Split (1)

train · 20k rows

text stringlengths 1.53k 16.3k
Question: Sports account for a growing amount of income made on the sales of commercial time by television companies. Many television companies have used sports to attract viewers from particular sections of the general public, and then they have sold audiences to advertisers. An attraction of sport programs for the major U. S. media companies is that events are often held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons--the slowest time periods of the week for general television viewing. Sport events are the most popular weekend programs, especially among male viewers who may not watch much television at other times during the week. This means the television networks are able to sell advertising time at relatively high prices during what normally would be dead time for programming. Media corporations also use sports to attract commercial sponsors that might take their advertising dollars elsewhere if television stations did not report certain sports. The people in the advertising departments of major corporations realize that sports attract made viewers. They also realize that most business travelers are men and that many men make family decisions on the purchases of computers, cars and life insurance. Golf and tennis are special cases for television programming. These sports attract few viewers, and the ratings are unusually low. However, the audience for these sports is attractive to certain advertisers. It is made up of people from the highest income groups in the United States, to certain advertisers. It is made up of people from the highest income groups in the United States, including many lawyers and business managers. This is why television reporting of golf and tennis is sponsored by companies selling high-priced cars, business and personal computer, and holiday trips. This is also why the networks continue to carry these programs regardless of low ratings. Advertisers are willing to pay high fees to reach high-income consumers and those managers who make decisions to buy thousands of "company cars" and computer, with such viewers, these programs don't need high ratings to stay on the air. Why would weekend afternoons become dead time without sport programs? A. Because there would be few viewers B. Because the advertisers would be off work C. Because television programs would go slowly D. Because viewers would pay less for watching television Answer: A. Because there would be few viewers Question: "The British government will offer PS1,000,000 to anyone who can solve the world's biggest problem--whatever it might be," said Prime Minister David Cameron at a science conference. In an unusual competition, the Government will ask people to find out the greatest challenge today, such as finding a replacement for oil, producing low cost food or curing AIDS/HIV. When the toughest problem has been decided, the Prime Minister will give away PS1,000,000 to the person who successfully works out the answer. The competition follows the example of the Longitude Prize started by the government in 1714, which offered PS20,000 (worth PS6,000,000 today) to anyone who could discover how far east or west ships had sailed. Sailors could work out their location north and south, and were able to decide their local time from the sun. However, they needed to know the time at a reference point in order to find out how far they had travelled east or west. Many people thought the problem was impossible to solve, but the prize was finally won by John Harrison, an ordinary worker. He did this by designing a clock that kept accurate time at sea and made it possible for sailors to work out their location. Almost exactly 300 years on, Mr Cameron will have a group of scientists collect suggestions and draw up a short list of problems facing the world. He will then start a race to solve the most difficult problem. A government officer said, "We want people to think big: what does the world need and how can we achieve that? We are looking for the next penicillin , airplane or World Wide Web. Something that is going to really change what we do and how we live our lives--sending us ahead in the global race. "According to Mr Cameron, it is important to "encourage new ideas" and "attract back the best and the brightest" to Britain. The British government promises PS1,000,000 to any person who . A. can solve the biggest challenge facing the world B. can find how the next penicillin works on illnesses C. can think of the most difficult problem in the world D. can help the Prime Minister run his government better Answer: A. can solve the biggest challenge facing the world Question: The private automobile has long played an important role in the United States. In fact, it has become a necessary and important part of the American way of life. In 1986, sixty-nine percent of American families owned at least one car, and thirty-eight percent had more than one. By giving workers rapid transportation, the automobile has freed them from having to live near their place of work. This has encouraged the growth of the cities, but has also led to traffic problems. For farm families the automobile is very helpful. It has made it possible for them to travel to town very often for business and for pleasure, and also to transport their children to distant schools. Family life has been affected in various ways. The car helps to keep families together when it is used for picnics, outings, and other shared experiences. However, when teenage children have the use of the car, their parents can't keep an eye on them. There is a great danger if the driver has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs, or is "showing off" by speeding or breaking other traffic laws. Mothers of victims of such accidents have formed an organization called MADD(Mothers Against Drunk Driving). These women want to prevent further tragedies . They have worked to encourage the government to limit the youngest drinking age. Students have formed a similar organization, SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving) and are spreading the same message among their friends. For many Americans the automobile is a necessity. But for some, it is also a mark of social position and for young people, a sign of becoming an adult. Altogether, cars mean very much to Americans. What has been done to deal with the problem of drunk driving? A. Parents have paid more attention to their children. B. Some organizations have been set up against drunk driving. C. Mothers have tried to persuade their children not to drink alcohol. D. University students have asked the government to solve the problem. Answer: B. Some organizations have been set up against drunk driving. Question: The easy way out isn't always easiest. I learned that lesson when I decided to treat Doug, my husband of one month, to a special meal. I glanced through my cookbook and chose a menu which included homemade bread. Knowing the bread would take time, I started on it as soon as Doug left for work. As I was not experienced in cooking, I thought if a dozen was good, two dozen would be better, so I doubled everything. As Dong loved oranges, I also opened a can of orange and poured it all into the bowl. Soon there was a sticky dough covered with ugly yellowish marks. realizing I had been defeated, I put the dough in the rubbish bin outside so I wouldn't have to face Doug laughing at my work, I went on preparing the rest of the meal, and, when Doug got home , we sat down to Cornish chicken with rice . He tried to enjoy the meal but seemed disturbed. Twice he got up and went outside, saying he thought he heard a noise. The third time he left, I went to the windows to see what he was doing. Looking out, I saw Doug standing about three feet from the rubbish bin, holding the lid up with a stick and looking into the container. When I came out of the house, he dropped the stick and explained that there was something alive in out rubbish bin . Picking up the stick again, he held the lid up enough for me to see. I felt cold. But I stepped closer and looked harder. Without doubt it was my work. The hot sun had caused the dough to double in size and the fermenting yeast made the surface shake and sigh as though it were breathing. I had to admit what the 'living thing 'was and why it was there. I don't know who was more embarrassed by the whole thing Doug or me. When Doug went out the third time , the woman looked out of the window because she was _ . A. surprised at his being interested in the bin B. afraid that he would discover her secret C. unhappy that he didn't enjoy the meal D. curious to know what disturbed him Answer: D. curious to know what disturbed him Question: The petals of flowers often are brightly colored. These petals provide a benefit for the plant because they — A. prevent insects from taking pollen to other flowers B. hide the plant from predators that would eat its flowers C. protect the leaves from injury by birds and insects D. attract insects that can carry the pollen needed for plant reproduction Answer: D. attract insects that can carry the pollen needed for plant reproduction
Imagine putting some bacteria in the freezer and taking them out millions of years later to find that they are still alive. That would be similar to what happened recently, when scientists brought eight-million-year-old bacteria back to life -- simply by thawing them out. The ancient bacteria were found frozen in the world's oldest known tracts of ice, the glaciers of Antarctica. Professor Bidle and his colleagues found and revived two samples of bacteria from the glacial ice. The first was a hundred thousand years old, and the second was around eight million years old. The eight-million-year-old bacteria were alive. But their genes were seriously damaged from long exposure to cosmic ( ) radiation, which is higher at the earth's poles. Most of the bacteria in the samples probably blew over from African deserts, said Paul Falkowski, a scientist at prefix = st1 /RutgersUniversity. Once the bacteria landed on the glacier's snowy surface, they combined with the snow to form ice. "These ices are actually gene banks," he added. As glaciers and ice caps melt as a result of increasing global warming, large amounts of bacterial genetic material might be washed into the ocean. These bacteria might get incorporated into today's bacteria in the ocean, or living bacteria from the ice might also grow and have an important effect on the ecosystem. "How that's going to play out, we don't know," Bidle said. He and Falkowski plan to focus their future work on how current ice melting influences modem bacteria's genetic diversity. Professor Bidle found that the eight-million-year-old bacteria were _ . Answer: alive with their genes damaged "Well, what did I say?Buck's a real fighter, all right," said Francois the next morning when he discovered that Spitz had disappeared and that Buck was covered in blood. "Spitz fought like a wolf," said Perrault, as he looked at the bites all over Buck. "And Buck fought like ten wolves," answered Francois. "And we'll travel faster now. No more Spitz,no more trouble." Francois started to harness the dogs. He needed a new lead-dog, and decided that Solleks was the best dog that he had. But Buck jumped at Solleks and took his place. "Look at Buck!" said Francois,laughing. "He's killed Spitz,and now he wants to be lead-dog.Go away, Buck!" He pulled Buck away and tried to harness Solleks again.Solleks was unhappy too. He was frightened of Buck, and when Francois turned his back,Buck took Solleks' place again. Now Francois was angry. "I'll show you! " he cried,and went to get a heavy club from the sledge. Buck remembered _ ,and moved away. This time,when Solleks was harnessed as lead-dog,Buck did not try to move in.He kept a few meters away and circled around Francois carefully. But when Francois called him to his old place in front of Dave, Buck refused.He had won his fight with Spitz and he wanted to be lead-dog. For an hour the two men tried to harness him.Buck did not run away,but he did not let them catch him.Finally,Francois sat down,and Perrault looked at his watch.It was getting late. The two men looked at one another and smiled. Francois walked up to Solleks,took off his harness, led him back and harnessed him in his old place.Then he called Buck. All the other dogs were harnessed and the only empty place was now the one at the front. But Buck did not move. "Put down the club," said Perrault. Francois dropped the club, and immediately Buck came up to the front of the team.Francois harnessed him, and in a minute the sledge was moving. Buck was an excellent leader. He moved and thought quickly and led the other dogs well. A new leader made no difference to Dave and Solleks; they continued to pull hard.But the other dogs had had an easy life when Spitz was leading.They were surprised when Buck made them work hard and punished them for their mistakes. Pike,the second dog,was usually lazy;but by the end of the first day he was pulling harder than he had ever pulled in his life. The first night in camp Buck fought Joe,another difficult dog,and after that there were no more problems with him.The team started to pull together,and to move faster and faster. "I've never seen a dog like Buck!" cried Francois, "Never! He's worth a thousand dollars. What do you think, Perrault? " Perrault agreed.They were moving quickly,and covering more ground every day. The snow was good and hard,and no new snow fell.The temperature dropped to 45degC below zero, and didn't change. This time there was more ice on the Thirty Mile River, and they crossed in a day.Some days they ran a hundred kilometers,or even more. They reached Skagway in fourteen days; the fastest time ever. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? Answer: The New Lead-dog Beijing--(13, July) China sent up a new data relay satellite , Tianlian I-02, on Monday at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in South-western Sichuan province.The new satellite will promote the country's satellite communication network for space docking . The satellite was launched on a Long-March-3C carrier rocket at 11:41 p.m., sources at the centre told Xinhua News Agency.The satellite separated from the rocket 26 minutes after its launch and was then successfully delivered into a geostationary transfer orbit . Developed by the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the satellite is the country's second data relay satellite.The first, Tianlian I-01, was launched on April 25.2008. The two satellites will form a network to improve communications between China's spacecraft and bases on Earth, according to the centre.They will also be used to help the nation's first space docking, scheduled for the second half of this year. As planned, China will launch space module Tiangong-I, which was designed as a platform that will dock with an unmanned spaceship, Shenzhou, for the county's first space-docking mission this year. Two more Shenzhou spaceships will dock with Tiangong-I next year, and one will be manned by two or three astronauts, according to China Manned Space Engineering Office, which was the main user of the Tianlian I series data relay satellites. "The new satellite can cover a greater area to track and command the country's space vehicles in low-Earth orbits, such as manned spacecraft and remote sensing satellites, from a higher position in outer space.Only three satellites of this kind are needed to form a global communication network, and China has two now." Pang Zhihao, a researcher and deputy editor-in-chief of Space International, said. The satellite could also equip astronauts with real-time communications, which will benefit the country's future manned space flights, he said. What is the main purpose to send up Tianlian I-02 ? Answer: To promote the country's satellite communication network for space docking. Today is November 20th. It's my sister Mary's 8thbirthday. In the morning, my parents take us to Zig Zag's Clothes Store. There my mother buys a red sweater for Mary. And we go to Huaxing Book Store. There I buy some CDs for Mary. My father also buys a book for Mary, and its name is Harry Potter. It's Mary's favorite book. In the afternoon, my parents have a birthday party for Mary at home. Mary's friends, Bill and Cindy come to the party. Bill brings a new pencil box to Mary. Mary likes it very much. Cindy gives Mary an English-Chinese dictionary. Mary is very happy. Oh, I'm Mary's brother. My name is Nick. Mary is _ years old this year. Answer: 8 Many cities have subways and underground public transportation to take locals and tourists alike rapidly around the city.However, there's something different about riding a London subway.It may not look different, but the historical value of one of England's most popular forms of transportation is enough to make riding the subway a must when visiting London.With a little under 300 different stations, the subway can take you almost anywhere you need to go. Riding a London subway, a person from other countries will notice one major difference: in London, people do not look at each other.In fact, eye contact is avoided at all times.That's not rudeness --people are just too busy to bother looking. Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they're certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet thinking.Nor are they reading a book.New technology has replaced quiet habits.Today the only acceptable form of book on the London underground is an e-book. Apple must earn a fortune from London commuters .Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, over 40,000--yes, that's 40,000 " _ " have been designed. Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-fillers.One "app", called iShoot, is a game that features tanks.Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination.iSteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone.You can then write in the "steam" on your phone screen. For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be the distraction of choice.It's not just teenagers who "plug in" to their music-iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages. And if games, e-books and music aren't enough to keep you occupied, then perhaps you would prefer a film? The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV shows or films on the way to work.With all these distractions, it's amazing that people still remember to get off the train. Which word best describes the writer's attitude towards commuters' behaviors? Answer: neutral
He came into the room to shut the windows while we were still in bed and I saw he looked ill. He was shivering, his face was white, and he walked slowly as though it ached to move. "What's the matter, Schatz?" "I've got a headache." "You better go back to bed." "No. I'm all right." "You go to bed. I'll see you when I'm dressed." But when I came downstairs he was dressed, sitting by the fire, looking a very sick and miserable boy of nine years. When I put my hand on his forehead I knew he had a fever. "You go up to bed," I said, "You're sick." "I'm all right," he said. When the doctor came he took the boy's temperature. "What's is it?" I asked him. "One hundred and two." Downstairs, the doctor left three different medicines in different colored capsules with instructions for giving them. One was to bring down the fever, another a purgative , the third to overcome an acid condition. The germs of influenza can only exist in an acid condition, he explained. He seemed to know all about influenza and said there was nothing to worry about if the fever did not go above one hundred and four degrees. This was a light epidemic(;) of flu and there was no danger if you avoided pneumonia . Back in the room I wrote the boy's temperature down and made a note of the time to give the various capsules. "Do you want me to read to you?" "All right. If you want to, " said the boy. His face was very white and there were dark areas under his eyes. He lay still in the bed and seemed very detached(;)from what was going on. I read aloud from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates ;but I could see he was not following what I was reading. "How do you feel, Schatz?" I asked him. "Just the same, so far," he said. I sat at the foot of the bed and read to myself while I waited for it to be time to give another capsule. It would have been natural for him to go to sleep, but when I looked up he was looking at the foot of the bed, looking very strangely. "Why don't you try to sleep? I'll wake you up for the medicine." "I'd rather stay awake." After a while he said to me, "You don't have to stay in here with me, Papa, if it bothers you." "It doesn't bother me." "No, I mean you don't have to stay if it's going to bother you." I thought perhaps he was a little lightheaded and after giving him the prescribed capsules at eleven o'clock I went out with my gun and the young hunting dog....I killed two quail , and missed five, and started back pleased to have found a covey of quail close to the house and happy there were so many left to find on another day. At the house they said the boy had refused to let anyone come into the room. "You can't come in," he said. "You mustn't get what I have." I went up to him and found him in exactly the position I had left him, white-faced, but with the tops of his cheeks flushed by the fever, staring still, as he had stared, at the foot of the bed. I took his temperature. "What is it?" "Something like a hundred," I said. It was one hundred and two and four tenths. "It was a hundred and two," he said. "Who said so?" "The doctor." "Your temperature is all right," I said. "It's nothing to worry about." "I don't worry," he said, "but I can't keep from thinking." "Don't think," I said. "Just take it easy." "I'm taking it easy," he said and looked straight ahead, He was evidently holding tight onto himself about something. "Take this with water." "Do you think it will do any good?" "Of course it will." I sat down and opened the Pirate book and began to read, but I could see he was not following, so I stopped. "About what time do you think I'm going to die?" he asked. "What?" "About how long will it be before I die?" "You aren't going to die. What's the matter with you? " "Oh, yes, I am, I heard him say a hundred and two." "People don't die with a fever of one hundred and two. That's a silly way to talk." "I know they do. At school in France the boys told me you can't live with forty-four degrees. I've got a hundred and two." He had been waiting to die all day, ever since nine o'clock in the morning. "You poor Schatz," I said. "Poor old Schatz. It's like miles and kilometers. You aren't going to die. That's different thermometer. On that thermometer thirty-seven is normal. On this kind it's ninety-eight." "Are you sure?" "Absolutely," I said, "It's like miles and kilometers. You know, like how many kilometers we make when we do seventy miles in the car?" "Oh," he said. But his gaze at the foot of the bed relaxed slowly. The hold over himself relaxed too, finally, and the next day it was very slack and he cried very easily at little things that were of no importance. The author writes about the doctor's visit in order to _ . Answer: If your parents take out a loan, remind themselves to make the payments on time. Otherwise it will become a negative record in their personal credit reports, which are playing an increasingly big role in people's daily lives. A story carried by Chongqing Morning Post in June, underlines this trend. According to the report, a Chongqing student borrowed money from the bank to finance his university studies. After he graduated in 2005, he went to work in Shenzhen. Later, he wanted to buy a house using loans. But several banks turned down his loan applications. The reason was that he had not paid back 1,500 yuan he borrowed from a bank when he was at university. A personal credit rating is becoming an essential "pass" in everyday life, as China establishes a nationwide credit database. Personal credit systems go back 150 years. In developed countries, enterprises and banks use them to decide whether or not to loan money or do other business with a person. A credit report estimates the credit worthiness of an individual, a company, or even a country. It is an evaluation made by credit bureaus of a borrower's overall credit history and his or her ability to repay debt. A poor credit rating means a high risk of defaulting on a loan, and thus leads to the refusal of a loan by the lender. Today in China, credit history in banks is the major content of a credit report. But in the future, reports will include information about the payment of telephone bills, water use fees, electricity and natural gas bills, and taxes, according to officials of the People's Bank of China, the central bank. Personal information such as appearance, genetic data, fingerprints, blood type, disease history, ethnic identity, family and religious beliefs are not to be included in credit reports, according to a draft regulation on credit rating issued last year by the Sate Council. The authors of the draft have just finished soliciting public opinions. The Credit Reference Center run by the People's Bank of China is in charge of developing a nationwide credit database. Credit reports for all people with bank transactions began in 2006. A personal credit rating is important to the social and economic activities of a person. According to the draft, if you have a personal negative credit record, it will be kept for five years. What's the best title for the passage? Answer: I was thirteen when my father got hurt.Looking back over the years, I sometimes wonder what I could have done differently that day.Spit twice over my shoulder when I saw the single magpie , maybe.But that's the thing about superstitions .You don't know how much power they have until you break them. We lived in a dark shabby house in Bucks.Wood blocks laid over dirt on the floor.That part of England was full of cherry trees.Chalky soil. The rice had caught in the bottom of the pot that morning at breakfast and all I could smell was burned rice.Even now when I think of that day I have the taste of burned rice in my mouth. "I'm going to cut down the old cherry tree," my father announced. "You've been saying that for years," said my mother lightly touching the end of her nose.Her nose ran all year long.Her arms rested on the table, a cup of tea placed between her hands, steam rising into the air."You'll never get round to it." My stomach, balled into a tight little knot relaxed itself. "Millie's going to cry if you cut it down," said my younger brother, Simon, his eyes bright as a fox."Silly Millie, silly Millie." "Hold your noise," said my father patting Simon on the head."And put back that butter.That's a week's ration you've got on your plate." "The war's over," said Simon in a low voice."We haven't had rationing for ages." Simon was right.Even sugar had come off points.However, we still occasionally received food parcels from distant cousins in Canada. My father glared at him and then went on. "Pigs.Burt says he'll come and help me take the tree down if he can have some of the wood." "No," I said springing to my feet."You can't do it.That's my tree.Always has been.Always will be.I won't let you." Tom, took a piece of toast, watching my reaction.My older brother, he knew what the tree meant to me. "Now then, Millie," said my father softening his face."That tree's wild.It's in the way." According to the passage, how many kids does the family have at least? Answer: With a floor area larger than Beijing' Tian'anmen Square, the Guangdong Science Centre is known as the world's largest science and technology museum. The centre is located on Xiaoguwei Island and seen from a distance, it looks like a kapok flower of Guangzhou. It is one of the most famous "landmarks of Guangzhou". It cost the government about 1.9 billion yuan to build the centre over five years. On September 27, 2008, it was opened to the public. The centre shows China's newest fruits of science and technology. It is full of exciting small machines and amazing small invention, waiting to help you understand interesting aspects of the world of science. The centre offers eight exhibition areas, four science cinemas, two open labs and a digital "family experience" hall. Outside the main building, there is an 80,000-square-metre man-made lake for water-theme exhibitions and outdoor science square. Exhibition: Children's World, Experience and Discovery, Transportation World, Digital World, Green Home, Flight Dream, The Human Body and health, Perception and Thinking Opening hours: 9:30 am to 4:30 pm from Tuesday to Sunday; Closed on Monday (except public holidays and Golden Weeks) Ordinary ticket: 60 yuan/person Which of the following statements is NOT true? Answer: A popular saying goes, "Sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." However, that's not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn't matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves - the positive and negative effects are just as lasting. We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We're usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. But we really shouldn't be, because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit. This "self-talk" helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down. Beware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to _ . The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying, "Good job!" Words possess power because of their lasting effects. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it true? Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn't pass this test, then it's better left unsaid. Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem and motive others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours. ks5u Why should we not feel embarrassed when talking to ourselves? Answer:
Do you like to play outside? Do you like to run? Do you like to play with a ball? You can do all of these things if you play soccer. Soccer players cannot throw and catch the ball. They cannot touch the ball with their hands. Soccer players can only kick the ball. Soccer is played with two teams. There is a goal for each team. Players on one team want to kick the ball into one goal. Players on the other team want to kick the ball into the other goal. Players score when the ball goes into the other team's goal. They make one point. Lots of people play soccer. You can be young or old, big or small. Soccer is easy to play. All you need is a ball and a place to play. Then find enough players to make two teams. Which is right according to the passage? Answer: Which of these would be a model of diffusion? Answer: 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 kilometers 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.--8:30 p.m. Phone:( 412)396--6644 FaxL412) 396-6752 Sailing Club: Our Young Sailor's Course leads to the Stage 1 Sailing qualification. You'll learn how to sail safely and the course also covers sailing theory and first aid. Have fun with other course member, afterwards in the clubroom. There are 10 weekly two-hour lessons (Tuesday 6:00 p.m--8:00p.m) Opening Hours:Tuesdays:6:00p.m--8:00 p.m. Phone: (412)396--6644 Fax: (412)396--6644 Diving Center: 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-kilometer 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.--4:00 p.m. Phone: (412)39606899 Fax: (412) 396-6890 If you are planning to explore the ocean depths, you should attend your lessons at _ . Answer: Could it be your after-dinner coffee that keeps you awake at night? Perhaps you are one of those people who simply can't take coffee in the evening, because the caffeine in it makes you excited. Coffee with caffeine does make some people restless when they want to go to sleep. So, before you rush to the doctor for "something to make you sleep", change over to H. A. G. - a new kind of caffeine-free coffee, the nicest coffee so far. This kind of coffee is made by modern scientific methods and has come to the perfection for the greatest pleasure that drinking good coffee gives, however, without any harmful effects. H. A. G. is the coffee that continental people, who are such great coffee drinkers, have been taking in the evenings for over 50 years. Make your choice of H. A. G. and enjoy good coffee and good sleep. Health food stores and most groceries have H. A. G. coffee. If there is any difficulty, send (with your name and address) for free sample from the A. A. SUPPLY CO. LTD. 31/32 Priory Park Road, London, N. W. 6. The article is about _ of a new kind of coffee. Answer: It has been two years since I published my first article on Yahoo!Contributor Network.I was very excited when I saw that what I had written was published on the Internet. I recognized that the content sites such as Associated Content can provide a fertile ground for learning how to become a writer.I was thrifty --I could see that this was an open door for systematically learning some basic writing skills without paying college tuition for classes,all to be finished at my own speed and without leaving the comfort of my own home. During these past few years I gained enough experience and understanding of using Associated Content to try writing.I found writing for that site was not my cup of tea.However,my experience there was positive as I was rewarded with even more learning opportunities just by giving it a try.Through Associated Content I was introduced to the world of bolgs .I decided to learn how to set up a blog myself.Now I'm interested in blogs and continue to work as a writer. Writing for the content site Yahoo!Contributor Network gives me a chance of trying creative writing--news,reviews and numerous lifestyle issues.And all of these topics are my own choices.Then there is an opportunity to meet other writers.Yahoo!Contributor Network has a wonderful in-house messaging system that allows its writers to communicate easily with one another.Not all your tries are satisfactory and easy when you write for a content site,but the benefits are many if you try it. My teacher once said,"If you don't quit,you will win."I have no desire to quit writing as I really enjoy it.My thanks go out to Associated content and yahoo!Contributor Network for all my progress in writing!And to my fellow writers--thank you so much for your support and friendship.May we continue in our efforts of inspiration for many years to come! According to the author, _ . Answer:
An incredible dog has mastered more than just the doggy paddle -- the golden brown pet helps disabled children learn how to surf. Ricochet's owner Judy Fridono said, "I was working with her at balance and coordination . Her balance is so good that she can help to stabilize the board for the kids. And it makes them feel good to know that Ricochet is there with them, keeping them company." After becoming an expert, two-year-old Ricochet helps the disabled children build up the confidence to get on the board themselves. Dressed in a yellow jacket, Ricochet helps to counter-balance the board and acts as a reassuring presence. Ms. Fridono knows what an impact her beloved dog can have. She herself was severely disabled since her teens. Having Ricochet around lifts her spirits, and inspires her to conquer her pain to get on the board. "Ricochet has taught me to focus on what I can do, rather than what I can't," she said. One of those who have benefited from Ricochet's skills is six-year-old Ian McFarland. In 2008 a car crash left him with brain damage. Although he had loved surfing before the accident, he was too nervous to go back into the water. His fear turned to excitement, when he was told he could try a tandem surf session with Ricochet. Their session was a success and by the end of it, Ian was smiling from ear to ear. As well as helping with treatments, Ricochet also raised PS5,000 to help continue Ian's recovery. Over the last 10 months, Ricochet's excellent performances on the sea have raised more than PS30,000 for a number of charity causes. Which statement can best describe Ricochet? Answer: Ricochet helps youngsters build up their confidence. The Production Department can be a fun place to work in a TV station. It can also be quite stressful if the station broadcasts a significant amount of live programming. There can be a number of interesting positions in this department. Here is a list of the core ones: The Production Manager heads the department, and is the person to contact if you are interested in working in this area. He or she oversees all activities in the studios, hires and fires workers, meets with customers who want to produce an advertisement, and monitors expense budgets for the department. The person in this position may also sometimes act as a Director, Producer, Camera Operator, or any other role in which they are proficient. Directors lead the crew during a production session. Over a headset, the Director tells Camera Operators what shots to get and the Technical Director (TD) what audio and video to put on the air. Directors work closely with the Producer of each program, ensuring that the final product meets with the Producer's demands. A Technical Director is a master at "punching" up the correct video source. In other words, if the Director calls for camera one, the Technical Director puts camera one on the air. The TD sits in front of a massive board called a "swicher" during production sessions, which allows him or her to literally switch between video sources. Since this can be a high-pressure, fast-moving job, the best Technical Directors are people who can stay even-tempered and in control. The Stage Manager is responsible for everything that goes on in the television studio. This person makes sure all of the equipment is in good working order, oversees the building and placement of all staging, and may even set the lighting for all productions. Really efficient Stage Managers take pride in their studios, and it would not be unusual to see this person sweeping the floor or cleaning the sets between productions. This is a leadership position, which often leads to promotion to the position of Production Manager. The Technical Director _ . Answer: carries out the orders by the Director Cowboys Full: The Story of Poker You may not play poker yourself but for much of the 19th and 20th centuries, the fate of the free world has been determined by men who do. So this recommendation is not for those who already play the game - if you do, you needn't bother reading the rest of this review, just go off and buy the book - as to the non-player, this is seriously worth their attention. Although it began as poque, a French game that developed in New Orleans and headed up the Mississippi steamboats, by the mid-19th century poker was the most popular American amusement; the national game, in effect. So the history of America can be viewed through the history of poker, as James McManus quietly demonstrates. In this book you watch America grow up over a card table, from the wild west games which could either leave you broke, or dead, or both to the more polite early 20th-century scenes of respectable games. And it is possible to argue, after reading this book, that history would be different if there were no such game which combined luck, intelligence, dishonesty, courage, skill and character. (There's a very good chapter which tries to work out how much luck is involved in the game.) Few over here have read or will read Shelby Foote's 2,836-page history of the American civil war, so we can be grateful that McManus provides us with a clear and elegant outline which tells how it was "the first work of history to explore how the game's wisdom and logic fit into the whole scheme of _ ". Not only, for instance, was Ulysses S Grant a good poker player, but as a student at West Point he'd learned the betting strategies of many of his contemporaries who would go on to become rebel generals. Nixon's poker game has already been analysed by Garry Wills in his Nixon Agonistes; Oskar Morgenstern, one of Eisenhower's advisers, pointed out that chess was Russians' national game and poker was the Americans'. This is not, though, the history of poker, but, as the subtitle tells us, the story of poker, you will find fuller details elsewhere. This is a very flowing and impressionistic account, with a huge knowledge of the game; at times, in its mixing together of anecdote and observation, it produces the feeling you might get from studying a work of art. McManus is a first-rate writer: controlled, sensitive, accurate and convincing. And if the game makes no sense to you or holds no appeal, it might be the case that you are putting yourself at a disadvantage when it comes to dealing with the rest of humankind. Which of the following is the conclusion that the writer of this passage has drawn? Answer: If you don't play poker, you may be at a disadvantage in human society. Like most cultures around the world, the Zulu people of Africa tell stories that have animals as heroes. These stories are meant to have fun, but they are also used to teach important lessons to children. This is one of those stories. One hot afternoon, Jackal was walking along the rocky road sniffing the ground. He was hoping to smell a mouse or a lizard , or something else that would be good to eat. He was so much lost in sniffing that he wasn't really paying attention to what was around himself. Suddenly, Jackal looked up to see his neighbor, Lion, walking straight toward him. He did not have enough time to run way. Jackal had played many tricks on Lion over the years, so he knew he would be in trouble if he was caught. Jackal needed to think of something quickly. "Help! Help!" cried Jackal as he quickly jumped upon a large rock hanging over the road. "The rocks are falling down, and I can't hold them much longer. We shall both be crushed if you do not do your best to hold these rocks back, Lion" At once, Lion pushed his strong shoulder against the rocks to keep them from moving any further. "I'll just run over here to get something to stop the rocks." shouted Jackal as he ran way to safety. Lion stayed _ against the unmoving rocks for quite a long time before he realized that Jackal had tricked him yet again! Why did Jackal cry for help? Answer: Because he got an idea to get away from Lion. There are about fifteen hundred languages in the world. But only a few of them are very important. English is one of them. Many, many people use it, not only in England and the USA, but also in other parts of the world. About 200,000,000 people speak it as their own language. It is difficult to say how many people are learning it as a foreign language. Many millions of people are trying to do so. Is it easy or difficult to learn English? Different people may have different answers. Have you ever noticed ads of this kind in the newspapers or magazines? "Learn English in six weeks, or give your money back..." "Easy and funny..." "Our records and tapes help you master English in a month". Of course, it never happened quite like that. The only language that seems easy to learn is the mother tongue. We should remember that we all learned our own language well when we were children. If we could learn English in the same way, it would not seem so difficult. Think of what a small child does. He listens to what people say. He tries what he hears. So it is hard to say that learning English is easy. We must do a lot of practice. And practice needs great efforts and takes much time. Good teachers, record, tapes, books, and dictionaries will be helpful, but they cannot do the student's work for him. How does the writer like the ads in the newspapers or magazines? Answer: It never happened quite like what the ads said.
Let's be honest:If you like to take lots of vacation,the United States is not the place to work.Besides a handful of national holidays,the typical American worker gets two or three precious weeks off out of a whole year to relax and see the world--much less than what people in many other countries receive.Only 57% of the US workers use up all of the days they're entitled to,compared with 89% of workers in France, a recent research found. So what's going on here?A big reason for the difference is that paid time off is supported by law in many parts of the world.Germany is among more than two dozen industrialized countries--from Australia to Slovenia to Japan--that require employers to offer four weeks or more of paid vacation to their workers,according to a 2009 study by the human resources consulting company Mercer.Finland, Brazil and France are the champions, guaranteeing six weeks of time off. But employers in the United States have no duty under federal law to offer any paid vacation, so about a quarter of all American workers don't have access to _ ,government figures show.That makes the US the only advanced nation in the world that doesn't guarantee its workers annual leave,according to a report titled "NoVacation Nation" by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a liberal policy group. But the fear of layoffs and the everfaster pace of work mean many Americans don't want to be absent from the office--anxious that they might look like they're not willing to work hard.Or they worry they won't be able to deal with the backlog of work waiting for them after a vacation. Working more makes Americans happier than Europeans, according to a study published recently in the Journal of Happiness Studies.That may be because Americans believe more than Europeans do that hard work is associated with success, wrote Adam OkuliczKozaryn,the study's author and an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Dallas."Americans increase their happiness by working, and Europeans increase their happiness through vacation," he found. Which of the following countries has the longest paid vacation? Answer: World Book and Copyright Day is a annual event that falls on April 23 and was first celebrated in 1995. The event was organized by UNESCO to promote reading, publishing and copyright. The connection between April 23 and books was first made in 1923 by booksellers in Catalonia, prefix = st1 /Spainas a way to honor the author Miguel de Cervantes who died on that day. It became part of the celebrations of theSaint George'sDay (also April 23) in the region, where it has been a tradition since the medieval era for men to give roses to their lovers and since 1925 for women to give a book in exchange. In 1995, UNESCO decided that the World Book and Copyright Day would be celebrated on April 23 to _ people who have made great contributions to social and cultural progress of mankind. The date is also the anniversary of the birth and death of William Shakespeare, the death of renowned authors Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Josep Pla, the birth of Maurice Druon, Vladimir Nabokov, Manuel Mejia Vallejo and Halldor Laxness. With the success of the World Book and Copyright Day, UNESCO developed the concept of World Book Capital City, selecting Madridas the capital for 2001. After this, UNESCO's General Conference resolved to make the designation of a World Book Capital City an annual event and selected Beirut as this year's capital. Which of the following statements is TRUE? _ Answer: Which sequence represents the order of development for many plants? Answer: Giant pandas are now extremely rare. Their number is less than 1,000 in the wild. The hunting of pandas has been banned for many years, so this is not the problem. Destruction of its habitat, when areas are cleared for growing crops, is one of the main reasons for panda's decline . Another reason is that the bamboo on which they mainly feed, is dying back. The pandas find it difficult to move to new feeding areas. As the bamboo disappears, the pandas simply starve to death. Bamboo is a poor source of food, and pandas have to eat up 45kg of it every day, a process that takes them up to 16 hours. The process goes on day and night, with the pandas in a constant cycle of eating for eight hours and sleeping for four. They can eat other foods, but will rather starve than change their diet when bamboo is scarce. Giant pandas are very good climbers, and use this skill to escape from the enemy. The giant panda lives alone for most of its life, only coming together with another of its species for long enough to mate. A newborn panda baby is born hairless and blind, is about 15cm long and weighs only 100g. The baby will stay with its mother for about 18 months, until it is able to set up its own territory Chinese and American scientists are studying giant pandas and their habits in order to put in place a major conservation programme. Zoos around the world are taking part in panda breeding programmes. There is still hope that with human's help, the giant panda can survive in the wild. What can we learn from the text? Answer: How to survive an earthquake prefix = st1 /Indonesia is located on the edge of the volcanic ring that circles the Pacific. This means volcanoes and earthquakes, which can cause serious loss of life. Many people there have heard suggestions of what to do in an earthquake. For instance, they are taught to stand in a doorway or, in a building, avoid the elevators and head for the stairs. Mr. Doug Copp is an expert on earthquakes and is the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the American Rescue Team International. He has worked at every major disaster in the world since 1985. What his years of involvement have taught Doug is that when roofs and ceilings collapse they fall on objects and furniture, crushing them. Anyone hiding under a desk or a bed is always killed. However, Doug says the falling roofs and ceilings always end up forming triangle of space between the crushed object and the floor, what he refers to as Triangles Of Life. Instead of hiding under a solid object, lie on the floor next to it and you will likely have a space to survive. Doug says paper does not crush and usually where there are boxes of paper in an office building there will be a triangle space next to it. What about the old idea of standing in a doorway because the roof falls into the room? Dough says people who stand in doorways are usually killed, too. If the door falls forwards or backwards you will get crushed by the falling ceiling. If it falls sideways you will get cut in half by the doorway. What about stairs? Stairs have a different "moment of frequency " to the rest of the building and will swing back and forth until they collapse. Getting caught on a destroyed set of stairs means you will probably be injured or even killed by the different parts. By telling Mr. Doug Copp's rescue experiences, the writer tried to_. Answer:
God created the mule and told him,"You will be Mule,working constantly from dusk dawn, Carrying heavy loads on your back.You will eat grass, and you lack intelligence.You will live for 40 years."The mule answered,"To live like this for 40 years is too much.Please, give me no more than 20."And it was so. Then God created the dog and told him, "You will hold vigilance over the dwellings of Man.To him you will be his greatest companion.You will eat his table scraps and live for 25 years." the dog responded,"Lord,to live 25 years as a dog is too much.Please, no more than 10 years."And it was so. God then created the monkey and told him,"You are Monkey.You shall swing from tree to tree, acting like a fool. You will be funny,and you shall live for 20 years."The monkey responded,"Lord,to live 20 years as the clown of the world is too much.Please,Lord,give me no more than 10 years."And it was so. Finally,God created Man and told him,"You are Man,the only rational being that walks on the earth.You will use your intelligence to have mastery over the creatures of the world.You will dominate the earth and live for 20 years."The man responded,"Lord,to be Man for only 20 years is too little.Please,Lord,give me the 20 years the mule refused,the 15 years the dog refused,and the ten years the monkey rejected."And it was so.So God made Man live 20 years as a man, then marry and live 20 years like a mule,working and carrying heavy loads on his back.Then,Man is to have children and live 15 years as a dog,guarding his house and eating the leftovers after they empty the pantry .Then,in his old age,to live 10 years as a monkey,acting like a clown to amuse his grandchildren. Which of the following is NOT true? Answer: The monkey is more clever than the mule and the dog. Researchers at Stanford University have developed a new material that can move heat out of buildings and into space. The researchers say the material can cool buildings even on hot days. The cooling material is a very thin sheet with many layers that could be placed on a roof like solar panels . However, instead of turning sunlight into energy as solar panels do, the material turns heat into radiation. Shanhui Fan is an electrical engineering professor at Stanford University. He says that the panels have a layer of material that is like sand. The panels act like a mirror. They take heat out of buildings and reflect the light from the sun. And he says both the heat and sunlight are sent 100 kilometers into outer space. "It's a structure that cools itself without electricity input, even under the sun. So, what it does is basically radiate heat to outer space and also reflect the sunlight so it doesn't get heated up by the sun. Mr. Fan says it is like having a window into space. The heat is sent directly into space without warming the air." He says buildings in developing countries that do not have electricity or air conditioning could use the panels. "In areas where electricity is out of reach for many people, there is a potential benefit for storing medicine or even food. In many of these situations, being able to reduce the temperature is important. And this would provide a way to do it." The researchers say the main problem is creating actual cooling systems using the high-tech panels. They say it may be possible to develop a cooling spray that could be used on present solid structures. They believe the cooling spray technology could be developed in the next three to five years. They say as much as 15 percent of the energy used in the United States is spent providing power to air conditioning systems. How does the panel work? Answer: It sends heat away right into space. Welcome to India as volunteer teachers! Teaching and helping with dance, sport, music, English and art at some primary schools and planning outdoor activities. Volunteers can stay together in pairs or small groups and share the experience and activities with the school teachers' help. It will bring you lots of joy and a special time. You can spend your weekends on the Indian beach when you are not busy. Because the Indian beach is not for away. The beaches on the southern coast of India are good for relaxing. Near the beach are the cities of Chennai and Pondichery with large population of about half a million. There are a lot of usual restaurants, banks and supermarkets. They are waiting for you to hang out. It's not only a volunteering project, but also a cultural exchange. The visitors can learn much about Indian ways of life while they are teaching children. What's more, you can know about India and its people. Please call us at 18886666 now and book a space. Which cities are not far away for the beach? Answer: Chennai and Pondichery. Which of the following does not give an example of how sparrows use resources in their environment to survive? Answer: Sparrows use the sun for food. 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. People who often eat nuts _ . Answer: may live longer than people who don't eat nuts
" Yeah! Auntie is here! " screamed my husband's niece and nephew together. " Let me get the door!" " No, let me !" Each one's goal was to get there first and open the door for their Auntie, Me! I couldn't get enough of them, of their youthful love of life, and their excitement every time I visited! To be honest, it was partially because of the Surprise Travel Bag that I carried in. It was a tradition that I started when they were young. Each time I went to see them, I would take a large bag filled with toys, coloring books, candy, magic markers and "games". The contents were different but the rules were not. They included: one may get a turn to choose what activity we would do; another may take a turn to go first when we played a game; ..... We shared the treats after the games and cleaned up after we played . Then, sadly, they watched the Surprise Travel Bag go away with their Auntie. Now my niece and nephew have grown into young adults. They spend most of their visits listening to their iPods, messaging on their phones.... I completely forgot that I had put my two Surprise Travel Bags in the basement until my husband found them this weekend. I held the bags tightly in my arms, remembering our laughter and fun-filled get-togethers. My big decision now is to whom I will pass the Surprise Travel Bags so that the fun that the bags help to create can continue. When the author came for a visit, the children were _ . A uninterested B excited C bored D upset Answer: B Cosmo Books Ltd., 14, Woodman Road, Hertford Estate, Two Bridges, Rickmansworth, West Sussex. Middx. 25thFebruary Dear sir, Just over six months ago, I saw an advertisement in the Morning Mail for a set of the complete works of William Shakespeare. Your company, Cosmo books Ltd., offered this set ( eight books of plays and two books of poetry) at what was claimed to be a 'remarkable' price: fifteen pounds and fifty pence, including postage and packing. I had wanted a set of Shakespeare's plays and poems for some time, and these books, in red imitation leather, looked particularly attractive; so I sent for them. Two weeks later, the books arrived, together with a set of the complete works of Charles Dickens which I had not ordered. So I returned the Dickens books to you, with a cheque for fifteen pounds and fifty pence for the works of Shakespeare. Two more weeks passed. Then there arrived on my door step a second set of the works of Shakespeare, the same set of novels by Dickens and a six book set of the plays of Moliere, in French. Since I do not read French, these were of no use to me at all. However, I could not afford to post all these books back to you, so I wrote to you at the end of August of last year, instructing you to come and collect all the books that I did not want, and asking you not to send any other books until further notice. You did not reply to that letter. Instead you sent me a bill for forty two pounds , and a set of the plays of Schiller, in German. Since then, a new set of books has arrived every two weeks, the works of Goethe, the poems of Milton, the plays of Strindberg; I hardly know what I have. The books are still all in their boxes, in the garage, and my car has to stand in the rain outside. I have no room for any more books, and even if I read from now until the Last Judgement, I should not finish reading all the books that you have sent me. Please send no more books, send no more bills, send no more angry letters demanding payment. Just send one large lorry and take all the books away, leaving me only with the one set of the complete works of Shakespeare for which I have paid. Yours faithfully, SIMON WALKER Mr. walker answered the advertisement because _ A he wanted a set of Shakespeare's works, and this set was cheap, and looked attractive. B he claimed that the books were being offered at a remarkable price. C he had ordered the set and had been waiting for them to come for some time. D the set he already had was not particularly attractive. Answer: A How does a parachute sufficiently increase air resistance to allow the parachutist to land safely? A by decreasing the force of gravity acting on the parachutist B by decreasing the total mass of the parachutist C by increasing the surrounding air pressure around the parachute D by increasing the total surface area of the parachute Answer: D How does Lucy spend a week? Monday Practice playing volleyball 3:00-5:OOp.m. Tuesday Go to see Tim Children's Hospital 8:30-10:30p.m. Wednesday Part-time job 1:00-5:00 p m. Thursday Go to the station to meet her uncle Ricky 9:00 a.m. Friday See Mr Green 10:30-11:30 a.m. Part-time job 2:00-6:00 p.m. Saturday A birthday party for Lily 7:00-10:00 p.m. Sunday Help Frank with his Maths Lucy's uncle is coming on _ . A Saturday. B Friday. C Thursday. D Wednesday. Answer: C The woman at the airline ticket counter in prefix = st1 /Munich,Germany, just shook her head. "I'm sorry, but there's no more availability on this flight," she said. God, I thought. My husband, Bob, and I had enjoyed every moment of our dream vacation, two weeks in Europe, but I was ready to go home toShreveport,Louisiana, and sleep in my own bed. Bob could see how frustrated I was. "We'll just have to try to get on the flight tomorrow," he said. "Let's enjoy the extra day." My son Joe, a First Lieutenant in the Army 82nd Airborne Division , would be returning to Ft. Bragg in North Carolina for a short rest and recovery from his tour of duty in Baghdad, and we weren't sure we'd be able to see him in the little time he'd be stateside. Plus, the time was so up in the air! Back at our hotel, I checked my e-mail to see if our daughter-in-law Monica had any news on when Joe was due to arrive. Sure enough, there was a message. "Joe's been delayed again," it read. The next morning we made it onto our flight back to the States. Unfortunately, we had to stop in Atlanta. Our connecting flight there was delayed because of bad weather. The hours passed. I felt the frustration building. "That's it!" I finally said. "I just want to get home!" That's when I saw a group of soldiers coming down the ramp from one of the gates. I thought of Joe. They're coming back from a war, I reminded myself, while I'm coming back from vacation. What right do I have to be frustrated? Maybe the troops were God's way of reminding me to trust in his time. Bob grabbed my arm. "Look at those soldiers coming down the ramp." "I see them," I said. Bob persisted, "Do you see who's in front?" Suddenly, all those delays across all those miles made perfect sense. I rushed toward my son Joe's open arms. Why did Bob say "Let's enjoy the extra day"? A To stay one day more. B To cheer his wife up. C To visit other attractions. D To meet his son there. Answer: B
Girls can easily get sad. If your friend is feeling blue and calls you, what will you do? Here are some tips on how you can make her smile again. Listen to her. When people feel sad, they often have the feeling of needing to be heard. So, listen carefully to what she is saying and do nothing else. Your friend will surely thank you for being the shoulder she can cry on. Once you are done with listening, you can offer some advice or remain silent and let her feel everything and let it all out by crying. As a friend, you might think you should give her some advice. But if you have no idea about what to say, just remain silent and be there for her. In order to be able to help your friend in need, don't be sad for yourself. How can you help your friend when you are also feeling down? A hug can make a difference in the word. It makes you feel warm and special. A hug makes you feel safe. So give your friend a hug when she needs it the most. Spend more time with your friend who wants to be happy. Do things together like washing dishes, cleaning, or going out for fun. The more time you spend together, the stronger your friendship will become. Sometimes, it is much better that you avoid a crying friend in your life. But by doing so, you are also keeping your friend at a distance and will make her wonder if you are her true friend. If you are there when she needs you, your friendship will be much stronger. The writer wrote this passage mainly to tell us _ . A why girls can easily get sad. B what to do when we are sad. C how to make new friends with girls. D how to make a sad female friend happy again. Answer: D. how to make a sad female friend happy again. For some years the big drugmakers have been worrying about an approaching "patent cliff"--a fall in sales as the patents on their most popular pills expire or are struck down by legal challenges, with few new potential _ to take their place. This week the patent on the best-selling drug in history expired--Lipitor, an anti-cholesterol pill which earned Pfizer nearly $11 billion in revenues last year.In all, pill like Lipitor with a combined $170 billion in annual sales will go off-patent by the end of 2015. What is supposed to happen now is that lots of copycat firms rush in with "generic" (ie, chemically identical) versions of Lipitor at perhaps one-fifth of its price.Patients and health-care payers should reap the benefit.Pfizer's revenues should suffer. The same story will be repeated many times, as other best-selling drugs march over the patent cliff But generics makers may face delays getting their cheaper versions to market.Ranbaxy, a Japanese-owned drugmaker, struggled to get regulators' approval for its generic version of Lipitor, and only won it on the day the patent expired.More importantly, research-based drug firms are using a variety of tactics to make the patent cliff slope more gently. Jon Leibowitz, chairman of America's Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is concerned by drugmakers filing additional patents on their products to put off the day when their protection expires. Another tactic is "pay-for-delay", in which a drugmaker facing a legal challenge to its patent pays its would-be competitor to put off introducing its cheaper copy. In the year to October the FTC identified what it believes to be 28 such settlements. American and European regulators are looking into these deals. However, legal challenges against them have been delayed, and a bill to ban them is stuck in Congress. To encourage generics makers to challenge patents on drugs, and introduce cheaper copies, an American law passed in 1984 says that the first one to do so will get a 180-day exclusivity period,in which no other generics maker can sell versions of the drug in question, as Ranbaxy supposedly won with Lipitor. However, Pfizer is exploiting a loophole in the 1984 law, which lets it appoint a second, authorised copycat--in this case, Watson, another American firm.According to BernsteinResearch, under the deal between the two drugmakers Pfizer will receive about 70% of Watson's revenues from its approved copy of Lipitor.More unusual, Pfizer has cut the price of its original version, and will keep marketing it vigorously. So Ranbaxy faces not one, but two competitors. All this may raise Pfizer's sales by nearly $500m in the last half of 2015 compared with what they would otherwise have been, says Tim Anderson of BernsteinResearch, with revenues then falling after the 180 days are over. Others fear that Pfizer's tactics , if copied, will make the 180-day exclusivity period worth far less, and thus discourage generic firms from challenging patents in the first place. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage? A Drugmakers' struggle B Generic makers' dilemma C Laws concerning patent protection D Popular pills of Pfizer Answer: A. Drugmakers' struggle Two hunters rented a small plane to fly them to a forest. They told the pilot to come back and pick them up in about two weeks. By the end of the two weeks, they had hunted a lot of animals and they wanted to put all of them onto the plane. But the pilot said, "This plane can only take one lamb. You'll have to leave the others behind." Then one hunter said, "But last year, another pilot with the same plane let us take two lambs and some other animals onto the plane." So the new pilot thought about it. Finally he said, "OK, since you did it last year, I think this year we can do it again." Then they put all the animals they had hunted onto the plane, and the plane took off. Five minutes later, it crashed. The three men looked around, and one hunter asked the other one, "Where do you think we are now?" The other hunter looked around and said, "I think we're about one mile away from the place where the plane crashed last year." What can we infer from the passage? A The two hunters knew the pilot before. B The two hunters come to the forest every year. C The new pilot didn't know the plane would crash at first. D The plane the two hunters took last year also crashed after flying five minutes. Answer: C. The new pilot didn't know the plane would crash at first. One Saturday, Bob decides to take a drive through the countryside. After a few hours, he sees a dog walking behind a man on the side of the road. As the car comes near them, the dog jumps into the road. Of course, the car hits the poor animal and kills it. Bob stops his car and walks up to the man. "I'm very sorry," he says. "Is there anything I can do? Will $10 help?" "Oh, but...," says the man. "I should tell you..." "Stop! You're right. Maybe $10 isn't enough! That dog was your best friend!" Bob then takes $30 out of his pocket and gives it to the man. Then he thanks the man and drives away. After Bob leaves, the man looks down at the dog and says: "I wonder whose dog that is." _ kills the dog. A The man B The car C Bob D The man's friend. Answer: B. The car In a moment of personal crisis, how much help can you expect from a New York taxi driver? I began studying this question and answers are interesting. One morning, I got into three different taxis and announced,"Well,it's my first day back in New York in seven years.I've been in prison."Not a single driver replied,so I tried again."Yeah,I shot a man in Reno."I explained, hoping the driver would ask me why, but nobody asked.The only response came from a Ghanaian driver,"Reno? That is in Nevada?" Taxi drivers were uniform sympathetic when I said I'd just been fired."This is America,"a Haitian driver said."One door is closed.Another is open."He argued against my plan to burn down my boss' s house.A Pakistani driver even turned down a chance to profit from my loss of hope;he refused to take me to the middle of the George Washington Bridge--a $20 trip."Why do you want to go there? Go home and relax.Don't worry.Take a new job." One very hot weekday in July, while wearing a red ski mask and holding a stuffed pillowcase with the word "BANK" on it, I tried calling a taxi five times outside different banks.The driver picked me up every time.My ride with a Haitian driver was typical of the superb assistance I received. "Let's go across the park," I said."I just robbed the bank there.I got $25,000." "$25,000?" he asked. "Yeah,you think it was wrong to take it?" "No, man.I work 8 hours and I don't make almost $70.If I can do that,I will do it too." As we approached 86th and Lexington, I pointed to the Chemical Bank. "Hey,there is another bank,"I said,"Could you wait here a minute while I go inside?" "No,I can't wait.Pay me now." His unwillingness may have had something to do with money--taxi drivers think the rate for waiting time is too low--but I think he wanted me to learn that even a bank robber can't expect unconditional support. The passage mainly discusses _ . A the way to please taxi riders B the way to deal with taxi riders C taxi drivers' attitude to riders in personal trouble D taxi drivers' attitude to troublesome taxi riders Answer: C. taxi drivers' attitude to riders in personal trouble
Books, Films and Plays The novelist's medium is the written word, one might almost say the printed word. Typically the novel is consumed by a silent, individual reader, who may be anywhere at the time. The paperback novel is still the cheapest, most portable and adaptable form of narrative entertainment. It is limited to a single channel of information---writing. The narrative can go, effortlessly, anywhere: into space, people's head, palaces, prisons and pyramids, without any consideration of cost or practical possibility. In determining the shape and content of his narrative, the writer is restricted by nothing except purely artistic criteria. The novelist keeps absolute control over his text until it is published and received by the audience. He may be advised by his editor to revise his text, but if the writer refused to meet this condition no one would be surprised. It is not unknown for a well-established novelist to deliver his or her manuscript and expect the publisher to print it exactly as written. However, not even the most well-established playwright or screenplay writer would submit a script and expect it to be performed without any rewriting. This is because plays and motion pictures are cooperative forms of narrative, using more than one channel of communication. The production of a stage play involves, as well as the words of the author, the physical presence of the actors, their voices and gestures, the "set" and possibly music. Although the script is the essential basis of both stage play and film, it is a basis for subsequent revision negotiated between the writer and the other creative people involved. They are given "approval" of the choice of director and actors and have the right to attend rehearsals , during which period they may undertake more rewriting work. In the case of the screenplay, the writer may have little or no control over the final form of his work. Contracts for the production of plays protect the rights of authors in this respect. In film or television work, on the other hand, the screenplay writer has no contractual right to this degree of consultation. While the script is going through its various drafts, the writer is in the driver's seat, although sometimes receiving criticism from the producer and the director. But once the production is under way, artistic control over the project tends to pass to the director. _ Why can the novelist expect the publisher to print the manuscript exactly as written? What stimulants taste buds sour and Miss Williams is a teacher, and there are thirty children in her class. They are nice children, and Miss Williams like them all, but they often lose some of the clothes. It's winter, and the weather is very cold. The children's mothers always take them to school with warm coats and hats and gloves . The children come into the classroom in the morning and take off their coats and hats and gloves, and put the gloves in the pockets of their coats. Last Tuesday, Miss Williams found two small blue gloves on the floor in the evening, and the next morning, she asked the children, "Whose gloves are these?" But no one answered. "Haven't you got blue gloves, Dick?" she asked him. "Yes, Miss Williams," he answered, "but those can't be mine. I've lost already." In winter, the children wore coats and gloves to _ . When you feel sad, tears will come down from your eyes. When you are happy, especially when you laugh hard, tears will also come down from your eyes. But tears have a more important job than showing your feelings. Tears keep your eyes clean and healthy. They wash away dirt and germs just like bath. Your eyes also need tears to keep them wet. And eyes must be wet so that they can move smoothly. Your eyes are busy looking here and there all day long. They move quickly from one thing to another. If you didn't have tears, your eyes couldn't move, and soon you would be blind. Maybe you don't like tears, but your eyes can't do without them. If your eyes were not wet, you could not _ . A fellow speaker from California named Geri flew to Japan, in her favorite jeans and a casual jacket, to give her first speech. Fourteen hours later, four perfectly dressed Japanese gentlemen greeted her at Narita Airport. Smiling and bowing low, they handed her their business cards. With her bag in one hand, Geri took their cards with the other. She thanked them, glanced briefly at the cards, and put them into her jeans pocket quickly. When the five of them arrived at the hotel, they invited Geri to tea in the lobby . While sipping tea, the gentlemen presented her with a small gift which she eagerly opened. She was thrilled with the gift and shouted excitedly, "Oh, it's beautiful!" At this point, the four Japanese gentlemen stood up and, bowing only very slightly, said "Sayonara" and left immediately. Poor Geri was left astonished. What did she do wrong? Everything! Her jeans were the first gaffe. Even if you're coming off a bicycle in Japan, you do not meet c1ients casually dressed. The second mistake was Geri's handling of their business cards rudely. In Japan, the business card is one of the most important communicative tools. It is always presented and accepted respectfully with both hands. However, Geri put their cards away much too quickly. In Japan, people use business cards as a conversation starter. You chat about each other's cards and work and do not put theirs away until they gently and respectfully place yours in safekeeping. Putting it carelessly into her jeans pocket was the ultimate disrespect. Then, the fourth horror of horrors was that Geri should not have opened the gift in front of her clients. In a land where saving face is critical, it would be embarrassing to discover the gift they gave was not as nice as the one they received. What is worse, Geri hadn't even given them a gift! What lesson can we draw from this story?
