker takes about 1,320 hours to become good at Chinese. He needs only 480 hours for French, Spanish or Italian. Last year China gave _ textbooks to those schools in Chicago. A thirty B three hundred C three thousand D thirty thousand Answer: C A company has just launched what it calls "the world's first free standardized English test" recently. Anyone can take the test for free. The new exam is called the EFSET, which is short for Education First Standardized English Test. The company, Education First, is known by the letters EF. It is estimated that there are two billion English language learners worldwide. Many of them are interested in attending an American college or university. To do so, foreign students need to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language -- better known as TOEFL. However, many foreigners are not wealthy enough to take the TOEFL. In addition, test-takers often have to travel overnight to reach an official testing site. The World Bank says an average Cambodian worker earns only about $1,000 per year. Approximately the cost of taking the TOEFL is 17.5 percent of the average worker's yearly wage. It is not just individuals who find the test pricey. Some governments also find it prohibitive. What's more, not everyone needs official results from the TOEFL or IELTS -- the International English Language Testing System. In the future, it's likely that the government may use the EFSET to test millions of employees and students. Experts believe that the EFSET meets the highest value in language testing. It uses special computer software that makes the questions easier or harder, depending on one's performance. The EFSET measures all the English learners' levels while the IELTS and TOEFL only measure learners' levels from moderate to advanced. The EFSET is unique in the sense that it gives free online access to anyone interested in measuring their English level. There is a 50-minute and a two-hour version of the test, which its developers are calling the EFSET Plus. Both versions test only reading and listening skills. It's hopeful that speaking and writing skills will be tested in the future. The IELTS and the TOEFL still use humans to rate the speaking and writing sections. It's a huge deal for students who are in areas where they can't get to the TOEFL or the IELTS. However, it is too early to know whether the EFSET results are acceptable for colleges and universities in America. What can we learn about the EFSET? A It is similar to the TOEFL and the IELTS. B Everybody with different English levels can take it for free. C It tests the skills of reading, listening, writing and speaking. D American universities accept the EFSET results for admission. Answer: B Meat and vegetables are measured in grams and kilograms. Milk and other liquid foods are measured in liters or milliliters. These units only measure quantity: they do not measure the value of the food to the body. The unit which measures the quality or value of food is the calorie the amount of heat given off by food when it brurns. This measurement tells how much energy a certain food has when it is completely used by the body. Our bodies use varying amount of calories. The more exercise we take, the more calories we burn. If we eat food which contains more calories than we use up, then it is possible that we would increase in weight. In order to avoid becoming overweight, it is advisable to eat a balanced diet and not eat too many foods that have a high calorie rating. The table below gives you some idea of the number of calories in food. Which is the best title of passage? A How to Measure the Quality of Food B Calories in Foods C The Units of Measurement D How to Keep Fit Answer: A
Fun is, in fact, a word heard far more frequently in families today than in the past, when "duty'' and "responsibility" were often the words used. Parents today are more youthful in appearance and attitudes. Their clothes and hair-styles are more casual, helping to bridge the divide. Those who are athletically inclined also enjoy Rollerblading, snowboarding, and rock-climbing with their children. For the past three years, Kathy and Phil Dalby have spent at least one evening a week at a climbing gym with their three children. "It's great to be able to work together," Mrs Dalby says. "We discuss various climbs and where the hard parts are. Sometimes that leads to other Conversations. We're definitely closer." A popular movement of parent effectiveness training in the 1970s has helped to reshape generational roles. The philosophy encourages children to describe their feelings about various situations. As a result, says Robert Billingham, a family-studies professor at Indiana University, "Parents and children began talking to each other in ways they had not before." On the plus side, he adds, these conversations made parents realize that children may have important thoughts or feelings that adults need to be aware of. But Professor Billingham also sees a downside: Many parents started making decisions based on what their child wanted. "The power shifted to children. Parents said, 'I have to focus on making my child happy', as opposed to 'I have to act as a parent most appropriately'." Other changes are occurring as the ranks of working mothers grow. Time-short parents encourage children's independence, making them more responsible for themselves. "They'll say, 'We trust you to make the right decisions' (whether they're ready to assume the responsibility or not) ,"says Billingham. The self-esteem movement of the past quarter-century has also affected the family dynamics . Some parents worry that if they tell their child no, it will hurt the child's self-esteem. What's Billingham's attitude towards parents who make children more responsible for themselves? A He supports them. B He admires them. C He disagrees with them. D He thinks they're unreasonable. Answer: C Yesterday I started the Year of Giving, my first day of a year-long journey into exploring the act of giving and the meaning of charity. I chose December 15 as the starting date, which marked three years since my mother died from heart disease. She was one of the most generous people that I have ever known. She always thought of others first and certainly serves as an inspiration to me. I had a rather busy day yesterday, ironic for someone who is unemployed right now. In the morning I went to the gym, and unsuccessfully got the phone call from the unemployment office for some job searching. Before I knew it, it was noon. I grabbed a quick lunch and rushed down to a meeting. On my way to Connecticut, I wondered if I would see someone that I would feel forced to give my first $10 to. I was running late and decided to do it afterwards. After the meeting I had about half an hour to find the first person of my Year of Giving! I decided to check out Dupont Circle. I had met a guy there named Jerry once and thought he would willingly accept my first $10. He wasn't there, but I did see a man sitting by himself who looked really lonely, so I approached him. Now I had to figure out what I was going to say. I think I said something like, "Hi, can I sit down here?" "I would like to know if I could give you $10?" He asked me to repeat what I had said. I did, then he looked at me funny, got up and left. I then started walking south where I spotted a man standing by the bus stop on Connecticut Ave. He appeared to be in his 60s. I don't know what drew me to him, but I thought I would make my second attempt. I was a bit nervous and asked him which bus came by that stop. Then I explained that I was starting a year-long project to give $10 to someone every day and that I wanted to give my $10 for today to him. The gentleman, I later found out that his name was Ed, responded without hesitation that he could not accept my offer and that there were many people more deserving the money than him. This was exactly one of the things that I hoped would happen. People would think of others before themselves! The author set the starting date on December 15 to _ . A help the charity B remember his mother C make an exploration D fulfill a wish of his mum Answer: B Wang Weiguo, an award-winning actor of the National Theatre Company of China, was wandering through Bejing's Panjiayuan Flea Market when he found a treasure, 20 exquisite picture frames . He bought them all. Inside the frames was a woman's life story. There were pictures of her as a baby and a growing child and pictures with her parents. Wang Weiguo was sure someone had lost them. He contacted the police and media. He showed them to friends and to people living outside China. No one recognized the people in the photographs. That was 1999. Wang never gave up the search. In 2010 he told the story to a TV host, Zhang Zequn, who suggested he contact China Radio International. Within three months of the story's being posted on CRI, someone recognized Julie Ege in one of the photographs. The wonderful Norwegian actress and model was the mother of the child whose growing years the photos traced. The child was Joanna Syson. She moved to Beijing in the 1990s to study Chinese. In 1999 she returned to Norway for six months, entrusting all her belongings, including the photographs, to a friend. When she returned, the friend was gone. So were her belongings. She was heartbroken. More than a decade passed. Then, thanks to the story posted on CRI and to a visitor to the website, the trail finally led to Joanna Syson. She traveled to Bejing to meet Wang Weiguo, who had searched for her for 12 years, and to recover her treasured photographs. What can we infer about Wang Weiguo? A He took great trouble in finding the owner. B He got himself into big trouble in finding the owner. C His friends were all willing to help him find the owner. D He has a friend working for China Radio International. Answer: A We are now able to offer those adults who live, work or study in the Bristol City Council area cycle lessons for free up to 3 hours long. Beginner? Can't you ride a bike? You're not alone. We can help you get on a bike and go cycling. Beginners are called Level 1. Need a refresher? If you need a refresher or you haven't been on a bike for a while and want to start cycling or perhaps you're confident on traffic-free routes but you want to start cycling on the road, our instructors can teach you the skills you need to cycle safely and confidently on the road. This is Level 2. Experienced Cyclist? If you are an experienced cyclist, our professional urban coaches can give you smart tips for negotiating complex junctions more easily and improving your rush-hour strategies. This is Level 3. What you should bring: You will need a roadworthy bike for your lesson. If you don't own a bike you can hire one for the duration of your lesson but you can only hire one from the instructors at our Bedminster and St George venues. The cost of the bike for hire is PS5. UK law does not require you to wear a helmet, but if you do wear one it should fit correctly. Costs : Bristol: Thanks to Bristol City Council, sessions are currently free for Bristol residents over age 16 and you can have up to 3 lessons, depending on your ability. To secure your booking, all we require is a PS5 refundable deposit. B&NES: Thanks to Bath Cycling Campaign, sessions are currently PS5 for anyone over 12. If you are a B&NES resident, please book using the link on the "Outside Bristol" page.[:Z,xx,k.Com] Anywhere else: Life Cycle have a presence in Salisbury and Gloucester. For Salisbury residents, please book online and for Goucester residents you can book by emailing us (lifecycleuk. org.uk ). For all areas outside Bristol our charge is PS 30 for a 1-hour session. What would be the best title for the text? A Cycle training lessons for adults B The coming events in the Bristol City C Popular places of interest in England D Activities suitable to different people Answer: A At present time, roller skating is easy and fun. But many years ago, it wasn't easy at all. Before 1750, people never tried skating on wheels. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin's work was making instruments . In his free time he liked to play the violin. Merlin was a man with many ideas and many dreams. People called him a dreamer. One day Merlin received an invitation to go to an important party. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think. He wanted to find a way to make a wonderful entrance at the party. Merlin had an idea. He thought that he would attract a lot of attention if he could skate into the room. Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll . Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skate shoes. Merlin was very proud of them. He dreamed of arriving at the party and skating into the room while playing the violin. He was sure that everyone would be very surprised. On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room, playing his violin. Everyone was really surprised to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skating. He rolled on, playing the violin. Then, with all eyes on him, Merlin hit into a huge mirror on the wall. The mirror broke into many pieces with a very loud noise. Nobody forgot Merlin's wonderful entrance after that. What's the best title for the passage? A Joseph Merlin's Story B How Roller Skating Was Invented C A Surprising Entrance to the Party D Violin and roller skating Answer: B
It was a dark and cold night. The car driver didn't have even one passenger all day. When he went by the railway station, he saw a young man coming out with two bags in his hands. So he quickly opened the door of the car and asked, "Where do you want to go, sir?" "To the Star Hotel," the young man answered. When the car driver heard that, he didn't feel happy. The young man would give him only three dollars because the hotel was not far from the railway station. But suddenly, he had an idea. He took the passenger through many streets of the big city. After a long time, the car finally arrived at the hotel. "You should pay me fifteen dollars," the car driver said to the young man. "What! Fifteen dollars? Do you think I'm a fool? Only last week I took a car from the railway station to this same hotel and I only gave the driver thirteen dollars. I know how much I have to pay for the trip. I won't pay you one dollar more than I paid to the other car driver last week." The driver felt very _ when he saw the young man coming out of the railway station. happy There are about 7,000,000 people in London. London is one of the big cities in the world. London is famous for many things. People from all over the world come to see the famous buildings. There is a famous clock called Big Ben, too. Like many big cities, the _ is very busy in London. When the work hours begin, over 1,000,000 people use the London underground , but there are still too many buses and cars on the streets. The air isn't clean. For me, the best things about London are the parks. There are five in the middle of the city. But my children's favorite is playing in Hamleys, the biggest toy shop in the world. ,,. What is Big Ben in London? A famous clock. East Hampton Fine Arts Festival Date: July 4-6, 2010 Time: 10:00 am-6:00 pm East Hampton Fine Arts Festival features (...)America's top artists and is one of the highest quality juried show on Long Island. Learn about their inspiration and skills. The Festival offers a full range of arts, including painting, photography, glass, and more. $9.00 Adults / $7.00 Seniors / $4.00 Students / Free for museum members and children under six Where: Montauk Highway (Rt.27), Amagansett, NY 631-421-1590 Winzy Instant Winner Sweepstakes Winzy is a search engine where you can win free prizes -- every search on Winzy is a chance to win immediately! Just use Winzy to search the Web and you will be reminded if you have won an instant prize. Prize: Prizes vary each month -- For example, current prizes include: Apple iPod Nano, Apple iPod Shuffle, $25 Gift Certificate for Amazon.com, $10 Gift Certificate for Amazon.com Female Babysitter Wanted Location: Johannesburg Female babysitter wanted for one child aged 11 years for the following position: Mon-Fri: Fetch child from school (Benmore, Sandton) at 3:30 pm, drop off at my work or drop off at home (Florida Hills) and wait for me to come home at about 5 pm; Babysit for 3-6 hours every alternative week / weekend (Florida Hills)--must be flexible. Must have a driver's license. Coastlife Adventures Learn to surf on soft surfboards on the NSW South Coast. Surf lessons from beginners to advanced with qualified surf instructors and lifesavers. A variety of surf packages are available to suit everyone. Coastlife is famous for its new instructional method and high quality equipment. Surf classes operate daily on beaches between Tathra, Pambula and Merimbula. The beaches we teach on are rated as the safest in the area by Surf Lifesaving Australia. Tel: 02-6494-1122 The person who wants to work as the babysitter described in the third ad must _ . be a qualified driver In the United States,boys and girls start school when they are five years old.In some states they must stay in school until they are sixteen.Most students are seventeen or eighteen years old when they graduate from secondary school.another name for high school.Most children go to public elementary and secondary schools .The parents of public pupils do not have to pay for their children's education because taxes support the public schools.If a child goes to a private school ,his parents have to pay for the child's education.Today about half of the high school students go on to colleges and universities .Some colleges and universities receive money support from the government .A student at a state university does not have to pay very much if his parents live in that state.Private schools are expensive,however.Almost half of the college students in the USA work while studying.If a student's family is not rich,he has to make money for part of his college expenses . In American children _ at the age of five. start school It's good to get along with your teacher because it makes the time you spend in the classroom more pleasant. It's also good to get along with your teacher because, in general, it's smart to learn how to relate to the different types of people you'll meet throughout your life. But really, there's one super-important reason why you should get along with your teacher. When you do, "learning bursts right open," says Evelyn Vuko, a longtime teacher who writes an education column called "Teacher Says" for the Washington Post newspaper. In fact, kids who get along with their teachers not only learn more, but they're also more comfortable asking questions and getting extra help. This makes it easier to understand new material and do the best on tests. When you have this kind of relationship with a teacher, he or she can be someone to turn to when you have problems, such as problems with learning, school issues, or bullying. As a kid in elementary or middle school, you're at a wonderful stage in your life. You're like a sponge , able to take in lots of new and exciting information. On top of that, you're able to think about all this information in new ways. Remember teachers are people too, and they feel great if you're open to what they're teaching you. That's why they wanted to be teachers in the first place--to teach! In every school, kids will say certain teachers are tough. In fact, in most cases, your teacher wants to help you. And a teacher who's called tough may be someone who feels strongly about getting his or her job done -- teaching you what you are supposed to learn. If a teacher is tough, he/she is probably _ . serious but honest
Tibet is in the southwest of China. It is the home to many natural wonders, such as valleys, mountains, lakes and even deserts. Tibet is very large, so it is perfect for traveling, especially the bike tour . You can start the wonderful bike tour in Tibet's capital, Lhasa. It is 3600 metres above the sea level. It's very high, isn't it? So it is important to spend a few days there to get used to the thin air there, or you may feel sick and get hurt. The bike tour will pass rivers, large open grassland and high mountains, including the world's famous Mount Everest . After finishing the bike tour, people will feel quite successful. They will also have hundreds of photos of the wonderful places. Tibet is the home to _ . A. valleys B. mountains C. deserts D. many natural wonders Answer: D. many natural wonders If you have failed in the past to try to make big changes in life, try again now, one tiny step at a time. Every year it's the same. As December comes to an end, you think about the new year and all the ways you want to improve your life. But as you start to write down your hopes for the new year, you think about the last year. You excitedly write down all the changes you are going to make, but by the end of January those ideas get lost in your busy life. Here's a suggestion: Forget the too big, hard-to-achieve goals and just think about the small ones. "We often think that we have to do everything in big steps, even though it's so hard for us to reach it." said Robert Maurer, who recently wrote the book One Small Step Can Change Your Life. "What we try to do is to begin with such a small step that we can't find any excuse not to do it." "Kaizen", a Japanese word, is used to mean to change behavior and attitudes . During World War II, American factory managers were able to _ by trying small, continuous improvements instead of sudden changes. After the war, the idea was brought to a rebuilding Japan. It made Japan develop fast. The Japanese called it "kaizen", which means "improvement". Maurer studied the idea and did some experiments with it. "Kaizen" could possibly help people succeed in doing everything. The writer of the passage suggests we should _ . A. take a tiny step to achieve big goals B. make changes at the end of the year C. do few experiments with "kaizen" D. do things with hard-to-achieve goals Answer: A. take a tiny step to achieve big goals I had recently arrived in London and I wanted to see some of the famous places. Should I go to the seaside? Or maybe one of the famous parks? I walked along the street, past a kindergarten playground, and suddenly saw an underground railway station. I was surprised because it was not on my map. I went to buy a ticket. The ticket-seller looked very old. He gave me a ticket, said "Remember it's a return", laughed and walked away without taking my money. Was it special for tourists? A train arrived. I could not see any other passengers. I got on and the doors closed. I suddenly felt I should not have got onto the train. It started to go faster and faster, shooting along the tracks. As it entered the tunnel, everything became as dark as midnight and I do not remember the next few minutes. The train came to a station and I got out. I could see light shining in the distance so I walked towards _ and came to a door. Beyond it there was a busy street. There were lots of English people walking about, and I could see some of the famous buildings of London, but there was something wrong. The people's clothes were strange. There were no cars, no motorbikes--but there were horses everywhere. Was someone making a film? "Excuse me," I said to a man. "Would you mind telling me where I am and what is happening?" "What do you mean? Who are you? Where do you come from? Are you from China? This is London and everyone's going to work. Can't you see that?" he asked. "Thank you, sir. I'm sorry, but could I look at your newspaper?" I asked. "You can have it," he said as he walked off. I looked at it; I saw "New Bicycle Law" and above that "July 5, 1880". Maybe I should have walked around, but I ran back to the door. I waited a long time. I was very afraid. A train came. I got on. It took me back to the first station. As I left, a woman asked, "What were you doing in that abandoned station?" I had no answer, but I still had the newspaper in my hand. Where can this passage most probably be taken from? A. In a storybook. B. In a math textbook. C. In a travel guidebook. D. In a scientific experiment report. Answer: A. In a storybook. Social media is one of the fastest-growing industries in today's world. A study conducted by the US think tank Pew Research Center showed that 92 percent of teenagers go online daily. The wide spread of social media has changed nearly all parts of teenagers' lives. Changing relationships High school student Elly Cooper from Illinois said social media often reduces face-to-face communication. "It makes in-person relationships harder because people give attention to their phones instead of their boyfriends or girlfriends," Cooper said. There's also a greater possibility of things getting lost in translation over social media. "If half of your relationship is over social media, you don't really know how the other person is reacting," Sienna Schulte, a junior student from Illinois, said. Yet, some people believe social media has made it easier to start relationships with anyone from anywhere. Beth Kaplan from Illinois met her long-distance friend through social media. He currently lives in Scotland, but they're still able to frequently communicate with one another. "I can feel close to someone that I'm talking to via FaceTime," Kaplan said. Wanting to be "liked" The rise of social media has changed the way teenagers see themselves. The 19-year-old Essena O'Neill announced on the social networking service Instagram that she was quitting social media because it made her obsessed with appearing perfect online. Negative comments also can do great damage to a teenager's self-esteem . In particular, anonymous social media apps such as Yik Yak may provide opportunities for cyber bullying . The app allows users within 5 miles (8 km) to create and add comments to everything. Teenagers who get negative comments on these sites can't help but feel hurt. Opening new doors However, Armin Korsos, a student from Illinois, takes advantage of the comments he receives over social media to improve his videos on the social networking site Youtube. "Social media can help people show themselves and their talents to the world in a way that was never possible before," Korsos said. But Korsos recognizes that social media has become a distraction . "Social media, though it helps people connect with their friends and stay updated, is not all necessary." How does social media change relationships, according to the article? A. It pushes people to meet their friends more often offline. B. It encourages people to pay more attention to those around them. C. It enables users to understand accurately what others are talking about online. D. It allows people to keep in touch with their friends who live far away more easily. Answer: D. It allows people to keep in touch with their friends who live far away more easily. The Nadam Festival, usually held from June 4 to 9(lunar calendar), is one of the most exciting and colorful festivals in the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. At the center of the festivities are the fierce horse racing, archery and wrestling competitions, the traditional sports of the Mongolian warriors (the three "manly" sports, though young girls and women participate in the horse racing and archery contests). In Mongolian, the word "Nadam" means "amusement and entertainment" and the festival began in 1225 AD, when Genghis Khan organized an expedition to the west and got control of Khwarezm. In order to celebrate the victory they held the magnificent Nadam Fari. The Mongolians used this exciting gathering as a big occasion to compete in the horse racing, Mongolian wrestling and archery, which were regarded as the three basic skills of men. Gradually more and more events were added to the festival, such as marksmanship , chess, reciting epics, polo , film, drama, singing, dancing, track and field competitions and so on. There are three kinds of Nadam, the big one, the medium one and the small one. The big Nadam requires the participation of 512 wrestlers and 300 horses and usually lasts 7-10 days while the medium Nadam will have the participation of 256 wrestlers and 100-150 horses, lasting 5-7 days. And 64 or 128 wrestlers and 30 or 50 horses will take part in the small Nadam, which lasts 3-5 days. Anyone can apply to compete in Nadam, regardless of his or her ethnic origin and religious belief. Nadam has become a popular artistic and sports event participated in by people of all ages. Boys and girls can also take the opportunity to show their love, i. e. the so-called "meeting at aobao". In addition to sports competition, people also make good use of this gathering to hold talks and establish relations in economic trade or to interchange goods. What's the main idea of the passage? A. The introduction of the Nadam Festival. B. The origin of the Nadam Festival. C. The sports events of the Nadam Festival. D. The modern style of the Nadam Festival. Answer: A. The introduction of the Nadam Festival.
Some say everyday miracles are predestined ----the right time for the appointed meeting. And it can happen anywhere. In 2001, 11-year-old Kevin Stephan was a bat boy for his younger brother's Little League team in Lancaster, New York. It was an early evening in late July. Kevin was standing on the grass away from the plate, where another youngster was warming up for the next game. Swinging his bat back and forth, giving it all the power an elementary school kid could give. The boy brought the bat back hard and hit Kevin in the chest. His heart stopped. When Kevin fell to the ground, the mother of one of the players rushed out of the stands to his aid. Penny Brown hadn't planned to be there that day, but at the last minute, her shift at the hospital had been changed to see her son's performance. She was given the night off. Penny bent over the senseless boy, his face already starting to turn blue, and giving CPR, breathing into his mouth and giving chest compressions. And he _ in the end. After his recovery, he became a volunteer junior firefighter, learning some of the emergency first-aid techniques that had saved his life. He studied hard in school and was saving money for college by working as a dishwasher in a local restaurant in his spare time. Kevin, now 18, was working in the kitchen when he heard people screaming, customers in confusion, employees rushing toward a table. He hurried into the main room and saw a woman there, her face turning blue, her hands at her throat. She was choking. Quickly Kevin stepped behind her, wrapped his arms around her and clasped his hands. Then, using skills he'd first learned in Scouts. The food that was trapped in the woman's throat was freed. The color1 began to return to her face. "The food was stuck. I couldn't breathe," she said. She thought she was dying. "I was very frightened." Who was the woman? Penny Brown. The author wrote the passage to show us that _ . Answer: miracles are predestined and they can happen anywhere Since the beginning of the year, smog has covered parts of North China. In January, Beijing saw only five days without smog. The rising PM2.5 readings terrified many people, and some health experts said that whenever the smog gets serious, hospitals receive more patients suffering acute respiratory and heart diseases. Later, news of polluted underground water in some provinces scared people who wondered whether the water they drink is safe. So the need to emphasize environmental protection while developing the economy is heard everywhere. Smog is especially a common concern. As a popular online post said, air may be the only thing that is equal for everyone, despite your income or profession. People with higher incomes are able to drink only bottled spring water and eat only organic food by paying higher prices, but they breathe the same air as everyone else. At a meeting on Monday, many representatives have expressed their concerns about the air quality, too. One talked about his experience in Beijing. "After taking a taxi from the capital airport to my hotel, which took about an hour, I washed my nose and found the inside of my nose was black. We should ask ourselves this question: Why do we want to develop? It's for living a better life. Dirty air is definitely not a better life," he said. China needs to develop its economy and invest in hightech. Every Chinese has a dream to make China stronger. But without blue sky, clean water and safe food, the achievements in the economy will become meaningless. Space technologies are not to be developed for building a base on Mars so that one day all human beings can move to the red planet because they have destroyed Earth. What the public wants is a strong and beautiful China. The great efforts must be made to promote ecological progress and build a beautiful China. The words have shown the central government's determination to address the environment issue. To make China stronger we have to develop economy, but _ . Answer: the dirty air is not what we want Bob walked out the door with a huge grin on his face. It was his first day of middle school. His mom, who is a nurse at the high school, waved at him as he entered the bus. The bus driver said "good to see you Bob". Bob said "you too Mr. Smith". Bob was so excited to see his friends that he could barely breathe. As he walked down the school bus, Bob's friends Jill, Jim, Jeff and Chris all waved to him. Instead of sitting next to his best friend Chris, Bob turned left and sat next to Jill. Jeff and Jim started laughing at him and teased "Bob and Jill sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G". Bob's face turned red from embarrassment. Chris felt bad for Bob and reached into his pockets to help his friend. When he reached in, he felt a pencil, a rock and a folded up piece of paper. Chris's eyes twinkled. He had a plan. Without Jim and Jeff seeing, Chris quickly made a paper airplane with the piece of paper he found in his pocket. He threw the paper airplane at Jim. The plane hit Jim in the face. Both Jim and Jeff stopped laughing. Bob looked over to Chris and smiled. Where does Bob's mom work? Answer: The high school Every day as I drove through town, I saw a one-legged man going through the dustbins next to McDonalds looking for food. It was only a month before Christmas, starting to get cold and I could not help thinking about him. So I bought a brush, pack of cigarettes, cans of fish, and then I added a blanket and sweatshirts. I made a box up like a present and went in search of this man. I saw him hobble away from the dustbin. I pulled over, took the box and went up to him. I said, "I would like to give you a Christmas present, there are some food items in here and some things you might be able to use." He sidestepped around me and said, "No, thank you. I just had lunch. I don't need anything." Then he hobbled on down the sidewalk, leaving me standing there in tears. I took the box down to a little shop that gave things out to the poor and homeless and told them what had happened and asked them to give the box to someone who could use it. The person there told me not to be upset and let my feelings be hurt as I was still crying. I told her I was not crying for me but for him because what I had done took away his dignity by treating him like a person in need. I was so ashamed. A few years later I was able to volunteer in St. Anthony's Dining Room in San Francisco. These people had to stand in line for up to 6 hours to receive the only food they will get. We took one tray of food at a time, and treated them as if they were in a restaurant ordering a meal they were paying for. From this I learned a great lesson. Accepting help is sometimes harder than giving it. Why did the author buy something for the one-legged man? Answer: Because the author had pity on the man. What if we could replace oil with a fuel which produced no pollution and which everybody had equal access to? The good news is that we can. In fact, we are swimming in it--- literally. Hydrogen is one of the building blocks of the universe. Our own sun is basically a big, dense cloud of the stuff. And hydrogen can be used to create electricity for power, heat and light. The problem is that hydrogen is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It does not exist as a material on its own, but is always part of something else. So it has to be separated before it can be used. Most commercial hydrogen in use now is created from natural gas. As oil will start to run out in around the year 2030, it makes sense to produce as much hydrogen as possible as soon as we can. But natural gas supplies will also begin to run out soon after. Another source is needed. Researchers are now using electricity to make water into hydrogen. Companies are working on the problem in their own areas. The first commercial hydrogen "fuel cells" for computers and mobile phones have already come on to the market. Auto companies have also invested over US $2 billion in the production of hydrogen fuelled cars. The nations of a hydrogen fuelled planet would not fight over energy recourses. There would be a great reduction in pollution. The only by-product of creating hydrogen is pure drinking water--- something that is very scarce in many parts of the world. But that is not where the good news ends. Once the costs of producing hydrogen have been brought down, it will possibly provide power for a third of the Earth's population that has no electricity. And electricity creates wealth. In South Africa over the last decade there has been a large programme of electrification. Thanks to the programme, people do not have to spend their days looking firewood to burn for heat. And with electric light, they can work long into the night. Some scientists see radical changes in the way the human race co-operates. Hydrogen creates electricity, and is also created by _ . With dual use fuel cells, everyone who consumes energy could also produce it. Late at night, a man drives home in London and connects his car into the "world-wide hydrogen web," which it supplies with electricity. A few hours later, a man in Beijing uses that electricity to power the hydrogen cell in his car. Hydrogen could be the first democratic energy source. Like all dreams of the future, it seems very far away. But the threat of war and terrorism in the Middle East has made governments and businesses more aware of the need to end oil dependency and spend more time and money on hydrogen resource. So maybe the threat of war is not a completely bad thing for the future of the human race. What is the author's attitude about the future? Answer: positive
You've probably heard of Marco Polo, but how much do you actually know about him and his incredible journey? Marco was the original travel writer, whose trade contacts with Asia changed Europe, opening it up to new ideas and cultures. Marco Polo was born in the Venetian Republic around 1254.At the time, Venice was one of the most powerful trading cities in the world, and was ruled as an independent city state.Marco's mother died when he was young, so he was brought up by his aunt and uncle.When Marco was born, his brother (Maffeo) and father (Niccolo), who were successful merchants, were away on a trading voyage.They didn't get back until Marco was about 15. In 1271, Niccolo and Maffeo set off again for Asia, this time taking Marco with them.On a previous journey they'd met Kublai Khan (the Yuan Dynasty), and they were keen to establish trade links between Kublai's empire and Venice.The Polos sailed across the Mediterranean to Acre (now in northern Israel).Then, they traveled by camel to the port of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.Their plan was to sail to China but they couldn't find any good boats.So, they continued the journey overland, finally meeting Kublai Khan at his summer palace in Xanadu, about 275 kms north of modern Beijing.Marco was now probably 21 years ol The journey had taken over three years. The Polos had learnt a great deal about the world during their travels and so Kublai employed Marco as a government official.This gave Marco the opportunity to travel around much of Kublai's empire in China.In fact, Kublai found the Polos so useful that he was unwilling to let them return home.However, in 1292, the Polos eventually left, sailing from China and ending up in Hormuz again.The journey was extremely dangerous: of the 600 travelers who set off, only 18 arrived in Hormuz, including all three of the Polo family. The Polos finally returned to Venice in 1295, twenty-four years after setting off.They had traveled 24,000 kms.By this time Venice was at war with Genoa, its trade rival.Unfortunately for Marco, he was captured by the Genoese and imprisione However, he used his time as a prisoner to write a book about his family's travels: II Milione (known as The Travels of Marco Polo in English).It was the first book to tell Europeans about China and the East.No original copy survives, but there are several versions of it.Marco's writings influenced many other travelers, most notably Christopher Columbus, who carried a copy of II Milione with him on his voyage in search of Asia. After his release from prison in 1299, Marco rejoined his father and uncle in Venice.The family were now even wealthier than before thanks to the many treasures they'd brought back from the East.Marco financed many more trading journeys but never left the city again.He died in 1324 and was buried in the church of San Lorenzo in Venice. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A. Soon after his mother's death, Marco was raised by his father. B. Marco spent about six years on the way to China and back to Venice. C. Marco died at the age of 70 in the church of San Lorenzo in Venice. D. Marco was born into a very poor family but died in wealth. Answer: B Teachers Wanted Are you a teacher? Do you like kids? Can you help them with Chinese? Come to join us. Call John at 378-5788. Ping-pong Club Do you like to play ping-pong? Do you want to play ping-pong well? Mr. Cai can teach you. You can come here every Saturday afternoon. Tel: 368-5778 Add: Room 212 in School's P.E. Buliding. When can kids play ping-pong in the club? A. In the morning. B. In the afternoon C. In the evening. D. At night., Answer: B Children laugh often and easily. But as we grow up, we laugh less and feel more stressed. Try laughing for no reason at all. That's how thousands of people start their day at Laughter Clubs around the world, and doctors now think that having a good laugh may be one of the best ways to keep healthy. The first Laughter Club was started in Mumbai ,India ,in June,1995 by Dr Madam Kataria. " Young children laugh about 300 times a day. Adults laugh between 7 and 15 times a day, "says Dr Kataria . "Everyone's naturally good at laughing . We want people to feel happy with their lives." There are now more than 500 Laughter Clubs in India and over 1,300 worldwide. Place: 264 North Main Street , East Longmeadow. We're in an office building near the entrance. Walk down the hall and we're on the right .2-1-c-n-j-y When : Every Sunday afternoon from 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Cost : Free. Ages : Adults from 18 to 75. Parking :If you're facing the building ,the car park is on the right of the building . Teacher : Robert Rivest. More information ,go to http:// www. robertrivest.com. If you want to feel like a kid again, try our Laughter Club . You will get used to it in five minutes and begin to laugh for real in ten minutes and sometimes you just can't stop! You'll experience deeper pleasure in half an hour. You'll meet other people who want more fun and laughter. And you will feel so relaxed in about one hour ! Come and join us for laughter and a fun social experience! How soon will you begin laughing for real in the Laughter Club ? A. In five minutes. B. In ten minutes. C. In half an hour. D. In about one hour. Answer: B The famous American gorilla expert Diane Fossey had a completely new way to study gorillas -- she pretended to be one of them. She copied their actions and way of life -- eating plants and getting down on her hands and knees to walk the way a gorilla does. It was a new relationship. Diane Fossey was murdered in Rwanda in 1985 and her story was made into the popular filmGorillas in the Mist. It was a long way fromKing Kong, which is about a gorilla as a monster (a frightening animal), and helped to show a new idea: the real monster is man, while the gorilla is to be admired. Today there are thought to be around 48,000 lowland gorillas and maybe 400--450 mountain gorillas in the wild. From the Congo in West Africa, to Rwanda and Uganda further east, they are endangered by hunting and by the cutting down of their forest homes. Some time ago, I found in my letterbox a little magazine from the World Wide Fund for Nature. It had two photos side by side. One was of a young gorilla. "This is a species of mammal ," said the words below it. "It is being destroyed by man. We must save it for our own good." The other photo showed a human baby. The words also read, "This is a species of mammal," but then went on: "It is the most destructive on earth. We must retrain it for its own good." What message can we get from the two photos in the magazine? A. Gorillas are man's close friends. B. Both man and the gorilla need to be saved. C. Young gorillas are as lovely as human babies. D. Man should live peacefully with the gorilla. Answer: D 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. _ can help you become confident. A. Using a chart B. Buying folders in different colors C. Reading books D. Joining different kinds of clubs Answer: C