A good deal of fascinating research has been done about the reading patterns of young people,and it is surprising to discover at what an early age children start expressing preferences for particular kind of books. A recent report,which examined in detail the reading habits of primary-school children.showed that even seven-year-old boys and girls have clear views about what they want to read. Girls,in general,read more,and far more girls than boys preferred reading stories. Boys were showing a taste for the more instant appeal of picture stories,or else books about their hobbies. These tastes continue unchanged until the children are teenagers. Apparently girls read more in general,but more fiction in particular .You could say that there are more opportunities for girls to read fiction:magazines encourage the fiction habit in girls in their early teens,and by their late teens they have probably moved on to the adult women's magazines.Teenage boys tend to buy magazines about their hobbies:motorcycles,heavy transport and to on. Adult reading tastes are also the subject of research.Again the number of women who read for pleasure is considerably higher than the number of men. It seems that the majority of women still want love stories.There has also been some analysis of what men actually read Apparently only 38 percent of men read anything,but 50 percent of what they read is fiction in the form of action-packed stories of space or gunmen If we have a close look at the reading habits of boys and girls we'll find that _ A girls are more interested in fiction than boys B girls are more interested in action-packed stories than boys C boys read much more than girls D boys have no interest in fiction Answer: A. girls are more interested in fiction than boys Boxing is a fist fighting sport between two matched combatants wearing padded gloves. A boxer's primary aim is to land as many blows as possible to the head and torso of the opponent, using strength and speed to dominate the contest. One of the oldest sports still practiced, boxing dates back to thousands of years ago. Today the sport is popular in many parts of the world and encompasses both amateur and professional matches. For most of the 20th century boxing attracted huge fan and media attention in the United States. Some boxing champions became legendary, larger-than-life figures, such as Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, and Muhammad Ali. Criticized to varying degrees throughout its history for its violent nature and high injury rate, boxing has somehow always managed to survive----and even thrive----as a sport. Modern boxing regulations are based upon the 12 rules set out by British boxing officials in the mid-19th century. These rules became known as the Marquess of Queensberry Rules, named after the 8th Marquess of Queensberry, John Sholto Douglas, who sponsored and published them. In addition to in-the-ring rules, modern boxing also has specific regulations regarding eligibility for the fighters themselves. The modern rules for professional and amateur boxing differ, but both types of contests are divided into time periods called rounds. In professional boxing, each round lasts three minutes; in amateur boxing, two minutes. A one-minute rest period between rounds is standard. Amateur contests consist of three rounds; professional contests may consist of up to 12 rounds. A bell is usually sounded by a timekeeper to begin and end each round. A key step in making boxing safer and more respectable was the introduction of gloves, ending brutal bare-knuckle competition. Boxing gloves are heavily padded to soften the impact of the blow and to protect the hands of the boxer. As an added protection, the hands are taped before being placed in the gloves, which are essentially huge mittens. Professional gloves usually weigh between 170 and 226g; amateur gloves average 226 to 340g. Which of the following is true according to the information in the passage? A Boxing is a violent sport with high injury rate. B People enjoy boxing because of its brutal nature. C Only professional players are allowed to attend boxing matches. D Boxing is a popular sport with a history of only 200 years. Answer: A. Boxing is a violent sport with high injury rate. I'm trying to be a writer, but I can't even start. What should I do? Abraham, Nebraska There are many ways to come up with ideas, one of which is to write down a list of your experiences, as well as things from your imagination. When you want to write, look in the notebook for ideas. Books for writers often have good suggestions, too. One we like isSpilling Ink: A Yong Writer's Handbook by Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter. Perhaps your library has it. My classmates keep asking about a new movie I've seen. But I don't want to spoil it for them. What should I do? Corinne (by e-mail) You could ask your classmates whether they are sure they want to know and if they insist, go ahead and tell them. You may be able to give them a general idea of the movie without revealing details of the ending. I'm going to a soccer camp for youth, but I'm not sure if I'm good at soccer or if I'll make friends. Louise, New Hampshire Soccer camp is for people who share an interest in the sport. No matter what a person's ability is at the beginning, it's likely that everyone will leave camp with improved skills. Sharing a common interest may make conversations easier. Smile, be friendly, and have a sense of humor. Before long, you may find that you've made some good friends. Someone invited me to a birthday party. When I got there, kids were doing stuff I'm not interested in, like watching scary movies. I told them my mom would pick me up, so I just left. Was I rude for doing that? Sam (by e-mail) You just did the right thing and that isn't being rude. We hope you'll talk with your parents about this. They're probably proud of what you did. They may have other suggestions for you, too. Talk about different situations that might come up and what would be the best way to handle them. What can we learn about the soccer camp? A The practice is hard but interesting. B It is difficult to make friends in the camp. C The camp only wants people who are new to soccer. D One's skills can be improved when leaving the camp. Answer: D. One's skills can be improved when leaving the camp. She is a cute , quiet girl. As a daughter, she has no secrets from her mother, who is very pleased with her. But recently she has become somewhat mysterious, not so open as before: what if she falls in love, which is too early for a girl of her age. After all, she is reaching the "dangerous stage". These thoughts have caused trouble in the mother' mind. One weekend the girl came to tell her mother that she was going to the cinema with her schoolmates and would return late. This was the first time her mother had agreed , and she couldn't help worrying because her daughter had never been away at night before. The mother waited till nine and her uneasiness got the upper hand over her. She decided to go out to meet her daughter. Just at that moment the noise of a car pulling up drew her to the window and ------there was her daughter, waving goodbye to a boy. Her heart missed a beat. When the girl came in, the mother was watching TV, pretending nothing had happened. "Mum, I'm back." "Yeah." "Sorry to be late. Still sitting up?" "Yes, Oh, that... Who's that boy?" The daughter was stunned for a moment. "Ah. It's my monitor. He gave a lift on his way home. Mum, I'm going to bed" "All right. Go to sleep early." Next morning, when the mother went to the daughter's room to do some tidying, she found her diary left at her pillow. After a few minutes' hesitation she finally opened it to the entry of the night before. It read: Mum, it was love that made you ask, but it would show your understanding of me if you hadn't. Holding the diary, the mother fell in thought. From the diary, we can see the girl _ . A thanked her mother for asking her B thought her mother cared about her very much C thought it was her mother's duty to asked her. D thought understanding is better than simple love. Answer: D. thought understanding is better than simple love. Some people make you feel comfortable when they are around. You spend an hour with them and feel as if you have known them half your life. These people have something in common. And once we know what it is, we can try to do it ourselves. How is it done? Here are several skills that good talkers have. If you follow the skills, they'll help you put people at their ease, and make friends with them quickly. First of all, good talkers ask questions. Almost anyone, no matter how shy he is, will answer a question. One well-known businesswoman says, "At business lunches, I always ask people what they did that morning. It's a common question, but it will get things going." From there you can move on to other matters--sometimes to really personal questions. And how he answers will let you know how far you can go. In addition, once good talkers have asked questions, they listen to the answers. This point seems clear, but it isn't. Your questions should have a point and help to tell what sort of person you are talking to. And to find out, you really have to listen carefully and attentively. Real listening at least means some things. First it means not to change the subject of conversation. If someone sticks to one topic, you can take it as a fact that he's really interested in it. Real listening also means not just listening to words, but to tones of voice. If the voice sounds dull, then, it's time for you to change the subject. Last but not least, good talkers know well how to deal with the occasion of parting. If you're saying good-bye, you may give him a firm handshake and say, "I've really enjoyed meeting you." If you want to see that person again, don't keep it a secret. Let people know what you feel, and they may walk away feeling as if they've known you half their life. How many skills does the author give us to be good talkers? A Three. B Four. C Five. D Six. Answer: A. Three.
Lily is ten years old . One morning her good friend MeiMei says to her, " Next Friday is my birthday. Would you like to come to my birthday party?" Lily says " Yes, I would like to". On Friday, Lily asks her mother, " Can I go to MeiMei's birthday party" "Yes, but you must be polite .and I want you to sing a song for your friend." "Ok. Mum" Lily answers and goes to MeiMei's home on foot. Then she buys a toy for MeiMei. At the party there are many children. Some are dancing . Some are talking. Some are playing cards. And Lily is singing an English song .There are some apples , oranges , bread , and a big birthday cake with eleven candles on it . The children sit around the cake. MeiMei makes a silent wish, and then blows the candles out in one breath. The children have a good time. Then Lily goes home by bus. What does Lily buy for MeiMei? A. apples B. oranges C. a toy D. a big cake Answer: C. a toy For most South Africans, Nelson Mandela is the father of their nation - many even called him "Tata", a local word for father. It was sometimes forgotten that he was also a real father of six, grandfather of 18, great-grandfather of eight, and husband to three women. He earned a place in history just like another father of a nation, Mahatma Gandhi. But there was a fundamental difference between these beloved men. While Gandhi was thought to be a depressed family man, Mandela was a strong and loving family man. Even so, Mandela and his family paid dearly for his devotion to his country's freedom. Mandela himself offered a glimpse into his personal war. "To be the father of a nation is a great honor, but to be the father of a family is a greater joy. _ " he said in April 1992, announcing his separation from Winnie. In 1944, Nelson Mandela married Evelyn. "I could not give up my life in the struggle," Mandela explained in his autobiography , Long Walk to Freedom, "and she (Evelyn) could not live with my devotion to something other than herself and her family... I never lost my admiration for her, but in the end we could not make our marriage work." They divorced in 1958. When Evelyn died in 2004, Mandela stood at her graveside with his third wife, Graca. Winnie also attended the funeral. Mandela married Winnie in 1958. But Winnie bore the hardship of life as Mandela, enduring her husband's 27-year imprisonment. From prison, Mandela wrote some of the greatest love letters to Winnie. "I dust it (your photo) carefully every morning - I even touch your nose with mine to regain the electric current that used to run through my blood whenever I did so." For many South Africans, it was the end of a fairytale love story when their separation was made public in 1992. "Tensions" had arisen and they had agreed on a separation. The hurt in his words was clear: "Perhaps I was blinded to certain things because of the pain I felt for not being able to play my role as a husband to my wife and a father to my children." "Unstable personal lives seemed freedom fighters' destiny ," he said. "When your life is the struggle, as mine was, there is little room left for family. That has always been my greatest regret, and the most painful aspect of the choice I made." The couple divorced in 1996. What is the best title of the passage? A. Mandela: not just the father of the nation. B. Mandela: a devoted leader of the nation. C. Mandela: a freedom fighter with deep love. D. Mandela: success and failure. Answer: A. Mandela: not just the father of the nation. The vast majority of fitness trackers count your steps and are worn around the wrist, but now there's a device that's designed to be worn like a necklace and monitors tiny movements to improve your posture. The Fineck device aims to address neck pain by tracking tiny movement, spotting bad habits and suggesting exercises via an accompanying app. Made from silicone and titanium , Fineck monitors a wearer's movement, balance, posture and movement thanks to sensors inside. The Mountain View California-based firm says that a high percentage of people suffer from neck pain and associated problems, probably caused by more individuals doing office jobs, which generally involve leaning over computer keyboard. The device contains sensors, several different types of instruments to monitor movement, plus a monitor to shake. It connects to an IOS app via Bluetooth so that wearers can see their bad habits and play "neck training" games. The app warns of health risks and records a user's activity to build up a customer personal health description. The necklace shakes to give smart advice, such as reminding wearers to sit up straight. The app also allows users to set goals, like many other wearables do. "Fineck is the first wearable device for your neck that tracks your neck activity and warn you when you are in a bad posture for too long. You can also exercise your neck with Fineck's interactive games." The company writes on Kickstarter. "No matter where you are and what you are doing at office, on the go, or simply just feeling bored, Fineck will bring you enriched exercise experience through motion sensing games and therapies." It also claims that it is "the world's first titanium wearable device". The metal is widely used in fashion stuff that you can wear or carry to match your clothes because it is lightweight, durable and does not tend to cause allergic reactions. It also offers additional features such as shaking to indicate alerts on a user's smartphone, but it is not currently clear whether it can also be used like bands, to count steps, and so on. The Fineck has a battery life of around seven days and takes one hour to charge. It is available to pre-order via Kickstarter from $69(PS44)and is due to ship in March next year. What helps the Fineck device to deal with neck pain? A. An accompanying app. B. A necklace C. Computer keyboard. D. A remote control Answer: A. An accompanying app. NASA's Kepler Mission has collected information about main-sequence stars with characteristics similar to the Sun. What is the most common color of these stars? A. blue B. white C. red D. yellow Answer: D. yellow Singer and songwriter Corrinne May's songs always try to express hope, joy and "a deeper beauty and meaning to the everyday moments of life." Music seemed to play a part in May's life from the very beginning. Her parents say she hummed songs from the time she was two or three. May began taking classical piano lessons when she was five and started writing songs when she was eight. She won her first songwriting contest at 15. May didn't always want to be a singer. In fact, at the National University of Singapore, May studied communications and English literature, planning to become a reporter. But upon graduation, her calling to do music was so strong that she decided to study in America at Berklee College of Music. In 1999, after graduating from Berklee, May went to Los Angeles. She still lives there with her music producer husband, Kavin, and daughter, Claire. In 2001 at the age of 28, May released her first album, "Corrinne May" and won an award. Since then, she has produced four more albums. May's university education turned out to be excellent preparation for writing music. She may not have become a reporter, but she learned to find material for her songs about daily life. Her understanding of literature also added beauty to her lyrics. One personal turning point for May came in 2007 when she had a small heart operation. After that, she "began to look deeper into things I had once ignored." May's song "Beautiful Seed" grew out of this. The song encourages people to go after their dreams and compares every person to a seed with the ability to change the world and her experiences have changed her from a "beautiful seed" into the artist she is today. Which of the following is TRUE about May according to the text? A. She lives in her hometown with her family now. B. She graduated from Berklee at the age of 28. C. She married a music producer. D. She has released four albums. Answer: C. She married a music producer.
When you learn reading, nlath, and other subjects taught in school from your parents or teaehers who come to your house, it's called homeschooling. A kid may be the only one, or he may be taught with brothers, sisters, or kids from the neighborhood. Parents choose to homeschool their children for many different reasons. Sometimes a kid is sick and can't go to regular school. But more often, kids are homeschooled beeause their parents feel they can give their children a better education than the local school can. Patents also may choose homeschooling because they want their children's education to include religious instruction, which isn't offered at puhlie schools. If you don't like school, homeschooling might seem like the perfect solution. But it's better for everyone if homeschooling isn't chosen just as an escape from school or prohlems there. Finding solutions to the problem should be the first step. Kids who are homeschooled may benefit from the one-on-one attention. For example, if you don't understand something in math, the whole class won't he moving on without you. You might be the whole class! It's also possible that you might learn more than you would in a regular classroom, because if you really good at something, you can keep learning more at your own pace. Kids who are homeschooled also may get out in their communities more than other kids. They may get to experience hands-on education at museums, libraries, businesses and other community resources. They also might volunteer or take part in "service learning" where they take on local projects. No matter where a child goes to school, the key to learning is listening to the teacher and asking for help when you need it. A homeschooled child might feel more comfortable with his teacher (a parent), but the child still needs to pay attention and cooperate. Just like in a traditional school, teachers and students need to work together to achieve goals in the classroom. Which of the following should NOT belong to the reasons why kids get homeschooled? Answer: On April 22, 2012, I jumped from an airplane 13, 000 feet up. What was the purpose? It was just to overcome my fear of heights. Seven years ago, when I went to France, I couldn't go up the Eiffel Tower because I was afraid. It seemed so high. I wanted to overcome my fear, so I could dare to go skydiving . At first, I didn't think I could, but I finally made it. I don't think that I could have jumped out of that plane without the encouragement of my wonderful friends and classmates--Yodel and Tatiana! It was a pity that we couldn't jump together. However, as we prepared to jump, there was something special among us-- a special bond. I made a reservation to go skydiving one week before the day of my jump. I felt nervous during the whole week, kind of blue; but mysteriously. When it was the moment to jump from the airplane, I didn't feel any fear... I just jumped! That was wonderful! Wonderful! There was a whole new world and the beautiful sky. I had never seen such a beautiful world! First, I felt an awful acceleration and then I felt like I was lying in the air...like a bird! I think it was an illusion, but it was wonderful! The oncoming wind blew me strongly. It was amazing! After about 50 seconds free fall, the parachute opened. When I landed on the ground, I felt a lack of oxygen. It was difficult to breathe in during the freefall. I was so glad that I survived and was able to overcome my fear! Everything went well! If possible, I want to jump again. My first jump is an outstanding memory for me. What would be best title of the passage? Answer: There was great excitement on the planet of Venus this week. For the first time Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the planet Earth, and it has been sending back signals as well as photographs ever since. The satellite was directed into an area known as Manhattan (named after the great Venusian astronomer Prof. Manhattan, who first discovered it with his telescope 20 000 light years ago).Because of excellent weather conditions and extremely strong signals, Venusian scientists were able to get valuable information as to feasibility of a manned flying saucer landing on Earth.A press conference was held at the Venus Institute of Technology. "We have come to the conclusion,based on last week's satellite landing," Pro. Zog said,"that there is no life on the Earth." "How do you know this?" the science reporter of the Venus Evening Star asked. "For one thing, Earth's surface in the area of Manhattan is composed of solid concrete and nothing can grow there. For another, the atmosphere is filled with carbon monoxide and other deadly gases and nobody could possibly breathe this air and survive." "What does this mean as far as our flying saucer program is concerned?" "We shall have to take our own oxygen with us, which means a much heavier flying saucer than we originally planned. " "Are there any other hazards that you discovered in your studies?" "Take a look at this photo. You see this dark cloud floating over the surface of Earth? We call this the Consolidated Edison Belt. We don't know what it is made of, but it could give us a lot of trouble and we shall have to make further tests before we send a Venus Being there." "If what you say is true, won't this set back the flying saucer program several years?" "Yes, but we shall proceed as soon as the Grubstart gives us the added funds." "Prof. Zog, why are we spending billions and billions of zilches to land a flying saucer on Earth when there is no life there?" "Because if we Venusians can learn to breathe in an Earth atmosphere, then we can live anywhere." During the week of great excitement the Venusian scientists succeeded in getting important information on whether they can _ . Answer: A person wants to play with a beach ball at the beach so they fill it with Answer: About six years ago I was eating lunch in a restaurant in New York City when a woman and a young boy sat down at the next table. I couldn't help overhearing parts of their conversation. At one point the woman asked: "So, how have you been?" And the boy--who could not have been more than seven or eight years old--replied, "Frankly, I've been feeling a little depressed lately." This incident stuck in my mind because it confirmed my growing belief that children are changing. As far as I can remember, my friends and I didn't find out we were "depressed", that is, in low sprits, until we were in high school. Undoubtedly a change in children has increased steadily in recent years. Children don't seem childlike anymore. Children speak more like adults, dress more like adults and behave more like adults than they used to. Whether this is good or bad is difficult to say, but it certainly is different. Childhood as it once was no longer exists. Why? Human development is based not only on born biological states, but also on patterns of access to social knowledge. Movement from one social role to another usually involves learning the secrets of the new status. Children have always been taught adult secrets, but slowly and in stages: traditionally, we tell sixth graders things we keep hidden from fifth graders. In the last 30 years, however, a secret-revelation machine has been installed in 98 percent of American homes. It is called television. Television passes information to all viewers alike, whether they are children or adults. Unable to resist the temptation, many children turn their attention from printed texts to the less challenging, more vivid moving pictures. Communication through print, as a matter of fact, allows for a great deal of control over the social information to which children have access. Reading and writing involve a complex code of symbols that must be memorized and practiced. Children must read simple books before they can read complex materials. What does the author think of communication through print for children? Answer:
Everyone should visit a lighthouse at least once. The most important reason for such a visit is to realize how our ancestors battled nature with the basic tools they had . They had only basic ways of creating light , and yet they found a way of using this simple technology in isolated places to save ships from hitting rocks . Secondly , visiting lighthouses will help us to understand the lives of lighthouse keepers .By their very nature , lighthouses were built on some rocks or cliffs . Thus , the lighthouse keepers often lived lonely lives . To walk around their small home , and imagine the angry storm outside beating against the walls , is to take a step towards understanding the lives they had. The reasons for a visit to a lighthouse are not all so backward-looking in time . It is true that lighthouses were built in _ places . But on a pleasant sunny summer day. This very isolation has a natural beauty that many people will love to experience . Therefore, with the gentle waves touching all round the lighthouse . the visitor is likely to think it is a world preferable to the busy and noisy modern life. Another reason for considering a visit is that the lighthouses themselves can be very attractive buildings . Mankind could often not be content just to put up a basic structure . but felt the need . even in such an isolated place , to build with an artistic touch . The result is a view for tired eyes to enjoy . Finally , lighthouses have a romantic attraction , summed up by the image of the oil-skin coated keeper climbing his winding stairs to take care of the light to warn ships and save lives . How many reasons are mentioned for a visit to a lighthouse ? Do you have any friends from other countries? Do you know what they are like? The Germans are very quiet and they don't get excited easily. They don't want to say more words. They look serious , but they like all kinds of amusements . They work hard and like tidiness. Most German women like to keep their houses clean. In some ways, the English look the same as the Germans. They are also quiet and never talk too much with others. They are really polite, so we often hear "Thank you." or "Sorry." from them. The French have long holidays. They like travelling and usually spend their long time in other countries. The French are more outgoing than the Germans. It is very easy to make friends with them. Compared to (......) the French, the Americans are more outgoing. And they are even opener. They don't like to depend on others. So it is very popular that students do part-time jobs. In Americans' eyes, working and success are important. What can we learn about the French from the passage? Have you ever been to the beautiful country of Holland and its capital Amsterdam? Anyone who has traveled to Amsterdam would probably agree on one thing: Amsterdam's story is a tale of two cities -- one during the day and a completely different one at night. During the day, the largest city in the Netherlands sits quietly on the Amstel River.You can rent a bicycle, visit the Van Gogh or Anne Frank museum, or take a water taxi.But when the sun goes down, the partying begins.In the big clubs and in coffee shops, tourists gather to hang out, talk politics and smoke. Several areas of the city clearly show the two worlds that rule Amsterdam.And they're all within a short cab ride of each other.For example, Dam Square attracts daytime sightseers to its festivals, open markets, concerts and other events.Several beautiful and very popular hotels can be found there.And there's the Royal Palace and the Magna Plaza shopping mall. But at night party-seekers come to the square.Hip hop or funk music is heard there..So if you come, be ready to dance.The clubs don't shut down until 4 am. And while you're there, check out the various inexpensive ways to tour the city.Don't worry about getting lost.Although Dutch is the official language, most people in Amsterdam speak English and are happy to help you with directions.And you'll notice that half the people in the streets are on bicycles they rent. Amsterdam also has a well-planned canal system.For about 10 dollars, you can use the canal bus or a water taxi to cruise the "Venice of the North". The city has a historic past.One impressive place to visit is the Anne Frank House on Nine Streets.It was there that the young Jewish girl wrote her famous diary during World War II.Visitors can view Anne's original diary and climb behind the bookcase to the room where she and her family hid from the Nazis for two years. When getting lost, a visitor can ask natives for directions in _ . Now and then we all get ill. Then we usually go to see a doctor. Doctors know a lot about what makes us ill. They may give us something to take. The medicine often makes us well again. But sometimes the doctor's medicine doesn't work. A sick person does not get well. The pain doesn't go away. There was such man. He was in hospital, but he wasn't well. Then he found a new "doctor" inside himself. This "doctor" was his own sense of humor . He saw funny films. He read funny books. And he liked to learn something interesting. Laughing took away his pain. Then he was able to sleep and rest. His own happy feeling helped him to feel well again. And he told his story in a book. He said that laughing was his best "medicine". His doctor thought so, too. Another man was ill, and he had a terrible pain in his back. The doctors could not stop it from hurting. So the man began to "picture" his pain. In his head he "drew" a picture of a dog. He imagined it as a real dog. And it was biting his back. It was hurting him. Then the man talked softly to the dog. He put his hand on the dog's head. He made friends with the dog. And his pain went away! These stories may surprise you. But more and more people are getting well in this way. So call on the "doctor" inside your own head. And stay happy and well! The medicine given by doctors _ . Many boys love reading about the legends of old pirates and dreaming of their own wild adventures. But modern pirates are not a thing of the past. Last month Somali pirates did their boldest hijacking to date. They seized the Saudi supertanker Sirius Star carrying crude oil worth about $100 million. They demanded $15 million to free the ship and its crew. The pirates have kept hitting the headlines this year: 92 attacks have been attempted, with 36 successful hijackings and 268 crew members taken hostage . The Chinese fishing ship Tianyu 8, with 17 Chinese and 8 foreigners on board, has been in their hands since November 14. Of course piracy is nothing new. Even since there has been water and ships there have been pirates. The earliest documented history of pirates dates back to the 13thcentury in the Mediterranean Sea. Even the famous Roman emperor Julius Caesar was once kidnapped by pirates. Piracy reached its peak in the mid-1700s. It was during this time in the Caribbean and off the coast of Africa that men like "Blackbeard the Pirate" made this profession attractive. But with the creation of stronger national Navies piracy became less popular around the world. In the mid-20thcentury, most pirates were petty thieves. They used hooks to sneak on board ships at anchor, and grabbed all that they could find. _ However, nowadays piracy has become a multi-million-dollar business at tracting many in poor countries. Pirates are treated like heroes among local fishermen. They use satellite phones and Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Once they spot their target, they swarm the ship with fast boats and shoot it by firing AK-47s or even rocket-propelled grenades . Then they hold the ship and its crews for money. "The world should take forceful actions together to fight piracy," said leaders at the Asian and Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru. "However, putting in anti-piracy army can only be half of the solution. We have to protect the fair chance of Somali fishermen to get a good living and keep them from the lure of easy money," said Peter Lehr, a lecturer in terrorism studies. When did piracy reach its peak?
My name is Jack. I am a pupil of Grade One. I'm in No.1 Middle School. On weekdays I get up at six o'clock. I have breakfast at seven and then I go to school by bike. We begin our class at eight o'clock in the morning. We have four classes in the morning and three in the afternoon. At noon, I have lunch at home. Classes are over at four fifteen in the afternoon. After class, we often play football in the afternoon. I go home at about five. I have supper at about six thirty in the evening. I do my homework at seven thirty. At weekend, I watch TV. I often go to bed at ten. I'm very happy. ,. Jack often watches TV on _ . A Monday B Thursday C Sunday D Tuesday Answer: C. Sunday Everyone knows what a needle is. Of course there are needles and needles. Needles for sewing machines, needles for injection , you name it. But few people think of the wonder a needle works in the hands of those who practice acupuncture . During the past ten years or so, I have been suffering from terrible headache. It seems to be getting from bad to worse these days . Last night I got a sudden pain in my head. It was so terrible that I could hardly bear it. Although I swallowed all kinds of pain-killers, I didn't feel any better, It seemed that there was nothing I could do but phone for a doctor. One of our neighbors happened to be with us. He was not a doctor, but he timidly offered his help, saying "Do you mind if I tried acupuncture on you? These needles may possibly do you some good." I agreed. In a moment, he had taken out a few needles from his purse. Without a moment's delay, he fixed a few needles into the skin on my head here and there, Before long, I felt thoroughly relieved. Just then, the doctor sped through my house and said, "Where is our patient?" "Sorry, Doctor, You are too late, It's killed!" I answered in delight. It's a miracle , isn't it? The passage tells us that . A everyone knows that acupuncture is a miracle B the neighbor wanted to use acupuncture on every patient C the effect of acupuncture on the man was unbelievable D the patient did not believe in acupuncture Answer: C. the effect of acupuncture on the man was unbelievable What energy transformation occurs when an electric lamp is turned on? A electrical energy to light and heat energy B light energy to electrical and mechanical energy C heat energy to electrical and light energy D electrical energy to mechanical and heat energy Answer: A. electrical energy to light and heat energy A company advertised in the newspaper for a sales position. Details of the prerequisite , salary and benefits were given. It was also clearly stated that applicants needed to take an aptitude test and an interview. However, looking at the whole advertisement, one could not find any contact information of the company. Most interested applicants thought that it was the company's HR department's carelessness or a printing error. They therefore waited patiently for the newspaper to publish an amendment. But instead of waiting for the newspaper to publish the company details, another three applicants took the initiative to find out the company's contact information themselves. Tim did a search on the Internet. By typing the company's name, he easily obtained all the information including its contact number. Lisa called up the local telephone number search service and found out the company's office number. She called up the office and got the required contact information. Donna put in a greater effort in her search. She remembered seeing a poster by the same company in the city so she drove all the way down and made a few rounds to search for it. She finally found it together with the company's contact information. Three days after that advertisement was published in the newspaper, most interested applicants were still waiting eagerly for an amendment. On the other hand, the application letters and resumes of Tim, Lisa and Donna had already reached the hands of the company's HR manager. They were then called up for an interview. During the interview, all went well and immediately they were hired. The three of them were a little surprised at how fast things went on. They were expecting for an aptitude test as stated in the advertisement. The HR director answered them, smiling, "Our test is hidden in the advertisement itself. To be a good salesperson in this age, he or she has to be broad-minded and very importantly, does not follow rigid steps or rules. You are all clever and agile. In a short time, you've managed to find ways of contacting us. It shows clearly that you have passed the test with flying colors!" The fools sit around waiting for their chances whereas the wise actively take actions with great initiative . Whose search skill is the easiest of all? A Tim's. B Lisa's. C Donna's. D None. Answer: A. Tim's. Programs may already be installed on the computers at your school or university. If not, you can consider looking at catalogues to see what is available on CD-ROM. Some people question whether computers can really help you to read, any better than picking up a book. There is some justification for this, but listen to the arguments from people who believe that computers have something to offer. The first argument relates to motivation. Anything that makes you spend more time reading will be helpful, so if you are someone who likes to turn on your computer as soon as you walk into your room, then you could find yourself motivated to spend more time on your foreign-language reading if it appears on your screen. There is more to computers than motivation, though. You need to make use of all the technical possibilities, because good programs allow things to happen which are not possible with a book. This leads on to the idea of autonomy in language learning. We have already seen many times in this book that you, the language learner, will make a far bigger difference to your ultimate success than your teacher will. With a computer, you can decide how many repetitions to have and how to respond to the commands. In some programs you also shape the direction of the story you are reading by the selections you make. In other words, you don't have to move along at the pace of the rest of the class, which you may find too slow or too fast. The flip side of learner autonomy is learner misuse of programs. Some programs allow short-cuts which give you a sense of having finished, but without actually having done much learning. _ At the end of a session using well-designed materials, you should learn more than some new vocabulary and sentence patterns; you should also learn more about the reading process. As with all aspects of your language learning, you can finish your session with a critical eye to what you have learned from the program. This will include thinking about whether to repeat it or move on to another level. What would be the best title for the text? A Computer prefix = st1 /Reading B Computer-AssistedReading C Computer Can Read D Students And Computer Answer: B. Computer-AssistedReading
Which would be most affected by a magnet? Answer: As water gets warmer Answer: China's famous scientist, the Cloth Shoes Academician Li Xiaowen passed away on January 10th, 2015 in Beijing at the age of 67. Hundreds of thousands of citizens sang high praise for him online, showing their respect to the leading authority in remote sensing field. Following Li Xiaowen's last wish, his family held a simple funeral for him, while many admirers from all over the country came to the funeral for remembrance. Some national leaders including Premier Li Keqiang also sent a wreath. Li was a professor at Beijing Normal University and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research achievements have advanced the development of remote sensing science, and made China one of the leaders in this field. He also received several famous science prizes from China. He published 1,878 essays on his blog since 2007. All his students have thumbed up to Li for his contributions to the development of remote sensing. He was known to everyone in the remote sensing circle, but was impressive on citizens for a photo. In recent years, Professor Li's quiet and self-effacing behavior was recognized through social media. In 2014, a photograph of Academician Li was taken by his student, in which he was attentively making a lecture with shabby clothes, grizzled hair and straggling beard, without socks, and wearing black cloth shoes. He looked like an old villager, rather than a famous scientist. The photo became popular on the Internet and earned him the title of the "Cloth Shoes Academician." His simple plain image, kindness to all his students and dedication to his career are three important features on him. All these are precious to educational and academic community. "The society is changeable but Academician Li is quiet. He faced all stuff with his characters of quietness and simplicity. It is clear that he has become the 'Teacher Immortal'." said Ge Yuejing, a senior leader of Beijing Normal University. Why was Li Xiaowen popular with citizens? Answer: One day, Wilson was walking quietly along the road when someone hit him hard on the back of his neck.He looked behind him, and saw a young man whom he had never seen before. "How dare you hit me like that?" shouted Wilson. The young man said he had mistaken Wilson for a friend of his and that he thought Wilson was making a lot of noise about nothing. This insult made Wilson even angrier, of course, and he at once decided to bring the young man before a judge. Now, the judge, who heard the case, was a friend of the young man's father's, and, although he pretended to be quite fair, he was thinking about what he could do to protect the young man from being punished while at the same time not to be appearing unfair. Finally he said to Wilson, "I understand your feelings in this matter very well.Would you be satisfied if I let you hit the young man as he hit you?" Wilson said he would not be.The young man had insulted him and should be _ punished. "Well, then," said the judge to the young man, "I order you to pay ten coins to Wilson." Ten coins was very little for such a crime, but the young man did not have it with him, so the judge allowed him to go and get it. Wilson waited for him to return with the money.He waited an hour, and then two hours, while the judge took care of other business. When it was nearly time for the court to close, Wilson chose a moment when the judge was especially busy, came up quietly and hit him hard on the back of the neck.Then he said to him, "I am sorry, but I can't wait any longer.When the young man comes back, tell him that I have passed my right to the ten coins on to you." The best title for this passage is _ . Answer: Britons may like to complain a lot, but they rarely do so right now, explains BBC writer Ruth Margolis. They would rather grumble afterward. This is because Britons hate to put someone out and cause any embarrassment. Margolis writes, "For instance, I'm much more comfortable just leaving that piece of raw chicken on my plate instead of complaining to restaurant staff. But beware: if this kind of thing happens when you're dining with an American, they will most likely speak up on your behalf and not understand why you find this ashamed." In a BBC blog post comparing cultural differences between the UK and the US, Margolis mentions a few other things that Americans like to do that are offensive to Britons. * Not making introductions Margolis says most Britons dislike this approach because "talking to strangers without being introduced gives them a stomachache". Americans rarely introduce a new friend to their friends at parties. Strangers are supposed to introduce themselves. * "Quite" good Using "quite" to mean "very" happens a lot in the US. But if you are invited to a dinner party in Britain, don't describe the meal as "quite good" if you want to express high praise. To Britons' ears, "quite" _ the "good": the meal was OK but could have been better. * Money Talk Americans can talk about money subjects for hours without feeling uncomfortable. For Britons, says Margolis, "Talking about how much we make is unthinkable -- even 1ess so than discussing our feelings." * Over-politeness "It's not that I want shop assistants to be actively rude. But neither do I want to expend energy responding to someone who's been paid to ask: 'How are you today?'" says Margolis. In the US, it is not unusual to be greeted by a perfect stranger as "honey" or "sweetie". But Margolis says Britons find put-on friendliness, especially in stores, deeply irritating. Which of the following might Margolis agree with? Answer:
Hummingbirds have got their name from the distinct "hum" sound made by their rapidlyflapping wings. The size of the bird decides the number of flaps it can do. The average lifetime of a hummingbird is 3 or 4 years, but some of them have lived beyond 12 years also. They are unique in many ways. Besides the number of rapid flaps they can do per second, they can also fly backwards. Hummingbirds have an amazing sense of assessing the amount of sugar in thenectar they eat. They feed on the nectar of flowers. Hummingbirds do not feed on flowers whose nectar contains less than 10% sugar. Talk about a sweet tooth! As they cannot sustain themselves on nectar alone because of its poor nutritional value, they also feed on insects and spiders, and hummingbird food mixture that one can make at home. Attracting hummingbirds to your garden will require a little planning. Plant butterfly bush, mimosa, coral bells, foxglove, morning glory, etc. These flowers attract the hummingbirds due to their highvisibility and nectar production. Avoid usingpesticides , as it will not only kill the insects around the flowers, but hurt the hummingbirds as well. A common food for these birds is the sweettastingsugar syrup . Hummingbird food ingredients are just two: sugar and water. Take a large clean bowl, pour in it four cups of hot water, and dissolve one cup of table sugar in it. Stir slowly until all sugar has dissolved. Hummingbirds, tiny as they are, collect a lot of nutrition. Providing them with hummingbird food mixture made of sugar water is a sure way to get all these beauties humming in your garden. In order to attract hummingbirds, you should _ . Answer: grow plants whose flowers are bright in color Tomorrow is Saturday. I'm not going to work, and my brother isn't going to school. We are going to play table tennis. We are going to have lunch in a restaurant. We're coming home at five. My parents are going to visit my grandparents. They are going to get home at half past five. We are going to help my mother cook the dinner. After supper, I am going to dance with my friends, and my brother is going to watch TV with my parents. My parents are going to come back_. Answer: at 5:30 Which statement best describes the energy transformations that occur when a candle burns? Answer: Chemical energy from the wax is converted into light and heat energy. Jenny was a five-year-old girl. One day, while she was shopping with her mother, she saw a plastic pearl necklace and loved it so much. So she asked her mother to buy it for her. Every night, before Jenny went to bed, her dad would read stories to her. One night, when he finished the story, he asked, "Jenny, do you love me?" "Dad, you know I love you," Jenny answered. "Well, give me your necklace," Dad said. "No, Dad. But you can have my favorite doll." Several times, when her father asked her to give him the plastic necklace, Jenny would give him something else instead. One evening, after Jenny's father read her a story, Jenny said, "Here, Dad." She put her plastic pearl necklace into her father's hand. Her father hold the necklace in one hand and opened the other hand. There was a real pearl necklace in it. He had had it for a long time, and waited for Jenny to give up the cheap one so that he could give her the real one. So, don't be _ . If we are generous , maybe we will get something better. What does the writer want to tell us? Answer: We should learn to be generous. Eat like a king in the morning, a prince at noon, and a peasant at night. This saying is all about the importance of breakfast. And now scientists can tell us just why it's so important. According to a study carried out at Imperial College London, UK, skipping the first meal of the day not only means you eat more at lunch, but also that your brain wants to find more unhealthy foods. The study suggests that there is a special part of our brain called the orbitofrontal cortex , which plays an important part in making choices about what we eat. It is used for identifying the taste of food, especially when skipping breakfast. It is more likely to target high-calorie foods when you're on an empty stomach. Scientists did an experiment on this. Dr Tony Goldstone from Imperial College London, scanned the brains of 21 men and women, around the age of 25. On the first day, these people skipped breakfast before the scans. On the second day, they had cereal , bread and jam as breakfast. After the scan on both days, they had their lunch. When the volunteers had skipped breakfast, they ate around 20 percent more at lunch, compared with days when they had eaten breakfast.Their brain scans also showed the orbitofrontal cortex was especially responsive to high-calorie foods. "We believe that bit identifies the value of foods - how pleasant, how delicious something is," Goldstone told The Guardian. Which of the following can be the title for this passage? Answer: Breakfast still most important
A mouse happened to look through a hole in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered. But he was sad to discover it was a mousetrap . Back to the farmyard, the mouse announced this warning: "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The hen clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a great concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it." Then the mouse turned to the pig. The pig sympathized, but said, "I am very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers." Then the mouse turned to the cow and repeated the same words. The cow said, "Moo, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose." So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and sadly faced the farmer's mousetrap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house - the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey . The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it. It was a poisonous snake whose tail was caught in the trap. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital. When she returned home, she still had a fever. Everyone knows fresh chicken soup is good to treat a fever. So the farmer took his knife to the farmyard. The hen was killed. But his wife's sickness continued. Friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well but died. So many people came for her funeral that the farmer had the cow killed to provide enough meat for all of them for the lunch. The mouse looked on it all from his hole in the wall with great sadness. What did the mouse do when it returned to the farmyard? A. It warned its neighbors of the danger. B. It argued with its neighbors loudly. C. It had a warm talk with its friends. D. It tried hard to cheer its friends. Answer: A. It warned its neighbors of the danger. With more recognition than Halloween and less than Christmas, Valentine's Day as an imported festival faces a dangerous situation in China, where it's caught between forces of tradition and fashion. Valentine's Day has a natural enemy in China. And it is not the Chinese _ , which falls on the seventh day of the seventh month on the lunar calendar, usually around half a year away from Feb. 14. It is the Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, which will influence the Feast of Saint Valentine. The real disagreement between East and West probably took place over a century ago, when China's door was forced open by Western powers and Chinese scholars supported westernization as a means to strengthen our nation's ability to compete. The introduction of the solar calendar and Western measurements was both an acknowledgment of their influence and an effort to be accepted by the world order. For a full century, we have had two systems running in parallel. When it comes to the eventual outcome, practicality usually beats all other concerns. Laws can help, such as the three traditional festivals of Tomb Sweeping, Dragon Boat and Mid-Autumn gaining legal status in 2008 and giving every Chinese citizen a day off, but laws cannot push what people have no feelings for. So, the celebration or boycott of imported holidaysor homegrown ones should be no cause for worry. If they are irrelevant, no social media will change the public's mind; and if they are accepted, there must be a need which they happen to satisfy. Since we have no global Qin Shihuang to force one system on every country, we can always rely on a dual approach by which we share with the outside world on one hand but preserve our own ways of life on the other. Which of the following can decide what to celebrate according to the author? A. Laws. B. Media. C. Needs. D. Tradition. Answer: C. Needs. In our schooldays, everyone has the memories they can cherish and treasure for their whole life. Schooldays are the most joyful and fun filled with many mysteries to solve and many fights to resolve. In my schooldays, I had many friends and some foes. We used to gossip, play and sometimes fight over silly things. I had two best friends. They were very' nice and loyal to me. Every teacher in my school liked us, although we weren't brilliant students. In fact we were average ones but still we respected our elders and loved our youngsters. Since my childhood, I've never been complaining to anyone about anything as I had everything I needed or wanted. I miss my schooldays since they are all about having fun and no competitions. The most exciting part is "the exchange of lunch boxes". Usually my best friends and I liked each other's lunch and soon developed a habit of exchanging lunches. Apart from sharing lunches, we also used to share our silly secrets. We used to play our self-created games and draw photos for fun. We also used to have bets and treats for rewards on childish things but we never played jokes on anyone. My childhood was indeed really amazing and simple. We found fun in small but beautiful things. It was surely surrealistic but also exciting at times. In my schooldays, we sometimes played in the rains, made paper boats, ate ice-creams and enjoyed every drop of water and after getting all bathed up in water, we had hot chocolate drinks. These were some of the memories of my schooldays in my childhood, which I still cherish today. I hope everyone's childhood days are just as carefree and joyous as mine. Which of the following words can describe the author's childhood? A. Silly and worrying. B. Troublesome and painful. C. Carefree and joyous. D. Surrealistic and joyous. Answer: C. Carefree and joyous. We all have our ways of marking time. As a photographer,my life is measured from one story to the next. My oldest son was born in the middle of a long story about the Endangered Species Act. My daughter came along with a pack of gray wolves. Twenty stories later,though,it's the story in Alaska that I'll remember best. It was the story about the loss of wilderness--and the story during which my wife Kathy got cancer. That's the one that made time stand still. I stopped taking pictures on the day when she found that tumor .Cruelly,it was Thanksgiving. By Christmas,she had become very weak. Some days she was so sick she couldn't watch TV. Early examination saves time. But ours was not early. By the time you can feel it yourself,it's often bigger than the doctor want it to be. Cancer is a thief. It steals time. Our days are already short with worry. Then comes this terrible disease,unfair as storm at harvest time. But cancer also has the power to change us,for good. We learn to simplify,enjoying what we have instead of feeling sorry for what we don't. Cancer even made me a better father. My work had made me a stranger to my three kids. But now I pay attention to what really matters. This is not a race. This is a new way of life and new way of seeing,all from the cancer. In the end each of us has so little time. We have less of it than we can possibly imagine. And even though it turns out that Kathy's cancer has not spread,and her prognosis is good,we try to make it all count now,enjoying every part of every day. I've picked up my camera again. I watch the sky,searching for beautiful light. When winter storms come,Kathy and I gather our children and take the time to catch snowflakes on our tongues. After all,this is good. This is what we're living for. As a photographer,the author used to _ . A. leave his daughter with a pack of gray wolves B. express his love for his family in a special way C. miss a great many important historical moments D. devote much more to his career than his family Answer: D. devote much more to his career than his family The United States has always been a country of many cultures. Before Europeans came to North America, many groups of Native Americans lived here. Different Native American groups had different cultures. The first Europeans in the United States were from England and Holland, but immigrants came from all European countries. Many people also immigrated from Asia and Africa. Sadly, many Africans were brought to the United States as slaves. Many immigrants come from Latin America too. Today, the United States has people from more cultures than ever. In the 19th century, people spoke of the United States as a " _ ." People thought that all immigrates should forget their native cultures and languages and become English-speaking Americans. They felt that people should assimilate - join American culture. However, not everyone wanted to assimilate completely. Many people tried to keep parts of their cultures, such as foods, customs, and languages. However, their children often forgot their parents' or grandparents' language. But most Americans, even those whose families have been here a long time, can tell the countries their s came from. And of course, new immigrants take great pride in their curare and language. For all of these reasons, melting pot is no longer a good way to describe the United States. Instead, people now call the United States a " _ ." They say salad bowl because in a salad, you can still see all of the individual parts (lettuce, tomato, and so on), but all the different parts mixed together and begin to take on the flavor of one another. The "salad bowl" reflects the fact that immigrates to the United States _ . A. help each other B. assimilate only partially C. take great pride in their culture and language D. remain independent Answer: B. assimilate only partially
Today is July 20th.Mr Smith is going to have a trip.This is his travel plan. Dep.="depart;" leave arr.=arrive 21 July dep. New York 12:25 23 July dep. Ottawa 14:20 arr. Toronto 17:15 25 July dep. Toronto 09:45 arr. Tokyo 15:10 29 July dep. Tokyo 14:20 Arr. Sydney 20:05 2 August dep. Sydney 08:20 Arr. New York 16:25 How long does it take to fly from Sydney to New York? Answer: 485 minutes. People all over the world write to Big Ben. They even send birthday presents. Big Ben is not a person. It's a clock. Big Ben is the great clock hanging up in a tower of the parliament building. The people of London like to see Big Ben's four friendly faces. They like to hear the bell striking on the hour. Bong! Bong! Bong! Big Ben's story started in 1834. In that year the old parliament building was burned down. Its clock tower fell to the ground. There had to be a new building and a new clock. Plans were made. They called for a "King of Clock, the biggest and the best in the world". So the clock had to be big. And it had to keep very good time. In two years the big clock was made. Five more years went by before the clock tower was last finished. Then the four bells for the chimes were brought into the tower. And at last the big hour bell was put in place. It rang out for the first time on July 11, 1859. This great bell had to have a name. A meeting of parliament was called to pick one. "This clock is the king of clocks," one man said. "Let's call the bell the Queen of Bells." "Then why not Victoria?" said another (Victoria was the British queen at that time). The talk about names went on and on. Then Benjamin Hall got up to speak. He was a big man. By this time they were all tired. Someone shouted, "Why not call it Big Ben and be done with it?" Everybody laughed, and the meeting was over. But it was called Big Ben from then on. Not just the bell but the whole clock. In which year might Victoria be the British queen? Answer: 1863 Canada is a very large country .It is the second largest country in the world .By contrast it has a very small population . There are only about 29 million people there . Most Canadians are of British or French _ ,and French is an official language of Canada as well as English .About 45%of the people are of British origin ,that is ,they or their parents or grandparents , etc ,come from British . Nearly 30%are of French origin . Most of the French -Canadians live in province of Quebec . Over the years ,people have come to live in Canada from many countries in the world .They are from many countries in the world .They are from most European countries and also from China, besides other Asian countries . However , Canada was not an empty country when the Europeans began to arrive . Canadian Indians lived along the coast , by the rivers and lakes and in forests . Today , there are only about 350 000 Indians in the whole country , with their own languages . In the far north live the Inuit . There are only 27 000 Canadian-Inuit . Their life is hard in such a difficult climate . About _ live in Quebec . Answer: 8 700 000 French -Canadians The big screen is never short of films about World WarII. When Nazi Germany is featured in these films, cruel Nazi officers and brutal concentration camps most often represent it. But the new Hollywood movie Valkyrie tells a different story, "a chapter of German history which is little known abroad", according to the German Cultural Minister Bernd Neumann. Valkyrie is based on a true incident that took place in 1944. Colonel Stauffenberg had been a loyal soldier for his entire military career. However, after losing an eye, a hand, and three fingers in an Allied bombing, _ . The destruction that his country had brought to its European neighbors had become too terrible for the colonel to bear in silence. He hoped that someone would find a way to stop Adolf Hitler, one of the most evil tyrants the world has ever known. Realizing that time was running out, he decided that he must take action himself and joined the German resistance. These men drew up Operation Valkyrie, a plot to assassinate Hitler and to overthrow his Nazi government from the inside. This plot is what the film is named after and focuses on. The Hollywood star Tom Cruise plays the lead role. "This was a very challenging film to make. We carried a huge responsibility to correctly portray history," Cruise said. However, the production has drawn criticism for lacking depth and for simplifying the motives behind the plot. The passage tells us that Valkyrieis _ . Answer: a movie about a plan to assassinate Hitler The soldiers had just moved to the desert, and as they had never been in such a place before, they had a lot to learn. As there were no trees or buildings in the desert, it was, of course, very hard to hide their trucks from enemy planes. The soldiers were, therefore, given training in camouflage. They were shown how to paint their trucks in irregular patterns with pale green, yellow, and brown paints, and then to cover them with nets to which they had tied small pieces of cloth. The driver of the biggest truck had a lot of trouble camouflaging it. He spent several hours painting it, preparing a net and searching for some heavy rocks with which to hold the net down. When it was all finished, he went for lunch. When he came back from his meal, he was surprised and worried to see that his camouflage was completely spoilt by the truck's shadow, which was growing longer and longer as the afternoon advanced. He stood looking at it, not knowing what to do. Soon an officer arrived, and he, too, saw the shadow, of course. "Well," he shouted to the poor driver, "What are you going to do about it? If an enemy plane comes over, the pilot will at once know that there is a truck there." "I know, sir," answered the soldier. "Well, don't just stand there doing nothing!" said the officer. "What shall I do, sir?" asked the poor driver. "Get your spade and throw some sand over the shadow, of course!" answered the officer. The soldier was surprised and worried because _ . Answer: it was late in the afternoon, and he could not get rid of the shadow
Accidents happen almost every day. Some accidents are not serious and some are. We read about such accidents nearly every day in the newspapers. It is wrong for people to think that accidents take place only on the roads or highways, or even at work places. Home accidents are just as common. Because very few home accidents are reported, people come to think that there are few accidents which happen in homes. There have been many cases where people fall to their deaths from high rise flats. Children often fall over while coming down the stairs. Old people may slip on wet floors if they are not careful. Nowadays there are a lot of modern electrical appliances such as rice cookers which make life easy for the modern house wives. These appliances can kill if they are not used in the proper way. Gas stoves used for cooking are also dangerous if they are not properly used. They may cause burns or, in more serious cases, even fires. But all such accidents can be stopped if we are careful and follow simple rules of safety. For example, it is unwise for people to try repairing their own electrical appliances if they do not know how to. It is safer to get them repaired by an electrician . Which of the following accidents may NOT happen in homes? Answer: Teachers say the digital age has had a good and a not-so-good influence on the American teenagers. More than 2,000 high school teachers took an online survey. 75 percent of the teachers said the Internet and digital search tools have had a "mostly good" use for their students' research habits and skills, But 87 percent agreed that these technologies "make the students not have enough attention." And 64 percent said the technologies "do little to help them in courses." Judy Buchanan is a director of the National Writing Project. Ms. Buchanan says digital research tools are helping students learn more, and learn faster. Teachers really like these tools, because they are ways to make some of learning exciting. Young people enjoy using these tools. And the goal is to help them become creative students of meaningful work, and not just that kind of copyist. But one problem the survey found is that many students don't have a good understanding of how to use the digital knowledge well. In other words, they trust too much of the information. Judy Buchanan says these students have not developed the skills they need to tell whether the online information is good or bad. Another problem the survey found is something that might not seem like a problem, at all, being-able to quickly find information online. Teachers say the ability of their students to work hard to find answers is becoming weaker. They say students depend too much on search engines and do not make enough use, of printed books or research, librarians. Besides, many teachers are also worried about the problem that the Internet makes it easy for students to copy work done by others, instead of using their own abilities. How many problems are mentioned in the passage'? Answer: Which involves the greatest variety of cell types? Answer: Dear Mary, I must go to see your grandparents now.I prepare these things for you.Your dictionary is in the bookcase.Your schoolbag is on the sofa.Your pencil box,notebooks and your school card are in the schoolbag.Your jacket is on the chair.Don't _ your watch.It's on the desk. Love you. Mom What's not in the schoolbag? Answer: Steve had a very long finger. It was the longest finger anyone in his town had. One day Steve shut the toilet seat, and his finger got caught in it. He couldn't get it out. It was very cold in the bathroom. This is why his sister brought him a coat. He was in the bathroom a long time. So, Steve started pasting a stone on the wall with glue on the end of his brush. Then he wrote the truth on this stone. He used a black pencil to write the truth on this stone, but the writing turned out blue. He did not know that his sister was watching him write the truth from the ceiling. He was upset because he always had a fear that he would have to share his secret power with his sister. It was too late, she saw that he wrote the truth on the stone. So he let her see his power. With a twirl of his long finger he magically made the toilet seat lift up. He could make things move with his mind. What did Steve write on the stone? Answer:
Each new school year brings fresh reminders of what educators call the summer learning gap. Some call it the summer learning setback. Put simply, it means the longer kids are out of school, the more they forget. The only thing they seem to gain is weight. Most American schools follow a traditional nine-month calendar with winter and spring breaks and about ten weeks of summer vacation. Some schools follow a year-round calendar. They hold classes for about eight weeks at a time, with a few weeks off in between. The National Association for Year-Round Education says there were fewer than 3,000 such schools at last count. They were spread among forty-six of the fifty states. But many experts point out that the number of class days in a year round school is generally the same as in a traditional school. Brenda McLaughlin is a research director at the National Centre for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University. She says studies of year-round schooling have not found strong learning gains. Lead researcher Paul von Hippel said, "Year round schools don't really solve the problem of the summer learning setback. They simply spread it out across the year." Across the country, research shows that students from poor families fall farther behind over the summer than other students. Experts say this can be prevented. They note that many schools and local governments offer programmes that can help. However, calling such programmes "summer school" could be a problem. The director of the summer learning centre at Johns Hopkins, Ikon Fairchild, said research with groups of different parents in Chicago and Baltimore found that almost all strongly disliked the term "summer school". In American culture, the idea of summer vacation is connected to beliefs about freedom and the joys of childhood. The parents preferred other terms like "summer camp, "extra time" and "hands-on learning. what would be the best title for this passage? Answer: Minding the Summer Learning Gap There are seabirds as well as land-birds. The most ordinary seabird is the seagull. It has a white body, a white head and a yellow beak. There is a very, very spot of red at the very end of the beak, underneath. All gulls have very strong wings so that they can fly far out to sea. If a gull flies out too far, so that it is too tired to fly back to the shore , it does not get frightened, for it can sit and rest upon the waves . A seagull's wings do not get wet because all its feathers have a kind of oil over them, so that when the water gets on to the feathers, it just runs off again. Gulls can even sleep upon the waves. Sailors know a lot about seagulls and they never kill them. When the gulls fly a long way out to sea, sailors say that it means fine weather is coming. When the gulls stay near the shore, sailors say they there will be much wind and rain, and perhaps a storm, for the gulls know more about the weather than sailors do. The water can't make the seagull's feathers wet because the feathers are _ . Answer: oily Do you want to live with a strong sense of peacefulness,happiness,goodness,and selfrespect?The collection of happiness actions broadly categorized (......) as "honor" help you create this life of good feelings. Here's an example to show how honorable actions create happiness. Say a store clerk fails to charge us for an item.If we keep silent,and profit from the clerk's mistake,we would drive home with a sense of sneaky excitement.Later we might tell our family or friends about our good fortune.On the other hand,if we tell the clerk about the uncharged item,the clerk would be grateful and thank us for our honesty.We would leave the store with a quiet sense of honor that we might never share with another soul. Then,what is it to do with our sense of happiness? In the first case,where we don't tell the clerk,a couple of things would happen.Deep down inside we would know ourselves as a type of thief.In the process,we would lose some peace of mind and selfrespect.We would also demonstrate that we cannot be trusted,since we advertise our dishonor by telling our family and friends.We damage our own reputations by telling others.In contrast, _ causes different things to happen.Immediately the clerk knows us to be honorable.Upon leaving the store,we feel honorable and our selfrespect is increased.Whenever we take honorable actions we gain the deep internal rewards of goodness and a sense of nobility. There is a beautiful positive cycle that is created by living a life of honorable actions.Honorable thoughts lead to honorable actions.Honorable actions lead us to a happier existence.And it's easy to think and act honorably again when we're happy.While the positive cycle can be difficult to start,once it's started,it's easy to continue.Keeping on doing good deeds brings us peace of mind,which is important for our happiness. Which of the following can be the best title of this passage? Answer: Happiness through Honorable Actions Educating girls quite possibly outputs a higher rate of return than any other investment available in the developing world. Women's education may be an unusual field for economists, but raising women's contribution to development is actually as much an economic as a social problem. And economics, with its emphasis on motivation, provides an explanation for why so many girls can't receive education. Parents in low-income countries fail to invest in their daughters because they do not expect them to make an economic contribution to the family: girls grow up only to marry into somebody else's family and bear children. Girls are thus seen as less valuable than boys and are kept at home to do housework while their brothers are sent to school-- _ , trapping women in a vicious circle of neglect. An educated mother, on the other hand, has greater earning abilities outside the home and faces an entirely different set of choices. She is likely to have fewer but healthier children and can insist on the development of all her children, ensuring that her daughters are given a fair chance. The education of her daughters then makes it much more likely that the next generation of girls, as well as of boys, will be educated and healthy. The vicious circle is thus transformed into a good circle. Few will disagree with it that educating women has great social benefits. But it has enormous economic advantages as well. Most obviously, there is the direct effect of education on the wages of female workers. Wages rise by 10 to 20 per cent for each additional year of schooling. Such big returns are impressive by the standard of other available investments, but they are just the beginning. Educating women also has a significant influence on health practices, including family planning. The author argues that educating girls in developing countries is _ . Answer: rewarding To many web-building spiders, most of whom are nearly blind, the web is their essential window on the world: their means of communicating, capturing prey, meeting mates and protecting themselves. A web-building spider without its web is like a men cast away on an island of solid rock,totally out of touch and destined to starve to death. So important is the web to an orb-web spider's survival that the animal will continue to construct new webs daily even if it is being starved. For 16 days the starving spider builds completely normal webs. Then, as the animal gets _ , it constructs a wider-meshed (, )web using fewer strands . Such webs would only trap larger prey, which is more economical from the perspective of a starving spider. The spider stores energy by recycling web protein. It simply eats its own web each evening and reuses it to produce new silk. In studies with radioactivity, labeled materials, it was found that 95 percent of web protein reappears in the next day web. Most of the energy needed for web-building is used in walking over the strands as they are laid down. Scientists are impressed by the adaptability of the spider's highly preprogrammed brain, which is larger for its size than the brain of any other invertebrate . If web-building is interrupted, or if some of the existing strands are destroyed, the spider simply goes back to see where the web is left off and then finishes building a normal web. One spider will finish building the incomplete web of another. Which of the following best expresses the main ideas of the passage? Answer: Importance of Webs to Spiders
The sea is very big. When you look at the map of the world, you will find there is more water than land. The sea covers three quarters of the world. It looks very pretty when the sun is shining on it. It can be very rough when there is a big wind. The sea is also very deep in some places. Some parts of the sea are very shallow. But in some places the depth of the sea is very great. There is one spot, near Japan, where the sea is nearly 11 kilometers deep! The highest mountain in the world is about 9 kilometers high. If that mountain were put into the sea at that place, there would be 2 kilometers of water above it! The sea is salty. Rivers, which flow into the sea, carry salt from the land into the sea. Some parts of the sea are more salty than other parts. There is one sea, called the Dead Sea, which is very salty. It is so salty that swimmers can't sink! Fish can't live in the Dead Sea! The sea can be very cold. Divers, who go deep down in the sea, know this. On the top the water may be warm. When the diver goes downwards, the sea becomes colder and colder. Another thing happens. When the diver goes deeper, the water above presses down on him. It squeezes him. Then the diver has to wear clothes made of metal. But he cannot go very deep. Some people who wanted to go very deep used a very strong diving ship! They went down to a depth of eleven kilometers. Because of the sea, only_of the world is left for people to live in. A 45% B 30% C 15% D 25% Answer: D Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17,1706 in Boston,America. In his life he built a successful printing and publishing business in Philadelphia;he conducted scientific studies of electricity and made several important discoveries;he was a diplomat and statesman;he helped establish Pennsylvania's first university and America's first city hospital;he also organized the country's first subscription library . Franklin was also _ in America as an inventor until Thomas Edison. Ben had poor eyesight and needed glasses to read. He got tired of always taking them off and putting them back on,so he decided to figure out a way to make his glasses let him see both near and far. He had two pairs of glasses cut in half and put half of them together. Today,we call them bifocals .Another invention of his,an iron stove,allowed people to warm their homes. He loved to learn about new things. He also thought it was important to make life better with the things that he invented. Electricity was one of the things he experimented with when he retired from his business. Ben discovered that lightning and electricity were the same thing. The lightning rod was an important invention that we still use today to protect buildings and ships from lightning damage. Franklin preferred to have his inventions used freely for the comfort and convenience of everyone. Thomas Jefferson,the third president of America,called Benjamin Franklin "the greatest man of the age and country in which he lived".To Benjamin Franklin there was no greater purpose in life than to "live usefully". Benjamin Franklin was NOT a _ . A diplomat B scientist C businessman D president Answer: D Minh Pham was born in Vietnam. He left there when he was 21 years old. Minh has been in America for almost two years. There is still much he does not understand about America. Once, Minh was in a supermarket. He saw an old man and an old woman. They wanted a box of cereal .The box was on a high shelf. The man and the woman couldn't reach it. Minh saw a stepladder. He got on the ladder and got the box. He handed it to the elderly couple. They thanked him. "Where are your children?" asked Minh. "Why don't they help you buy food?" "Our children have their own lives," said the man and the woman. "We like to be independent." Minh doesn't think this is right. In his country, children help their parents. Minh gave the elderly couple his phone number. He told them to call him if they needed help. One night they asked Minh to dinner, but they never asked him for help. One day, Minh was walking with a Vietnamese friend. The two men were going to a movie. Minh wanted to go to a restaurant first. Minh took his friend's hand. He pulled him towards the restaurant. People on the street stared at Minh. In Vietnam, friends often hold hands. Minh found that the people in America are not used to men holding hands. Minh Pham is going through a process known as _ . Socialization is the process in which a person learns to live in a society. Everyone goes through this process. Minh went through it when he lived in Vietnam. But the Vietnamese way of life is rather different from the American way of life. When Minh came to America, he had to learn a new way of life. He had to learn how to live in a new society. Minh has learned a lot about American life in two years. He still has a lot to learn. The process of resocialization can take many years. The main idea of the passage is that socialization is the way in which a person _ . A learns to live in a society B travels from one country to another C learns to act independently D learns about their country Answer: A HAS Travel Dot is a travel agency which offers many interesting travel packages. _ $ 2900 Depart : Mar. 21, 2014 Return: Mar. 29, 2014 Australia's Gold Coast is a modern city of high-rise buildings, built around beautiful beaches. There are international theme parks, first-class restaurants, and lively nightclubs. _ $3500 Depart: Apr. 1, 2014 Return: Apr. 6, 2014 In every corner of Britain, you'll find many great attractions, from small local museums to world-famous attractions like Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. _ $ 3200 Depart: Apr. 3, 2014 Return: Apr. 12, 2014 It is a wonderful place in Canada. Fresh water, lakes and rivers, as well as the St. Lawrence River make it a perfect destination for boating, fishing, and camping. _ $700 Depart: Mar. 23, 2014 Return: Mar. 28, 2014 Penang, a state in Malaysia, is one of the most famous islands in South-East Asia. It is well-known for its culture and food. It is also a shopping paradise . You will be able to find things like handicraft, jewellery, clothes and many more at attractive prices. For more information, please visit our website at _ . You can choose _ as your destination, if you have a six-day-off holiday in March. A Britain B Ontario C Penang D Gold Coast Answer: C Which pair together could cause a rainbow? A Fog and clouds B Rain and snow C Clouds and ice D Sunshine and rain Answer: D
Museums Skyscraper Museum Wednesday - Sunday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Adults: $5 305-756-2385 Interested in tall buildings? Design? Then this museum is for you!!! Check the historical buildings and their special design right in lower Manhattan. Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum Sunday - Thursday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Friday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM Adults: $29 Students: $13 305-532-9623 The students in Manhattan had an exciting experience at Madame Tussaud's! They met hundreds of famous people at a discounted price! This museum is your chance to meet your idols and have a picture taken with them. Bass Museum of Art Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Sunday: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Adults: $8 The old / Students: $6 305-673-7530 http://www.bassmuseum.org Enjoy European paintings, and sculptures. It also includes exhibitions of modern artists from different parts of the world. You will also enjoy visiting its beautiful museum shop and media center. World Art Museum Daily: 11:00 AM - Midnight (including holidays) Cost: $15 305-532-9336 http://www.weam.com Located in the heart of the South Beach Art Deco district, this museum shouldn't be missed! It is currently one of South Florida's hottest new attractions. If you are into how to build a house, you may go to _ . Answer: Skyscraper Museum The dream of flying into outer space, cherished by the Chinese people for centuries, will soon come true. China launched its fourth unmanned spacecraft "Shenzhou IV" on December 30 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Gansu Province. It was the 27th consecutive( )and successful launch of China - made rockets since October 1996. This launch has made it more realistic for China to send a person into space on its own following Russia and the USA. Qi Faren,leading designer of the spacecraft system, said all the functions designed for manned flights have withstood the test of three previous, successful launches and return landings of the "Shenzhou" spaceships. China launched the "Shenzhou I ", "Shenzhou II "and "Shenzhou III "spacecrafts in 1999,2001 and 2002 respectively. "Shouzhou IV" was to make it a more comfortable place in which astronauts can live and work. All parts of the application system for manned flight are aboard the "Shenzhou IV"craft in all test flights. China's manned flight programme began in 1992. A number of unmanned test flights will be launched before Chinese astronauts are sent into space. Leading scientists in charge of China's manned space programme said the successful launch of the "Shenzhou IV" laid a solid foundation for the country's future task of sending Chinese astronauts to outer space. The spacecraft returned to the earth on January 5, after completing seven experiments in space. Officials at the centre said that" Shenzhou V", a manned spacecraft, is expected to be launched later this year. How many countries can send a person into space on its own by now? Answer: 2. More than four decades ago British scientist Robert Edwards first witnessed the miracle of human life growing inside a test tube at his Cambridge lab. Since that ground-breaking moment, more than four million babies have been born through IVF and in 2010 his great contribution to science was finally recognized as he was awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine. The prize for Dr Edwards, who was given a Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Award in 2008, includes a PS900,000 cheque. The Nobel Assembly described IVF as a "milestone in modern medicine". With the help of fellow scientist Patrick Steptoe, the Manchester-born physiologist developed IVF -- leading to the birth of the world's first test tube baby. Dr Steptoe died 10 years later but their work has transformed fertility treatment and given hope to millions of couples. It was a scientific breakthrough that transformed the lives of millions of couples. They said: "His achievements have made it possible to treat infertility, a disease which makes human unable to have a baby. This condition has been afflicting a large percentage of mankind including more than 10% of all couples worldwide." Louise Brown, the world's first test tube baby, made international headlines when she was born in Oldham, Gtr Manchester, in 1978 to parents Lesley and John who had been fruitlessly trying for a baby since 1969. Ivf-in-vitro fertilisation is the process whereby egg cells are fertilised outside the body before being implanted in the womb. After a cycle of IVF, the probability of a couple with infertility problems having a baby is one in five -- the same as healthy couples who conceive naturally. Professor Edwards, who has five daughters and 11 grandchildren, began his research at Cambridge University in 1963, after receiving his PhD in 1955.He once said: "The most important thing in life is having a child. Nothing is more special than a child." With the help of fellow scientist Patrick Steptoe, Prof. Edwards founded the Bourn Hall clinic in Cambridge shire, which now treats more than 900 women a year. Each year, more than 30,000 women in Britain now undergo IVF and 11,000 babies are born as a result of the treatment. But his work attracted widespread criticism from some scientists and the Catholic Church who said it was "unethical and immoral". Martin Johnson, professor of reproductive sciences at the University of Cambridge, said the award was "long overdue". He said: "We couldn't understand why the Nobel has come so late but he is delighted -- this is the cherry on the cake for him." Professor Edwards was too ill to give interviews but a statement released by his family said he was "thrilled and delighted". Why did Professor Edwards begin his research on tube baby? Answer: Because he thought it of great significance to have a child in life. Once there was an old man who liked being told lies. He said "Any man who can tell me two lies which can satisfy me can marry my daughter." So all the liars in the countryside came to his house. But he said to all of them, "I am not satisfied with your lies. I would not give my daughter to any of you. One day, however, a young man came and said, "It will be very hot in summer, so you should go out now and dig a big hole under the street. Then when the hot summer weather comes you will sell the cool air from the hole and get a lot of money." Oh, that's a wonderful lie," answered the old man. "What's the next one?" The young man took out an old paper from his pocket, and said, "Your father borrowed one million from me before he died. He gave this paper to prove that he owed me the money. I didn't ask him to pay that to me." Now the old man did not know what to do. "If I say it's a lie, I must give my daughter, but if I say it's not a lie, I must pay him all the money." He said to himself. In the end he said, It's a lie." And the young man married his daughter. According to the passage, the old man _ . Answer: liked being told lies More often than not, the person sitting next to you on a plane or sleeping in the next hotel room has paid more or less than you did for the same services. Each day, airlines give more than several hundred fares for flights between the same two cities and hotels charge different rates for the same room. So how do you find the best rates? Here are some tips: ^ Sign up for fare special e-mails. When airlines get into a fare war, the cost of a plane ticket can fall overnight and the discounted fare may be sold out by noon the next day. Get on the mailing list of airlines and other travel Web sites so you can be told immediately if fares drop. ^ Buy your tickets at least 21 days in advance. There are usually four different timetables for advance tickets: 21-day, 14-day, 7-day, and 3-day. The further in advance you book your flight, the lower the fare you will find. ^ Consider another airport. Find out about all the airports that are near your destination city. You might be able to fly into a smaller airport or neighboring city at a much lower rate. ^ Stay over a Saturday night. Airlines give the highest fares to business travelers, who fly during the week and spend their weekends at home. If you plan to leave for your trip on a Wednesday and return on Saturday, your fare would be a lot higher than you stay until Sunday morning. ^ Fly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Some airlines offer cheaper fares on different days of the week. Generally, it's the cheapest to fly on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Remember, though, that a Saturday stay is necessary to receive the lowest rate. ^ Pick a flight with plenty of open seats. Seats in a flight are divided into "classes", and each class has its own price. Since the cheapest classes sell first, the fewer seats that are left on a plane, the more expensive they are. This passage is mainly about _ . Answer: how to spend less when traveling by air
It was a winter morning,just a couple of weeks before Christmas of 2005. While most people were warming up their cars,Trevor,my husband,had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival,he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone. The bike,a black Kona 18 Speed,was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work,putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get foods, saving us from having to walk along long distances from where we live. I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that,several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike,then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before. People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another,but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it made us believe more in the beauty of humanity as a whole. And it has influenced us to be more mindful of ways we,too,can share with others. No matter how big or how small,an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can last forever. What do the couple learn from their experience? An act of kindness can mean a lot. Adam entered into a valid written contract to sell Blackacre, a large tract of land, to Betsy. At that time, Blackacre was owned by Adam's father, Fred; Adam had no title to Blackacre and was not the agent of Fred. After the contract was executed and before the scheduled closing date, Fred died intestate, leaving Adam as his sole heir. Shortly thereafter, Adam received an offer for Blackacre that was substantially higher than the purchase price in the contract with Betsy. Adam refused to close with Betsy although she was ready, willing, and able to close pursuant to the contract. Betsy brought an appropriate action for specific performance against Adam. In that action, Betsy should be awarded judgment for specific performance, because Adam acquired title prior to the scheduled closing. The latest research suggests that the key factor separating geniuses from the merely accomplished is not I.Q., a generally bad predictor of success. Instead, it's purposeful practice. Top performers spend more hours practising their craft. If you wanted to picture how a typical genius might develop, you'd take a girl who possessed a slightly above average language ability. It wouldn't have to be a big talent, just enough so that she might gain some sense of distinction. Then you would want her to meet, say, a novelist, who coincidentally shared some similar qualities. Maybe the writer was from the same town, had the same family background, or shared the same birthday. This contact would give the girl a vision of her future self. It would give her some idea of a fascinating circle who might someday join. It would also help if one of her parents died when she was 12, giving her a strong sense of insecurity and fuelling a desperate need for success. Armed with this ambition, she would read novels and life stories of writers without end. This would give her a primary knowledge of her field. She would be able to see new writing in deeper ways and quickly understand its inner workings. Then she would practise writing. Her practice would be slow, painstaking and error-focused. By practising in this way, she delays the automating process. Her mind wants to turn conscious, newly learned skills into unconscious, automatically performed skills. By practising slowly, by breaking skills down into tiny parts and repeating, she forces the brain to internalize a better pattern of performance. Then she would find an adviser who would provide a constant stream of feedback, viewing her performance form the outside, correcting the smallest errors, pushing her to take on tougher challenges. By now she is redoing problems--how do I get characters into a room--dozens and dozens of times. She is establishing habits of thought she can call upon in order to understand or solve future problems. The primary quality our young writer possesses is not some mysterious genius. It's the ability to develop a purposeful, laborious and boring practice routine; the latest research takes some of the magic out of great achievement. But it underlines a fact that is often neglected. Public discussion is affected by genetics and what we're "hard-wired" to do. And it's true that genes play a role in our capabilities. But the brain is also very plastic. We construct ourselves through behavior. By reading novels and writers' stories, the girl could_. come to understand the inner structure of writing The cell of a plant when photosynthesizing may most require access to roofless space Sitting on the peaceful coast of Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, watching the sun move quietly into the sea, you shouldn't forget that Charles Darwin (1809-1882) arrived here in 1835. He stayed on the islands for five weeks, observing various animals. This finally inspired his famous work,On the Origin of Species. You can certainly follow Darwin's footsteps and enjoy a trip from four to seven days to the islands. The islands are certainly a paradise for wildlife, as there are no natural killers on the islands and the number of boats and visitors is under government control. Though you cannot walk freely as Darwin did about 200 years ago, each day is as impressive as it could be. The most well-known animals of the Galapagos is the giant tortoise , which can be seen moving slowly around the highlands of Santa Cruz, the second largest island in the archipelago . Some of these creatures are so old that they might have been seen in their youth by Darwin himself. Despite strict control over activities and timing, your stay on the Galapagos will be remembered as a chain of incomparable pictures: diving with sea lions that swim and play within inches of you; feeling small sharks touch your feet as you swim; and, most magically, seeing a whale and her baby surface with a great breath of air. Travelling between the islands and observing the wildlife that so inspired Darwin, you will feel as though you are getting a special view of an untouched world. At night you will sleep on board the ship, leaving the wildlife in complete occupation of the islands, which are as undisturbed now as they have been since the beginning of time. Your stay on the islands will be most impressive mainly because of _ . a closer view of animals
Want to live longer? Win an Oscar. A new study says that actors who received the award earn more than larger paychecks. So when 94-year-old Katharine Hepburn once remarked that she was respected internationally "like an old building", she had no idea that her four Oscars directly influenced her longevity . The study says winning actors will live 3.9 years longer than their losing counterparts . Actors who have won more than once, like Hepburn, live up to six years longer than those who were nominated but never won. "We found that they died from the same things we all die from--cancer, heart disease, but they fought them a bit longer and diseases came a bit later," says Dr. Donald Redelmeier, the leading author of the study. Redelmeier says the sense of success and satisfaction makes one's soul become more full of life. "We are not saying that you will live longer if you win an Oscar," explains Redelmeier, "or that people should go out and take acting courses. Our main conclusion is simply that social factors are important." The study's implied conclusion, he says, is that doctors should ask about their patients' personal feelings because mental well-being is related to physical health. Redelmeier says he got the idea for the study when he watched a glowing Gwyneth Paltrow win an Oscar in 1999 for her role in Shakespeare in Love. Redelmeier says, "She looked more full of life than anyone I had seen." "We found, too, those that had multi-nominations and no win had the same life expectancy as those with just a single nomination and no win," Redelmeier adds. What would be the best title for the passage? Answer: Most Oscar Winners Live Longer Lives Exercise seems to be good for the human brain,with many recent studies suggesting that regular exercise improves memory and thinking skills.But an interesting new study asks whether the apparent cognitive benefits from exercise are real or just a placebo effect -- that is,if we think we will be "smarter" after exercise,do our brains respond accordingly?The answer has significant implications for any of us hoping to use exercise to keep our minds sharp throughout our lives. While many studies suggest that exercise may have cognitive benefits,recently some scientists have begun to question whether the apparently beneficial effects of exercise on thinking might be a placebo effect.So researchers at Florida State University in Tallahassee and the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign decided to focus on expectations,on what people anticipate that exercise will do for thinking.If people's expectations jibe closely with the actual benefits,then at least some of those improvements are probably a result of the placebo effect and not of exercise. For the new study,which was published last month in PLOS One,the researchers recruited 171 people through an online survey system,they asked half of these volunteers to estimate by how much a stretching and toning regimens performed three times a week might improve various measures of thinking.The other volunteers were asked the same questions,but about a regular walking program. In actual experiments,stretching and toning program generally have little if any impact on people's cognitive skills.Walking,on the other hand,seems to substantially improve thinking ability. But the survey respondents believed the opposite,estimating that the stretching and toning program would be more beneficial for the mind than walking.The estimates of benefits from walking were lower. These data,while they do not involve any actual exercise,are good news for people who do exercise."The results from our study suggest that the benefits of aerobic exercise are not a placebo effect," said Cary Stothart,a graduate student in cognitive psychology at Florida State University,who led the study. If expectations had been driving the improvements in cognition seen in studies after exercise,Mr.Stothart said,then people should have expected walking to be more beneficial for thinking than stretching.They didn't,implying that the changes in the brain and thinking after exercise are physiologically genuine. The findings are strong enough to suggest that exercise really does change the brain and may,in the process,improve thinking,Mr.Stothart said.That conclusion should encourage scientists to look even more closely into how,at a molecular level,exercise remodels the human brain,he said.It also should encourage the rest of us to move,since the benefits are,it seems,not imaginary,even if they are in our head. What might be the best title for the passage? Answer: Does exercise really make us smarter? We each have a memory . That's why we can still remember things after a long time. Some people have very good memories and they can easily learn many things by heart, but some people can only remember things when they say or do them again and again. Many of the great men of the world have got surprising memories. A good memory is a great help in learning a language. Everybody learns his mother language when he is a small child. He hears the sounds, remembers them and then he learns to speak. Some children are living with their parents in foreign countries. They can learn two languages as easily as one because they hear, remember and speak two languages every day. In school it is not so easy to learn a foreign language because the pupils have so little time for it, and they are busy with other subjects, too. But your memory will become better and better when you do more and more exercises. ,. Before a child can speak, he must _ . Answer: hear and remember the sounds Tree-planting is an important part of the ongoing Richmond renaissance that has been changing the city for the last few years. And you are invited to be a part of this transformation on Saturday, November 2, 2013, from 9 am to 1 pm. Volunteers of all ages and abilities are invited to participate. Residents of the City of Richmond will be joined by community volunteers from Richmond Trees, Groundwork Richmond and The Watershed Project to celebrate the fall's Harvest Festival and Tree Planting event. 9:00 am Harvest festivities begin with a volunteer orientation about planting trees. 9:30 am Volunteers will divide into seven planting teams, each captained by an experienced Tree Steward, to plant 30 new street trees along Roosevelt, and on the 500 and 600 blocks of 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd, 35th & 36th streets in the surrounding neighborhood. Richmond Trees and the City of Richmond will provide shovels and vests. Those who would like to participate in planting trees are encouraged to wear sturdy shoes. 11 am La Rondalla del Sagrado Corazon, a local musical ensemble, will play traditional Mexican serenade music. 12 pm Speakers including Chris Magnus, Richmond's Chief of Police and Chris Chamberlain, Superintendent of Parks & Landscaping will speak about the many benefits of growing the urban forest. Healthy harvest refreshments, water and coffee will be available for a small donation that will support the work Richmond Trees is doing in the community to grow the urban forest. There will be art activities and games for children. For more information about the Harvest Festival and Tree Planting event, or planting trees in your own Richmond neighborhood, contact gro.seertdnomhcir@ofni, 510.843.8844. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text? Answer: In total, 30 trees will be planted in the neighborhood. Have you taken inventory of the stress in your life? Stress can come from work. It can come from family. It can come from the places we live and the lifestyles we choose. In a recent survey, 60 percent of respondents said the city in which they live is noisier now than five years ago. The other 40 percent? They didn't hear the question. How much stress do you feel? Though not all stress should be avoided, too much pressure can cause lasting harm in practically every area of your life. The solution is to take control. Robert Reich did just that. As Secretary of Labor in the Clinton cabinet ,Robert B. Reich, told of his decision to resign from the stressful job. He said,"I have the best job I've ever had and probably ever will. No topping it."It was true. He seemed to love his job. But he added, "I also have the best family I'll ever have, and I can't get enough of them."And there was the problem --too much of a good thing. He could not give himself to his family and to this particular career at the same time. So Reich said,"I had to choose, I told the boss I'll be leaving, and explained why." His boss, of course, was the president of the United States. And the country took notice. Some people were surprised. Here was a high government official who made a decision to step out of an important and powerful position in order to spend more time at home. He took control. That is the first step to free ourselves from unnecessary stress: take control. Make the hard decision. It may be a decision for less money, a smaller home, a new location, a different job, less prestige ,or a simpler lifestyle. But one thing I believe: it will be a decision you will never regret. Why did Robert Reich decide to resign? Answer: Because he wanted to spend more time with his family.
Bomb attack onprefix = st1 /Bombaytrains kills 190 BOMBAY, India-Eight bombs exploded in first -class compartments of packed Bombay Trains Tuesday, killing 190 people and wounding hundreds in a well-designed terror attack on the heart of a city that embodies the ambition of the country. Liu Xiang record warmsChina's hearts Liu Xiang ofChinaset a new 110 metres hurdles world record on a stunning night in Lausanne, breaking the record he shared withBritain's Colin Jackson. Liu rushed to the finishing line in a time of 12.88 seconds, beating the old mark of 12.91 that he matched in winning gold at the 2004 A thens Olympics. Jackson ran 12.91 inStuttgart,Germany, in August 1993. Materazzi admits insulting Zidane Marco Materazzi admits he insulted Zinedine Zidane before the France captain head-butted him in the World Cup final. Materazzi denies calling him a"terrorist."Zidane and Materazzi _ after Italy broke up a French attack in extra-time of Sunday's final in Berlin Seconds later, Zidane lowered his head and rammed Materazzi in the chest, knocking him to the ground. President Hu departs for G8 summit BEIJING,July 16-Chinese President Hu Jintao left Beijing on Sunday morning for Russia's St. Petersburg to attend the summit of the Group of Eight major economies. Hu is invited by Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Monday. Hu will meet with G-8 leaders to discuss energy security, prevention and control of epidemic diseases, education, African development and other topics. Among Hu's entourages are State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, Director of the Policy Research Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China(CPC)Wang Huning, Deputy Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee Ling Jihua, Director of thePresident's Office Chen Shiju and Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai. The G-8 members are Britain,Canada,France,Germany,Italy,Japan,Russiaand theUnited States. From the first news item, we can infer that_. A. few Indian people are rich enough to take the first-class compartments B. the terrorists spent plenty of time and efforts in planning the attack C. an exact number of injuries has been discovered after the attack D. the heart of the city Bombayhas always been the target of terror attacks Answer: B Erden Eruc has been rowing across the Pacific Ocean in a rowboat since he left California on July 10, 2007. He has been heading for Australia with only birds, fish, and sharks ever since. Crossing the Pacific is only part of his journey. Eruc has decided to go all the way around the world using his own energy. He will row, bike, walk and climb the world without help from any motors at all. His plan includes climbing the tallest peak on six of the continents along the way. For the first part of his trip, he bicycled 5,546 miles from Seattle, Washington to Mount McKinley in Alaska and back, walked 67 miles to base camp and climbed 20,320 feet to McKinley's peak. Now in the second part of his adventure , he is rowing to Australia. Why would he try to go around the world this way? He explains that he wants to encourage kids to dream their dreams and get to their own goals. He wants to show kids that there might be hard parts along the way, and sometimes they might not even get to that final goal. But they can have adventures and learn a lot along the way. When his trip around the world takes him across land, he enjoys meeting people---especially children. He has already visited many schools and shared his story. Eruc encourages all kids to set their eyes on a goal and not give up. He says, "with goals, we will make progress, and we will be farther along than when we started, even if we don't get to some goals. That's called life!" Eruc seems to have a special love for _ . A. children B. animals C. rowing D. bicycling Answer: A Americans who volunteer for the Peace Corps get a chance to help improve lives in developing countries. They also get a chance to learn more about the world, and about themselves. This week this program is celebrating its 50th anniversary. President John Kennedy established the Peace Corps soon after he took office in 1961. It was the time of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. The new program gave Americans a chance to answer the call to service that the president made in his inaugural speech. "Ask not what your country can do for you," he said. "Ask what you can do for your country." Kennedy told Peace Corps volunteers that America's image in the countries where they were going would depend largely on them. On August 30th, 1961, the first group of 51 Peace Corps volunteers arrived in Accra, Ghana, to serve as teachers. They had agreed to work for almost no pay. They would spend two years in Ghana helping its people and learning the reality of life in a developing country. Most of the volunteers had just completed college. About half of them taught English or health care. In the 50 years since then, more than 200,000 Americans have served as Peace Corps volunteers. They have worked in 139 countries. The Peace Corps is a government agency that was created to promote world peace and friendship. There are three goals: First, to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. Second, to help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the people served. And, third. to help promote a better understanding of other people on the part of Americans. Today, the Peace Corps has more than 8,000 volunteers and trainees in 77 countries. They work in agriculture, economic development, education, the environment and health care. Some work in programs related to youth development. Sixty percent of current Peace Corps volunteers are women. The average age of a volunteer is 28. But the ages of Peace Corps volunteers range from 18 to 86. Some Americans join the Peace Corps after they retire. Today seven percent of volunteers are over the age of 50. And 19 percent are members of minority groups. According to the text, volunteers and trainees assist in the following aspects EXCEPT _ . A. industry B. environment C. education D. health care Answer: A Human needs seem endless. When a hungry man gets a meal, he begins to think about an overcoat, when a manager gets a new sports car, a big house and pleasure boats dance into view. The many needs of mankind might be regarded as making up several levels. When there is money enough to satisfy one level of needs, another level appears. The first and most basic level of needs involves food. Once this level is satisfied, the second level of needs, clothing and some sort of shelter, appears. By the end of World War II, these needs were satisfied for a great majority of Americans. Then a third level appeared. It included such items as automobiles and new houses. By 1957 or 1958 this third level of needs was fairly well satisfied. Then, in the late 1950s, a fourth level of needs appeared; the "life-enriching" level. While the other levels involve physical satisfaction, that is, the need in comfort, safety, and transportation, this level stresses mental needs for recognition, achievement, and happiness. It includes a variety of goods and services, many of which could be called "luxury" items. Among them are vacation trips, the best medical and dental care, and recreation. Also included here are fancy goods and the latest styles in clothing. On the fourth level, a lot of money is spent on services, while on the first three levels more is spent on goods. Will consumers raise their sights to a fifth level of needs as their income increases, or will they continue to demand luxuries and personal services on the fourth level? A fifth level would probably involve needs that can be achieved best by community action. Consumers may be spending more on taxes to pay for government action against disease, ignorance, crime, and prejudice. After filling our stomachs, our clothes closets, our garages, our teeth, and our minds, we now may seek to ensure the health, safety, and leisure to enjoy more fully the good things on the first four levels. It can be inferred from the passage that by the end of World War II, most Americans_. A. were very rich B. lived in poverty C. had the good things on the first three levels D. did not own automobiles Answer: D One day Mrs. Wilson went shopping with Tracy and Ben. They went to the supermarket in the new shopping center." Why do you buy things here?" Tracy wanted to know. "Because they are cheaper here than at the corner store near our home," Mrs. Wilson said." Help me check the prices, please." The Wilsons were not rich and Mrs. Wilson was always careful with her money. She looked carefully after the prices of things. She bought lots of things in the supermarket. When they got home, the children said," We don't think you saved money by going to the supermarket." "Of course I did," Mrs. Wilson said. " Everything was cheaper there." "We know," the children said," but we came home by taxi because we had too much to carry. The taxi fare was more than the money that you save! " Mrs. Wilson added everything up. Her children were right. Mrs. Wilson will _ . A. never call a taxi B. go on buying things in the supermarket C. buy things near her home D. not go shopping with her children Answer: C
Parents should send their children to preschools which combine learning with entertainment and fun. It's important that parents educate their children right from their early childhood days. Preschool education is always important for children since it prepares them with patience and dedication for accepting their high school education later. Many growing children become dissatisfied with school. They only enjoy playing all day at home before their parents. Modern preschools provide quality training to children where learning goes along with fun and entertainment. The days have gone by when students received education only through school texts, with little attention paid to what was being taught. In recent times, numerous preschools have come up with wonderful methods that help attract students to learn. Do not expect your children to give up playing for learning, as children will never do so. Rather, you should ensure that your children will be educated while having fun by admitting them to a modern preschool. Before you send your children to any preschool, the first thing you should do is find out much information on the school. Quality education in any preschool is necessary for growing children. Only preschools of a good reputation attach importance to entertainment in education. Preschool teachers have to be friendly with children. They need to make your children feel at home and completely relaxed while they're receiving education. It is an equally good idea to check if the preschool takes care of children's health needs. Teachers need to be like second parents to children. In the text, we are told that _ . A. students used to have various means of learning besides school texts B. in the past students depended too much on their teachers C. children can receive quality education in modern preschools D. education in preschools is not necessary for growing children Answer: C. children can receive quality education in modern preschools Do this and you'll be welcome anywhere. Why read this book to find out how to win friends?Why not study the technique of the greatest winner of friends the wodd has ever known?Who is he?You may meet him coming down the street.When you get within ten feet of him,he will begin to wag its tail.If you stop and pat him,he'll jump out of his skin to show you how much he likes you.And you know this show of love.There is no secret motives:he doesn't want to sell you any real estate,and he doesn't want to be your husband or wife. Did you ever stop to think that a dog is the only animal that doesn't have to work for a living?A hen has to lay eggs;a cow has to give milk;and a canary has to sing.But a dog makes a living by giving you nothing but love. When I was five years old,my father bought a little yellow--haired young dog for fifty cents.He was the light and joy of my childhood.Every afternoon amund four thirty,he would sit in the front yard with his beautiful eyes staring at the road,and as soon as he heard my voice or saw me through the bush,he was off like a shot,racing breathlessly up the hill to greet me with leaps of joy and barks of cheer. Tippy was my good companion for five years.Then one night--I shall never forget it--he was killed within ten feet of my head,killed by lightning.Tippy's death was the terrible event of my childhood. You never read a book on psychology,Tippy.You didn't need to.You know that one can make more friends in months by being really interested in other people than one can in two years by trying to get other people interested in him.Let me repeat that.You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. According to the writer,to be welcome anywhere,you must_. A. know much about others'feelings B. do everything without secret motives C. satisfy the needs of different people D. show care and love for others Answer: D. show care and love for others Henry Edwards Huntington Henry Edwards Huntington was born in 1850 in Oneonta,New York.In 1872 he went to work for his uncle,one of the owners of the Central Pacific Railroad.Twenty years later, Huntington moved to San Francisco at his uncle's request to share management of the Southern Pacific Railroad.On the way to San Francisco,he visited San Marino,and later bought it,which is home to his collections today. In 1902,Huntington moved his business operations to Los Angeles,where he developed the street railway system that created the structure of the Los Angeles area.He greatly expanded the existing electric railway lines,creating an extensive inter-urban system providing the transportation necessary.Huntington's business interests continued to grow particularly in the areas of water,power,and land development;at one time he served on as many as 60 corporate boards throughout the United States. At the age of 60,he announced his decision to retire in order to devote time to his book and art collections and the landscaping of the 600acre farm.In 1911 the large Beaux Arts building,in the charge of the architect Myron Hunt,was completed. In 1913,Huntington married Arabella Duval Huntington.She shared his interests in collecting.As one of the most important art collectors of her generation,she was highly influential in the development of the art collection now shown in the former building. In 1919,Henry and Arabella Huntington signed the agreement that conveyed their San Marino property and collections to a nonprofit educational trust,creating the Huntington,one of the world's great cultural,research,and educational centers. Henry E.Huntington died in 1927,leaving his great treasures the Huntington,including the world--famous H untington Library,Art Gallery,and Botanical Gardens in San Marino,California to the public,which hosts more than 500,000 visitors each year. What did Huntington do after his retirement? A. He devoted himself to his personal interests. B. He worked part time for non--profit business. C. H e was in charge of an educational center. D. H e shared his wife's interests with her. Answer: A. He devoted himself to his personal interests. Once upon a time,there were two good friends.One was called Jack and the other was called James.One day,the two friends were walking through the desert.During the journey they had a quarrel,and Jack couldn't control himself and hit James in the face.James felt hurt,but he didn't say anything.Instead,he wrote in the sand,"Today my best friend Jack hit me in the face." They kept on walking until they found an oasis .They decided to get some water there.Suddenly James had trouble in the water,he fell into the mire and was in danger.Jack saved him at once.When he felt all right,he wrote on a stone,"Today my best friend Jack saved my life."Jack was very surprised and asked James,"After I hurt you,you wrote in the sand and now you write on the stone.Why?"James replied,"When someone hurts us,we should write it down in the sand so that the wind of forgiveness can blow it away.But when someone does anything good for us,we must write it on the stone,so no wind can blow it away." Since then,the two good friends have never quarreled with each other again and they got on better with each other. Hatred can bring you nothing but unhappiness.If you don't forgive others,you are making trouble for yourself Keep a peaceful heart all the time and remember to be always thankful to others! What did James do after he was saved by his friend? A. He wrote some words on a stone. B. He thanked his friends at once. C. He wrote some words in the sand. D. He drank some water and had a rest. Answer: A. He wrote some words on a stone. 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. According to the passage, many consumers are attracted by organic foods because they _ . A. want to try something new B. have carefully researched the products C. value food safety and nutrition D. expect to save some money Answer: C. value food safety and nutrition
Billy was a monster. He was born in Monster Town, where he learned how to be a monster and how to do monster things. One day Billy was very hungry. There are no stores in Monster Town, so Billy had to find his own food. He saw some bugs but he did not want to eat those because bugs are gross and taste bad. Then he saw a bunny and thought it would be a good thing to eat. Bunnies are very delicious. Monsters eat all sorts of things that humans do not eat. Billy chased the bunny into a field. Soon he could not find it any more. Bill was sad. He was still hungry. But then he saw a house. He sneaked towards it and looked inside. No one was home. He crawled through an open window and saw a funny looking box. He opened it and saw many little pebbles inside of all different colors. He was about to eat them when a small human child appeared out of nowhere and took the box out of his hands. Silly Billy, Trix are for kids. Where was the house that Billy found? Answer: In a field. Standing alone at Browns party,Anna Mackintosh thought about her husband Edward,establishing him clearly in her mind's eye. He was a thin man,forty-one years of age,with fair hair that was often untidy.In the seventeen years they'd been married he had changed very little:he was still nervous with other people,and smiled in the same shy way,and his face was still almost boyish. She believed she had failed him because he had wished for children and she had not been able to supply any.She had been annoyed for this fact over the years and in the end,quite some time ago now,she had consulted Dr.Abbat at Edward's request. In the Browns'rich living room,its walls and ceilings giving out a bright light with a metallic surface of imitation gold,Anna listened to dance music coming from a tape recorder and continued to think about her husband. In a moment he would be at the party too,since they had agreed to meet there,although by now it was three quarters of an hour later than the time he had planned to come. The Browns were people he knew in a business way,and he had said he thought it wise that he and Anna should attend this gathering of theirs. She had never met them before,which made it more difficult for her,having to wait about,not knowing a soul in the room. When she thought about it she felt herself unfairly treated,for although Edward was kind to her and always had been,it was far from thoughtful to be as late as this. Because of her nervous condition she felt afraid and had developed a sickness in her stomach.She looked at her watch and sighed. What made Anna feel that she had failed her husband,Edward? Answer: Her inability to have children Humans are well-equipped for life on Earth. But in space, it is different. Low or _ changes how the blood flows and causes motion sickness, muscle loss and tiredness. Weightlessness can also cause bone loss. But scientists are experimenting with little worms to better understand how space travel affects astronauts. The millimeter-long worm is called C. elegans. The see-through worm is often used in medical studies because its life is only about two weeks long. Seventy percent of its DNA is the same as human DNA. Sabanayagam is a scientist, who built a micro-gravity simulator to test how C. elegans would perform in the actual zero gravity of space. Scientists put the worms into the simiulator full of water. After a week they take out the worms. They look for changes in the worms' epigenome,which are chemical markers that tell the DNA in the cells how to perform. The epigenome can be changed by the environment. And those changes pass from one generation of worms to the next. "When the worms are in a liquid environment, some epigenomic marks remain even when we take the animal out of the liquid environment and put it back into normal ground conditions. So its offspring keeps this epigenomic memory of the parents' liquid environment or microgravity environment." The information the scientists have gathered suggests that the epigenomic marks appear during the early part of a worm's life. Mr. Sabanayagam says he thinks scientists can find genes in the human similar to those in the worms that responded to microgravity and scientists could possibly observe those genes closely when astronauts travel in space. Sabanayagam expects C. elegans to visit the International Space Station within two years. He says he hopes information gathered from the worm studies can be used to develop simple, low-cost and quick tests to measure an astronaut's health. Which section of a newspaper can you find the passage? Answer: Science. Everything has a name. All people, places and things have names.Cities and towns have names,too.Schools and office buildings also have names. Names are important. We use names every day.When we meet a new person, we usually ask"What's your name?" It's important to learn a person's name. Most people have two names. Some have more names. Names are different all over the world, so it is very difficult to remember all of them. In the USA, most people have a first name, a middle name and a last name. Parents choose the first name and middle names for their babies.There are names for boys and names for girls. For example, John, Peter, Tom and Mike are all names for boys, Elizabeth, Bonnie, Susan and Mary are all girls' names. The last name is the family name. Usually it is the father's family name. What names are for girls? _ Answer: Elizabeth, Julie, Mary February 28th, 2009 2:54 am GMT I have to say that am shocked at just how bad the new music is. This cannot be the same band that produced great albums such as HTDAAB and ATYCLB! This is awful! They either do not care anymore, or have completely lost it. I never thought U2 would become irrelevant, but they have officially become one of those bands that you will now say, "Remember when they were great?" ----- Posted by Ronald Harris February 28th, 2009 8:29 pm GMT Total drivel, Mr Harris. The new album is great, far better than the safe, cynical HTDAAB and ATYCLB. U2 have become inventive again, like they were in the 1990s. thank goodness! ----- Posted by Dan March 3rd, 2009 12:09 pm GMT Agree, Dan. The new album is the best since Actung Baby. Magnificent is an anthem in the waiting, Breathe is unbelievable, and Stand Up Comedy is absolutely outstanding----- to name just three! Loving the new sound, pure class as usual. ----- Posted by Martin March 4th, 2009 7:43 pm GMT Totally agree with you guys. This album is unbelievable. Breathe is definitely a great song, same with Moment of Surrender. I bet their upcoming tour will be amazing. If you haven't bought the CD yet, you should. I bought mine on Amozon.com for $3.99. I couldn't believe it. ----- Posted by Josh Briggs The passage is most probably from _ . Answer: the Internet
Course Details Crazy Creatures (3--5 year olds) Class size: 6--10 students Course summary: "Crazy Creatures" teaches children the English language through songs, arts and craft and games. Every lesson focuses on a famous children's story such as "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". The lesson introduces key vocabulary for the story and the children play games, sing songs, and do arts and craft activities based on the story. Price: RMB 3,500/week, RMB 6,500/2 weeks, RMB 9,000/3weeks, RMB 11,000/4weeks Ancient Civilizations (8--12 year olds) Class size: 6--16 students Course summary: Children will learn about the culture, food, clothes and entertainment of people who lived in ancient civilizations, from Chinese, Greek, and Mayan / Aztec to Ancient Egypt. At the end of every week children will perform a short play wearing clothes they have made themselves. Throughout the course children will learn songs, read stories and write short stories and poems. Price: RMB 4,500/week, RMB 8,000/2 weeks, RMB 11,500/3weeks, RMB 14,000/4weeks Literature Study (12--14 year olds) Class size: 6--10 students Course summary: Children will practice the skills required for the GCSE English Literature exam through analyzing a novel. The novel is "Holes" by Louis Sachar, a best-seller across the world. This course will develop children's writing skills and their ability to answer questions. Price: RMB 4,500/week, RMB 8,000/2 weeks Dates: June 28--July 2, July 5--July 9, July 12--July 16, July 19--July 23, July 26--July 30, August 2--August 6 Time: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday Teaching: Classes are taught by experienced native English speaking teachers with a Chinese teaching assistant. Application Dateline : Friday 18 June 2010 Payment Dateline: Payment to be made to Harrow International School Beijing by first day of the course. Snacks and lunch are provided at no cost A school nurse will be on site throughout the course. *Free school bus service available Students who take "Ancient Civilizations" _ . can learn about Chinese culture A federal agency on Tuesday called for a ban on all cellphone use by drivers -- the most far-reaching recommendation up to now -- saying its decision was based on a decade of investigations into distraction-related accidents, as well as growing concerns that powerful mobile devices are giving drivers even more reasons to look away from the road. As part of its recommendation, the National Transportation Safety Board is urging states to ban drivers from using hands-free devices, including wireless headsets. No state now has made laws to ban such activity, but the Board said that drivers faced serious risks from talking on wireless headsets, just as they do by taking a hand off the wheel to hold a phone to their ears. However, the concern was heightened by increasingly powerful phones that people can use to send e-mails, watch movies and play games. "Every year, new devices are being on sale." she said. "People are attracted to update their Facebook page, to play music with cellphone, as if sitting at a desk. But they are driving a car." The agency based its recommendation on evidence from its investigation of numerous crashes in which electronic distraction was a major contributing factor. Ms. Hersman said she understood that this recommendation would be unwelcome in some circles, given the number of drivers who talk and text. But she compared distracted driving to drunken driving and even smoking, which required wholesale cultural shifts to change behavior. "It's going to be very unpopular with some people." she said. "We're not here to win a popularity contest. We're here to do the right thing. This is a difficult recommendation, but it's the right recommendation and it is time." The agency's recommendation is not required for states to adopt such a ban. And it won't likely be agreed upon by state lawmakers who are unwillingly to anger those who have grown accustomed to using their device behind the wheel. The ban also deserves attention because it is the first call by a federal agency to end the practice completely, rather than the partial ban that some lawmakers have put in place by allowing hands-free talking. Ms Hersman thinks that distracted driving, drunken driving and smoking _ . are behaviors to be changed Edda, a Little Valkyrie's First Day of School Written and illustrated by Adam Auerbach. 32 pp. Christy Ottaviano/Holt. $15.50. Edda's home is in Asgard, "a land full of magic and adventure." But Edda, the littlest Valkyrie, doesn't have quite enough to do, until her father flies her "all the way to Earth for the first day of school." The contrast between home and school is hard to get used to (in one, she can ride reindeer; in the other she gazes guinea pig through glass at the classroom). In his first picture book, Auerbach mixes the two worlds perfectly. Children are likely to appreciate the joke. Planet Kindergarten By Sue Ganz-Schmitt. Illustrated by Shane Prigmore. 32 pp. Chronicle. $14.99. After careful preparations and a successful blastoff, a boy finds himself in a very unfamiliar environment. "We're aliens from many galaxies on Planet Kindergarten," he reflects as he sees his very varied classmates for the first time. Prigmore, who designs for the movie industry, uses black backgrounds and bright colors to give this space adventure visual excitement and humor. The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade By Justin Roberts. Illustrated by Christian Robinson. 42 pp. Putnam. $18.99. It makes sense that the author of the long, rhyming lines in "The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade" is a children's music performer. The story is about the power of one small person to fight prejudice. Sally, whom no one ever seems to notice, is "paying super extra special attention" to the "terrible stuff" happening around her. When she decides to take action, she's not alone for long. And Two Boys Booed By Judith Viorst. 32 pp. Margaret Ferguson/Farrar, Straus & Giroux. $16.59. Ever felt quietly confident one minute, and a shaking mess the next? In Viorst's story about determination, a little boy wakes up thinking about singing his song in the class talent show. If you are interested in space adventure, you would probably choose _ . Planet Kindergarten More students than ever before are taking a gap-year before going to university. It used to be called the "year off" between school and university. The gap-year phenomenon originated with the months left over to Oxbridge applicants between entrance exams in November and the start of the next academic year. This year, 25,310 students who have accepted places in higher education institutions have put off their entry until next year, according to statistics on university entrance provided by University and College Admissions Service (UCAS). That is a record 14.7% increase in the number of students taking a gap year. Tony Higgins from UCAS said that the statistics are good news for everyone in higher education. "Students who take a well-planned year out are more likely to be satisfied with, and complete, their chosen course. Students who take a gap year are often more mature and responsible," he said. But not everyone is happy. Owain James, the president of the National Union of Students(NUS), argued that the increase is evidence of student hardship -young people are being forced into earning money before finishing their education. "New students are now aware that they are likely to leave university with up to PS15,000 in debt. It is not surprising that more and more students are taking a gap year to earn money to support their study for the degree. NUS statistics show that over 40% of students are forced to work during term time and the figure increases to 90% during vacation periods," he said. What would most students do on their vacation according to NUS statistics? Earn money for their education. The Winter Palace was built between 1754 and 1762 for Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great. Unfortunately, Elizabeth died before the palace was completed and only Catherine the Great and her successors were able to enjoy the great interior of Elizabeth's home. Many parts of the palace's impressive interior have been remodeled since then, particularly after 1837, when a huge fire destroyed most of the building. Today the Winter Palace, together with four more buildings arranged side by side along the river embankment, houses the extensive collections of the Hermitage. The Hermitage Museum is the largest art gallery in Russia and is among the largest and most respected art museums in the world. The museum was founded in 1764 when Catherine the Great bought a collection of 255 paintings from the German city of Berlin. Today, the Hermitage boasts over 2.7 million exhibits and displays, a diverse range of art and artifacts from all over the world and throughout history (from Ancient Egypt to the early 20th century Europe). The Hermitage's collections include works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian, a collection of Rembrandts and Rubens, many French Impressionist works by Renoir, Cezanne, Monet and Pissarro, and several works by Rodin. The collection is really worth a stop for all those interested in art and history. The experts say that if you were to spend a minute looking at each exhibit on show in the Hermitage, you would need 11 years before you'd seen them all. However, we suggest you choose a guided tour instead! Location: Dvortsovaia Naberezhnaia, 32-38. www.ks5u.com Open: 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, Sunday till 5 pm. Closed: Mondays. Ticket-office closes 1 hour before closing time. According to the passage, which of the following is CORRECT? The Hermitage Museum is the largest art gallery in Russia.
Question: How many words one uses cannot be measured exactly. However, Professor Seashore concluded the first- graders entered school with at least 24,000 words and add 5,000 each year so that they leave high school with at least 80,000. These figures( ) are for recognition vocabulary ,the words we understand when we read or hear them, which are more than our active( ) vocabulary, the words we use in speaking and writing. Using the words you recognize in reading will help get them into your active vocabulary. In your reading, pay attention to these words, especially when the subject is one that you might well write or talk about. Underline (draw a line under) or make a list of words that you feel a need for and look up the ones that you are not sure of in a dictionary. And then before very long you will find a way to use some of them. Once you know how they are pronounced and what they mean, you can safely use them. One way suggested by the writer to increase our active vocabulary is that we should _ . A. look up a dictionary for more new words and keep them in our note B. read and recognize the words we will need and add them into our list of active vocabulary C. keep well in touch with more recognition words and keep using them after knowing their pronunciation and meaning. D. read more , write more and use more Answer: C Question: A thirsty bee went to a river to drink. As it was drinking , it was carried away by the running water. A kind bird saw the bee's danger. It picked a leaf and threw it into the water in front of the bee. The bee was able to climb onto the leaf, and it was brought safely to the land. The bee thanked the bird for its kindness and then flew away. Not long after , the bird was sitting on the branch of a tree . It did not see that a man was aimming his gun at it .But the bee saw what the man was doing . So the bee flew into the man's eye, and hurt him. The pain in his eye was so great that he was not able to shoot the bird, and the bird flew away. In this way, the bee, whose life had been saved by the bird, was able to save the life of the bird. ,. (5) Not long after, the bird _ ,when a man was aimming at it. A. was playing on the land B. was flying in the sky C. was singing in a tree D. was sitting on the branch of a tree Answer: B Question: In 1841, a book was published which astonished the world. It was called"Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan". The author John Loud Stephens had just returned from a long, difficult and dangerous journey through the thick rain forest of southern prefix = st1 /MexicoandGuatemala. He had once been there with Frederick Catherwood, an architect and artist, to search for the remains of a lost civilization known as the Mayas .Very little was known about the Mayas at that time, but Catherwood's drawing in the book showed incredible cities with temples, pyramids and other buildings as impressive as those of their northern neighbors, the Aztecs. These cities, however, were deserted. The inhabitants had disappeared almost a thousand years before. Since that time, far more has been learned about this remarkable civilization. The Mayas had a highly developed system of government and of agriculture, as well as an incredibly accurate system of measuring time. They were also wonderful engineers capable of moving huge blocks stone long distances and cutting them to accurate shapes and sizes. And yet although the Mayas knew about the wheel, they never used it. Neither did they use metals other than copper. What is ever more surprising is that they suddenly abandoned many of their cities and built new ones in the jungle. Some time around AD900, Mayan civilization collapsed. By the year 1200, their last great capital,Chichen Itza, was deserted. Who were these strange people and the even stranger gods they worshipped ? What brought about their sudden and mysterious collapse? Some writers have tried to prove that the Mayas had contact with visitors from space and even that they themselves came from another planet. Some people believe that their civilization came to an end because the Mayas never developed a proper resistance to local germs and diseases. All we really know is that when the first Europeans appeared off their coast in 1517, this great and mysterious culture was only a memory. One of the most surprising findings about Mayas was that_. A. they developed accurate system measuring time B. they knew how to build pyramids with stones C. they deserted their cities and moved to new ones D. they built cities which they never lived in Answer: C Question: Turn on the radio. A program will come out from a broadcasting station miles and miles away. We know that sounds and music themselves couldn't travel that distance through space .There must be something that brings the program from the station. But what is this silent carrier ( ) ? This is known as radio waves. However, we can't see them or even hear them. In fact, nobody knows exactly what they are. Nevertheless( ) ,we know that they are made by electricity . At the broadcasting station, people talk, sing, play musical instruments or make many other sounds. These sounds are changed into electricity. Then from the broadcasting aerial of a tall tower , electricity sends out radio waves which travel in all directions .And some of them reach your radio aerial. What happens next is a magical thing. The radio waves start an electric current ( ) in your aerial like the one that was first made in the broadcasting station . Finally, the loudspeaker in your radio set changes the electricity into sound .Therefore, you hear the program. ,. When you turn on the radio _ . A. you can see a program B. you can hear a program C. a picture will appear D. you can feel the electric current. Answer: B Question: In the past, if a person wanted to see the national treasures of a country, one had to go there in person. Therefore, very few people were able to enjoy some of history's most important and interesting artifacts . This has changed with an increase in the number of traveling museum exhibitions. King Tutankhamen Artifacts A traveling exhibition of artifacts from the tomb of King Tutankhamen, popularly known as "King Tut", toured the United States from November 1976 to April 1979. The 55 objects were shown in six cities and were seen by around eight million museum-goers. The second touring exhibit was started in 2007, this time with 130 artifacts and stops in London and three different American cities. However some objects, like the king's golden face mask, are too valuable or too delicate to be transported long distances, so "replicas" (exact copies of something) are on show. Japanese Color Woodblock Prints The Art Museum at University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, Virginia, has an extraordinary collection of Japanese color woodblock prints . These prints document the period from about 1850 to 1900, a time when Japan was opening itself to Western influences. Before this point, Japan was a closed society that had little communication with the world outside of its borders. These works of art beautifully show the feeling of change and the trend toward modernization. The museum has put together a traveling exhibition of 60 of these prints, which can be borrowed and exhibited worldwide for periods of eight weeks or more. Face-to-face with "Lucy" One of the world's most famous archaeological finds in history are the 3.2 million-year-old bones of a 106-centimeter-tall female found in the Ethiopian desert in 1974. Lucy, a name given to her by the discovery team, is a "hominid", or a creature that scientists believe is the earliest ancestor of modern human beings. Rarely is an artifact this valuable allowed to travel widely, but Lucy has been taken to several museums in the U.S. while a detailed replica remains at the Ethiopian Natural History Museum. What do we learn about King Tutankhamen's artifacts? A. The artifacts were shown in London first. B. The artifacts were on show in the United States once. C. The second touring exhibit showed more artifacts than the first one. D. The king's golden face mask was also shown in the traveling exhibitions. Answer: C
Do you love the holidays,but hate the pounds that follow? You are not alone. Holidays are times for feasting and celebrating. Many people are worried about their weight.With proper planning,though,it is possible to keep normal weight during the holidays.Whether it is celebrating at the office party or sitting down for the traditional family dinner,regard eating as a time for tasting a variety of the foods.The idea is to enjoy the holidays but not to eat too much. You don't have to turn away from the foods that you enjoy. Here are some tips for preventing weight gain and maintaining physical fitness: Don't skip meals.Before you leave home,have a small,low-fat meal or snack.This may help to avoid getting too excited before delicious foods. Control portions.Use a small plate (about 10 inches) and put aside the large ones that may encourage you to "load up." You should be most comfortable eating an amount of food about the size of your fist. Once you have your "tasting" serving,move away from the buffet . Doing so will make it less tempting to be eating constantly as your appetite is inspired by the sight of food. Begin with soup and fruit or vegetables. Fill up beforehand on water-based soup and raw fruit or vegetables. Or drink a large glass of water before you eat to help you feel full. Stick to physical activity. Don't let exercise take a break during the holidays. A 20-minute walk after a meal can help burn off excess calories. Avoid high-fat foods. Dishes that look oily or creamy may have a large amount of fat. Choose lean meats. Fill your plate with salad and green vegetables. Use lemon juice instead of dessert or butter. Which of the following CANNOT help lose weight according to the passage? A. Lean meats. B. Dessert or butter. C. Raw fruit or vegetables. D. Physical exercise. Answer: B. Dessert or butter. Want to find Bigfoot? Matt Moneymaker, president of Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot, says the creatures have been seen in every state but Hawaii. Redwoods State Park, California With its towering redwoods and thick forest, it's hard to beat the atmosphere at this Northern California park.Moneymaker recommends taking a walk along the Smith River on Howland Hill Road."We heard of lots of different sightings and sounds in there,"he says."I've found tracks crossing that road."7074657335. SalmonHuckleberry Wilderness, Oregon You don't have to go far to find Bigfoot.This area 20 miles east of Portland in the Mount Hood National Forest is prime spotting territory.Bigfoot apparently has a sweet tooth and goes ape for huckleberries, which grow in the area.Scores of campers have been scared off by noises and have had rocks thrown at them.5036681700. Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico The high density of deer attracts Bigfoot to this place.The creatures may use the park's mountainous lookouts to watch over deer in spring.Even when there's no wind, dead trees often mysteriously, with their roots above the earth."They let you know that they're there."5056613333. Bird Mountain Wildlife Management Area, Vermont This prominent mountain peak outside the town of Rutland has had its share of activity, including a trailcam picture famous in Bigfoot circles of what appears to be a female one carrying her offspring . Centuries ago,American Indians reported seeing an apelike creature and,more recently, hikers say that they have come upon a Bigfoot.8007568880. Fahnestock State Park, New York There's a long history of Bigfoot in this mountain park a mere 90 minutes from New York City. Moneymaker says investigators have found mysterious markings in the snow.8452257207. Ponca Wilderness Area, Arkansas Moneymaker says he had several good Bigfoot moments on a recent expedition in this area along the Buffalo National River in northern Arkansas.Most of the Bigfoot action centered on the area near Steel Creek Campground.8704392502. What can we learn about Bigfoot from the passage? A. Bigfoot is often attacked by human being. B. Bigfoot doesn't like eating animals like deer. C. Bigfoot is afraid of inhabiting in a thick forest. D. Bigfoot likes eating sweet fruit like huckleberries. Answer: D. Bigfoot likes eating sweet fruit like huckleberries. Hello! My name is Becky Sharp. I'm 11 years old. I have one brother. His name is Jason and he's 14. I don't have any sisters. We live with our mum, dad and grandma in a small house in Chesterfield, in the north of England. There are lots of things to do here. My friends and I sometimes go to the cinema on Saturdays. Do you like sports? I like football. My favourite team is Manchester United. I sometimes play football with my brother. I am good at it but my brother isn't. I have lots of pets---one tortoise and six goldfish . I want a dog or a cat, but my mother doesn't like them. Becky and her family live in _ . A. a big room B. a cinema C. the west of England D. a small house Answer: D. a small house Stay in the magic with your friends and family and book a hotel stay at either Disney's Hollywood Hotel or Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.As a hotel guest, you can enjoy an extra day at Hong Kong Disneyland Park during your stay when you buy a one-day ticket! How It Works Hotel guests staying at either the Disney's Hollywood Hotel or Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel who buy a Hong Kong Disneyland Park ticket will receive an extra park admission for the following day.Guests can buy Stay and Play for 2 Days tickets as soon as you check in at the Front Desk.Ticket price will be based on the first day a guest visits the Park.If the first visit day is a Regular Day, guests can buy Regular Day tickets even though the following day may be a Peak or Special Day.If the first visit day is a Peak Day, Guests should buy Peak Day tickets even though the following day may be a Regular Day. This offer is available 13 May through 30 September 2006.Guests who have bought their Hong Kong Disneyland Park tickets before 13 May 2006 can exchange their unused and not expired tickets to Stay and Play for 2 Days tickets at the Hotel Front Desk. Where to Buy Guests can book their hotel stay through the following: Call Hong Kong Disneyland Reservation Center at +852 1-830-830, opens daily 9 am-6 pm. OR Get in touch with your travel agent. Dates to Remember Offer Period 13 May 2006 - 30 September 2006 Last Day to buy Stay and Play for 2 days tickets 29 September 2006 Last Visit Date 30 September 2006 For more information, please click here. As a guest at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, you can enjoy an extra day in _ . A. Hong Kong Disneyland Park B. a Hong Kong family C. Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel D. Disney's Hollywood Hotel Answer: A. Hong Kong Disneyland Park More than anything else in the world, Lion liked being King of the jungle. He walked around, showing off his power and pride. Each day Lion took a long lazy sleep under the shade of his favourite tree. He always dreamed of weaker animals bowing before him. One day Mouse ran through the jungle and tripped over Lion's huge paws. Lion woke up with a start. "How dare you wake me up! " he shouted angrily. Lion grabbed Mouse with one paw. "On the second thought, I'm in the mood for the snack, and you'll make a delicious meal.", he said. Mouse cried out, "King Lion, please spare me! If you let me live, I'll always remember your kindness. And, some day, I might be able to help you." " How could such a powerless little mouse ever help me?" That thought made Lion laugh so much that he decided to let Mouse go. A week later, Lion was walking through the jungle on the way to his favourite tree when he stepped onto a hunter's net. The net scooped him up. No matter how he twisted and turned, he couldn't escape. When Mouse heard Lion's frightened shouts, he raced to help. Mouse quickly chewed through the ropes to make a hole in the net. Soon, Lion moved out and was free. Lion looked down at the little mouse. "Thank you for saving my life," said Lion, smiling his widest smile. "I was mistaken. You are not a powerless little mouse. You are a great friend!" Why did Lion let Mouse go? A. Because he was trapped in the net. B. Because he took Mouse as his good friend. C. Because he believed Mouse could save him. D. Because he doubted if Mouse could be of any help. Answer: D. Because he doubted if Mouse could be of any help.
Xiangzi - Lucky, in English - is appropriately named. His owner Qiu Hong, a sports marketer,lets the dog enjoy two daily walks,a collection of imported American toys, $300 worth of monthly food and treats and his own sofa in her high-rise apartment. When Ms. Qiu feels bored, she takes Xiangzi out for a long run in her car. In a sense, Xiangzi is not just a dog, but a social phenomenon - and, perhaps, a marker of how quickly the Chinese nation is booming through its transformation from poor farmer to first-world citizen.Twenty years ago,there were hardly any dogs in Beijing, but now there're 900,000 registered dogs with countless thousands of others unlicensed. How this came to be is, in some ways, the story of modern China as well. "People used to be focused on improving their own lives, and they weren't really acquainted with raising dogs," said Ms. Qiu. "But with the improvement in the economy, people's outlooks have changed." Having a dog can be a way to relieve the stress in people's lives, but mostly Beijing dogs have, as in the West, become objects of affection - even devotion - by their owners. It's easy to find dog-treat stores, dog Web sites, dog social networks, dog swimming pools - even, for a time recently, a bring-your-dog cinema and a bring-your-dog bar on Beijing's downtown nightclub row. The doglike devotion of pet owners here seems to have softened the city government heart. In 1994, Beijing officials relaxed their no-dog policy to "severely restrict" dogs. In 2003,it was changed again to allow anyone to own a dog, but to limit city dogs to no more than 35 centimeters in height. And nowadays the restriction seems to be loosely carried out. As for sti-fried Pekingese - well, that dog,too, may have seen its day. A formal suggestion to ban the eating of dogs has been made by a law professor named Chang Jiwen, who considered himself "not so much a dog lover as a China lover". "With China developing so quickly, more people should know how to treat animals properly," he said in 3 telephone interview. Which is NOT mentioned in the article? A. China's economical development. B. The psychological problems in modern society. C. People's attitude to wards animals. D. The problems caused by dog keeping. Answer: D In many English homes people eat four meals a day. They have breakfast at any time from seven to nine in the morning. They eat porridge , eggs and bread and drink tea or coffee for breakfast. Lunch comes at one o'clock. Afternoon tea is from four to five in the afternoon and dinner is at about seven thirty. First they have soup, then they have meat or fish with vegetables. After that, they eat other things, like bananas, oranges or apples. But not all English people eat like that. Some of them have their dinner in the middle of the day. Their meals are breakfast, dinner, tea and supper. And all these meals are very simple . Most English people have _ for breakfast. A. eggs and bread B. eggs and fish C. bread, soup and meat D. coffee and oranges Answer: A A rabbit is running into its hole. You may ask, "What happened?" Well, when a rabbit sees something dangerous, it runs away. Its tail moves up and down as it runs. When other rabbits see this tail moving up and down, they run too. They know that there is danger. The rabbit has told them something without making a sound. It has given them a signal. Many other animals use this kind of language. When a bee found some food, it goes back to his home. It cannot tell the other bees where the food is by speaking to them, but it does a little dance in the air. This tells the bees where the food is. Some animals say things by making sounds. A dog barks, for example, when a stranger comes near. A cat purrs when pleased. Some birds make several different sounds, each with its own meaning. But human beings have something that no animals have --- a large number of words about things, actions, feelings or ideas. We are able to give each other information, to tell or inform other people what is in our mind or how we feel. By writing words down we can remind ourselves of the things what have happened, or send messages to people far away. No animals can do this. No animals has the wonderful power of language. No one knows how man learned to make words. Somehow he learned to make them. As centuries went by, he made more and more new words. This is what we mean by language. People living in different countries made different kinds of words. Today there are about fifteen hundred different languages in the world. A very large English dictionary, for example, contains four or five hundred thousand words. But we do not know all these. The words we know are called vocabulary. We should try to make our vocabulary larger. Read as many books as possible. When we meet a new word, look it up in the dictionary. A dictionary is the Most useful book. What must we do in order to make our vocabulary large? A. Make more and more new words. B. Learn more languages. C. Look up any new words in a dictionary. D. Try to read as many books as possible. Answer: D Late one morning in 20 1 2,headed for lunch in San Francisco,I drove towards one of the toll booths .I heard loud music.It sounded like a party,or a Michael Jackson concert.I looked around.No other cars with their windows open.I looked at the toll booth.Inside it,a young man was dancing. "What are you doing?"I asked. "I'm having a party,"he said. "What about the rest of the people?"I looked over at other booths:nothing moving there. "They're not invited." I had a dozen other questions for him,but somebody in a big hurry to get somewhere started punching his horn behind me and I drove off.But I made a note to myself'.Find this guy again.There's something in his eyes that says there's magic in his toll booth. Months later I did find him again,still with the loud music,still having a party. Again I asked."What are you doing?" He said."I remember you from the last time.I'm still dancing.I'm having the same party." I said."Look.What about the rest of the people" He said."Stop.Do you see other people there?"He pointed down the row of toll booths."Everyday, they just get in the booths,stay for eight hours,do the same motions.Brain is on hold,dead on the job.But I am enjoying my life and I'm going to be a dancer someday." Sixteen people are dead on the j ob,and the seventeenth,in nearly the same situation,finds out another way to live.He and I did have lunch later, and he said. "I don't understand why anybody would think my job is boring.I have a comer office,glass on all sides.I can see the Golden Gate,San Francisco.the Berkeley hills.Half of the western people have vacations here while I can stay here every day and practise dancing for the future success.'' According to the passage,how does the young man feel about his job? A. bored B. pleased C. impatient D. disappointed Answer: B Dear Mr. Heppell, I am Sabrina Akhtar studying in a high school and I've noticed that forests are disappearing. Forests are disappearing around the world each year. This is because of many different things such as farming and tourism pollution. If we stop doing these things, there will be a good future for people of tomorrow. Now I'm writing to ask you to help stop forests from disappearing. You can help by making shops stop selling paper made from trees and change to tree-free paper(paper not made from trees). This will help protect forests. There are many things we can do to help protect forests. If you would like to know more, please visit http://www.rainforestweb.org. By changing the little things, we can make a big difference. If you would like to contact me, please e-mail me at shazadinol@hotmail.co.uk. Thank you for taking your time in reading this letter. Yours sincerely, Sabrina Akhtar What is the purpose of this letter? A. To know more about Mr. Heppell. B. To make friends with Mr. Heppell. C. To ask Mr. Heppell to teach in the school. D. To ask Mr. Heppell to help protect forests. Answer: D
Moles are underground a lot of the time, and since few animals live there, they are unlikely to be Answer: In an effort to relieve serious and persistent unemployment in the industrialized state of Onondaga, its legislature enacted a statute requiring every business with annual sales in Onondaga of over one million dollars to purchase goods and/or services in Onondaga equal in value to at least half of the annual sales in Onondaga of the business. Which of the following constitutional provisions is the strongest basis on which to attack this statute? Answer: While walking in the park on Monday with my granddaughter Tina, we saw an ice cream truck pull up on the street. "Can we get ice cream, Nana?" asked Tina. "Sure we can!" I answered. As we started heading up the hill to the truck, my granddaughter was scared by a bird who had swooped by her face. "Nana, that bird almost made me fall down the hill!" Laughing at what was said, I answered, "If you fell you might have taken Nana down with you!" Once we reached the ice cream truck, Tina saw that they not only had ice cream but also carried popcorn, hotdogs, juice and soda. "Nana, instead of ice cream may I get popcorn and juice?" she asked. "If that is what you want, you sure can!" I answered. We got our food and headed to the picnic table. On our way over we saw a child who Tina knew from her kindergarten class. "Nana, may we go and say hello to Mary?" "Let's go!" We made it over to where Mary and her family were sitting and Tina saw a bright blue butterfly. She did everything she could to try and catch that pretty butterfly but it kept flying way to high for her to catch. "That is okay", she said, "Butterflies need to be left out to fly free". Mary asked Tina if she wanted to go over her house and play Barbies when we left the park, instead of going home. So we went over and the girls had a wonderful time and were both tired after a long day. We needed to get a good night's sleep to enjoy our camping trip tomorrow. What was my granddaughter's friend's name? Answer: To Whom It May Concern: On March 5, 2012 , I bought a Perfect Muffin Kit from your store at Midfield Shopping Center. The cashier who assisted me was George. George was very friendly and told me that the Perfect Muffin Kit would live up to the guarantee on the box: "Perfect Muffins Every Time!". Unfortunately, this product did not live up to what it promised . The muffins I made were far from perfect . I followed the directions in the package very carefully . First , I removed the bag of mix from the box. Then , I poured it into a bowl. Next, I added the correct amount of water to the mix and stirred it. According to the directions, after stirring the mixture , I added half a cup of dried grapes, nuts , berries, or another favorite ingredient . My favorite ingredient happens to be hot sauce . I find that a bit of hot sauce makes pizza and soup taste very delicious. So, continuing to follow the directions, I added half a cup of hot sauce to the mix and stirred it. Finally, I poured the mix into muffin tins and baked it in the baker at 350 degrees for exactly 20 minutes. When the muffins finished baking, I was very excited to eat the "Perfect Muffins" as promised on the box. You can imagine my disappointment when, upon tasting the muffins, I discovered that they were not perfect. These muffins were , in fact , absolutely terrible. Not even my dog was interested in eating these supposedly "perfect" muffins. I would appreciate a full refund( money to be returned) of $3.99 for this product as soon as possible. Enclosed are the receipt, the empty box, and one of the un-perfect muffins so that you can experience it for yourself . Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, Michelle Bauer The author's main purpose in writing this letter is to _ . Answer: Since June is cold and wet in Australia, it makes sense that at the same time Answer:
Self-control can make you happier not only in the long-run, but also in the moment. The research showed that self-control isn't about giving up desires, but more about managing conflicting goals. Since most people consider highly self-controlled ones as being more task-centered, the scientists decided to find out the connection between self-control and people's happiness to determine if being self-disciplined leaves people feel less joyful. Through a set of tests-including one that assessed 414 middle-aged participants on self-control and another that randomly interviewed volunteers on their smart phones about their mood and any desires they might be experiencing, researchers found a strong connection between higher levels of self-control and satisfaction. The smart phone experiment also showed how self-control may improve mood. Those who showed the greatest self-control reported more good moods and fewer bad ones. But this didn't appear to be linked to being more able to resist temptation --it was because they exposed themselves to fewer situations that might inspire desires in the first place. They were doing a number of things that bring them happiness and avoiding problematic desires and conflicts. That became clear in the study's last experiment, which looked into how self-control affects the way people handle goals that conflict with one another. In particular, the researchers were interested in how self-disciplined and less-disciplined people differed when it came to choosing among "virtues" and "vices" like the pleasure of eating sugar cookie vs. the pain of gaining weight. Participants were asked to list three important goal conflicts they experienced regularly and were also questioned on how they managed to balance the goals. The highly self-controlled showed an obvious difference from those with less discipline over their lives. They tended to avoid creating situations in which their goals would conflict, and reported fewer instances of having to choose between short-term pleasure and long-term pain. As a result, they experienced fewer negative emotions. And self-control doesn't always mean _ : it may mean saving now to get big payoff later. For dieters, it means making choices to avoid entering a bakery since you are more likely to buy a cupcake. Granted, self-control isn't the best way to instant satisfaction, but it may bring something even better: long-term contentment. From the smart phone experiments, the researchers found self-controlled people _ . A. like to challenge more goals B. may have more good moods C. are easier to resist temptation D. are less satisfied with their life Answer: B. may have more good moods If crops are rotated then the crops planted would look like A. tomato, tomato, tomato, tomato B. beans, corn, peas, cucumbers C. beans, beans, beans, beans D. corn, corn, corn, corn, Answer: B. beans, corn, peas, cucumbers I love music. I learned to play the guitar at 11 and I wrote my first song four years later. My dream -----to become a country singer. After years of hard work, a record company was showing interest in me. One day during a trip to mountains, a friend gave me a bit of meth, a kind of drugs . I smoked it. And that was all that I thought about for the next year and a half. I couldn't live without it. When the police came to me, I looked like death. The first seven days in prison , I just slept. When I woke up on the eighth day, I had never known such shame and guilt . I walked down the hall to the pay phone. My mama is the best person on the earth, and I knew this was going to break her heart. When I heard her voice on the phone, I told her where I was. She just said, "Son, no matter what you did, I love you forever . Her words gave me the confidence to face my trouble . And I also realized this was my chance to start a new life. When people hear my words, I hope they will not make the same mistake as I have, but I know that you can overcome almost anything, especially smoking drug. That's why I share my story here. Why was the writer put into prison? A. Because he offered others meth. B. Because he took drugs. C. Because he refused the company. D. Because he didn't pay for his phone. Answer: B. Because he took drugs. Young children from poor families are more likely to consume junk food and fizzy drinks than their richer companions. A study of 1,800 four- and five-year-olds found more than half of those from poor backgrounds drank at least one a week, compared to just four in ten _ kids. They also drank less milk and consumed more fruit juice which is also linked to child obesity caused by high sugar intake . The phenomenon also relates to children who spend more than two hours a day in front of a TV or playing computer games--whatever their social circumstances. A companion study also found children from poor families were more likely to eat chips, sweets and chocolate. Professor Kate Storey said, "when you are looking at that age group, and such a large percentage of very young kids in the study are consuming a large amount of soda ,it is quite concerning. " The researchers carried out the study by surveying the parents of their participants to find out their dietary habits. Professor Storey said, "If you are drinking a lot of soda and fruit juice, they can displace consumption of water and milk, which are important not just for ending thirst, but for developing healthy bones and teeth, and health and wellness in general." Co-researcher Dr John Spence said, "Dietary behavior and intake patterns are influenced heavily by what happens in the first few years with children, and they maintain those patterns throughout childhood and into adolescence ." In addition to basic health education, this study identifies a need in how we are dealing with poverty and recognizing there is more to poverty than simply the number of dollars people have. Professor Storey said that shows how education can make a difference and lead to healthier eating habits, regardless of what is happening at home. "Many families live in places that might not be very healthy for them and, as a result, they make unhealthy food choices. You can start making a difference in different places. It calls for action in multiple settings, schools and communities, for example. That light-bulb moment can happen in a variety of places," Professor Storey added. According to the passage, Professor Storey thinks it helpful for children _ . A. to drink more coffee B. to drink more milk C. to drink more soda D. to drink more fruit juice Answer: B. to drink more milk Siberia is a huge territory in Russia. It is more than half of Russia and is 4,000 miles wide. Most of this area is a forest with animals and birds. In autumn, the forests in Siberia are full of mushrooms and berries . Many people like picking mushrooms, but that is not as simple as you might think. Old people who live in the villages know places where you can pick lots of mushrooms. Some mushrooms grow in colonies. If you find one, you only need to look around because nearby you'll find more of them. However, when picking mushrooms, it is important not to choose the wrong kind. You have to be careful because some mushrooms are poisonous even though they look good. The smell can help you choose them, because good mushrooms smell very good. Siberian people are very friendly and hospitable. If someone invites you home for dinner, you'll soon be full. You should try everything the host is having. The climate there depends on the territory. Some places have very comfortable climates with hot summers and cold winters. In my opinion, the best season is spring, when nature wakes up after a long winter. It is the time for blossoms and love. Birds come back from other warm countries. Trees become dressed in green. The sun becomes warm and the days are longer. The mood is wonderful and people smile a lot. It is an amazing time. In winter, you have opportunity for sports. The most popular sport in winter in Russia is cross-country skiing. During weekends, many people go into the country and ski. Noses freeze and cheeks hurt, but people continue to enjoy these times. What can we conclude about the climate in Siberia? A. It's cold all the year round. B. It's hot in summer. C. The climate is very comfortable. D. It depends on where your are in Siberia. Answer: D. It depends on where your are in Siberia.
Are you looking for some new and exciting places to take your kids to? Try some of these places: Visit art museums. They offer a variety of activities to excite your kids' interest. Many offer workshops for making hand-made pieces, traveling exhibits, book signings by children' s favorite writers, and even musical performances and other arts. Head to a natural history museum. This is where kids can discover the past from dinosaur models to rock collections and pictures of stars in the sky. Also, ask what kind of workshops and educational programs are prepared for kids and any special events that are coming up. Go to a Youtheater. Look for one in your area offering plays for child and family visitors. Pre-show play shops are conducted by area artists and educators where kids can discover the secret about performing arts. Puppet making and stage make-up are just a couple of the special offerings you might find. Try hands-on science. Visit one of the many hands-on science museums around the country. These science play-lands are great fun for kids and grown-ups alike. They'll keep your child mentally and physically active the whole day through while pushing buttons, experimenting, and building. When everyone is tired, enjoy a fun family science show, commonly found in these museums. X If a child is interested in the universe, he probably will visit _ . Answer: a natural history museum Parents are creating an "I want it now" generation by satisfying children's every demand at Christmas, say experts. Youngsters in Britain are becoming increasingly selfish, claim the education analysts. Behavioral consultant Chris Calland said: "Parents want to make Christmas into magical fairytale for their kids. "There's nothing wrong with that. The problem arises when it means always giving into all our children's demands--- even if they are beyond our price range or not age-appropriate." Ms Calland, who runs "Santa Says No" style sessions with colleague Nicky Hutchinson, added: "Many of us go into so much debt providing the gifts our children want that we spend the rest of the year paying off the bills. But so often the gifts we've carefully wrapped, once opened, are just pushed away because the very thing our little boy or girl was once so desperate for, they have now lost interest in." Ms Calland and Ms Hutchinson have drawn up a list of guidelines to help parents manage their offspring's Christmas lists this year. They say that adults can actually improve their relationships with their children by resisting "pester power". Ms Calland said: "All too often we say yes because we want an easier life when the fact is that we're only building up problems for the future. We are helping create a generation of youngsters who are blind to the needs of others and the necessity of hard work. "Children learn fast--- if we sometimes change our mind, they quickly realize it might be worth lying on the floor and screaming for it. Make sure you and your partner are working together on this. Be consistent. And try not to get caught up in competition with other families or friends. What is probably the aim of "Santa Says No" style sessions? Answer: To tell parents how to say no to children's demands. When you are feeling unhappy or forget how great you are ,there are six ways to make you feel confident about yourself , 1.Look in the mirror and say to yourself,"I am a special person and there's no one in the world like me. I can do anything!"It may not sound so good ,bur it really works! 2.Do something nice for someone. Helping others always makes you feel so good. 3.Smile! Be friendly to the people you meet. Look for the good things of your friends and family. 4.Learn something new! Do you want to decorate your own room or learn how to swim? Go for it !New challenges are fun and give you a sense of accomplishment when you finish them, 5.Keep a diary. Turn off the TV and let your imagination fly! Write down your thoughts, dreams or anything you want! Writing always helps to express your feelings. 6.Stay with your family. We all need our family time .Talk with your mum or dad or maybe even your cousin What's the best title of the passage? Answer: Six ways to feel good about yourself If your dog or cat is eating grass, it means it's going to rain. False maybe. There' s no evidence that when a dog or cat is eating grass in the front yard, it' s going to rain. But then, there's no evidence that it isn't going to rain, either. Doctors think dogs and cats eat grass to help make their stomach better or maybe just because they like the taste of it. You'll get sick if you go outside in cold weather with wet hair. False. You might feel cold, but you can't catch a cold because you were outside with wet hair. Many churches have prevented people from throwing rice at weddings because the rice grows larger in a bird's stomach when eaten, causing the bird to explode . True and false. It's true many churches have prevented people from throwing rice, but this is more likely because the rice can become slick on a road or street. There's nothing about rice that will hurt birds. Rice is an important part of many bird's food. Chocolate is Poisonous to dogs. True. Chocolate has theobromine, which can make your dog sick. So, if you don't want to put your dog's life at risk, don't feed it with chocolate. The number of people visiting the hospital goes way up during a full moon. False. According to researchers, there is no evidence that more people visit the hospital during a full moon, though more people do seem to get caught by the police during that time. The idea that the moon influences behavior has been studied for thousands of years--even the word "lunacy", which means crazy behavior, is based on the word "luna" or "moon". Why are people prevented from throwing rice at weddings? Answer: It may cause people to fall over. People who eat at home most of the time have better nutrition than those who go out to eat , a recent study shows. Cornell University professors Lana Hall and Karen Bunch interviewed(,) 3900 people in the survey. "People who eat less than 30 percent of their food away from home eat the most nutritiously," they said. "In general, Americans don't have nutrient, except for iron and calcium," they reported. They have the opposite problem----over--consumption , especially of fat. The food at many fast food restaurants is often low in vitamins. "People who eat more than 30 percent of total calories away from home eat foods that are generally low in nutrients per calorie," the professors said. More calories and enough nutrient intake are required to achieve. One of the major health risks is eating too much fat. The professor found than fat consumption became greater as income went up. It also went up in houses where the female worked. This is probably because these people eat more highly processed foods. What is the result if people often dine out according to the passage? Answer: They tend to have less nutrition
Question: Many animals do strange things before an earthquake.This news may be important. Earthquakes can kill people and knock down houses.Animals may help to save lives. Some animals make a lot of noise before an earthquake.Farmers know about this.Dogs that are usually quiet start to bark.Horses on farms run around in circles.Mice leave their holes and run away.Cows give less milk. In a town in Italy, cats raced down the street in a group.That happened only a few hours before an earthquake.In San Francisco.a man kept tiny pet frogs.One Sunday, the frogs jumped around more than ever.They made loud noise.That night, an earthquake struck the city.People want to know when an earthquake is coming.Then they could get away safely.Right now, there is no sure way to know ahead of time.Maybe the best way is to watch the animals. According to the passage, there were earthquakes in _ . A. most countries B. Italy and San Francisco, the USA C. Chicago and Spain D. all the western countries Answer: B. Italy and San Francisco, the USA Question: Jane is only four years o1d and she doesn't go to school. But she is very clever and learns a lot from her grandpa--an old teacher. One day, Jane's mother, Mrs John takes her to a party. The guests all praise a rich woman's son. Mrs John asks him a few questions, but his answers are wrong. Jane begins to laugh. The rich woman is angry. She te11s her friend--a teacher to ask Jane some questions, but the little girl answers all. Then she asks, ''There are three birds in a tree. How many will be left if I kill one?" "One" answers Jane. "You're wrong!" calls out the rich woman. "All of them will fly away","Do you think a dead bird can fly?"asks the little girl. The guests begin to 1augh and the woman's face turns red. Jane learns a lot from _ . A. her mother B. all the guests C. her grandpa D. a rich woman and her son Answer: C. her grandpa Question: A young woman was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order", she asked her pastor to come to her house to discuss her final wishes. With everything in order, the pastor was ready to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. "What's that?" asked the pastor. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing what to say. "That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor. The young woman explained, "In all my years of going to church meetings and dinners, I remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would always lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming, like chocolate cake or apple pie,some dessert like that. Something wonderful! I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork so that when they ask you why I have a fork, you can tell them: 'Keep your fork--the best is yet to come.'" The pastor hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the pastor heard the question "Why does she have a fork?" And over and over again he smiled. So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it reminded you of this young woman gently. Send the message to everyone you consider a friend even if it means sending it back to the person who sent it to you. And, keep your fork!! When enjoying a Western dinner, in the later part you have to "Keep your fork." This usually mean " _ " A. Watch out for your fork. B. I wish you good luck with the fork C. Prepare your fork so that you can enjoy the dessert D. You can not take away your fork Answer: C. Prepare your fork so that you can enjoy the dessert Question: In the 13th century , the famous Italian traveller, Marco Polo, travelled a long way to China.During his stay in China, he saw many wonderful things. One of the things he discovered was that the Chinese used paper money. In western countries, people did not use paper money until the 15th century. However, people in China began to use paper money in the 7th century . A Chinese man called Cai Lun invented paper almost 2,000 years ago. He made it from wood. He took the wood from trees and made it into paper. He then put these pieces of paper together and made them into a book. Now paper still comes from trees. We use a lot of paper every day. If we keep on wasting so much paper, there will not be any trees left on the earth. If there are no trees, there will be no paper. Every day, people throw away about 2,800 tons of paper in our city. It takes 17 trees to make one ton of paper.This means that we are cutting nearly 48,000 trees every day. Since it takes more than 10 years for a tree to grow, we must start using less paper now. If we don't, we will not have enough time to grow more trees to take the place of those we use for paper. So how can we save paper? We can use both sides of every piece of paper, especially when we are making notes. We can choose drinks in bottles instead of those in paper packets. We can also use cotton handkerchiefs and not paper ones. When we go shopping, we can use fewer paper bags. If the shop assistant gives us a paper bag, we can save it and reuse it later. Everyone can help to save paper. If we all think carefully, we can help protect trees. But we should do it now , before it is too late. Which is the best title of the passage? A. Saving Paper B. The History of Paper C. Cotton Handkerchiefs Back Again D. Cai Lun, the Great Inventor Answer: A. Saving Paper Question: Hello, I'm Kate. This is a photo of my aunt's family. The woman in the photo is my aunt, Jane. She is a teacher and she is very kind . These are my cousins Jim and Jack. They are seven and they are twins . Look! That lovely baby is my aunt's little daughter, Rose. She is only one. I love them very much. There are _ people in the photo. A. three B. four C. five D. six Answer: B. four
The following notice is posted in the bus station. Time Table: Buses leave the Railway Station, New York City, from7:00 a.m. and every half-hour thereafter, until 11:30 p.m. (7 days a week) Buses leave Brennan Station 20 minutes before and after every hour from 6:20 a.m. to 11:40 p.m. (7 days a week) Evening rush hours (5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.); Buses leave the Railway Station, New York City every 15 minutes.(Monday--Friday) Holidays Buses leave every hour on the hour, each direction.(Trip time:30minutes each way) *All tickets must be bought at Window 12, the Railway Station, New York City, or at the Brennan Station Window BEFORE boarding buses. If you want to take a bus in the evening rush hour, you should take the _ in the Railway Station, New York City on Monday. Answer: Earthquake is not an unfamiliar word to us as it is frequently covered on the news report. However, I never have the idea that it will take place in my city. But the truth is that it happened. When the building began to shake, I thought it was dizziness caused by long-time nonstop work and colleagues also kept silent till one of them shouted, "The chair is shaking." Then we came to understand it was not personal feelings, and we started to find the reason--the weak foundation of the building, or earthquake (in a joking tone), but we still kept doing what was in hand. It was kind of _ when I looked back, because of our slow reaction and stupid response. It was said that the staff in another building next to us all ran out of the building with their handbags; some of them even drove away. On hearing that, I thought it was a bitexaggeration . Did they really have to do so? It was only 20-second mild shaking. But now, when I totally get to know what happened, I change my mind. It is not over-reacting, but natural self-protection response. Luckily it's only the aftershocks; otherwise I guess I would be frightened to death. The aftershocks make me think what I'm going to do in case of earthquake, which I would never give a second thought before. I don't know what's on their mind for people who are on the spot of the earthquake, be frightened, at a loss, or simply running away, or trying to get contact with friends or... It is hard to imagine the picture and even harder to imagine what's next. For the first time, I have the feeling of insecurity. Humans are so fragile when they face the sudden disasters. At first, the staff's response in another building struck the author as " _ ". Answer: People in South Korea who feel they can no longer bear the stress of everyday life now can choose to stay in a prison to relax and think deeply. In a society where pressure to do well in school and find highly-paid jobs is intense, a former lawyer came up with an extreme relaxation idea. Kwon Yong-seok created the "Prison Inside Me"--a stress-reduction center with a punishment theme. People come here to cut themselves off from the outside world and pay to be kept in 60-square-foot (5.6-square-meter) cells . Located on the outskirts of Hongcheon, about 58 miles (93 km) northeast of Seoul, "Prison Inside Me" came to life after Mr. Kwon voluntarily asked to spend time behind bars for "healing reasons," but his request was turned down. "I didn't know how to stop working back then," he said. "I felt like I was being swept away against my will, and it seemed I couldn't control my own life." So, Kwon and his wife Roh Ji-hyang decided to take matters into their own hands, and designed and built a prison-like spiritual center. The construction was completed in June last year and cost about 2 billion won ($19 million). The facility includes 28 cells, furnished with only a toilet, a sink and a small table, where guests can spend time alone, thinking about life and enjoying private thinking periods. Moreover, guests can also join group thinking periods in the hall, where they are given instructions on how to free themselves from what Mr. Kwon calls the "inner prison" to find inner peace. According to the Wall Street Journal, hundreds of stressed South Koreans are checking in at the stress-reduction facility to think about their lives and regain control of it. A two-night stay at "Prison Inside Me" costs 150,000 won ($146). Mr. Kwon and his wife explained that at the beginning they had a different plan for the "relaxation center," and imagined a longer stay for their guests, but, given that people weren't able to take more time off, they had to reduce the length of stays to just two days. Park Woo-sub, a guest at "Prison Inside Me," said the experience helped him a lot. "This is my third time in prison. Being kept in a prison makes me hard to breathe, but it also offers time to focus only on me and spend some quiet time with myself." Others said the experience would have been more helpful if the conditions had been poorer, like in a real prison. Who should go to the "Prison Inside Me"? Answer: One evening after dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Tisich called a family meeting. "We've had to make a difficult decision," Mr. Tisich announced. "You see, your mother has been offered a post as co-director of a television station in Chicago. Unfortunately, the station is not here. After thinking long and hard about it, we've concluded that the right decision is to move to Chicago." Marc looked shocked, while his sister Rachel breathlessly started asking when they'd be moving. "It's surprising, but exciting!" she said. Marc simply said, "We can't go--I can't leave all my friends. I'd rather stay here and live with Tommy Lyons!" The Tisichs hoped that by the time they moved in August, Marc would grow more used to the idea of leaving. However, he showed no signs of accepting the news, refusing to pack his belongings. When the morning of the move arrived, Marc was nowhere to be found. His parents called Tommy Lyon's house, but Mrs. Lyons said she hadn't seen Marc. Mrs. Tisich became increasingly concerned, while her husband felt angry with their son for behaving so irresponsibly. What they didn't know was that Marc had started walking over to Tommy's house, with a faint idea of hiding in Lyons's attic for a few days. But something happened on the way as Marc walked past all the familiar landscape of the neighborhood: the fence that he and his mother painted, the tree that he and his sister used to climb, the park where he and his father often took evening walks together. How much would these mean without his family, who make them special in the first place? Marc didn't take the time to answer that question but instead hurried back to his house, wondering if there were any moving cartons the right size to hold his record collection. What would most likely happen next? Answer: When you first arrive in Oxford, it may take a little while for you to find your way around. Some of the first things our students do when they arrive include finding a bike (most students in Oxford find cycling is the best way to go around), setting up a bank account, getting their computer and mobile phone working, finding their department, getting to know their college and working out the best places to socialize. One of the major events you will experience shortly after "coming up" to Oxford is matriculation. Matriculation is held at the University's Sheldonian Theatre and is the ceremony at which you are formally admitted to the university. International students are invited to an orientation day at the start of the academic year. Sessions run throughout the day that will give you practical information about living and studying in the UK and introduce you to other graduate students from all over the world who are starting their studies at Oxford at the same time as you, as well as to current Oxford graduate students and staff who will be able to help and advise you. The day covers topics such as studying and learning in the Oxford system, University services, information on living in Britain and cultural differences, as well as addressing practical issues such as employment, immigration and visas, health and safety. You can choose which talks to attend and at the end of the day there is a social hour so you can meet fellow students. Another good thing to experience early is college dining. Most colleges have a tradition of regular formal hall dinners, which consist of three or four courses, and the atmosphere of an evening out in a nice restaurant. On some of these occasions you can invite people around to your college for dinner and _ . In this way, you can get to know people studying your own and other subjects at the same time as visiting many of the historical college grounds and dining halls. For a newcomer to Oxford, what does he have to do first? Answer:
Among the more colorful characters of Leadville's golden age were H. A. W. Tabor and his wife, Elizabeth McCourt, better known as "Baby Doe". Their history is fast becoming one of the legends of the Old West. Horace Austin Warner Tabor was a school teacher in Vermont. Then he moved west to the small Colorado mining camp known as California Gulch, which he later renamed Leadville when he became its leading citizen. "Great deposits of lead are sure to be found here." he said. As it turned out, it was silver, not lead, that was to make Leadville's fortune and wealth. Tabor knew little about mining himself, so he opened a general store, which sold everything from boots to salt, flour, and tobacco. It was his custom to " _ " prospective miners, in other words, to supply them with food and supplies, or "grub", while they looked for ore , in return for which he would get a share in the mine if one was discovered. He did this for a number of years, but no one that he aided ever found anything of value. Finally one day in the year 1878, so the story goes, two miners came in and asked for "grub". Tabor had decided to quit supplying it because he had lost too much money that way. These were persistent, however, and Tabor was too busy to argue with them. "Oh help yourself. One more time won't make any difference," He said and went on selling shoes and hats to other customers. The two miners took $17 worth of supplies, in return for which they gave Tabor a one-third interest in their findings. They picked a barren place on the mountain side and began to dig. After nine days they struck a rich vein of silver. Tabor bought the shares of the other two men, and so the mine belonged to him alone. This mine, known as the "Pittsburgh Mine," made $1,300,000 for Tabor in return for his $17 investment. Later Tabor bought the Matchless Mine on another barren hillside just outside the town for $117,000. This turned out to be even more fabulous than the Pittsburgh, yielding $35,000 worth of silver per day at one time. Leadville grew. Tabor became its first mayor, and later became lieutenant governor of the state. We can infer that Tabor's life career is. Answer: based on his managing theory of "grubstake' To understand the marketing concept, it is only necessary to understand the difference between marketing and selling. Not too many years ago, most industries concentrated primarily on the efficient production of goods, and then relied on "persuasive salesmanship" _ . Such production and selling focuses on the needs of the seller to produce goods and then convert them into money. Marketing, on the other hand, focuses on the wants of consumers. It begins with first analyzing the preferences and demands of consumers and then producing goods that will satisfy them. This eye-on-the-consumer approach is known as the marketing concept, which simply means that instead of trying to sell whatever is easiest to produce, the makers and dealers first find out what the consumer wants to buy and then go about making it available for purchase. This concept does not imply that business is benevolent or that consumer satisfaction is given priority over profit in a company. There are always two sides to every business transaction--the firm and the customer--and each must be satisfied before trade occurs. Successful merchants and producers, however, recognize that the surest route to profit is through understanding and catering to customers. A striking example of the importance of catering to the consumer presented itself in mid-1985, when Coca Cola changed the flavor of its drink. The non-acceptance of the new flavor by a significant portion of the public brought about a prompt restoration of the Classic Coke, which was then marketed alongside the new. What was the main concern of industries before the marketing concept was widely accepted? Answer: The efficiency of production. Every day, about one-quarter of American adults eat at fast-food restaurants. Cheap, tasty, and convenient, fast food is rich in fat and calories, and it's low in fiber and nutrients. Thanks in large part to fast food, half of America's adults and one-quarter of its children are fat, double the rate of a generation ago. In the past two decades, eating habits have changed as people pay more attention to their health. However, many Americans continue to eat red meat (beef in particular) as well as pork, chicken and other foods. Although beer and wine are popular in most areas, many Americans _ alcohol, because they think they will become healthier without drinking it. Various kinds of mineral water are commonly available. Eating styles and habits vary between people of different backgrounds, but Americans generally eat with the fork in the hand with which they write. A knife is used for cutting and spreading; otherwise, it is laid on the plate or table. Fast foods, such as chips, fried chicken, hamburgers, and pizza, tend to be eaten with the fingers. There is an obvious difference between what people may do at home or in a fast-food restaurant, and how they act in a more formal restaurant. Because both parents often work outside the home, some Americans are less likely to sit down as a family to eat once the children are older and able to prepare their own food or serve themselves. Which would be the best title of the passage? Answer: Diet and eating in America. Some years ago, a Miami woman walking through an office building noticed two men standing together.Several minutes after her leaving, the men murdered a person working in the building.The police determined that the woman was the only witness and could possibly describe them.However, her memory of the men proved disappointingly unclear.Several days later, psychologist Ronald Fisher was brought in to obtain a more complete account from the woman.His interview produced a breakthrough--the woman reported a clear picture of one of the suspects.The important information enabled the police to arrest the suspect and close the case. The police asked Fisher for help because of his rich knowledge in cognitive interview, a kind of memory - rebuilding process.Memory researchers have found that people trying to remember a past event often only recall part of the relevant information.Human memory is selective and it is often _ by stress.But a person's accurate recall of an event or understanding of a question can be improved using specific interviewing techniques.The "cognitive interview" was developed in the late 1990s.It encourages the witness to take an active role in recalling information rather than giving answers only to someone else's questions.The witness first describes what happened in his or her own words, with no interviewer interruptions.The interviewer then goes further with specific techniques, such as having the witness tell the details of what happened from different perspectives . The cognitive interview focuses on guiding witnesses through four general recalling techniques: thinking about physical surroundings and personal feelings that existed at the time of past events; reporting everything that connects to mind about those events, no matter how broken it is retelling events in a variety of time orders, such as from beginning to end, end to beginning, forward or backward; and adopting different perspectives while recalling events. Experiments with police detectives trained in this demanding interview method find that they obtain nearly 50% more information from witnesses than before training, while error rates remain about the same.It is proved that cognitive interviews are quite important tools in improving the accuracy and completeness of witness testimony . The purpose of the passage is to _ . Answer: introduce an idea of cognitive interview. Last week I did a survey about TV shows at No. 2 Middle School. Some students' answers are interesting. Li Ming's favorite shows are sports shows. He often watches basketball games on CCTV-5.And he likes Kobe Bryant beastlier Yuan, a 12-year-old girl, says she can't stand sitcoms. But they're her grandmother's favorite.Liu Yuan loves cartoons very much. She watches Pleasant Goat and Big Wolf every day. She thinks cartoons are interesting and relaxing. Sun Jing doesn't mind game shows.Liu Hui likes talk shows. She thinks she can learn more about life from them. And there is another interesting thing. Most moms like Healthy Living but most dads like the news. Who likes sitcoms? Answer: Liu Yuan's grandmother
Nick and his friends were talking about things that can bring them luck . "I have a lucky red pen," said Andrea. "I have a lucky penny ," said Manuel. Every time I want to do really well in tests, I carry my lucky penny." Nick thought for a moment, and answered, "My blue socks." "Blue socks?" the boys were surprised and asked together. Nick said that every time he wore his blue socks to school before a test, he got a good mark. The next day Nick would have a Chinese test. He was sad because he couldn't find his blue socks to wear to school. "Mom!" shouted Nick. "Where are my blue socks? I will have a Chinese test, and I need to wear them." "Don't be silly," Nick's mom said. "They need to be washed." "When I wear them, I get a good grade," Nick said. "Did you prepare for your test?" asked Mom. "Yes." "Then don't worry about it. Just do your best," Mom encouraged. Nick was worried about his test because his lucky socks would not help him. A few days later, Nick's teacher told him that he got 95 in his test. Nick was so excited that he couldn't wait to tell Mom how well he did in his test. Mom said, "It wasn't the blue socks that made you successful. It was made by yourself." _ brings Andrea luck. Mr Smith made many tests with different animals and the monkey was the cleverest of all the animals. One day Mr Smith put a monkey in a room. He also put some small boxes in it. In one of the boxes there was some food. "How long will it take the monkey to find the food? " Mr Smith said to himself. " Let me wait and see. " He left the room and waited outside. Three minutes later, he put his eye to the keyhole . What did he see? He saw the eye of the monkey. The monkey was on the other side of the door and looked at Mr Smith through the keyhole. Mr Smith made tests with _ . All lawyers practicing in the state of Erewhon must be members of the State Bar Association, by order of the state supreme court. Several state officials serve on the Bar Association's Board of Bar Governors. The Board of Bar Governors authorizes the payment of dues for two staff members to the Cosmopolitan Club, a private dining club licensed to sell alcoholic beverages. The Cosmopolitan Club is frequented by affluent businessmen and professionals and by legislators. It is generally known that the purpose of the membership of the Bar Association staff is to enable them to go where members of the "elite" meet and to lobby for legislation in which the Bar Association is interested. The State Bar Association has numerous committees and subcommittees concerned with family law, real estate law, unauthorized practice, etc., and its recommendations often influence state policy. Some committee meetings are held at the Cosmopolitan Club. The club is known to have rules which restrict membership by race, religion, and sex. Plaintiffs, husband and wife, who are members of the Erewhon Bar Association, petitioned the Board of Bar Governors to adopt a resolution prohibiting the payment of club dues to and the holding of meetings of the Bar Association or its committees at places which discriminate on the basis of race, religion, or sex. After substantial public discussion, the Board of Bar Governors, by a close vote, failed to pass such a resolution. These events received extensive coverage in the local newspapers. Plaintiffs have brought an action in federal court seeking an injunction against such payments and the holding of meetings in such places as the Cosmopolitan Club."Which of the following actions should a federal district court take with respect to jurisdiction? Pottery is the name given to all kinds of useful or artistic objects made from clay. Pottery can be plates or water pots or baskets. Pottery can be large or small, fancy or plain. Pottery is part of the large family of ceramics .Ceramics are synthetic materials. For example, bricks and tiles are both ceramics. How is pottery made? First, a potter takes some clay. Clay is a soft, red material from the earth. It looks a little like red dirt, but it's very different. Clay is thick and rich. Wet clay can be worked into any shape. When the clay dries, it will keep that shape. The potters takes some clay and pushes and squeezes it until it is soft and smooth. After that, the clay can be shaped into anything. There are several ways to shape clay. Sometimes potters use their hands. Sometimes they use a special wheel. They place the clay in the center of a round, flat wheel. The wheel moves very fast, and the potter shapes the clay. After the potter has shaped the clay, it can be decorated . Potters use glaze, which is a kind of paint, to decorate their work. Some glazes are very simple. Other glazes have beautiful colors and designs. The glaze is not just beautiful. It is also useful. The glaze makes the pottery smooth and waterproof. Potters also make some decorative lines and designs on the surface. After it is decorated, the clay must be baked, or fired, in a special oven. Baking the clay at very high temperature makes it hard and strong. Firing also makes the glaze stick to the pottery. When the firing is over, the potter carefully removes the pottery from the oven and lets it cool slowly. If it cools too quickly, it could crack and break. Since pottery is waterproof, it is very popular for dishes. You can find examples of pottery in almost any home. But pottery can also be found in museums. Some pieces of pottery are valuable and beautiful pieces of art. Which statement is NOT true according to the passage? My life as a 'runner' began by running in a playground near my home in order to lose weight about 2 years ago. As time went by, I found myself so good at running that sometimes, I even forgot how many rounds I ran around the playground. Thanks to all this practice, I was able to win the 5thplace in short course marathon game at 'BASF Yeosu Site Athletic Competition' held in October 2002. This event inspired me to take part in public short-course marathon games such as 10km, 20km and half-course competitions. Finally, in May 2003, I was able to complete a full course marathon for the first time of my life. My next challenge was the Boston Marathon race, which is the world's oldest and most famous marathon races. To qualify for the Boston Marathon, one should meet the designated time standard of their age group at a certified marathon. So I took part in ChunCheon Marathon in Korea. I had to finish the full coursewithin 3 hours and 30 minutes to meet the time standard for my age group (45 to 49 years old). But to my pleasant surprise, I recorded 3 hours 22 minutes, which is 25 minute faster than my previous best record! In April 2004, I was finally able to go to Boston. I was very pleased and proud because I could play a role to promote BASF all across the world through this sport. And it really happened! When I ran in the Boston Marathon wearing BASF logo , people along the streets rooted for me shouting 'BASF! BASF!'. I was very touched and so proud of my company. Of course I completed the full course successfully. After the game, I was interviewed by Korean local newspapers and had an opportunity to appear on several TV shows, which helped me to promote BASF in the community. According to the passage, the author first took part in a full course marathon in _ .