I've been writing for most of my life. The book Writing Without Teachers introduced me to one distinction and one practice that has helped my writing processes tremendously. The distinction is between the creative mind and the critical mind. While you need to employ both to get to a finished result, they cannot work in parallel no matter how much we might like to think so. Trying to criticize writing on the fly is possibly the single greatest barrier to writing that most of us encounter. If you are listening to that 5th grade English teacher correct your grammar while you are trying to capture a fleeting thought, the thought will die. If you capture the fleeting thought and simply share it with the world in raw form, no one is likely to understand. You must learn to create first and then criticize if you want to make writing the tool for thinking that it is. The practice that can help you past your learned bad habits of trying to edit as you write is what Elbow calls "free writing." In free writing, the objective is to get words down on paper non-stop, usually for 15-20 minutes. No stopping, no going back, no criticizing. The goal is to get the words flowing. As the words begin to flow, the ideas will come from the shadows and let themselves be captured on your notepad or your screen. Now you have raw materials that you can begin to work with using the critical mind that you've persuaded to sit on the side and watch quietly. Most likely, you will believe that this will take more time than you actually have and you will end up staring blankly at the pages as the deadline draws near. Instead of staring at a blank start filling it with words no matter how bad. Halfway through your available time, stop and rework your raw writing into something closer to finished product. Move back and forth until you run out of time and the final result will most likely be far better than your current practices. What is the chief objective of the first stage of writing? Answer: The month of May is not only a graduation month in the US, but also a month when some families hold reunions.Have you ever considered why it is important that families get together in one place for a particular time? I believe the reason is honor. Family reunions are a time we can take out of our busy schedules and spend quality time with our extended families .It is a time when we can make our sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and others we love a priority in our life. Some reunions take place over a picnic lunch and some last a whole weekend.They can be costly and are sometimes crazy.But the truth is, when people you love grow up and move away, getting together for a family reunion and holding that family bond together is so important. Family reunions build a renewed closeness as we mix with our relatives.We sit and talk about old times and listen to the stories that our older and wiser relatives love to share.As the children run and play and get to know each other, we sit and revisit our childhood memories and enjoy the short time we have together. The best part of a family reunion is the time spent simply being around the people you care about A reunion shows how important it is to take time for each other.When you receive a family reunion invitation, make it a priority in your life.It's a great chance to see your relatives once again, give them a big hug and enjoy the time you have with them. Family reunions can help you _ . Answer: All of the people have ambitions. An ambition is something we want to do, want to have, or want to be. A student's ambition, for example, might be to pass his or her exams. 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 happy 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 favorites. Trudy's ambition is to be a concert pianist. She is very serious about it and practices 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. Then 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! What is your ambition? Why does Trudy practice the piano every day? Answer: Space vegetables are grown from seeds that have been taken to space and brought back to the earth. The seeds are affected by the radiation and low gravity in space. When they are brought back to the earth, these seeds produce vegetables that are bigger and healthier than normal vegetables. However, some people worry about eating space vegetables. They think that space vegetables might not be good for us and could make us get sick because of the radiation in space. However, people should not be frightened because space vegetables are very healthy. Here are some facts that you should know about space vegetables. Space vegetables are grown from seeds that are carefully chosen. When seeds are brought back from space, they are tested to make sure that they will be safe to eat. Space vegetables are better for you than normal vegetables. For example, space tomatoes stay fresh for twenty days, which is one week longer than normal tomatoes. After genetically modified food appeared in the market, people worried that they were eating unknown things. For example, if nut genes are put inside potatoes, people allergic to nuts might get sick from eating these potatoes because they do not know they are also eating nuts. Unlike genetically modified food, space vegetables have not been genetically changed. This means that no new genes are put into the vegetables. Therefore, there are no dangers of eating something unknown. The seeds brought back from space produce _ vegetables according to the passage. Answer: You hurry into the kitchen,open the refrigerator and suddenly you forget why you open it."What am I looking for?"You ask yourself."What am I doing here?"Don't worry.You are not losing your mind.We have all had this kind of thing.If you think about something very quickly,it goes into your short-term memory and it goes right back out in just a few seconds.You have not moved things from short-term to long-term memory,so you won't be able to remember it later on. What can you do to help get back your missing short-term memory?You may go back to where you were.So,for example,if you were sitting in a chair listening to the music in the living room,just go back into the living room.This will help you remember,and when you are back in the living room,you will suddenly think,"Oh,yes,I was thirsty and I wanted something cold to drink.That is why I went to the fridge."If,sometimes,you can't go back to where you were before,just try tracing your steps back in your mind.Think back to things you did before,and this may help you. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Answer:
Can you imagine that someone could cure all the diseases in the world? It seems like an impossible job, But Priscilla Chan wants to make it come true. Chan, 31, is from the United States. Many people may know her as a wife of Mark Zuckerberg , the founder of Facebook. But Chan herself has done a lot to help people. Chan and Zuckerberg said in September that they would give out $3 billion , that's about Y=20 billion in the next 10 years to help deal with all of the world's diseases. As a doctor for children, Chan was a big driver in this decision. "By investing in science today, we hope to build a future in which all of our children can live long and meaningful lives," she said. She cares about not only children's health but also their education. Before becoming a doctor, Chan taught science to the 4th and 5th graders at a school in California for a year. That year she started a project called The Primary School. It provides education for children from kindergarten to the 12th grade. Chan herself knows how important education is to a child. She has a Chinese father and a Vietnamese mother. Her parents didn't come to the US with much. But they worked hard to make sure Chan and their other two daughters had the best opportunities possible. Chan went to Harvard University in 2003 and now works as a doctor. "I realized that I was so lucky to be what I was," said Chan. "It drives me to make sure others, no matter what background they have, can have their opportunities, to reach their dreams and their full potential ." How much money will Chan and Zuckerburg give out in the next 10 years? 3 billion dollars Earning a black belt in martial arts and being issued a pilot's license are both impressive accomplishments that take year of effort to achieve, but 30-year-old Jessica Cox has done both despite being born without arms. In spite of all difficulties , but with strong faith and the help of her family ,Cox put herself through high school and then college, typing papers with her toes, She became the first armless black belt in American Taekwondo Association and now has two black belts, She got her driver's license and then, astonishingly, her pilot's license in 2008, The achievement earned her a place in the Guinness Would Records, which recognized her for becoming the first person without arms to fly an airplane. Now Cox is the subject of a new documentary, Rightfooted, Which Cox says the hopes will inspire disabled young people around the world, "Had I watched a film similar to this one earlier, in my life ,I know it would have make a difference." Cox says in a trailer for the documentary. The young woman says her current goal is to become a motivational speaker, particularly for chileren born without arms , She says she believes her message can reach millions of people working to overcome a variety of disabilities. As the next step, she has been invited by non-governmental organization Handicap International to work with disabled children in Ethiopia Cox is extremely excited for the opportunity, She hopes that sharing her story will inspire children with disabilities and encourage Ethiopians to include all children in school because in Ethiopia only one percent of children with disabilities are educated and their parents do not think they can benefit from going to school, She also hopes to meet with government officials to inspire change. Why does Cox want to be a speaker? To help people overcome disabilities Homestay UK/Great Britain Here you will find a selection of homestay hosts and host families in the UK. If you want to learn more about the British host family of your choice, please click on information at www. Homestaybooking. Com. You will then see a personal introduction of the UK homestay host. If you don't want to search yourself, just register for free and receive our matching recommendations. Chika and Tara from London, the United Kingdom Information about the homestay host Chika is 28 years old. She is away from home most of the time. Tara is 18 years old. She is at home every day. They both speak English. Chika and Tara's guests can stay for at least 5 nights and up to a maximum of 365 nights. Chika and Tara have no children living at home. It is a non-smoking residence . No pets live in this household. Information about the homestay accommodation The accommodation is in London. The name of the neighborhood is Greenwich. The distance to the city center is 1.6km. The next access point to public transport is at 15 m distance. Three guests can stay in Tara and Chika's house at the same time. The following accommodation is generally available: Single room with shared use of the family bathroom Size: 12.0 m2 Facilities: desk, Internet access, mirror, hairdryer and wardrobe Price per night per person: PS20.00 per night(one single) Twin room with shared use of the family bathroom Size: 15.0 m2 Facilities: TV, desk, Internet access, mirror, hairdryer and wordrobe Price per night per person: PS20.00 per night(one guest) PS17.00 per night(two guests) The room charge includes the following services: Internet access, regular room cleaning, breakfast, free use of the washing machine. Additional available service at an extra charge: Pick-up service(PS60.00 one-way); Lunch(PS6.00 per person per day); Dinner(PS6.00 per person per night) Vegetarian meals are available. What do we know about Chika and Tara's house? Public transport is convenient there. We're trying to decide where to go on our vacation this summer. We usually go to the Lake Arrowhead for a few weeks, but we'd like to go somewhere else this year. We're tired of doing the same thing summer after summer. Some friends of ours suggested that we go to Hawaii. That would be wonderful! I'm sure we'd enjoy a trip like that, but of course _ . In the first place, it would be rather expensive, and in the second place, there wouldn't be enough time. If we're lucky enough to save some money between now and next summer, and if I'm lucky enough to get four weeks of vacation instead of two weeks, maybe we can go to Hawaii next year. As a matter of fact, if we wanted to plan a trip like that, it might be advisable to stay home this summer and not go any place. That's one way we could begin to save some money for next year's trip. Also, if we were to stay here, I could offer to work instead of taking two weeks off; then maybe my boss would suggest that I be given four weeks' vacation next summer instead of two weeks. The sentence "it's out of the question" means " _ ". it is impossible Dogs can be worried and pessimistic just like people, researchers report in a new study in Current Biology. And they aren't talking about basset hounds : those dogs just look as if they expect the worst. What the scientists say is that dogs that exhibit anxiety when left home alone by their owners may have bigger problems -- they may be in a permanent bad mood. This pessimistic outlook may not otherwise be easily apparent in a dog's other characteristics, like running speed or learning ability, the study reports. Dogs are similar to humans in the role that emotional state plays in decision making, said Michael Mendel, a veterinary scientist at the University of Bristol and the study's lead author. The study's researchers looked at 24 dogs in shelters in Britain. They placed the dogs in isolated settings and observed their reactions -- many barked, jumped on furniture and scratched at the door. Then they placed bowls in two rooms. One bowl contained food, while another was empty. After training the dogs to understand that bowls can sometimes be empty, and sometimes full, they began to place bowls in ambiguous locations. Dogs that quickly raced to the locations were more optimistic, and in search of food. Those that did not were deemed pessimistic. The more separation anxiety a dog expressed while in isolation, the more likely the dog was to have a pessimistic reaction, the researchers found. The study carries an important message for dog owners, Dr. Mendel said. Dogs that express serious anxiety when alone may need treatment, as it could be a sign of unhappiness and instability. According to Dr. Mendel, which statement is true? Emotional state works sometimes when humans make decision.
When I walked into the house after school, I found my dad at home. "What are you doing home already?" I asked casually. "Andrew, I was laid off today," he answered quietly. I was sure he was joking. "No, you weren't. Why are you really home?" Then I noticed his expression and realized he was telling the truth. My father has always been a hard worker and prided himself on his career. My father's unemployment created many changes in our lives. He was home all day, which meant my bed had to be made, my room cleaned up, and my homework done right after school. I would come home every day to find him at the computer searching for jobs. I began to notice how down he seemed, and how losing his job had affected his self-esteem , though he tried to be optimistic. He asked my brother and me to spend less money. I gave up my allowance , which even though it wasn't much, felt like the right thing to do. I also found a part-time job. After several difficult months of searching, my dad decided to go in a totally different direction. He explained that he never wanted to be laid off again, so he was going to start his own business. Day by day, I watched him build it, and I admired how much time and energy he devoted to it. One evening I asked if he needed help. "Only if it doesn't interfere(,) with school," he said, which sounded like a yes. I showed up at his office the next afternoon, and most afternoons after that for two months. I always knew he was a hard worker, but watching him in action really influenced me. Although this was one of the worst experiences for our family, it taught me a lot about dealing with _ . Now I know that through creative problem-solving, I can always find Plans, ask for help, and take risks. We can know from the passage that _ . it was not easy for the father to find a new job Years ago while lying in my hammock and drinking JD from the bottle, I noticed my dog dragging something under the fence.Upon inspection, to my disappointment, I realized it was the next door neighbor' s 10 - year - old daughter' s rabbit.For years I had watched her come home from school and head straight out to its cage, free it and play with it in the yard.I knew that day would be no different and fearing for our dog, I had to think fast. The rabbit was quite dirty, as if it had put up quite a struggle, so I washed it, combed it with the dog brush and blew it dry with the leaf blower.Upon finishing its grooming I jumped the fence and replaced it back in its cage hoping its death would be written off as "natural caused". Back to the hammock and JD.Within the hour the neighbor' s Volvo palled in as usual and out popped the little girl, and as usual she headed straight for the cage.Only this time she stopped about six feet away and screamed: " D - A - D - D - Y!!!" Her father, panic stricken, stood looking at the cage.Being the good neighbor that I am, I rushed to fence and asked if there was anything I could do. Her father less than calmly shouted, "What kind of sick individual would dig up a little girl's rabbit and put it back in its cage?" That day the girl ran to the cage _ . because she.had a habit of going there to see her rabbit To what degree can a computer achieve intelligence?The answer to this question may lie in a newly-developed US computer program called Smarter Child and the Internet. If you ran into Smarter Child online, you would be surprised at this kid's huge memory. It can recite many facts. For example, Smarter Child knows every baseball player in every team this season. He knows every word in the dictionary and the weather in every major city areas across the US. However, if you ask Smarter Child other questions, you get strange answers. A question about Smarter Child's age returns, "One year, 11 days, 16 hours, 7 minutes, and 47 seconds!" Asking where he lives gets, "In a clean room in a high-tech building in California." Smarter Child uses the vast information on the World Wide Web as his memory bank. To answer questions about spelling, for instance, Smarter Child goes to American Heritage Dictionary online. For the weather, he visits www.intellicast.com. Some scientists believe that by joining the many systems of the Internet, an artificial being with the combined knowledge of, say, Albert Einstein, Richard Nixon and Britney Spears could be born. However, if Smarter Child wants to think and learn on his own like the boy-computer David in the movie A. I. Artificial Intelligence, he must solve two problems. The first is that computers find it difficult to read web pages because the files are sorted in different ways. That's why programmers need to tell Smarter Child where to look for the weather. It would be a much more difficult task to let him find it himself. Another problem is that while Smarter Child can process information more exactly and faster than any human, he lacks common sense--a basic grounding of knowledge that is obvious to any young child. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? Smarter Child If I had one million Yuan, I would buy you a house! Do I have one million Yuan? No, I don't.So I only can spend ten fens on this short message, sending you my best wishes! Today SMS---Short Message Service is popular, and China Mobile says that every second , there are 410 messages being sent. Look around you! People are watching their mobiles , smiling or laughing.Thumbs are moving quickly on mobiles, bringing happiness to their friends.Through SMS, we know the weather report, share jokes and news, express love and friendship. SMS is becoming more and more popular.It's reported that 67% of young people like to send short messages to greet each other.Internet SMS will be more helpful to people.I'm thankful for the progress because SMS saves me much money.Just on the top of the thumb, so much joy can be found. _ of young people like to send short messages to greet each other. 67% When specific hormones are present in the blood of a hen, an egg is released from an ovary. Which two systems are involved with the release of an egg? endocrine and reproductive systems
Question: When you are in Nanoko, be sure to stay at the Garden Hotel, whether you come on business or on holiday you will find everything as comfortable and convenient as you would expect in a first class international hotel. Every bedroom has its own bathroom, telephone, and colorful modern materials and furniture in the local style. In the Mistu Restaurant, you can choose your meals from a lot of dishes, both Eastern and European, as you will find anywhere in the country. In the Beach Bar, you can drink with your family and friends in air-conditioned comfort, listen to the music of internationally known artists. Or you can take your drink outside into the beautiful garden that gives the hotel its name, or to the tables that surround the swimming pool. Throughout the motel, you will find the service is both friendly and efficient. By day the pool is alive with the holiday spirit and the happy shouting of children and by night, soft light and music make it a perfect place for a party, or simply for an after-dinner drink and conversation. The Garden Hotel has its own minibus service. Give us a ring and we will arrange to collect you at the airport or in the city center. If you prefer, we can arrange for you to visit the wainiri Islands that lie just off the coast. Here you can swim in peace; or you can fish there. As it is well known, Wainiri is really a good place for people going fishing. The Garden Hotel is right on the beach, only five minutes from Nanoko's modern shopping center. Here you will find all that money can buy, at prices you can afford. Every bedroom at the Garden Hotel _ . A. has a bathroom B. has a colorful telephone in the local style C. is colorful and modern with local style D. is in an international style, comfortable and convenient. Answer: A Question: Scientists study the ocean in many different ways. Although many marine scientists focus on animals in the ocean, others seek to gain a better understanding of the ocean's chemical and physical components . Scientists are learning a great deal about the natural and human-caused processes that shape the ocean and its many life forms. Much of the present research focuses on how human activity influences the ocean. Clean water is a limited resource, and ocean pollution does harm to plant and animal health. Some scientists are now studying ocean water to find out just how contaminated it is. Scientists are also working on new methods to estimate the presence of poisons in the ocean, which will help them develop better techniques for cleaning up the water. Others look at how sea living things get used to poisons because poisonous sea life has an effect on humans too. For example, some seafood is poisoned, which may cause a threat to humans who eat it. Another type of marine scientist tries to learn more about the history of the ocean. Understanding the ocean's past tells scientists more about its patterns and cycles today and in the future. The ocean's past, which is recorded by deposits in the ocean floor, helps scientists understand such important matters as global climate change and other environmental differences. The more researchers learn about the history of the ocean and its relation to climatic and environmental changes, the more likely that they will one day understand what causes such changes. Other scientists are concerned with understanding how ocean systems work. The word systems refers to all the conditions and elements that are continually changing the ocean. Understanding these systems is necessary to protect the ocean and ensure the safety of its life forms. The cycles of ocean life also have an enormous effect on human life; for example, studying coastal waters is important because they provide much of the fish that humans eat. Marine geologists are earth scientists who work along the ocean floor. The Ocean Drilling Program, a 20-nation effort, drills the ocean floor and removes material for study. Among other achievements, this program has found evidence of a giant meteorite impact ,which supports the theory that dinosaurs died out after the earth suffered a climate change caused by a crash with a large meteor. Other marine geologists focus on more recent events, such as the destruction of shorelines. We know from the passage that ocean waters are important to human life because they _ . A. mirror the history of the mighty ocean B. show climatic and environmental changes C. are source of the fish people consume D. are the evidence of the changes of the ocean Answer: C Question: A student is writing a report on volcanoes. What should the student include to best help explain how a volcano works? A. a photograph of an active volcano B. a map showing the location of a volcano C. a table of famous volcanoes and last known eruptions D. a diagram showing the structure of a volcano Answer: D Question: In 1988, Mary Anderson was at the Miami airport checking in for a flight to Norway to be with her husband when she was told she wouldn't be able to check her luggage without paying a $100 surcharge . Mary had no money as her new husband had left for Norway and she had no one else to call . " I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without ," says Mary . As tears ran down her face , a voice behind her said , "That's okay, I'll pay for her ." Rather surprised , Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before . He had a gentle and kind voice that was firm and decisive . Although this happened twenty years ago , Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man . Mary was pleased to bring her luggage to Norway and told the stranger she would give his money back . The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper and gave it to Mary . She thanked him repeatedly . When she finally walked off towards the boarding gate, he waved goodbye to her . That man turned out to be Barack Obama . Mary paid the money back to Obama the day she joined her husband . At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker in Chicago , and had started his law studies at Harward University . In the spring of 2006 , Mary's parents heard Obama was considering a run for President . They wrote a letter saying that they would support him. At the same time , they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier . And Obama replied , " I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport . I'm happy I could help her then , and I'm delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway . Please send her my best wishes . Sincerely , Barack Obama, United States Senator ." Mary asked the stranger to leave his name and address _ . A. in order to contact him later B. so that she could repay him C. because he impressed her deeply D. because she fell in love with him Answer: B Question: The Underground Railroad wasn't underground and it wasn't a railroad. But it was real just the same. And it was one of the brightest chapters in American history. The Underground Railroad was a secret network of people who helped slaves flee to freedom before the Civil War. The slaves were black people from families who had been brought from Africa in chains. They were owned by their white masters and forced to work without pay. The first slaves arrived inprefix = st1 /Jamestown,Virginiain 1619. Two hundred years later, there were nearly four million slaves in theUnited States. Most worked in large plantations in the South. By then, slavery had been outlawed in most northern states. Many slaves were treated cruelly. Some were not. All could be bought and sold. Some slaves bought their own freedom by earning money during time off from work at the plantation. There were free black people in both the North and South during slavery days. Thousands of slaves ran away each year. Some fled to get away from harsh masters. Others wanted to enjoy liberty. The Underground Railroad was started to help them. The "station" of the Underground Railroad were homes, shops, and churches where runaway slaves were hidden and fed. The "agents" or "stationmasters" were people --- both black and white --- who hated slavery. They wanted to help slaves get free. "Conductors" on the Underground Railroad led or transported fugitives from station to station on their way to free states. They had to watch for slave catchers, who were paid to capture runaways and return them. Some conductors guided slaves all the way to Canada. The most famous conductor was Harriet Tubman. She was a strong, determined woman. Before she became a conductor, Mrs. Tubman had been a passenger on a dangerous journey on the Underground Railroad. She lived as a slave on the plantation inMaryland. One day in 1849, Mrs. Tubman heard that she was going to be sold. She decided to escape instead. Harriet Tubman walked away from the plantation that night. She followed the North Star toward the free state ofPennsylvania90 miles away. Sometimes she hiked all night, from station to station on the Underground Railroad. Once she was hidden under blankets and vegetables in a farm wagon, and she rode through the night. Another time she was carried in a rowboat for miles. She got toPennsylvaniaone morning just at sunrise. Slaves could buy their own freedom through _ . A. overtime work B. the Underground Railroad C. a secret network D. working on the plantation Answer: A
The size and location of the world's deserts are always changing. Over millions of years, as climates change and mountains rise, new dry and wet areas appear. But within the last hundred years deserts have been increasing after frightful speed. This is partly because of natural changes, but most responsible for creating deserts are men. Man can make deserts, but they can also prevent them from getting bigger. Algeria is planning a green belt of trees along the edge of the Sahara Desert to stop the sand. In China, too, _ are being built in the northwest to keep the desert from growing. But desert still threaten the world. Experts believe that land that is on the way to becoming deserts equals the size of Australia, Russia and US put together. Can we stop the spread of the world's deserts and save the land that is so essential to mankind? Yes, we can, and we must. The reason for the land that turns into deserts is mostly because of _ A. the changing of the climate B. man C. the natural changes D. the wind Answer: B A mother and her young son get into a bus in a small city and sit down. The bus conductor comes to them for their money. The mother says: "I want one ticket to the zoo " and gives him two yuan. The conductor looks at the small boy for a few seconds and then says to him, "How old are you ,young man?" The mother begins to speak, but the conductor stops her, The boy says: "I'm four years old at home, and two in the buses." At last the mother has to take one yuan out of her pocket and gives it to the conductor. At last the mother _ . A. buys another ticket B. buys a half-price ticket for the boy C. says sorry to the conductor D. gives two yuan to the conductor Answer: B Lao Yang was born in a small town. He liked reading when he studied at school. He thought the writers were respected and could get a lot of money. He wrote a lot of stories and posted them to the editorial departments but didn't receive any answers. Now he works in a factory. He's busy at work. When he's free, he always reads something. He always remembers he hoped to be a writer when he was young. One day, Xiao Ping, his ten-year-old daughter, came back. She looked worried and didn't eat anything. She said Miss GAO, her Chinese teacher, told them to write a solicit article "My Father" that evening. But she did not know what to write. "That's easy," said Lao Yang. "Let me help you." Then he sat down to write the solicit article at once. He easily finished it on time. He was sure Miss GAO would like it. But one afternoon he asked his daughter if the article had been chosen to post to the editorial department. "My teacher said your article digressed from the subject," said the girl. "I don't think so," Lao Yang shouted angrily. "I described just my father!" Lao Yang wrote a lot of stories because _ . A. he likes reading B. he learned much at school C. he wanted to be a writer D. he wanted to help others Answer: C We are naturally drawn to friends and colleagues with familiar voices, scientists have found.People prefer those who have a similar accent,intonation and tone of voice to themselves , they discovered. Previous research has focused on how masculine or feminine a voice sounds.Men with deeper voices and women with slightly higher voices were thought to sound more attractive,because they suggest a bigger or a smaller body. But the new study,published by a linguistics expert in Canada,suggests there is a more complex mechanism at play.Dr Molly Babel, from the University of British Columbia in Canada, said,"The voice is an amazingly flexible tool that we use to construct our identity.Very few things in our voices are changeless,so we felt that our preferences had to be about more than a person's shape and size.'' She recorded 30 volunteers' voices and asked each to rate the others' attractiveness on a scale of one to nine.Each participant was from western America,with similar accents.The people we assessed were all in the same dialect group,but they showed that dialect to different degrees. "We seem to like people who sound like we sound,we like people who fit within what we know,"Dr Babel said.She also found that breathy voices in women-typified by the famous American actress Marilyn Monroe-were seen as more attractive. The breathy tone,caused by younger and thinner vocal cords ,implied youthfulness and health A creaky voice,suggesting a person has a cold,is tired or smokes,was seen as unattractive.The participants preferred men who spoke with a shorter average word length and deeper voices. The linguist,whose work is published in the journal PLOS One,said,"Once you're outside of a certain range of familiarity,novel and exotic sounding voices might become more attractive.We also have to keep in mind we find some accents more preferable than others because of social fixed ideas." According to the passage,who would most probably have a creaky voice? A. An old lady with a silvery voice. B. A young lady with a thin voice. C. A deep-voiced man with a dry throat. D. A little man with a quiet and gentle voice. Answer: C Many of the people who appear most often and most gloriously in history books are great conquerors and generals and soldiers, whereas the people who really helped civilization forward are often never mentioned at all. We do not know who first set a broken leg, or launched a seaworthy boat, or calculated the length of the year; but we know all about the killers and destroyers. People think a great deal of them, so much so that on all the highest pillars in the great cities of the world you will find the figure of a conqueror or a general or a soldier. And I think most people believe that the greatest countries are those that have beaten in battle the greatest number of other countries and ruled over them as conquerors. It is just possible they are, but they are not the most civilized. Animals fight; so do savages; hence to be good at fighting is to be good in the way in which an animal or a savage is good, but it is not to be civilized. Even being good at getting other people to fight for you and telling them how to do it most efficiently--this, after all, is what conquerors and generals have done--is not being civilized. People fight to settle quarrels. Fighting means killing, and civilized people ought to be able to find some way of setting their disputes other than by seeing which side can kill off the greater number of the other side, and then saying that that side which has killed most has won. And not only has it won, but because it has won, it had been in the right. For that is what going to war means; it means saying that might is right. The author thinks that the conquerors and generals and soldiers _ . A. only appear glorious in history books B. are greater than any other people C. are not as great as described in history books D. do not really help civilization forward Answer: D
Question: When people hear a president speak, they seldom think about others helping to shape the presentation . Today, however, presidents depend on writers such as J. Terry Edmonds to help them communicate effectively. Edmonds is the first African American ever to work as a full-time speechwriter for a U. S. president; he is so the first African American to serve as director of speechwriting for White House. His is an all-American story of success. Edmonds grew up in Baltimore, Maryland; his father drove a truck, and his mother worked as a waitress. A. great reader, Edmonds showed a gift for writing at his high School, Baltimore City College After graduating in 1967 Edmonds went on to Morgan State University Edmonds began his career in business, with jobs in public relations and communications. He joined the world of politics as news secretary for his congressman from Baltimore During Bill Clinton's presidency, he wrote speeches for Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala and worked in a number of job in the White House and in governmental departments President Clinton then appointed him to the office of directory of speechwriting Following the 2000 elections Edmonds returned to Morgan State University as the school's special assistant to the president for 2001-2002 The text is most likely to be found in a book about _ . A. popular science B. historical events C. successful people D. Political systems Answer: C. successful people Question: Are you concerned about your body image? These days, both women and men are surrounded by magazines and websites full of tips about dieting, exercise and fashion. Not to mention hairstyles! Gone are the days when all men had to think about was wearing a nice suit to be smart and handsome. Things have changed. Now, a survey by the University of the West of England(UWE) has suggested that 80% of men confess to being unhappy about their body. The biggest body issues for them were beer bellies and lack of muscles. Some think this sudden vanity is due to the pressure or influence of role models we see on TV and in magazines. People end up with a perception of what the perfect body should look like. But not everybody wants to put in the effort to have perfect pecs and dazzling white teeth like Arnold Schwarzenegger. An opportunistic entrepreneur has even invented a muscle-enhancing shirt to be worn under a man's clothes to make him look more of a hunk. But Joe Warner, the former editor of Men's Fitness magazine in the UK, thinks the padded shirt is just a gimmick. He thinks many people in the country are obese, or overweight, and should accept they need to do more exercise. Warner says: "I think it's a real shame people still want shortcuts when it doesn't take an awful lot of effort to get to the gym or go for a walk." Exercise is always a good thing. But we mustn't forget that beauty is only skin deep. Character is more important than appearance. So before I head off to the pub, it might be worth spending an hour at the gym. I'm not looking to get a six-pack , but looking healthier would certainly improve my confidence and self-esteem. What about you: how much do you worry about your physique? It can be learned that Joe Warner _ . A. is the present editor of Men's Fitness magazine in the UK B. thinks it's right for people to want shortcuts to a good image C. thinks many people are overweight and should take regular exercise D. thinks the shirt with soft substances can change the appearance of the body. Answer: C. thinks many people are overweight and should take regular exercise Question: Procter and Gamble(P&G)has announced that it'll enlarge its household products empire by combining with Gillette. The deal is expected to close this autumn because it should get permission from US Antitrust Regulators ,P&G said in a statement. P&G is to gain all of Gillette's business, including its producing and technical equipment. It will add a product variety popular with men. P&G said it expected the combination to bring in totaling US $14--16 billion. But it also said it was planning to cut the combined workforce of 140,000 by about 6,000 or four percent. P&G is based inprefix = st1 /Cincinnati,Ohio,US. It has about 110,000 employees in almost 80 countries. Its brands include Tide laundry detergent and Head&Shoulders shampoo. Gillette is famous all over the world for its shaving products. It's based in Boston,Massachusetts,USand has 32 factories in 14 countries. P&G ranks No. 1 in the world in its household and personal furnishing parts and the company had US$ 5.8 billion in profits in 2004. Gillette ranks No.5 and has a market capitalization of US$ 45.5 billion. This combination of two best of their class, at a time when they are both operating from a position of strength, is a special opportunity, and the combination is going to create the greatest consumer products company in the world. It's a dream deal. The main purpose of writing this text is_. A. to compare the two world-famous companies B. to inform us of the combination of the two companies C. to introduce the two companies and their products D. to announce the two companies' profits and capitalization Answer: B. to inform us of the combination of the two companies Question: LONDON ( Reuters)-- Ecotourism is causing a lot of damage to wildlife and may be endangering the survival of the very animals people are flocking to see, according to researchers. Biologists and conservationists are worried because polar bears, dolphins, penguins and other creatures are getting stressed and losing weight and some are dying. "Evidence is growing that many animals do not react well to tourists in their backyard," New Scientist magazine said. The immediate effects researchers have noticed are changes in behavior, heart rates, or stress hormone levels but they fear it could get much worse and over the long term "could endanger the survival of the very wildlife they want to see". Although money produced through ecotourism, which has been growing at about 10--30 percent a year, has major benefits for poor countries and people living in rural areas, the Swiss-based World Conservation Union (IUCN) and some governments fear not all projects are audited and based on environmentally friendly policies, according to the magazine. "The transmission of disease to wildlife, or small changes to wildlife health through disturbance of daily life or increased stress levels, while not obvious to the casual observer, may translate to lower survival and breeding," said Philip Seddon, of the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. Scientists have noticed that bottleneck dolphins along the northeastern coast of New Zealand become nervously excited when tourist boats arrive. Similar changes in behavior have been observed in polar bears and yellow-eyed penguins in areas visited by ecotourists are producing smaller babies. Conservationists are now calling for more research into the effect of ecotourism on animals and say the industry must be developed carefully. They also want studies done before new ecotourism projects are started. "The animals' welfare should be very important because without them there will be no ecotourism," said Rochelle Constantine of the University of Auckland in New Zealand. What's the text mainly about? A. Many animals are dying because of lack of money. B. There will be no ecotourism without animals. C. Ecotourism could endanger the survival of the wildlife people want to see. D. More research should be done on ecotourism. Answer: C. Ecotourism could endanger the survival of the wildlife people want to see. Question: It is often said that man has become the enemy of our planet. This is no exaggeration , for reports show that man's greed has done much to destroy the earth. Man, in his greedy desire for financial growth, has polluted the air, land and water, and has robbed our valuable natural resources. Man's industrial plants pour out poisonous waste that pollutes the sea and puts life in the sea under the threat of dying out; at the same time, they release alarming amounts of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other pollutants. Small wonder that the air now is much warmer and more impure than ever before. Of course, this is not just because of man's greed--it is man's pressing need as well. For instance, in developing countries, huge financial foreign debts have forced governments to approve the cutting of forests for agriculture or ranching. As a result, forests are cut down just to meet man's immediate needs. Perhaps unknowingly,man has changed the make-up of the earth's atmosphere. Scientific studies have shown that CFCs used in refrigerators and industrial cleaners are fast destroying the ozone layer--a protective layer in the atmosphere that protects us against the harmful effects of the sun's ultraviolet rays. In fact, documented reports have shown a terrible fact that there are "holes" in the ozone layer over the Antarctic. And they appear to be expanding. Faced with these environmental problems, world leaders have shown deep concern. The UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) has arranged international agreements like the Vienna convention of 1985 and the Montreal Protocol of 1989 to preserve the ozone layer by controlling the production, use and trade of destructive chemicals. There may be some doubt as to how effectual these agreements may be, given that some countries still maintain an "I-don't-care" attitude. Their attitude is probably due to their failure to grasp the importance of the problem. Then, there is no doubt that environmental education on an international scale is greatly needed, so that all countries, great and small--the "haves" and the "have nots"--may realize their responsibilities for our planet. In the meantime, the UNEP seems to have taken steps in the right direction, and it is hoped that in the not so distant future, all nations of the world will join hands in saving mother earth. Why don't some countries care about the problem of the environment? A. They don't want to put their lives in danger. B. They just don't know how to solve the problem. C. They haven't realized the seriousness of the problem. D. They don't want to break their international commitment. Answer: C. They haven't realized the seriousness of the problem.