Question: "If you want to see a thing well, reach out and touch it!" That may seem a strange thing to say. But touching things can help you to see them better. Your eyes can tell you that a glass ball is round. But by holding it in your hands, you can feel how smooth and cool the ball is. You can feel how heavy the glass is. When you feel all these about the ball, you really see it. With your skip, you can feel better. For example, your fingers can tell the difference between two coins in your pocket. You can feel a little drop of water on the back of your hand, too. You can even feel sounds against your skin. Have you ever wanted to know why some people like very loud music? They must like to feel the sounds of music. All children soon learn "what Don't touch!" means. They hear it often. Yet most of us keep on touching things as we grow up. In shops,we touch things we might buy, such as food, clothes and so on. To see something well, we have to touch it. The bottoms of our feet can feel things, too. You know this when you walk on warm sand, cool grass or a bad floor. All feel different under your feet. There are ways of learning to see well by feeling. One way is to close your eyes and try to feel everything that is touching your skin. Feel the shoes on your feet, the clothes on your body, the air on your skin. At first, it is not easy to feel these things. You are too used to them! Most museums are just for looking. But today some museums have some things which you can touch. Their signs say, "Do touch!" There you can feel everything on show. If you want to see better, reach out and touch. Then you'11 really see! When people buy things in shops, they often _ . A. try them on first B. put their right hand on them C. just have a look D. feel and touch them Answer: D Question: Parents need to be good role models to help their children make sensible financial decisions, according to Adam Hancock and his team, from East Caronlina University in the US. Their work highlights that parents who argue about finances contribute to increasing credit card debt among their children during their students years. Their work is published online in Springer's Journal of Family and Economic Issues. Credit card debt among college students has been a growing concern for researchers and policymakers over the last decade. In addition, there is growing concern among educators that more students are dropping out of school, not because of academic failure, but because of financial reasons, and credit card especially. Hancock and colleagues' study is the first to examine how parental interactions, and financial knowledge and attitudes may have a cumulative effect on the number of credit cards students own and their level of credit card debt. The researchers analyzed data for 420 undergraduate students from seven different American universities, who took part in the College Student Financial Literacy Survey. According to the online survey, nearly two-thirds of students had a credit card, and nearly a third had more than one. Those students who reported that their parents argued about finances were more likely to have more than two cards than the students whose parents who did not argue about finances. In terms of debt, those students who had two or more credit cards were nearly three times more likely to report having credit card debt over $500. The researchers conclude, "It is clear that the influence of parents cannot be neglected. Researchers, educators and policymakers should work in finding effective ways to increase the positive financial behaviors for college students. We need to help students learn financial skills and establish healthy financial attitudes at earlier ages to prevent poor financial habits from taking root. " As a student, what can you learn from the passage? A. We need to turn to our parents when we have credit card debt. B. We should build correct financial attitudes when we are young. C. We shouldn't have credit cards so that we can avoid argument. D. We can have more credit cards to make life more comfortable. Answer: B Question: seeds may grow when A. ingested B. roasted C. left alone D. placed underground Answer: D Question: One day a poor farmer was taking a bag of wheat to town. Suddenly the bag fell off his horse onto the road. He did not know what he could do about it because it was too heavy for him to lift by himself. He only hoped that someone would soon pass by and lend him a hand. Just at his moment, a man riding a horse came up to him. But the farmer felt disappointed when he saw who he was. It was the great man who lived nearby. He thought the great man wouldn't help him, and hoped another farmer would come up. But to his surprise, the great man got off his horse as soon as he came near, "I see you need help," he said, "I'm here just at the right time. " Then he took one end of the bag and the farmer took the other, They lifed it together and put it on the horse. "Sir," asked the farmer, "how can I pay you?" "It's quite easy," the great man answered, "when you see anyone else in trouble, do the same for him. " What did the poor farmer take to town? A. A bag of coins B. A bag of wheat C. A bag of rice D. A bag of apples Answer: B Question: Bring the Family? Port Regis School is well situated for exploring the beautiful South and West of England Wales. Sibford School is located in Oxfordshire with easy access to London, Oxford and Stratfordupon-Avon. Each school has excellent hotels and guest houses nearby for parents who are dropping off or collecting children from school. Please note: All students attending English Country Schools must live residentially on site. We do not recommend that parents live locally while their child is in school:experience suggests that this often upsets the child and disrupts progress. Howard's House Country Hotel & Restaurant About 15 minutes from Port Regis School, Howard's House is set in large gardens hidden away in the quietness of the lovely Nadder valley. Plumber Manor Plumber Manor is a comfortable Jacobean manor house built of local stone, situated about 20 minutes from Port Regis School. The 17th-century house is surrounded by lawns and is set in the tranquil Dorset countryside. Woodville Farm Bed & Breakfast+Self-catering Woodville Farm is family-run arable & livestock farm set in the Dorset countryside about 5 minutes from Port Regis School. Bed and Breakfast accommodation:one double bedroom & one twin bedroom both with bathrooms, tea & coffee making facilities, color1 television & hairdryer. There is also a self-catering 2-bedroom house nearby. Stock Hill Country House Hotel and Restaurant Stock Hill Country House Hotel and Restaurant is a late Victorian mansion set in eleven acres of mature and beautiful wooden grounds on the borders of Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire. About 10 minutes from Port Regis School. Parents are strongly advised not to live locally while their child is in school because _ . A. their child is too excited to be reunited with parents B. parents stay with their child for too long time C. their visit makes their child angry D. their staying disturbs their child's studies Answer: D
Most people report that they do not usually feel confident. But exciting things can happen when we actually believe in ourselves. Here is a man who believed in his own ability even as a boy, and that confidence helped shape his adult life. At the turn of the last century, a young boy quit school to help with the family expenses. When he was fifteen, he became interested in automobiles and worked in a garage. He subscribed to a correspondence home study course on automobiles and, after a long day in the garage, studied at the kitchen table by lamplight. When he felt ready, he walked into the Frayer-Miller Automobile Company of Columbus, Ohio. When Mr. Frayer noticed him, he asked, "Well, what do you want?" "I just thought I'd tell you I'm coming to work here tomorrow morning," the boy replied. "Oh! Who hired you?" "Nobody yet, but I'll be on the job in the morning. If I'm not worth anything, you can fire me." Early the next morning the young man returned to the plant. Noticing the floor was thick with metal shavings and accumulated dirt, the boy got a broom and set out to clean the place. Because of his self-confidence and work ethic, the boy's future was predictable. He went on to stand out in many fields, including automobile racing, piloting World War I planes and founding what was to become one of America's largest airline companies -- Eastern Airlines. People who become more confident habitually encourage themselves. Without confidence, we are not likely to move far in the direction of our dreams. But become our own best friend and almost anything will be possible. It is important that we always believe in ourselves. In order to reach victory, we must believe in ourselves even when we make mistakes and fall short. What is the purpose of the passage? To inspire us with self-confidence. Having a child may improve a woman's memory, a new study suggests. In the study, women who were new mothers scored better on tests of visuospatial memory - the ability to understand and remember information about their surroundings--compared with women who didn't have children. The findings contradicts the old belief that women develop"baby brain" or a decline in memory and cognitive function, after they have kids, said study researcher Melissa Santiago, a doctoral student at Carlos Albizu University in Miami. "You don't have to feel that because you have kids, your memory isn't the same," Santiago said. The study was small, and the findings will have to be tested in larger groups of people, Santiago said. Previous studies on the topic have had mixed results--some showed motherhood hurts cognition, and others showed the opposite. Studies on rats show those with pups have better memory than those without offspring. Santiago analyzed information from 35 first-time mothers whose children were ages 10 to 24 months, and 35 women who had never been pregnant. Both groups scored similarly on intelligence tests. The average age of mothers was 29 and the average age of never-pregnant women was 27. To test visuospatial memory, the women were shown a paper containing six symbols for 10 seconds, and then asked to draw what they remembered. This task was repeated several times. The first time women were shown the paper, both groups remembered about the same amount. But on the second and third pass, mothers performed better than those without children, indicating that the mothers collected more information each time than the other women. Later, the women were shown a variety of different symbols, and asked to remember which ones were presented on the earlier task. Mothers did not make a mistake in this task--they remembered every symbol correctly--but those without children made one or two errors, Santiago said. By saying "The study was small", what did Santiago mean? The study was carried out among a small group of people. Few, if any, instruments shape national culture more powerfully than the materials used in schools. Textbooks are not only among the first books most people meet; in many places they are, along with religious texts, almost the only books they have. A study in South Africa showed that fewer than half of pupils had access to more than ten books at home. In 2010 a study by Egypt's government found that, apart from school textbooks, 88% of Egyptian households read no books. The degree to which a government keeps control of the textbooks used in classrooms is a good guide to its commitment to ideological control. Where that desire is strong, governments are likely to produce the textbooks themselves or define carefully what goes into them. America's State Department employs people to keep an eye on other countries' textbooks, in an effort to understand better how their people think and what their governments want them to think. Other countries probably do the same. Textbooks have long been a source of worry. After the attacks on America on September 11th 2001, some in both America and Saudi Arabia, including officials, supposed that Saudi Arabia's curriculum of intolerance was responsible, at least in part, for the emergence of al-Qaeda . Sometimes the requirements of the state are more clearly seen in what textbooks leave out. The world has long criticized Japan for the way its textbooks whitewash the country's history, in particular dressing up Japanese war crimes. The "New History Textbook", for example, which was submitted for government approval in 2000, played down Japan's aggression in the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-95 and the occupation of China in the 1930s and 1940s, and avoided mention of the use of sex slaves by its armies or the rape of Nanjing. In America most of the disputes about textbooks are home-grown. Liberals worry that their children are being taught a nationalistic version of history that emphasizes the wonders of industrialization and plays down slavery and the killing of Indian tribes. By contrast, Conservatives complain about inadequate education of love for their country and too much secularism . In 2010 the Texas board of education managed to remove Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, from the state's list of important revolutionary figures, apparently because of Jefferson's insistence on the separation of church and state. He was, however, swiftly restored. As long as textbooks are issued or approved by the state, they will remain a political issue. But as access to other textbooks is enjoyed more widely, some of the dominance they now enjoy will weaken. The author's purpose of writing this passage is_. to inform the readers of present practices of textbooks A father in Wuhan, nicknamed "Eagle Dad" for his controversial parenting style, has dismissed critics' claims that he pushes his 4-year-old son too hard. Police officer Wang Shaoyan came under the spotlight this month after his child took part in an 18-kilometer race in the Hubei provincial capital. Some parents attacked his methods of extreme physical training, while others reacted strongly to his admission that he regularly exposes the youngster to cold showers. "I just want my son to reach his full potential," Wang said, adding that 4-year-old son not only runs 3 km every day he also takes cold showers from time to time to strengthen his body's resistance and willpower. "He has never taken any sick leave from kindergarten," he said proudly. However, some parents find his methods too extreme. "I'm not sure a 4-year-old is prepared for such intense training," said Zhang Ruxia a woman who gave birth to two boys in October in Tianjin. "You can have good intentions to train your child at an early age but you also have to consider whether he can take it." Wang responded by saying children are too young to make decisions, and it is up to parents to lead them on the right path. "I read many materials before and the whole process is step-by-step without pushing or imposing on my son," Wang said. The father said he was not acting rashly but following a scientific way of education. He said the doubts about his methods reflect the declining standards of modern education. "Many people in Japan give their children cold showers too ,and no one is fussing about it," he said. The traditional way of education applied by most of his peers might not necessarily help bring the best out of a child he said. Wang said in addition to the physical training, he has also laid out a detailed and particular program to strengthen the intelligence of the child. "I have hired some university students to expand his knowledge in natural sciences, while playing the video for English-language teaching as well," he said. For what reason was Wang made known to the public? He made his kid take a long distance race. Cheating can happen in a lot of different ways. When people cheat, it's not fair to other people, like the kids who studiedfor the test or who were the true winners of a game. Many people like the action of cheating. It makes difficult things seem easy, like getting all the right answers on the test. But it doesn't solve the problem of not knowing the material and it won't help on the next test --- unless the person cheats again. Some people lose respect for cheaters and think less of them. The cheaters themselves may feel bad because they know they are not really earning that good grade. And, if they get caught cheating, they will be in trouble at school, and maybe at home, too. Some kids cheat because they're busy or lazy and they want to get good grades without spending the time studying. Other kids might feel like they can't pass the test without cheating. Even when there seems to be a "good reason" for cheating, cheating isn't a good idea. If you were sick or upset about something the night before and couldn't study, it would be better to talk with the teacher about this. And if you don't have enough time to study for a test because of swim practice, you need to talk with your parents about how to balance swimming and school. A kid who thinks cheating is the only way to pass a test needs to talk with the teacher and his or her parents so they can find some solutions together. Talking about these problems and working them out will be better than cheating. Some students like cheating mainly because _ . cheating can make hard things seem very easy
When Christina Brouder was five years old, a drunk driver ran over her as she and her father were crossing the street in front of their home.Hurt badly, the young girl was forced to spend a long time in a full-body cast to recover from her injuries.Mostly, she traveled between the hospital and her home.Once out of the cast, Brouder sat in a wheelchair for almost a year. In spite of the horrible accident, Christina was grateful for her recovery.She was so grateful, in fact, that she and her four talented siblings ( three sisters and a brother) started a music group, Gilbride.The group performed at local hospitals and nursing homes, performing for the patients.Among them, the children could sing, dance and play about 20 different musical instruments.At their first show in 1988, held at Montefiore Hospital, the kids were 2,3,6,8 and 9 years old.That year alone, the group made over a hundred appearances. From the local public entertainment places, the group expanded to charity performances.They also entertained people at Disney World, Radio City Music Hall, and even the White House. Christina balanced her happy and successful musical career with academics.First graduating from New York City's High School of Music and Art,and then from Fordham.In 2000,as t he youngest graduate from Fordham,1 8year--old Christina and her siblings went on tour for a year.Not pleased with the applause she received from the audience, she entered Pace University Law School.On May 19,Christina Brouder realized part of her dream when at only 22,she received Health Law Certificate . According to the passage,the siblings _ . A were talented in music B were interested in sports C were enthusiastic about writing D had the ability to draw very well Answer: A. were talented in music Today is Linda's mother's birthday. It is also Teachers' Day. Linda's mother is a math teacher. So today is her birthday and also her festival. Linda and her brothers buy presents for their mother. Linda buys a good skirt for Mother. Her two brothers buy Mother a big birthday cake. Linda's father also has a present. He prepares a ring for his _ . Linda's mother is very happy. The family love her so much. It is a great birthday for her. How many kids does Linda's mother have? A 2. B 3. C 4. D 5. Answer: B. 3. Which changes the environment? A backyard vegetable garden B television signals C vacuuming carpet D taking a nap Answer: A. backyard vegetable garden Walk through the Amazon rainforest today and you will find it is steamy, warm, damp and thick. But if you had been around 15, 000 years ago, during the last ice age, would it have been the same? For more than 30 years, scientists have been arguing about how rainforests like the Amazon might have reacted to the cold, dry climates of the ice ages, but until now, no one has reached a satisfying answer. Rainforests like the Amazon are important for _ CO2from the atmosphere and helping to slow global warming. Currently the trees in the Amazon take in around 500 million tons of CO2each year: equal to the total amount of CO2giving off in the UK each year. But how will the Amazon react to future climate change? If it gets drier, will it still survive and continue to draw down CO2? Scientists hope that they will be able to learn in advance how the rainforest will manage in the future by understanding how rainforests reacted to climate change in the past. Unfortunately, getting into the Amazon rainforest and collecting information are very difficult. To study past climate, scientists need to look at fossilized pollen, kept in lake muds. Going back to the last ice age means drilling deep down into lake sediments which requires specialized equipment and heavy machinery. There are very few roads and paths, or places to land helicopters and aero-planes. Rivers tend to the easiest way to enter the forest, but this still leaves vast areas between the rivers completely unsampled . So far, only a handful of cores have been drilled that go back to the last ice age and none of them provide enough information to prove how the Amazon rainforest reacts to climate change. How will the Amazon rainforest react to future climate change? A It'll get drier and continue to remove CO2. B It'll remain steamy, warm, damp and thick. C It'll get warmer and then colder and drier. D There is no exact answer up to present. Answer: D. There is no exact answer up to present. What's your favorite cartoon? It may be difficult for you to decide. But for pianist Lang Lang, Tom and Jerry is the best one. When Lang was two years old, he saw Tom play the piano. This was his first time to enjoy western music and this experience encouraged him to learn to play the piano. His talent at the keyboard has taken him from Shenyang to the world. Lang became a good piano student at three. Ever since, the boy has been doing better and better. In 1997, the 15-year-old boy studied at a famous American music college. Lang's performances are energetic. He is well-known for making facial expressions and moving around while playing the piano. The road to success has never been easy. Lang's father stopped his job to look after him, while his mother stayed in Shenyang to make money. But Lang thinks himself lucky and believes he should give something back. He has helped the children in poor areas a lot. From the passage, we can say it _ Langlang and his parents a lot of time to get success. A spent B paid C took D cost Answer: C. took
Having finished her homework, Ma Li wants some music for relaxation. As usual, she starts her computer and goes to Baidu.com to download music files. But this time she is surprised when an announcement about protecting songs' copyright appears on the screen. The age of free music and movie downloads may have come to an end as Web companies like Baidu are accused of pirating copyright. Lawsuits have been filed against four websites offering free downloads. In September 2005, a Beijing court ordered Baidu to pay the recording company Shanghai Push compensation for their losses. Baidu was also told to block the links to the pirated music on the websites. This caused a heated discussion on Interact file sharing. "Baidu's defeat in the lawsuit shows it is hot fight to get copyrighted songs without paying." Downloads may face lawsuits or fines," said an official. Like many teens, Huang Ruoru, an 18-year-old girl from Puning in prefix = st1 /GuangdongProvince, doesn't think that getting music from websites is wrong. She always shares her favorite songs downloaded from Baidu with her friends. When told about the lawsuit, she began to feel a little guilty about getting others' work without paying. However, other teenagers have different ideas. Wang Yafei, a senior 2 girl from Jinan, ShangdongProvincepointed out that file sharing is a good way to promote pop singers. " If I download a song and really like it, I will buy the CD," she said. "So what the recording companies really concentrate on is improving their music, rather than pursuing file-shares." What is the good of file sharing for recording companies? Getting more money from web companies. The interaction of the skeletal and muscular systems to produce locomotion is coordinated by which human body system? nervous A person has a cup of coffee in a ceramic cup. The coffee inside of the cup has chilled, so to increase the temperature, the person sets the cup on an electric dish Juno was a very playful dog but she was also very disobedient. One afternoon Juno was out in the front yard playing tag with Sasha the kitten, when Billy came to fetch her for her bath. Juno did not like baths very much and she ran away every time Billy got close to her. Billy soon got tired of Juno's game, so he left her in the garden hoping she would keep running around and tire herself out. Sasha the kitten followed Billy and Juno was surprised to find herself alone, she had hoped Billy would keep on playing this fun game. To pass the time she watched some birds building a nest in a tree, Juno was so bored she even tried to play hide and seek with George, the parrot. Finally, since there was nobody to play with Juno laid down to take a nap. A little later Billy came back out into the yard to fetch Juno. What Billy didn't know was, Juno had been sleeping since he left and she was ready for another game of catch me if you can, her favorite game. Juno took off running as soon as she saw Billy. Billy sat down on the grass to wait. Billy found a ball and started to throw it for Juno to fetch. Billy kept on throwing the ball and Juno kept on bringing it back until Juno dropped the ball and lay down on the grass, panting, tired out. Billy quickly slipped the collar and leash on her. Billy got Juno on her feet and the two of them walked round to the back yard where the family were sitting outside enjoying the sunshine. Billy's father called him to come and enjoy some ice cream with them but Billy said no, he'd rather get Juno's bath time over with and then he could enjoy his ice cream. Billy knew he had to hurry or his brothers Allen and Greg would finish the Rocky Road ice cream which was Billy's favorite. Billy tied Juno's leash to the fence and then he brought the hose over and switched it on. Juno immediately tried to run away but she had no choice but to stay there and let Billy soak her. Billy quickly added soap to Juno's coat and soon she was covered in soapy suds. Soon Billy once again turned the hose on Juno to rinse all the soap out of her coat. The last thing to be done was to rub Juno down with a towel and dry her off Once Billy had finished he took the collar and leash off and Juno lay down in the sun happy that bath time was over once again. Billy went to join the rest of the family and his father said he could choose between Chocolate Chip, Caramel Delight, Cookies and Cream or Rocky Road ice cream. Billy quickly said he wanted the Rocky Road and his father put down a large dish of the ice cream and said 'good job son' What is the dog's name? Juno More and more often we heard of people talking about Karaoke(OK). But what on earth it is about, still remains a question for many people. Karaoke is a sort of acoustic equipment which was invented in Japan around the middle of the 1970's. It means "a band without people" in Japanese. In fact, it is just a music tape without words. This equipment first appeared in some public houses and snack bars, and mainly for the customers to enjoy themselves. Most of the music in Karaoke was popular music. Therefore, at times, when anyone felt like it, he might sing songs to the accompaniment of the music that came from the equipment. Shortly after its invention, Karaoke was spread to the whole world. It was introduced to China and was welcomed by many people. Although you are not a good singer, or even sometimes you may sing out of tune, you can always enjoy yourself by singing Karaoke. People went to public houses and snack bars _ when Karaoke appeared. to have a good time
Chilean rescued miner Edison Pena ran the New York City Marathon on November 7th , less than a month after he was rescued from a collapsed mine that trapped him and the other 32 miners for 69 days. Pena ran 10 km daily through the mine's tunnels to beat the anxiety, wearing cut-down boots until rescuers sent him a pair of sports shoes through a narrow hole that served as the miners' "lifeline" to the surface. "When I ran in the darkness, I was running for life," Pena told a news conference in New York. "I was running to show that I wasn't just waiting around. I also wanted God to see that I really wanted to live." The miners were discovered alive on August 22---17 days after the mine collapsed, but it took many more days for rescuers to dig a hole big enough to bring them out. The New York Road Runners, which organizes the marathon, had invited Edison Pena to the event after hearing his story. They thought he could ride in the lead vehicle or hold the finish line tape, but Pena said last week he did not want to watch, he wanted to run. "I was very eager to take on this big challenge," he said. "I wanted to show the world I could run." He hoped to run the 26.2-mile race in about six hours. "I have a knee injury, but I am eager to cross the finish line," he said. An Elvis Presley fan who asked rescuers to send the singer's music down into the mine, Pena broke into song at the news conference with the Presley hit Return to Sender. On the morning of November 7th, Pena, known as "the runner" by fellow miners trapped with him, set out to cover the course along with thousands of other runners and completed the race in five hours and 40 minutes. According to the passage, Pena _ . Answer: Which of the following represents a chemical reaction? Answer: Blogging may have psychological benefits for teens suffering from social anxiety, improving their self-esteem and helping them relate better to their friends, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association. "Research has shown that writing a personal diary and other forms of expressive writing are a great way to release emotional distress and just feel better," said the study's lead author, Meyran Boniel-Nissim, PhD, of the University of Haifa, Israel. "Teens are online anyway, so blogging enables free expression and easy communication with others." Blogging has a stronger positive effect on troubled students' well-being than merely expressing their social anxieties and concerns in a private diary, according to the article published online in the APA journal Psychological Services(r). Opening the blog up to comments from the online community intensified those effects. The researchers randomly surveyed high school students in Israel, who had agreed to fill out a questionnaire about their feelings on the quality of their social relationships. A total of 161 students -- 124 girls and 37 boys, with an average age of 15 -- were selected because their scores on the survey showed they all had some level of social anxiety or distress. All the teens reported difficulty making friends or relating to the friends they had. The researchers assessed the teens' self-esteem, everyday social activities and behaviors before, immediately after two months and after the 10-week experiment. Four groups of students were assigned to blog. Two of those groups were told to focus their posts on their social problems, with one group opening the posts to comments; the other two groups could write about whatever they wanted and, again, one group opened the blog up to comments. The number and content of comments were not evaluated for this experiment. The students could respond to comments but that was not required. Two more groups acted as _ -- either writing a private diary about their social problems or doing nothing. Participants in the writing and blogging groups were told to post messages at least twice a week for 10 weeks. Four experts, who held master's or doctoral degrees in counseling and psychology, assessed the bloggers' social and emotional condition via their blog posts. Students were assessed as having a poor social and emotional state if they wrote extensively about personal problems or bad relationships or showed evidence of low self-esteem, for example. Self-esteem, social anxiety, emotional distress and the number of positive social behaviors improved significantly for the bloggers when compared to the teens who did nothing and those who wrote private diaries. Bloggers who were instructed to write specifically about their difficulties and whose blogs were open to comments improved the most. All of these results were consistent at the two month follow-up. The authors conceded that the skewed sex ratio was a limitation to the study. However, the researchers analyzed the results separately by gender and found that boys and girls reacted similarly to the interventions and there were no major differences. They said future research should attempt to control the subjects for sex. The selection of students for the experiment was largely based on _ . Answer: "On a spring night, we offer book lovers a desk and a light. You can stay here as long as you want to." This is the slogan of Sanlian Taofen Bookstore in Beijing. Earlier this month, Sanlian Taofen Bookstore became the first 24-hour bookstore in the city. It hopes to encourage more people to read books. Bookstores are the brain of a city. Although many people can now buy books online, many readers still like the feeling in bookstores. They can touch the books and smell the print In China, most cities are home to at least one bookstore. Some have special themes . Popular Holdings ( ) in Shanghai is a film-themed bookstore. There are film books and posters inside. Other bookstores have colorful activities. Eslite Bookstore in Taiwan has activities like talks with famous writers as well as holding gallery shows . People come here not only for reading but also to communicate with others. What's special about Sanlian Taofen Bookstore in Beijing? Answer: While applying to college may seem easy, getting in can be tough! When you apply for college, you will have to be honest with yourself and do a bit of research to find the right fit. Here are three steps to take when applying to colleges for the best chances at getting into the best college for you. Step l: Making A List Of Colleges To Apply To With over 6,000 colleges in the United States, the first step in applying to college is to do some research and make a college list . This process will be different for everyone. The number of colleges you apply to can vary, from applying to 1 school (not recommended) to 30 schools (not recommended),each applicant can choose how many colleges they apply to. Many limit the number because applications are accompanied by a fee. . Step2: Splitting The List Into Target, Reach and Safety Schools In general, students will want to apply to three types of schools: Target, Reach and Safety schools. It is up to you how many applications you send, but a good mix would be more target than reach, and at least one safety. You will need to take your list, and now decide which are your top picks, which are attainable for you academically, which are affordable for you only with aid, and refine your broad list into a group of schools that gives you the best chance for success. Talk to an admissions counselor at your high school if you have questions about this. Step 3: Completing and Sending Applications to Colleges Once your list is complete you are ready to apply to college by completing and sending in applications! College applications take time to complete --you have to write essays, ask for recommendations and get test scores sent to schools--so stay organized! All colleges will require these types of application materials, so start thinking about these items well before October or December. Once you complete and send them, then you have successfully applied to college. Which of the following statements is WRONG? Answer:
Every country has its heroes. The heroes are the people the nation and especially the young people admire. If you get a list of the heroes of a nation,it will tell you the potential of that nation. Today in prefix = st1 /America,if you ask the high school students to list their heroes,their choice would probably fall into three groups. The first group of heroes would be the rock stars--the people connected with rock music. There is no doubt that such people do have talent but one wonders if one should hold up rock stars as a model. The rock stars too often are mixed with drugs and their personal life is not all that good. The rock stars are rich and wear the latest fashion styles. However,one should seek more in a hero than such things as money and good clothes. A second type of hero for the American youth is the sports star. Again you have a person who has a great ability in one area-sports. However,too often the personal life of the sports star is a bit of a disorder. Too frequently drugs and drinking are a part of life of the sports star. A third type of hero is the TV or movie star. This person may have lots of acting talent and is quite handsome. However,the personal life of too many actors is quite sad and they should not be held up as a model of young people. Today,the rock star,the athlete,and the actor all have become the models of the youth in America. Really,do you hear a young person say that his hero is a doctor,a teacher,or a scientist?These people are not rich and do not wear fashionable clothes. However,they are talented people who work hard to make the world a better place for everyone. What is really sad is that the young try to imitate their heroes. They like to wear the same clothes and follow their styles. If the heroes of today for the American young people are limited only to rock stars,athletes and actors,the future does not look too bright. From the passage, we know that the heroes the American youth admire are those _ . My grandpa is 93 years old this year. He is very healthy and looks young. Many people ask him why he is so healthy. Grandpa says good diet is very important to everyone. Grandpa has three meals a day regularly . He often eats lots of vegetables and fruit. He never drinks or smokes . He says they are bad for health. After he gets up in the morning, he often drinks a cup of water. And before he goes to bed in the evening, he has a cup of milk. He says everyone should drink some water before breakfast. Grandpa has a good lifestyle, too. He likes sports. He likes playing ping-pong and badminton. Sometimes he goes swimming. He goes running every day before breakfast, too. He says exercise can help a person keep healthy and strong. Grandpa likes watching TV. But he only watches TV in the afternoon. He doesn't watch too much TV. Many old people like playing Majon, but grandpa doesn't. He says sitting in the chair for long time is not good for health. What's the main idea of the passage? Mooncake Box Recycling Activity People in Beijing throw away about two million mooncake boxes every year. These boxes weigh up to 750 tons and can fill up about a hundred 50-meter-long swimming pools. They are going to become garbage . Let's have a green Mid-Autumn Festival this year! Bring your mooncake boxes. Show that you care! Date: September 28, 2014 ~ October 14, 2014 Time: 9:00 am ~ 9:00 pm Collection point: Sunshine Shopping Center Please keep the mooncake boxes clean. We will sell all mooncake boxes to recycling companies. We will hold a tree-planting activity with the money collected. Save Our Earth (Beijing) An organization for environmental protection Telephone: 2123 1234 Website: www.saveourearth.org E-mail: info@saveourearth.org Which organization holds this activity? Which statement is an observation? Is losing weight as simple as doing a 15-minute writing exercise? In a new study, women who wrote about their most important values, like close relationships or religion, lost more weight over the next few months than women who didn't. "We have this need to feel self-integrity (,)," says Christine Logel of the University of Waterloo. "When something threatens your sense that you're a good person, like failing a test, we can buffer that self-integrity by reminding ourselves how much we love our children, for example". For this study, the researchers recruited 45 female undergraduates, of whom 58% were overweight. Each woman was weighed, and was then given a list ofimportant values, like creativity, music or relationships with friends and family members. Each woman ranked the values in order of how important they were to her. Then half the women were told to write for 15 minutes about the value that was most important to her. The other half, a control group, were told to write about why a value far down on their list might be important to someone else. The women came back months later to be weighed again. Women who had written about an important value lost an average of 3.41 pounds, while women in the control group gained an average of 2.76 pounds. "How we feel about ourselves can have a big effect," Logel says. Maybe when one of the women who wrote about an important value went home that night, she felt good about herself and didn't eat to make herself feel better. Over a few months, that could make a real difference in her life, Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
Toby, an 11-year-old boy, is playing with a ball. The ball goes into the street and Toby runs for the ball. A car hit Toby. An ambulance takes Toby to the hospital in 30 minutes. The doctors at the hospital tell Toby's parents, "Toby is in a coma." Every day Toby's parents visit him at the hospital. They sit next to Toby's bed and talk to him. But Toby never talks to them. He just sleeps. One day, Toby's father says ," Wake up, Toby. Wake up, come home and play with Rusty." Rusty is Toby's dog. When Toby's father says 'Rusty', Toby moves his arm. "Rusty!" Toby's father says again. Again, Toby moves his arm . Toby's parents have an idea. They tell the nurse, "We want to bring Toby's dog to the hospital." The nurse says "OK". The next day, Toby's parents bring Rusty to the hospital. When they put the dog on Toby's bed, Toby opens his eyes and hugs the dog. Toby's parents bring Rusty to the hospital every day. One day Rusty jumps onto Toby's bed and scratches his arms. Toby says his first words "Bad dog!". After eight weeks, Toby is well. He leaves the hospital and goes home. The words "Toby is in a coma." may mean _ . Answer: Toby can't wake up or talk Plants need green leaves to make food. A plant needs sunlight and carbon dioxide from the air for making food and it also needs water and salts from the soil to make food too. There are certain cells in the leaves which change carbon dioxide and water into sugar. To do this the cells needs energy, which they get from the sunlight. Green leaves make food for the whole plant. A red leaf can make food too because under the red color1ing of the leaf there are food----making cells. There are no leaves which are completely yellow, for they can't make food. The plant makes sugar for its food. In sunlight green leaves make a lot of sugar. The veins can't carry all this sugar away, so the leaves change the sugar into starch , which is kept and so stored in the leaves. At night, the starch changes back to sugar. It is then carried away from the leaves. Some of the sugar is used as food by the plant while the rest is stored as starch. In some plants, food is stored in the roots, in others it is stored in the stem and in leaves, fruits and seeds. Sugar is made for its food by _ . Answer: green leaves When you see homework covering the kitchen table and toys are piling up around the sofa,you probably wish there was a bit more space.You are not alone.Nearly a third of parents say they feel squeezed into their homes but cannot afford to move to a bigger property,a report reveals today. Twenty--nine percent say 'their property is too small to fit the size of their family'--rising to 40 percent for those 34 and under.One in four children is 'forced to share' a bedroom,according to the Finda Property,com website.Property analyst Samantha Baden said:"Afford ability remains a key issue for families,with the average cost of a three-bedroom home around PS193,000."Very few can afford to buy--or to rent--a property of the size they want and in the area they desire to live in,according to Miss Baden. A recent report,from investment firm LV,also found that many' space--starved parents' are pushed into a two--bedroom home which was perfect when they were a young couple,but has no space for three or so children.Grown--up children who cannot afford to leave home are also adding to the problem facing families in Britain's 'big squeeze'. For a home to be the correct size, which means it is not overcrowded,parents must have their own bedroom.Children under ten can share, as well as same--sex children between ten and 20.Anyone over 21 also needs their own room. The report comes as official figures,published yesterday by the Land Registry,revealing house prices are falling sharply in every region except London.The worst--hit area is the North East,where, average house prices have fallen to belowPS100,000 for the first time in seven years. However,they remain unaffordable for millions. According to the passage,the right size for a home means_. Answer: parents should have a bedroom of their own Very few people were coming to eat at the White Rose Restaurant, and its owner did not know what to do. The price was reasonable and the food was of good quality, but nobody seemed to want to eat there. Then he did something that changed all that, and in a few weeks his restaurant is always full of men with their lady friends. Whenever a gentleman came in with a lady, a smiling waiter gave each of them a menu , The menu looked exactly the same on the outside, but there was an important difference inside. The menu that the waiter gave to the man supplied the correct price for each dish and each bottle of wine. while the menu that he gave to the lady supplied a much higher price! So when the man calmly ordered dish after dish and wine after wine, the lady thought he was much more generous than he really was. Why didn't people come to the White Rose Restaurant to eat at first? Answer: The passage didn't mention. Hoffman,40,a former senior vice president of a financial company,had what she describes as "one of those extreme jobs." "I loved working," she says. But her career path reached a crossroad when her second child was born,and she left her job in February 2007. Hoffman is one of many people who have left the work force to take a break,but she has a position as a consultant.She has described this type of career detour ----- which is more common for women than for men--as "off- ramping." Typically it occurs when the balancing act of parenting and work becomes too tough. A study by the center found that more than 90 percent of women who off-ramp want to on-ramp back into the work force eventually.But making the transition back to work is rarely easy,and it is even harder in this economic climate of layoffs and hiring freezes. Considering some of the obstacles faced by on- rampers , a three-day program called "Greater Returns:Restarting Your Career" was held at Columbia University. The goal of the three days was to have them walk away with a big shot of confidence. According to one school of thought, women looking to make a comeback might even have an advantage in the current economy,especially if they are looking for part-time or consultant positions that do not offer benefits. And a majority of on-rampers are women with extensive working experiences that could give them a slight advantage over less-experienced competition. "You absolutely cannot be defensive about why you off-ramped," Ms Hoffman says, " defensive" would have put her into a hard situation if the Greater Returns program had had not taught her how to describe the years she spent at home."I now feel confident talking to an employer and saying,' Yes,I have been out of the work force,but here is where I can make significant contributions.'" The main reason for the women's off-ramping is that _ . Answer: they have to parent their children
Question: Many birds fly south for the winter. This adaptation is called A. hibernation B. germination C. migration D. communication Answer: C. migration Question: Of all the areas of learning the most important is the development of attitudes. Emotional reactions as well as logical thought processes affect the behavior of most people. "The burnt child fears the fire" is one instance; another is the rise of figures like Hitler. Both these examples point up the fact that attitudes come from experience. In the one case the experience was direct and impressive; in the other it was indirect and gradual. The classroom teacher in the elementary school is in strategic position to influence attitudes. This is true partly because children acquire attitudes from those adults whose word they respect. Another reason it is true is that pupils often search somewhat deeply into a subject in school that has only been touched upon at home or has possibly never occurred to them before. To a child who has previously acquire little knowledge of Mexico, his teacher's method of handling such a unit would greatly affect his attitude toward Mexicans. The teacher can develop proper attitudes through social studies, science matters, the very atmosphere of the classroom, etc. However, when children come to school with undesirable attitudes, it is unwise to attempt to change their feelings by criticizing them. The teacher can achieve the proper effect by helping them obtain constructive experience. To illustrate, first-grade pupils, afraid of policemen will probably change their attitudes after a classroom talk with the neighborhood officer in which he explains how he protects them. In the same way, a class of older children can develop attitudes through discussion, research, outside reading and all-day trips. Finally, a teacher must constantly evaluate her own attitudes, because her influence can be harmful she has personal prejudices. This is especially true in respect to controversial issues and questions of which children should be encouraged to reach their own decisions as result of objective analysis of all the facts. In the author's opinion, a teacher must constantly evaluate her own attitudes because _ . A. her personal attitudes may affect her students if she is prejudiced B. she need to improve herself too C. she is also often influenced by her students D. she may not have a constant attitude towards some controversial sues Answer: A. her personal attitudes may affect her students if she is prejudiced Question: Most gift-giving shows nothing more than the spirit of love and friendship.But it is possible to form some associations between the kinds of things bought and the people who buy them. Clothing The clothes you wear tell something about your personality.They tell the world not only how you want to be seen but how you see yourself as well. When someone gives you something to wear that corresponds to your self-image,they're saying,"I agree with you.I like you the way you are."Such a gift should be taken as a form of compliment.On the other hand,a gift of clothing that does not match your personality could be an insult to your character . Expensive gifts Naturally, some gifts like jewelry will be more expensive than others.But some people give higher priced gifts than necessary for the situation.Someone who gives an expensive gift often feels that he should receive more praise than if he had given a less expensive gift.Therefore he is giving himself a gift,too status. Homemade gifts Making something by hand has become the exception in many countries today--so much so that giving a homemade gift is sometimes considered extraordinary.If you receive a homemade gift,you're lucky.It may no.t be made perfectly, but it will show a certain quality of love.No matter what the results of the homemade gift look like,remember it's the thought that counts. Books People who gives books as gifts either like reading or would like everyone to think they do.A good way to know this is to find out whether or not the giver bought the book according to how large it is.If you happen to receive a large heavy book, its giver may be much more interested in the way things appear than in the way they actually are. Anyhow, giving a book can be a way of sharing a feeling or a newly learned meaning.The giver is probably trying to say to you what the books aid to him. Which of the following gifts is not mentioned in the passage? A. Clothing. B. Flowers. C. Jewelry. D. Books. Answer: B. Flowers. Question: Offering a powerful new tool against terrorism, researchers have found a way to detect lies in the liar's blushing face. The technique, described in the journal Nature, uses a thermal camera to detect the sudden shift of blood flow in the face. The system performed as a traditional polygraph , the scientists report. Pushed by technological advances and with fresh interest since Sept.11, the discovery is part of the development in the scientific study of detection. Although the lie remains a mysterious phenomenon, researchers in recent years have found a number of new methods that might take the place of the polygraph, from brain scans, to slight changes in eye movement, to sparks of electrical activity that signal a person has seen a victim or a crime scene before. The new finding says, when a person tells a lie, there is a sudden change of blood to the area around the eyes. Although the change is not ordinary visible, the blood warms the skin, causing bands of color1 to appear through a camera sensitive to heat. One advantage of the camera can provide answers quickly, and doesn't require a highly trained expert to operate it or explain its results. In theory, this new technology could be used anywhere large numbers of people need to be quickly screened. But some scientists say the technology would need to be improved before it is ready for use, for it is possible that there are other reactions that cause a sudden change in blood flow in the face and there is also the danger that people will learn to fool the machine, the same way they try to fool polygraph examiners by controlling their breathing or taking drugs to relax themselves. Compared with a traditional polygraph, the new tool's progress lies in the fact that _ . A. it is moveable B. it is easier to operate C. it gives correct conclusion D. it can only be used in public places. Answer: B. it is easier to operate Question: Amy is an American student in Des Moines, Iowa. She is nine years old and she is in Grade Four this year. Now she and her friends are pen pals of the students in India. In their letters, Amy learns that life of Indian children is difficult. And they don't have money to buy desks for school. She is surprised and wants to help them. She and her friends collect $711. A charity group helps them buy 75 desks. "We have many good things in our country," said Amy. "We should help others." She also hopes to raise money to build a well for them. Then the students can get clean water from it. It may be a good gift for the Indian children. Which is TRUE according to the passage? A. Amy is an Indian boy. B. The Indian children will be happy to get Amy's gift. C. Amy buys 75 desks for his pen pals. D. The Indian children want to help others. Answer: B. The Indian children will be happy to get Amy's gift.
The invention of the camera goes far into the past. In the 1500s, men were experimenting with cameras that made images. But it was not until the early 1800s that man found a way to make the pictures permanent. Even then, photography was a new field. Most families had their pictures taken by a photographer. People did not own cameras because taking pictures and developing the film were too difficult. In 1884, George Eastman changed photography by inventing a kind of film that fit into a small camera. Because the new film was easy to use, many people began to buy cameras. When they had used up their film, people returned their cameras to the factory. There, the film was developed, and pictures were printed. Then more film was put into the cameras, which was sent back to the owners, along with their pictures. Eastman's camera made it easy to take pictures. Today's cameras are even easier to use, and people can put in their own film. Photography has become a growing hobby. There are also many new jobs in the field of photography. One of the most important kinds of work is in news reporting. Newspapers, magazines, and television all need pictures to tell their stories. Photographers aid scientists by taking pictures through microscopes and telescopes. Deep-sea divers take pictures of ocean plants and animals, while astronauts take cameras into space. Man finds new uses for the cameras every day. On the whole, this passage is about _ . Sunday, 31 August We've been in China for a month now. Dad, Mom, Harry and I moved to Tianjin on 25 August. We're not very far from Beijing. Two days ago, we celebrated my 16thbirthday. It was great celebrating in China; the only thing that was strange was the cake--here they're not as sweet as the ones in New York. On Monday school starts--I wonder what it will be like. Monday, 1 September On my first day I was looking around for a locker to put my books in. However, here all the students keep all of their books at their desks--we stay in the same classroom because apparently we don't have to go from class to class--teachers come to us! Today we selected teacher assistants for each subject. Their duties are to collect homework, make announcements, and do other stuff for the teacher and the students. It's kind of a big deal here! Since I am from the US, I was asked to be the English assistant. I felt so proud but quite nervous at the same time because I wasn't sure what I had to do, but I accepted the job anyway. Friday, 3 October Boy, what a week! Now we have nine classes every day, including the morning class, a combination of our American schools' "Homeroom" and "Study Hall". I think Chinese students work too much! I have to do my homework when I get back home. I don't even have time to watch TV or surf the Internet like before. I sometimes miss New York and my school because we didn't have to study so much. We had more time to hang out with our classmates and neighbors; here, besides their usual classes, students are involved in weekend classes in subjects such as English, Chinese and math. I get a lot of attention, being from another country. Everyone wants to practice English with me! A really cute girl even asked me for my phone number on my second day and sent me a text message! I'm making a lot more friends now. I just need a lot of help to improve my Chinese. Some students want to do a language exchange program with me. Nice! According to the passage, which of the following is NOT the teacher assistant's duty? Although he died almost 40 years ago,Bruce Lee is still considered the greatest and most influential kung fu performer of the 20th century.His films brought traditional Hong Kong kung fu movies to a new level of popularity,and introduced kung fu to millions of people in the West. Bona in the USA in 1940,Lee returned to his native Hong Kong before his birthday.As a teenager,the highly intelligent boy was accepted into one of Hong Kong's most famous middle schools but he paid little attention to his studies. He was more interested in sport,especially kung fu,and hanging out with his street-gang friends. In 1959,Lee got into trouble with the police for fighting.His mother,fearing he would end up in prison,sent him to the USA. Two years later,he began studying at university there. While still a student,Lee opened his own kung fu school,teaching a new fighting style he had developed.What made Lee's style different was that it used power,strength and,quick--action attacks.It also combined Japanese,Korean and South American fighting styles with traditional stow--moving Chinese kung fu. Among Lee's students were several famous actors who,impressed by his good--looks and fighting skill,encouraged him to start acting.Over the next fire years Lee achieved some Success in America.But his dream of introducing his fighting style into American movies was not accepted by local film makers who thought western audiences were not interested in kung fu. Determined to prove them wrong,Lee returned to Hong Kong in 1970.There he made two films (1971)and (1972),using his kung fu ideas and techniques.The movies were huge hits world--wide,making Lee an international star and symbol of kung fu.These were followed by what is widely considered the greatest kung fu movie of all time, (1973).Tragically however,Lee suddenly and mysteriously died while making his next movie . He was only 33 years old. What was Lee's dream according to the passage? Started in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest of many colleges and universities in the United States. Yale, Princeton, Columbia and Dartmouth were all started before the American Revolution made the thirteen colonies into states. In the early years, these schools were much alike. Only young men attended colleges. All the students studied the same subjects, and everyone learned Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Little was known about science then, and one kind of school could teach everything that was known about the world. When the students graduated, most of them became ministers or teachers. In 1782, Harvard started a medical school for young men who wanted to become doctors. Later, lawyers could receive their training in Harvard's law school. In 1852, Harvard began teaching modern languages, such as French and German, as well as Latin and Greek. Soon it began teaching American history. As knowledge increased, Harvard and other colleges began to teach many new subjects that interested them. Special colleges for women were started. New state universities began to teach such subjects as farming, engineering and business. Today, there are many different kinds of colleges and universities. Most of them are divided into smaller schools that deal with special fields of learning. There is so much to learn that one kind of school cannot offer it all. The title of this passage should be _ . If it really is what's on the inside that counts, then a lot of thin people might be in trouble. Some doctors now think that the internal fat surrounding important organs like the heart liver could be as dangerous as the external fat which can be noticed more easily. "Being thin doesn't surely mean you are not tat, said Dr Jimmy Bell at Imperial College. Since 1994, Bell and his team have scanned nearly 800 people with MRI machines to create "fat maps" showing where people store fat. According to the result, people who keep their weight through diet rather than exercise are likely to have major deposits of internal fat, even if they are slim. Even people with normal Body Mass Index scores can have surprising levels of fat deposits inside.Of the women, as many as 45 percent of those with normal BMI scores (20 to 25) actually had too high levels of internal fat.Among men, the percentage was nearly 60 percent. According to Bell, people who are fat on the inside are actually on the edge of being fat.They eat too many fatty and sugary foods, but they are not eating enough to be fat.Scientists believe we naturally store fat around the belly first, but at some point, the body may start storing it elsewhere. Doctors are unsure about the exact dangers of internal fat, but some think it has something to do with heart disease and diabetes .They want to prove that internal fat damages the body's communication systems. The good news is that internal fat can be easily burned off through exercise or even by improving your diet."If you want to be healthy, there is no shortcut.Exercise has to be an important part of your lifestyle, " Bell said. Doctors have found _ .
Question: The loss of a job can have a very serious impact on the individual. The immediate effect, of course, is a sharp drop in income. Unemployment benefits typically offer less than half the individual's previous earnings, and many people are not even entitled to these benefits-for example, the self-employed, recent graduates who have not held a steady job in the previous year, and people who have been unemployed for a long period. The economic pressure on the jobless is very severe, particularly for those who have young children or long-term commitments for expenses for houses and education. But the effects of unemployment are not merely financial; they are also social and psychological. As one out-of-work teacher puts it: "It's difficult when you strip away all the things that supposedly hold you together in terms of an identity. Your work, your money, whatever is power to you, whatever is responsibility, whatever means freedom and choice." I had to ask myself, "Who am I now? What will I do now?" All too often, long-term unemployment may thrust the individual into boredom, despair, ill-temper, and perhaps, conflict with other family members. Even those who keep their jobs are affected by rates of unemployment, for they begin to fear for own future. Lacking the confidence that workers have in times of full employment, they negotiate less aggressively for improvements in pay or working conditions, for they and the employers know that if they do not like the job as it is, others will gladly take it. Unemployment is always accompanied, in fact, by underemployment-the situation in which people are working either for extremely low wages or at jobs below their level of skill. The best title for the passage would be _ . A. The Financial Effect of Unemployment B. The Social Effect of Unemployment C. The Psychological Effect of Unemployment D. The Effects of Unemployment Answer: D. The Effects of Unemployment Question: We all want to protect our planet, but we're mostly too busy or too lazy to put up big change that would improve our lifestyle and save the environment. Here are some tips you can take to improve our environment. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs . It is true that these bulbs are more expensive, but they last much longer and they can save energy and in the long term your electricity bill would be reduced. Donate. You have lots of clothes or things you want to throw away. If they are still usable, give them to someone who needs them. You may also choose to give them to associations . Turn off your devices. When you do not use a house device, turn it off. For example, if you don't watch TV, turn it off. Turn off the light when you leave a room. It's an easy habit to take up which will help you save a lot of money. Walk or cycle. Driving is one of the biggest causes of pollution. If you want to use your car, ask yourself the following question: do I really need my car? Walk or use your bike if the journey is a short one. What does the author think of compact fluorescent light bulbs? A. They are too expensive for many families. B. They can save energy but they can't last long. C. They are expensive but they are brighter than the usual lights. D. They are expensive, though, in fact, they are cheaper than the usual lights. Answer: D. They are expensive, though, in fact, they are cheaper than the usual lights. Question: One night a man came to our house and told me, "There is a family with eight children. They have nothing to eat for days." I took some food and went. When I finally came to the family, I saw the ugly face of those little children by hunger. There was no sorrow or sadness in their faces, just the deep pain of hunger. I gave the rice to the mother. She divided it into two, and went out, carry half the rice with her. When she came back, I asked her, "Where did you go?" She gave me this simple answer, "To my neighbours----they are also hungry." I was not surprised that she gave----because poor people are unselfish . But I was surprised that she knew they were hungry. As a rule, when we are in trouble, we think more about ourselves, and have no time for others. Which is not true about the story? A. The story happened at night. B. The family was kind and generous. C. The family had nothing to eat because they were lazy. D. As a rule, we have no time for others when we are in trouble. Answer: C. The family had nothing to eat because they were lazy. Question: Mary went to Canada on vacation. After a week, she came back to New York. She told lots of interesting things to her best friend, Jack. Jack was very interested in Canada and decided to have a visit there. The next summer vacation, Mary and Jack had a plan to go to Canada together. But her mother was badly ill so she went to the airport to see her friend off. When they got to the airport, Mary had to got to the washroom. When she came back, she couldn't find Jack because there were so many people at the airport. She looked for him everywhere, but it was hard to find Jack among the people. Suddenly Mary saw Jack and she felt very happy, so she shouted,"Hi, Jack. Here, here." At the same time, Jack waved his arms,"I'm here." In 3 minutes, so many policemen came to the front of Jack and caught him, "Please come with me to the police office." After the policemen found out the reason, they let them free. Why? Because the word "hijack" in the English has different meanings. Why was it hard for Mary to find Jack at the airport? _ . A. Because Jack was in the plane. B. Because there were too many people. C. Because he was in the washroom. D. Because the policemen took him away from the airport. Answer: B. Because there were too many people. Question: Listening test is one of the most important parts of the English exam. Here are some tips for you. Before you start to listen, you need to relax. Don't be stressed out. And try to read the questions. These questions usually help you understand the conversation or the passage. Then listen carefully to the first sentence. It usually tells you the main idea of the passage. When you're listening, try to do some thinking and take some notes, such as: What happened? When, where, and how? What does the speaker want to tell us? In this way, you may understand the passage better. Please remember not to think about one or two words for a long time. When you hear some words you don't know, don't spend too much time on them. Very often, you'll find out what they mean later when you go on with the listening. We should listen to the first sentence carefully, because it usually tells us _ . A. the answers to the questions B. where to write the answers C. the main idea of the passage D. how much time left for the listening test Answer: C. the main idea of the passage
Have you ever heard of Paynes Prairie? It is one of the most important natural and historical areas in Florida. Paynes Prairie is located near Gainesville. It is large, 21,000 acres. This protected land is called a preserve. The Florida Park Service manages the preserve. The Paynes Prairie basin was formed when limestone dissolved and the ground settled. It is covered by marsh and wet prairie vegetation. There are areas of open water. During brief periods it has flooded enough to be considered a lake. Except for that, the basin has changed little through time. Man has lived on Paynes Prairie a very long time. He lived there as far back as 10,000 B. C. At one time, the Seminoles lived there. The prairie is thought to have been named after King Payne, a Seminole chief. During the late 1600s, the largest cattle ranch in Florida was on Paynes Prairie. Today, Paynes Prairie is preserved land. It is occupied by visitors and Florida Park Service employees. Willam Bartram visited Paynes Praire. Bartram was the first person who portrayed (described) nature through personal experience as well as scientific observation. He lived 200 years ago. He visited Paynes Prairie in 1774. At that time he described it. He called Paynes Prairie the "great Alachua Savannah." Most of the animal life, which Bartram described, is still here. A large number of sandhill cranes, hawks and waterfowl are here in winter. The animal _ is increased by the presence of pine flatwoods, hammock, swamps and ponds. The Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is open year round. The Florida Park Service works hard so that the park will appear as it did in the past. It offers many opportunities for recreation. At the park you can camp and picnic. You can hike and bike. You can boat and fish. You can ride on horse trails. And you can see lots of nature and wildlife. You can see Florida as it was in the early days. Paynes Prairie is a part of our Florida history. It is an example of our Florida natural resources. It is a place for recreation. Paynes Prairie is an important experience of the Real Florida. All of the following are true EXCEPT that _ . Answer: In some countries in which there is very little rain at any time, the farmers have to irrigate their fields. Irrigation is easy enough if there is a great river near the crops, and if there is plenty of water in it. Canals carry the river water to the fields when necessary. In some seasons there may be too much water in the river, and the water may flood all the land near it. At other times the river water may not be enough for all the farmers, and then it will be difficult to irrigate the fields. To prevent these difficulties, a dam may be built across the river. This will store water for dry seasons, and in wet seasons it will prevent the flooding of the land. A great lake will, no doubt, be formed behind the dam, and this may mean that houses and fields will be covered with water. Most people will accept _ and will be ready to move to other places. Then the country can have the right amount of water at all times; more crops will be grown, there will be more food for everyone, and there will be no more floods. Dams have been built for centuries in different parts of the world. Modern dame are usually built of concrete but earth dams were used in India and Sri Lanka about 2500 years ago. There was another across the River Tigris very long ago, and large numbers of irrigation canals were made in Iraq to irrigate the land. The Romans were great dam-builders and there was also a famous dam at Ma' rubin Arabia. We cannot use sea water for irrigation; the salt will not allow the crops to grow. Fresh water is always needed, and it is very difficult and costly to make fresh water from sea water. This is done in a few countries, but the fresh water is for drinking. There is not enough at present for irrigation. Perhaps a scientist will one day invent a cheaper way of producing fresh water from the sea. A dam is usually built _ . Answer: Florida has a large supply of phosphate that ancient seas deposited millions of years ago. The phosphate contains the remains of animals that were deposited in layers on the sea floor. Which type of rock did the phosphate become? Answer: The engineer Camillo Oliver was 40 years old when he started the company in 1908. At his factory in Ivrea, he designed and produced the first Italian typewriter, Today the company 's head office is still in Ivrea, near Turin, but the company is much larger than it was in those days and there are offices all around the world. By 1930 there was staff of 100 and the company turned out 13,000 machines a year. Some went to customers in Italy, but Olivetti exported more typewriter to other countries. Camillo's son, Adriano, started working for the company in 1924 and later he became the boss. He introduced a standard speed for the production line and he employed technology and design specialists. The company developed new and better typewriters and then calculators .In 1959 it produced the ELEA computer in Italy. After Adriano died in 1960,the company had a period of financial problems. Other companies, especially the Japanese, made faster progress in electronic technology than the Italian company. In 1978,Carlo de Benedetti became the new boss. Olivetti increased its marking and service networks and made agreements with other companies to design and produce more advanced office equipment. Soon it became one of the world's leading companies in information technology and communications. There are now five independent companies in the Olivetti group - one for personal computers, one for Systems and services, and two for telecommunications. What do we know about Olivetti? Answer: Arthur sat at the desk in his room, pencil in hand. He had to write a story for his English class by Friday. "! don't know what to write about, " he complained to his dog Toby, who was asleep at his feet. Arthur was talkative when speaking to his friends, yet he had trouble finding words when he had to write. By bedtime Arthur had drawn a picture of Toby smiling. He had drawn a tree with its branches blowing in the strong wind. He had also written a note asking his friend Lee to go to the movies on Saturday. But he had not written a single word of his story. On Wednesday, Mrs. Solomon, Arthur's English teacher, asked the class to turn in the first draft of their stories. His heart sinking, Arthur turned in the only work he had--the page with his name, the drawings and the note. Arthur wasn't surprised when Mrs. Solomon asked him to stay after class the next day. But he was surprised by what she said to him. " This is an attractive story, Arthur. The dog, the movie, the tree in the wind--I can't wait to find out how they all fit together. " "That isn't my story, Mrs. Solomon, " Arthur admitted. "I haven't been able to think of one yet. " "Oh, I think you have the seed of a story there, " Mrs. Solomon replied, "Look at your note and the pictures and see if a story comes to you. " That night Arthur sat at his desk, and this is what he wrote: "One Saturday Mike went downstairs to meet his friend Julio at the cinema. It looked as if it might rain, so Mike carried his umbrella. Suddenly a big storm blew in, bending the trees. The noise of the wind sounded like the barking of Mike's dog Toby. Toby really hated storms and barked whenever he wanted to be let inside. Then Mike realized that it wasn't the sound of the wind. It was Toby. The dog was running after him down the busy street, barking. The sound was filled with blame. Mike felt guilty because he had left Toby outside. He turned and headed home with Toby running beside him. Mike let Toby in the door just as the rain started to pour down. " Arthur had a story in the end. The last thing he did was to write his name proudly at the top of the page. Why did Arthur turn in the page with only his name, the drawings and the note at first? Answer:
Question: In China, more and more middle school students are getting shorter sleeping time than before. Most students sleep less than nine hours every night, because they have much homework to do. Some homework is given by their teachers, and some by their parents. Also, some students don't know how to save time. They are not careful enough while they do their homework, so it takes them a lot of time. Some students spend too much time watching TV or playing computer games. They stay up very late. Some students have to get up early every morning on weekdays to go to school in time by bus or by bike. It may be a long way from home to school. Schools and parents should cut down some of the homework so that our children can enjoy more than nine hours of sleep every night for their health. For children, we should make best use of our time. When we have enough time for sleeping, we will find it much better for both our study and health. _ is good for our study and health. A. Watching TV B. Enough time for sleeping C. Playing computer games D. More homework Answer: B Question: Once there was a forest where all the animals lived happily together. One day a family went to spend the day in the forest, and the son left his socks there. After the family left, a bear came by, found the socks, and decided to try them on. They fit so well, and he liked them so much that he wouldn't take them off. All the animals talked about the bear's new look. Soon, in that forest, there began appearing squirrels in shirts, rabbits in shoes, and even rats wearing hats! The forest doctor shook his head, telling animals, "This can't be good. Animals don't need clothes!" But no one listened to him. They said he was just out of fashion. However, _ Several times the squirrel caught his shirt on trees, stopping him in mid-jump and sending him falling to the ground from a tree. The rat couldn't go into his hole without taking off his hat first. Even the bear, because of his socks, slipped from the river rock and almost killed himself. When the animals came to see the doctor, he gave them all the same advice, "Take off those clothes before one day they're going to kill you." Those who listened to the doctor's advice stopped having accidents. And the animals realized that they didn't need clothes at all. Starting to wear them had been very dangerous, and they had only done it to make others admire them, and to get attention. The story is written to tell us _ . A. helping others is helping yourself B. we should be careful in the forest C. things that fit yourself are the best D. animals must be looked after well Answer: C Question: Every year people celebrate the Spring Festival in China. Usually it is in January or February. It's the most important festival in China. So before it comes, everyone buys many things, and they often make a special kind of food called dumplings. It means "come together". Parents always buy new clothes for their children and children also buy presents for their parents. On the Spring Festival eve , all the family members come back home. They sing, dance and play cards. When they enjoy the meal, they give each other the best wishes for the coming year. They all have a good time. Which is the most important festival in China? A. the Mid-Autumn Festival B. The Spring Festival C. Children's Day D. May Day Answer: B Question: Venus is known as the Earth' "twin" because the planets are so like each other in size. The diameter of Venus is about 7,520 miles (12,100km), about 400 miles (644km) smaller than that of the earth. No other planet comes closer to the earth than Venus. At its nearest approach it is about 25,000,000 miles (402,000,000km) away. As seen from the earth, Venus is the first planet or star that can be seen in the western sky in the evening. At other times, it is the last planet or star that can be seen in the eastern sky in the morning. When Venus is near its brightest point, it can be seen in the daylight. Early astronomers called the object that appeared in the evening Hesperus, and Phosphorus in the morning. Later they realized these two objects were the same planet. They named it Venus in honor of the Roman goddess of love and beauty. The best title for the passage might be _ . A. The Size of Venus B. Venus and the Earth C. Venus---the Earth's "twin" D. The Nearest Neighbor Answer: C Question: In America, when people say"man's best friend", they don't mean another person. Instead, they are talking about a lovely animal--a dog! These words show the friendship between people and animals. Dogs and other pets can give joy to people's lives. Some people think of their pets as their children. Some people even leave all their money to their pets when they die! Animals can help people, too. Dogs can be taught to be the"eyes"for a blind person or"ears"for a deaf person. Scientists have found that pets help people live longer! They make people happier, too. Because of that, they bring animals into hospitals for"visits". Americans hold"Be Kind to Animals Week"in the first week of May. Pet shows are held during the week. Even if you don't live in America, you, too, can do this. How? First think about how animals make your life richer. If you have a pet, take more time this week to play with it. Remember to give it delicious food. If you don't have a pet, be kind to animals around you. For example, if you see a street dog, just leave it alone, or make friends with it. If others around you do bad things to animals, try to speak up. As people, we must protect animals who can't speak for themselves. What is the main idea of the passage? A. A lot of people are interested in dogs. B. Dogs can help people do many things. C. Pets are lovely and need care and protection . D. We have done a lot of things for pets. Answer: C
Question: Common sense would tell us that physically active children may be more likely to become active and healthy adults. In the United States, elementary and middle schools are advised to give students two and a half hours of physical activity a week. That is what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association recommend. They say high schools should provide about four hours of physical activity each week. Yet many schools across the country have reduced their physical education programs. Just this week, a study reported that life _ has fallen or is no longer increasing in some parts of the United States. The situation is worst among poor people in the southern states, and especially women. Public health researchers say it is largely the result of increases in fatness, smoking and high blood pressure. They also blame differences in health services around the country. In 2006, a study found that only four percent of primary schools provided daily physical education all year for all grades. This was true of eight percent of middle schools and two percent of high schools. The study also found that twenty-two percent of all schools did not require students to take any P.E. Charlene Burgeson , a health expert says one problem for P.E. teachers is that schools are under pressure to put more time into academic subjects. Also, parents may agree that children need exercise in school. Yet many parents today still have bad memories of being chosen last for teams because teachers favored the good athletes in class. But experts say P.E. classes have changed. They say the goal has moved away from competition and toward personal performance, as a way to build a lifetime of activity. These days, teachers often lead activities like weight training and yoga. Some parents like the idea of avoiding competitive sports in P.E. class. Yet others surely dislike that idea. In the end, schools may find themselves in a no-win situation. According to the passage which of the following may not lead to poor health? A. Fatness. B. Smoking C. High blood pressure. D. Health service Answer: D Question: "I don't think I can do this any more." "Yes, you can. You only have five more radiation treatments to go. " I held my wife Becky close. Ever since the breast cancer diagnosis , she had tried hard to be strong for the kids and for me. When her diagnosis came, my first thought was there was no way I could lose my wife. The doctors assured us the cancer was discovered early so we were feeling positive. Becky had received an operation and was recovering from it. After six weeks of radiation therapy , she was facing her final five treatments. She was weak and tired, in low spirits. Seeing her suffering, I felt so helpless and powerless. As soon as I was outside, long-held frustration and anger erupted in me like a volcano. I took a hammer and suddenly was swinging as hard as I could, beating heavily on the front porch . While doing so, I imagined I was beating my wife's cancer. With all my strength, I destroyed the porch. During the treatment, my wife had been very brave. She said she had it easy, but I don't think it was easy for her. Seeing the porch gone, Becky shook her head at the window. I came into the room, not knowing how she would react to what I had done. "Becky, are you mad at me?" She looked at me in surprise. "For what?" I pointed at the gate. "For tearing down the porch." She laughed. "Look how sunny this room is now. I love that it's bright in here." "You comforted me in my darker hour, Vince. You've found a way to deal with your own frustration. By destroying the porch, you let the sunshine in." As I looked around the brightened room, I realized the light that filled the space was the light of hope that shone so bright after the darkness. We never did re-build the porch. When the diagnosis came out, _ . A. the author had little hope that his wife would survive B. the author was determined to save his wife's life C. the author's wife refused to receive radiation treatments D. the author felt lucky that his wife's disease was not serious Answer: B Question: There are two deaf men in a small village. One is Mr. White and the other is Mr. Black. They live near to each other. They are good friends. Mr. White and Mr. Black often talk together. They talk about all kinds of things. Sometimes they are worried about their hearing. But one thinks the other is much deafer. One day Mr. Black comes to see Mr. White. Mr. White is sitting on a chair, He is having a rest. Mr. Black stops at the door and asks, "Can you hear me?" There is no answer. Mr. Black goes nearer and asks again, "Can you hear me?" Again he doesn't hear any answer. Mr. Black is quite pleased. Still he goes nearer and asks for the third time, "Can you hear me?" Still there is no answer. At last Mr. Black goes up to Mr. White and calls, "Now I know you are much deafer than me. You don't hear my questions." "I'm much deafer?" says Mr. White. "No, I answer you three times. But you do not hear my answer." Mr. White and Mr. Black often_together. A. talk B. have a rest C. sit at home D. go out for a walk Answer: A Question: Most of the time, we choose colors for decorating based on our personal taste and our sense of aesthetics . But, a number of color experts believe that colors have an effect on our emotions and that it would be wise of us to be conscious of that before settling on a definite choice. Some of the effects of colors are well known and accepted by most people. In fact, those effects have been the subject of serious research and experiments and have been scientifically proven. But not all scientists agree on the validity of the results. When we become interested in the psychological effects of colors, it is important to know that not all societies share our opinion of those effects on our emotions. What we hold as an "objective" observation on a color is often nothing more than a reflection of our cultural belongingness, which has attributed properties to that color for generations. Why is it not possible for us to hold a really objective discourse on the subject? In part, because it is very difficult to separate the psychological from the symbolic, the symbolic aspects are definitely cultural. Often, and this without our realizing it, they influence our understanding of colors and the following emotions - both psychological aspects. Black and white are good examples. In western countries, black is considered serious, dramatic and sometimes sad. People are warned against its potentially depressing effects on decoration. Black is the traditional color of mourning. White, on the other hand, is associated with purity, peace and optimism. For those reasons, white is the traditional color of bridal dresses. No one would think of attending a funeral in white. Any more than it would occur to a bride to wear black. We simply remain convinced that it is not in the "nature" of those colors. Yet, in certain oriental countries, it is white, not black that is the color of mourning. That having been said, there is some "overlapping" in the properties different cultures attribute to certain colors. For example, Feng Shui, the traditional Chinese philosophy that distinguishes between good and evil influences explains colors much in the same way as the majority of western color specialists. Is that to say that colors have real natural properties which all humans perceive in the same way or is the phenomenon an example of the cross-influences that affect the thinking of cultures brought closer to one another by a certain Venetian called Marco Polo? It is difficult to say. But, be that as it may, colors do affect us. And if you feel emotions for a certain color, note them and remember them. You may even wish to consider them next time you are planning to decorate. The decision is yours! According to the author, which of the following statements is certain? A. Different cultures can have the same properties of colors. B. If you feel emotions for a color, note them and remember them. C. All humans perceive colors' natural properties in the same way. D. Marco Polo disclosed the psychological effects of colors. Answer: A Question: Bea, a five-year-old girl, was born with a severe illness which means she has to be kept away from other children of her age, because her body is so weak that she would be unable to fight off a common cold. Bea was diagnosed with this disease when she was five months old. Since then, the hospital has become her second home, medicines for food, and all kinds of treatments her friends. Bea received a very special treatment when she was four years old, which would allow her to be like a normal child if successful. After that, she spent two weeks in ICU before living for four months on a separate ward . Bea was allowed home in February but still needed a special tube in her nose to send in medicines every two days. Her parents clean the house from top to bottom every two days and hoover each morning to make sure Bea is free from any possible bacteria. Anna, Bea's mother, said, "she is weak but so strong. We've never seen any child stronger than her. It seems as if nothing in the world could beat her. We really hope to send her to school next year." She used to drive on the local playground, but Bea was only allowed to watch sitting in the car. "It was heartbreaking to see Bea staring at the running and laughing children there. She never stopped fighting the disease. I know she's dying for such a normal life." Hearing of Bea's story, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has paid for a play park to be built in her back garden. "Bea is very brave and she has encouraged many children like her," said the chairman of the foundation. If Bea stayed with other children freely,_. A. other children would have a higher chance to catch her disease B. she would catch a common cold which would kill her quickly C. her life would be in great danger as she could fall ill easily D. she would be lost in playing and forget to receive treatment Answer: C
Chinese people call the Spring Festival"Nian". But do you know that Nian was once the name of a monster ? A long time ago, the monster Nian lived in the mountains. It ate animals. But in winter, it could not find food. So it came to villages and ate a lot of people. People were so afraid of Nian that they locked their doors before evening came during the winter. One day, an old man came to a village. He told people there that Nian was afraid of three things----the color red, fire and noise. He told people to play drums and gongs, make big fires and set off fireworks to make Nian go away. On a moonless, cold night, Nian went to the village again. As soon as it opened its big mouth, people made loud noises and made fires. Nian was really afraid and ran away. wherever it went, there was noise and fire. When Nian was tired and could not run anymore, people killed the monster. After that, on the coldest day of winter, people beat drums and gongs, and set off fireworks to celebrate the death of the monster of Nian. They put up red lanterns and have a big dinner without sleeping during the night. In the morning people greet each other happily. So now we have the Spring Festival. From the story, Nian seemed to be _ long, long ago. A exciting B interesting C boring D terrible Answer: D. terrible Windsor Castle is one of the most famous castles in the world.It lies in Windsor Town,32 kilometers west of London City ,by the south bank of the River Thames.People built the castle just outside of London to protect the capital of Britain. Windsor Castle has a long and rich history.It began to be built in 1 066.People rebuilt it again and again during every period in history to today'S dimensions .For almost 1,000 years,the castle has been used as the family home of British kings and queens.It was also used as a prison during the English Civil War.Today ,Windsor Castle is the private home of Queen Elizabeth II.She spends most of her private weekends there. Although it is still a living place of the royal family ,the public can visit much of the castle.It is one of the most popular sights in Britain.There,art lovers can enjoy some of the finest paintings by Rembrandt and Canaletto.Visitors can also take a look at George IV's private apartments.They are some of the most beautiful rooms in the castle. The famous Windsor Castle is _ . A near Windsor Town B 32 kilometers east of London City C in central London D by the south bank of the River Thames Answer: D. by the south bank of the River Thames When you think of photographing people, you may think of your family reunion or the Christmas party at work. These types of pictures of people are records of fun events with nice memories. Let's take a look at another idea for taking pictures of people, with an entirely different slant. Much as anthropologists study the diversity of characteristics of people in cultural and environmental contexts, some photographers record these aspects of people in their pictures. They try to capture the emotions and humanity of people, and the photograph draws the viewer into the subject's experience at that moment in time. Taking pictures of people with this goal in mind makes the photographer and the viewer grow in the understanding of human nature. For example, a photograph of a young man trying to hitch a ride in the rain can show the experience. His poncho sparkles with the raindrops flowing in a steady stream to the ground. The lights of passing traffic highlight the contrast between the warm, dry drivers, taking no notice of his misery. Another picture of a child sleeping on a bench at a busy train station can capture the innocence of childhood contrasted with a busy world of hurried grown-ups. If you'd like to experiment with this form of photographs of people, look for ordinary people in contrasting environments or contexts. Children and the elderly pose extraordinary possibilities. The lined faces of the aged often make great subjects, reflecting character and wisdom. People are such interesting subjects. Facial expressions can convey a thousand moods and feelings. Taking pictures of people with an eye to the feel and magic of the moment will make you a better and more enthusiastic photographer. You may find yourself so taken with this new experience. Photographing people is an artful endeavor. Take the leap! According to the passage, a picture that shows the emotions and humanity of people may help you _ . A know more about cultures B know better about human nature C know more about photography D know better about an event Answer: B. know better about human nature Roma Pass Kit enables both tourists and interested local residents the opportunity to benefit from various discounts and services that make it easier and cheaper to enjoy the sights of Rome. Free entry to the first 2 visited museums and / or archaeological sites of your choice. Concessionary ticket to all other museums and / or archaeological sites visited thereafter. Free use of the city's public transport network.Valid until midnight of the third day inclusive that of the first validation for ATAC public transport within the territory of the Municipality of Rome. Discounted tickets to exhibitions,events and other cooperating operators and businesses (Roma Pass Guide). Tourist cultural services Roma Passe. At the Colosseum a reserved turnstile is available for Roma Pass holders to get direct access to the monument. In the kit: The Roma Pass card:the card used to visit museums / archaeological sites and on the public transport system as described above. Roma MAP:A map with all the Tourist Information Points,Metro stations,museums and other sites of interest; Roma Pass Guide:the list of under agreement museums/sites.and the list of all the partners of the Roma Pass which offer discounts to card holders; Roma Passe:the card with the App activation code to download the best of the city. How to use it: The overleaf form must be filled with name,surname and validation date. The card is valid for three days and is activated at the time of the first entry to the museums/sites,and/or at the first journey on public transport,up until midnight of the third day, including the day of the activation. It must be produced along with your identity papers when required by the staff in charge. Please note that most museums generally are closed on Mondays (with the exception of the Colosseum and the Baths of Caracalla).Almost all the museums normally are closed on December 25 , January l and May l too.We advise you to check in advance. With Roma Pass you can enjoy _ . A reserved access to 2 sites B free entry to any museums C free use of ATAC within Italy D discounts for certain exhibitions Answer: D. discounts for certain exhibitions Master painter Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) was well known for having a large number of friends and students. Among them, painter Li Qiujun was special. They got to know each other through Li's elder brother, who was one of Zhang's best friends. They admired each other's artistic talent and became _ , which resulted in a romantic relationship. In 1948, Zhang produced Spring Clouds Amid Autumn Landscape, a mountain-and-water ink painting featuring gongbi (meticulous brushwork), as a gift for Li's 50th birthday. A year later, Zhang permanently departed from the mainland, and traveled and exhibited around the world before settling down in Taipei in 1976. After leaving the mainland, he often said that he missed Li, who died in Shanghai in 1973. Spring Clouds Amid Autumn Landscape will be auctioned in Hong Kong on Oct 4. The painting not only marks a friendship between the two painters, but it deserves special attention because it shows Zhang at the top of his game as he sought to master the mountain-and-water style, according to C.K. Cheung, head of Sotheby's Chinese painting department. Sotheby's will auction the work at its major autumn sale, which runs from Oct 1 to 5. Cheung says the painting's composition and Zhang's attention to details reflect his incorporation of traditional touches, especially from Song Dynasty (960-1279) paintings, while also developing his own style. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true? A Spring Clouds Amid Autumn Landscape was originally a gift for Li's 50th birthday. B Zhang Daqian permanently departed from the mainland in 1949. C Sotheby's will auction Spring Clouds Amid Autumn Landscape in Hong Kong. D Li Qiujun's elder brother was also one of ZhangDaqian's students. Answer: D. Li Qiujun's elder brother was also one of ZhangDaqian's students.
In a mountainous area of Brazil, there is a kind of beautiful butterfly which can kill men. If people meet them, they will come down in great quantities to bite and kill, sucking blood and flesh through the wounds they cause. In June, 1966, a boy named Marl Andre who went into the mountains in search of butterfly specimens was killed by these butterflies. A country boy saw him when he was just about to catch a butterfly. Suddenly thousands of butterflies came down upon him, covering him all over. The boy struggled and cried as he tried to free himself from their attack. Finally he fell senseless to the ground. Police examined his body and proved that he had died of bites by butterflies. In New Guinea, there is a kind of needlefish which also kills men. Needlefish likes light. At night, it will swim near the lights of fishing boats, then suddenly shoot out of water like an arrow to its target, and force its 3-inch sharp mouth into a human body. Of-ten people are thrust in the eye, or through the chest or stomach, resulting in death. Sometimes it will even attack the people in a fishing boat in broad daylight. About 10 persons in the world are killed by sharks every year, yet more than 240 people are killed by needlefish every year. From the passage, we know that _ . Did you ever think someone was scary because they looked different or ate strange food? Well, they might think the same about you! One of the things we all need to do is to _ variety.We shouldn't think badly of people from other cultures because they behave differently from us. Sometimes we treat people from other countries unfairly, because one person from that culture did something bad.Well, has your class ever been punished just because a few kids were causing trouble? Has your whole family ever been blamed for something your little sister did? It doesn't seem fair, does it? It's just equally unfair to blame a whole culture for what two or three people have done. So here are some things that you can do to help yourself understand other cultures: 1Find common ground! Just remember that even though some people look different on the outside, that doesn't change how they are on the inside.They still have the exact same feelings! 2 _ Because someone from another culture has been mean to you, you decide to avoid everyone from that culture.Well think about it.Why are you blaming them for something they didn't have anything to do with? Put yourself in their shoes.How would you feel? Putting yourself inside someone else's head can be a very powerful way to understand WHY they are acting the way they are. 3Try to make friends with people from other cultures! You could ask them about their culture, or what it is like in their country, if they can remember, or if they have ever lived there.Try foods from their culture, or ask them about words in their language.You might be surprised at how interesting other cultures can be! You can join great discussion groups, participate in projects, and have lots of fun doing new things. 4Be aware that you've judged other people If you know what you have done, it helps to make things better.Pay attention to what you think about other people.It helps. Which of the following can be put into the blank behind 2? Turning the lights out or wearing a blindfold while eating could be a quick way to lose weight, according to scientists. The simple trick works because it stops diners eating for pleasure rather than for calories. It also triggers a part of the brain that is worried that unseen food may go bad. An experiment by the University of Konstanz, in Germany, found that people who were blindfolded consumed nine percent fewer calories before they felt full, compared to those who could see. They also vastly overestimated how much they had eaten because they could not see how much was left on the plate. Blindfolded volunteers estimated they had eaten 88 percent more than they actually had. Scientists believe that not seeing food on the table also allows the body to know when it is full in real time rather than remembering past experiences where it might have taken a full plate to feel full. In the experiment, 50 people were blindfolded and 40 were allowed to see their food. All were told not to eat within two hours of the experiment. They were then given three 95g bowls of chocolate ice cream and invited to eat for 15 minutes. Their bowls were taken away and the remaining ice-cream weighed, while the participants were quizzed on how much they thought they had eaten. On average the group who could see ate 116g while the blindfolded groups ate 105g. However, the blindfolded group believed they had eaten 197g while compared with 159g for the non-blind volunteers. They were also asked how pleasant the ice-cream tasted and the blindfolded group rated lower than those who could see. "The experienced pleasure of eating was significantly lower in the blindfolded group. Not seeing the food might have decreased the appetite. Sight plays an important role in the eating experience and in the overall dining experience." Previous studies have shown that the visual influence of food plays a large part in the taste. While restaurants that allow diners to eat in the dark state that it triggers other senses, in fact eating in darkness is likely to taste far milder than usual. We can learn from the passage that the blindfolded group _ . 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. How many slices of bacon equal the same number of calories as in a sausage roll? We often talk about the weather. If we want to know about the weather. We can turn on the radio and listen to the weather report . We can also turn on the TV and watch the Weather Show. And we can ask other people in two different ways, "What's the weather like today?" or "How is the weather today?" Sometimes you can call at 121 for the weather. When it's cold, we _ and need to wear warm clothes and scarves. When it's raining, we need raincoats or umbrellas. When it's hot, we need a cool place and want a cold drink. We want a cold drink when it's _ .
If, at the end of a conversation somebody says to me, "as soon as I know, I'll ring you up", he is talking too much for granted. He is proposing to attempt the impossible. So I have to say, "I'm afraid you can't. You see. I'm not on the telephone. I just haven't got a telephone." Why don't you have a telephone? Not because I pretend to be wise or pose as unusual. There are two chief reasons: because I don't really like the telephone and because I find I can still work and play, eat, breathe and sleep without it. Why don't I like the telephone? Because I think it is a pest and a time-waster. It may create unnecessary suspense and anxiety, as when you wait for an expected call that doesn't come; or irritating delay, as when you keep ringing a number that is always engaged. As for speaking in a public telephone box, which seems to me really horrible. You would not use it unless you were in a hurry, and because you are in a hurry you will find other people waiting before you. When you do get into the box, you are half asphyxiated by stale, unventilated air, flavored with cheap face-powder and chain-smoking; and by the time you have begun your conversation your back is chilled by the cold look of somebody who is fidgeting to take your place. If you have a telephone in your own house, you will admit that it tends to ring when you least want it to ring; when you are asleep, or in the middle of a meal or a conversation, or when you are just going out, or when you are in your bath. Are you strong-minded enough to ignore it, to say to yourself, "Ah, well, it will all be the same in a hundred years' time. You are not. You think there may be some important news or message for you. Have you never rushed dripping from the bath, or chewing from the table, or dazed from the bed, only to be told that you are a wrong number? Suppose you ignore the telephone when it rings, and suppose that, for once, somebody has an important message for you. I can assure you that if a message is really important it will reach you sooner or later. Think of the proverb: "ill news travels apace." I must say good news seems to travel just as fast. And think of the saying: "the truth will out." It will. What does "the truth will out" mean in the last sentence? A. The truth will become publicly. B. The truth will be truth. C. The truth will disappear. D. The truth will be hidden. Answer: A. The truth will become publicly. One day, Mary asked her mother, "Mum, what do people mean by saying they have a skeleton in the closet ?" Her mother paused thoughtfully and said, "Well, it's something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example, if in the past, someone in Dad's family had been arrested for stealing a horse, it would be a skeleton in his family's closet. He really wouldn't want any neighbor to know about it." "Why pick my family?" Mary's father said with anger. "Your family history isn't so good, you know. Wasn't your great-great-grandfather a prisoner who was transported to Australia for his crimes?" "Yes, but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners." "Gosh, sorry I asked. I think I understand now." Mary cut in before things grew worse. After dinner, the house was quiet. Mary's parents were quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and every now and then she glared at her husband, who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Mary's closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt, a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Mary's mother sank into a faint , waking only when Mary put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter. "What happened? Where am I?" she asked. "You just destroyed the school's skeleton, Mum," explained Mary. "I brought it home to help me with my health project. I meant to tell you, but it seemed that as soon as I mentioned skeletons and closets, it caused a problem between you and Dad." Mary looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly. "They're crazy," she thought. Ks5u Mary's parents laughed madly at the end of the story probably because _ . A. They were mentally ill. B. They were over happy. C. They understood what had really happened. D. They both thought they had won the quarrel. Answer: C. They understood what had really happened. Yang Liwei circled the earth 14 times in 21 hours on October 15 and 16, 2003, landing on the grasslands of Inner Mongolia. Looking a little tired, Yang stepped out of Shenzhou V, smiling and waving at the waiting people. "I feel very good." Yang said to Premier Wen Jiabao on the phone. Yang said to a newspaper, "For our motherland and me, this is a great moment." China's _ of Shenzhou V shows a higher starting point. It has two special systems to protect the spaceman, but neither Russian rockets nor American ones have. Yang didn't know that he was chosen as China's first spaceman until just before the launch. Although Yang was excited at the news, he still slept at 8p.m. as usual and was woken up at 8p.m. the next morning. Before the launch, Yang ate Chinese traditional food-dumplings. We all know that travelers usually eat them before going on a journey for good luck. A stamp Success of China First Manned Space Flight was issued on October 16, 2003, making China the third country to send a spaceman into outer space. Which of the following statement is right? A. There is no difference between China's spaceship and other countries. B. Yang Liwei knew he would be China's first spaceman long before. C. From the news, Yang Liwei was too excited to fall asleep. D. Yang was proud of the flight. Answer: D. Yang was proud of the flight. Tom with his grandparents lives in a farmhouse. He studies in a small school. It is not far from his home. So he walks to school every day. There is a small river in front of the school. There is a small bridge over the river. There is only one shop near his school. There is a big playground behind the teaching building. There are some tall trees near the classroom building and the students often read and play under the tree after school. People there are all very friendly. Students in Tom's school _ read and play after school. A. often B. don't like to C. sometimes D. seldom Answer: A. often SHANGHAI--The Shanghai World Financial Centre will be the tallest land-mark in the world after its completion this century in Pudong, according to the project's Japanese investors. The building will be located in the prime Lujiazui Zone in Pudong , on a 30,000-square-metre site. The building was originally designed to be a 94-floor office tower with a height of 460 metres. The project broke ground in 1997 but was later halted as a result of the financial crisis in Southeast Asia. "As the economy warms up, we are more confident about Shanghai and the whole prefix = st1 /Chinaand we are working hard to get the Project restarted as soon as possible," said Katsuyuki Takeuchi, vice-president and general manager of the Shanghai World Financial Centre Company. Its parent company, Japan-based Moil Building Co. Ltd, established the Shanghaisubsidiary as the operator responsible for this ambitious project. The design, which is undergoing revision in apian, will accommodate international high-tech businesses, department stores, art galleries, clubs and a five-star hotel. Unlike the gloomy economies of theUnited States, Europe andJapan,Chinaenjoys a strong growth with brighter prospects, Takeuchi said. More capital and businesses are expected to flow into Shanghai, which aims to become a world centre for trade and the financial industry--with Lujiazui as its showpiece. The layout of Luijiazui includes three tall buildings, one of which is the completed JinmaoTower, each rising above 400 metres, as designed by local government after holding an international design competition early last decade. Other buildings nearby fall in height gradually, creating a special shape against the skyline. The Shanghai World Financial Centre will be built as the peak of the mountain. "The peak will be safe thanks to the perfect design, advanced technology and the stable social and political environment in Shanghai," Takeuchi said, reassuring those who might be anxious about the safety of the soon-to-be world's tallest building. Which of the following has the same meaning as the sentence"... reassuring those who might be anxious about the safety of the soon-to-be world's tallest building" A. Comfort the people so that they won't worry about the safety of the peak. B. Tell the people the tallest building will be finished soon. C. Advise people not to be anxious about the building until it is finished. D. Make sure that the building will be built in Shanghai. Answer: A. Comfort the people so that they won't worry about the safety of the peak.
Many people enjoy an adventure story. Others like mysteries that lead the reader to an exciting discovery. The story of the young British naturalist Charles Darwin combines both of these. That is why the author and illustrator Rosalyn Schanzer chose to write the children's book "What Darwin Saw". The book was published just in time for the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth on February 12, 1809. Rosalyn Schanzer carefully gathered Darwin's thoughts and observations from his diaries, letters and books. Many of the words in the book are Darwin's own. She also traveled to the Galapagos Islands and South America. She researched some of the places Darwin had visited on his trip on the ship, the Beagle in the 1830s. She took thousands of pictures, which helped her create the book's beautiful and color1ful drawings. These pictures show young readers what led Darwin to form his great discovery: the evolution of species through natural selection. "What Darwin Saw" tells of the adventures of a young man who traveled around the world as a scientist. The voyage of the Beagle took Charles Darwin to South America, where he rode horses with cowboys and met Native Americans in Argentina. He reported the eruption of the Osorno Volcano and experienced an earthquake in Chile. Darwin's observations showed him that environments can change very quickly and a great deal over time. Rosalyn Schanzer brings to life the clues that suggested to Darwin that living things evolve, or change, over time. She illustrates the unusual tortoises, birds and lizards that Darwin studied in the Galapagos Islands. She shows how Darwin came to understand that these island animals had differences, developed over time, that helped them survive. And she explains the theory of evolution through natural selection in a way that both children and adults will enjoy. What Darwin Saw mainly focuses on _ . Answer: The local bus network gives access to most of the attractions of Nottinghamshire,making it easy for you to enjoy all that the county has to offer. Why not let Nottinghamshire's buses provide you with a cheep,convenient and safe way of enjoying a day out. they even take away the worry of stopping for lunch, having a drink and then deciding who's going to drive home. Special Sunday ticket saves you money. Nottinghamshire County Council's Day Ranger tickets give you unlimited travel on buses right across the county every Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday and will entitle(...)you to discounts at several visitor attractions.This means that you can save money by traveling by bus.Prices are currently: Adults PS5.00 Children&Concessions PS2.50 Family ticket PS9.00 (2 adults&up to 3 children) Simply buy your ticket on the first bus you board on a Sunday and then travel wherever you want in Nottinghamshire for the rest of the day. Finding out about getting around the county couldn't be easier.Information on bus service is widely available at: . Bus stations . Libraries . County contact points .Tourist information centers. You can also visit our web site at:www.Nottinghamshire.gov.uk/buses There is extensive information on bus travel and the attractions of the county. We also provide a journey planner and access to timetables for all the bus services operating in the county. There are links to the individual bus operators for further information on fares and special offers. Traveline Public transport info 0870 608 2 608 www. traveline.org.uk How much will you be charged if your family (a couple and two children) goes on a special-Sunday-ticket trip? Answer: LONDON (Reuters)--New faces given to a Chinese man after a bear tore off part of his face and a FrenchCaribbean man disfigured by a rare tumor show that such transplants can work and are not medical oddities ,researchers said. The findings give hope to some people with severe facial disfigurement and suggest the transplants could prove longlasting without major problems.Despite the tissue rejection in the first year after their transplants,neither men had psychological problems accepting their new faces and have been able to rejoin society,they reported. Only three people have received face transplants.The world's first was carried out on French woman Isabelle Dinoire in November 2005 after she was disfigured in an attack by her dog.In 2007,her doctors reported that she had recovered slowly and steadily,overcoming two periods of rejection. In 2006,Chinese doctors performed a face transplant on a 30yearold hit by a bear.While there were some complications with tissue rejection following the operation,two years later the man was doing well,his doctors said."This case suggests that facial transplantation might be an option for _ a severely disfigured face,and could enable patients to bring themselves back into society," Shuzhong Guo and colleagues at Xijing Hospital in China wrote. A French team described their work on a 29yearold man who suffered from Von Recklinghausen disease,an illness that changes the shape of his face."The man,who was not named,was given a new nose,mouth and chin in a 2007 operation.He began to work 13 months after the transplant has more function in his face and has not rejected the new tissue," his doctors said. "Our case confirms that face transplantation is practical and effective for the correction of specific disfigurement," Dr.Laurent Lantieri and colleagues at the HenriMondor hospital outside Paris wrote. From the passage we can learn that _ . Answer: One day a poor farmer was taking a bag of wheat to town. Suddenly the bag fell off his horse onto the road. He did not know what he could do about it because it was too heavy for him to lift by himself. He only hoped that someone would soon pass by and lend him a hand. Just at his moment, a man riding a horse came up to him. But the farmer felt disappointed when he saw who he was. It was the great man who lived nearby. He thought the great man wouldn't help him, and hoped another farmer would come up. But to his surprise, the great man got off his horse as soon as he came near, "I see you need help," he said, "I'm here just at the right time. " Then he took one end of the bag and the farmer took the other, They lifed it together and put it on the horse. "Sir," asked the farmer, "how can I pay you?" "It's quite easy," the great man answered, "when you see anyone else in trouble, do the same for him. " When he saw the poor farmer in trouble, the great man _ Answer: The concept of culture has been defined many times, and although no definition has achieved universal acceptance, most of the definitions include three central ideas: that culture is passed on from generation to generation, that a culture represents a ready-made principle for living and for making day-to-day decisions, and, finally, that the components of a culture are accepted by those in the culture as good, and true, and not to be questioned. The eminent anthropologist George Murdock has listed seventy-three items that characterize every known culture, past and present. The list begins with Age-grading and Athletic sports, runs to Weaning and Weather Control, and includes on the way such items as Calendar, Fire making, Property Rights, and Tool making. I would submit that even the most extreme advocate of a culture of poverty viewpoint would readily acknowledge that, with respect to almost all of these items, every American, beyond the first generation immigrant, regardless of race or class, is a member of a common culture. We all share pretty much the same sports. Maybe poor kids don't know how to play polo, and rich kids don't spend time with stickball, but we all know baseball, football, and basketball. Despite some misguided efforts to raise minor dialects to the status of separate tongues, we all, in fact, share the same language. There may be differences in diction and usage, but it would be ridiculous to say that all Americans don't speak English. We have the calendar, the law, and large numbers of other cultural items in common. It may well be true that on a few of the seventy-three items there are minor variations between classes, but these kinds of things are really slight variations on a common theme. There are other items that show variability, not in relation to class, but in relation to religion and ethnic background -- funeral customs and cooking, for example. But if there is one place in America where the melting pot is a reality, it is on the kitchen stove; in the course of one month, half the readers of this sentence have probably eaten pizza, hot pastrami, and chow mein. Specific differences that might be identified as signs of separate cultural identity are relatively insignificant within the general unity of American life; they are cultural commas and semicolons in the paragraphs and pages of American life. What can we learn from the passage? Answer:
There was once a king who had a wise advisor. The advisor followed the king everywhere and his favorite piece of advice to the king was "Everything happens for the good." One day the king went hunting and had a small accident. His foot was injured. Fortunately, he was not badly injured but as always he was forced to ask his advisor what he thought about the accident, to which the advisor replied, "Everything happens for the good." This time the king was really angry and put his advisor in prison . The king then asked his advisor, "Now, what do you think?" The advisor again answered, "Everything happens for the good." About a week later the king went on another hunting trip. As it turned out the king was caught by some cannibals and taken to their camp where he would be prepared to be their evening meal. Before putting him into the cooking pot, he was examined and the cannibals realized that the king's foot was injured. They decided to throw him back into the forests. It is the tradition for the cannibals not to eat anything that was in any way injured. It is true that everything in our lives happens for a purpose, and most often for our own good. If you think about it, all our past experiences actually happened to bring us to where we are today and make us a better person. So whatever challenges that we may face today, consider it happening to bring us to the next level. When the advisor was put in prison, he remained _ . Answer: calm Every foreign student who has been accepted to study in this country must have a legal document called a visa from the prefix = st1 /United Statesgovernment. A visa permits a foreign citizen to travel to theUnited Statesand request permission to enter the country. The rules for getting a visa can be found on the State Department Web site. The address is unitedstatesvisas. gov. Unitedstatesvisas is all one word. Another State Department Web site for students from other countries is educationusa. gov. If you are requesting a visa for the first time, you may have to appear at the American Embassy in your country to talk to an official. Each student should communicate with the Embassy to find out if such an interview is needed and when it can take place. It is important to apply for the visa early. State Department officials say national security is the most important issue in deciding if a person will be permitted to enter the United States. Officials must find out if a student is on any list of people with possible links to terrorists. Embassies can not issue a visa more than ninety days before the start of the educational program in the United States. If you are a student studying in theUnited Statesfor the first time, you will not be permitted to enter the country more than thirty days before the start of your classes. Foreign students accepted at an American school will receive a document called a Certificate of Eligibility. The State Department says each student must enter the country using the certificate provided by the school he or she will be attending. It is a violation of the law to enter the country on one school's certificate but attend another school. You are permitted to stay in the United Stateson a student visa for the length of your period of study. That means you can stay as long as you are a full-time student. Your college or university will provide the government with reports about your education as long as you continue to study there. We will have more information about that next week. To get a visa to the USA, _ . Answer: all foreign students don't have to have an interview with an official in the American embassy in your country Hello! My name is Jim. I'm from the US. Now I am in China with my father and mother. I like China. I like Chinese food, too. I have breakfast at home. I eat an egg, bread and porridge in the morning. I don't like milk. I have no time to go home for lunch. So I have it at school. The lunch in our school is very good. I can have different food for lunch. I eat rice, meat and vegetables for lunch. Sometimes I have noodles and dumplings. I have supper at home with my parents . Sometimes we go out to eat with friends. We have meat, vegetables and fruit. Jim is _ . Answer: American Early one morning,more than a hundred years ago,an American inventor called Elias Howe finally fell asleep.He had been working all night on the design of a sewing machine but he had run into a very difficult problem: It seemed impossible to get the thread to run smoothly around the needle. Though he was tired,Howe slept badly.He turned and turned.Then he had a dream.He dreamt that he had been caught by terrible savages whose king wanted to kill him and eat him unless he could build a perfect sewing machine.When he tried to do so,Howe ran into the same problem as before.The thread kept getting caught around the needle.The king flew into the cage and ordered his soldiers to kill Howe.They came up towards him with their spears raised.But suddenly the inventor noticed something.There was a hole in the tip of each spear.The inventor awoke from the dream,realizing that he had just found the answer to the problem.Instead of trying to get the thread to run around the needle,he should make it run through a small hole in the center of the needle.This was the simple idea that finally made Howe design and build the first really practical sewing machine. Elias Howe was not the only one in finding the answer to his problem in this way.Thomas Edison,the inventor of the electric light,said his best ideas came into him in dreams.So did the great physicist Albert Einstein.Charlotte Bronte also drew in her dreams in writing Jane Eyre. To know the value of dreams,you have to understand what happens when you are asleep.Even then,a part of your mind is still working.This unconscious ,but still active part understands your experiences and goes to work on the problems you have had during the day.It stores all sorts of information that you may have forgotten or never have really noticed.It is only when you fall asleep that this part of the brain can send messages to the part you use when you are awake.However,the unconscious part acts in a special way.It uses strange images which the conscious part may not understand at first.This is why dreams are sometimes called "secret messages to ourselves ". The problem Howe was trying to solve was _ . Answer: how to prevent the thread from getting caught around the needle Staying silent can be just as powerful as the words you mean to say, like when the act of hugging will be more comforting than saying, "Sorry for your loss." Another time when silence is golden is when you are unsure of what to say. If you are confused about your own feelings concerning a matter, it's best to stay quiet until you are more certain because more harm can be done by revealing false or exaggerated feelings Choose silence instead of blurting out 'in-the-moment' feelings that are hurtful and not really how you feel in the grand scheme of things. When you feel the urge to say an unkind thing, take a few breaths and think of the possible consequences of your words. Silence can be your best friend during negotiations. Say your piece, then close your mouth, and let the other person come to their own conclusions. Your silence shows that one, you are confident in what you just said, and two, you respect the other person enough to hear what they have to say. Sometimes silence is the best and most timely solution because the other person is not in a position to hear what you have to say. For example, when a friend needs for you to listen to her problems, but she is unable to accept your advice at that moment. Practice being silent at work when you don't have anything meaningful to contribute. Unless you can elevate the conversation by pointing out something interesting, missing, or beneficial, it's best to just observe and learn. Finally, silence is golden when you don't want to engage in a fool's argument. As some squabbles will never be resolved, one must agree to disagree. Hower,there will be times in your life where you will need the power of your voice,the voice within you that wants and needs to be respected and apprecitsed. What does the undedined word "elevate" most probably mean? Answer: start
If you usually take the school bus or sometimes need to take public buses to school, there are some important rules you should know. When you are waiting for the bus, you should wait at the bus stop, and stand well back. When you get off the bus, make sure you and the driver can see each other, and wait for the driver to signal you before you cross the road in front of the bus. Never go back for anything you may leave on the bus when it is starting. Never bend down near the bus when you walk to or from the bus stop. You should cross the street at a crosswalk or a street corner, and wait for the light to turn green or for the WALK crossing signal. It is important to look carefully to the left, the right and the left again when you cross the street. Remember that it is dangerous to stay in the areas around buses where the driver can't see you. Don't run between parked cars or buses. Do not run across the street or through parking areas to catch up with your friends. It is important to _ when you cross the street. Answer: Some boys like wearing the same kinds of clothes as girls, and some of them have long hair. So sometimes it's hard to tell whether they are boys or girls. Today is Sunday. I have a walk with my grandmother in the park. My grandmother is 80 years old and she can't see well. After some time, my grandmother is tired , so she sits down on a chair. There is another person sitting on the chair, too. "Hello," my grandmother says to the person with long hair next to her. "Can you see the girl with long hair under the big tree?""The girl?" says the person, "No, he's my brother Mike." "Oh, sorry. I don't know you are his sister." Says my grandmother. "No, I'm not his sister, I'm his brother!" From the passage , we know that the writer's grandmother _ Answer: The website FarmersOnly.com calls itself an online dating and friendship finder. The idea started in the mind of a man, Jerry Miller in Ohio. He wondered how farmers could meet new people who understand the life of a farmer. Jerry Miller is not a farmer but he represents a lot of farmers. As he tells it, the idea for the site was planted when a farmer told him one day that she was recently divorced and would like to date. _ So, in 2005, Jerry Miller launched his website. "You don't have to be a farmer to be onFarmersOnly.com, but you do have to have the good old-fashioned traditional values of America's Heartland." You also have to live in the United States or Canada to be a member of the site. Some services are free, but a full membership costs fifty dollars for a year. As of last week the site listed more than 58,000 members. Many of them are farmers in the United States. Others are students or workers involved in some way with agriculture. Jerry Miller tells us about thirty marriages in the last year have resulted from his website. Some farmers have also found love through a group,Singles in Agriculture, which was formed as a nonprofit organization in 1986. It organizes gatherings that usually end with a dance, but is not a dating service. The purpose is to support educational and social activities that offer people a chance for friendship. Its website,singlesinag.org, says there are more than 1,000 members across the nation and as far away as France. Which of the following is true ofsinglesinag.org? Answer: A thief entered the bedroom of the 30th President of the United States, who met him and helped him escape punishment. The event happened in the early morning hours in one of the first days when Calvin Coolidge came into power, late in August, 1923.He and his family were living in the same third-floor suite at the Willard Hotel in Washington that they had occupied several years before.The former President's wife was still living in the White House. Coolidge awoke to see a stranger go through his clothes, remove a wallet and a watch chain. Coolidge spoke, "I wish you wouldn't take that." The thief, gaining his voice, said, "Why?" "I don't mean the watch and chain, only the charm .Take it near the window and read what is impressed on its back, " the President said. The thief read, "Presented to Calvin Coolidge." "Are you President Coolidge ? " he asked. The President answered, "Yes, and the House of Representatives gave me that watch charm.I'm fond of it.It would do you no good.You want money.Let's talk this over." Holding up the wallet, the young man said in a low voice, "I'll take this and leave everything else." Coolidge, knowing there was $80 in it, persuaded the young man to sit down and talk.He told the President he and his college roommate had overspent during their holiday and did not have enough money to pay their hotel bill. Coolidge added up the roommate and two rail tickets back to the college.Then he counted out $32 said it was a loan . He then told the young man, "There is a guard in the corridor." The young man nodded and left through the same window as he had entered. The young man's roommate went back to the college _ . Answer: Which of the following is a common renewable resource found in deserts? Answer:
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park will open in Florida in 2009,and will provide attractions and rides based on places from the Harry Potter books. The novels' author JK Rowling has already given her blessing to the project. She said,"The plans I've seen look unbelievably exciting, and I don't think fans of the books or films will be disappointed." Stuart Craig, the man in charge of the design of the park, is an Oscar-winning production designer who worked on the Harry Potter films so it should be faithful to JK Rowling's vision. Stuart Craig said, "Our primary goal is to make sure this experience is an authentic extension of Harry Potter's world as it is _ in the books and films." Visitors to the park will be able to explore some of their favourite places from the book such as the village of Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest and, of course, Hogwarts Castle, where Harry goes to school. Although fans can look forward to a holiday in the Harry Potter theme park, many will be saddened by the fact that the best-selling series is now drawing to a close. The final instalment in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be published on 21 July, and to mark the event JK Rowling is to read extracts from the book to a select audience at midnight on the day of publication. Rowling has announced that two characters die in the final book, but has not revealed if Harry is one of them so fans will have to wait to find out the fate of their magical hero. What will people see in the theme park? Parents are the closest people to you in the world. They love you just because you're you. And they would do anything for you. Like a lot of middle school students, Zhang Li has a problem. She and her parents don't get on well. "I really want to be my daddy's good girl. But it seems he just doesn't understand. He talks to me but doesn't listen to me," said Zhang Li, a student from Grade Three. Do you and your parents also have problems? Well, why don't you take a walk and have a walk on Saturday? May 15 is International Day of families . On that day, people around the world give thanks for good things about families and work on family problems. A study last year showed that 1500 Beijing families had the same problem as Zhang's family. The children, 12 to 15 years old, didn't like talking with their parents much. They weren't happy at home. Of course, lots of other children feel that way. But you and your parents will be much happier if you can be friends. Here are some ways to have a good talk with your parents: find a good time to talk, like when you're eating dinner, going out for a walk or watching TV. Tell them something you're interested in, or ask them about their lives when they were young. They love to talk about _ ! Listen to them carefully, and look at them in the eyes. Be honest, your parents will trust you more. And a trusting family is a happy family. Which of the following is NOT a good way for kids to get closer to their families? Whatsonstage.com is the UK's biggest and best online guide to the performing arts including theatre, opera, classical music, dance and so on. * The Lion King Musical: The stage adaptation of the Disney film taken from an original African story. A young lion grows up and learns that taking over the pride requires wisdom and maturity . Place: Lyceum Theatre, Wellington Street, London Telephone: 0870 243 9000 Date: Friday, 18 Nov. 2015 Ticket price: PS37.5 * Oliver Musical: Dickens' story of a boy in a London workhouse and his adventures on the way to discovering his family. The songs include Food glorious food, You've got to pick a pocket or two, Who will buy this wonderful morning, I am reviewing the situation and Consider yourself at home. Place: Theatre Royal, Catherine Street, London Telephone: 020 7494 5061 Date: Thursday, 17 Nov. 2015 Ticket price: PS25,but now save 20% * Jersey Boys Musical: It tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four seasons: the blue-collar kids from New Jersey formed a singing group and became famous. The musical features many of the group's popular songs such as Big girls don't cry, Oh, what a night and Can't take my eyes off you. Place: Prince Edward Theatre, Old Compton Street, London Telephone: 0870 850 9191 --- Date: Saturday, 19 Nov. 2015 Ticket price: PS22.5 * Alls Well That Ends Well Play: A romantic story. Helena, daughter of a poor physician, loves Bertram, son of a Countess . Place: Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Park Street, London Telephone: 020 7401 9919 Date: Sunday, 20 Nov, 2015 Ticket price: PS40.5 What is the main purpose of the text? Narayanan Krishnan was a bright, young, award-winning chef with a five-star hotel group in Switzerland. But a quick family visit home before heading for Europe changed everything. He saw a very old man under a bridge eating his own human waste for food while visiting a friend in the south Indian city of Madurai in 502. Shocked by this, Krishnan gave up his job within the week and returned home for good, convinced of his new cause. "That inspiration is a driving force still inside me as a flame--to serve all the mentally ill and the people who cannot take care of themselves," Krishnan said. He founded the organization Akshaya Trust in 503. In Hindu mythology , Goddess Annapoorani's "Akshaya bowl" fed the hungry endlessly, never using up its resources. Now 14, he has served more than 1.2 million meals--breakfast, lunch and dinner to India's homeless and the poor. Krishnan's day begins at 4 a.m. He and his team cover nearly 110 miles, routinely working in temperatures topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The hot meals he delivers are simple, tasty vegetarian food he personally prepares, packs and often hand-feeds to nearly 400 people each day. Krishnan carries the barber's tools and is trained in eight haircut styles that, along with a fresh shave, provide extra dignity to those he serves. He says many of the homeless seldom know their names or birthplaces, and none has the ability to beg, ask for help or offer thanks. They may be unfriendly or ill-willed because of their conditions, but Krishnan says this only makes him offer help more willingly. During his visit home, Krishnan _ . For many years, people have been curious about the stars. In the past, people have shared what they knew about the stars through stories and drawings. Which pair of tools would be most helpful for people today to gather and share information about stars?