Question: When a magazine for high school students asked its readers what life would be like in twenty years, they said: Machines would be run by solar power. Buildings would rotate so they could follow the sun to take maximum advantage of its light and heat. Walls would "give light" and "change color with the push of a button." Food would be replaced by pills. School would be taught by electrical impulse while we sleep. Cars would have radar . Does this sound like the year 2000? Actually, this article was written in 1958 and the question was, "what will life be like in 1978? The future is much too important to simply guess about, the way the high school students did, so experts are regularly asked to predict accuately. By carefully studying the present, skilled businessmen, scientists, and politicians are supposedly able to figure out in advance what will happen. But can they? One expert on Cities wrote: Cities of the future would not be crowded, but would have space for farms and fields. People would travel to work in "airbuses", large all-weather helicopters carrying up to 200 passengers. When a person left the airbus station he could drive a coin-operated car equipped with radar. The radar equipment of cars would make traffic accidents "almost unheard of". Does that sound familiar? If the expert had been accurate it would, because he was writing in 1957. His subject was "The city of 1982". If the professionals sometimes sound like high school students, it's probably because future study is still a new field. But economic forecasting, or predicting what the economy will do, has been around for a long time. It should be accuate, and generally it is. But there have been some big mistakes in the field, too. In early 1929, most forecasters saw an excellent future for the stock market. In October of that year, the stock market had its worst losses ever, ruining thousands of investors who had put their faith in financial foreseers. One forecaster knew that predictions about the future would always be subject to significant error. In 1957, H.J. Rand of the Rad corporation was asked about the year 2000, "Only one thing is certain," he answered. "Children born today will have reached the age of 43." H.J.Rand's prediction about the year 2000 shows that _ . A. it is easy to figure out in advance what will happen B. it is difficult to figure out in advance what will happen C. only professionals can figure out in advance what will happen D. very few professionals figure out in advance what will happen Answer: B. it is difficult to figure out in advance what will happen Question: Florence Nightingale was born in 1820. Growing up, she was a quiet and serious girl. She spent a lot of time playing with her dolls. She would pretend that the dolls were sick and she was their nurse. People would bring sick or hurt animals to her to look after. She even managed to mend a dog's broken leg when she was a young girl. She often went with her mother to visit the poor people. They took food and medicine to the sick. It was these visits that gave her the idea of becoming a nurse. Florence really wanted to be a doctor but she couldn't because in those days only men were allowed to become doctors. She decided that she wanted to become a nurse. Her parents were very angry;the daughters of rich people did not work at all and certainly they did not become nurses. But Florence had made up her mind to specialize in nursing. Her chance came in 1854 when Britain went to war with Russia in a place called the Crimea. Florence was asked to take a group of nurses to look after the sick and wounded soldiers. The hospitals were dirty, and there was not enough medicine. There were not enough beds, so some people were just lying on rags in the mud. There was so much sickness that the doctors could not treat all the soldiers. Florence and her team cleaned the hospital rooms and beds. They made sure that the soldiers got enough medicine. The army was unhappy because there were women so close to the fighting. They gave the nurses a lot of trouble. Florence and her team worked hard and got over all the difficulties they had to face. Florence became famous as "The Lady of the Lamp". At night she would go from room to room checking on the patients. There was no electricity so she would carry an oil lamp with her to see where she was going. She often stayed to talk to the patients. After the war, Florence returned to London as a national hero. A great welcome was prepared for her, but she slipped into the country unnoticed. She opened a school to teach nurses how to look after their patients properly. She never really got better from the illness that she had in the Crimea and she died in 1910. Now Florence Nightingale is known as the mother of modem nursing. She had devoted her whole life to patients. It is because of her work that we receive the proper care in hospitals today. What can we learn about Florence and her team from the passage? A. They were very popular with the soldiers from the beginning. B. They had to move from place to place when the two countries were at war. C. They had to do a lot of cleaning and get enough medicine. D. They had to talk to the patients when the doctors could not treat them. Answer: C. They had to do a lot of cleaning and get enough medicine. Question: Woodland High School is an international sch ool. We have students from all around the world. As an international student you can get first-class facilities with trained teachers to help. For further information: inf@woodland.uk Subjects We offer a wide choice of subjects for international students, which includes: Arts, IT, French, English, Spanish and other languages. Communication Studies, Social Sciences, etc. For further information: sub@woodland.uk Tuition Fees Tuition fees are different from subject to subject, from PS5,000 to PS6,000 a year. For further information: tui@woodland.uk Accommodation You can have a room in a 4-bedroom flat, which will cost about PS100 a month with other regular living costs of about PS150 a month for one person. For further information: acc@woodland.uk Health The Student Health Service provides excellent medical services for students. The Medical Centre is open five days a week, including student holidays with four doctors and nurses to meet your me dical needs. For further information: heal@woodland.uk Sports The Centre is a great place to have sports activities. Trained exercise teachers can help you work out a training plan and keep you active. The sports hall has volleyball, b asketball and indoor football counts and a swimming pool as well. There are also a large number of sports clubs at Woodland High School. For further information: sport@woodland.uk Which is TRUE according to the text? A. Four students stay in the same room. B. There are 4 beds in each room. C. Each student has 4 rooms. D. Each flat has 4 bedrooms. Answer: D. Each flat has 4 bedrooms. Question: In order for food to keep safely, chemicals are used on them. This makes them what? A. be saltier B. longer lasting C. grow faster D. taste sweeter Answer: B. longer lasting Question: Once upon a time there was a boy named Ankit. One day he made a painting and he loved it so much. One night when he slept, an angel came and blessed his painting that it should come alive. He was always lonely. He always wanted a friend to talk to and share his work and secrets. Next morning when he woke up he heard some sounds near his painting. When he looked at the painting, he was surprised that it was talking! He thought that his wish had come true. The man in the painting needed food, water and clothes. The news of the magic painting _ all over the world. It even came in newspapers and in the news on TV. One night a thief came to steal the painting. The moment he came in front of the painting, the man in the picture shouted and said, "Help! Help, a thief!" The thief got scared and ran away. One day the painting said to Ankit that it wanted to be married. Then Ankit had to paint a woman. He made both the paintings marry and live happily ever after. His loneliness was also cured forever. What did the painting tell Ankit one day? A. It wanted to get down from the wall. B. It wanted to get married. C. It wanted to play with him. D. It wanted leave his home. Answer: B. It wanted to get married.
Some monkey babies may be Answer: taken care with two parents Glynis Davis: I first piled on the pounds when I was in the family way and I couldn't lose them afterwards. Then I joined a slimming club. My target was 140 pounds and I lost 30 pounds in six months. I felt great and people kept saying how good I looked. But Christmas came and I started to slip back into my old eating habits. I told myself I'd lose the weight at slimming classes in the new year... but it didn't happen. Instead of losing the pounds, I put them on. I'd lost willpower and tried to believe that the old bag of fish and chips didn't make any difference -- but the _ don't lie. Roz Juma: To be honest, I never weigh myself any more. I've learnt to be happy with myself. It seemed to me that I would feel sorry about every spoonful of tasty food that passed my lips. My idea is simple. You shouldn't be too much thinking about food and dieting. Instead, you should get on with life and stop dreaming of a super thin body. This is obviously the size I'm meant to be and, most of all, I'm happy with it. Lesley Codwin: I was very happy at winning Young Slimmer of the year. I'd look in the mirror unable to believe this slim lady was me! That might have been my problem -- perhaps from then on I didn't pay any attention to myself. Winning a national competition makes everything worse, though. Because you feel the eyes of the world are fixed upon you. I feel a complete failure because I've put on weight again. Ros Langfod: Before moving in with my husband Gavin, I'd always been about 110 pounds, but the pleasant housework went straight to my waist and I put on 15 pounds in a year. Every so often I try to go on a diet... I'm really good in a few days, then end up having the children's leftovers or eating happily chocolate -- my weakness. I'd like to be slim, but right now my duty is the children and home. I might take more exercise when my kids are older. Where are these short passages most likely to be taken from? Answer: Talks on the air. When I was at University I studied very hard. But a lot of my friends did very little work. Some did just enough to pass exams. Others didn't do quite enough. Fred Baines was one of them. He spent more time playing than working in the library. Once at the end of the term, we had to take an important test in chemistry. The test had a hundred questions. Beside each question we had to write "True" or "False". While I was studying in my room the night before the test, Fred was watching TV. Fred usually worried a lot the night before a test. But on that night he looked perfectly calm. Thenhe told me of his plan. "It's very simple. There are a hundred questions and I have to get fifty correct to pass the test. I'll just toss the coin to decide the answers. That way, I'm sure I'll get half the questions right." The next day, Fred came happily into the exam room. As he sat tossing a coin for half an hour he marked down his answers. Then he left, half an hour before the rest of us. The next day, he saw the chemistry professor in the corridor. "Oh, good," he said to the teacher, "Have you got the result of the test?" The teacher reached into his pocket and took out a coin. He threw it into the air, caught it in his hand and looked at it. "I'm terribly sorry, Fred," he said, "You failed!" Which of the following about the chemistry exam is TRUE? Answer: It in fact took an hour to finish the chemisty exam My daughter Allie is leaving for college in a week. Her room is piled with shopping bags filled with blankets, towels, jeans, sweaters. She won't talk about going. I say, "I'm going to miss you," and she gives me one of her looks and leaves the room. Another time I say, in a voice so friendly it surprises even me: "Do you think you'll take your posters and pictures with you, or will you get new ones at college?" She answers, her voice filled with annoyance, "How should I know?" My daughter is off with friends most of the time. Yesterday was the last day she'd have until Christmas with her friend Katharine, whom she's known since kindergarten. Soon, it will be her last day with Sarah, Claire, Heather... and then it will be her last day with me. My friend Karen told me, "The August before I left for college, I screamed at my mother the whole month. Be prepared." I stand in the kitchen, watching Allie make a glass of iced tea. Her face, once so open and trusting, is closed to me. I struggle to think of something to say to her, something meaningful and warm. I want her to know I'm excited about the college she has chosen, that I know the adventure of her life is just starting and that I am proud of her. But the look on her face is so mad that I think she might hit me if I open my mouth. One night -- after a long period of silence between us -- I asked what I might have done or said to make her angry with me. She sighed and said, "Mom, you haven't done anything. It's fine." It is fine -- just distant. Somehow in the past we had always found some way to connect. When Allie was a baby, I would go to the day-care center after work. I'd find a quiet spot and she would nurse -- our eyes locked together, reconnecting with each other. In middle school, when other mothers were already regretting the distant relationship they felt with their adolescent daughters, I hit upon a solution: rescue measures. I would show up occasionally at school, sign her out of class and take her somewhere -- out to lunch, to the movies, once for a long walk on the beach. It may sound irresponsible, but it kept us close when other mothers and daughters were quarrelling. We talked about everything on those outings -- outings we kept secret from family and friends. When she started high school, I'd get up with her in the morning to make her a sandwich for lunch, and we'd silently drink a cup of tea together before the 6:40 bus came. A couple of times during her senior year I went into her room at night, the light off, but before she went to sleep. I'd sit on the edge of her bed, and she'd tell me about problems: a teacher who lowered her grade because she was too shy to talk in class, a boy who teased her, a friend who had started smoking. Her voice, coming out of the darkness, was young and questioning. A few days later I'd hear her on the phone, repeating some of the things I had said, things she had adopted for her own. But now we are having two kinds of partings. I want to say good-bye in a romantic way. For example, we can go to lunch and lean across the table and say how much we will miss each other. I want smiles through tears, bittersweet moments of memory and the chance to offer some last bits of wisdom. But as she prepares to depart, Allie has hidden her feelings. When I reach to touch her arm, she pulls away. She turns down every invitation I extend. She lies on her bed, reading Emily Dickinson until I say I have always loved Emily Dickinson, and then she closes the book. Some say the tighter your bond with your child, the greater her need to break away, to establish her own identity in the world. The more it will hurt, they say. A friend of mine who went through a difficult time with her daughter but now has become close to her again, tells me, "Your daughter will be back to you." ks5u "I don't know," I say. I sometimes feel so angry that I want to go over and shake Allie. I want to say, "Talk to me -- or you're grounded!" I feel myself wanting to say that most horrible of all mother phrases: "Think of everything I've done for you." Late one night, as I'm getting ready for bed she comes to the bathroom door and watches me brush my teeth. For a moment, I think I must be brushing my teeth in a way she doesn't approve of. But then she says, "I want to read you something." It's a brochure from her college. "These are tips for parents." I watch her face as she reads the advice aloud: " 'Don't ask your child if she is homesick,' it says. 'She might feel bad the first few weeks, but don't let it worry you. This is a natural time of transition. Write her letters and call her a lot. Send a package of candies...' " Her voice breaks, and she comes over to me and buries her head in my shoulder. I stroke her hair, lightly, afraid she'll run if I say a word. We stand there together for long moments, swaying. Reconnecting. I know it will be hard again. It's likely there will be a fight about something. But I am grateful to be standing in here at midnight, both of us tired and sad, toothpaste spread on my chin, holding tight to--while also letting go of--my daughter who is trying to say good-bye. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . Answer: there are different attitudes to parting between the author and Allie Which group consists only of living things? Answer: rabbit, seed, bird
Question: You might think Hawaii is only for honeymoons, but there are various family-based activities and attractions. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park What makes this park unique is the opportunity to see an active volcano, Kilauca. Within the park, there is a visitor center, the Jagger Museum, the Volcano House containing a gift shop, a restaurant and a hotel, and the Volcano Art Center Gallery. The park is open every day. The entrance fee is $10 per car. Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park Visitors can take a self-guided tour that includes ancient sites. There is also a reconstructed temple as well as examples of traditional Hawaiian canoes. The park is open from 6 am to 8 pm during the week and until 11 pm on weekends and holidays. The visitor center is open from 9 am to 5 pm. The entrance fee for the park is $5. Dolphin Twilight Camp at the Hilton Waikoloa Village The camp, for children aged from 5 to 12, consists of four hours of fun including dolphin playtime, a pirate treasure hunt, a picnic dinner and a twilight camp T-shirt. The admission price is $120 for the first child and $105 for each additional one. The Parker Ranch Here visitors can learn about the history and culture of one of the largest cattle ranches in the United States. To see the ranch itself, take the 45-minute carriage tour. Tickets to the carriage tour are $15 for adults and $12 for children under 12. The museum fee is $6.50 for adults and $4.50 for children. Sea Turtles at Punalu'u Beach Park Punalu'u Beach Park is famous for its beautiful black sand beach. Green Sea Turtles, an endangered species, inhabit this beach and Hawksbill Turtles, another endangered species, sometimes nest here as well. Swim, relax and enjoy island life, without any charge. Which of the following statement is true according to the passage? A. You are forbidden to take a guide tour in the Historic Park. B. You should pay 240 dollars for two children for the twilight camp. C. The major activity in the Parker Ranch is to learn how to raise cattle. D. You can take the carriage tour to have a good view in the Parker Ranch. Answer: D. You can take the carriage tour to have a good view in the Parker Ranch. Question: People eat different things in different parts of the world. In south China we eat rice every day. Sometimes we eat it two or three times a day, for breakfast, lunch and supp-er. We usually eat it with fish, meat and vegetables. The Japanese eat rice, too. They also eat a lot of fish. They sometimes eat raw fish. In Africa, maize is the most important food. People there make maize into flour .From this flour they make different kinds of bread and cakes. In western countries such as Britain, Australia and the U.S.A, the most important food is bread or potatoes. People there usually make their bread from wheat flour. They cook the potatoes in different ways. In England the most popular food is fish and chips. Sometimes people cook this food at home, but usually they buy it at the shop. They eat this food at home, in their work place, in the park or on the road. People call it "take-away" food. People eat "take-away" food _ . A. at home B. on their way to school C. in their offices D. A, B and C Answer: D. A, B and C Question: 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." What can we learn form the story? A. Making tacks is important. B. Wars can make people hard-working. C. Nothing is difficult to learn. D. Everything you learned may be useful. Answer: D. Everything you learned may be useful. Question: Planning a visit to the UK? Here we help with ways to cut your costs. AVOID BIG EVENTS Big sporting events, concerts and exhibitions can increase the accommodation and make it harder to find a room. A standard double room at the Thistle Brighton on the final Friday of the Brighton Comedy Festival (19, Oct.) cost PS 169.15 at Booking. Com. A week later, the same room cost PS 118.15. If you can be flexible and want to know dates to avoid - or you're looking for a big event to pass your time - check out sites such as Whatsonwhen.com, which allow you to search for events in the UK by city, date and category. STAY AWAY FROM THE STATION If travelling to your destination by train, you may want to find a base close to the station, but you could end up paying more for the sake of convenience at the start of your holiday. Don't be too choosy about the part of town you stay in. Booking two months in advance, the cheapest room at Travelodge's Central Euston hotel in London for Saturday 22 September was PS 95.95. A room just a tube journey away at its Covent Garden hotel was PS 75.75. And at Farringdon, a double room cost just PS 62.95. LOOK AFTER YOURSELF Really central hotels in cities such as London, Edinburgh and Cardiff can cost a fortune, especially at weekends and during big events. As an alternative consider checking into a self-catering flat with its own kitchen. Often these flats are hidden away on the top floors of city centre buildings. A great example is the historic O'Neill Flat on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, available for PS 420 for five days in late September, with room for four adults. GET ON A BIKE London's 'Boris bikes' have attracted the most attention, but other cities also have similar programmes that let you rent a bicycle and explore at your own pace, saving you on public transport or car parking costs. Among the smaller cities with their own programmes are Newcastle (casual members pay around PS 1.50 for two hours) and Cardiff (free for up to 30 minutes, or PS 5 per day). Cardiff's programme allows a free bike for a maximum period of _ . A. half an hour B. one hour C. one hour and a half D. two hours Answer: A. half an hour Question: John wanted to buy some new clothes, so he went to a shop. First he asked for some trousers and put them on, but then he took them off and gave them back to the shopkeeper and said, "No, give me a coat instead of these trousers." The man gave him a coat and said "This one costs the same as the trousers." John took the coat and walked out of the shop. The shopkeeper ran after him and said, "You have not paid for the coat!" "But I gave you the trousers for the coat," said John. "They cost the same as the coat, aren't they?" "Yes," said the shopkeeper, "But you didn't pay for the trousers!" "Of course I didn't!" answered John, "I didn't take them, I am not stupid! Nobody gives things back and then pays for them." The shopkeeper ran after John _ A. in order to give him the trousers. B. because John had not paid for the trousers. C. in order to return his change D. because John had not paid for the coat. Answer: D. because John had not paid for the coat.
Look at the keyboard of any standard typewriter or computer."Q,""W,""E,""R""T"and"Y"are the first six letters.Who decided on this arrangement of the letters? And why? People tried for centuries to invent the typewriter.In 1714 in England,Henry Mill filed a patent for a machine called An Artificial Machine Or Method for the Impressing or Transcribing of Letters,Singly or Progressively one after another, as in Writing,whereby all Writing whatsoever may be Engrossed in Paper or Parchment so Neat and Exact as not to be distinguished from Print.That machine probably didn't sell because no one could remember its name! The first practical typewriter was patented in the United States in 1868 by Christopher Latham Sholes.His machine was known as the type-writer.It had a movable carriage,a lever for turning paper from line to line,and a keyboard on which the letters were arranged in alphabetical order. But Sholes had a problem.On his first model,his"ABC"key arrangement caused the keys to jam when the typist worked quickly.Sholes didn't know how to keep the keys from sticking,so his solution was to keep the typist from typing too fast.Sholes asked his brother-in-1aw to rearrange the keyboard so that the commonest letters were not so close together and the type bars would come from opposite directions.Thus they would not clash together and jam the machine.The new arrangement was the QWERTY arrangement typists use today.Of course,Sholes claimed that the new arrangement was scientific and would add speed and efficiency.The only efficiency it added was to slow the typist down,since almost any word in the English language required the typist's fingers to cover more distance on the keyboard. The advantages of the typewriter outweighed the disadvantages of the keyboard.Typists memorized the crazy letter arrangement,and the typewriter became a huge success.By the time typists had memorized the new arrangement of letters and built their speed,typewriter technology had improved,and the keys didn't stick as badly as they had at first. The author thinks the machine invented by Henry Mill could not be sold because _ . Answer: the name of the machine was too long The Grand Canyon is an example of Answer: erosion. Name: Off the Beaten Path Cover price: $30.00 Our price: $l9.80 The best-selling Reader's Digest travel book has 40% new content including over 200 new sites, over 200 new full-color photographs, and all-new, up-to-date maps. It spotlights over l, 000 of the United States' most overlooked must-see destinations. Name: Container Gardens by Number Cover price: $l5.95 Our price: $9.49 A unique book contains 50 easy-to-follow container designs. Each design provides a simple numbered planting plan that shows exactly how to create each display, with an instruction of the finished planter and in-depth plant information. The plans are easy to follow and for any type of living space or garden. Name: Best Weekend Projects Cover price: $l7.95 Our price: $l3.96 Choose from 80 unique ideas to create an extraordinary living space. The projects are practical, as well as attractive, and will improve your home and yard and can be made in a weekend. These 80 well-designed projects are presented in a clear, easy-to-follow style that addresses readers in an accessible, user-friendly tone. Name: l80l Home Remedies Cover price: $40.00 Our price: $29.96 Plenty of health complaints can be handled at home. Each and every remedy will be tested by a doctor to make sure it is safe and sound. Dozens of conditions are covered, from headaches, sunburn, bad breath, and blisters to allergies , and hiccups . Which of the following could help you to deal with common diseases without a doctor? [: Answer: l80l Home Remedies. More than half of the world's population live in cities. Traffic and pollution are becoming big problems in big cities all over the world. In cities like Mexico City, Shanghai or Cairo the quality of air is getting worse every day. In the United States, people spend more time sitting in traffic jams. Some of the world's cities have already found the answer to the problem. In Bogota, the capital of Columbia, the government has taken measures to improve the quality of life for the city's 8 million people. They created over a thousand new parks, a new public transport system, and built hundreds of cycling and walking paths. People who live in the city also joined in making their city one of the most livable places in South America. Today city planners around the world are looking for ways to provide more room for living and less room for cars. In America, public transport has increased over 2 % since the mid 1990s -- not much but a start. More and more people leave their cars at home and get on buses, trains or even ride a bike to work. Some cities are far better at planning than others. In Amsterdam, for example, only 40 % of the population use their cars to get to work, 35 % ride bikes while 25% use public transport. In Paris, about half of the city's workers drive their cars to work. For cities in developing countries, the problems have just started. Traffic is getting worse as more and more people can afford to buy a car. What did Bogota do to improve the quality of life for its people? Answer: It built new parks and a new public transport system. I was stuck in O'hare airport on an extremely long weather delay, pacing up and down the waiting hall for some exercise, when I passed a wine bar for the twentieth time or so. But this time there was a young woman behind the piano, playing what I could only describe as absolutely beautiful classical music. She had not been there ten minutes earlier when I passed. I sat down at an empty table for four very near the piano, and began to be warmed by her music and a bit by the wine! She played so effortlessly and with such beauty in every note. Her music immediately brought a huge smile to my face! Soon, on a break, I thanked her and she told me that after a long day traveling, and now also facing long weather delays, she "just needed to _ ." Wow! Her version of blowing off steam was a gift to get. As I sat alone drinking my wine, absorbed in this young woman's celebration of her musical passion, two women approached my table and asked if they could join me. I invited them to sit and we immediately began sharing our love of music and celebrating the happiness the piano music was bringing us at that moment. The two women and I began to talk about our travels, life journeys, and passions. Hearing that unbelievable piano music, and then meeting such interesting women, who generously shared with me their wisdom, perspectives, and feelings of love for each other, was truly joyous. Faced with an 11-hour travel day -- to get what normally takes 45 minutes -- could have been physically and emotionally exhausting. Rather, by accident of walking by a wine bar at the right moment, and having a couple of seats open at my table, my life was filled with joy. I will cherish those moments for some time to come. This experience highlights the critical need in our lives to stop and listen to the music, to invite others to sit at your life table, to open yourself up to a stranger or two, sharing some of your deepest perspectives and experiences. Be open to noticing, absorbing, and also contributing to the joy around you! The author writes the text in order to encourage people _ . Answer: to notice and enjoy the happiness around you
John is a very strong man. He gets a job of cutting trees in a forest. His boss gives him an axe and showed him the area where he should work. The first day, John cuts down 18 trees. "Good," the boss says, "keep it up!" happily, John tries harder the next day, but he only cuts down 15 trees. The third day he tries even harder, but he can only cut down 10 trees. Day after day he cuts down fewer and fewer trees. "I must be losing my strength ," John thinks. He goes to the boss to say sorry and says that he can not know what is going on. "When is the last time you sharpen your axe?" the boss asks. "I'm busy cutting trees, so I have no time to do _ . " The moral of this story: While John is working hard, he doesn't work "smart". He doesn't think about the best way to do his job. How many trees does John cut down on the second day? Answer: Most nights I lie in bed, ready for an escape from myself, yet a streaming video of everything I ate, how I exercised, the activities of the day won't stop playing in my mind. I pause. I breathe. I try to relax once again, but it doesn't work. When I'm not exercising -- even if I've already exercised that day -- I'm consumed with anxiety about my next workout. Will something come up and make me miss the gym? What about holidays when the gym is closed? Exercise has become a disease; it even disguises (,) itself as the cure. If I don't have _ as an escape, then what's left to hold me together? Working out feels like the only way to calm myself, but as soon as I leave the gym or finish a walk, the whole cycle starts over again. As you might have guessed by now, I suffer from depression and OCD . I'm a highly-educated adult woman who knows the risks of this behavior, and yet I can't stop. As a society, we're told over and over that it's important to exercise. That's what makes it so easy to keep this addiction a secret; it's not as obvious as lighting up a cigarette. You can continue to feed your addiction under the guise that you're just being "healthy". I not only have to fight the nonstop thoughts in my head but also the "more exercise is better" messages I receive from the media every day. For me, exercise has become a drug, which is a way to numb the pain I might feel. I wonder what it would be like to "have the problem" of not wanting to go to the gym. It still feels very far away. Yet I know I can be stronger than this. I can break the cycle I'm in. I can tell my story so as to give up a piece of the secrecy that keeps me sick. Because no, you don't want my problem. And finally, neither do I. What is special about the addition to exercise? Answer: A person who is deaf when he is born is usually dumb as well. There may be nothing wrong with his mouth and tongue, but he cannot speak. This is because he cannot hear people, so he has nothing to imitate . He may try to make sounds himself, but cannot hear his own voice. However, even though he finds it difficult to speak and cannot hear, he can learn to read. Nowadays such persons can also be taught to speak because we have modern methods and equipment, but we did not have these when Helen Keller was born. Even with modern methods and equipment, however, it is not easy for deaf children to learn to speak, though most of them succeed. When a child is deaf and blind as well, it becomes much more difficult, though it is possible. Helen Keller was born in 1880. She became very ill at the age of nineteen months. Medical knowledge was not as great then as it is now. She did not die but lost her sight and hearing. As a result, she became dumb as well. Her parents did their best to teach her, but she couldn't speak by the age of six. Then, in 1887, a teacher, Miss Sullivan, came to live with her. Miss Sullivan herself had been blind. She had been partly cured. Though she could not see very well, she was not blind. Helen was a difficult pupil at first, but in a month Helen had learned how to understand signs and how to make them herself. At last in spite of her great difficulties, Helen learned to read, write and speak, even though she was deaf and blind. She even went to college and had full education. She wrote many books, and though other people have written books about her, her own books are the ones that best explain how it feels to be deaf, dumb and blind. Her best book is The Story of My Life. Perhaps you have read it. Though it was written in 1902, it is still a very interesting book. Even if you have not read it, you may have heard of Helen Keller. Deaf and dumb children can be taught to speak nowadays because _ . Answer: Mark was walking home from school one day when he noticed a boy ahead of him. He had tripped and dropped all of the books he was carrying, along with some clothes, a baseball bat and a glove. Mark knelt down and helped the boy pick up the things. Since they were going the same way, he offered to carry some things for the boy. As they walked, Mark discovered the boy's name was Bill. He loved video games, baseball and history, but he was having trouble with some of his subjects. They arrived at Bill's home first. Mark was invited in for a Coke and to watch some television. The afternoon passed pleasantly with some laughs and talk. Then Mark went home. They continued to see each other around school, had lunch together once or twice, then both graduated from junior school. Three days before graduation, Bill asked Mark if they could talk. Bill reminded Mark of the day years ago when they had first met. "Did you ever wonder why I was carrying so many things home that day?" asked Bill. "You see, I took away all my things from school. I had stored away some of my mother's sleeping pills . I was going home to kill myself. But after we spent some time talking and laughing, I realized that if I had died, I would have missed so many good time. So you see, Mark, when you picked up those books that day, you did a lot more. " When Bill fell down on his way home, Mark _ Answer: A person who wants to raise alligators will need a supply of food such as Answer:
My grandmother was a master gardener. She could make anything bloom . Even me. For most of her life, she lived on a farm in the mountains of North Carolina, where she raised four children, buried a husband, and watched the changing of the seasons. After my parents divorced , my dad moved back to the farm. I visited on weekends or holidays. While my dad ate my grandmother's vegetables, I breathed in her flowers. I was a skinny kid, but her flowers filled a thousand hungry places in my soul. When my regular farm tasks were done, I was free to climb the mountain, singing songs and gathering flowers. Sometimes the plants scratched me. My grandmother would say: "Beauty has a price. I hope it was worth it." "Yes, ma'am," I'd say. "It was." Then I'd scratch some more. I loved gathering flowers on my own. But what I loved best was gathering them with her. I walked behind her like a sponge with legs, trying to soak it all up. At the end of the day, we'd sort the flowers and make bouquets : One for the living room, one for the kitchen, and three for the bedrooms. Even then, as a child, I knew what I needed most from my grandmother was not her flowers, but her time. She's been gone for years, but sometimes, when I reach down to pick a flower or pull a weed, I see her hand, not mine. I thought I'd grow up to be a gardener too. I told myself, someday, when my children had children, I'd be a gardening grandma. Then the grandbabies started showing up, and I discovered I'd much rather chase after them than go digging. The truth is, I'm no gardener. I'm a picker, not a planter. I differ from my grandmother in lots of ways, but this: I will always carry within me a heart she made from her own. They don't need to plant a garden. My children are my flowers. Delight and complete me with a beauty that is worth any price. All I need to do is care for them with time, water them with love, and hope that someday, when they hold their first grandchild, they might see my hand. How did the author feel when she found out that she was a picker rather than a planter? A Angry. B Disappointed. C Calm. D Worried. Answer: C. Calm. When the weatherman says to expect a storm, he most-likely is telling you to watch for A downpour conditions B nothing C flying cats D Water parks Answer: A. downpour conditions After the wolf ate all the rabbits he survived on: A water B plants. C fat D luck Answer: C. fat Ever wonder why sometimes a hug is all you need ? You can't explain it , but there's just something comforting about being in your wife's arms after a rough day or giving mom a hug after a long time apart . A new study says the warm feeling in a hug is more than just skin deep . Researchers from the University of California , Berkeley believe that this loving feeling could have anti-aging benefits . Oxytocin , sometimes referred to as the " love hormone " or the " trust hormone , " is responsible for those indescribable feelings we get when we're bonding with a lover or a loved one . Levels of the hormone drop as we age , and evidence suggests that could be a contributing factor to the _ of our bodies as we age . Muscle loss in particular is one of the major side effects of aging , with our bodies losing up to 5 percent of our muscle mass each decade past our 30s . In the study , published in the journal Nature Communications , researchers injected oxytocin into older mice with muscle damage . The older mice had lower levels of the homeone than younger mice initially . But after nine days , the older mice who were given the hormone healed better than those who did not . In fact , their ability to repair muscle damage was up to 80 percent that of the younger mice . The results were not only fast-acting , but provide hope for future uses of the hormone in a variety of anti-aging capacities . " This is good because it demonstrates that extra oxytocin improves aged tissue stem cells without making muscle stem cells divide uncontrollably , " study co-author Wendy Cousins said in a statement . Previous uses of anti-aging molecules have also been associated with higher cancer risk , but researchers are hopeful that oxytocin can be useful in humans without this risk . In the future , researchers of Berkeley say oxytocin could be used to fight other age-related health issues by improving bone health and even being used as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy . Now go out and give someone a hug . According to the passage , oxytocin _ . A decreases when people get older B creates loving feeling on the skin C leads to the great loss of muscles D can be used in humans without any risk Answer: A. decreases when people get older Our travel experts are eager to assist you with your cheap flight tickets and package deal bookings. Call us for cheap air ticket deals on flights from all UK airports. Cheap Flights to Los Angeles Those who are indeed booking tickets on flights to this city of USA will surely be impressed by the sheer vastness and popular tourist attractions like Disneyland, Hollywood's Universal Studios, Six Flags and downtown Los Angeles. With warm and sunny climate, LA is a year-round destination and one can seek cheap deals on flights tickets any month of the year. Book your cheap flight to Los Angeles from PS484 only. Cheap Flights to New York The inspiring skyline of Manhattan is an unforgettable sight when first glimpsed. and New York is a city that knows how to attract the visitor. 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A enjoy wonderful nights B visit famous squares C see famous plays D ride a horse-drawn carriage Answer: A. enjoy wonderful nights
Mara planted six pots of lettuce seeds. She placed three pots in a sunny area and three pots in a shaded area. She watered each pot the same and measured the growth of the lettuce. After Mara analyzes her data, what conclusion will it help her to make? A. When to plant her lettuce B. Where to plant her lettuce C. How much water to give lettuce D. How many lettuce plants to grow Answer: B Which characteristic is shared by all cells? A. They need energy. B. They reproduce sexually. C. They make their own food. D. They move from place to place. Answer: A Traveling can be a very fun and exciting way to vacation with your family, but it does not always turn out as expected. I have traveled a lot with my family over the years, but some experiences are worth forgetting altogether. I remember a particular traveling experience which sticks out in my mind for the wrong reasons. My dad and stepmom had decided to drive to California for our family vacation. This was supposed to provide educational value, since we would be able to stop along the way and look at various sites in each state. Everything was going as planned until we decided to take a break and stop at the Grand Canyon . I had always wanted to see this exciting place and had decided to write a report on it for my eight-grade English class. We got out of the car and were walking on one of the paths to get to a cliff so we could take a family photo when I slipped and fell down. I fell on a piece of rock, and felt great pain run up my leg at once. My dad took me to the nearest hospital and, after an eight-hour wait in the emergency room , found out that I broke two bones in my foot. Needless to say, our vacation was no fun for me because I was in pain during the whole two-week trip. I ended up making an appointment the day we got home to see a doctor for a check-up. That was definitely not what I consider fun or a great vacation, and it really _ our sightseeing plans. From the passage we learn that _ . A. the bones of the author's two legs were broken. B. the author waited for 8 hours before the treatment C. the author was taken to the hospital near his home D. the travel of the family lasted about half a month Answer: D My husband and I recently had the chance to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in Morocco, Our daughter had very kindly given us the trip as a gift a few weeks ago. One day, we were walking around in the lively and crowded streets, having a good time. I was looking at all the amazing places and architectures, and all the beautiful faces of the people around us. While I was excited about all the beautiful things around me, my husband walked into a shop. I was left standing alone in the street. The women in this country are never alone. After fifteen minutes, I started feeling a little uneasy. A street man dressed in torn, ragged clothes was coming towards me. To tell the truth, I thought the worst at that moment. I thought he was a beggar who was coming to ask for money. As he was passing, he stopped and touched my shoulder. He looked directly at me and the enormous love shining through his eyes made me relaxed. He then asked, "D' accord? D' accord?" I nodded yes. And with his smile, calmness and those incredible peaceful loving eyes, I was moved for days, and my mind was filled with the memory of such a kind person. For me, it was a reminder that we can all talk a good talk , but it is the action that matters. Usually, I tell others that we should be loving towards everyone. That day, I felt sorry as I did not walk my talk . But this stranger in rags gave me the most special reminder. He showed me the beauty that anyone can receive care and concern, at any moment, from the most unlikely sources. What did the author think when the man was approaching? A. The man was going to rob her B. The man was going to ask for money C. The man was going to say hello to her. D. The man was going to ask her the way Answer: B A recent research shows that most people while attending their very first or second interview face the problem of interview nerves. This interview nerves simply make them nervous and depressed. This mainly happens due to lack of confidence and belief in oneself. Most of them even suffer from sleepless nights. They feel as if interviews are nothing but a questioning by an unknown person who will judge them by their answers. They simply can't understand or _ that the interviews are as beneficial for them as for the company. To overcome these problems, people need to make their mind set for facing the interview full of confidence. This can be done by building up confidence that this job is for me only. They need to make preparations for the estimated questions to be asked in the interview. They also need to be familiar with a few details of the company like its products, vision, recent achievement, etc. This is just to have an upper hand in the interview so that you can explain that you are the right candidate for the company. One must be completely relaxed before the interview. Because stress is one of the major reasons which reduces one's performance ability. Another way of getting over with your nerves is by a well known therapy called as hypnosis. Hypnosis is a very effective therapy which is generally used for curing nerves of Examinations, Interviews, Meetings, etc. Hypnosis mainly activates your subconscious mind so that you are extra alert and attentive what you are doing. Thus this gives you a lot more confidence to deal with. Now here are some of the tips you must follow for your interview. * You must be fully prepared for the interview and you must possess everything required. * You must maintain a complete eye contact with the interviewer, because it will show your confidence. * You must not do any nervous acts like being fidgety, fixing your tie or touching your clothes dress again and again. * Be positive while talking and use your hands to express yourself. * With hypnosis you can come in terms with such a situation and will be well prepared to face a barrage of questions that come your way. What's the purpose of the passage _ ? A. To help overcome interview nerves B. To tell people the meaning of interview nerves C. To tell people how to attend interviews D. To help people become more confident Answer: A
Controlling the Ebola virus outbreak at the source in West Africa is the most effective way to decrease international risk of transmission, according to a research paper. If the epidemic persists and grows, it's likely there will be more cases of the deadly virus exported to other countries, including Canada, via air travel, said Dr. Kamran Khan, a physician and researcher at St. Michael's Hospital. Dr. Khan, who examines global airline travel patterns to predict the spread of diseases, said that every month, three Ebola-infected travellers are likely to leave West Africa, which is experiencing a widespread outbreak of the virus -- and this number would only increase as the epidemic grows. Dr. Khan and his co-authors said it is essential that other countries, their public health agencies and hospitals should be prepared. The risk of international spread would be further _ if this epidemic were to take hold in other countries, especially those with weak public health systems. "The international community must be mindful and be ready to support the early detection and control of cases." Dr. Khan said. Dr. Khan noted that of the almost 500,000 travellers who flew on commercial flights out of Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone in 2013, more than half were headed to destinations in five countries: Ghana (17.5 per cent, Senegal (14.4 per cent), the United Kingdom (8.7 per cent, France (7.1 per cent) and Gambia (6.8 per cent). More than 60 per cent of travellers from those countries in 2014 are expected to have final destinations in low- or lower-middle income countries. "Given that these countries have limited medical and public health resources, they may have difficulty quickly identifying and effectively responding to imported Ebola cases", said Dr Khan. In low income countries, _ . A it is easy to identify imported Ebola cases B people have rich medical resources C imported Ebola cases may not be effectively responded to D travelers are not allowed to go to some places Answer: C While studying the relationship between number of trees and amount of atmospheric oxygen, which of the following would be most important to take into account? A contributions to atmospheric oxygen from sources other than trees B the ways in which industrialized nations use trees C the root area of trees D the bark mass of trees Answer: A Steve Jobs made technology fun.The co-founder of Apple died last Wednesday at the age of fifty-six He had fought for years against cancer.Mourners gathered outside his house in Palo Alto, California, and Apple stores around the world. Tim Bajarin, president of a high-tech research and consulting company, said "If you actually look at a tech leader, they're really happy if they have one hit in their life.Steve Jobs has the Apple II, the Mac, the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad and Pixar." Steve Jobs was a college dropout.He was adopted by a machinist and his wife, an accountant.They supported his early interest in electronics. He and his friend Steve Wozniak started Apple Computer--now just called Apple--in nineteen seventy-six.They stayed at the company until nineteen eighty-five.That year, Steve Wozniak returned to college and Steve Jobs left in a dispute with the chief executive. Mr.Jobs then formed his own company, called NeXT Computer.He rejoined Apple in nineteen ninety-seven after it bought NeXT.He helped remake Apple from a business that was in bad shape then to one of the most valuable companies in the world today. Steve Wozniak, speaking on CNN, remembered his longtime friend as a "great visionary and leader'' and a "marketing genius ". President Obama said in a statement: "By building one of the planet's most successful companies from his garage, _ .By making computers personal and putting the Internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible, but intuitive and fun." David Carroll is a professor at Parsons School of Design in New York City.He says Steve Jobs not only revolutionized technology, he also revolutionized American business. "The fact that he was able to redesign American commerce top to bottom and across is really stunning .He probably will be considered an industrial giant on the scale of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, so one of the great[s] of all time." David Carroll said. Steve Jobs stepped down as Apple's chief executive in August because of his health.He died a day after the company released a new iPhone version that met with limited excitement.Apple's new chief, Tim Cook, will also have to deal with the new Kindle Fire tablet computer from Amazon.com.It costs less than half as much as an iPad but also does less. Which of the following can easily prove that Jobs is a "marketing genius"? A After Apple, he founded NeXT Computer. B He made Apple very valuable once again in the world. C He developed a series of Apple products. D He was considered the greatest industrial figure of all time. Answer: B Many parents take on the role of being their children's preschool teacher and the responsibility of readying them for kindergarten. To achieve this goal, it is important for parents to introduce a variety of subjects in a positive and playful manner. "Learning should not be forced,"says Marion Godwin, who has taught first grade in Moorestown, N. J. for more than 30 years." It should be taught according to what they know and do best--and that is' play'. When teaching them, play games and have fun with the subject. And parents should always be looking for'teachable moments'." "You want a child to be a lifelong learner, so you want to show them learning is everywhere,"she says."If parents take the time to lay a strong educational foundation, their children will keep building on it." Introduce children to science with hands-on activities that interest them, such as growing plants from seeds, discussing animals and how to care for pets, and observing the chemical changes that occur during cooking", she says. "Sorting activities, simple patterns and counting games are a great way to teach children the basics of math, and taking them on field trips, singing songs and reciting rhymes also are ways to prepare them for the first day of school", she says. "I think children are naturals when it comes to computers," she says."Let them play educational games on the computer and teach them how to type their first names using the keyboard. When they are more familiar with using the computer, let them find pictures of animals and places on the web. " "Don't criticize the child," she says. "You can't force them to learn something. If they don't get something right, so what? Smile and be happy and make the experience joyful. Parents need to understand that if a child gets something wrong, they may think something is wrong with them. Keep working with them and when they get the right answer make sure you tell them how hard they worked to get the correct answer. " In Godwin's opinion, children should be encouraged to _ . A learn all by themselves B play more computer games C learn to type their first names D learn online under instructions Answer: D Jane always goes to school early. She likes to talk to her friends before class. After school she does not go home early. She is always late. Jane stops to see the animals in the pet shop. She likes to see the dogs. One of them is a little white dog. She watches the little dog play in the window of the shop. She watches for a long time, so she comes home late. One day her father and mother ask why she is late, and she tells them about the little dog in the pet shop. Jane is not late the next day. She stops to look in the window of the shop. But she doesn't see the dog, and she is very sad. She is also very happy, today is her birthday. Mother shows her a big birthday cake and Father gives her a birthday surprise . He gives her the little white dog from the shop. Jane is very happy. The next day Jane does not come home late. She runs home to play with the white dog. Before class begins, Jane usually _ . A talks to her friends B plays with her friends C looks at the dogs in the window D takes a bus Answer: A
There are many older people in the world and there will be many more.A limeknown fact is that over 60 percent of the older people live in developing countries.According to the World Health Organization,by 2020 there will be 1 billion,with over 700 million living in developing countries. It is a surprising fact that the population ageing is particularly rapid in developing countries.For example,it took France 115 years for the proportion of older people to double from 7 percent to 14 percent.It is estimated to take China a mere 27 years to achieve this same increase. What are the implications of these increased numbers of older folk?One of the biggest worries for governments is that the longer people live,the more likelihood there is for diseases and for disability.Attention is being paid to the need to keep people as healthy as possible,including during old age,to lessen the financial burden on the state. Another significant problem is the need for the younger generations to understand and value the older people in their society.In some African countries,certainly in Asia,older people are respected and regarded as the ones with special knowledge.Yet traditions are fading away daily,which does not ensure the continued high regard of older people.As society changes,attitudes will change. Much needs to be done to get rid of age discrimination in employment.Lifelong learning programs need to be provided to enable older people to be active members in a country's development. Social security policies need to be established to provide adequate income protection for older people.Both public and private schemes are vital in order to build a suitable safety net. To achieve equality in such matters will take considerable time and effort.One thing is sure:there is no time to be lost. Which of the following measures is NOT mentioned to solve the population ageing problem? A. Getting rid of age discrimination in employment. B. Ensuring adequate income protection for older people. C. Providing free health care for sick older people. D. Supplying lifelong learning programs to older people. Answer: C. Providing free health care for sick older people. Do you know you could get sick just by walking past a building? The bacteria that cause Legionnaire's disease grow very fast in large modern buildings. They are carried by air through the buildings and outside. Legionnaire s disease is only one of the illnesses that are caused by "sick buildings". Some buildings can make you ill because their heating and air-conditioning are controlled . Air from outside cannot get in through the closed windows; This indoor air pollution is a growing problem. Legionnaire's disease may be the most serious result of sick buildings, but other unpleasant illnesses can appear.People who work in some buildings suffer from tiredness, feeling sick and headaches. Their offices look bright and clean, but invisible and dangerous bacteria are in the air around them. There is an answer to the problem. The air-conditioning and heating can be tested for bacteria. _ This is expensive to do, but the results are good. The people in the buildings no longer get sick, and everybody is happier. Sick buildings means _ . A. very old buildings B. buildings that make people feel sick C. buildings for sick people D. buildings that are going to fall down Answer: B. buildings that make people feel sick Pollination is required for what reproduction? A. elephant B. bug C. bird D. flora Answer: D. flora Goals can help you do, be and experience everything you want in life. Instead of just letting life happen to you, goals allow you to make your life happen. Successful and happy people have an idea of how their life should be and they set lots of goals to help them succeed. By setting goals you are taking control of your life. It's like having a map to show you where you want to go. Think of it this way. There are two drivers. One has a destination in mind which is laid out for her on a map. She can drive straight there without any wasted time or wrong turns. The other driver has no goal or destination or map. She starts off at the same time from the same place as the first driver, but she drives without an aim around, never getting anywhere, just using up gas and oil. Which driver do you want to be? Winners in life set goals and follow through on them. Winners decide what they want in life and then get there by making plans and setting goals. Unsuccessful people just let life happen by accident. Goals aren't difficult to set--and they aren't difficult to reach. It's up to you to find out what your goals and ideals really are. Research tells us that when we write a goal down, we are more likely to achieve. Written goals can be reviewed regularly,and have more power. Like a contract with yourself, they are harder to neglect or forget. Also when you write your goals in a particular way, you are able to make yourself be continuously alert to situations that will further your goals. The writer gave the example of two drivers to show _ . A. how stupid the first driver was B. the importance of having a map and right direction C. how stupid the second driver was D. the importance of setting goals Answer: D. the importance of setting goals The government-run command post in Tunis is staffed around the clock by military personnel, meteorologists and civilians. On the wall are maps, crisscrossed with brightly colors arrows that painstakingly track the fearsome path of the enemy. What kind of invader gives rise to such high-level monitoring? Not man, not beast, but the lowly desert locust . In recent months, billions of the 3-inch-long winged warriors have descended on Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia, blackening the sky and eating up crops and vegetation. The insect invasion, the worst in 30 years, is already creating great destruction in the Middle East and is now treating southern Europe. The current crisis began in late 1985 near the Red Sea. Unusually rainy weather moistened the sands of the Sudan, making them ideal seedbed for the locust, which lays its eggs in the earth. The insect onslaught threatens to create yet another African famine. Each locust can eat its weight (not quite a tenth of an ounce) in vegetation every 24 hours. A good-size swarm of 50 billion insects eats up 100,000 tons of grass, trees and crops in a single night. All $150 million may be needed this year. The U.S. has provided two spraying planes and about 50,000 gal. of pesticide. The European Community has donated $3.8 million in aid and the Soviet Union, Canada, Japan and China have provided chemical-spraying aircraft to help wipe out the pests. But relief efforts are hampered by the relative mildness of approved pesticides, which quickly lose their deadly punch and require frequent replications. The most effective locust killer dieldrin has been linked to cancer and is banned by many Western countries and some of the affected African nations. More than 5 million acres have been dusted with locust-killing chemicals; another 5 million will be treated by the end of June. On May 30, representatives of Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Mauritania will meet in Algiers to discuss tactics to wipe out the ravenous swarms. The move is an important step, but whatever plan is devised, the locust plague promised to get worse before the insects can be brought under control. Which of the following is true? A. Once the pesticides are used, locust will die immediately. B. Relief efforts are proved most fruitful due to the effectiveness of certain pesticides. C. Dieldrin, the most effective locust killer, has been widely accepted in many countries. D. Over 10 million acres of affected area will have been treated with locust-killing chemicals by the end of June. Answer: D. Over 10 million acres of affected area will have been treated with locust-killing chemicals by the end of June.
I think it is safe to say that snakes are not popular among most people. It would be hard to find a person who is neutral ,or simply doesn't care one way or the other. What I wonder is why something even without legs causes such great fear. Snakes are quite useful, but that doesn't seem to matter. Snakes help control the population of mice. Without snakes, perhaps we would find mice everywhere. Most of us, however, would rather see a mouse than a snake. The poison argument is a strong one. Some snakes are poisonous, and this causes people's death. However, the poisonous snakes are only a small number. We can't say all the snakes are bad just because of a few dangerous ones. And what do we do with the people who really like snakes? They like snakes even more strongly than we dislike them. These people learn about them, find them out, and watch them carefully. Why? The only reason I can think of is that these people are open-minded. They are able to put aside differences and welcome the snake as a friend. Whatever the reason for our like or dislike, snakes do something good in the circle of life. They would prefer to be left alone, and that is what we should do. If you're lucky, you might not run across more than a few of them in a lifetime. That would be fine with most of us. Although some snakes are poisonous, _ . A they cause many people's death B they control the population of mice C they are not dangerous to people D they are only a small number Answer: D I am a single working mother and going to college for a better life for my three-year-old child and myself. I am taking a nurse course called "Urban Community ". We were asked to do a major project on problems in urban communities. I chose the topic "Homeless". Each day I would walk down the streets of the homeless and offer them something to drink and to eat. I know it's tough to survive on the streets. Last night I ran into a group of 30 kids who were living on the streets in New York. _ and I just wanted to cry. But I had to be strong. I asked about their families and if they contacted them to let them know they were alive. Most of them said, "NO!" They all looked like a happy family and they took care of one another. I tried to persuade them to get help and to contact their families but they did not want to. I did not want to make them to do it as they had their own reasons. All these kids were very respectful. None of them was high on drugs nor were they drinking. Some of them enjoyed reading and writing. Some of them enjoyed skateboarding, dancing and playing music. One girl asked me if I could give her a hug and I did so. She started to cry and said, "Thank you for not treating us as freaks like everyone else does. People don't realize that we all have our own problems and some are worse than others." She told me that her stepfather was extremely mean to her and her mother did not believe her. She ran away. Her street name was Little Mary. They were good kids just trying to make ends meet. I told them that I didn't have much to offer because I was a single mother just making ends meet. I had offered them sandwiches and drinks. They were so happy to have something to eat and told me that I couldn't change the world but at least there was someone who really cared. What kind of feeling did the author show when she failed to persuade the children to contact their families? A Sorrow B Anxiety C Anger D Understanding Answer: D Being thirteen has certain problems that only another thirteen-year-old would understand. The biggest, I think, is learning to get along well with adults. I have found that when dealing with grown-ups, it is wise to remember two things: Always use your head. Never use your head. For instance, one day just before supper, my mother sent me to the store for a loaf of whole-wheat bread. They didn't have any. When I told my mother, she said, "Well, what kind did you get?" I told her I didn't get any. She looked as if I had just announced that I was leaving home for good. "For goodness' sake!" Said, "if they didn't have whole-wheat, you should have got something else! Why don't you use your head?" Not long after that, she sent me to the store for red oilcloth. They didn't have any, so I bought seven yards of purple. I thought it was pretty. Mother didn't. She said, "who ever heard of purple oilcloth in a red kitchen?" I told her I was only trying to use my head. She said, "Well, don't! And in the future, if you can't get what I send you for, don't get anything." See what I mean? There are other things that seem a little strange, too. If my father goes out for the evening, he tells me to "look after" my mother and sister. But if the family goes out, and I want to stay home, my father won't let me. He doesn't feel comfortable if I am home alone. That means I am old enough to "look after" my mother and sister but not old enough to "look after" myself. Another problem is what to do when you trip over the cat and land with your head in the refrigerator, causing a large lump to appear just over the right eyebrow. In that case, your father could feel free to say with a few choice words. Your sister could shed enough tears to dampen the whole room. Your mother could, and probably would, do both. But you? You are thirteen and can't do anything! You are too young to curse , and "big boys" don't cry. So you just stand there looking more stupid than usual. But in spite of all this, I still think thirteen is a wonderful age! In fact the author thinks that being a boy of 13 years old is _ . A sad B unlucky C happy D tiring Answer: C The elephant was lying heavily on its side, fast asleep. A few dogs started barking at it. The elephant woke up in a terrible anger: it chased the dogs into the village where they ran for safety. That didn't stop the elephant. It destroyed a dozen houses and injured several people. The villagers were scared and angry. Then someone suggested calling Parbati, the elephant princess. Parbati Barua's father was a hunter of tigers and an elephant tamer . He taught Parbati to ride an elephant before she could even walk. He also taught her the dangerous art of the elephant round-up -- how to catch wild elephants. Parbati hasn't always lived in the jungle. After a happy childhood hunting with her father, she was sent to boarding school in the city. But Parbati never got used to being there and many years later she went back to her old life. "Life in the city is too dull. Catching elephants is an adventure and the excitement lasts for days after the chase," she says. But Parbati doesn't catch elephants just for fun. "My work," she says, "is to rescue man from the elephants, and to keep the elephants safe from man." And this is exactly what Parbati has been doing for many years. Increasingly, the Indian elephant is angry: for many years, illegal hunters have attacked it and its home in the jungle has been reduced to small pieces of land. It is now fighting back. Whenever wild elephants enter a tea garden or a village, Parbati is called to guide the animals back to the jungle before they can kill. The work of an elephant tamer also involves love and devotion. A good elephant tamer will spend hours a day singing love songs to a newly captured elephant. "Eventually they grow to love their tamers and never forget them. They are also more loyal than humans," she said, as she climbed up one of her elephants and sat on the giant, happy animal. An elephant princess indeed! Before Parbati studied in a boarding school, _ . A she spent her time hunting with her father B she learned how to sing love songs C she had already been called an elephant princess D she was taught how to hunt tigers Answer: A Overnight, TFboys, a boy band consisting of three middle school students, became the talk all over China. Founded last year, the oldest member of TF boys is only 14. But the number of their followers on Sina Weibo has reached 11 million. Their music videos are also getting millions of views online. Some say that TFboys has become popular only because of their pretty faces. But take a serious look at the three boys, and you may find out what has helped them win over so many people. Wang Junkai, 14, from Chongqing What did you do when you were 8 years old? Wang had become a trainee at TF Entertainment at that age, he still goes to school like other kids during weekdays. But his weekends were filled with training classes. He learned how to sing and dance. He had to do the splits again and again. Many boys couldn't stand it and quit, but Wang didn't give up. Before he finally became a TFboy, the tough guy has been practicing for five years. Wang Yuan, 13, from Chongqing Fans like to call Wang "Er Yuan" because he is a funny guy who's always telling dry jokes. But when he starts to sing, you'd be thrilled by his clear voice and high pitch . The cheerful boy lives a simple life. He doesn't like to compare himself with others. His mobile phone cost only 300 yuan. He's a big fan of Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf. He has watched every Pleasant Goat movie at the cinema. Yiyang Qianxi, 13, from Hunan Yiyang is the shortest of the three boys, but he definitely has the most splendid resume . He is a top student. He is an excellent dancer. He takes part in TV shows. He has played different roles in many movies. He is even good at calligraphy . When other teenagers show off their new clothes on Weibo, Yiyang displays his calligraphy work. How can he be good at so many things? " I'd practice dancing while others were chatting," he said. How do you think of the members of TFboys? A They are hard-working and talented. B They have become popular because of their good looks. C They are getting on well with each other. D They don't go to school because they should take part in many training classes. Answer: C
Interest in pursuing international careers has soared (increased sharply) in recent years, enhanced by chronic (lasting) personnel shortages that are causing companies to search beyond their home borders for talents. Professionals seek career experience outside of their home countries for a variety of reasons. They may feel the need to recharge their batteries with a new challenge. They may want a position with more responsibility that encourages creativity and initiative. Or they may wish to expose their children to another culture, and the opportunity to learn a second language. When applying for a job, one usually has to submit (present--v.) a resume or curriculum vitae (CV). The two terms generally mean the same thing: a one-or two-page document describing one's educational qualifications and professional experience. However, guidelines for preparing a resume are constantly changing. The best advice is to find out what is appropriate regarding the corporate (company) culture, the country culture, and the culture of the person making the hiring decision. The challenge will be to embrace (include) two or more cultures in one document. The following list is a good place to start. * "Educational requirements differ from country to country. In almost every case of 'cross-border' job hunting, just stating the title of your degree will not mean adequate description. Provide the reader with details about your studies and any related experience." Pay attention to the resume format you use--chronological or reverse-chronological order. Chronological order means listing your 'oldest' work experience first. Reverse-chronological order means listing your current or most recent experience first. Most countries have preferences about which format is most acceptable. If you find no specific guidelines, the general preference is for the reverse-chronological format. If you are submitting your resume in English, find out if the recipient uses British English or American English because there are variations between the two versions. For example, university education is often referred to as 'tertiary education' in the United Kingdom, but this term is almost never used in the United States. A reader who is unfamiliar with these variations may assume that your resume contains errors. Companies are hiring more foreign employees because _ . Dear Abby, I am a helpless mother, my son is 15 years old. I find out that the older he grows, the less we talk. I feel very worried and I really need help. My first problem is about his hobbies, he seems to spend too much time on computer games. As soon as he gets home, he always turns on the computer, closes the door and locks others out. I am getting worried about him, especially when his English teacher told me he always fails(,) in the English exam. Secondly, it seems that he is crazy about the new technology. However, to be honest, I don't have enough money and I can't _ all the things he wants. Recently, I have found that he seems to be always alone. I have never seen him talking to his friends on the phone or going out with anyone on weekends. That is the last problem I have. Do all the boys behave this way? What should I do to help him? A helpless mother What does her son always do as soon as he gets home? Dear Grandma, How are you? I hope you are feeling well and your leg is improving. Can you walk a bit now? Is your neighbour, Mrs Lu, bringing you enough books to read? I hope so. You'd love our school library, Grandma. There are so many books on all kinds of subjects. The other day I found a book about engineering. I couldn't really understand it but I hope to learn more about this topic sometime. This term I have three new subject classes, so I think I'll tell you about them. I study biology. It is a very interesting subject. I'm learning all about the human body, where everything is and what it does. Did you know that we have a kissing muscle? It's called 'orbicularis' and it's a circle muscle that closes your mouth and moves your lips forward. I love biology. It's so interesting! Another new subject is religion . I didn't think I would like this one, but actually it is very interesting to hear how different people worship . We are learning about lots of religions from all over the world, not only Asia. My other new subject is Spanish. It's really difficult to learn a new language but I know it will be useful for me in the future, if I want to travel around the world. Spanish is one of the official languages of the European Union and the United Nations. I've learnt that Spanish is not only spoken in Europe but in South America too. Countries like Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Mexico also speak Spanish. You know I've always wanted to go to Mexico, so if I can speak Spanish it would be really useful. Did you study these subjects when you were at school? I suppose subject choice changes over time, doesn't it? I'll come to visit you again in the next holiday, which I think is in eight weeks' time. I'll bring you some of my new books if you like. I hope you can write back soon and tell me all the village news. I miss you very much. Lots of love, Sara Which of the following is Not True according to the passage? One of the most popular American singers of the twentieth century was Elvis Presley. He made the Rock & Roll music popular around the world. He sold millions of records and made many successful films, and he helped change the direction of popular music in the 1960s. Elvis Presley was born in a poor family in 1935. His parents were simple country people who often took him to church, where he learned to sing and he never forgot the kind of songs that he used to sing in church as a child. When he was a teenager, Elvis moved from Tupelos to Memphis in Tennessee, where he attended high school, but he was not a good student. His only real interest was singing. He began to sing in the style that is called "country and western". In 1955 he recorded some songs for his mother's birthday. The people at the recording studio liked his singing and his music. There was something different about it. It was country and western music, but it also sounded a little like the music, which black people used to sing in the American South, music known as "blues". Shortly after that, Elvis met Tom Parker, who became his manager and arranged concerts for him across the United States and new recordings as well. Soon Elvis rose to fame all over the country. Later, Elvis went to Hollywood and began to appear in films like Love Me Tender and King Creole. But Elvis found it hard to live with success, like many other entertainment personalities .He began to take drugs and his health began to suffer. When he died at an early age of 42 in 1977, his many millions of fans were shocked. "The King Is Dead!" the newspaper said. But today his memory and his music live on and he will always be remembered as the King of Rock & Roll. What was Elvis's style of singing like most probably? There were four brothers that lived together in a small house on the east side of town. The brothers' names were Bob, Billy, Bryan and Baker. Each brother was one year in age. The oldest brother Bob was nine, the second eight, the third seven and the youngest was only six. Each boy also had something that they were good at that no one else could do. Baker, the youngest boy was good at magic tricks. Bob was the basketball star, Billy was great at football and Bryan was good at baseball. Each boy liked to watch the others show off their skills. One afternoon Baker put on a magic show. For this trick he would need three things. First, he needed four cups each a different color. The cups colors were green, yellow, blue, and white. He would need one white ball and two helpers which the parents happily volunteered for. He started by showing his brothers the inside of each cup as well as the normal white ball. He then placed the white ball inside the white cups and moved them around really fast. Next his parents covered the four cups with a magic blanket. Baker said some magic words and then his helpers removed the blanket. To his brothers amazement there were only the three colored cups left. Each brother got to look under a cup. After flipping up each cup they saw that there was no white ball. Just a single green ball inside the green cup! How did you do that they yelled! A magician never gives up his secrets. How many cups were left after the helpers removed the blanket?