If a tree is going to give its essence to another tree, it needs to use A small creatures B great stamina C positive attitude D mighty strength Answer: A. small creatures When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at hospital. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned toast in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his toast, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him spread butter and jelly on that toast and eat every bite! When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the toast. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned toast." Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his toast burned. He took me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's really tired. And besides - a little burned toast never hurt anyone!" You know, life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship. This good quality is the base of any relationship --- husband-wife or parent-child or friendship! As far as I'm concerned, I'm not the best engineer as expected. However, I have made my efforts. That's enough. So learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life. Burnt toast isn't a deal-breaker! Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket but into your own. How did the author feel when his father said he loved burnt toast? A Moved. B Puzzled C Surprised. D Disappointed. Answer: B. Puzzled This wonderful 16-day tour is designed to highlight South Africa's amazing diversity of cultures, its curious mixture of old and new, as well as its wonderful scenery and wildlife, together with its unique history. Join us to experience Cape Town and the exciting Kruger safari on our tour to South AfricA. We believe that a more naturally beautiful country than South Africa would be difficult to find: from the rocky peaks of the Drakensberg Mountains, to the timeless semi-desert landscapes of the Karoo and then the forested seashores and mirror-like lakes of the Garden Route, the attractive valleys of the Winelands and the symbol of the country, Table Mountain -- all under an endless blue sky.Quite amazing! Included in our price: Return flights from London Heathrow Three-and-four-star hotels, sharing rooms, breakfast and lunch included Internal flight to the beautiful Garden Route Full-day guided safari in the Kruger National Park Visit the legendary Zulu War battlefields of Isandlwana, Rorke's Drift, the historical Cape of Good Hope, Cape Town, Apartheid Museum and Blyde River Canyon Travel on Outeniqua steam train or go whale watching depending on the season For more information, call 0845 155 6706. The passage is written to _ .[ A talk about touring experiences B attract people to the tour C talk about the history of Africa D introduce places of interest in Africa Answer: B. attract people to the tour Mahjong, that favorite pastime of "old folks" in Shanghai, is finding a new audience among younger players, and many university students are becoming mad about this traditional Chinese game. Students at Fudan University have even formed a Mahjong club. This resurgence of the game, however, is not without its critics. Some people still associate the game with gambling and for many years Mahjong was banned in China. One critic, surnamed Meng, was quoted as saying, "Mahjong is a bad custom that will distract students from studies." But Yu Guangyuan, former vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences , says Mahjong is a "healthy, scientific, friendly mind game." Mr. Yu's opinion seems to be shared by the majority of Chinese. They see the game as an activity that requires great concentration and intellectual skill. They also see the game as an important part of Chinese culture and a pastime that brings family and friends closer together. This Spring Festival many families will no doubt spend hours around the Mahjong table getting reacquainted with each other. For them, playing Mahjong is a way of spending quality family time. No one knows who invented Mahjong. Some say it was Confucius, others say the current form of the game was developed right here in Shanghai in the late19th century. It is certainly because of Shanghai that the game enjoys its worldwide popularity. It was brought to America in the 1920s and has since spread throughout Europe and other parts of Asia. There is now a World Championship of Mahjong which is held every year. This year's championship was held in Chongqing and attracted players from America, Europe and Russia, as well as students from Peking University, Tshinghua University and Nankai University. There was no prize money, but the players delighted in using their wits and their understanding of statistics and probability theory to defeat their clever opponents. Of course, Mahjong doesn't have to always be that intense. For young people it can be a way to relax and to socialize, a chance to get away from their computers and talk to other people face to face. So, this Spring Festival, why not get out the "old folks" tiles: it's good to be mad about Mahjong! Why do students from Peking University, Tshinghua University and Nankai University take part in the World Championship of Mahjong? A Because they can happily use their wisdom and what they have learned to defeat their clever opponents. B Because they can win a large amount of prize money. C They want to make more friends through Mahjong. D Because it's a thrilling game. Answer: A. Because they can happily use their wisdom and what they have learned to defeat their clever opponents. Dear Karen, As you probably know, it's my sister Suzie's 16th birthday in a week. We're planning a surprise party for her. Julie's going to pick her up from school as usual on Friday but she's not taking her home. She's bringing her to the Palace Hotel, the big modern one near the station. We're having a meal there and we've also hired the ballroom for a party in the evening. I hope you can come! All her friends from school are coming and quite a few of the people from our village, too. Of course, Mum and Dad are coming up from England and I've managed to persuade our other sister, Marie, to come over from Australia. She's bringing her kids with her, too. After the party we're going to have another one on Saturday! Well, not really a party. We're inviting the family and close friends (that includes you) for a meal at the house. If the weather is nice, we'd like to have a barbecue in the garden. Julie's going to make a special cake for Suzie. Anyway, we hope to make it a really special weekend for Suzie. On Sunday we're all going for a walk in the country. You know how she loves walking and we're all going to need a bit of exercise after all that lovely food. We're hoping to go up to the lake. Marie said she wanted her kids to feed the ducks just like Suzie and she did when they were very young. I'm sure Suzie will love that too. It would be great if you could come over for the weekend. We would all love to see you. Let me know as soon as you can. Best, David Which of the following is NOT mentioned? _ A To make a special cake. B To have a barbecue. C To go swimming. D To feed the ducks. Answer: C. To go swimming.
Sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) combine to form sodium chloride (NaCl), which is commonly known as Liu Yingying is a student at No. 17 Middle School in Shanghai. She is 14 years old. She likes English and she often reads English books at home. She can speak English well and write many English words. She likes speaking English with her classmates and teachers at school. Her teachers like her. Liu Yingying likes music and she can play the piano. She often practises it at home in the morning. Liu Yingying has a happy family. Her father is a worker in a car factory and her mother is a hotel manager. Her father likes sports . His favourite sport is table tennis. Her mother likes sports, too. But she likes swimming. What about Liu Yingying? She likes playing tennis. What's Liu Yingying's father's job ? In recent years, the price of gas has been rising sharply, and people have made many adjustments. There was, for a time, considerable unemployment in the auto industry, and three quarters of the garages and service stations have gone out of business. However; the bicycle and motor-scooter business has flourished ; and many people have found employment there: Now that Federal Motors has brought out its new Lilliput, which travels forty miles on a gallon, the auto business is picking up again. The factories that haven't switched over to two-wheel transportation are working on their new smaller models. There is talk, too, about bringing out new steam and electric automobiles that will be just as economical as the old cars. In the meantime, streetcars are gradually replacing buses all over the country because of the greater economy of electric power. And many people who have seldom used public transportation are now riding the streetcars while their automobiles rust in their garages. There's no market at all for their big, luxurious cars, for only the wealthy can now afford to operate them. Many people are now shopping in their own neighborhood, and small businesses are thriving. Ministers, educators, and editorial writers are pointing out that there has been a great improvement in family life. Families now stay at home more for their fun, and children and parents are becoming better acquainted. The stores report a booming business in parlor games, hobby materials, books, musical instruments and albums. People have lost their pale indoor look. The revival of the lost art of walking has brought a healthy pink back to many a cheek. This return to the heels has revolutionized the clothing styles; people now need to be ready for all kinds of weather: These conditions, however, may not last. Already our clever chemists are at work on new synthetic fuels which, they say, will put us right back where we wereon wheels. Shall we wish them success or not? The following sentences are the results of the gas price rising EXCEPT _ . Philo Farnsworth is not a name most people know. But his work changed the way we learn, the way we live, and even the way we think. Philo Farnsworth is responsible for one of the 20thcentury: television. Philo Farnsworth was born in America in 1906. He was interested in science and technology at an early age. When he was twelve years old, he built an electric motor for his family's washing machine. When he was fourteen, he was already giving a lot of thought to electrons . As he was driving the family's horse-drawn plowing machine, he noticed the evenly spaced rows of the potato fields. This sight gave him the idea that electrons could scan an image one row at a time--an idea that was the key to electronic television. By the time he was twenty-one years old, Farnsworth had started his own company and had managed to build the world's first electronic television. It was a very simple device . But after years of hard work, Farnsworth was able to introduce the kind of television we now use. Farnsworth was a great inventor, but lived an unhappy life. He had a legal battle with the company, Radio Corporation of America (RCA) over who the real inventor of the TV was. _ , but the government stopped companies from making TVs during the war, so Farnsworth didn't make much money from the invention. When Farnsworth was young, he imagined television as a convenient way for distant audiences to enjoy lectures by famous professors, or entertainment by the best symphonies and ballets. When he was older, television became much more popular, but he was very disappointed in the silly programs on TV. He even told his own son, "There's nothing on it worthwhile, and we're not going to watch it in this household." What is the best title for the text? So long as teachers fail to distinguish (differ) between teaching and learning, they will continue to undertake to do for children that which 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 plan cleverly 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 understand 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 _ If teacher and learner roles are not interchangeable, what then can be done through teaching that will aid the child in the long search for knowledge? Smith has one principle 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 teacher and learner fulfill them properly, then much of the pressure and feeling of failure for both is got rid of. Learning to read is made easier when teachers create an environment where children are given the chance to solve the problem of learning to read by learning. The teaching of reading will be successful if _ .
Marni runs 1500 meters around the school track. What does she need to know in order to find out her speed? Answer: The Occupy protests in Hong Kong are approaching an end. Traffic on Mong Kok's Argyle Street _ in the late afternoon after the clearance of the barriers and tents by protesters, who remained largely calm, only resisting the clearance at several points. Some 3,000 police officers were deployed in the operation, a much higher number than were used to assist in the clearance of a protest site in Admiralty District on November 18. The operation in Mong Kok comes a week after the partial clearance of another protest site next to the local government headquarters in Admiralty, bringing an end to the months-long protest movement. Some 3,000 police officers also stood guard at the former protest site in Admiralty on Tuesday. Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying expressed on Tuesday his hope that business could resume for shops in the area. He also restated that the protest was an unlawful gathering, and called for the protesters to respect and obey the law. "The common call of Hong Kong people has finally been answered. Now the protest is coming to an end which is necessary and unavoidable. The public has suffered enough," Leticia Lee See-yin told the Global Times. "Many people are living in Mong Kok or operating their businesses in the area. They are all angry at the protest for affecting their business. Two shop owners even shut down their stores because they can no longer afford losses caused by the protest," said Lee. It is believed that the successful clearance of the Mong Kok site has proven that the protests are decreasing as they approach an end. "The authorities met with much less resistance compared to a month ago when protesters reacted violently when police tried to remove barriers in the same area in Mong Kok. Now the public has expressed a stronger desire than ever for the protest to end," Tang Ka-piu, a lawmaker, told the Global Times. Which of the following is True according to the passage? Answer: In 1992, when Xi Jinping worked in Fuzhou, he came across a newspaper report about "My Guling," written by a Chinese student studying in the United States. The report described an American couple who tried in vain to revisit a southern Chinese town called Guling, where the husband, Milton Gardner, had spent 10 years of his childhood before moving back to the United States in 1911. Gardner, who later became a professor of physics at the University of California, had been longing to revisit Guling since 1979 when the diplomatic ties between China and the US were set up. But he had never made the trip due to his failing health. According to the newspaper, Gardner kept uttering "Kuling, Kuling" in the final hours of his life. After he passed away, his wife Elizabeth Gardner decided to carry out the dying wish of her husband and since then made several trips to China in an attempt to find the small town that her husband had so much affection about. Her efforts ended in vain as she had few clues about the exact spot of the town. But a Chinese student lodging at the Gardners' recognized the small town as Guling near Fuzhou City from postmarks on some old mails of late Mr. Gardner. The student wrote an article about Gardners' story and sent it to the People's Daily, one of the major newspapers in China. "After I read the story, I immediately contacted Mrs. Gardner through the departments concerned and invited her to visit Guling," Xi told the media. Thanks to Xi's arrangement, Mrs. Gardner finally arrived at Guling in August 1992. She met there with nine childhood friends of her husband, all of whom were over 90 years old at that time. It was a happy occasion for Mrs. Gardner, who was later awarded the honorary citizenship of Fuzhou City, Xi recalled. "She said that she would value this bond of friendship between her husband and the people of China, because after seeing for herself the beautiful Guling and the warmth and goodwill of the Chinese people, she now understood why her husband had been so deeply attached to China." "I believe there are many such touching stories between our two peoples," said Xi. From the passage we can learn that _ . Answer: There are many colors in nature. But do you know if a color has weight? I think you'll say "no". But I am afraid you are wrong. If you don't believe, you may do a small experiment. First, put two objects with the same weight into two boxes. Then cover the box. Third, wrap one box with a red piece of paper, the other with a white piece of paper. OK. Now hold the boxes with your hand one by one. It is certain that you will think the red one is a little heavier. Why do you think so? A scientist found that different colors have different weights in a man's mind. So he did many tests and at last he got the result. That is to say, every color has its own weight in our mind and their order is the same. The heaviest color is red, then blue, green, yellow and white. The scientist told us that colors also have smell. Can you smell the color? Of course not. Then why did the scientist say so? That is because every color stands for a kind of light with a certain wavelength . It reaches our brain through sense organs . According to this discovery, scientists say that people accept the colors they like, and refuse the colors they hate. So your body and mind will be healthy by using the colors you like. Or you'll be nervous or ill. For example, if you stay in a room with red windows, wallpapers and furniture for two hours, you'll feel you have been there for four hours. But if the room is blue, you'll feel you have been there for only an hour. Another example, if a person walks out of a red room and into a blue room, his temperature will fall. That means our body temperature will change with different colors. It can be known from the text that _ . Answer: For thousands of years, man has enjoyed the taste of apples. Apples, which are about 85 percent water, grow almost everywhere in the world but the hottest and coldest areas.Among the leading countries in apple production are China, France and the United States. There are various kinds of apples but a very few make up the majority of those grown for sale.The three most common kinds grown in the United States are Delicious, golden Delicious and McIntosh. Apples are different in color1, size and taste.The color1 of the skin may be red, green or yellow.They have various sizes with Delicious apples being among the largest.The taste may be sweet or tart .Generally sweet apples are eaten fresh while tart apples are used to make applesauce.Apples can also be found in many foods (especially desserts) and drinks. Many beneficial health effects have been found from eating apples. However, the seeds are slightly poisonous. Apple trees may grow as tall as twelve meters.They do best in areas that have very cold winters.Although no fruit is _ during the winter this cold period is good for the tree. At least 55 million tons of apples were grown worldwide in 2010, with a value of about $ 10 billion. China produced about 35% of this total. The United States was the second-leading producer, with more than 7.5% of world production. Iran was third, followed by Turkey, Russia, Italy and India. It can be learned from the text that Delicious apples are _ . Answer:
Question: Singapore is a dynamic city-state where you will find a harmonious mixture of culture, cuisine, arts, people and architecture. If you have at least 5 hours to spare in transit before your next flight, join us in one of our free two-hour guided tours, which runs daily at regular times. Registration for the tour must be made at least one hour before the start of the tour. HERITAGE TOUR Tour Timings: 9:00 am to 11:00 am 11:30 am to 1:30 pm 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm The heritage tour has a short stopover at the Merlion Park before going to the Colonial District, Central Business District and Chinatown or Little India. The journey to the Merlion Park offers you a entire view of Singapore's landmarks like Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer and Gardens by the Bay. The tour will bring you through a discovery journey where you will have a glimpse of a unique mixture of East and West, tradition and modernity. It will be a splendid way for you to explore the history, culture and lifestyle of multi-racial Singapore while in your transit. CITY LIGHT TOUR Tour Timings: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm As night falls, Singapore takes another look to offer an entertainment choice. The City Light Tour brings you to various attractions in Singapore. As the journey begins from Changi Airport towards Benjamin Sheares Bridge, you will get a wide view of Singapore's famous symbols- the Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands and Esplanade. Next, you will see the Helix Bridge which is inspired by the double helix of our DNA structure. Which of the following is TRUE about the City Light Tour _ . A. It is a great tour to explore the history, culture and lifestyle of Singapore B. You'll have a glimpse of a unique mixture of East and West during the tour C. It begins from Marina Bay Sands and goes towards Benjamin Sheares Bridge D. On the tour, you can see Helix Bridge, which looks like our DNA structure Answer: D Question: China has a long tradition of respecting education. But its present education is not that respectable. According to the Hurun Report, which conducted one-on-one interviews with 980 wealthy Chinese people with net assets of more than 60 million yuan ($9.5 million) in 18 mainland cities from May to September, about 14 percent of them said they had either already moved overseas or had applied to do so, and another 46 percent said they planned to emigrate within three years. All cited the higher-quality education available for their children overseas as the reason. Such a mindset has resulted in a growing number of Chinese students studying abroad. To be fair, our primary and high schools are a leader in content throughout the world. The Program for International Student Assessment last year offered a feather in the cap for our education. Participating in the program administered by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, teenagers in Shanghai were far in advance of their peers from 64 countries, including the United States, in reading literacy, mathematics and science. So why does education in this country leave so many wealthy parents cold? Children in China have no say in what they learn. They normally learn by rote and are forced to study the subjects that help them in examinations for a school of a higher grade, especially the college entrance exams. Studies conducted by the China Youth and Children Research Center show that more than half of Chinese secondary school students study overtime and they don't get enough sleep. And more than 70 percent of students in primary and middle schools take after-school tutoring classes, which is considered a heavy burden on children. And this situation turns many parents into demons like "Wolf Father" Xiao Baiyou in Guangdong province, who supported his children's learning with verbal abuse and physical violence. Xiao doesn't pale in comparison to Tiger Mother Amy Chua in the United States. He is satisfied with his parenting skills, as he has sent three of his four children to Peking University, one of China's most prestigious higher learning institutions. Such ways of stimulating children to learn are certainly scary enough to make those Chinese parents with deep pockets choose a foreign school for their kids. As long as exams-oriented education continues, parents will look overseas for a better way to educate their children. What is the author's opinion of "Wolf Father" and "Tiger Mother" parenting style? A. Supportive. B. Satisfactory. C. Stimulating. D. Scary. Answer: D Question: There is a sign at a Korean university asking tourists not to step into the grass to take photos. The sign is not written in Korean or English; it is written in Chinese. These signs, and signs in other countries warning Chinese tourists about their behavior, have shamed many Chinese who worry about the image of the country. Over 70 million Chinese tourists made overseas trips last year and spent $102 billion, more than the $84 billion spent by American and German tourists. For many Chinese tourists, it was their first trip abroad and they didn't know about foreign ways. And some of these tourists took their bad habits from China with them. Wang Yang, a Chinese deputy prime minister , said, "They(the tourists) speak loudly in public, carve words or numbers on tourist attractions, cross the road when the traffic lights are still red and spit anywhere. It damages the image of the Chinese people and has a very bad influence." Before you travel to a foreign country, it's important to learn some things about the country and its culture. You are guests in the country and it's important to respect your hosts. As more and more Chinese visit foreign countries, their behavior will certainly change and those shameful signs will, hopefully, disappear. The sign at a Korean university is written in _ . A. Chinese B. English C. Korean D. Japanese Answer: A Question: Idioms are phrases and sentences that do not mean exactly what they say. Even if you know the meaning of each word you see or hear, you may not understand the idiom because you don't understand the culture behind it. For example, if an American boy asks his mother what's for dinner tomorrow, she may say "I'll play it by ear", that means she doesn't have plans for dinner and she will decide later. "Play by ear" used to mean playing music using the sheet music, but now people often use it when they're not talking about music. There're many idioms in English. If you learn to use them, your English will be more vivid and colorful. English idioms are more common in spoken English. They can be difficult to remember sometimes. Next time when you hear somebody saying to you, "Give me a hand", you don't necessarily stretch out your hand to him/her, but you do need to be helpful. And when the situation is out of hand, you usually can do very little to manage all that. What about a green hand? It's not about the color of your hand! You're a green hand when you are very new at your work and don't have much experience. If you and your partner always work together hand in glove, you two definitely work together very well. Can you guess the meanings of some common English idioms to do with parts of your body? When one says "Can you give me a hand?", he means _ . A. he needs to hold your hand. B. he works well with you C. he needs your help D. he is a new comer and can't help with the situation Answer: C Question: All Ric O Barry wants is to stop the dolphinkilling, so he is headed to this seaside Japanese town, Taiji.The American activist, who is the star of a new awardwinning documentary that portrays the dolphinkilling here, got an unwelcome reception when he showed up here this week for the start of the annual hunt. His movie, The Cove , directed by National Geographic photographer Louie Psihoyos, was released in the United States a month ago but has not yet to come out in Japan. Scenes in the film, some of which were shot secretly, show fishermen banging on metal poles stuck in the water to create a wall of sound that scares the dolphins-- which have supersensitive sonar --and sends them fleeing into a cove. There, the fishermen sometimes pick a few to be sold for aquarium shows, for as much as $150,000. They kill the others, spearing the animals repeatedly until the water turns red. The meat from one dolphin is worth about 50,000 yen, and is sold at supermarkets across Japan. Greenpeace and other groups have tried to stop the hunt for years.Activists hope The Cove will bring the issue to more people internationally--and eventually in Japan. Already,the Australian town of Broome dropped its 28year sistercity relationship with Taiji last month,partly because of the movie. "Some regions have a tradition of eating dolphin meat," said fisheries official Toshinori Uoya. "Dolphinkilling may be negative for our international image, but it is not something orders can stop." The town government in Taiji--which has made whales and dolphins its trademark--refused to comment about The Cove, or the growing international criticism against dolphinkilling. Many in Taiji take the dolphin hunt for granted as part of everyday life. They are _ about The Cove,seeing themselves as powerless victims of overseas pressure to end a simple and honest way of making a living. Viewers can learn from The Cove _ . A. the advanced techniques to catch dolphins B. the cruel and bloody dolphinkilling C. the beautiful Japanese seaside town Taiji D. the sale of dolphin meat around the world Answer: B
When an animal goes into a den during cold weather they probably did this because A they are escaping predators B their ancestors did the same thing C they heard on the news that war was coming D They are getting away from the hot sun Answer: B Grade 9 Welcomes You to Parents'Night! Welcome to Parents' Night at Johnson School On Tuesday night. We will share some of our work with you. Please spend some time looking around our classroom. Here are some of the things you will find: A class book, the Bare Facts about Bears, that we just published. Each student wrote one page about a bear of his or her choice. Some of the bears you will about polar bears. Maps of the countries we are studying. Through our maps, you will learn about India, Mexico, and France. You will also know about the different countries and languages of these countries. Models of the planets in our solar system. We used small balls and colored paper to build a model of planets and the sun. Our classroom store. Here we buy and sell things. We learn about money and also practice math skills. When is Parents' Night? A On Tuesday B On Friday C On Thursday D On Monday Answer: A Once there were two mice. They were friends. One mouse lived in the country; the other mouse lived in the city. After many years the Country mouse saw the City mouse; he said, "Do come and see me at my house in the country." So the City mouse went. The City mouse said, "This food is not good, and your house is not good. Why do you live in a hole in the field? You should come and live in the city. You would live in a nice house made of stone. You would have nice food to eat. You must come and see me at my house in the city." The Country mouse went to the house of the City mouse. It was a very good house. Nice food was set ready for them to eat. But just as they began to eat they heard a great noise. The City mouse cried, "Run! Run! The cat is coming!" They ran away quickly and hid. After some time they came out. When they came out, the Country mouse said, "I do not like living in the city. I like living in my hole in the field. For it is nicer to be poor and happy than to be rich and afraid." Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A The City Mouse B The Country Mouse C The Rich and the Poor D The City Mouse and the Country Mouse Answer: D 4-Day Beijing Culture Group Tour Are you new to Shanghai? Do you want to see more of China? If the answer is yes, how about going to Beijing for the weekend? Visit the Great Wall and other places of interest, and enjoy Beijing Roast Duck. Tour price: $590 Call us! 800-820-6222 8-Day Colorful Yunnan Group Tour If you like a spring climate and clean air, then Yunnan is the place for you! Another true highlight of the area is experiencing the cultures of minorities that live in this area. Places to visit: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang Tour price: $1,290 Call us: 800-820-8188 4-Day Beautiful Guilin Private Tour Are you tired of city life? Do you want some fresh air? Then come to Guilin and Yangshuo for a few relaxing days to enjoy the river life, or just take it easy in one of the many cafes and bars. Tour price: 1person $630 2-5persons $565 6-9persons $527 Call us: 800-810-6562 5-Day Sanya Private Tour Sanya is famous for its wonderful sunshine, white sandy beaches and clear water. Instead of a busy trip, you can relax here by walking along the beaches and enjoying the fresh air! Tour price: 1person $569 2-5persons $548 6-9persons $535 Call us! 800-810-5222 How long will the " Beijing Culture Group Tour" last? A Four days. B Five days. C A week. D Eight days. Answer: A Linda was very excited when she woke up this morning. It was finally the last day of school and she was going to get the whole summer off. She was so excited because this summer she and her family would be traveling to France. She had always wanted to visit Europe after her friend Susan visited Spain and Italy the summer before and came back knowing all sorts of funny words. She was going to get to see the Eiffel Tower, try all kinds of new food, and meet a whole bunch of new people. She was a bit worried because she didn't speak any French. She wanted to meet some of the people there and become friends. She didn't know how well that would work if she couldn't talk with them. Overall she was still quite excited. She would miss seeing her friends at home this summer. If she were in France she would miss the happy days of playing baseball with Tommy and Susan or going to movies to hide from the heat with her good friend Lilly, or getting lost wandering in the woods behind her house. Oh well, it was time to get ready for school, she would have to enjoy this last day with them before heading out on her adventure. How was Linda feeling on the last day of school? A Nervous B Excited C Worried D Happy Answer: B
British men are couch potatoes. They spend nearly half their freetime watching TV. They watch more TV than women, do less housework, less charity work and less childcare--but spend more time shopping, a poll suggests. Analysts from Eurostat, the EU's statistical office, interviewed working men and women in 10 countries. Britain, where men devoted 49% of their freetime to the box, came a narrow second to the Hungarians with 51%.German and Norwegian men watched the least TV--just over one third of their spare time. The analysts took the average of the figures for the whole year including holidays and weekends. They broke down the "average day" into five categories --free-time, sleep, meals and personal care, travel, domestic chores and work or study. It shows that British men have four hours and 41 minutes free time each day--20 minutes more than women. But women spend nearly double the amount of time on domestic chores than men. Almost three-and-a-half hours of a woman's day is taken up with domestic work, compared to less than two hours for men. Food preparation makes up the bulk of the chores, with leaning and shopping the next most time-consuming. They further broke down the free-time and domestic categories to show that men spend 137 minutes each day in front of the TV, compared to women's 114 minutes. Women spend slightly more time socializing resting and reading than men, but slightly less time on hobbies, sport and exercise. Universally unpopular with both sexes is culture--accounting for just 2% of both men and women's leisure time. What would be the best title for the passage? Answer: British Men--Couch Potatoes I've just got to talk about this problem I'm having with my postman. It all began a year ago, after the birth of his first child. Not wanting to appear rude, I asked him about the baby. The next week, not wanting him to think I had asked out of mere politeness the week before, I asked all about the baby again. Now I can't break the habit. I freeze whenever I see him coming. The words "How's the baby?" come out on their own. It holds me up. It holds him up. So why can't I stop it? The answer is that I want him to like me. Come to think of it, I want everyone to like me. My sister had the same problem with the caretaker of her block of flats: "All he ever does is complain; he talks at me rather than to me, never listens to a word I say, and yet for some reason I'm always really nice to him. I'm worried in case I have a difficulty one day, and he won't lift a finger to help." What about at work? Richard Lawton, a management trainer, warns: "Those managers who are actually liked by most of their staff are always those to whom being liked is not the primary goal. The qualities that make managers popular are being honest with staff, treating them as human beings and observing common politeness like saying hello in the morning." To explain the point, Richard mentions the story of the company chairman who desperately wanted to be liked and who, after making one of his managers fired, said with moist eyes that he was so, so sorry the man was leaving. The employee replied: "If you were that sorry, I wouldn't be leaving." The lesson being, therefore, that if you try too hard to be liked, people won't like you. The experts say it all starts in childhood. "If children feel they can only get love from their parents by being good," says Zelda West-Meads, a marriage guidance consultant, "they develop low self-confidence and become _ ." But is there anything wrong in being a giver, the world not being exactly short of takers? Anne Cousins believes there is. "There is a point at which giving becomes unhealthy," she says. "It comes when you do things for others but feel bad about it." I am now trying hard to say to people "I feel uncomfortable about saying this, but..." and tell myself "Refusal of a request does not mean rejection of a person" and I find I can say almost anything to almost anyone. Managers are more likely to be popular if they _ . Answer: do not make too much effort to be liked The first MP4 player was born years ago. Soon many music fans were wondering how fantastic it is! If you have been into technology enough, perhaps you may have a knowledge of the MP4. If not, you do need to know something before buying one, even if you are familiar with MP3. MP3 is the CD-like disc with greater capacity. How about MP4? This small digital product will really enrich the joy from listening to music. You can even feel the "touch" of music to your soul! Now, some similar digital products advertised as "MP4 players" are simply MP3 players, which do not play video and MPEG format and also lack other particular functions. These products confuse some buyers, as they may think the "MP4" players simply mean they can do more than MP3. What is MP4?! It is a multimedia container. It is not only used to store digital audio and digital video streams, especially those of MPEG, but can also be used to store other data such as subtitles and pictures. As a most modern container format, it allows streaming over the Internet. With the help of a piece of MP4 video equipment, you can change various programs such as MPEG to MP4, ASX to MP4, AVI to MP4 and so on, which can be done very quickly and easily without any effect on the sound quality. By installing DVD-MP4 software, you can transfer particular music from a DVD to an MP4 video file. It really excites your listening music experience. Then, there is MP4 advanced and you can set your own collection of all the programs -- TV shows, games, and music. You can even see movies which are still running in cinemas. _ ? From the last sentence, it's clear that the writer tries to tell us it is _ . Answer: a very wise choice to buy an MP4 Children who spend more time outdoors may have a lower risk of becoming nearsighted, new research suggests. In the study, researchers looked at about 1,900 schoolchildren. The scientists found that the kids who had been instructed to spend more time outdoors over three years were 23 percent less likely to develop nearsightedness during this time than those who had not been instructed to spend more time outdoors. Moreover, among the kids who did become nearsighted during the study, the degree to which their eyesight worsened was slightly smaller among those who spent more time outdoors. The researchers selected six schools and required the children, whose average age was 7 at the start of the study, to attend one additional 60-minute class of outdoor activities during each school day for three years. The parents of these children were also encouraged to engage their children in outdoor activities after school, especially during weekends and holidays. The other half of the children, from another six schools, continued their usual activity patterns. Afterthree years, 30.4 percent of the kids in the intervention group had become nearsighted, compared with 38.5 percent of the kids in the other group. It is not clear exactly why spending more time outside would benefit children's eyesight, the researchers said. However, some research has suggested that the higher levels of light intensity found outdoors may increase the release of the chemical dopamine of the eye. In turn, dopamine is known to restrain the type of growth in the eye that is associated with nearsightedness. Based on the new results, the researchers recommend that children spend more time outdoors because of the potential benefits to their eyesight. However, it's important to protect kids' skin and eyes from UV light, which can be damaging. Which can serve as the best title for the passage? Answer: Kids May See Better if They Play Outside For the most part, you are probably only exposed to the music that is played on your favorite radio stations and TV shows, music Web sites, or the music that your friends and family members enjoy. While you probably know a lot about your favorite type of music, it can be a rewarding experience to enlarge your horizons , discovering artists and types of music that you're not familiar with. Who knows, you might discover you like certain types of music you never even considered. Have you ever wondered about the history and influences of your favorite types of music ? For example, did you know that rock 'n' roll originated from the blues, and that the blues began as a form of musical expression for African Americans during slavery ?Did you know that most hip-hop is heavily influenced by early rhythm blues and jazz ? There are many fun ways to learn about different musical styles and their historical roots. For example, if you like hip-hop, listen to some of your favorite CDs and take note of the samples the performers used to create the songs. There is a possibility that the artist used parts of older songs to create the music. You can go to the library or online to learn more about the artists and listen to more of their music by checking out CDs from the library or downloading songs online for a small fee. You can learn so much about culture and history just by paying attention to different types of music and what is being expressed in the songs. There are so many different styles of music to learn about, and _ it to yourself to make an effort to listen to and learn about them. The main topic of this passage is _ . Answer: learning about music
Dear Water Use It Wisely, More and more water is getting wasted each day.I want to help out and teach people how to conserve water.Please continue reading because your organization is very influential.I had an idea that you could send some workers from your organization to schools all around the world, and they could inform the students about water usage. Did you know that every minute, 1,000,000,000 (one billion) tons of water falls to the earth from rainfall? We are lucky to have rainfall water.It helps fill up our lakes.There is about 326, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000 (326 quintillion) gallons of water on Earth.Yes, this is tons, but it is getting wasted.I want to keep this number BIG. Everyone needs water ?so why waste it? I think it is very irresponsible to let the water run when you are not at home.We can use water with respect by making good choices.Take a shower instead of a bath, use an automatic dishwasher instead of hand washing.You can buy Earth Friendly Cleaner Spray , so that our drinking water will not be polluted.If your washer isn't full then don't start it.With water being wasted every day, by the time we get to the 3000's we are going to have to survive on milk and juice! ! ! Won't that be boring?! ?! ? That means we will have to give our dogs a bowl of juice instead of water with their food.I mean, come on, we're talking real life here! ! Water wasting needs to come to a stop and without delay.Water Use It Wisely, PLEASE inform people about their water usage! It plays a big role in my life.It would be really great if you take part in spreading the news about this! Thanks tons! ! An impatient fourth grader waiting for a reply, Mya Oleksiak According to the passage, what is a proper way to save water? A Washing dishes by hand. B Starting the washer with a full load. C Feeding our pets with juice and milk. D Encouraging people to use cleaner spray. Answer: B Laboratory work is your chance to learn science firsthand. It can be fun but you must be careful to prevent injury. Listen closely when your teacher reads and explains the rules before your first lab lesson. LABORATORYRULES Throughout the lesson Do not enter the science lab without the teacher's permission.No food or drinks are to be alowed in the science lab. Before the Experiment Read al instructions carefuly before every experiment. Prepare al apparatus and arrange them so that you wil not knock them over while doing the experiment. During the Experiment If you are unsure of how to use any apparatus or how to operate, ask your teacher for help.Never smel or taste chemicals unless your teacher gives permission. After the Experiment Wash al apparatus after use and return them to the places where they were. Throw waste materials in proper waste baskets. First Aid Report al accidents to your teacher immediately. If you spil( )any chemicals onto your body or clothing, wash with plenty of water and report to your teacher. If you get chemicals on the clothing, you can find ways to solve it in the part _ . A Before the Experiment B First Aid C During the Experiment D After the Experiment Answer: B The latest research suggests that the key factor separating geniuses from the merely accomplished is not I.Q., a generally bad predictor of success. Instead, it's purposeful practice. Top performers spend more hours practising their craft. If you wanted to picture how a typical genius might develop, you'd take a girl who possessed a slightly above average language ability. It wouldn't have to be a big talent, just enough so that she might gain some sense of distinction. Then you would want her to meet, say, a novelist, who coincidentally shared some similar qualities. Maybe the writer was from the same town, had the same family background, or shared the same birthday. This contact would give the girl a vision of her future self. It would give her some idea of a fascinating circle who might someday join. It would also help if one of her parents died when she was 12, giving her a strong sense of insecurity and fuelling a desperate need for success. Armed with this ambition, she would read novels and life stories of writers without end. This would give her a primary knowledge of her field. She would be able to see new writing in deeper ways and quickly understand its inner workings. Then she would practise writing. Her practice would be slow, painstaking and error-focused. By practising in this way, she delays the automating process. Her mind wants to turn conscious, newly learned skills into unconscious, automatically performed skills. By practising slowly, by breaking skills down into tiny parts and repeating, she forces the brain to internalize a better pattern of performance. Then she would find an adviser who would provide a constant stream of feedback, viewing her performance form the outside, correcting the smallest errors, pushing her to take on tougher challenges. By now she is redoing problems--how do I get characters into a room--dozens and dozens of times. She is establishing habits of thought she can call upon in order to understand or solve future problems. The primary quality our young writer possesses is not some mysterious genius. It's the ability to develop a purposeful, laborious and boring practice routine; the latest research takes some of the magic out of great achievement. But it underlines a fact that is often neglected. Public discussion is affected by genetics and what we're "hard-wired" to do. And it's true that genes play a role in our capabilities. But the brain is also very plastic. We construct ourselves through behavior. What can be concluded from the passage? A A fuelling ambition plays a leading role in one's success B A responsible adviser is more important than the knowledge of writing. C As to the growth of a genius, I.Q. doesn't matter, but just his/her effort. D What really matters is what you do rather than who you are. Answer: D Yesterday, I overheard our 9-year-old son, Aaron, talking to his friend, Zach. "Oh, God!" Zach began, peering in Aaron's closet. "Where are all your toys?" "Oh, we are doing something called 'Simplicity Plan' , so I basically got rid of 80% of my staff." "What? Did your mom and dad make you do this?" "No. I decided to do it because I wanted to. When I give away a lot of my things, I have time for family activities. I did it because I wanted to live differently and have less staff in my life." "But still, why would you choose to get rid of most of your toys?" "Part of the reason is that my parents were doing it with their stuff. And my mom talked to me about it and explained how they felt happier afterwards. And I thought maybe I really had spent a lot of my time in my room playing with toys instead of spending time with my parents and sister." "I feel proud because I am a person who has just what I need and not more. And I'm starting new activities like writing how I feel, reading more, and spending more time doing housework around the house." "Ok. Let me get this straight. You have fewer toys, more housework, and you feel happier?" "Well, it's not that the housework is fun. But I do it with my parents. We talk and connect while we are doing it, so that is the fun. And we've been doing more activities together, like reading aloud at night. And on weekends, we have conversations or go out together, instead of my dad being at his computer, my mom cleaning and me playing with my toys." "Maybe you are right." Why did Aaron give away most of his toys? A Because he didn't like them. B Because his parents made him do it. C Because he had no time to play with them. D Because he wanted to spend more time with his families. Answer: D Have you ever heard your own voice? "Of course," you say. Has anyone else ever heard your voice? Again you say, "Of course."But that's not quite true. Nobody else has ever heard your voice--the way you hear it. When you talk, you set up sound waves . The air outside your head carries the sound waves to your outer ears. But, of course, the sound of your voice begins inside your head. The bones of your head pick up the sound waves, too. They carry the sound waves straight to your inner ears. You get the sound from the outside and the inside too. Other people get just the sound waves from the outside. That's why they don't hear your voice the way you do. The passage is mainly about _ . A waves in the air B the way you hear your own voice C voice gets around far and wide D the different ways you and others hear your voice Answer: D
One full rotation on Earth's axis takes A 12 hours B 1 month C 2 days D 1440 minutes Answer: D. 1440 minutes Last week my youngest son and I visited my father at his new house in Arizona.He moved there a few years ago,and I wanted very much to see his new place and meet his friends. In my earliest memories my father was a tall,handsome and successful man.He loved his work and family,but was uncomfortable with his children.As a child I loved him;as a school girl and young adult I was afraid of him.He seemed unhappy with me unless I got _ in my study and unhappy with my boyfriends if their fathers were not as"successful"as he was.Whenever I went out with him on week ends,I used to try hard to think up things to say to protect myself. On the first day of my visit,we went out with one of my father's friends for lunch.We walked along that afternoon,did some shopping,ate on the street table,and laughed over my son's funny talks.My father's critical air and strict rules were gone.He seemed so friendly and interesting to be with us. The next day my dad pulled out his childhood pictures and told me many stories about his own childhood.Although our times together became easier over the years,I never felt closer to him at that moment.After so many years,I'm at last seeing another side of my father.And in so doing,I'm happy with _ .My dad,in this new home in Arizona,is back to me from where he was. The father was unhappy with the writer because _ . A he didn't like her B he expected too much of her C she had a boyfriend D she was uncomfortable Answer: B. he expected too much of her Two magazines recently listed the best cities to live in. Here are two of the cities listed as "the world's best." SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA The city has comfortable weather all year round (15degC to 26degC ). Housing is not very expensive in San Jose. Also, many of the city's older neighborhoods are very beautiful and have small hotels and cafes . Beautiful mountains are around the city. You can visit them easily from San Jose. So lots of people go sightseeing there every year. But air pollution is a problem in the city center. HONG KONG, CHINA This lively city--once a small fishing village--is today an international business center. It is an interesting mixof East and West, old and new. Modern tall buildings are next to small temples . Popular nightclubs are close to traditional teahouses. Busy people fill the streets at all hours of the day. But outside the city, there are parks for walking or relaxing. Hong Kong is famous for its wonderful native dishes. There's also food from Europe, North America, and other parts of Asia. However, this small city has a large population. Nearly 7 million people live in Hong Kong! That's why housing is often very expensive. Traffic and air pollution are also a problem. What makes Hong Kong the world's best according to this passage? A The lively city and the wonderful dishes. B The beautiful mountains and the lively city. C The expensive housing and the food. D The city and the people. Answer: A. The lively city and the wonderful dishes. Did you know that reading can keep your mind active and engaged well into old age? Several years ago when I was working as a newspaper reporter, I interviewed a woman who was a resident at a local nursing home. She was 100 years old. She read at least one book per week, mostly novels. She was bright, intelligent and fun to talk with. "I love to read. It helps me keep up with what's going on in the world," she said. "A friend of mine brings me a new book every week. I look forward to her visits and I look forward to the books." "I can't get around much any more," said the 100-year-old woman, "but when I read, I can go anywhere, anytime I want. And no one has to help me!" Reading also sets a good example for younger generations. I have observed that the best readers are those students who see their parents reading. And I'm not talking about only reading novels. Newspapers and magazines are important too. Your actions will communicate a great deal to your children and grandchildren about what you value. But why is reading so important? In this day and age, with television to give us news, and movies and videos to keep us entertained, who needs to read? The answer is everyone. Developing good reading skills does not only mean that you can read a novel or a magazine, it also means being able to read and understand things like a credit card contract or an insurance policy, or the instructions for how to put a new printer to use with your computer. In addition, developing good reading skills means that you can think for yourself. You can read about the advantages and disadvantages of anything from homeschooling to taking a vacation to Ireland. And then you can make up your own mind about what's best for you and your family. We can infer form the passage that _ . A other media are less important than books B the old woman's friend was a bookseller C understanding is important in reading D the author once worked in a nursing home Answer: C. understanding is important in reading 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 The teaching of reading will be successful if _ . A teachers can improve conditions at school for the students B teachers can enable students to develop their own way of reading C teachers can devise the most efficient system for reading D teachers can make their teaching activities observable Answer: B. teachers can enable students to develop their own way of reading
I can still remember my first day at school. I was only 6 years old at that time. It was a very big room. I sat at the desk near the window, but I couldn't see anything because the windows were too high. There was a big map of the world on the wall. But I don't think I was worried or unhappy at that time. There was another little boy next to me. He sat there and kept quiet at first. Then he began to cry, because he didn't want to stay there. More and more students came in , but the boy didn't stop crying " Mom, I want to go home. " He cried again and again. Later , the teacher came in . She went to the little boy, and said something to him. I couldn't hear what she said. Soon the boy stopped crying and began to smile. To this day, I still don't know what the teacher said to the little boy. Who made the little boy stop crying ? Answer: The teacher If a light needs to be relocated to another room without leaving that room physically, a person could Answer: redirect it with reflections Batteries are included, but the charger's not. The Nokia E-Cu concept phone doesn't need to plug in, it charges from any heat source. Designer Patrick Hyland says it can even work off the warmth of your pocket. The first time "it would take approximately seven hours to reach full charge, then after that it's continuously charging by keeping the phone in areas between 86 degrees and 104 degrees Fahrenheit." That's one hot pocket.? He's put a thermogenerator inside the phone that transforms heat into electric potential energy. To better conduct the heat to that little power plant in your pocket, the E-Cu (E for energy, Cu for copper) is coated by copper backing with heat sinks like those normally used to keep electronics from overheating. Nokia doesn't have current plans to build the phone, so for now it remains a concept. But Hyland says he's open to anyone who wants to cooperate. For Americans this technology would certainly be convenient. It would also save a bit on energy bills and waste. "Annually, unwanted phone chargers produce 51,000 tons of waste in addition to the greenhouse gases created by the production of the electricity needed to charge them," Hyland says. So a charger-free phone is also a green phone. Though adapting our plug in habits would help a group of people, most cell phone related energy use comes from leaving your charger plugged in all day unnecessarily. The real potential for charger-free cell phone technology is what it could enable places where plugging in isn't an option, like rural areas in the developing world. Cell phones are spreading faster than power lines and bringing with them countless opportunities, aid and health advances. A phone like the E-Cu, if it ever comes to be, would enable all manner of expanded aid and development by phone projects. Let's hope Patrick finds a partner. A charger-free phone is friendly to the environment becasue . Answer: it is self-chargeable Jessica Alba rebelled from her "strict" parents when she was just five. The 29-year-old actress admits her Catholic education made her want to "break away" from her mother Catherine and father Mark. She explained: "It's always been weird because I grew up in a very traditional, Catholic household. My parents were very strict but I broke away from that at an early age. I was a feminist when I was five. These days, I am much more independent but I still respect their beliefs." As Jessica has grown older she has learnt to accept her parents' views, but still considers herself an independent woman. In her latest film 'Machete' Jessica gets to stab a love rival in the eye with her stiletto heels , something she thoroughly enjoyed. She said: "Walking in 3in heels wasn't as much fun as putting one in someone's eye. It was 104 degrees where we were shooting in Texas and they were not comfortable." Jessica - who has a two-year-old daughter Honor with husband Cash Warren - is regularly referred to as one of the world's most beautiful women, but she doesn't think of herself as "sexy". She added in an interview with the Metro newspaper: "I don't really pay attention to that sexy image. It just goes with the character in the movie. At the end of the day, it's all a part of selling a product." Jessica Alba called herself feminist because _ . Answer: she refused the training and education during her childhood by her parents Wendy Gallegos writes "concer" on the board. One of her students raises her hand. "Ms. Gallegos, you should have written 'conocer' instead," she said, referring to the Spanish verb for "to know." Gallegos looks at the board, smiles and quickly erases her mistake. "You see, I have taught you so well, you pick up on my mistakes," she said with a laugh. To Gallegos, the scene in her classroom is typical of the children she teaches. Gallegos teaches high school Spanish. She became part of their lives and families for three years. She is willing to help her children succeed. After a couple of years, Gallegos' class becomes like home. Gallegos' Spanish class is taught mostly in English in sixth grade. By the time the students are eighth-graders, they are speaking fewer words of English and more of Spanish during the 50-minute classes. "My goal is to get my kids to say something in Spanish every day," she said, "I want them to be able to talk to me. That's why I help them, I praise them, I recognize them when they do good work. And we have fun. _ .'' If a student needs help, Gallegos offers the student a "lifesaver," which is help from a classmate. The lifesaver gets a piece of candy as a reward. As the students said: "Gallegos' class is anything but boring." It is because of Gallegos' efforts and determination that she is the teacher who they think is most deserving of one of Collier County's Golden Apple Awards. "I don't teach a subject, I teach kids. This is what I was born to do," Gallegos said. What would be the best title for the passage? Answer: This is what I was born to do
Sagrada Familia ( 2,056,448 visits/year) Opening hours: 09:00--18:00 (October--March); 09:00--20:00 (April--September) Admission: $ 11, or $ 10 with the Barcelona Card. Disabled Access: Yes. The temple have been under construction since 1882 and they've still got another 30 to 80 years to go before it will be finished. The project's vast scale and its special design have made it one of Barcelona's top tourist attractions for many years. La Pedrera (1,133,220 visits/year) Opening hours: November--February: 09:00--18:30; March--October: 09:00--20:00 Admission: $ 9.50. Save 20% with the Barcelona Card. Disabled Access: No. This building used to be called Casa Mila but nowadays it's more commonly known as La Pedrera. It is a unique modernist building in Barcelona and was made of bricks and had colorful tiles . It was built between 1906 and 1912 by famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi (1852--1926) and in 1984 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site with other Gaudi buildings in Barcelona. Visitors to La Pedrera can see the amazing 800 square meters attic with 270 brick arches that give you a feeling that you are walking inside the skeleton of a whale. The roof is equally impressive and is preserved exactly the way that it was built in 1912 with six staircases and seven chimneys each made in a unique style. Barcelona FC Museum (1,032,763 visits/year) Opening hours: 6thApril--4thOctober: (Monday to Saturday) 10:00--20:00; the rest of the year: 10:00--18:30 Admission: $ 8.50 for entry to the museum and $ 17 for a guided tour. Disabled Access: Yes. When you buy your ticket you have two options. You can buy a ticket for the museum to see the football stadium or you can buy a dual ticket for $ 15 where you get to see the museum and the scenes at the club. Miro Museum (518,869 visits/year) Opening hours: Check the web site for details as they vary depending on the time of the year. Admission: $ 8. Save 20% with the Barcelona Card. Disabled Access: Yes. This museum has a wide range of Miro's work dating back as far as 1914. This artwork collection not only includes his paintings but also a good selection of sculptures . L'Aquarium de Barcelona (1,375,271 visits/year) Opening hours: 09:00--19:00 (October--March); 09:00--20:00 (April--September) Admission: $ 7. Save 10 % on the entrance fee to the aquarium with the Barcelona Card. Barcelona Aquarium is a popular Barcelona attraction to take the kids and young ones. I have to admit I love the aquarium. Picasso Museum (887,958 visits/year) Opening hours: Check the website for details as they vary depending on the time of the year. Admission: $ 9 for main exhibition--extra for special showings. Save 50% with the Barcelona Card. Disabled Access: Yes. The museum has arranged Picasso's paintings in chronological order from his early days to his final works. Arranging the paintings in this way gives you a fascinating insight into the development of Picasso thinking over time and shows how he developed the distinctive designs that he is famous for today. Very popular art gallery. What do the attractions have in common? Answer: Their opening hours are changeable in different seasons. Anyone who wants to buy a gun in California will have to wait for 2 weeks. Four people waited for 15 days to buy guns. Then they robbed a store and shot 3 people . Congress is now trying to pass a law that will make everyone wait to buy a gun. Many people do not want this law. Others are glad it might happen. California is one of the longest waiting times for someone to buy a gun. A gun dealer said that this waiting time does not seems to do much good.He has not seen crime go away because of it. One good thing that has happened with the waiting time to buy a gun is a smaller number of suicide . a lot of suicides are with a gun. In California, there are less suicides by gun than in other places. One reason to make people wait to buy a gun is to make sure the guns are not sold to criminals . Last year, this check stopped 2,400 guns from being sold to criminals. This check does not stop anyone else from buying a gun. Many criminals buy guns on the street and not in a store... some people think that a law like this will not do any good.But other people think that if only one person is stopped from getting a gun, then this law is worth it. If congress passed the law, _ . Answer: criminals couldn't easily get guns in a store The term culture now is more used to describe everything from the fine arts to the outlook of a business group or a sports team. In its original sense, however, culture includes all identifying aspects of a racial group, nation, or empire: its physical environment, history, and traditions, its social rules and economic structure, and its religious beliefs and arts. The central beliefs and customs of a group are handed down from one generation to another. It is for this reason that most people regard culture as learned rather than innate. People acquire a culture because they are not born with one. The process by which a person develops a taste for regional foods, accented speech, or an outlook on the world over time, therefore, is known as enculturation . Cultures are often identified by their symbols -- images that are familiar and coated with meaning. Totem poles carved with animals and creative figures suggest aspects of the Native American peoples of the Pacific Northwest but more literally represent specific tribes. In Asia and India, the color1 of yellow is connected with temples while in ancient China it was a color1 only the emperor's family was allowed to wear. Thus, different cultures may respond to a symbol quite differently. For example, to some a flag may represent pride, historical accomplishments, or ideals; to others, however, it can mean danger or oppression. To individuals unfamiliar with cultures outside their own, the beliefs, behaviors, and artistic expression of other groups can seem strange and even threatening. A society that ranks all other cultures against its own standards is considered to be ethnocentric (from the Greek ethnos, meaning "people," and kentros, meaning "center"). A strongly ethnocentric society assumes also that what is different from its own culture is likely to be inferior and, possibly, wrong or evil. All people are ethnocentric to some degree, and some aspects of ethnocentrism, such as national pride, contribute to a well-functioning society. An appreciation for one's own culture, however, does not prevent acceptance and respect for another culture. History documents the long-term vigor and success of multicultural groups in which people from numerous and various cultural backgrounds live and work together. Extreme ethnocentrism, in contrast, can lead to racism -- the belief that it is race and racial origin that account for variations in human character or ability and that one's own race is superior to all others. Which might be the best title of the passage? Answer: Culture, a distinctive identity of a nation Difficult times often bring out the best in people. And this was the case for basketball star Yao Ming, who hosted a television show in Shanghai that raised US $ 300, 000 to help researchers find a cure for SARS. Fund-raising, or charity, is an act of goodwill towards others. Charities in the West have more ways. Look at a typical day for Ruth, a wealthy woman in the UK, for example. Ruth wakes up in the morning and collects her post. There's a letter addressed to her with a picture of a half-dead, beaten horse. It's from a charity asking Ruth to donate money to save the animals. The door bell rings and there, on Ruth's doorstep, is an old woman asking for money to help the aged. She turns on the television, hears sad music and sees a picture of a wide-eyed child dying of hunger in Africa with an appeal for money to help the child. Ruth then goes shopping for a dress to wear to that evening's large party for the rich and famous. The tickets for charity shows often cost her a large sum of money, but she doesn't mind because most of the money is going to a charity that fights AIDS. She feels good about going because she's helping the sick. Edna, a little old lady, looks after an old secondhand shop. Any profit it has made goes to a cancer charity. Now that she has retired, she has plenty of spare time to offer her services for free. www.ks5u.com For people like Yao Ming, Ruth and Edna, charity is a virtue that holds the same importance in life as faith and hope. "As you look back on your life, the moments that stand out are the moments when you have done things for others," said Scottish author Henry Drummond. We can infer from the passage that_. Answer: Rich as she may not be, Edna is willing to help others Is pricing a plane ticket based on the passenger's weight fair? If you're taking an international flight on Samoa Air today, your fare will be based on your weight, along with that of your luggage. The cost is 93 cents to $1.06 for each kilogram. The average American woman weighs 75.5 kilograms, far from the ideal weight for her average height. Her ticket on Samoa Air, at the $1 a kilogram rate, would cost $75.50. But let's be honest here. Since the average American woman is overweight, the ticket will cost her more. Samoa Air Chief Executive Chris Langton said, "Planes are run by weight and not by seat. The plane can only carry a certain amount of weight and that weight needs to be paid."He believes other airlines should adopt the policy. It' s not a new idea. I remember a newspaper columnist years ago who put forth the idea that the heavier among us should pay more for their seats on planes, trains and buses. Who hasn' t been squeezed into a middle seat between two plus-sized folks on a flight? It' s happened to me; one time my married seatmates had purposefully chosen their seats to have more space until a sold-out flight put me between them. Not one of my better flying experiences. What if such a policy is adopted by some airlines in the United States? Could such pricing provide a much-needed motivation for Americans to reduce body weight? I hope so. But, as we know, more than one-third of us are obese and another third are overweight. The high probability is that the heavy customers will not suddenly lose weight or stop flying, but will instead choose a different airline, simply moving the supposed problem elsewhere. There's no doubt that the heavier will suffer more discrimination . Discrimination against the overweight in the United States has increased by 66 percent over the last decade --"and is comparable to rates of racial discrimination, especially among women,"wrote Yale University researcher Rebecca M. Puhl. Your weight can affect your salary, your chances for employment, how others view you and even, now, your air fares. "If the policy succeeds it may encourage the spread of body discrimination across different industries and the wider culture," said one British editorial writer. He holds that it is companies' duty to provide equipment that meet the needs of their customers. And we'll see how effective it is as a business model. The author mentions Puhl's study to show _ . Answer: the ticket policy will make body discrimination more serious
1Have you ever wondered what goes through your mind when you choose where to sit in a new classroom? Or in a waiting room full of strangers? Or on a bus? Researchers have found out some interesting facts. 2Girls sit by girls and boys sit by boys.Adults sit together and young people choose another young person to sit near.But it goes further than this.We even choose to sit near someone who looks like us.People with glasses are more likely to sit near other people with glasses.People with long hair sit closer to other people with long hair. 3We seem to believe that people with similar habits or hobbies will share similar experiences and we are more likely to be accepted by people like ourselves, or even, we think we may be safer with people who look like us.Sometimes that' s true but it's a pity if we always stay with the same people, the same group.The danger in always staying in our comfort zone is that we just recycle the same opinions, the same tastes and the same ideas.We lose the chance to learn something new, find out interesting things, hear funny stories and discover differences. 4When we always stay with the same people, how can we break down the barriers which prevent us from getting to know people with different ideas? And how can we avoid the ignorance ? If you want to live in a society that opens to changes, new things and different opinions, be the cat among the pigeons . 5Move out of your comfort zone.Go and sit next to someone different.And don't just sit there in silence.Say hello.Ask a question.Start a conversation.That's how we make friends.That's how we learn about people.That's how we open our minds to new ideas.That's how we live an exciting life. People like staying in their comfort zone because they may _ . be accepted easily and feel safe Teaching a child to read at a young age gives him a valuable start in life. Reading is the basic part of education and a child's reading ability will influence his school success greatly. Learning difficulties, many of which begin from poor reading skills, can damage a school child's confidence and affect his future achievement. Young children are programmed to learn and they can learn better with encouragement. Ten to twenty minutes of reading a day still leaves plenty of time for play. Many parents are concerned that learning to read is too challenging a task for a pre-school child, but they should also remember that most children learn to speak by the time they are 3. Learning a language is probably the single most challenging task any individual can undertake, yet children do it without formal instruction, achieving the fluency much better than adult language students. There is a window of opportunity in terms of IQ development, which is most open during a child's early years. A scientific study, carried out by Dr. Peter Huttenlocher at the University of Chicago, showed that the number of connectors, called synapses , between the nerve endings in a newborn baby's brain is similar to the number in the average adult brain. These synapses increase rapidly during early childhood. By 12-24 months a child's brain has about 50% more synapses than the average adult brain. After that the synapses which are not in use begin to atrophy . For most people, from age 16, the number remains steady. It begins to drop again as we move into our golden years. Doing intellectual activities at a young age, such as learning to read, can stimulate and preserve these connectors in the brain resulting in a long-term beneficial effect on IQ development. Another notable study is probably the Milwaukee project. This study took a group of babies, all of whose mothers had low IQs, and gave them special training for seven hours a day, five days a week, until they started first grade. By the age of 6 these children had an average IQ 30 points higher than their contemporaries. The overwhelming conclusion is that the early intellectual stimulation can have a positive, long-term effect on a child's brain development. From birth you should talk to and explain things to your baby. Reading to him can be a wonderful way of spending quality time with your child. The enjoyment of books and being familiar with the idea of print will pave the way for(......)learning to read later. If your child is a fast learner you can help him realize his potential by introducing him to the joy of the printed word at an early age. This will lay the foundations for both a high achieving school career and a lifelong love of reading. If your child shows early signs of reading difficulties, your efforts may help him get rid of such problems before he goes to school. It can be difficult to teach your own child because emotional issues arise easily. Online programs for learning to read English are excellent options. They allow children to repeat new materials as many times as they need to, without wearing out the parents' patience. Why does the author mention the study by Dr. Peter Hutten locher? To remove parents' worry. It's hard to make friends if you stay at home alone all the time. Get out of house and do things that will put you in touch with other people. It's easier to make friends when you have similar interests. Don't be afraid to show people what you're really good at. Talk about things you like and do best. People will be interested in you if there is something interesting about you. Look at people in the eyes when you talk to them. That way , they'll find it easier to talk to you. Be a good listener. Let people talk about themselves before talking about "me ,me, me" Try to make friends with the kinds of people you really like, respect and admire ,not just with those who we are easy to meet. Be friends with a lot of people .That way ,you 'll have a bigger group of people to choose and have more chances for making friends. How can we have more friends? Get in touch with other people. To some, it's a dream job---eating delicious meals for free and then writing about them. But _ Karen Fernau, a food writer for The Arisona Republic, said when she first started her job -she began to gain weight. "I always looked forward to lunch before this job, then all of a sudden lunch was all day every day. " she says. Nine years later, keeping her weight steady and her health intact is a daily battle. If she knows she will be going to a tasting at a bakery or eating a four-course meal, she usually eats fruits or salads throughout the day. Now she is always keeping track of what's in the food she eats and she says most people don't even look at or consider it. At one tasting task alone, she says, upward of l,000 calories is often added to her day. That's about half of the recommended total calories per day for the average adult. But even though she's thought of a special eating method, Fernau says sticking to it is a daily battle. And food editors, writers and critics across the country couldn't agree more. "When I'm at home or not eating for work, it's healthy food to the extreme," says Phil Vettel, who's been a restaurant critic for the Chicago Tribune for 19 years. Vettle, who eats dinner at four restaurants each week, says unlike most professions, he has no right to choose. "If I'm going out to eat, I can't choose the healthiest thing on the menu, I have to eat when they're bringing me. " While Vettel exercises when he can, Joe Yonan, a food editor at The Washington Post, has strengthened his exercise habits since he started the job two years ago. Yonan says he realized early on that he was gaining weight and immediately hired a personal trainer to meet with three times a week, on top of his body training three to five times a week. Still, it's a struggle that many Americans might envy. After all, it's one thing to get your calories from lobster tails or a delicate chocolate cookie and quite another to get them from sodas and fast-food burgers. What can we learn about the job of being a food critic? They enjoy free and delicious dishes and make comments on them. Providing a highquality education for all children is important to America's economic future.President Obama has decided to provide every child with access to a complete and competitive education,from cradle through career. The years before a child reaches kindergarten are among the most _ in his or her life to influence learning.The President will urge states to introduce high standards across all publicly funded early learning settings,develop new programs to improve opportunities and outcomes,engage parents in their child's early learning and development,and improve the early education workforce. President Obama will reform America's public schools to deliver a 21st century education that will prepare all children for success in the new global workplace.He will push to end the use of ineffective,"offtheshelf" tests,and support new,stateoftheart assessment and responsibility systems that provide timely and useful information about the learning and progress of students. Teachers are the single most important resource to children's learning.President Obama will invest in a national effort to reward outstanding teachers,while enlisting the best and brightest in the field of teaching.And he will challenge State and school districts to remove ineffective teachers from the classroom. The President believes that investment in education must be accompanied by reform and innovation .He supports the expansion of highquality charter schools .He has challenged States to lift limits that stop growth among successful charter schools and has encouraged strict responsibility for all charter schools. President Obama has decided to ensure that America will regain its lost ground and have the highest proportion of students graduating from college in the world by 2020.The President believes that regardless of educational path after high school,all Americans should enroll in at least one year of higher education or job training to better prepare our workforce for the 21st century economy. To reach these goals,the President has decided to increase higher education access and success by restructuring and greatly expanding college financial aid,while making federal programs simpler,more reliable,and more efficient for students. Which of the following things is NOT part of President Obama's decision? Enlist some teachers from other countries.