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. What is Katie's favorite food? Answer: Endangered giant pandas are facing a new threat: the loss of their food source, bamboo. In China's Qinling Mountains, giant pandas spend most of their day eating bamboo. The plant makes up 99% of the panda's diet, with some pandas eating about 40 pounds of it a day. But Qinling's pandas may soon have to find another food source. A new study cause the loss of most of the region's bamboo by the end of the century. A team made up of researchers from Michigan State University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences studied the effects of climate change on the region's three main bamboo species. They studied the influence of rising temperatures on the spread and growth of bamboo. Bamboo is sensitive to temperature changes. "Even with a 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit increase in temperature, we found that 80% to 100% of bamboo would be gone by the end of the century," Liu Jianguo, one of the study's authors said. Shirley Martin, who came from Paris but not involved in the team said that it's really a demanding challenge for us to get a desired result. The Qinling Mountains, located in eastern China, are home to about 270 pandas. That is about 17% of the world's wild panda population. The panda is one of the world's most endangered species. In recent years, China has stepped up efforts to protect pandas. But Liu says the country has yet to consider the long-term efforts of climate change in its conservation planning. Aside from increasing nature reserve areas where pandas are protected, Liu wants China to lower its use of fuels that release greenhouse gases-as should the rest of the world. " The future of pandas," he says, " is in our hands." The researchers in the team come from _ . Answer: One day, Tomas Jefferson, the president of the USA, was crossing a river with a group of travelers. The river was overflowing its banks. So it was very dangerous to cross it on a horse. Each man was fighting for his life! Then another traveler came and he wanted to cross it, too. But he didn't have a horse. He watched the group and then asked Jefferson to take him. Jefferson agreed immediately. The man climbed on. After they were both safe to the other side of the river, someone asked the man, "Why did you ask present for help? Did you know him?" The man was shocked because he didn't know Jefferson was the president. "All I know," he said, "on some of your faces were written the answer NO, but there was the answer YES on his face." How did they cross the river? Answer: Empty Deserts In the 19th century Americans from the eastern states moved out west to settle in the rich new lands along the Pacific coast. The most difficult part of their trip was crossing the "Great American Desert in the western part of theprefix = st1 /United Statesby horse and wagon. The western desert can be very dangerous. There is little water and there are few trees. But the desert also has scenery of great beauty. Tall towers of red and yellow stone rise sharply from the flat sandy valley floor. The scene has been photographed many times and appears in movies and in TV. In Arizona, man made dams across the Colorado River have made two large lakes in the middle of the dry desert country. At Lake Powell, the red stone arch of Rainbow Bridge rises high above the blue lake. There are few roads. Many areas ofLakePowell's shore can only be reached by boat or on foot. But hikers in this empty desert land sometimes find very old native American pictures, painted on the rocks. In Death Valley,California, the summer temperature rises to 130 degrees. There is less than two inches of rain each year. Death Valley is the lowest place in America---- 925 meters below sea level. In the 1800s, many travelers died when they tried to cross this waterless valley in the terrible heat. Although the desert is dry and seems empty, there is plenty of life if you look closely. Small insects, snakes and rats have learned how to live in the desert heat. They live under ground and come out at night, when it is cool. Plants such as cacti need very little water. When it does rain in the desert (sometimes only once or twice a year), plants grow quickly, and flowers open in a single day. For a short time, the desert is covered with brilliant color1s. From the passage, we can conclude that _ . Answer: Which trait does a puppy inherit from its parents? Answer:
Playa la Audiencia, Manzanillo Playa la Audiencia is one of the most popular beaches in Manzanillo for families and one of the best beach spots along Mexico's Pacific coast Playa 1a Audiencia is a stunning little beach with a golden shoreline which overlooks the bay and offers great conditions for swimming, diving, and other cool water sports such as jet-skiing and kayaking. If you are a diving enthusiast, you'll definitely love spending time in Playa la Audiencia since its waters are shallow, calm and filled with rocks covered with corals. Playa Brujas, Mazatlan Playa Brujas is probably one of the best surfing spots in Mazatlan. Playa Brujas is located 20 minutes' drive from the heart of Mazatlan and it's a popular spot among local surfers. If you are a surfer looking to hit some waves along the west coast of Mexico, you'1l find Playa Brujas a very good spot to visit since Brujas possesses satisfactory waves all year round. North Beach, Isla Mujeres North Beach is one of the nicest beaches in Isla Muieres and it is one of Mexico's finest beaches in the Yucatan Peninsula. North Beach boasts a nice stretch of beach with white-powdery sand, warm turquoise waters and great diving spots. The best bit about North Beach besides its private location is that the beach is iust minutes away by boat from Cancun, so you're never too far from Cancun's tourist attractions such as Wet n' Wild Paterpark and Xplor Eco Park. where you can enjoy caving adventures and zip-line rides. Xpu Ha Beach Xpu Ha Beach is located roughly between Tulum and Playa del Carmen and it is a nice spot for relaxing under the sun, walking and horseback riding. Xpu Ha is located along the stunning Riviera Maya and unlike other beaches along the Mexican Riviera, Xpu Ha Beach boasts a subtle beach club atmosphere. Xpu Ha Beach isn't as busy as Mamita's beach club but it still possesses cool beach clubs, a rental shop and a hotel. Which of the following is true according to the passage? Answer: Ruth Mckenney was born in 1911 in prefix = st1 /Mishawak,Indiana. She grew up inCleveand,Ohio, and at the age of fourteen she got her first job working nights in a printer's shop. She also worked as a waitress, but after dropping two fruits salads on the floor, she was fired. While Miss Mckenney was studying in a OhioStateUniversity, she found an outside job as a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch. In fact, she left college before she got her degree in order to devote all her time to newspaper work. She later worked on papers in Akron, Ohio, andNew York City. In New York, Miss Mckenney began to write stories about the amusing experiences she shared with her sisiter. These were published in theNew Yorkmagazine, and later in a book called "My Sister Eileen". This book was an immediate bestseller, and soon became a hit play. Miss Mckenney has also written a guide toEnglandand a number of serious books on American labor. Miss Mckenney married Richard Bransten in 1937. They had one daughter, and it came as no surprise when the author named her Eileen. Ruch Mckenney died in 1972. Ruth Mckenney started her newspaper work_. Answer: Physical fitness refers to good health, and is the result of regular exercise, proper diet and nutrition, and proper rest for physical recovery. A person who is physically fit will be able to walk or run without getting breathless and he or she will be able to carry out the activities of everyday living and will not need help. How much each person can do will depend on their age and whether they are a man or woman. A physically fit person usually has a normal weight for height. The relation between height and weight is called the Body Mass Index. A taller person can be heavier and still be fit. If a person is too heavy or too thin for the height it may affect the health. Mental health refers to a person's emotional and psychological well-being. "A state of emotional and psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her thinking and emotional(feeling) abilities, function in society, and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life." One way to think about mental health is by looking at how well a person functions. Feeling capable and efficient, being able to handle normal levels of stress, having good friends and family, and leading an independent life, and being able to "bounce back" or recovering from hardships, are all signs of mental health. Public Health refers to trying to stop a disease that is unhealthy to the community, and does not help in long life or promote your health. This is fixed by organized efforts and choices of society, public and private clubs, communities and individuals. It is about the health of many people, or everybody, rather than one person. Public health stops instead of encouraging a disease through surveillance of cases. To prevent being sick, it is good to do healthy behaviors, such as hand washing, vaccination programs and so on. When infectious diseases break out, washing hands may be especially important. Once Bird Flu takes place, that refers to _ . Answer: A bird such as a penguin can survive in arctic weather due to Answer: John had been on the road visiting clients for more than three weeks. He couldn't wait to get back to Ohio to see his wife and children. It was coming on Mother's Day, and he usually tried to make it "back home", but this year he was just too tired. He was in a small town just outside of Little Rock when he drove by a flower shop. He said to himself, "I know what I will do, I'll send Mom some roses." He went into the small shop and saw a young man talking to the clerk. "How many roses can I get for six dollars, madam?" the boy asked. The clerk was trying to explain that roses were expensive. Maybe the young man would be happy with _ . "No. I have to have roses." He said, "My mom was sick so much last year and I didn't get to spend much time with her. I want to get something special. It has to be red roses, because that's her favorite." He was firm. The clerk looked up at John and was just shaking her head. Something inside of John was touched by the boy's voice. He wanted to get those roses so badly. John had been blessed in his business, and he looked at the clerk and silently mouthed he would pay for the boy's roses. The clerk looked at the young man and said, "OK, I will give you a dozen red roses for six dollars." The young man almost jumped into the air. He took the flowers and ran from the store. It was worth the extra thirty-five dollars just to see that kind of excitement. John ordered his own flowers and had the clerk be sure that delivery would include a note telling his mother how much he loved her. As he drove away from the shop, he was feeling very good. He caught a light about two blocks from the shop. As he waited at the light, he saw the young boy walking down the sidewalk. He watched him cross the street and enter a park through two huge gates. Suddenly he realized it wasn't a park. It was a cemetery . He could see the young man turn there by gate and walk along the fence. The light changed, and John slowly crossed the crossing. He pulled over and on an impulse got out and began to follow the boy down the fence line. John was on the sidewalk, thirty or forty steps behind the boy, who walked inside the cemetery fence. The young man stopped by a small monument and went on his knees. He carefully laid the roses on the tomb and began to sob. John felt like an intruder but he couldn't leave. He stared at the little boy's trembling body and listened to his silent crying. As he cried, he heard the young man speak, "Mommy, oh Mommy, why didn't I tell you how much I love you? Why didn't I tell you one more time? Jesus, please, find my mommy. Tell my Mommy I love her." John turned, tears in his eyes, and walked back to his car. He drove quickly to the flower shop and told her he would take the flowers personally. He wanted to be sure and tell his mother one more time just how much he loved her. On the clerk's approval of giving the flowers, the young boy was wild with joy because _ . Answer:
Question: A student is playing with a small toy boat on a pond. The student throws a rock in the pond. This creates waves that move the boat toward the shore. The boat moves toward the shore because the waves transfer A. energy. B. heat. C. motion. D. water. Answer: A. energy. Question: Come for Dinner by Leslie Revsin Make every meal a feast and every moment with loved ones an occasion with Come for Dinner. Revsin, the former owner and chef of Manhattan's Restaurant Leslie, offers a collection of over 150 recipes designed for small get-togethers of friends and family. There are various ethnic dishes that draw from Asia,the Mediterranean, Latin cultures and more. Revsin believes cooking at home provides the opportunity to connect with friends and family on a good level. Retro Beach Bash by Linda Everett Grab your beach blanket and your surfboard -- it's time for a beach party! With more than 100 recipes for beach picnics and barbecues, Retro Beach Bash, is the beach lover's companion for fun in the sun. Half information and half cookbook, you can browse the pages that are filled with beach fun tips and advice. The second half of this book is a cookbook, complete with delicious picnic and grilled foods to satisfy every taste on the beach. Entertaining Edibles by Sidney Escowitz You've seen them decorating plates at restaurants, admired them at weddings, and expressed great surprise at the chefs who designed them -- and now you can produce them at home. Sidney shares lots of practical tips that will give your finished food sculptures a professional look and send you on your way towards creating your own original works of food art. Recipes from a Tapas Bar by Olivier Said If you're a fan of Spanish Tapas bars, this book is a must-have for your library. Even if you don't cook, you'll still want this book if you're a fan of Tapas bars, only for the lively discussions of the cheeses of Spain along with other Spanish wines and spirits. Retro Beach Bash tells us _ . A. how to make picnics on the beach B. how to repair your surfboard C. how to make Spanish wines D. how to satisfy your taste at home Answer: A. how to make picnics on the beach Question: Hello! I'm Jim Green. I'm English. This is my mother. Her first name is Mary. This is my father.His name is Steve. My telephone number is eight five six o nine one seven six. My friend is Li Lei. His English name is Tony. He is a Chinese boy. His telephone number is 82815248. My English teacher is Jenny Brown. She is a good teacher. My father's last name is _ . A. Jim B. Steven C. Green D. Tom Answer: C. Green Question: A long time ago, there was a man. He wanted to buy a pair of new shoes. He measured his feet with a straw ,and then went to a shoe shop in town. The shopkeeper took out a pair of new shoes, and let him try it on. But when he looked into his pocket, he found that the straw was not there. So he said, "I'm sorry, I forgot to bring the size here! Let me go home to get it." After that, he ran out of the shop. It was very far from his home to the shoe shop. When he got back home, he was out of breath. With a straw in his hand, he hurried to the shoe shop again. But the shop was closed. Someone near the man said, "Your feet are with you. Why don't you try which pair of shoes fits ? And why do you believe your straw, but not your feet?" Why did he go back to his home? Because _ . A. he left the straw home B. he had something to do at home C. the shop was closed D. he didn't take money with him Answer: A. he left the straw home Question: Several days ago, a Beijing - based IT company fired about 400 people overnight. No one had expected the job cuts, which broke with traditional ways of letting go of workers in China. Moreover, what was special about this case was that the day before the 400 were fired, they all received from their boss a gift - the book "Who Moved My Cheese?". The book - a bestseller in the US - is being used by men and women to deal with changes in their lives and work. Some large organizations, including Coca- Cola, Kodak and General Motors, ask their employees to read it in order to encourage them to be active towards changes. Cheese is something related to everyone's livelihood - our jobs, the industries we work in, relationships and love as well. With China's official entry into WTO, the whole nation will face up to more changes and challenges. So what should we do once this "cheese" on which we are so dependent is moved? "Whatever challenges and changes we meet, we should face up to them bravely" Jiang Hengwei, a civil servant said after reading the book. Professor Yang in Renmin University of China agrees. "We should change our way of thinking. The coming competitive foreign companies and products provide us with great chances to learn from them and improve our own products to meet international standards and be more competitive." "With hard work and wisdom, we will create a much larger and better piece of cheese. "Zhang smiled confidently. From what Hengwei and Professor Zhang Yang said, we can know that _ . A. they have different opinions on changes and challenges B. people are not afraid of competition from foreign companies C. the Chinese people are ready to face any changes and challenges D. they are both greatly encouraged by the book Answer: C. the Chinese people are ready to face any changes and challenges
Plants use nutrients found in soil. Which of these can break down in soil and become nutrients? Answer: leaves Two strangers were sitting together in a plane . They were on a long journey . One of the men was a teacher . The other was a farmer . They sat without talking for a while , then the farmer said , " Let's do something to pass the time ." " What do you want to do ?" the teacher asked . " We can ask each other riddles ( )," the farmer said, " You start." " Let's make the rules first ," the teacher said . " And to make the game more interesting , let's play it for money . If we don't know the answer to the riddle , we have to pay a dollar ." The farmer thought about this for a while , then he said , " That's not fair( . You are a teacher , an educated ( ) man . You know more things than I do . I am just a farmer ." " That's true ," the teacher said , " What do you think we should do ?" The farmer said , " If you don't know the answer to a riddle ,you pay me 100 dollars .If I don't know the answer to the riddle , I'll pay you 50 dollars." The teacher thought for a while , then he said , " OK. That's fair . Who'll go first ?" "I will ," the farmer said . " Here's my riddle . What has three legs when it walks , but only two legs when it flies ?" The teacher thought and thought , " What has three legs when it walks, but only two when it flies ?" Then he said , " That's a good one . I don't know the answer ." He gave the farmer 100 dollars and said , " Tell me the answer . What is it ?" " I don't know , either ." The farmer said , and gave him 50 dollars . From the short story we know that _ . Answer: an educated man is not always clever. The booking notes of the play The Age of Innocence: Price:$10 BOOKING There are four easy ways to book seats for performance: --in person The Box Office is open from Monday to Saturday,10 a.m.--8 p.m. --by telephone Ring 01324976 to reserve your tickets or to pay by credit card(Visa, MasterCard and Amex accepted) --by post Simply complete the booking form and return it to Global Theatre Box Office. --on line Complete the on-line booking form at www. Satan-fiedtheatre.com DISCOUNTS: Saver: $ 2 off any seat booked any time in advance for performances from Monday to Thursday. Savers are available for children up to 16 years old, over 60s and full-time students. Supersaver: half-price seats are available for people with disabilities and one companion. It is advisable to book in advance. There is a maximum of eight wheelchair spaces available and one wheelchair space will be held until an hour before the show. Standby: best available seats are on sale for $ 6 from one hour before the performance for people eligible (suitable) for Saver and Supersaver discounts and thirty minutes before for all other customers. Group Bookings: there is a ten percent discount for parties of twelve or more. School: school parties of ten or more can book $6 standby tickets in advance and will get every tenth ticket free. Please note: we are unable to exchange tickets or refund money unless a performance is canceled due to unforeseen circumstances. If you make a group booking for a group of l4 adults, how much should you pay? Answer: $126. If a thing is going to be able to expand, it will require Answer: nutriment A new Canada Prize for the Arts and Creativity could be in place by 2010,with large cash prizes for emerging artists in dance,music,theatre and visual arts. The prize is the idea of Tony Gagliano and David Pecaut,founders of the Luminato festival,wh0 were probably able to convince the federal government to back it.The federal budget has allocated$.25 million to support the awards open to emerging artists that have the prestige of a Nobel Prize. "When you think about the major prizes of the world--the Nobel Prize.in Sweden,the Kyoto prizes in Japan or the Booker Prize in the U.K.the bring great,honor and opportunity to the countries that award them,'' Pecaut said."The.idea here is that every year,the Canada prizes will be awarded to the very.best promising emerging artists around the world in those four fields." A jury of international experts would judge the 12 finalists,who would come to Canada and perform or show their work in public to win.the Canada prizes.The performances would be televised,allowing Canadians across the country.to see it. The federal government liked the idea of such an international prize that would advance Canada's brand,draw tourists and arts professionals from around the world.For the Canadian arts people.one of the greatest challenges is connecting to that international arts world to come up with CO--productions and foreign investment and touring chances. A group is working toward establishing the prize by 2010,with potential for semi-final rounds to take place:about the same time as the Vancouver Olympic Games."Thirty or forty years from now,the future outstanding dancers and performers will look back and say.'I broke out on the world scene in Toronto--that's where 1 was discovered'" Why did David Pecaut have the idea of founding a new Ganada Prize? Answer: To advance Canada's honor and opportunities.
Which is true about reproduction for both an amoeba and a paramecium? A Both can conjugate. B Neither can conjugate. C An amoeba can conjugate, but a paramecium cannot. D A paramecium can conjugate, but an amoeba cannot. Answer: D Which of the following would be excluded from a list of ecosystems? A desert B snow C rain forest D tundra Answer: B "Little lies" sometimes come to easily to us that we don't even consider them to be lies. Read about these lies of everyday life: 1. Lying about your age or your kid's age to get a cheaper ticket. 2. Telling the host of a dinner party that the terrible food he prepared is wonderful. 3. Lying to your aunt about how much you love the gift she gave you---the one that you really hate. 4. Telling a friend with a terrible haircut that she looks great. 5. Lying to a friend about how much you want to see her again when you really don't 6.Telling the salesperson who calls when you're watching TV that you're very busy. Are these serious lies? Probably not, but if you would lie about your age to a stranger, what's going to stop you from lying about something more serious later? If we tell a lie or act dishonestly and get what we want, that might make us feel good today. But what about tomorrow? The future results of our lies are uncertain. Still, no one is saying that everyone can or should be completely honest all the time. More people lie, often for a good reason. Lies are told all the time and are part of our everyday social life. Many times people lie to protect the feelings of other people, and there's nothing wrong with that. Honesty is usually the best policy, but like any other policy, you have to make exceptions. The author's attitude towards little lies is that _ . A he feels very fond of them. B he feels they are necessary sometimes. C he feels strongly against telling little lies. D he feels ashamed of telling little lies. Answer: B During the 20th century there has been a great change in the lives of women.A woman marrying at the end of the 19th century probably has been in her middle 20's and would be likely to have seven or eight children.By the time the youngest was 15,the mother would have been in her early 50's and would expect to live a further 20 years,during which chance and health made it hard for her to get paid work. Today women marry younger and have fewer children.Usually a woman's youngest child will be 15 when she is 45 and she can be expected to live another 35 years and is likely to get paid work until 60. This important change in women's life has only recently begun to have its full effect on women's economic position.Even a few years ago most girls left school and took a fulltime joB. However,when they married they usually left work at once and never returned to it.Today the school-leaving age is 16,many girls stay at school after that age,and though women marry younger,more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born.Many more return to work later.Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage,with the husband accepting a greater share of the duties of family life. Many girls are now likely to _ . A give up their jobs after they get married B leave school as soon as they can C marry early so that they can get better jobs D continue working until they are going to have a baby Answer: D I arrived late one night on a business trip, so I decided to have dinner in the hotel I stayed in. As I was finishing my meal, an elderly couple came in. They were holding hands and had lovely smiles on their faces. They sat three tables from me. I was amazed at the love they showed for each other. It stuck me because it was shortly after ending a 20-year marriage and I still had pain in my heart. My waiter was also their waiter. As I paid my bill, I asked what their bill was. He told me, and I gave him $40 to pay their bill. He asked if I knew them and I told him "No, I just wanted to repay them for the love that they were showing to each other," and then I left. The next day I entered the restaurant again. After I had been seated, the waiter who served me the night before told me that the strangest thing happened after I left the restaurant. When the elderly couple went to pay for their meal, they were told that it had been paid. The waiter just told them what I said. They were amazed. They looked around, asked for the bill of two young couples who were seated together, paid their bill and left. I smiled and ordered my meal. About 45 minutes later, I finished my meal and was about to head out, but my waiter was nowhere to be found. I explained to the hostess that I needed to pay for my meal and hurry to the airport. She smiled and explained that I would not have to pay, because she felt she should pay for my bill because of the joy brought to the faces of the elderly couple and the amazement of the young couples. When I told her that they didn't have to do that, she said with a smile "Love creates Love." The elderly couple paid the bill of the two young couples because they _ . A knew the two young couples B were happy to pass the love they got C were always ready to help poor people D wanted to invite the young people to the meal Answer: B
The organisms that convert solar energy and raw materials into food are Answer: Running Running is good for people with too much fat because it can help them become slim. It also makes people strong. But it may be bad for joints . If we don't feel comfortable in our joints, we should stop for another activity. Walking Walking makes our bodies relaxed . It can also help people to be slim. Swimming Swimming is a great way to make different places of your body strong. But it is not a good way to keep slim. The water in a swimming pool is cooler than our body. The body protects itself from the cold by keeping fat. Cycling Riding a bike will help us be slim and make our legs strong, too. But be careful! If you live in the city, you should ride on the bike road and be away from the busy traffic. If you're not well in the joints while running, you should _ . Answer: French soccer player David Trezeguet holds the record for the fastest shot in a soccer match. It happened during a match between his club Juventus and England's Manchester United in 1998. At that time, he was unknown outside of French soccer. But nine years later, Trezeguet, 29, has become one of the world's most famous strikers . In September, 2007, he scored his 100th goal in the Italian League. "One hundred goals with Juventus, one of the greatest clubs in the world, that is important," he said. Although Trezeguet was born in France, he grew up in Argentina and he says his " _ " helped him become one of the world's best soccer players. "Most people in Argentina have to work hard for everything they want," he explained. "This mentality gave me a hunger and an ambition to become the best." Trezeguet has had a great career. He has won nearly every major competition in soccer - the World Cup, the European Championships, the European Cup, as well as the French and Italian league titles. But Trezeguet knows all about heartache too. In the French World Cup in 1998, after playing every match in the competition, he was not chosen to play in the final when France went on to win. Then in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, his miss in the penalty shoot-out handed victory to Italy. But Trezeguet refuses to let this get him down. "I accept my responsibility. It's part of football," he said. "You just have to move on and start thinking about focusing on the next thing." According to the article, what is "Latin mentality"? Answer: A job is more than a job, especially to the old. "It's not the money that matters, but the sense of self-worth," 56-year-old Cheng Wonlan said. So, every day Ms Cheng carries a bag of parcels, letters and documents and does her rounds in North Point. She's a courier . Five years ago, Ms Cheng was a nurse at a private clinic. She had worked there for 30 years but became jobless when the doctor moved away. It was difficult for her to find another job as a nurse. "People do not trust my ability when they learn how old I am," she said. After two years of searching, she eventually found another nursing job. But then after two years, she quit. Why? "My colleagues were young and they didn't understand me because of my age. They often asked me, 'You are so old. What are you working for?' I was very unhappy," she said. When the rest of her family left for work, she was lonely and bored at home. Then her neighbours told her about Employees' Retraining Board offering retraining courses for older people. These courses are specifically designed to encourage the older people back to work. "I was interested in courier work. I didn't think my age was a barrier because I was fit," she said. Upon graduating, Ms Cheng was offered a job by a company. But then Ms Cheng was faced with a conflict: she was caught between honour and employment. "I felt embarrassed about carrying and delivering letters and parcels," she said. It took Ms Cheng 24 hours to make up her mind: there was nothing wrong or embarrassing about doing the job. So she went off to work as a courier. Ms Cheng's employer, Anthony Chong, is delighted with her responsible attitude and said, "I hire older people because they are able and reliable. Age is not an important factor but attitude is. Many old people will not run from difficulties but the young ones will." Why was it difficult for Ms Cheng to find another nursing job? Answer: Happy birthday The China National Opera (CNO) will give a concert to celebrate its 50th birthday. Different generations of CNO vocalists, like Li Guangxi, Yao Hong and Ma Mei, will present the concert which will feature both songs from famous Chinese operas like The White-haired GM and The Hundred Bride, as well as, arias of such western opera classics as Madame Butterfly, La Traviata and Rigoletto. Time/date: 7:30 pm, September 7, 8 Location: Tianqiao Theatre Tel: 65514787, 83156170 Tickets: 60-500 yuan (US $ 7.2-60.2) Folk music A concert will be held to feature some recently-composed traditional Chinese music works. The concert, given by the Folk Orchestra of the China Opera and Ballet Theatre, will include such pieces as Memory of childhood, Memorial Ceremony for God and Wine Song. Time/date: 7:30 pm, September 13 Location: Concert hall at the National Library of China Tel: 6848-5462, 6841-9220 Tickets:30-200 yuan(US $ 3.6-24.1) Moon Music A concert of traditional Chinese music will be given on the eve of the Moon Festival which falls on September 21st this year. The concert will feature a number of famous pieces centred on the theme of the moon, such as Moonlight, Spring Night on a Moonlit River and Lofty Mountain and Flowing river. A number of popular traditional Chinese music performers, like Zhou Yaokun and Fan Weiqing, will play solos as well as cooperate with the folk music orchestra . Time/date: 7:30 pm, September 21st Location: Grand theatre of the Cultural Palace of Nationalities Tel: 6606-8888, 6606-9999 Tickets: 40-220 yuan(US $ 4.8-27) In which column of a newspaper will the article be published? Answer:
The Maldives faces the threat of extinction from rising sea levels, but the government said it was looking to the future with plans to build homes and a golf course that float. An increase in sea levels of just 18 to 59 centimeters would make the Maldives-a nation of tiny coral islands in the Indian Ocean-virtually by 2100, the UN's climate change panel has warned. President Mohamed Nasheed has vowed a fight for survival, and he signed a deal with a Dutch company to study proposals for a floating structure that could support a convention center, homes and an 18-hole golf course. The company , Dutch Docklands, is currently building floating developments in the Netherlands and Dubai. The Maldives began work on an artificial island known as the Hulhumale near the crowded capital island of Male in 1997 and more than 30,000 people have been settled there to ease congestion. The city, which has a population of 100,000, is already protected from rising sea levels by a 30-million-dollar sea wall, and the government is considering increasingly imaginative ways to combat climate change. Nasheed has even spoken of buying land elsewhere in the world to enable Maldivians to relocate if their homes are submerged. He has also pledged to turn his nation into a model for the rest of the world by becoming "carbon neutral " by 2020. His plan involves ending fossil fuel use and powering all vehicles and buildings from "green" sources such as burning coconut husks. The floating structure will be used as all the following except _ . Answer: a sports center It is often said that man has become the enemy of our planet. This is no exaggeration , for reports show that man's greed has done much to destroy the earth. Man, in his greedy desire for financial growth, has polluted the air, land and water, and has robbed our valuable natural resources. Man's industrial plants pour out poisonous waste that pollutes the sea and puts life in the sea under the threat of dying out; at the same time, they release alarming amounts of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other pollutants. Small wonder that the air now is much warmer and more impure than ever before. Of course, this is not just because of man's greed--it is man's pressing need as well. For instance, in developing countries, huge financial foreign debts have forced governments to approve the cutting of forests for agriculture or ranching. As a result, forests are cut down just to meet man's immediate needs. Perhaps unknowingly,man has changed the make-up of the earth's atmosphere. Scientific studies have shown that CFCs used in refrigerators and industrial cleaners are fast destroying the ozone layer--a protective layer in the atmosphere that protects us against the harmful effects of the sun's ultraviolet rays. In fact, documented reports have shown a terrible fact that there are "holes" in the ozone layer over the Antarctic. And they appear to be expanding. Faced with these environmental problems, world leaders have shown deep concern. The UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) has arranged international agreements like the Vienna convention of 1985 and the Montreal Protocol of 1989 to preserve the ozone layer by controlling the production, use and trade of destructive chemicals. There may be some doubt as to how effectual these agreements may be, given that some countries still maintain an "I-don't-care" attitude. Their attitude is probably due to their failure to grasp the importance of the problem. Then, there is no doubt that environmental education on an international scale is greatly needed, so that all countries, great and small--the "haves" and the "have nots"--may realize their responsibilities for our planet. In the meantime, the UNEP seems to have taken steps in the right direction, and it is hoped that in the not so distant future, all nations of the world will join hands in saving mother earth. 66. What is the author's attitude towards the future of the environment? Answer: Hopeful. Some problems are difficult to solve.But there are a lot of number expressions that can help.For example, if we put two and two together , we might com e up with the right answer.We know that two heads are better than one.It is always better to workwith another person to solve a problem.Some problems have only one solution.You cannot be of two minds over this.But with any luck , we can solve the problem in two shakes of a lamb' s tail.In other words, we could have our answers quickly and easily. Sometimes we can kill two birds with one stone.That is , we can complete two goals with only one effort or action.But we must remember that two wrongs don' t make a right.If someone does something bad to you, you should not do the same to him. If you are going out with your girlfriend , or boyfriend , but you don' t want another friend to go a long on your date, you can just say to your friend : two' s company , three' s a crowd. When I was a young child in school , I had to learn the three R' s.These important skills are reading , writing and arithmetic.These three words do not all start with the letter " R".But they have the sound of " R".My teacher used to give three cheers when I did well in maths.They gave praise and approval for a job well done. Some of my friends were confused and did not understand their school work.They were at sixes and sevens.In fact , they did not care if they finished high school.But they were happy when they completed their studies and graduated from high school.They were in seventh heaven.They were on cloud nine.Nine times out of ten students who do we'll in school find good jobs.Some work in an office doing the same things every day at nine-to-five jobs.You do not have to dress to the nines , or wear your best clothes , for this kind of work. When Tom wins first place in the game, we can congratulate him by using "_"according to the passage. Answer: give three cheers How do you feel when your parents are not at home with you? Here is what Daniel and Laura said. Daniel: Well, I've had the experience of having to take care of my younger brother by myself. Sometimes it's scary, but there are a lot of things making being at home alone fun. My favorite thing to do is to watch television. It is like having another person to talk to. And if my brother and I are arguing, we make a deal . We play his game first, then he has to play mine, and both of us get what we want. When I get a little scared, I just remember that there is always someone to call on the phone. I can call my parents and I have my next door neighbors, too. Laura: When I started staying at home alone, I found that keeping the television or the radio on helped to make me feel easy. I also always had the phone numbers of my parents and the neighbors. When babysitting my younger brothers, I would play games with them, and leave more lights on than usual. I would also keep the phone number of the hospital nearby. . The two kids are talking about their experiences of _ . Answer: staying at home without their parents A group of swans flew down to a beach where a crow was jumping around . The crow watched them with disdain . "You have no flying skills at all ! " he said to the swans. " All you can do is to move your wings. Can you turn over in the air ? No , that's beyond you. Let's have a flying compitition. I'll show you what real flying is ! " One of the swans , a strong young male , took up the challenge. The crow flew up and began to show his skills. He flew in circles, performed other flying tricks, and then came down and looked proudly at the swan. Now it was the swan's turn. He flew up , and began flying over the sea. The crow flew after him , making all kinds of comments about his flying. They flew on and on till they couldn't see the land and there was nothing but water on all sides. The crow was making fewer and fewer comments. He was so _ that he found it hard to stay in the air, and had to struggle to keep himself from falling into the water. The swan pretended ( ) not to notice , and said, " Why do you keep touching the water , brother ? Is that another trick ?" " No ," said the crow. He knew he had lost the competition. " I'm in trouble because of my pride ! If you don't help me , I'll lose my life... " The swan took pity on him , and took him on his shoulders and flew back to the beach. ,. Which of the following is right according to the text ? Answer: The swan wasn't afraid of the challenge.
Question: Today Newtown is a very clean place. But many years ago, there were millions of rats in Newtown. They attacked the cats and dogs. Sometimes a lot of them knocked down a man or woman walking home at night. The rats were very big in size and they hurt many people. The government ordered everybody to kill rats. Most people were lazy, so they did not kill many. Then the government decided to pay some money for each dead rat. That made the people very happy. They killed thousands of rats every day. A government officer put all the dead rats in a big pile . Sometimes a man brought hundreds in one day. After two weeks there were not many rats in the city, but people still brought many rats to the government office. The government officer thought that people were stealing dead rats from the pile. He ordered his men to dig a deep hole and put the rats in it. Soon there were no more rats, and the government did not pay any more money. A deep hole was dug so that _ . A. the rats could not come out to attack people at night B. people could take as many rats from the hole as they wished C. the rats could not run away easily D. nobody could take any rats from the pile Answer: D. nobody could take any rats from the pile Question: Some students used a hot plate to heat 1 L of water from 20°C to the boiling point of water. The students recorded the temperature of the water each minute until it began to boil. Which of the following provides the most appropriate way to represent the data? A. a bar graph with temperature on the y-axis and time on the x-axis B. a bar graph with time on the y-axis and temperature on the x-axis C. a line graph with temperature on the y-axis and time on the x-axis D. a line graph with time on the y-axis and temperature on the x-axis Answer: C. a line graph with temperature on the y-axis and time on the x-axis Question: "Who needs a shopping mall if you have Taobao?" says Wang Lin, 28, a writer in Beijing. Taobao, China's largest online shopping site, becomes an important part of Wang Lin's life. She spends lots of money on Taobao. Most online shoppers like Wang are students or young workers, More women shop on line than men. Clothing and home-use products are the most popular on line. It was reported that more than 250 billion yuan was spent on online shopping last year, 80% through Taobao. Taobao means"Looking for treasure" in Chinese .People can find almost everything they need on Taobao, from clothes to books, from candies to DVD players. You may question the _ of online shopping. Wang Lin says ,"It's very safe and conveniet . If you don't like the products from the sellers, the seller can't get the money. You can also get your money back if you want to return the products. Which is the best title of the passage? A. Wang Lin's life. B. Everyone likes Taobao. C. Taobao needs money. D. Online shopping in China. Answer: D. Online shopping in China. Question: Before you argue with your boss, check with the boss's secretary to determine his mood. If he ate nails for breakfast, it is not a good idea to ask him for something. Even without the boss's secretary, there are keys to timing: don't approach the boss when he's on deadline; don't go in right before lunch, when he is apt to be distracted and rushed; don't go in just before or after he has taken a vacation. If you're mad, that will only make your boss mad. Calm down first. And don't let a particular concern open the floodgates for all your accumulated frustration. The boss will feel that you think negatively about the company and it is hopeless trying to change your mind. Then, maybe he will dismiss you. Terrible disputes can result when neither the employer nor the employee knows what is the problem the other wants to discuss. Sometimes the fight will go away when the issues are made clear. The employee has to get his point across clearly in order to make the boss understand it. Your boss has enough on his mind without your adding more. If you can't put forward an immediate solution, at least suggest how to approach the problem. People who frequently present problems without solutions to their boss may soon find they can't get past the secretary. To deal effectively with a boss, it's important to consider his goals and pressures. If you can put yourself in the position of being a partner to the boss, then he will be naturally more inclined to work with you to achieve your goals. It is necessary to make clear to the boss _ . A. what problems he has. B. why you are mad. C. what position you are in the company. D. what you really want to talk to him about Answer: D. what you really want to talk to him about Question: Body language is the quietest, most secret and most powerful language of all. It is said that our body movements communicate about 50% of what we really mean while words themselves only do 7%. So while your mouth is closed, just it is your body language that is saying. When it comes to body language at the office, you may be making some big mistakes that could cause you trouble. The following are some tips on what you should not do when using body language at your office. Don't touch your co-workers, even if it's on the back of the arm or shoulder. Many of your co-workers are not comfortable with any body contact with others. Be careful not to touch everyone at your office. Don't avoid eye contact. Eyes can speak. Lack of eye contact means cheat, and it can also point to no safety or lack of confidence. Trust and confidence are things you will communicate to the other person if you hold eye contact 50% of the time. Don't have a bad handshake. You're going to show your kindness at once with a firm palm to palm handshake. Showing the palms of your hands is an _ gesture as it shows that you have a peaceful purpose. It means acceptance, and that you're open to new ideas. Be careful of the dead fish handshake. Don't lean your head while listening to others. When listening to others, you should listen to him or her carefully with your head straight. For women especially, you think you are expressing interest by leaning your head when you are listening to others, but you actually come across as if you don't understand what's going on. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage? A. Pay attention to your body language at the office. B. How to get along with your co-workers. C. The meaning of body language you should know. D. Different countries have different body language. Answer: A. Pay attention to your body language at the office.
Before you can start speaking and writing in English, your brain must get enough correct English sentences. This is obvious . There are two ways to get correct English sentences: listening and reading. Both are good, but reading is much easier than listening. With the help of a good dictionary, you will be able to understand English texts much more easily than movies. If you just read one book in English, you will see that your English has become much better. English phrases will just come to you without thinking when you are writing or speaking. This is true for hundreds of words and grammar structures . If you read in English, you can forget about grammar rules. Throw away your grammar book! You needn't know the rules for the present perfect tense . Instead, read a few books in English, and soon you will feel that "I have seen Paul yesterday" is wrong. The only difference between you and native speakers is that they have heard and read more English sentences than you have. What's the main idea of the passage? A It is important for us to know English words. B Reading is important for us to learn English. C English grammar is not so important. D The best way to learn English is going to England. Answer: B. Reading is important for us to learn English. I love to tell the story about how I met my best friend---- Tiger. We met at the school fair. Each year, all the fourth-grade classes hold a school fair. Everyone in the fourth-grade works at the fair. Some sell ice cream, drinks and snacks. Others take care of the little children who ride the rides. I got the second job and I've never regretted it, because that's where I met Tiger. My job was to help little children get on the back of a little horse. I kept telling the children to wait their turn and holding ice cream for them while they rode about. One thing was clear to me. I was growing older and should be more responsible. Suddenly, a boy came to the horse. He took the little horse's reins! The horse stopped, and the girl on its back started to fall. I was trying to reach the girl when I saw Tiger go by my legs. It held the horse's reins and pulled the horse away from my legs. I caught the girl just before we both hit the ground. The girl sat on top of me. She was laughing at the ice cream on my face. The horse's reins were in Tiger's mouth! Thanks to Tiger's fast action, I saved the little girl. We were both heroes. And Tiger, the fastest dog I've even known became my new best friend. According to the passage, _ work at the fair. A ice cream sellers B all the school children C little boys and girls D the fourth-grade students Answer: D. the fourth-grade students It's just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no address. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years. It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas. He didn't hate the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it; overspending, running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and powder for Grandma... Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way. Our son Kevin, at 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended and before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church, mostly black. As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear to protect a wrestler's ears. They obviously could not afford. Mike shook his head sadly, "I wish just one of them could have won," he said. "They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could _ ." Mike loved kids--all kids--and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That's when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition. The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike's spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A Precious Present B Christmas Gift C The Small White Envelope D The Good Old Tradition Answer: C. The Small White Envelope The Camp Invention Program will be held through July at the Hillcrest Intermediate School, North Huntingdon. It exposes children to science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) through hands-on activities. The Camp Invention Program, created by Invent Now Kids, was founded in 1990. Now it has grown to include almost l,500 sites across the U. S., with thousands of children attending the program each year. "Our main purpose is to help children develop a greater interest in the fields of STEM," said Lori Bryne, the Senior Regional Program Manager. Children in the camp will be given the opportunity to explore the unknown and put ideas into practice. The program will challenge children to real world situations that will help them build a team spirit and life skills. The program will include five modules this year. One module will feature "Problem Solving on Planet ZAK". It will challenge children by creating a world of science fiction. Imitating a "crash" onto a planet, children will be asked to figure out ways to stay safe, find food and to "rebuild" their spacecraft, using a variety of common objects. Another module will be "Saving Sludge City" which will have children find ways to create a cleaner and eco-friendly city. "Imagination Point: Ride Physics" asks children to work as interns in the world's newest and largest theme park called "Imagination Point". Children will learn the basic principles of motion through hands-on activities related directly to rides. Another feature of the camp will be the "I Can Invent" which will focus on the real world of inventions by having children explore the process of invention. The final module will be "Global Games" which will introduce games ranging from those played in ancient times to the present day to children. "We want to encourage children to go into the fields of STEM," Bryne said. "This program is a fun way to do that." The program was mainly created to help children _ A put their ideas into practice B learn more about the real world C develop interest in the fields of STEM D master the skills they need to live in society Answer: C. develop interest in the fields of STEM DIY, which means Do It Yourself, is quite popular in UK. Lots of stores and supermarkets sell DIY things. TV programs show people how to DIY. English people like DIY. There is a saying in UK---"An Englishman's home is his castle". Huge numbers of people spend their holidays making their homes beautiful "castles". If there is anything that needs fixing around their houses, such as painting the walls or putting in a new shower, they will do the jobs themselves. They share DIY experiences with their friends. More and more people have discovered the joy of DIY. Sometimes people also DIY for saving money. With the economic downturn at present, many people can not afford to buy a bigger house. They are looking at how they can make their houses better without spending a lot of money. It is not surprising that DIY is so popular. DIY can be difficult. There is a huge market for DIY furniture which people need to put together themselves with a few basic tools . However, people often find it not easy to build a piece of furniture because they can't understand the instructions. Sometimes the instructions are simple and clear, but the furniture itself is difficult to build. One thing is for sure, though most DIY projects are started with the best intentions (,), many of them may not get finished. DIY can also be dangerous. For example, anything electrical should be done by a professional worker. Unluckily, many people don't care about this warning and put themselves in danger. It is reported that in just one year over 230 000 people were hurt while doing DIY in UK, including 41 000 who fell off ladders . Therefore, DIY can bring us fun and help us save money, but it is not always as easy as it is thought to be if _ . Maybe factories should make products that are easier and safer for us to DIY. What can we learn from the passage ? A DIY is a waste of money. B It is always difficult to DIY. C We should be careful while doing DIY. D It's very safe to DIY. Answer: C. We should be careful while doing DIY.
Celebrity TV presenter Ju Ping has been a host on China Central Television for 30 years, but her recent experience fronting a charity event was one of the most special moments in her career. On April 2, World Autism Day, Ju partnered with Xia Junqi, a 17-year-old autistic teenager, to host a charity gala at the Beijing National Aquatics Center, otherwise known as the Water Cube. The event was organized by One Foundation, which aims to increase public awareness of autistic people and their needs. Autism is a neural disorder that _ sufferers' communication skills and social interactions. Sufferers have restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. It affects about 1.6 million people in China, with medical studies suggesting autism may affect one in every 166 children. Autism has no cure. For many years it went largely undiagnosed in China but early intervention and continuous education may help to teach the autistic self-help skills and lessen their disruptive behavior. The gala featured autistic children singing, dancing and performing, and was greeted with enthusiastic applause from the audience. Cai Chunzhu, a celebrity playwright, recalled feeling heartbroken when his son was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2. He says his family struggled to accept the reality but finally made peace with the diagnoses in the past four years. He says the boy lives in his own world and is trained in an intervention facility. Sun Zhongkai, executive director of the Beijing Stars and Rain Institute for Autism, one of the earliest intervention facilities for autistic children in China, shared with audience his deep sorrow for parents who often collapsed with desperation when he told them there was no cure for their autistic children. Over the years, Chinese society has become more supportive of autistic people and their families, but there are still challenges in terms of getting autistic people employed and looking after them when their parents pass away. Actor Zhou Xun also called on society to show greater understanding and support toward autistic children and their families. Where did the gala take place? A In a theater in Shanghai. B In the Water Cube. C In a Children's Palace. D In Nanjing. Answer: B Do you know what Fear and Faith have in common? Fear believes in a negative future. Faith believes in a positive future. Both believe in something that has not yet happened. So I ask you, if neither the positive nor negative future has happened yet then why not choose to believe in the positive future? I believe during these challenging times we have a choice between two roads: the positive road and the negative road. And our bus can't be on two roads at the same time. So we have to make a choice and this choice determines our belief about the future and the attitude and actions we bring to the present. I'm not saying we shouldn't have any fear. There are times when fear is a gift. A healthy dose of fear causes us to examine our situation and plan for the future. It moves us to smell the cheese and expect change. When used wisely it allows us to manage risk and make better decisions. Some fear is good. However, what I have observed lately is a supersized, huge dose of fear that is spreading the hearts and minds of far too many people. This oversized fear is causing leaders and their organizations to either act unreasonably or to not act at all. They are either hurrying in a million different directions because of fear. In both cases, fear is leading them to take the negative road to failure. The answer is the positive road paved with faith and a belief that your best days are not behind you but ahead of you. With this belief you make the right choices and actions today that will create your positive future tomorrow. You stay calm, focused and committed to your purpose. You look for ways to save money and cut costs without making unreasonable fear-based decisions that sacrifice your future success. You identify opportunities in the midst of the challenges and you focus on solutions instead of problems. Your faith and belief in a positive future leads to powerful actions today. The future has not happened yet and you have a say in what it looks like by the way you think and act. Fear or Faith. The choice is yours. What does the writer intend to tell us in the passage? A Fear is closely related to faith. B We should have faith in a positive future. C Life is full of fear and faith. D Wrong decisions sacrifice our future success. Answer: B First, open the lid (-) and put water, salt, and rice in the pot. Then put the cover on the pot and close the lid. Next, press the button for "white" or "brown", and then press the "start" button. Let the rice cook for about 30 minutes. You'll hear a beeping sound when it's finished, but you should wait about five minutes before eating. Finally, take out the pot. Bring it to the table and enjoy your meal. What will happen when it's finished? " A You will hear a sound. B You will still have to wait for ten minutes C The lid open. D The water will come out. Answer: A A scientist plans a project to determine the effect of rain on the formation of caves. An area of rock has been chosen as the site for the investigation. How often should the scientist measure the changes in the rock? A every day B every week C every month D every year Answer: D Wanted, Someone for a Kiss We' re looking for producers to join us on the sound of London Kiss 100 FM. You' ll work on the station's music programmes. Music production experience in radio is necessary, along with rich knowledge of modern dance music. Please apply in writing to Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100. Father Christmas We're looking for a very special person, preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit. Working days: Every Saturday from November 24 to December 15 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sundays, l0:30 - 16:00. Excellent pay. Please contact the Enterprise Shopping Centre, Station Parade, Eastbourne. Accountants Assistant When you join the team in our Revenue Administration Unit, you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Revenue Division, dealing with post and other general duties. If you are educated to GCSE grade C level we would like to talk to you. This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience. Wealden District Council Software Trainer If you are aged 24 -45 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for. You should be good at the computer and have some experience in programme writing. You will be allowed to make your own decisions ,and to design courses as well as present them. Pay upwards of PS15,000 for the right person. Please apply by sending your CV to Mrs. R.. Oglivie, Palmlaee Limited. Which position is open to recent school graduates? A Producer, London Kiss. B Father Christmas. C Accountants Assistant. D Software Trainer. Answer: C
You want to know about my staying in America, right? Well, to tell you the truth,it is really an eye-opening experience to study here. In China, I had English classes five times a week since fifth grade. However, I didn't know how different textbook English could be from everyday English until I came to Hotchkiss School, Connecticut. When I first studied English, I was told to say,"I am fine" when people say "How are you?" But in the US, I found that people say, "I am good" or "I'm tired". One day, someone greeted me with "What's up?" It made me _ . I thought for a moment and then smiled because I didn't know what to say. Since then, I have discovered more and more differences between Chinese and US cultures. To my surprise, US girls spend a lot of time in the burning sun to get a tan . However, in China, girls try every possible way to get their skin paler, or "whiter". I was also surprised by how hardworking US students are . In China, schoolwork is almost everything, so we study hard and that's it. But here, a "good" student gets good grades, does a lot of work for the public and plays sports or music. The kids here are so talented, I am starting to be sorry that I gave up playing the piano at an early age and that I have never thought about sports. According to the writer, textbook English is _ everyday English. A. quite different from B. the same as C. more difficult than D. easier than Answer: A. quite different from What's this? It's P. What color is it? It's green. What's this and what color is it? It's E. It's yellow. What's this? It's N. It's red. What's this? It's a pen. Spell it,please. P--E---N. I have a blue pen. This my ruler. It's yellow. My jacket is black and my quilt is green. It's nice. My quilt is _ A. red and green B. yellow and nice C. green and nice D. blue and nice Answer: C. green and nice As a kid, Fan Yang was crazy about the beauty of bubbles . A waterfall at a river near his childhood home in Vietnam created hundreds of tiny bubbles. "I saw another world in bubbles, and I imagined how nice it would be if I could create a big bubble and be inside it," he says. Many years later, Fan realized that dream. He has formed bubbles around hundreds of people, made large bubbles that his daughter can walk through, and even made square bubbles. Fan calls himself a "bubble artist" and "bubble scientist." "So far, I haven't met any other bubble scientist!" he says. To achieve what he wanted, Fan worked hard for years. "After many years of failure, I finally came out with a bubble solution that made big bubbles with beautiful color1s." Five years later, after lots of more practice and experiments, he created the world's largest bubble which was 156 feet long. Fan designed a program called the Gazillion Bubble Show. He has many performance tips to offer. He says it's good to make the audience feel tension so that they are surprised at the end of a trick. He also suggests doing performances that are fun to watch, so that the audience will stay interested the whole time To perform his tricks, Fan uses bubbles equipment that he created himself. He wants to know that they're not limited by anything except their imaginations, and they can create whatever they want to help them follow their interests. "To make art, you need time, love and hard work, which guided my life and made me successful. I am proud to say that I used something simple--- bubbles---and brought it to a completely new world." Fan Yang's bubbles _ . A. are easy to break B. are of different shapes C. come from his hometown river D. can change into different color1s Answer: B. are of different shapes One upon a time there was a dragon named Jack. He was large and had big scales, but did not have claws or a mean look on his face like other dragons did. He also didn't have wings and couldn't fly. Jack lived near a castle that had a princess trapped in it. This castle looked and was guarded by an evil dragon named Ryan. The castle was old and dirty. It wasn't clean or special like many castles are thought to look. One day Jack thought that he was going to try to save the princess Linda when Ryan was sleeping that night. After sunset, he slowly walked around and climbed over the back wall. After passing many sleeping guards, Jack put his nose near the princess's tower window. She climbed out on to it and they ran off. During their escape, Ryan woke up and started chasing them. However, he was too sleepy to catch them. Jack took the princess to a nearby safe town where she thanked him and said goodbye. What was the evil dragon's name A. Linda B. Ryan C. Chris D. Jack Answer: B. Ryan Have you ever wished that you could make your little sister's teddy bear talk to her? Or have you ever wanted to bring a puppet to life? If so, you may be interested in learning the art of ventriloquism . A ventriloquist can make an ordinary object seem to be alive by giving it a personality, movement, and speech. Your object can be a puppet, or a doll. Give your new "friend" a name, and then decide on the personality that he will have. The next step is to give your friend movements that agree with the personality you have chosen. Now you can learn to make your "friend" talk. A ventriloquist will control his mouth and lips so that it will appear that his voice is coming from the object he is using. This will take practice, but you can do it. First, decide on a voice that is different from your own. It could be higher or lower than yours, or could even have a special accent. Then, find a clean teaspoon and hold the handle between your front teeth. Now, using the voice you created for your friend and holding the handle of the teaspoon tightly between your teeth, look into a mirror and talk. Practicing with the spoon in your mouth will help you learn to keep your mouth from moving. Now try telling a joke in your normal voice and have your friend speak in his voice. Practice those words until you can say them without your lips moving at all. Ventriloquism is fun. It also requires hard work to become good at it. The most important thing to do is practice. But if you are willing to take the time to give your friend an interesting personality, to practice lively movements, and to work on good mouth control, then you will be well on your way to becoming a ventriloquist! What would be the best title for the text? A. How to tell jokes B. How to make puppets C. Secrets of ventriloquism D. Tips on making friends Answer: C. Secrets of ventriloquism
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. To fight A/H1N1 infection, it's helpful for us to _ . A. sing "Happy Birthday" while washing hands B. eat more fatty foods and colorful fruits C. keep away from alcoholic drinks D. refuse communication with patients Answer: C. keep away from alcoholic drinks Guangzhou (Xinhua)----12 people were killed and 20 injured early yesterday morning when they jumped from a burning train car into the path of an oncoming goods train in Southern China. When No. 247 Wuchang----Guangzhou passenger train was passing the Dayaoshan Tunnel in Guangdong Province, South China at 00 :17 hours yesterday, a fire caused by passengers' smoking broke out on No. 17 car. They wanted to extinguish fire. As the train stopped some frightened passengers jumped from windows. 12 people were crushed to death and 20 others injured by a northward passing goods train(No. 1766). For what did the passenger train stop? A. To put out the fire. B. To let the passengers jump out. C. To let the other train pass. D. To pick up some other passengers. Answer: A. To put out the fire. On the whole, it's not something we parents shout about, but one in four of us does it. Hiring private tutors for our children is now widespread. "It's expensive, but worth it," says Ashan Sabri, whose daughter Zarreen, is having tuition in biology and chemistry in preparation for A-levels this summer. "My husband and I tried to tutor her at home, but we found all our knowledge was out of date and we were only confusing Zarreen. We also tried a group revision course but all the children were sitting in a room for different kinds of exams. On the whole, we think one-to-one tuition works best." The real reason is: does tutoring do any good? "It's not the _ ," says Professor Judith Ireson, author of a 2005 Institute of Education report on the subject. "It's still up to the child to do the learning. If he or she isn't interested, sending them to a private tutor won't do any good. However, we did find that students who had private tuition in mathematics during the two years before GCSE achieved on average just under half a grade higher than students who did not have a tutor." In which case, surely it's time to break open the champagne? Not necessarily, says Elaine Tyrrell, head of The Rowans School, Wimbledon, a preparation school which regularly gets children into the best private schools. "While we recommend private tutoring for a few children whose first language isn't English, we don't encourage it for the others. With the level of education they get here, children really ought to be able to pass the entrance exams without any extra teaching. And our worry is that they might just get used to getting help from last-minute tutoring, but, once they actually get to that school, they won't be able to cope." But Mylene Curtis, owner of Fleet Tutors, one of the biggest tutoring agencies in the country, holds a different view. "In some respects, the hurdles children have to leap in order to get into these schools are set at a higher level than the reality," says Curtis. "We often find that, once a child has got into a school, the standard of work isn't as high as was feared. The trick is to do well enough in the exam to win a place." What attitude does the author hold towards home tutoring? A. Critical B. Objective C. Supportive D. Uninterested Answer: B. Objective Become a professional dog trainer, dog walker or pet sitter with our expert education adn lifetime business support. Top Dog Trainers School will teach you everything you need to know about running your new business. A diploma from Top Dog Trainers School will take you into an enjoyable careet with animals. * We help you create a profitable and successful business from the bottom up with little overhead costs. * We have 10 years lf animal care experience. * We run a Dog Training business making over$150,00per year. * You will leam how to rank your website at the top of search engines. * Hands-on experience with animals and customer relations. * We guide you through business insurance,taxes,licenses,and more. Dog Trainers Course In this 2 week course you will be taught how to run a profitable and enjoyable dog training business. You will have hands on experience training and caring for at least 12 dogs ofall sorts ranging in size from a toy poodle to an Anatolian Shepherd. You will leam about all available training techniques and equipment so you can provide personalized training for four customers. We will train you how to run classes and private in-home lessons. How to run a safe and secure kennel including advance animal health care. Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters Course In this 1 week course you will have experience caring for over a dozen dogs,parrots,chickens, ducks,cats,and horses. We will teach you the secrets of successful dog walkers with hours of dog ,parrots,chickens,ducks,cats,and horses. We will teach you the secrets of successful dog walkers with hours of walking experience. We will teach you how to wash dogs and horses. We will teach you how to properly care for cats and birds. Which of the following is not a peomise made by the dog trainer school? A. To start your ownbusiness with affordable money. B. To make a fortune after the training in the school. C. To have wide experience in animal care. D. To find a satisfactory job in this school. Answer: D. To find a satisfactory job in this school. UFO stands for "unidentified flying object" . Many people reported having seen UFOs in the sky. A lot of countries tried to research them and in 1952 they got the name of UFO. There were several reports published in the 19th century which were related to UFOs. Denison Daily News in its report of 25th January, 1878 wrote that a farmer, Martin, saw a flying object in the sky and it was just like a plate. This was the first time that the word plate had been related to the UFOs. The first reports on UFOs came during World War II. In 1947 pilot Kenneth Arnold said while he was flying near the Mount Rainer he saw a very bright object in the sky. He said that it was like a plate too. The information given by Kenneth got lots of attention from the media and people. Several research organizations gave their reports on the UFOs. They showed direct or indirect physical evidence of the UFOs, and sometimes UFOs'appearance was found on the radar screen. Many people tried to take video tapes or photos of the UFOs as _ Most UFOs are in saucer shape while many UFOs are like a cigarette or a half ball. Many films and TV shows are made about UFOs. There are two famous movies which are created on the theme of UFOs and aliens, War of the Worldand Star Wars. UFOs have created a new field in science which is known as Ufology . From the passage, we can infer _ . A. most UFOs'shapes are changeable B. the danger of UFOs attracted the media's attention C. the radar helps people get UFO evidence D. Ufology was developed a hundred years ago Answer: C. the radar helps people get UFO evidence
The most frightening words in the English language are, "Our computer is down." You hear it more and more when you are on business. The other day I was at the airport waiting for a ticket to Washington and the girl in the ticket office said, "I'm sorry, I can't sell you a ticket. Our computer is down." "If your computer is down, just write me out a ticket." "I can't write you, out a ticket. The computer is the only one allowed to do so:" I looked down on the computer and every passenger was just star, ding there, drinking coffee and staring at the black screen. Then I asked her, "What do all you people do?" "We give the computer the information about your trip, and then it tells us whether you can fly with us or not." "How lorig will the computer be down?" I wanted to know. "I have no idea. Sometimes it,s down for 10 minutes, sometimes for two hours. There's no way we can find odt without asking the computer, and since it's down it won't answer, us." After the girl told me they had no backup computer, I said. "Let's forget the computer. What about your planes? They're still flying, aren't they?" I wouldn't know," she said, pointino at the dark screen. "Only 'IT' knows. 'It' can't tell me." By this time there were quite a few people standing in lines. The words soon spread to other travelers that the computer was down. Some people went white; some people started to cry and still others kicked.their luggage. Which of the following is TRUE? Answer: Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl called Cinderella.Her mother died and Cinderella's father had a new wife, who only loved her two ugly daughters.A handsome prince wanted to find a wife and invited all the girls to a dance.The ugly sisters had beautiful clothes but Cinderella stayed at home in the kitchen.A fairy helped Cinderella and used magic to give her pretty clothes and a carriage to go to the dance, but told her to leave at midnight because the magic would end by then.The prince liked Cinderella a lot and danced with her.Then the clock started ringing 12 p.m.and Cinderella ran out of the hall, leaving one glass shoe behind. The prince wanted the lovely girl to be his wife.He walked around town with the shoe trying to find her.The ugly sisters wanted to marry the prince and tried to put the shoe on, but their feet were like elephants'.Then the prince asked Cinderella to try.The mother and ugly sisters laughed, but they stopped when the shoe went on Cinderella's foot.The prince made Cinderella his wife, and they lived happily ever after. The ugly sisters had _ . Answer: After battling hard times and danger for over nine months, British teenager Mike Perham made history last month as the youngest person to sail solo around the world. The 17-year-old made the record after he cleared the Panama Canal and then sailed through the Caribbean and got home across the Atlantic. Mike is only three months younger than Zac Sunderland, the 17-year-old American boy who had taken the crown as the youngest solo around-the-world sailor in July. The two youngsters met in Cape Town in South Africa as they crossed the globe in different directions. Mike insisted they were not rivals . "No. It's two teenagers going out there, living their dream and having the adventure of a lifetime," he said. Mike may be young, but he is no stranger to sailing adventures. He picked up the hobby at the age of 6 when his father took him out in a small boat on a local lake. Father and son sailed separate boats across the Atlantic when Mike was 14, making him the youngest person to cross that ocean solo. That record gave him the taste for this even greater challenge. On the recent journey, the scariest moment for Mike came when his sailboat was hit by storms in the southern Indian Ocean. "We were picked up by what felt like a 60-foot wave and threw down on our side at 90 degrees," he said. "It felt like I was going right over. Stuff was flying around and I just thought 'Oh no'." At other times, he had to dive into the Pacific and fix problems. He tied himself to the boat, jumped into the water and went to work with a knife in 30-second dives underneath the boat to cut a rope away. Mike said he felt proud that he made his dream come true. "You've got to have confidence in yourself that you will make it," he said. Which of the following statements is NOT true? Answer: Owner owned Greenacre, a tract of land, in fee simple. Owner executed an instrument in the proper form of a deed, purporting to convey Greenacre to Purchaser in fee simple. The instrument recited that the conveyance was in consideration of "$5 cash in hand paid and for other good and valuable consideration." Owner handed the instrument to Purchaser and Purchaser promptly and properly recorded it. Two months later, Owner brought an appropriate action against Purchaser to cancel the instrument and to quiet title. In support, Owner proved that no money in fact had been paid by Purchaser, notwithstanding the recitation, and that no other consideration of any kind had been supplied by Purchaser. In such action, Owner should Answer: Pasta is the world's favorite food. A survey taken in 17 countries confirmed that pasta is what people like to eat most. Not only is pasta the number one food in its home country Italy, but it is also enjoyed in faraway places like the Philippines, Mexico and South Africa. Pasta has become popular, for one thing, because it is cheap and easy to prepare. Just cook noodles or other forms of pasta, make a sauce to go with it and you're finished. Many different types of meals can be created with pasta. It tastes good and fills your stomach. It produces energy in the form of carbohydrates , which is why athletes eat pasta regularly. Pasta can also be kept for a long time. You don't have to use it up at once. Pasta has also become popular because it stands for the Italian way of life. People all over the world like it because it's so simple. It has two basic ingredients, wheat and water, just like bread. Before it became popular in Italy during the 19th century, earlier civilizations also ate pasta. Legend has it that Marco Polo brought pasta back to Italy with him but this is not true. Arabs probably brought a noodle-like dish to Sicily in the 8th century. Farmers have been growing wheat, the main ingredient of pasta, there for ages. The worldwide sales of pasta have risen sharply over the past decade. $16 billion worth of pasta were sold in 2010, compared to $13 billion worth of the favorite food in 2003. Italy leads the pasta-eating community of the world. The Italians are the number one consumers followed by Venezuela and Tunisia. ks5u What would be the best title for the passage? Answer:
Question: Failure is probably the most exhausting experience a person ever has. There is nothing more tiring than not succeeding. We experience this tiredness in two ways: as start-up fatigue and performance fatigue. In the former case, we keep putting off a task because it has either too boring or too difficult. And the longer we delay it, the more tired we feel. Such start-up fatigue is very real, even if not actually physical, not something in our muscles and bones. The solution is obvious though perhaps not easy to apply: always handle the most difficult job first. Years ago, I was asked to write 102 essays on the great ideas of some famous authors. Applying my own rule, I determined to write them in alphabetical , never letting myself leave out a tough idea. And I always started the day's work with the difficult task of essay-writing. Experience proved that the rule works. Performance fatigue is more difficult to handle. Though willing to get started, we cannot seem to do the job right. Its difficulties appear so great that, however hard we work, we fail again and again. In such a situation, I work as hard as I can-then let the unconscious take over. When planning Encyclopaedia Britannica (<<>> ), I had to create a table of contents based on the topics of its articles. Nothing like this had ever been done before, and day after dat I kept coming up with solutions, but none of them worked. My fatigue became almost unbearable. One day, mentally exhausted, I wrote down all the reasons why this problem could not be solved. I tried to convince myself that the trouble was with the problem itself, not with me. Relived, I sat back in an easy chair and fell asleep. An hour later, I woke up suddenly with the solution clearly in mind. In the weeks that followed, the solution which had come up in my unconscious mind provided correct at every step. Though I worked as hard as before, I felt no fatigue. Success was now as exciting as failure had been depressing. Human beings, I believe must try to succeed. Success, then, means never feeling tired. According to the author, the unconscious mind may help us . A. ignore mental problems B. get some nice sleep C. gain complete relief D. find the right solution Answer: D. find the right solution Question: The lion says that he is _ . So he asks all the animals to come and listen to his last wishes. The cat comes to the lion's cave . He stands there and goes in. Then a sheep goes in. Before she comes out, a rabbit goes in to hear the last wishes of the king of animals. But soon the lion looks well again, and goes out of his cave. He sees a fox waiting outside. "Why don't you come in?" asks the lion to the fox. "I beg your pardon," says the fox, "I see many animals go into your cave, but nobody comes out. Before they come out again, I will wait outside." What do you think of the fox? A. Helpful. B. Polite. C. Lovely. D. Clever. Answer: D. Clever. Question: "To educate a girl is to educate a thousand people," says Maimouna Samake, a mother of six children(including five girls). "If you put one seed in the ground and rain comes, it will grow to produce many seeds." Samake, one of 2,000 residents, lives in a small village, Sounkala, in one of the world's poorest countries. Now she has a chance to see this wish come true thanks to build On, an American non-profit organization that is building a school in her community. For 17 years, build On has been sending American high school students overseas to create schools in places where literacy and formal education are usually out of reach. The organization has built about 300 schools in Mali, Malawi, Nepal, Senegal, Nicaragua and Haiti. Its goal is to get young Americans in mostly urban areas to get involved in education. At the same time it can bring literacy to children and adults in poor villages in the developing world. Sounkala's school only has about 70 children; mud floors, poor lighting, few desks and an absence of books mean that the school is not the most ideal learning environment. Therefore they certainly could use build On's help. Samake hasn't been to school, but she wants a better future for her five daughters, including Ramatou, 12, and Mariam, 10. "When a woman attends school, she will teach what she learns to her children," said Ramatou, who wants to become a doctor. "She will also know how to take better care of her family." Build On tries to build schools for grades one to three. If things go well over those three years, they return to help build another school for grades four to six, and then set up evening adult literacy classes. Ramatou and Mariam will not learn inside the walls of build On school since they are already in the sixth grade, but Samake hopes that they will be able to attend evening classes to continue learning. What do we know about Samake and her family? A. Samake only has daughters. B. Samake is well-educated. C. Ramatou is a doctor. D. Mariam is in the sixth grade. Answer: D. Mariam is in the sixth grade. Question: Mr. Brown lives in America and has a big factory there. He is busy all the time. But when he takes his holidays, he always goes traveling and has been to about thirty countries. One summer he went to visit Moscow. There he heard the workers were paid much less than those in his countries. And most factories couldn't work because they were short of money. He thought he would save much money if he invested in a factory there. The Russians knew it and warmly met him and he was invited to visit a modern factory. He went to the workplaces, watched carefully how the machines worked. The workers worked hard when he went in. Soon it was time to have lunch. Mr. Brown went in the dining -room. Meat, eggs, milk and bread could be bough there. It seemed that they weren't short of anything. Mr. Brown came up to an old worker and sat down next to him. Are you satisfied with your life, sir? Asked Mr. Brown. "Of course," the worker answered and went on drinking. "What do you have now?" "I live in beautiful villa ," answered the man. "I have a new fridge, a new color television and I drive a new car to my factory." "What's your next wish, then?" "To buy a pair of strong shoes!" At first, Mr. Brown was going to _ . A. travel in Moscow B. invest in a factory in Moscow C. visit a modern factory D. know the old worker Answer: B. invest in a factory in Moscow Question: Until March 28, the fate of the gray wolf in the Rocky Mountains was in the hands of the federal government because the wolf was listed as an endangered species. But once it was removed from the list -- a decision that is being challenged in court by a dozen conservation groups -- the gray wolf fell under the protection of individual states. That is turning out to mean almost no protection at all. prefix = st1 /Idaho's Fish and Game department announced last week that it would allow 428 of the state's estimated 1,000 wolves to die this year. Some will die of natural causes. Most will be killed by hunters. Idaho officials argue that the remaining population will still be larger than the very small number to be protected in the original federal wolf recovery plans. But Idaho's Fish and Game department has overruled its own staff biologists, who for the good of the wolf population -- and the ecosystem as a whole -- argued that more animals should be allowed to survive. Sadly, in Idaho, wolves are nothing more than another game animal to be managed for the benefit of human hunters. Beginning on Sept. 15, any Idaho hunter with a hunting license and $10.50 for a wolf tag will be entitled to shoot one wolf, at least until the quota of dead wolves in his region has been reached. And how will a hunter know if the local quota has been reached? There will be a hot line, of course. Hunters will be encouraged not to shoot wolves wearing radio collars because those wolves are still being studied. Perhaps the solution is to fit all wolves with radio collars. It is still possible that Idaho's wolves -- and the wolves in other states -- will get a _ . A federal judge will soon decide whether to support or object to the government's decision to delist the gray wolf. We hope he will restore the wolf to the endangered species list. There is no better proof of how dangerous life is for wolves thanIdaho's plan to protect them. Why do Idahoofficials permit a certain number of gray wolves to be hunted? A. Some will die of natural causes if they are not killed by hunters. B. Hunters kill gray wolves for the good of the wolf population. C. They argue that more animals should be allowed to survive. D. The wolves left will still be more than those to be protected in the original federal wolf recovery plans. Answer: D. The wolves left will still be more than those to be protected in the original federal wolf recovery plans.
Question: A federal statute with inseverable provisions established a new five-member National Prosperity Board with broad regulatory powers over the operation of the securities, banking, and commodities industries, including the power to issue rules with the force of law. The statute provides for three of the board members to be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. They serve seven-year terms and are removable only for good cause. The other two members of the board were designated in the statute to be the respective general counsel of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Government Operations. The statute stipulated that they were to serve on the board for as long as they continued in those positions. Following all required administrative procedures, the board issued an elaborate set of rules regulating the operations of all banks, securities dealers, and commodities brokers. The Green Light Securities Company, which was subject to the board's rules, sought a declaratory judgment that the rules were invalid because the statute establishing the board was unconstitutional. In this case, the court should rule that the statute establishing the National Prosperity Board is A. unconstitutional, because all members of federal boards having broad powers that are quasi-legislative in nature, such as rulemaking, must be appointed by Congress. B. unconstitutional, because all members of federal boards exercising executive powers must be appointed by the President or in a manner otherwise consistent with the appointments clause of Article II. C. constitutional, because the necessary and proper clause authorizes Congress to determine the means by which members are appointed to boards created by Congress under its power to regulate commerce among the states. D. constitutional, because there is a substantial nexus between the power of Congress to legislate for the general welfare and the means specified by Congress in this statute for the appointment of board members. Answer: B. unconstitutional, because all members of federal boards exercising executive powers must be appointed by the President or in a manner otherwise consistent with the appointments clause of Article II. Question: Magnification makes a small thing A. stuck on metal B. hard to see C. really very tiny D. more easily seen Answer: D. more easily seen Question: Faces that activate the same regions of the brain again and again are more likely to be remtembered. Practice makes perfect when it comes to remembering things, but exactly how that works has long been a mystery. A study published in Science recently indicates that reactivating neural patterns over and over again my store items into the memory. People find it easier to recall things if material is presented repeatedly at well-spaced intervals rather than all at once. For example, you're more likely to remember a face that your've seen on some occasions over a few days than one that you've seen once in one long period. One reason that a face linked to many different contexts -such as school, work and home- is easier to recognize than one that is associated with just one setting, such as a party, could be that there are some ways to access the memory. This idea, called the encoding variability hypothesis ,was proposed by psychologists about 40 years ago. Each different context or setting activates a clear set of brain regions; the hypothesis suggests that it is these differing neural responses that improve the memory. But neuroimaging research led by Russell Poldrack, a scientist at the University of Texas. Austin, now suggests that the opposite is true--items are better remembered when they activate the same neural patterns with each exposure. Poldrack's team measured brain activity in 24 people using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The subjects saw 120 unfamiliar faces, and each one repeated four times at varying intervals during the scan. One hour later, they were shown the faces again, mixed with 120 new ones, and asked to rate the familiarity of each. The researchers then looked at the brain responses that had been recorded when the subjects wee first shown the faces, focusing on 20 brain regions associated with visual perception and memory. Face that were later recognized evoked similar activation patterns at each repetition in nine of the regions, particularly those associated with object and face perception; faces that were later forgotten did not produce such pattern to the same extent in people's mind Where can we most probably find the passage? A. in a traveling handbook. B. In a geography book. C. In a newspaper. D. In an advertisement. Answer: C. In a newspaper. Question: Eat nuts, live longer. Researchers have found that those who eat a handful of peanuts every day significantly decrease their risk of dying from all causes compared to those who do not eat nuts. A new study concludes that all types of nuts seem to be protective. Researcher Ying Bao is with the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard University Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. She and her colleagues looked at the impact of nut consumption by analyzing two huge studies that began in 1980 - the Nurses' Health Study, which tracks the of more than 76,000 women, and 42,000 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Among the questions asked at the beginning of the studies was, 'how frequently do you eat nuts?' The information was updated every two to four years. Bao says the participants were followed for three decades. "What we observed is that people who eat more nuts are less likely to die over the next 30 years," said Bao. "So, for example, if a person eat(s) nuts once per day, that person has a 20 percent lower risk of dying." Bao says eating a handful of nuts five or more times per week was associated with a 29 percent reduced risk of dying from heart disease and an 11 percent lower risk of cancer death. A serving size is 28 grams. Nuts contain nutrients, including high quality proteins, vitamins and minerals, all of which have anti-cancer effects and may help protect the heart. Bao says researchers are planning studies to find out how nuts are beneficial to human health. The study on the health benefits of nuts was funded by the International Tree Nut Council Research and Education Foundation. The passage is most probably from a journal of _ . A. entertainment B. diet C. sports D. science Answer: B. diet Question: The research tracked the health of 101,000 US nurses over three decades. Light-to-moderate smokers were twice as likely to die of sudden heart problems as those who had never smoked. But those who quit smoking saw their risk begin to go back down within years, a journal of the American Heart Association reports. _ During the study, there were 315 sudden cardiac deaths ----where the heart unexpectedly stops working. In people aged 35 or younger, this usually because of a heart condition that runs in the family. But in people who are older than this--as most of the nurses in the study were --it can be the first sign of coronary heart disease, where the heart's arteries become blocked by fatty deposits. Of the 315 sudden deaths in the study, 75 were among current smokers, 148 were among recent or past smokers and 128 occurred in people who had never smoked. Reason to quit After taking into account other heart risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and family history of heart disease, Dr Roopinder Sandhu and his colleagues found the women who smoked were twice as likely as likely to die suddenly even if they smoked "light-to-moderate" amounts --between one and 14 cigarettes a day. For every five years of continued smoking, the risk went up by 8%. But women who quit saw their risk fall to that of someone who had never smoked, after 20 years of cessation. Dr Sandhu, of the University of Alberta, Canad, said: "What this study really tells women is how important it is to stop smoking. The benefits in terms of sudden cardiac death reduction are there for all women, not just those with established heart disease." "It can be difficult to quit. It needs to be a long-term goal. It's not always easily achievable and it may take more than one attempt." Ellen Mason, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "This study shows that smoking just a couple of cigarettes a day could still seriously affect your future health." "As we approach the new year, many of us will be making resolutions and giving up smoking will be the top of the list for lots of people." "If you're thinking of quitting and need a _ , this research adds to the wealth of evidence that stopping smoking is the single best thing you can do for your heart health." A recent study in The Lancet of 1.2million Women found those who gave up smoking by the age of 30 would almost completely avoid the risk of dying early from tobacco-related diseases. Latest figures suggest a fifth of women in England smoke. Which of the following is best suitable for the blank in the passage? A. Raised risk B. Ways of quitting smoking C. Diseases related to smoking D. Signs of heart disease Answer: A. Raised risk
Years ago while lying in my hammock and drinking JD from the bottle, I noticed my dog dragging something under the fence.Upon inspection, to my disappointment, I realized it was the next door neighbor' s 10 - year - old daughter' s rabbit.For years I had watched her come home from school and head straight out to its cage, free it and play with it in the yard.I knew that day would be no different and fearing for our dog, I had to think fast. The rabbit was quite dirty, as if it had put up quite a struggle, so I washed it, combed it with the dog brush and blew it dry with the leaf blower.Upon finishing its grooming I jumped the fence and replaced it back in its cage hoping its death would be written off as "natural caused". Back to the hammock and JD.Within the hour the neighbor' s Volvo palled in as usual and out popped the little girl, and as usual she headed straight for the cage.Only this time she stopped about six feet away and screamed: " D - A - D - D - Y!!!" Her father, panic stricken, stood looking at the cage.Being the good neighbor that I am, I rushed to fence and asked if there was anything I could do. Her father less than calmly shouted, "What kind of sick individual would dig up a little girl's rabbit and put it back in its cage?" The girl was shocked because _ . the dead rabbit was cleaned and put back into the cage When Andrea Peterson landed her first teaching job, she faced the daunting task of creating a music program with almost no money for equipment or supplies in a climate where standards-based learning was the focus and music just provided a break for students and teachers. For her drive and creativity in overcoming those challenges, she's been named national teacher of the year. Principal Waynes Kettler said he's worked with many outstanding teachers in his 22 years as an educator, but Peterson is "just that one step above anybody I've ever worked with before." Kettler and others at Monte Cristo Elementary School talk about the ways she has introduced the learning from other classrooms into her music program and her creativity in working around things such as the lack of money for new music. When students were reading S.E. Hinton's novel The Outsiders in their regular classroom, Peterson helped them write a 30-minute play with scenes from the book. Then they chose three Broadway tunes that focused on race, equality and social justice, the themes of the book. Peterson composed two other songs herself after classroom discussions about the play and the book. The honor means a lot to residents of Granite Foils. It's inspiring to know that people from small towns even win national honors. As national teacher of the year, Peterson will spend the more years outside the classroom, as a national and international spokeswoman for education. She said it's essential for schools to offer classes such as art or music and physical education because for some kids one of those subjects is the only thing that attracts them to come back to school day after day. In Peterson's opinion, _ . art, music and PE classes are all important When I was 4, my parents decided they could no longer live together. That same year, my mom moved to Los Angeles (L.A.) and a therapist was hired to decide where I would live. Playing with a dollhouse in her office, I showed her the mother's room on one side and the father's room on the other. When she asked me about the little boy's room, I told her the little boy didn't know where to sleep. The therapist finally decided I would stay with my dad during the school years and visit my mom on long holidays and for summers. I began flying between two cities and leading two different lives. I remember my last school day in Grade Six. My friends made plans to go to the beach together, but I couldn't join them because I had to fly to L.A. It wasn't that I didn't want to see my mom and stepdad; I just didn't want to leave my friends. It wasn't easy to put up a wall, and pretend I didn't hate saying goodbye to them. In the morning, my dad drove me to school with my packed bags, and after school, my friends went together, and I went to the airport. What has come of this in the end is that I'm always missing somebody. When I'm in northern California, I miss my mom and stepdad, while in L.A. I miss going out with my friends, my dad, and my little brother and sister. But after so many flights, I've learned that it's also fun traveling between two cities and experiencing different lives. Other children may not have the opportunity to experience so much. The dollhouse game showed that the boy _ . had no feeling of belonging When Paul was a boy growing up in Utah, he happened to live near a copper smelter , and the chemicals that poured out had made a wasteland out of what used to be a beautiful forest. One day a young visitor looked at this wasteland and called it an awful area. Paul knocked him down. From then on, something happened inside him. Years later Paul was back in the area, and he went to the smelter office. He asked if they had any plans or if they would let him try to bring the trees back. The answer from that big industry was "No". Paul then went to college to study the science of plants. Unfortunately, his teachers said there weren't any birds or squirrels to spread the seeds. It would be a waste of his life to try to do it. Everyone knew that, he was told. Even if he was knowledgeable as he had expected, he wouldn't get his idea accepted. Paul later got married but his dream would not die. And then one night he did what he could with what he had. As Samuel Johnson wrote, "It is common to overlook what is near by keeping the eye fixed on something remote. Attainable good is often ignored by minds busied in wide ranges." Under the cover of darkness, he went secretly into the wasteland and started planting. And every week, he made his secret journey into the wasteland and planted trees and grass. For fifteen years he did this against _ . Slowly rabbits appeared. Later, as there was legal pressure to clean up the environment, the company actually hired Paul to do what he was already doing. Now the place is fourteen thousand acres of trees and grass and bushes, and Paul has received almost every environmental award Utah has. It took him until his hair turned white, but he managed to keep that impossible vow he made to himself as a child. When Paul was a boy, _ . he hit a young visitor because of his comments on the wasteland I'm John.My father is a factory manager.He comes from America.My mother is a teacher.She's English.She can speak some Chinese.She is an English teacher at schoo1.I'm a student in my mother's schoo1.At school I can play with my Chinese friends.We can play football,basketball and table tennis.My mother can play the piano and tennis.She can also sing well. John's father is _ . in a factory
Question: A month after Hurricane Katrina, I returned home in New Orleans. There lay my house, reduced to waist-high rains, smelly and dirty. Before the trip, I'd had my car fixed. When the office employee of the garage was writing up the bill, she noticed my Louisiana license plate. "You from New Orleans?" she asked. I said I was, "No charge." She said, and firmly shook her head when I reached for my wallet. The next day I went for a haircut, and the same thing happened. As my wife was studying in Florida, we decided to move there and tried to find a rental house that we could afford while also paying off a mortgage on our ruined house. We looked at many places, but none was satisfactory. We'd began to accept that we'd have to live in extremely reduced circumstances for a while, when I got a very curious e-mail from a James Kemmedy in California. He'd read some pieces I'd written about our sufferings for state, the online magazine and wanted to give us ("no conditions attached") a new house across the lake from New Orleans. It sounded a good to her return, but I replied, thinking him for his exceptional generosity, then we to go back. Then the University of Florida offered to let him house to me. While he want to England on his one year, paid leave. The rent was rather reasonable. I mentioned the poet's offer to James Kemdedy, and the next day he sent a check covering our entire rent for eight months. Throughout this painful experience, the kindness of strangers has done much to bring back my faith in humanity. It's almost worth losing you wordy possessions to be reminded that people really when given had a channel. The author learned from his experience that_. A. wordy possessions can be given up when necessary B. generosity should be encouraged in some cases C. people benefit from their sad stories D. human beings are kind after all. Answer: D. human beings are kind after all. Question: A pot of potatoes is left on a stove at medium heat. The person cooking forgets that the potatoes are cooking and they cook for twelve hours. When the person checks on them after half a day, A. they are cold B. they are fine C. they are singed D. they are lukewarm Answer: C. they are singed Question: That was one surprising finding when researchers put Stanford University students in a simulated self-driving car to study how they reacted when their robo-chauffer needed help. The experiment was one in a growing number that assesses how cars can safely hand control back to a person when their self-driving software is at a loss. With some models already able to stay in their lane or keep a safe distance from other traffic, and automakers pushing for more automation, the car-to-driver handoff is a big open question. The elimination of distracted driving is a major selling point for the technology. But in the Stanford experiment, reading or watching a movie helped keep participants awake. The Stanford research suggests engaging people with media could help, while some automakers are marketing vehicles with limited self-driving features that will slow the car if they detect a person has stopped paving attention to the road. Though research is ongoing, it appears that people need at least 5 seconds to take over. Meanwhile, traditional automakers are advancing with the technology. Mercedes and Toyota sell cars that can hit the brakes and stay in their lane. By adding new features each year, they might produce a truly self-driving car in about a decade. One potential risk of this gradualist approach became clear this fall, when Tesla Motors had to explain that its "auto pilot" feature did not mean drivers could stop paying attention. Starting late next year, the Cadillac CTS will get a Super Cruise system, which will allow semi-autonomous highway driving. If the driver's eyes are off the road, and they don't respond to repeated urging, the car slows. "We are in no way selling this as a technology where the driver can check out," General Motors spokesman Dan Flores said, "You can relax, glance away, but you still have to be aware because you know the technology's not safe." One riddle automakers must solve: How to get owners to trust the technology so they'll use it -- but not trust it so much that they'll fall into a false sense of security. Trust was on the mind of researchers who in August published an extensive report on self-driving cars. "Although this trust is essential for widespread adoption, participants were also observed prioritizing non-driving activities over the operation of the vehicle," the authors wrote. Another wide-open question: How to alert the person in the driver's seat of the need to take over. It appears that the car should appeal to several senses. Visual warnings alone may not be enough. The author's purpose of writing the passage is to _ A. remind the readers of risks in the self-driving car B. advertise and market the new self-driving car C. get more participants to experiment in the self-driving car D. introduce the advanced technology in the self-driving car Answer: A. remind the readers of risks in the self-driving car Question: My grandson, Daniel, and I have always been very close. When Daniel's father remarried after a divorce, Daniel, who was eleven, and his little sister, Kristie, came to live with us. My husband and I were more than happy to have kids in the house again. Things were going along just fine until the diabetes I've lived with most of my adult life started affecting my eyes, and then more seriously, my kidneys . Then everything seemed to fall apart. Three times a week, I had to go to the hospital to be hooked up to a dialysis machine . I was living, but I couldn't really call it a life -- it was an existence. I had no energy. I dragged myself through daily chores and slept as much as I could. My sense of humor seemed to disappear. Daniel, seventeen by then, was really affected by the change in me. He tried as hard as he could to make me laugh, to bring back the grandma who loved to clown around with him. Even in my sorry state, Daniel could still bring a smile to my face. But things were not improving. After a year on dialysis, my condition was deteriorating and the doctors felt that if I didn't receive a kidney transplant within six months, I would surely die. No one told Daniel this, but he knew -- he said all he had to do was look after me. To top it off, as my condition worsened, there was a chance that I would become too weak to have the transplant surgery at all, and then there would be nothing they could do for me. So we started the tense and desperate wait for a kidney. I was adamant that I didn't want a kidney from anyone I knew. I would wait until an appropriate kidney became available, or I would literally die waiting. But Daniel had other plans. The time that he took me to my dialysis appointments, he did a little secret research on his own. Then he announced his intention to me. "Grandma, I'm giving you one of my kidneys. I'm young and I'm healthy ..." He paused. He could see I wasn't at all happy with his offer. He continued, almost in whisper, "And most of all, I couldn't stand it if you weren't around." His face wore an expression of appeal mixed with determination. He can be as stubborn as a mule once he decides on something -- but I've been told many times that I can out-stubborn any mule! We argued. I couldn't let him do it. We both knew that if he gave up his kidney, he would also give up his life's dream; to play football. It was all he ever talked about. And he was good, too. Daniel was co-captain and star defensive tackle of his high school team; he expected to apply for a football scholarship and was looking forward to playing college football. He just loved the sport. "How can I let you throw away the thing that means the most to you?" I pleaded with him. "Grandma," he said softly, "compared to your life, football means nothing to me." After that, I couldn't argue anymore. So we agreed to see if he was a good donor match, and then we'd discuss it further. When the tests came back, they showed Daniel was a perfect match. That was it. I knew I wasn't going to win that argument, so we scheduled the transplant. Both surgeries went smoothly. As soon as I came out of the anesthesia , I could tell things were different. I felt great! The nurses in the intensive care unit had to keep telling me to lie back and be quiet -- I wasn't supposed to be that lively! I was afraid to go to sleep, for fear I would break the spell and wake up the way I had been before. But the good feeling didn't go away, and I spent the evening joking and laughing with anyone who would listen. It was so wonderful to feel alive again. The next day they moved me out of ICU and onto the floor where Daniel was recuperating three doors away. His grandfather helped him walk down to see me as soon as I was moved into my room. When we saw each other, we did not know what to say. Holding hands, we just sat there and looked at each other for a long time, overwhelmed by the deep feeling of love that connected us. Finally, he spoke, "Was it worthwhile, grandma?" I laughed a little ruefully . "It was for me! But was it for you?" I asked him. He nodded and smiled at me. "I've got my grandma back." And I have my life back. It still amazes me. Every morning, when I wake up, I thank God --and Daniel -- for this miracle. A miracle born of the purest love. What would giving up a kidney mean to Daniel, according to the passage? A. He wouldn't be young and healthy thereafter. B. He didn't have to search for a good match any more. C. He could apply for a full scholarship to a college he desired. D. He would also give up his life's dream: to play football. Answer: D. He would also give up his life's dream: to play football. Question: They may be just passing your office, computer bag slung over one shoulder. Or they may be sitting in a car outside it, causally tapping away at a laptop. They look like innocent passers-by. In fact, they are stealing your corporate secrets. Drive-by hacking is the trendy term given to the practice of breaking into wireless computer networks from outside the buildings that house them. A recent study in the UK, sponsored by RSA Data Security, found that two-thirds of organizations with wireless networks were risking their data in this way. Security experts patrolled several streets in the City of London seeking evidence of wireless networks in operation. Of 124 that they identified, 83 were sending data without encrypting them. Such data could readily be picked up by a passer-by armed only with a portable computer, a wireless modem and a few pieces of software that can be freely downloaded from the Internet. The data could include sensitive company documents containing valuable information. Or they could be e-mail identities and passwords that could be used by hackers to log into corporate networks as if they were legal users. Most companies using wireless networking technology do not take even the simplest of measures to protect their data. Nearly all wireless network technology comes with some basic security features that need only to be activated in order to give a minimum level of security, for example, by encrypting the data being passed over the network. Raymon Kruck, business development manager at Check Point Software, a security technology specialist, believes this could be partly a psychological problem. People see the solid walls of their building as safeguards and forget that wireless networks can extend up to 200 meters beyond physical walls. Companies without any security at all on their wireless networks make it ridiculously easy for hackers to break in. Switching on the security that comes with the network technology should be automatic. Then there are other basic steps a company can take, says Mr. Kruck, such as changing the passwords on the network from the default setting. Companies can also install firewalls, which form a barrier between the internal network and the public Internet. They should also check their computer records regularly to spot any abnormal activity, which might betray the presence of a hacker. The passage is most likely to be seen in a _ A. book review B. science fiction C. textbook D. computer magazine Answer: D. computer magazine
Richard Wagner was a German musician has been a very controversial person, but he has gained great fame by writing opera, a form of performance combining singing, music on instruments, and drama. While he wrote excellent music, many people think his operas are too dark and serious, lacking the fun common in operas written before his time. Wagner, on the other hand, thought the opera of his time was too simple.He wanted to make opera a serious form of art that combined drama and music to tell deep stories that would have a strong effect on the audience. Some people thought Wagner's new kind of music was too different from the operas they were used to hearing.Wagner agreed with them.In fact, he didn't call his works "operas" at all, using instead a German word that means "Musical Festival" or "Musical play". While many people today still do not like Wagner's operas, they cannot deny that Wagner has had a lot of influence on opera as a form of art.Wagner invented the tradition of turning off the lights before starting a play.He also was the first person to make the whole audience sit down for an entire play.Today, almost all operas are performed in this manner. Wagner as a man was even more controversial than Wagner as a writer of music.He hated Jewish people, and made many people angry, which we would today think of as evil.Some would say he was a good musician, while others would say that he was a bad musician.But it would be difficult to say he was not an important person in music and in the world. Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the passage? A. Richard Wagner is not worth talking about B. Richard Wagner has made many people angry C. Richard Wagner has contributed much to opera. D. Richard Wagner is a very controversial man. Answer: D Miss Wu is a young teacher of English in China. She loves teaching very much. One day when she was giving an English lesson, she found the headmaster sitting at the back of the classroom. After class, the headmaster told her that he came to her class to find out how much English and how much Chinese she was using. The result was about half English and half Chinese. She was using Chinese when she gave instructions to her students and when she wanted to get feedback from her students. The headmaster told her that she should use more English in her class. Miss Wu made a plan like this: talk with an Englishman every Sunday for two hours to learn more English expressions; write some English expressions on cards. These cards not only _ her to use English in class, but also help her remember some expressions; *have a five-minute talk in English with students before class. She used body language to help her if students could not understand. One year later, she found she could use English freely in class. Miss Wu _ . A. has a poor memory B. is a teacher of Chinese C. loves her job D. is angry with the headmaster Answer: C The fighting against youth smoking since I took office I've done everything in my power to protect our children from harm. We've worked to make their streets and their schools safer, and to give them something positive to do after school before their parents get home. We've worked to teach our children that drugs are dangerous, illegal and wrong. Today, I want to talk to you about the historic opportunity we now have to protect our nation's children form an even more deadly threat: smoking. Smoking kills more people every day than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, murders, suicides, drugs and fires combined. Nearly 90 percent of those smokers lit their first cigarette before they turned 18. Consider this: 3,000 children start to smoke every day illegally, and 1,000 of them will die sooner because of it. This is a national tragedy that every American should be honor-bound to help prevent. For more than five years we've worked to stop our children from smoking before they start, launching a nationwide campaign to educate them about the dangers of smoking, to reduce their access to tobacco products, and to severely restrict tobacco companies from advertising to young people. If we do these, we'll cut teen smoking by almost half over the next five years. That means if we act now, we have it in our power to stop 3 million children from smoking and to save a million lives as a result. What has the author done in his power? A. To look after our children. B. To clean the street C. To clean our children D. To protect our children from harm. Answer: D Happiness is important for everyone. Most people want to be happy but few know how to find happiness. Money and success don't bring lasting happiness. Happiness depends on ourselves. In other words, we make our own happiness. Some people believe that if they are _ , they will be able to do anything they want, which means happiness. On the other hand, some people believe that holding a high position in the government is happiness. In this way, you have not only money, but also many other things which can't be bought by money. However, other people believe that having lots of money is not happiness, nor is holding a high position in the government. These people value their beliefs, or their intelligence, or their health. They think these can make them happy. Here are a few ways 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 don't 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 close friends usually enjoy happier and healthier lives. The second secret of happiness is to be active. Many people go dancing or play sports. People can forget about their problems and only think about the activities. Finally, many people find happiness in helping others. According to studies, people feel good when they volunteer their time to do many meaningful things for other people. If you want to feel happier, do something nice for someone. You can help a friend with his or her studies, go shopping to get food for an old neighbor, or simply help around the house. Now maybe you know how to find happiness! Many people find it happy to _ . A. remember the old days and troubles B. do some meaningful things for others C. go shopping to buy some food D. make much money and little success Answer: B When I was six, dad brought home a dog one day, who was called "Brownie". My brothers and I all loved Brownie and did different things with her. One of us would walk her, another would feed her, then there were baths, playing catch and many other games. Brownie, in return, loved each other and every one of us. One thing that most touched my heart was that she would go to whoever was sick and just be with them. We always felt better when she was around. One day , as I was getting her food, she chewed up one of dad's shoes, which had to be thrown away in the end. I knew dad would be mad and I had to let her know what she did was wrong. When I looked at her and said, "Bad girl," she looked down at the ground and then went and hid. I saw a tear in her eyes. Brownie turned out to be more than just our family pet. She went everywhere with us. People would stop and ask if they could pet her. Of course she'd let anyone pet her. She was just the most lovable dog. There were many times when we'd be out walking and a small child would come over and pull on her hair. She never barked or tried to get away. Funny thing is she would smile. This frightened people because they thought she was showing her teeth. Far from the truth, she loved everyone. What would Brownie do when someone was ill in the family? A. Look at them sadly. B. Keep them company. C. Play games with them. D. Touch them gently. Answer: B
Lee's mother Sun became unexpectedly pregnant while married to a disabled man. Doctors told her that because of a medication she had been taking her child would not be normal. She chose to continue with the pregnancy and in 1985 in Seoul, South Korea, little Hee Ah Lee was born with only two fingers on each hand, disfigurement of her legs, and slight brain injury. The hospital told Sun that she could not care for the child at home and her relatives wanted her to place the child for adoption in a foreign country. Sun, however, thought her baby would live a successful life. When Lee was a pre-schooler, Sun wanted her daughter to take piano lessons for two reasons. One was that she felt it would help her strengthen her hands so she could hold a pencil. The other was that she felt that if she could master the piano, she could master anything. For six months piano schools turned them down and then the one teacher who did accept the task got discouraged and wanted to quit. It was a three-month contest of wills between mother and daughter that led to a conflict in which Sun actually threw her daughter on the floor in frustration. But Lee got back up on the piano bench and for the first time played a children's song. That was the turning point and one year later Lee won the grand prize in a piano concert for Kindergartners. It was at the age of 7 that Lee won Korea's 19th National Handicap Conquest Contest and was presented with her award by the President of Korea. Lee has won numerous awards, and is a widely traveled concert pianist with more than 200 appearances. Her first album titled "Hee-ah, a Pianist with Four Fingers" was released in June, 2008. Lee speaks highly of her mother for challenging her to master the piano and said that although her training was difficult, "As time went by, the piano became my source of inspiration and my best friend." What's the best title of the passage? Answer: To help the environment, many Americans have made the change from paper and plastic bags to reusable grocery bags. But a report by a Florida newspaper says that reusable grocery bags sold by some supermarkets contain high levels of lead . Lead is a metal that can be harmful to humans, especially young children. Now, Senator Charles Schumer is asking the US government to investigate the use of lead in reusable shopping bags. "When our families go to the grocery store looking for safe and healthy foods to feed their kids, the last thing they should have to worry about is poisonous bags." Schumer said, "A quick investigation will allow everyone to make informed, timely decisions." Schumer added. Lead in the bags is not likely to rub off on food. But over time, paint on the bags can chip and the bags can wear out. When this happens, lead can be released . The Tampa Tribune newspaper said certain bags sold at Publix and Winn-Dixie supermarkets had lead levels that were a concern to health officials. The affected bags were found in Florida. But Publix has more than 1,000 stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Sough Carolina and Tennessee. Publix says that all of its bags are under current laws about lead content, but that they have asked the makers of the bags to reduce the lead levels in the product. The bags with the highest levels of lead had fancy designs and many pictures. Plain reusable bags without decoration were found to contain little lead. Consumers worried about lead levels in reusable bags can change to cloth or string bags. Paper bags are also a good choice, since paper can be recycled . Since 2007, Publix supermarkets have sold more than 13 million reusable bags. The store says because shoppers have made the change to reusable bags, it has saved more than 1 billion paper and plastics bags. Customers are advised to choose bags _ . Answer: Hello! I'm Jim Green. I'm English. This is my mother. Her first name is Mary. This is my father.His name is Steve. My telephone number is eight five six o nine one seven six. My friend is Li Lei. His English name is Tony. He is a Chinese boy. His telephone number is 82815248. My English teacher is Jenny Brown. She is a good teacher. What's Li L.ei's English name? _ . Answer: Bats are impressive creatures. They are known to carry dangerous diseases like SARS without getting sick. So researchers wanted to know: How do bats fight off so many deadly diseases? Learning their secret could help doctors better treat humans who have these diseases, therefore saving millions of lives. To solve this problem, a team of researchers from Australia and China analyzed bat DNA. The scientists studied two kinds of bats--the Australian megabat, known as the flying fox, and the Chinese microbat. The scientists then arranged the bat genome in order by comparing their DNA. The researchers now think that the special immunity to illness that bats have may be connected to their ability to fly. Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly. Flying uses up a lot of energy. The energy burned for flying produces something in the animal called free radicals . Free radicals can damage DNA and lead to diseases such as cancer. However, bats are not affected by free radicals produced during flight. The reason is that bats carry special genes to repair any damaged DNA. Scientists think that because bats fly and produce free radicals, they've evolved to carry genes that shaped their special immune system. "We're thinking that the evolution of flight led to a sort of effect, influencing not only the immune system but also things like aging and cancer," says Chris Cowled, of the Australian Animal Health Laboratory. "We think we've really found something special." Researchers believe that this discovery might one day be key to helping humans fight diseases such as cancer that attack the immune system and damage DNA. What's true about bats according to the passage? Answer: The Airport Art Program is proud to have three Youth Art Galleries at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Georgia students, from kindergarten to twelfth grade, are given the chances to have their artwork exhibited to an ever-changing audience in the millions. In return these talented youths provide new artwork every three months to enrich the airport. The first gallery opened in the summer of 1997. In December of 1998 a second gallery opened. Both of these galleries are organized by the Airport Art Program and Georgia Art Education Association(GAEA). The GAEA aims to improve the conditions of teaching art across Georgia. They organize meetings for art students to improve their skills and provide exhibition chances for them to show their artwork. They also hold meetings twice a year for teachers. The third Youth Art Gallery is organized by the Airport Art Program and the Youth Art Connection(YAC)of Atlanta. YAC is a part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. YAC uses the arts as a way to connect with children and teens who don't get enough help or services. They also work with the community to provide cultural enrichment programs for young people. To join in or get information about the first and second Youth Art Galleries, please visit the Georgia Art Education Association's website at _ or click _ for a brochure . For information about the third Youth art Gallery and the Youth Art Connection, please visit _ . To buy artwork from any of the three Youth Art Galleries, please call(404) 382-2455. What does GAEA do according to the text? Answer:
Here is nine o' clock news Prime Minister Abdul Krim of Tyrea has said that the danger in the Middle East is greater now than for the past two years. His country does not want war, he says, but the Tyrean people have waited too long for an end to the troubles with their neighbours. If war comes, says Mr King, Tyrea will be ready. Ben Kitson, the writer of stories and plays for children, has died at his home in California. Mr Kitson was 82. His most famous book of stories, The Gentleman's House, sells all over the world, in more than twenty-five languages. Policeman in New York have stopped work. Their leader , Mr Paulo Angeli, says that they will return to work only when they receive more money for working long hours and doing what Mr Angel calls "the most dangerous job in the city." It has been a good year on the farm. The warm, wet spring, and the fine summer have been very good for all kinds of food plants. This means that fruit and vegetables will cost less in the shops this year. And now it's time for "Morning Music". . Because food plants have done well, _ . Answer: Close your eyes for a minute and imagine what life would be like if you had a hundred dollars less. Also imagine what it would be like spending the rest of your life with you eyes closed. Imagine having to read this page, not with your eyes but with your finger-tips. With existing medical knowledge and skills, two-thirds of the world's 42 million blind should not have to suffer. Unfortunately, rich countries posses most of this knowledge, while developing countries do not. ORBIS is an international non-profit organization which operates the world's only flying teaching eye hospital. ORBIS intends to help fight blindness worldwide. Inside a DC-8 aircraft, there is a fully-equipped teaching hospital with television studio and classroom. Doctors are taught the latest techniques of bringing sight back to people there. Project ORBIS also aims at promoting peaceful cooperation among countries. ORBIS tries to help developing countries by providing training during three-week medical programs. ORBIS has taught sight-saving techniques to over 35,000 doctors and nurses, who continue to cure tens of thousands of blind people every year. ORBIS has conducted 17 plane programs is China so far. For the seven to ten million blind in China ORBIS is planning to do more for them. At the moment an ORBIS is working on a long-term plan to develop a training center and to provide eye care service to Shanxi Province. ORBIS needs your help to continue their work and free people from blindness. For just US$38,you can help one person see; for $380 you can bring sight to 10 people; $1,300 helps teach a doctor new skills; and for $13,000 you can provide a training programme for a group of doctors who can make thousands of blind people see again. Your money can open their eyes to the world. Please help ORBIS improve the quality of life for so many people less fortunate than ourselves. What can be the best title for the passage? Answer: Chinese Emoji Circles Globe "Funny", a made-in-China emoji, seems to have recently moved beyond China. Now, it is more than an emoji, but a cultural expansion. Reaching Global Markets A series of "funny" emoji-based bolsters have attracted the attention of Japanese customers. Even if one bolster is more than three times as expensive as in China, it doesn't kill their desires to buy it. One Japanese customer Miki said, "They are just so cute and I bought three bolsters at one time for my family. And every time I see them, my mood just brightens suddenly." A Japanese netizen Kiro Kara said, "I think the emoji implies very complicated meanings. My dad will send it when he doesn't agree with someone but he has to say something and behave politely." Addition to Domestic Social Media Compared with Japanese impressions of the "funny" emoji, Chinese netizens prefer to use the emoji to tease one another on social media. One commonly seen online comment is, "We strongly suggest stopping the usage of the emoji. Because every time other people send me the emoji, I feel very uncomfortable and consider myself as a fool." Regarded as the most popular emoji, the "funny" emoji has received much attention since its release in 2013. In fact, the "funny" emoji is the updated version of its original one; "funny" has a smiley mouth, two eyebrows and a naughty look. All these characteristics present users a sense of satire . In Everyday Use Abroad It's not the first time the Chinese emoji takes the world stage. Earlier this year, one emoji from the Chinese basketball celebrity Yao Ming has been spread through the Middle East region. In a city in southern Egypt, Yao's smiling emoji has appeared frequently in local traffic signs to remind people the road ahead is one-way. Many locals do not know Yao Ming but are familiar with his emoji and nickname "Chinese Funny Face". As a new online language, emojis have become a necessary part of people's daily life, helping people express their views in a more vivid and precise way. Also, it can help foreigners learn about Chinese culture. But how to properly use "the fifth innovation in China" without hurting others and turn them into commercial advantages still need answers. Why do the bolsters attract Miki's attention? Answer: Visiting a pub is one of Britain's oldest forms of entertainment. The idea for the first public houses was brought to Britain thousands of years ago by the conquering Roman army. The first pubs served only wine, but after the discovery of hops in the fourteenth century, pubs began to serve mainly beer, as they do today. Today, there are 61,000 pubs in the United Kingdom. One of the oldest, Fighting Cocks in ST. Albans, Herts, is located in a building that dates back to the 11thcentury. Modern pubs are often owned by English breweries and serve only their owner's products. British pubs are required to have a license, which is difficult to obtain, and operate between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. every day except Sunday, when they must close at 10:30 p.m. The drinking age in Britain is eighteen, but fourteen-year-olds may enter a pub unaccompanied if they order a meal. Children may enter a pub with their parents until 9 p.m., which lets families enjoy reasonably priced pub meals together and allows pubs to continue in their traditional roles as community centers. Customs in British pubs differ from those in American bars. In Britain, you must go to the bar to order drinks and food and pay for your purchase immediately, there is no table service. Bartenders are called "landlords" and "barmaids" and they do not expect frequent tipping. To tip a landlord or barmaid, it is customary to tell him to "buy himself one". He or she may or may not take your tip on your offer. At the end of a visit, a polite customer will return his glass to the bar. What can we entertain ourselves with at Fighting Cocks today? Answer: Two thirds of the singles looking for love in Britain turned to the Internet last year, according to figures made in public yesterday. Special sites offer introductions to smokers, to Roman Catholics, tall people, beautiful people, frequent flyers and vegans . Technology has brought about a great change in the dating game. A survey by Parship, a British branch of Europe's largest dating service with more than 1.5 million members, says that 65 percent of the 5.4 million Britons looking for a relationship used online dating services last year. A spokeswoman for Relate, the relationship advisor, confirmed that a figure of two third feel it all right. "Doing it online allows people quite a lot of privacy, because they can do a bit of quiet research and look around from the comfort of their own home. You don't have to meet a middleman or go to an actual dating agency office, which takes a lot of courage," she said. There are more than 100 independent online dating agencies in Britain. Parship says that 50 percent of single people believe they will meet a suitable partner through the Internet, up from 35 percent six months ago. Mary Balfour, the founder, says that the Internet has changed the dating industry completely. "It's like a return to old-fashioned love letters," she said. "You don't base your initial judgment on how someone looks or what his or her figure is like. You e-mail or talk before you actually see each other. Everybody you know who is single these days has at least had a good look at a dating website, introduction agency or personal ad. They have to, because all the old matchmaking institutions have gone. People work harder, settle down later and live more isolated lives. They're much more likely to end the day with a DVD and a can of beer than by going to a village dance." From this passage we can infer that _ . Answer:
Lost & Found Lost: Found: Schoolbag My school ID card Is this your schoolbag? Its number is 2007712 It's black and white. My name is Mary Brown. My name is Tony Green Please call 6956385 Phone: 2360731 Cindy, Your red notebook is in the lost and found box. Mike Mary's school ID card number is _ . Answer: 2007712 The telephone rang when Mrs. Gates was cooking lunch. Her son Bruce went to answer the phone. His aunt said she was coming to see them with her daughter that afternoon. Mrs. Gates was happy because she hadn't seen her sister for several months. She knew the girl liked bananas very much, but she was busy in the kitchen and couldn't go to buy any for her. She gave some money to Bruce and said, "Go and buy two kilos of bananas in the shop. " Bruce liked bananas, too. He went out happily. Half an hour later he came back with a bag in his hand. Mrs. Gates weighed the bananas and found they were half a kilo short. She took the bag to the shopkeeper and said, "I sent my little son for two kilos of bananas, but you gave him only one and a half kilos!" "Have you weighed your little son yet, madam?" asked the shopkeeper, "My scales are all right." How many bananas did Bruce give his mother? Answer: One and a half kilos. plant life vessels can be harvested in the ground which will change the Answer: surrounding areas habitat So long as teachers fail to distinguish between teaching and learning, they will continue to undertake to do for children what only children can do for themselves. Teaching children to read is not passing reading on to them. It is certainly not endless hours spent in activities about reading. Douglas insists that "reading cannot be taught directly and schools should stop trying to do the impossible." Teaching and learning are two entirely different processes. They differ in kind and function. The function of teaching is to create the conditions and the climate that will make it possible for children to devise the most efficient system for teaching themselves to read. Teaching is also a public activity. It can be seen and observed. Learning to read involves all that each individual does to make sense of the world of printed language. Almost all of it is private, for learning is an occupation of the mind, and that process is not open to public scrutiny. If teacher and learner roles are not interchangeable, what then can be done through teaching that will aid the child in the quest for knowledge? Smith has one principal rule for all teaching instructions. "Make learning to read easy, which means making reading a meaningful, enjoyable and frequent experience for children." When the roles of teacher and learner are seen for what they are, and when both teachers and learners fulfill them appropriately, then much of the pressure and feeling of failure for both is eliminated. Learning to read is made easier when teachers create an environment where children are given the opportunity to solve the problem of leaning to read by reading According to the passage, learning to read will no longer be a difficult task when _ . Answer: children become highly motivated When I was eight, I saw a movie about an island that had an erupting volcano and jungles filled with wild animals. The island was ruled by a beautiful woman called Tondalaya, the Fire Goddess of the Volcano. It was a low-budget movie, but to me, it represented the perfect life. But through the years, Tondalaya was forgotten. The week I turned 50, my marriage came to a sudden end. My house, furniture and everything I'd owned was sold to pay debts that I didn't even know existed. In a week I had lost my husband, my home and my parents who had refused to accept a divorce in the family. I'd lost everything except my four teenage children. I used every penny I had to buy five plane tickets from Missouri to Hawaii. Everyone said I was crazy to think I could just run off to an island and survive. I was afraid they were right. I worked 18 hours a day and lost 30 pounds because I lived on one meal a day. One night as I walked alone on the beach, I saw the red orange lava pouring out of Kilauea Volcano in the distance. It was time to live my imagination! The next day, I quit my job, bought some art supplies and began doing what I loved. I hadn't painted a picture in 15 years. I wondered if I could still paint. My hands trembled the first time I picked up a brush. But before an hour had passed, I was lost in the colors spreading across the canvas in front of me. And as soon as I started believing in myself, other people started believing in me, too. The first painting sold for $1,500. The past six years have been filled with adventures. My children and I have gone swimming with dolphins, watched whales and hiked around the crater rim of the volcano. We wake up every morning with the ocean in front of us and the volcano behind us. The dream I had more than 40 years is now reality. I'm living freely and happily ever after. Which of the following is the writer's dream? Answer: Living a free and happy life.
Nicolai Calabria has already become one of the best 106-pound wrestlers. He has successfully climbed to the top of the highest mountain in Africa, and most importantly, he's changed the attitude of any normal person who watches him compete. The 17-year-old teenager has one leg. He was born that way, but his goal is to show it's not the one thing that defines him. He would also be the first one to tell you that he just wants to prove to others and himself that he's just like other normal ones. When Calabria was young, his parents tried different prostheses to find out which was most comfortable for their son as he tried to keep up with the family, who has a preference for sports. At first, the Calabrias had their middle child in a prosthesis that looked and functioned like a real leg, but soon they decided to choose a different path when they found it wasn't beneficial to his movement. Then the family moved him to arm crutches and from there a new burst of energy was found. Getting others to believe that he could take off on the soccer field took a little bit longer. When the Calabrias moved to Concord, they had a hard time persuading the town soccer team to allow a child like him to compete with able-bodied kids. After months and months of debates and meetings, the family received the answer they were looking for. Since then, witnessing a young man on crutches who competes against those with two legs has become _ in the Concord community. "At that time I had nothing but discouragement working with the soccer community; however, now I have nothing but admiration for the fact that he's been allowed to play, and people see that he adds value to game," his father said. "I just think it's a great result." This passage shows us a boy with one leg _ . A. can do what a normal teenager can B. is realizing as many dreams as he can C. can make a sport event more valuable D. can add value to society Answer: A. can do what a normal teenager can In this school, most students come from rich families and some of them have famous parents. People from Hollywood sometimes go to Beverly Hills High School to look for future actors. School life There are lots of good things about going to this school: There are two theatres, a television studio and a radio station. The students make TV programmes and films in their drama classes. The biggest activity of the school year is the school dance. Travelling to school In California, children can learn to drive three months before their sixteenth birthday. Lots of students in Beverly Hills High School have their own cars, but they have to pay a lot of money to park their cars in the school parking area. What the children think Most children enjoy going to Beverly Hills High School because it is fun and there is much to do. But some children do not like the school if their parents don't have enough money to buy them a fast car or expensive clothes. Why do most children enjoy going to Beverly Hills High School? A. Because they will be actors in the school. B. Because they will have a fast car and expensive clothes C. Because they can make TV programmes and films in their drama classes. D. Because it is fun and there is much to do in the school. Answer: D. Because it is fun and there is much to do in the school. The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is awarded for a novel written by a writer from the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland and it aims to represent the very best in contemporary fiction. The prize was originally called the Booker-McConnell Prize, which was the name of the company that sponsored it, though it was better-known as simply the 'Booker Prize'. In 2002, the Man Group became the sponsor and they chose the new name, keeping 'Booker'. Publishers can submit books for consideration for the prize, but the judges can also ask for books to be submitted that they think should be included. Firstly, the Advisory Committee gives advice if there have been any changes to the rules for the prize and selects the people who will judge the books. The judging panel changes every year and usually a person is only a judge once. Great efforts are made to ensure that the judging panel is balanced in terms of gender and professions within the industry, so that a writer, a critic, an editor and an academic are chosen along with a well-known person from wider society. However, when the panel of judges has been decided, they are left to make their own decisions. Meanwhile, the prize sponsor has no further right to take part in any more. The Man Booker judges include critics, writers and academics to maintain the consistent quality of the prize and its influence is such that the winner will almost certainly see the sales increase considerably, in addition to thePS50,000 that comes with the prize. The consistent quality of the prizes is guaranteed by _ . A. the prize money B. the gender of the judges C. the make-up of the panel of judges D. the increase in sales of the winner Answer: C. the make-up of the panel of judges There are three ways you can go about writing a resume: You can rely solely in your memory; you can dust off a previous resume and add something new to it ;or you can create a new resume from a permanent personal data record .If you don't have a personal data record, prepare one now. There are four topic areas for which you will need to record details. _ List the schools ,colleges ,and universities you have attended or are attending. Start at junior high school and record the name of each school, the address and telephone number ,the dates you were there. _ --Full name ,address ,and telephone number of the company or organization, and full name and title of each supervisor you worked for. --The dates you started and finished employment. --Your job title ,or titles if you held several position. --Your specific responsibilities and duties for each position. --Any special skills you learned on the job. --Special praise you reserved ,or results you achieved. _ --Membership in a club ,society ,or group ,particularly noting your responsibilities as an active participator or committee member. --Participation in community activities. Particularly describe any executive or administrative positions you have held ,with special responsibilities and dates. --Involvement in a technical society on a local or national level ,with particular mention of any conferences you have held, with special responsibilities you have presented or published. --Involvement in hobby activities. --A wards you have received for any activities you have been involved in. _ The names of people you feel are best fitted to speak on you behalf. For each person ,write down: --Full name ,profession title, place of employment ,job position. --Employer's address and telephone number. --Home address and telephone number. When you use your old personal record to write a resume ,you'd better_. A. change the data and rewrite it B. give some new information about it C. cut off the details and use as few words as possible D. make it look like something different from the previous one Answer: B. give some new information about it We are so used to having a cup of tea before heading off to work, during work or after getting back from work. Tea breaks are more like a custom that takes place regularly several times a day. This tea break tradition has been happening during the past 200 years or so. Tea just happens to be a wonderful drink for most of us. The day simply feels incomplete without a hot cup of tea. However, is tea good for you? In 2006, the papers were flooded with the news of research showing that drinking 2-3 cups of tea a day is as beneficial as drinking water, with even some additional health benefits. Another report published in November 2009, stated that drinking up to eight cups of tea a day is good for you. The research conducted by nutrition expert Dr. Carrie Ruxton, debunked the popular stories about caffeinated drinks like tea, coffee and cocoa. According to Dr. Ruxton, the caffeine present in tea tends to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. She says that drinking 8 cups of tea a day gives the drinkers "the best levels of health-giving substances" present in tea and other caffeinated drinks. Contrary to popular belief that tea does not contain more caffeine than coffee, it actually contains almost half the amount. Caffeine is a natural thing found in many types of food and drink. It's also something that can give you a much needed lift for a demanding and tiring afternoon ahead. Research shows that proper amounts of caffeine are safe for most people. So why not take full advantage of your tea breaks at work, or make time for afternoon tea while out shopping at the weekend? And remember that tea is not just a great drink, but it helps to keep you looking and feeling healthy. According to Dr. Carrie Ruxton, _ . A. over 5 cups of tea a day damage your health B. drinking tea may cause some kinds of diseases C. tea shouldn't be drunk together with coffee or cocoa D. drinking tea helps prevent heart diseases Answer: D. drinking tea helps prevent heart diseases
When you're surfing the Internet on your laptop from your dorm or home, do you know your personal details are being gathered secretly? And would you be surprised to know the information may be sold cheaply to advertisers and marketers? According to an investigation by The Wall Street Journal, all it takes is a tiny file in a computer-a single code consisting of a long series of numbers and letters to record the computer user's age, gender, location, favorite movies and hobbies. The newspaper reports that Lotame Solutions Inc., a New York company, uses sophisticated software called a " beacon" to capture what people are typing on a website. Lotame packages that data into profiles about individuals, only without their names, and sells the profiles to companies seeking customers. Batches of such data may be sold for a few dollars. The Wall Street Journal survey discovered that spying on Internet users is one of the fastest-growing businesses on the World Wide Web. The "cookie" a tiny text file put on your PC by websites or marketing firms which might be used to remember your. preferences for one site, or to track you across many sites is already old news. There are new and more complex tools such as "beacons " which scan in real time what people are doing on a webpage. These beacons instantly assess the Internet user's location, income, shopping interests and even medical conditions. Millions of Internet users around the world also face unprecedented threats. Private, sensitive, personal and business information is being gathered and sold without their knowledge. Companies insist the information they gather is anonymous and the data is used harmlessly. But the technology has grown so powerful that even some of the biggest websites in the US don't know that they were installing intrusive files on visitors' computers. These include MSN. com and Yahoo. com. Next time you visit a webpage and find an ad banner advertising something you've been planning to buy, don't be amazed that your computer can read your mind. What's the writer's attitude to this problem? A. Neutral B. Worried C. Optimistic D. Indifferent Answer: B. Worried As a young man, Tom was a famous artist with a wife and two fine sons. One night, his older son was ill. Tom and his wife thought it was nothing serious. But the boy died suddenly that night.. After his son died, Tom always felt very sad. To make matters worse, his wife also left him later, leaving him alone with his six-year-old younger son, Emie. Sadly, he turned to alcohol for help. As time went by, Tom began to lose everything he had---his land, house, etc. A few months later, Tom passed away alone in a small bar. Hearing of Tom's death, I thought,"What a complete failure!" But later, I began to change my earlier opinion. I knew Tom's now adult son, Emie. He is one of the kindest, most caring men. I saw the love between Emie and his children. And I thought that kindness and caring had to come from somewhere. One day, I asked him what made him become such a specia1 person. Emie said quietly, "My father came into my room every night, give me a kiss and said,"love you, son." Hearing his words, I understood everything. Tom didn't leave many things behind. But he had been a kind loving father, and left behind his best love. How many sons did Tom have? A. One. B. Two. C. Three. D. Four Answer: B. Two. Good morning. I'm Chen Hua. Here's my culture report for today, Monday. A new film starts tonight at the student cinema at eight o'clock. The film is Pirates of the Carribean.It's a fantastic adventure film. Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom are the stars. They are both very popular and famous, and they both act well in this film, and make their characters believable. The story is about an old ship. It sails around the Carribean islands. Depp and Bloom try to find some lost gold. Then they come face to face with some terrible men, and have to fight them. There's lots of action, and the fighting looks really dangerous. They also saves Keira Knightly. She plays Elisabeth, the daughter of a rich man. The scenes with Knightly and Bloom are beautiful and romantic. The film isn't true to life, but it' s very exciting, and some of it is very funny. It' s an enjoyable film, although in my opinion there's too much fighting. But except for that, it's an excellent film. You didn't see it when it first came out, I advise you to go and see it now. I' m sure you' 11 enjoy it. It' s showing all week. Keira Knightly plays _ . A. Depp and Bloom B. Elisabeth C. Orlando Bloom D. Johnny Depp Answer: B. Elisabeth Once upon a time two brothers who lived on neighboring farms fell into conflict . It was the first serious one in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed. Then the long cooperation fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence. One morning there was a knock on John' door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I'm looking for a few days' work," he said. "Could I help you?" "Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor, in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll go him one better. I want you to build me a fence--an 8-foot fence --so I won't need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow." The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. I'll be able to do a job that pleases you." The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge-- a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work-- and his younger brother was coming across, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done." The brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand. They turned to see the carpenter lift his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother. "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but, I have so many more bridges to build." Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? A. The younger brother used his bulldozer to dig a creek. B. After the conflict John was angry with his younger brother. C. At first the carpenter planned to build an 8-foot fence as John asked him to. D. The two brother made peace at last. Answer: C. At first the carpenter planned to build an 8-foot fence as John asked him to. What are the biggest problems that society will have to deal with in the new age? There are diseases like AIDS and cancer. There's climate change, of course. And what about producing enough cheap food and energy for the world's growing population? Who's going to solve all these terrible problems? Yes, politicians and world leaders will have a big part to play. Yes, businesses will need to create the economic wealth to pay for some of these things. But who's going to make a much greater difference to something like AIDS or climate change? It's going to be a scientist. It is the scientist who can turn some new bit of science into a new technology to solve these problems. If you like thinking about the world around you, why not become a scientist? It doesn't mean you have to wear a white coat and plastic glasses and spend all your time in a lab as most people often imagine! Scientists do all kinds of amazing things that are actually interesting! Military scientists develop not only new weapons but new military technologies that could help make wars out of date. Forensic scientists work with the police to find quite small clues to catch criminals. Scientists work in schools and colleges as the teachers and professors who will train tomorrow's scientists. Don't think a scientist is far away! Maybe you like cooking? You could be a food technologist helping to keep fruit and vegetables fresher for longer. Perhaps sport is your thing? Do you know that most top athletes work with sports scientists in order to improve their performance? You could even be the science writer who gets to spend the life studying the latest advances and sharing them with the world. Looking for something to do for the rest of your life? My advice? Take a long and hard look at science. It is interesting and ever. Which of the following statement is NOT true according to the passage? A. Military technologies could help prevent wars in the future. B. For those interested in cooking, food technologies may be a choice. C. Forensic scientists play an important part in dealing with crimes. D. Politicians and world leaders can solve all the social problems. Answer: D. Politicians and world leaders can solve all the social problems.
Every student in America likes popular music. Students carry small radios with earphones and listen to music before class, after class and at lunch. Students with cars buy large speakers and play the music as they drive on the street. Adult drivers listen to music on the car radio as they drive to work. They also listen to the news about sports, the weather, the life of American people. Most of the radio programmes are music. Pop music singers make much money. Once the popular singer is famous all over the country, young people buy his or her tapes . Some of the money from these tapes comes to the singer. Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her. There are other kinds of music. They are important to Americans. One is folk music. It tells stories about the common life of Americans. Another is western or country music. This kind of songs started by cowboys watching. Today, any music about country life and the love between a country boy and his girl we call western or country music. When do students in America listen to pop music? Answer: Some people think only school children do not agree with their parents,however,it is not true. Communication is a problem for parents and children of all ages.If it's hard for you to communicate with your parents,don't worry about it.Here are some advice for you to bridge the generation gap . Don't argue with your parents.Don't get to your parents when you are angry.Your parents probably won't consider your ideas if you are shouting at them. And you can't express yourself well if you are angry. Go someplace to _ . Make sure you understand why you are unhappy. Then think about what you want to say to your parents. If you don't think you can speak to them at the moment, try writing a letter. Try to reach a compromise . Perhaps you and your parents disagree on something. You can keep your disagreement and try your best to accept each other. Michael's mother didn't agree with him about buying a motorcycle. They argued over it. But they finally came to a compromise. Michael bought the motorcycle, but only drove it on certain days. Of course, your parents might refuse to compromise on something. In these situations, it is especially important to show love and respect to them. Showing respect will keep your relationship strong. Talk about your values. The values of your parents are probably different from those of your own. Tell your parents what you care about, and why. Understanding your values might help them see your purposes in life. A good relationship with your parents can make you a better and happier person. The passage tells us _ have a communication problem. Answer: When I was five years old. I took a boat out on the river and went fishing by myself. I really wanted to catch a fish! But they were not biting. I stayed in my boat for three days, waiting. A few times, I thought I felt a fish at the end of the line. The first time I pulled in my catch, it was not a fish; it was an old bag. The second time, it was a shoe. Finally, at the end of the third day, I felt a strong pull at the end of the line. The pull was so strong they my boat raced around and around. I needed all my power just to hold onto the fishing rod. I pulled, and I pulled and I caught the biggest fish that ever swam on the Earth! It was heavier than everyone in this room put together! Then something terrible happened! After I pulled the huge fish into my boat, I saw that the boat was going under water! Water was coming into the boat from all sides! I was not a very good swimmer, so I was scared. Although it was the hardest choice I ever made. I had to let the fish go. I pushed it back over the side of the boat, and we waved good-bye to each other as it swam away. Why did the writer let the fish go? Answer: Mr. Laurence was not allowed to see Beth, and Meg felt unhappy writing letters to her mother saying nothing about Beth's illness. Jo nursed Beth night and day, but the time came when Beth did not know her and called for her mother. Jo was frightened, and Meg begged to be allowed to write the truth, but Hannah said there was no danger yet. Then a letter came saying that Mr. March was worse and could not think of coming home for a long time. How dark the days seemed. How sad and lonely. The sisters worked and waited as the shadow of death lay over the once happy home. It was then that Meg realized how rich she had been in the things which really mattered--love, peace, good health. And Jo, watching her little sister, thought about how unselfish Beth always was--living for others and trying to make home a happy place for all who came there. Amy, sad and lonely at Aunt March's house, just wanted to come home so that she could do something to help Beth. On the first day of December, the doctor came in the morning. He looked at Beth, then said quietly, 'If Mrs. March can leave her husband, I think she should come home now.' Jo threw on her coat and ran out into the snow to send a telegram. When she arrived back, Laurie came with a letter saying that Mr. March was getting better again. This was good news, but Jo's face was so unhappy that Laurie asked, 'What is it? Is Beth worse?' 'I've sent for Mother,' said Jo, beginning to cry. 'Beth doesn't know us any more.' Laurie held her hand and whispered, 'I'm here, Jo. Hold on to me. Your mother will be here soon, and then everything will be all right.' Amy _ . Answer: You may know the English letters A, B and C, but do you know there are people called "ABC"? You may like eating bananas, but do you know there are people called "banana persons"? If you don't know, I will tell you about it. They are some Chinese people like you and me, but they aren't in China. Why do people call them like that? If we call somebody an ABC person, we mean he or she is a Chinese but was born in America. Sometimes, people also call them "banana persons". A banana is yellow outside and white inside. So if somebody is a "banana person", he or she is "white" inside and "yellow" outside. By saying that, we mean he or she has yellow skin but does things in an American way. "Banana persons" were born in America and they live in America for a long time, so they think like Americans and do things like Americans. However, these people still have Chinese blood . Their parents, grandparents or even great-grandparents are from China. They all have black eyes and black hair, so they look like us, Chinese people. There are many famous "banana persons" in America. They do very well in America and they are really great in their own fields. The best title for the passage is _ . Answer:
In north America people are always in a hurry.Children have special lessons or sports activities after school.Parents often work late and don't get home until 7 or 8 o'clock at night.More than 50% of women work at full-time jobs,and many people do part-time work.Most North American families don't have time to eat many meals together. When a family takes the time to eat a meal together,often there isn't enough time to prepare the food That is why "fast food "is so popular in North America.People spend about 40% of their dollars on fast food. Fast food is food such as pizza, sandwiches or fried chicken.People usually buy the food from a restaurant chain such as Pizza Hut,McDonald's,or Kentucky Fried Chicken.Fast food saves time,but it is not very nutritious . Fast food is popular in many countries.American fast-food companies now have restaurants all over the world.But not everyone is happy about the spread( of North American fast food.A group of people in Italy want to fight against it.They do not want any more fast-food chains to open restaurants in their country.They also want to fight against the spread of fast food everywhere in the world. According to the writer, _ . Answer: All plants and animals have mechanisms that Answer: Time Zones Strange things happen to time when you travel. Because the earth is divided into twenty-four zones one hour apart .You can have days with more or fewer than twenty-four hours, and weeks more or fewer than seven days. If you make a five-day trip across the Atlantic Ocean ,your ship enters a different time zone every day. As you enter each zone, the time changes one hour. Travelling west ,you set your clock back; traveling east , you set it ahead. Each day of your trip has either twenty-five or twenty-three hours. If you travel by ship across the Pacific , you cross the international date line. By agreement, this is the point where a new day begins, when you cross the line, you change your calendar one full time day, backward or forward. Travelling east, today becomes yesterday; traveling west, it is tomorrow. If you cross the ocean going west, you set your clock _ . Answer: Businesses are witnessing a difficult time,which has in turn produced influence on consumers' desire to go green.However,shoppers are still laying stress on environmental concerns. Two thirds of customers say that environmental considerations _ their purchases to the same degree as they did a year ago,while more than a quarter say that they are now even better aware of the environmental effect on what they buy. This may help to influence how shops store goods on their shelves.And the companies should still make efforts to become more environmentally friendly.Two out of three people think it is important to buy from environmentally responsible companies,with about one in seven saying that they had even decided to take their custom elsewhere if they felt a company's environmental reputation was not good enough. Harry Morrison,chief executive of the Carbon Trust,sympathizes:"I understand this situation where survival is very important now.But from environmental considerations,the clock is ticking--we don't have much time.In addition,cutting carbon has an immediate effect as costs drop and a mediumterm benefit for the brand." Larger companies have an extra motivation to look at reducing their carbon footprint,as new rules next year will require businesses to buy carbon allowances to make up for their emissions .Those that have taken early action will have a head start.More than two thirds of consumers are not clear about which companies are environmentally responsible.This suggests that firms that are able to relay clearly their message to the public will be in a pole position to attract shoppers. The Carbon Trust believes that it can help by informing customers about the good work companies are doing."When companies are granted the standard,they can use a logo in all their marketing which makes it clear that they are working towards cutting emissions," Mr.Morrison said. (2010*,C) According to Harry Morrison,businesses _ . Answer: The computer is a useful machine. It is the most important invention in many years. The oldest kind of computer is the abacus , used in China centuries ago, but the first large, modern computer was built in 1946. A computer then could do maths problems quite fast. Today computers are used in many ways and can do many kinds of work. In a few years the computer may touch the life of everyone, even people in faraway villages. In the last few years, there have been great changes in computers. They are getting smaller and smaller, and computing faster and faster, Many scientists agree that computers can now do many things, but they cannot do everything. Who knows what the computers of tomorrow will be like? Will computers bring good things or bad things to people? The scientists of today will have to decide how to use the computers of tomorrow. Computers can do _ . Answer:
The weather forecast says a heavy snowstorm is coming later today. Which weather observation is likely just before the snow? A clear sky B thick grey clouds C small white clouds D warm temperature Answer: B There are many idioms in English. An idiom is a phrase that we can't understand from the meaning of each word. The following are some of them. As the crow flies When a bird flies from place to place, it takes the most direct route. But when people drive, they have to follow roads and often go farther. When people give a distance "as the crow flies", they mean the shortest distance between the two points, not the distance you would have to travel by following roads. As Dan and his mum drove along the river, they could see the beach on the opposite side. Dan asked "How far is it to the beach?" "It's only about a quarter of a mile as the crow flies" his mother said. Blow hot and cold In one of Aesop's Fables, a man blows on his fingers to warm them up and then blows on his soup to cool it down. In both cases, the man is opening his mouth, but what comes out is different. If a person says one thing and later says the opposite, we say that the person is blowing hot and cold. "Is Felicia going to try out for the soccer team this year?" Stacy asked. "I don't know," Tricia replied." Last week she was saying yes, but this week she's saying no. She's really blowing hot and cold." Break the ice Nowadays people use the phrase to refer to ending an awkward silence by beginning a conversation. It was the first day of summer camp. The four girls began to make their beds in silence. None of the girls knew each other, and no one knew what to say. Finally, one of them broke the ice by saying" Hey, where's everybody from?" Bury the hatchet In native American culture, when two nations agreed to end their war, they buried the hatchet. So to bury the hatchet is to make peace with someone else. Colin could not excuse his sister for breaking his tennis racket. Finally, his sister said, "Colin, can't we bury the hatchet?" Which of the following is TRUE according to the text? A What Felicia thought was different from what he said. B Dan and his mother need drive a quarter of a mile to the beach. C "Bury the hatchet" is an idiom from Aesop's Fables. D It's difficult to understand the meaning of an idiom by each word. Answer: D People joke that the so-called travel is to leave one's familiar places and visit others' familiar places, which refers to the phenomenon of taking travel as sightseeing in different places. In fact, going travel does not simply mean pursuing fashion or widening vision. It is a kind of social experience and dynamic learning. Furthermore, it is a process of expanding cognition and understanding society and life, and especially has advantages and charm in increasing knowledge and widening vision. The ancient people not only mentioned "traveling a thousand miles" and "reading a thousand books" together but also regarded them as the necessary course of perfecting personality and making progress. Going travel can widen the life path and give it new social meanings and spirits of the time, making it socialized, popular, industrialized and fashionable. Under these circumstances, special efforts should be made to bring culture back to tourism and have culture conveyed in tourism. By doing so, the soul of tourism will be helpful for people to learn and think. In this way, tourists can combine relaxations and joys with learning and thinking, and improve their minds while visiting historic relics. Once tourism departs from culture, it will be stuck in vulgarity and shallowness, and make it difficult to develop tourism. Some tourist cities and spots are so commercialized that people are put in no mood for the enjoyment of cultural and historic flavors of ancient buildings. Furthermore, in some places, historic and natural relics are decreasing, while more and more artificial scenes and antiques block the view of real scenes and mislead people with false information and historic relics. Culture is the core of tourism. Taking back the culture as the soul provides the right way for the development of tourism, and the build-up of spiritual home and social civilization. According to the passage, _ doesn't belong to the benefits of travel. A gaining social experience B increasing knowledge C widening vision D making profits Answer: D When you go to St.Petersburg, the number of attractions can seem large.If you are short of time, or just want to make sure to _ , these are the top must-see sights in St. Petersburg. 1.The Hermitage Museum The Hermitage Museum is one of the most important sights to see for any visitor to St. Petersburg. There are lots of different paintings by the old masters in the Hermitage. Prepare to come face-to-face with classic Western artists. 2. Kizhi Island Kizhi Island is an open-air museum of wooden architecture from the Karelia Region of Russia. These impressive structures are made entirely without nails - the wood fits together with joints and grooves . 3. Peterhof Peterhof is as beautiful as it is fun. You'll be charged for admission, but go to Petethof when the fountaions are working--during the day in the summer. They are shut off in winter evenings. 4. The Church of Our Savior on the Spilt Blood Love it or hate it, the Church of Our Savior on the Spilt Blood in St. Petersburg is an enthralling must-see sight. The beautiful look may make y our eyes brighten, and the painting sinside the church will make you say "Wow!" 5. The Bronze Horseman Statue The so-called Bronze Horseman is a part of Russian culture and a symbol of St. Petersburg. Made famous by Alexander Pushkin, this statue of Peter the Great sitting on his horse can truly show Peter the Great's influence on the Russian idce of greatness. The main purpose of the passage is to _ . A show the wonderful history of Russia B persuade artists to study St. Petersburg C recommend the famous buildings in Russia D introduce the must-see sights in St. Petersburg Answer: D I hated dinner parties. But I decided to give them another shot because I'm in London. And my friend Mallery invited me. And because dinner parties in London are very different from those back in New York. There, 'I'm having a dinner party' means: 'I'm booking a table for 12 at a restaurant you can't afford and we'll be sharing the checque evenly, no matter what you eat.' Worse, in Manhattan there is always someone who leaves before the bill arrives. They'll throw down cash, half of what they owe, and then people like me, who don't drink, end up paying even more. But if I try to use the same trick, the hostess will shout: "Where are you going?" And it's not like I can say I have somewhere to go: everyone knows I have nowhere to go. But in London, dinner parties are in people's homes. Not only that, the guests are an interesting mix. The last time I went to one, the guests were from France, India, Denmark and Nigeria; it was like a gathering at the United Nations in New York. The mix is less striking. It's like a gathering at Bloomingdale's, a well-known department store. For New Yorkers, talking about other parts of the world means Brooklyn and Queens in New York. But at Mallery's, when I said that I had been to Myanmar recently, people knew where it was. In New York people would think it was a usual new club What does the author think of the parties in London? A A bit unusual B Full of tricks. C Less costly. D More interesting. Answer: D
Have you ever thought of taking fishing as a hobby? If not, it's time to think about it. Fishing is relaxing and it makes you go out to enjoy the beautiful nature. There are many wonderful websites about fishing. For example, www. Bigfish.com has a lot of forums. There you can share your knowledge about fishing and get helpful advice from other fishermen. Http://fishingforbeginners.com is also a good website. It teaches how to fish. I think there are many advantages of going fishing on the bank of a river under some green trees. You can forget the sad things when you are fishing. If you don't try fishing, you will never know what you are missing. Imagine standing on the bank of a river and catching a lot of fish. Allow the fish to bite the hook before pulling it up. When you catch the fish, you will feel quite happy and excited. You will never have this feeling until you give fishing a try. Now that your interest is motivated, you may be thinking that you don't have a clue about how to fish. If that's the case, these tips will help. If you'd like to learn how to fish, there are a few things you can do. Research the place of fishing. Read a book about fishing. Research online. There are hundreds of websites that give instructions on fishing. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? Nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are considered one of the most important marine weapons in the 20th century. So far, only two countries in the world--the prefix = st1 /USAandFrance--have ever produced them. But these frightful fighting machines are about to enter Asia. The US Navy said last month that one of its nine nuclear-powered aircraft carriers will be sent to Japanto replace the diesel-powered carrier Kitty Hawk in 2009 in an agreement on October 30th. The two countries also planned to level up their military cooperation and theUSAcalled forJapanto take a large role in alliance military moves. It will be the first time that a nuclear-powered carrier is based in Japan. Bombed byUSforces in World War II at Hiroshima and Nagasaki,Japanis the only world country to have been attacked by a nuclear weapon. Therefore, the citizens are highly sensitive to where nuclear-powered weapons are based. "A radiation leak at Yokosuka would kill 100,000 people as far away as Tokyo, and could cause billions of dollars in damage," said Masahiko Go to, leader of a protest group inYokosuka. His group has collected more than 300,000 signatures of people acrossJapanopposed to the nuclear carrier. The 44-year-old Kitty Hawk, the USnavy's oldest active ship, has been based in Yokosuda since 1998. The new carrier, yet to be _ , will travel faster, be capable of supporting longer operations and carry with it the Navy's most modern technology. Experts pointed that this change is not only to strengthen the US-Japan military alliance but also to keep the military power of ChinaandNorth Koreawithin limits. However, Japanese experts don't believe that the countries are threats to the region. "There is no need for Japanto have a nuclear carrier as defense," said Tetsuo Maeda, an international relations professor atTokyoInternationalUniversity. He said that the change of ship indicates an increased military capacity, in the region, much more than what is needed. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Homework will not be a concern for pupils attending a pioneering new secondary school in Norfolk. Instead, the 1,100 children will stay longer at school, doing extra study at school as part of the extended school day, which could last until about 5 pm. Rather than setting homework that pupils could struggle with at home, where there may be limited access to computers, they will do that as independent study in the day. When they go home they should enjoy quality family time. That has been really well received by parents who respect the fact that family time will be family time. But the school would still expect youngsters to study at home ahead of important exams. Independent learning at school would ensure equality because kids who get help with homework from parents might rely on others too much. Peter Devonish , a teacher at the school, said, "Having the children at school a bit longer to strengthen their learning is a really good idea, because they can have their time with the family." But he warned. "A disadvantage is that our school is in the countryside, which means it's not so perfect to get children home at that time." Mr. Devonish said they also set pupils project-based homework, such as looking at an energy-efficient house, which allowed them to combine independent study with working with their parents. Craig Morrison, another teacher, said, "A large problem with homework has been that not enough is done with it. With homework, a lot of effort can go into it, so it's about celebrating what children do rather than processing it in terms of marking it and handing it back." The passage is mainly about _ . Fun games and activities play all important role in making picnics enjoyable. Here are some examples. Picnic Games for all Age Groups: Running and jumping races, playing balloons are some of the very popular picnic games for children. Grown ups in the picnic mood often enjoy taking part in children's games too. While organizing picnic games that suit all age groups, think of all those going to the picnic and think of their preferences. Picnic games for grown ups can include playing frisbee , ball games and other sports activities. Prepare playing cards and board games for those who may not be able to take part in active games. Family picnic games: family picnics are for all the family members to get together and share some priceless moments with each other. When on a family picnics, spend quality time with your family members, chat with them and talk about what you have not spoken about due to your busy lives. Playing together helps you refresh yourself and your relationship with your _ . Company Picnic Games: Company picnics are team-building events, organized with the purpose of nurturing team spirit in the company and developing in them a sense of belongings towards the organization. You can organize outdoor sports, team games and enjoyable activities for the team members. Make sure that the company picnic turns out to be a refreshing break from work for the team. Why do companies organize games? Walk along The Mall towards the royal residence to see one of London'S best known views.If you time it right and arrive at 11:30,you'll be able to see the changing of the guard.During August and September,the Palace's State rooms are open to the public.These rooms are used by the Royal Family on ceremonial occasions and are lavishly furnished with some of the finest English and French furniture you cann't see anvwhere in the world.While at the Palace you can also visit The Queen'S Gallery and enjoy some of the finest paintings and works of art from the Royal Collection.If you havetime.St.James'S Park,which runs'alongside The Mall,is worth a visit if only for the Delicans on the lake.The birds have been a constant feature of the park since the late 17thcenturv.Behind the Palace is the Royal Mews,with houses--the Queen'S working stables .Here visitors can see the State Carriages and Coaches,as well as their horses. Address:Buckingham Palace Road,SWl A Telephone:020--7766--7300/7301 Open: Changing of the Guard:11:30,daily until the end of June and every other day in the rest of the year. Buckingham Palace:every day,31 July--26 September,09:30--16:30. The Queen'S Gallery:every day,09:30--17:30. Cost: Buckingham Palace:Adult 12.50;ConcessionsPS10.50;Under 17PS6.50. The Queen's Gallery:Adult~7.50;ConcessionsPS6.00;Under 17PS4.00. If you arrive there at 3 o'clock one afternoon in July,you can visit all of the following except _ .

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