In the more and more competitive service industry , it is no longer enough to promise customer satisfaction. Today , customer "delight" is what companies are trying to achieve in order to keep and increase market share. It is accepted in the marketing industry , and confirmed by a number of researches, that customers receiving good service will promote business by telling up to 12 other people : those treated badly will tell their tales of woe to up to 20 people, 80 percent of people who feel their complaints are handled fairly will stay loyal New challenges for customer care have come when people can obtain goods and services through telephone call centers and the Internet. For example , many companies now have to invest a lot of money in information technology and staff training in order to cope with the " _ "--caused by delays in answering calls ,being cut off in mid-conversation or left waiting for long periods. "Many people do not like talking to machines ,"says Dr . Storey Senior Lecturer in Marketing at City University Business School. "Banks, for example, encourage staff at call centers to use customer data to establish instant and good relationship with them .The aim is to make the customer feel they know you and that you can trust-- the sort of comfortable feelings people have during face-to-face chats with their local branch manager." Recommended ways of creating customer delight include: under-promising and over-delivering (saying that a repair will be carried out within five hours ,but getting it done within two );replacing a faulty product immediately : throwing in a gift voucher as an unexpected "thank you" to regular customers ;and always returning calls ,even when they are complaints. Aiming for customer delight is all very well , but if services do not reach the high level promised , disappointment or worse will be the result . This can be eased by offering an apology and an explanation of why the service did not meet usual standards with _ (for example, "I know how you must feel") , and possible solutions (replacement , compensation or whatever fairness suggests best meets the case). Airlines face some of the toughest challenges over customer care . Fierce competition has convinced them that delighting passengers is an important marketing tool, while there is great potential for customer anger over delays caused by weather , unclaimed luggage and technical problems . For British Airways staff , a winning telephone style is considered vital in handling the large volume of calls about bookings and flight times. They are trained to answer quickly , with their name , job title and a "we are here to help" attitude. The company has invested heavily in information technology to make sure that information is available instantly on screen. British Airways also says its customer care policies are applied within the company and staff are taught to regard each other as customers requiring the highest standards of service. Customer care is obviously here to stay and it would be a foolish company that used slogans such as "we do as we please". On the other hand , the more customers are promised, the greater the risk of disappointment. Which of the following is conveyed in this article? A. Face-to-face service creates comfortable feelings among customers. B. Companies that promise more will naturally attract more customers. C. A company should promise less but do more in a competitive market. D. Customer delight is more important for airlines than for banks. Answer: C Right now, 62 million girls worldwide are not in school. They're receiving no reading, no writing, no math--none of the basic skills they need to provide for themselves and their families, and contribute fully to their countries. Often, understandably, this issue is considered as a matter of result of a failure to invest enough money in educating girls. We can solve this problem, the argument goes, if we provide more scholarships and safe transportation and build more school bathrooms for girls. And it's true that investments like these are important for addressing our global girls' education crisis. But we cannot solve our girls' education problem until we deal with the broader cultural beliefs and practices that can help cause this crisis and make it continue. We know that legal and cultural change is possible because we've seen it countries around the world, including our own. A century ago, women in American couldn't even vote. Decades ago, it was perfectly legal for employers to refuse to hire women. But in each generation, brave people -both men and women--stood up to change these practices. They did it through individual acts like taking their bosses to court and even through national movements that brought changes. Cultural changes like these can encourage countries to make greater investments in girls' education. And when they do, that can cause a powerful effect that can cause even greater cultural and political progress for women. Girls who are educated marry later. Educated girls also can earn higher salaries. And when educated girls became healthy, financially secure, empowered women, they're far better equipped to achieve their needs and wishes, and challenge unjust laws and harmful practices and beliefs. But for me, this issue isn't just about politics or economics --- for me, this is a moral issue. As I've traveled the world, I've met so many of these girls. They're so hungry to realize their promise. They walk for hours each day to school, learning at rickety desks in bare concrete classrooms. These girls aren't different from my daughters or any of our daughters. None of us here in the USA would accept this for our own daughters and granddaughters, so why would we accept it for any girl on our planet? As a first lady, a mother, and a human being, I cannot walk away from these girls, and I plan to keep raising my voice on their behalf for the rest of my life. I plan to keep talking about this issue here at home, because I believe that all of us--men and women, in every country on this planet--have a moral obligation to give all of these girls a future worthy of their promise and their dreams. The speaker made this speech in order to _ . A. give some facts about girls B. show how to educate girls well C. advertise girls to fight for their rights D. encourage people to care about girls' education Answer: D More than half of teachers in a UK survey said they thought _ from the Internet is a problem. Some students who steal essays wholly from the Web, they said, are so lazy they don't even bother to take the ads off the cut-and-pasted text. 58 percent of the teachers interviewed in the Association of Teachers and Lectures(ALT) questionnaire had come across plagiarism among their pupils. Gill Bullen from Itchen College in Southampton, for example, said pieces handed in by two students were the same and significantly better than either of them could have done." "Not only that, the essays given in didn't quite answer the title question I had set." A teacher from Leeds said, " I had one piece of work so obviously 'cut and pasted' that it still contained ads from the Web page" Connie Robinson from Stockton Riverside College, Stockton, said, " With less able students, it is easy to spot plagiarism as the writing style changes mid-assignment, but with more able students, it is sometimes necessary for teachers to carry out Internet research to find out the source of the plagiarism." Mary Bousted, general secretary of the ALT, said, "Teachers are struggling under a mountain of cut-and-pasting to spot whether work was the student's own or plagiarism." She called for strong policies to oppose plagiarism, and asked for help from the government in providing resources and techniques to delete cheats. According to Para 2 some students are so lazy that they don't _ . A. bother to remove the ads B. want to steal the whole essay C. check the mistakes on the Internet D. bother to do the work of cutting and pasting Answer: A Buckingham Palace has a history that dates back over 500 years and has changed hands on numerous occasions, however, much of the building that remains standing today is from the original structure built in the early 1700's. In the beginning Buckingham Palace was originally known as Buckingham House. However, in 1762 George III liked the house so much that he bought it for 28,000 and renamed it "The Queen's House". The reason for this was down to the fact that he bought the house to give to his wife Charlotte. Shortly after he did this, work soon began in order to remodel the house with the help of Sir William Chambers. This trend then continued with the accession of George IV in 1820 when he decided to reconstruct the house but he still used it for the same purpose that his father did. One of the biggest physical changes to the house occurred several years later when the king had a change of mind. It was in 1826 that King George IV set about transforming the house into what it is known today, Buckingham Palace. He did this with the help of an architect known as John Nash. The work that Nash carried out involved doubling the size of the main block through adding a new suite of rooms on the garden side facing the west. He then faced this with mellow Bath stone, which reflected the French neo-classical influence favored by George IV. Many of the rooms that Nash added still remain pretty much unchanged today. The palace as it stands today acts as not only the London residence of Her Majesty the Queen but also the administrative headquarters of the Royal Household. It is in fact one of the few working royal palaces that remain in the world today. The state rooms are extensively used by the Queen as well as members of the royal family as a way of receiving and entertaining guests on state, ceremonial and official occasions. One of the biggest changes to Buckingham Palace took place in _ . A. 1762 B. 1820 C. 1826 D. 1829 Answer: C Free Fun Guides Free Admission to Hundreds of Museums Sept. 25 What a weekend! This Saturday, Sept. 25, hundreds of U.S. museums are admission free for the Smithsonian's yearly Museum Day. Unlike previous Museum Day celebrations, you must sign up for a free ticket that admits two people to any of the participating museums. That means filling out a form and having the ticket emailed to you. Not bad for a free offer that will give you admission to museums such as the Adler Planetarium in Chicago and the Air & Space Museum in San Diego. Free Books for Kids @ Barnes & Noble! If your kids love to read -- and we hope they do! -- be sure to sign them up for Barnes & Noble's summer reading programs so they can earn a free book! It's easy for kids ages 12 and under to participate. For Barnes & Noble's Passport to Summer Reading program, just download and print out your passport. Read any eight books, make a list of them on the back of the passport and bring it to any Barnes & Noble by September 7. Choose your free book from the list. FREE Night of Theater Across the U.S. in October It's the yearly run of the Free Night of Theater, when hundreds of theaters in 120 U.S. cities give away thousands of tickets to local productions. While the kickoff date is October 15, many of the theaters start releasing their free tickets by Oct.1 or in waves during the month of October for performance dates throughout the month. Ticket seekers are limited to two tickets for one performance. Find your city on the Free Night of Theater Website and check the listings for performances, their dates and their ticket giveaway times and locations. The main purpose of the passage is to _ . A. give guidance on how to have some fun B. help people who are very poor C. introduce ways to save money D. provide information about free things to do Answer: D
The porter brings your bags to your room and helpfully explains all you want to know.Then he points to the phone and says:"If there's anything else you need, just call."All this time you have been thinking of one thing:"How much should I tip him?" To make your next trip a little easier, here's guide to tipping across some Asian countries. Bangkok In general, the more westernized the place is, the more likely you will be expected to leave a tip.Some top-end restaurants will add a 10% service charge to the bill.If not, waiters will appreciate your tacking on the 10% yourself.However, if you're eating at a lower-end restaurant, a tip is not necessary.If you're staying at one of Bangkok's many five-star hotels, expect to tip the porter 20 to 50 baht ,depending on how many bags you have.Taxis are now metered in Bangkok.Local custom is to round up the fare to the nearest five baht. Hong Kong Tipping is customary in this money-mad metropolis .Most restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill, but the extra money often ends up in the pocket of the owner. If the service is good, add another 10% to the bill, up to HKMYMl00 in an especially nice restaurant.For HK MYM10 hotel porters should do it at all but the nicest hotels where a new HKMYM20 bill may be more acceptable.When in a taxi, round up to the nearest dollar. Kuala Lumpur Tipping in Malaysia is limited to the expensive westernized hotels, which often add a 10% service charge to your meal or hotel room.If you are at a hotel restaurant, expect a 10% service charge. But at local restaurants, there's no need to add a tip. At five-star hotels, one or two ringgit will satisfy a porter. At lower-end buildings don't feel you have to tip Like Bangkok, many taxis are now metered so you can just round up to the nearest ringgit. Seoul Tipping is not part of Korean culture, although it has become a matter of course in international hotels where a 10% service charge is often added.If you're at a Korean barbecue joint , there's no need to add anything extra.But a nice Italian restaurant may require a 10% contribution. If you're at a top-end hotel, so expect to pay 500~l,000 won per bag.Taxi drivers don't accept a tip.Keep the change for yourself. If you stay at a five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur, how much will you pay the porter at least? A 10% of service charge B Three ringgit C Half a ringgit D One ringgit Answer: D Students in many countries are learning English. Some of these students are small children. Others are teen-agers. Many are adults. Some learn at school, others by themselves. A few learn English by learning the language over the radio, on TV, or in film. One must work hard to learn another language. Why do all these people want to learn English? It is difficult to answer this question. Many boys and girls learn English at school because it is one of their subjects required for study. They study their own language and maths and English: Some people learn it because it is useful for their work. Many people learn English for their work. Many people learn English for their higher studies, because at college or university some of their books are in English. Other people learn English because they want to read newspapers or magazines in English. Which of the following is right? A We don't need to learn any foreign languages. B We can do well in all our work without English. C English is the most important subject in schools. D We should learn English because we need to face the world. Answer: D I entered a university after years of hard study. I thought my life would be full of happiness and knowledge. But my life in the university is not as what I had expected. Then I became lazy and silent, even puzzled . I don't know what my future would be like. Four years in the university is only a short period. And a half of it has passed already. This year, many people, such as my parents and my friends, asked me what I wanted to do and they all told me to make a plan for my life with their thought. I don't want to take their advice. I want my own style. So I think carefully. I have been a young volunteer for five years. It has been a happy time and it is a big thing for me. Then I have a dream to join the University Student Volunteer Go West Program. I think I can be a teacher in the west. I would like to devote my life to helping the children there. I want to make the world a better place for them. To make it come true, I will work harder in the next two years. There is an old saying "Where there is a will, there is a way". I think my dream will come true in the near future. At last, I want to say to everybody, "Try your best to realize your dreams, no matter how big or small they are. The path to dream may not be smooth and wide. Even there are some difficulties you will face. But hold on to the end, you can find there is no greater happiness than making our dream come true." Why is the writer puzzled? A Because he is lazy and silent. B Because he is not sure about his future. C Because he is too young to realize his dream. D Because he thinks the life in the university is not so meaningful. Answer: B Cosmetic ( ) surgery is usually performed to correct a physical abnormality or to enhance an otherwise normal physical feature and thus improve appearance. Cosmetic surgery is an extremely broad field that may offer reconstructive surgery for a patient after a damaging burn or other physical injuries yet can also be used to smooth out wrinkles or reshape a nose. Cosmetic surgery was first used regularly after World War I, when treatment and reconstruction of war injuries gave hope to young soldiers. As recently as fifty years ago, as the rich and famous began opting for elective cosmetic surgery, the subject was whispered about and considered taboo. Celebrities would disappear for months and then appear after secret cosmetic surgery looking younger, prettier, and thinner. Over time, cosmetic surgery has become accepted and even encouraged in some circles. Today there are even television reality shows about it. Some of the more popular forms of cosmetic surgery are liposuction( ), in which excessive fat is sucked out of the body with a tube and vacuum device; laser facial resurfacing, which smooths lines on the face around the eyes and mouth and eliminates facial blemishes ; and hair replacement surgery, which fills in balding areas using a patient's own hair. There are many more forms of cosmetic surgery, including variations of these.Anyone interested in cosmetic surgery should consider the risks and remember that it is, ultimately, surgery. Not all procedures come out exactly the way doctors and patients foresee, and recovery is just like any other surgery, complete with pain and the possibility of infection . While cosmetic surgery is an option, patients should choose doctors wisely,obtain several references, and keep realistic expectations. What is the main reason for a celebrity's opting for cosmetic surgery? A The celebrity wants to disappear for months. B The celebrity watches television shows about cosmetic surgery. C The celebrity wants to be younger, prettier, and thinner. D The celebrity is accepted by the entertainment circle. Answer: C Happiness is for everyone. You don't need to care about those people who have beautiful houses with large gardens and swimming pools or those who have nice cars and a lot of money and so on. Why? Because those who have big houses may often feel lonely and those who have cars may want to walk on the country roads at their free time. In fact, happiness is always around you if you put your heart into it. When you are in trouble at school, your friends will help you; when you study hard at your lessons, your parents are always taking good care of your life and your health; when you get success, your friends will say congratulations to you; when you do something wrong, people around you will help you to correct it. And when you do something good to others, you will feel happy, too. All these are your happiness. If you notice a bit of them, you can see that happiness is always around you. Happiness is not the same as money. It is a feeling of your heart. When you are poor, you can also say you are very happy, because you have something else that can't be bought with money. When you meet with difficulties, you can say loudly you are very happy, because you have more chances to challenge yourself. So you cannot always say you are poor and you have bad luck. As the saying goes, life is like arevolving door. When it closes, it also opens. If you take every chance you get, you can be a happy and lucky person. Which of the following is this passage about? A Bad luck. B Good luck. C Happiness. D Life. Answer: C
Imagine when you are sailing an ocean for the first time, you see a big fish swimming near your ship. You might be scared, and worried about whether it will turn over your ship for a meal. In fact, it is not a fish at all, but a gentle giant whale. Whales are not fishes but mammals . Their body temperature stays the same, and does not change with the temperature of their environment. They breathe air, so they have to come out of the water to get oxygen. Thus, they cannot afford to fall into a sleeping state for too long, since they need to be awake in order to breathe. It is thought that only half of their brains sleep at a time, so that whales are never completely asleep. Females give birth to the young. They have hair. Although they are not covered in hair or fur like many mammals, whales have some bristles , usually on their heads. Whales are highly social animals with complex languages and intelligence. They communicate with each other using romantic sounds, called "whale songs". Being so large and powerful, these sounds are also loud. Whales are endangered as a result of whaling from the eleventh century to the twentieth. It has attracted the attention of environmentalists and some measures have been taken to protect whales. How many aspects show that whales are mammals? Answer: Four. I can still remember the first day when I met my best friend. She had just moved into the neighborhood and her grandmother brought her down to meet me. I hid behind my mother and she hid behind her grandmother, scared to look at each other. Soon, we lost the shyness and started playing with each other, bike riding to each other's house and having sleepovers. In 7thgrade she was going through family problems. However, every summer we would always sit at each other's house and watch movies on TV and talk about all the boys we liked. It was last year when I noticed the problem. She suffered from clinical depression , and had to go to a hospital during the day. I was very sorry for her at first. But with the late night calls, and meeting each other halfway up the street at midnight, we still stayed in touch. I wanted to be there for her since her new best friend left her, and I knew I still cared about her like a sister. Yesterday she came to me and said this. "I never knew what a best friend was until you were the only person that would stop me from cutting myself; the only person that ever made me feel better about myself and my problems. You didn't know this but I was trying to kill myself that very night you called me and I was crying. I owe you so much, and you didn't even know you were helping me. " We both cried. And I guess a kind of lesson from my life so far is to never give up your friends. Even if they aren't as cool as others, or people think they are crazy, they need someone there. If you leave them, you will only be very sorry. So if friends need you, and you care for them, you should be always there for them. Why did the two girls hide behind their family members when they first met? Answer: Because they were both shy. F. Scott Fitzgerald, born on September 24, 1896, an American novelist, was once a student of St. Paul Academy, the Newman School and attended Princeton University for a short while. In 1917 he joined the army and was posted in Alabama, where he met his future wife Zelda Sayre. Then he had to make some money to impress her. His life with her was full of great happiness, as he wrote in his diary: "My own happiness in the past often approached such joy that I could not share it even with the person dearest to me but had to walk it away in quiet streets and take down parts of it in my diary." This Side of Paradise, his first novel, was published in 1920. Encouraged by its success, Fitzgerald began to devote more time to his writing. Then he continued with the novel The Beautiful and Damned (1922), a collection of short storiesTales of the Jazz Age(1922), and a play The Vegetable (1923). But his greatest success wasThe Great Gatsby, published in 1925, which quickly brought him praise from the literary world. Yet it failed to give him the needed financial security. Then, in 1926, he published another collection of short storiesAll the Sad Young Men. However, Fitzgerald's problems with his wife Zelda affected his writing. During the 1920s he tried to reorder his life, but failed. By 1930, his wife had her first mental breakdown and went to a Swiss clinic. During this period he completed novel Tender Is the Nightin 1934.While his wife was in hospital in the United States, he got totally addicted to alcohol. Fitzgerald died in 1940, before he could complete the novel The Love of the Last Tycoon. How many novels written by Fitzgerald are mentioned in the passage? Answer: 5. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is one of the most loved children's books of all time, and many adults enjoy it as well. It tells the story of a young girl named Alice, who follows a rabbit entering a magical world called Wonderland: she has many experiences which seem to change the rules of reasoning or common sense. The popularity of the book comes from its imagination, interesting story, and art work. The writer of the book is Lewis Carroll. In fact, Lewis Carroll was not the writer's real name. His real name was Charles Dodgson. One day, he took a boat ride down the Thames River to have a picnic with three little girls who were friends of the family. To keep them entertained on the ride, he told them a story in which Alice, the middle child, was the main character. They enjoyed the story very much. Charles later wrote the story down under the name Alice's Adventures under Ground and gave it to Alice as a Christmas present. Later, he gave a copy to his friend George MacDonald. George read it to his children and they loved it. George suggested to Charles that he make a book from his story. Charles then wrote more parts to the story until it was around 35,000 words. It was first printed in 1866, with art work by John Tenniel, under the name Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The book was an immediate success. One of its first fans was Queen Victoria. She immediately requested a collection of all of Lewis Carroll's works. She was surprised to find that they included many works on math. In fact, Charles Dodgson was a highly respected mathematician. This can be seen in many puzzles and plays on reasoning that appear in his books and poems. Since the story was first printed, it has kept selling up to the present day. It has been translated into over fifty languages and has had several movies based on it. The story is even mentioned in the popular 1999 film The Matrix by the character Morpheus. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: John contributed partly to the popularity of the book. O. Henry, born in Greensboro, North Carolina, was the pen name of William Sydney Porter. His father, Algernon Sydney Porter, was a physician. When William was three years old, his mother died, and he was raised by his grandmother and aunt. William was a good reader, but at the age of fifteen he left school, and worked in a drug store and later on a Texas farm. After that, he moved to Houston, where he had a number of jobs, including that of bank clerk. After moving to Austin, Texas, in 1882, he married. In 1884 he started a humorous weekly The Rolling Stone. When the weekly failed, he joined The Houston Post as a reporter and columnist . In 1897 he was put into prison over some financial dealings. While in prison, William started to write short stories to earn money to support his daughter Margaret. His first work, Whistling Dick's Christmas Stocking(1899), appeared in McClure's Magazine. After serving three years of the five years' sentence,he changed his name to O. Henry, hoping to forget his bitter past. O. Henry moved to New York City in 1902 and from December 1903 to January 1906 he wrote a story a week for the New York World, and also published the stories in other magazines. His first collection, Cabbages and Kings, appeared in 1904. Many other works quickly followed, such as The Gift of the Magi and The Furnished Room. O. Henry's best- known work is The Ransom of Red Chief. His stories always have surprising endings. He published 10 collections and over 600 short stories during his lifetime. O. Henry's last years were shadowed by drinking, ill health, and financial problems. In 1907, he experienced a failed marriage. In 1910, O. Henry died after an illness. What's the passage mainly about? Answer: A brief introduction to O. Henry.
"Hey, Jenna, do you think we'll still be friends when we're eighty-two?" I asked my friend.It was clear that she was wondering where I had come up with such a question.Losing Jenna would be like losing a very close sister.We hung out together.We gave each other advice. "Of course, we'll still be friends when we're eighty-two." Jenna announced loudly. The next year, in the fourth grade, we met Jamie.The three of us soon became close friends.We played together almost every day.I thought even time couldn't pull us apart, but I was sadly mistaken. The three of us started fighting a lot.Before Christmas, we had a really big fight, and Jamie and Jenna were against me, both saying _ .I felt helpless and lonely.I thought Christmas would be horrible! I was surprised when Jenna came to my house and gave me an awesome Christmas card she had made for me.I was so sure that she was still disappointed with me. "Wow, " I said, breaking the silence as we stood on either side of my front door."Thanks." "Okay...well...I have to go," she said softly. "Okay.See you later then..." and I closed the door. "Who was that at the door?" my mum asked. The card started off with "Merry Christmas", but then it said, "I am so glad we're friends.I am sorry about what I said when we were fighting.A fight won't stop us from being friends.Besides, we said we were going to be friends even when we're eight-two." I stopped reading and started laughing.I couldn't believe I had forgotten what she said that day in her backyard.I couldn't believe I had been so selfish in making my friends feel sorry for me that I had forgotten about real friendship. How would the author and Jenna get along with each other after Christmas? A They would be close friends again. B They would not speak to each other. C They would lose touch with each other. D They would go on fighting with each other. Answer: A In most parts of the world there are four seasons. They are spring, summer, fall and winter. In different seasons people wear different clothes and do different things. For example, in summer the weather is hot, so people usually wear cool clothes and do things like swimming, boating or surfing . But near the polar regions , there are only two seasons: winter and summer. In winter, nights are long. For more than two months you can't see the sun. In summer, days are long and the sun is always in the sky. There are no nights. The people living near the North Pole are called Inuit . In summer they live in tents and catch deer for food. In winter they live in small round snow houses. They can build a snow house. They make holes in the ice and catch fish and seals . They eat much meat but not many vegetables. Inuit live in tents and catch _ for food in summer. A deer B dogs C fish D seals Answer: A At first Kate thought the Romanian girl could not speak and understand English. Nadia would not reply to anything Kate said. Kate was in charge of showing Nadia around on her first day at Buck Minister Grade School. Kate could not figure out why the school had put Nadia in a class where she could not understand what people were saying. "Why did they do this?" Kate wondered aloud. "I mean, you can't learn if you can't understand the teacher." Nadia's voice was a whisper (speaking in a very low voice). "I understand English. I will learn." Nadia's English was perfect. Kate was _ . She couldn't understand why Nadia did not like to speak. Then she realized that moving to a new country probably wasn't the easiest thing to do. There were hundreds of unfamiliar and unusual things to learn - all at the same time. "There're a lot of new things to learn, huh?" said Kate. Nadia nodded rapidly. In a quiet voice she replied, "Many things people say, I do not understand. I have been speaking English and Romanian all my life, but I do not know what some children are saying. For example, yesterday a boy asked if I could help him find the USB port on a thin black box he was carrying. Isn't a port a place for ships? It made no sense to me." "Don't worry." said Kate. "You'll figure everything out in time. You see, that thin black box was a computer. A USB port is a place where you can connect other machines to a computer." Nadia and Kate were quiet after that. They took notes while the teacher gave a maths lesson. To Kate's surprise, Nadia put up her hand and offered to answer the questions at the blackboard. Nadia handled every question the teacher gave her. Some of the questions were really difficult, and no one understood what was going on except Nadia and the teacher. When the teacher said that Nadia answered everything correctly, the whole class clapped their hands. Nadia was smiling when she sat back down next to Kate. "Some things," she said in a normal voice, "are the same all over the world." At the beginning of Nadia's first day at school, she was _ . A disappointed. B helpful. C lively. D shy. Answer: D Tuesday October 23 11:00 am World Tree Day; World Tree Cuisine For World Tree Day, Snook gives out badges to everyone who is nice to the tree, but Bob can't think of what to do -until he comes up with a song.Also: Madge and Snook plan a party to celebrate the World Tree's birthday. Wednesday October 21 11:00am The Sloth Must Be Crazy; Smarter than You Think Bob investigates a shiny green object that fell from the sky, and, with Madge's help, figures out what it is. Also: Winslow fears that everyone else is smarter than he is. Thursday October 22 11:00 am Fish out of Water; Burdette's Nest Bob fears that Ick is stuck inside a rock, but soon learns that the rock is a fossil; Smooch and Snook help patch Burdette's nest. Friday October 23 11:00 am Bones; Food and Plenty of It After Winslow injures his arm, he refuses to slow down and winds up hurting his leg too.Also: Burdette is upset when the nuts on her favorite tree disappear. Thursday November 5 11:00 am The Sting; Growing Wartz's frog friend Greenie is frightened by Stripey the bee; Madge and Snook think about everything that's occurred at the World Tree during the past year. Friday November 6 11:00 am The Big Race; You Are What You Are Winslow, Smooch and Snook organize a relay race for all the animals of the World Tree.Also: Wartz wonders if fish and plants are related since they both need water to survive. The information above is most probably about _ . A different science fiction films shown each day B a series of TV programmes for parents C a series of TV programmes for children D different children's films shown each day Answer: C Three quarters of Britain's parents are too busy to read bedtime stories to their children,according to a study. The study was carried out by CITV to start their new children's show Bookaboo,which is designed to encourage anyone to pick up a book and read with their children at any time of the day. Worryingly,the study showed that only three percent of fathers now find the time to read to the kids compared to 89 percent of mothers. Lucy Goodman,creator of Bookaboo,said,"It's important for young boys to be able to share a book with dads,granddads or male carers and it can be fun and rewarding,too." Of the dads who said they didn't read to their kids, 87 percent blamed work while more than a third said they were too tired. While 89 percent of mums said they did read to their children,more than half of them said cleaning distracted them and 49 percent were distracted by other household things. Researchers also found parents are now relying heavily on other people to lend a hand with reading to their children with grandparents doing the most,followed by sisters and brothers,aunts and uncles. While 95 percent of parents read to their children at some point,only five percent read to their children during the day. More than one in ten said they read every couple of weeks or less,and five percent could not remember the last time they shared a book. The study found parents also seem content with allowing their children to immerse themselves in TV programs or playing computer games rather than reading. Exgoalkeeper David Seaman,who is a dad of two,has been a guest in Bookaboo. He says,"I think it's important that fathers do read to their children because it's a special time. Sometimes my two children will come to listen to the same book--it's a magical moment and I advise fathers just to try it." We can know from the passage that Bookaboo _ . A is a daily show B is an adults' show C aims to encourage people to read to their children D is a popular show Answer: C
The producers of instant coffee found their product strongly resisted in the market places despite their product's obvious advantages. Furthermore,the advertising expense for instant coffee was far greater than that for regular coffee. Efforts were made to find the cause of the users' seemingly unreasonable resistance to the product. The reason given by most people was dislike for the taste. The producers doubt that there might be deeper reasons,however. This was supported by one of motivation research's classic studies,one often cited in the trade. Mason Haire of the University of California constructed two shopping lists that were the same except for one item. There were six items common to both lists: hamburger,carrots,bread,baking powder,canned peaches,and potatoes,with the brands or amounts specified. The seventh item,in fifth place on both lists,read"lib. Maxwell House coffee"on one list and"Nescafe instant coffee"on the other. One list was given to each one in a group of fifty women,and the other list to those in another group of the same size. The women were asked to study their lists and then to describe,as far as they could,the kind of woman(personality and character)who would draw up that shopping list. Nearly half of those who had received the list including instant coffee described a housewife who was lazy and a poor planner. On the other hand,only one woman in the other group described the housewife,who had included regular coffee on,her list was lazy; only six of that group suggested that she was a poor planner. Eight women felt that the instant-coffee user was probably not a good wife!No one in the other group drew such a conclusion about the housewife who intended to buy regular coffee. The result of the investigation showed that _ . A. women who used regular coffee were good planners B. most of the women investigated were good at reasons C. many women believed that wives who used instant coffee were lazy D. housewives who used instant coffee were lazy Answer: C. many women believed that wives who used instant coffee were lazy Tom had to fix some things around the house. He had to fix the door. He had to fix the window. But before he did anything he had to fix the toilet. Tom called over his best friend Jim to help him. Jim brought with him his friends Molly and Holly. Tom thought that Jim was going to bring Dolly with him but he didn't. The four of them got to work right away. Fixing the toilet was easy. Fixing the door was also easy but fixing the window was very hard. The window was stuck and could not be opened. They all pushed on the window really hard until finally it opened. Once the window was fixed the four of them made a delicious dinner and talked about all of the good work that they had done. Tom was glad that he had such good friends to help him with his work. What did Tom need to fix first? A. Door B. House C. Window D. Toilet Answer: D. Toilet Is it worth it to go to college? This has been questioned a lot recently in America. According to a new survey released by the Pew Research Center, only 40 percent of Americans felt that colleges provided a good value for the cost. At the same time, 86 percent of college graduates still felt it was good for them. There are a number of reasons for such dissatisfaction with college. First, there are plenty of problems with higher education -- poor quality and out-of-control costs are two of the biggest. Second, it is true that college is not for everyone. Plenty of rewarding and important careers do not require college. And due to the slow economy, there may in fact be more graduates than the current job market needs. Besides, anti-college feelings are nothing new. Today, Microsoft's Bill Gates or Apple's Steve Jobs -- both college dropouts -- is often held up as evidence of why all that time sitting in class is better spent elsewhere. However, getting a college education is still a good idea. College graduates earn more, and are more likely to have a job in the first place. According to the statistics last year, the average weekly earnings for someone with some college education but no degrees were $712, compared to $1,038 for a college graduate. That is almost $17,000 over the course of a year and there is an even bigger divide for those with less education. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate was 9.2 percent for those with only some college education and more than 10 percent for those with just a middle school degree, but it was 5.4 percent for college graduates. The economic gaps between college completers and those with less education are getting larger. Although most Americans surveyed by Pew feel doubtful about the value of a college degree, an overwhelming majority of parents Pew surveyed still expect their children to go to college. "It can be inferred that the increased doubt has not significantly influenced decision making." Pew's Taylor says, "Despite the concern about rising costs and other problems, college remains a universal desire in this country." What's the main idea of this passage? A. Poor quality and high costs make college less popular among the Americans nowadays. B. Despite the dissatisfactions with college, most Americans still favor college education C. People with a college degree earn better money in America than those who don't D. American students are getting tired of college education. Answer: B. Despite the dissatisfactions with college, most Americans still favor college education Here are some famous romantic places in the world that you can't miss. Paris The ranking for the "most romantic city" quite rightly leads to Paris. The city of light has long been famous as a city of love. This is definitely the best place for love, wine and food. Paris is rich with history; you can take a walk through the Louvre, go to a cafe across the Champs Elysees, have dinner at the Eiffel Tower or visit the Palace of Versailles. Venice Undoubtedly, Venice is the most romantic city of Italy. From the amazing architecture of San Marco Square to the gondolas there, Venice talks about love, romance and passion. The best time to visit Venice is during the annual carnival . A gondola trip through the most magical city in Europe remains unforgettable for everyone. Vienna Vienna may well be called the cradle of European culture. The baroque architecture, the historic city opera and typical restaurants create a romantic mood and memorable atmosphere. During the ball season in Vienna, one can enjoy the city's past, the masked waltz and romance. Prague Prague is called the heart of Europe. The city, dating from the 9thcentury, is indeed a real architectural wonder. Prague's famous castle is the largest ancient castle in the world, built early in 1257. For a more romantic experience, take your loved ones to the top of the 60-foot observatory and watch the slow sunset over Prague. Maldives There are quiet islands, warm, clear water with excellent visibility, a huge amount of reefs and an incredible diversity of marine life. The Maldives is the place to shoot all those beautiful postcard pictures of couples on a desert beach. Most islands are not more than 1 km in area, with makes them particularly suitable for privacy, honeymoons and love. The city of light refers to _ . A. Paris B. Venice C. Prague D. Vienna Answer: A. Paris The Adventure Guides Program New Member Information for the Adventure Guides Program ( for children aged 4--12) What Is the Adventure Guides Program All about? The objectives of the program are: * Fostering companionship and setting foundation for positive, lifelong relationships between parent and child * Increased understanding of one another * Expanded awareness of spirit, mind and body * Great memories * Fun!!! Parent and Child Will Be Joining... The nationwide affilicated program sponsored by local YMCA's and part of the National Council of YMCA's A smaller group of families called a "circle" What Is the Time Commitment? * Program runs from October to May (ending with the Memorial Day Parade) * One "circle" activity per month ( one circle decides on fees and dates) Additional all participant activities (scheduled by Wilton Family Y) --additional fees and registration required. Outing Dates: To Be Announced What Do I Do Now? * Registration is on-going. Registration forms are available online under "Registration". * You will be notified by the Wilton Family Y of which "circle" you and your child are in and who your "circle" leader is. * You will be notified by your "circle" leader as to when your first parent/child "circle" meeting will take place. Fees: Participant: Full Child or Family member $110.00 / Program member $200.00 Sibling: Full child or Family member $75.00 / Program member $150.00 Adult: Family member FREE / Program member $125.00 Wilton Family Y Contact Information: Geoff Malyszka Teen Director 762-8384 ext.224 E-mail: gmalyszka@wiltonymca. org Kim Murphy Early Childhood Ed. Director762-8384 ext.214 E-mail: kmurphy@wiltonymca. org The passage is mainly written for _ . A. parents and their children B. adventurous travelers C. international students D. children with bad memories Answer: A. parents and their children
First Lady Michelle Obama urged students to visit China at the "100,000 Strong" China Study Abroad forum at Howard University in 2011. President Barack Obama announced the "100,000 Strong" Initiative during his 2009 visit to China. The program aims to increase and diversify the number of American students studying in China by making studying abroad more affordable. During the event at Howard, Mrs. Obama spoke about the importance of studying abroad, something she never did while in college. "Studying in countries like China is about so much more than just improving your own prospects in the global market. The fact is that with every friendship you make and every bond of trust you establish you are shaping an image of America projected to the rest of the world," she said. David Marzban from Pepperdine University recalled a time when he formed a cross-cultural bond with a complete stranger at a restaurant near Fudan University in Shanghai. He noticed a young chef signaling him to come over. "He presses the play button on his media player and starts singing 'California Dreaming' and wants me to sing along with him," Marzban said. "At this time I knew a great friendship had started during my first two weeks in China." Nicole Baden, a senior communications major at Howard University, recalled how her time in China really helped her master the language. "You have to experience the culture while learning the language to really master it and to understand why things are how they are compared to your own culture," Baden said. Mrs. Obama encouraged students to set aside concept that studying abroad is for rich kids only or for those attending certain schools. In addition, the first lady announced that the Chinese government is giving 10,000 "Bridge Scholarships" to cover costs for American students and teachers studying in China. Students from several schools attended the forum. 12-year-old Sarah Davis, who studied in China last summer, said she was very excited to hear Michelle Obama talk about the country. "I love Chinese. Out of all the languages I've learned, Chinese is the most difficult and interesting," she said. What can we infer from the passage? A. Baden came to China to study the differences between English and Chinese. B. Poor children from America have no opportunity to study in China. C. David Marzban made a Chinese friend in an unexpected way in China. D. Michelle Obama called on US students to study in China at a government meeting. Answer: C. David Marzban made a Chinese friend in an unexpected way in China. I like to go to the park that is next to the hotel. The park is very big and has lots of ladders and slides. My favorite thing to do at the park is to swim in the lake. The lake is small but there are a lot of red fish that live in it. There are also some turtles and worms at the bottom of the lake. Sometimes the fish swim by my leg and make me laugh and feel happy. One time I stepped on a stick and cut my foot. That cut hurt and made me sad. The next time I went in the lake I was scared that I would get another cut. Another thing I like to do at the park is to feed the animals. There are lots of pigs, squirrels and raccoon living in the park. Sometimes I feed them bread and crackers. Their favorite thing to eat is ham. After I am done at the park I go to the store to buy some ice cream. Sometimes I see my friend Christopher and he eats his ice cream with me. Christopher also likes feeding the animals. His favorite animal at the park is the squirrel. What animal lives in the lake? A. Pigs B. Fish C. Squirrels D. Raccoon Answer: B. Fish When a dog performs a specific action on command, such as sitting, the action is an example of A. inherited behavior. B. learned behavior. C. instinctive behavior. D. environmental behavior. Answer: B. learned behavior. Acid rain could effect A. an indoor pizza B. an indoor TV C. inside the house D. a car's color Answer: D. a car's color Years ago I worked at a factory in a small county.Every day I got up very early and often did much extra work at night.I was so tired and exhausted.My whole life was hopeless.Then one day I read the following article from a magazine: "A woman went to live with her husband in camp on the Mojave Desert during the war.She simply hated the place:the heat was almost _ ,125 degree in the shade,the wind blew incessantly,and there was sand--sand everywhere.Finally,in desperation she wrote her parents in Ohio that she couldn't stand it another minute and was coming home. Quickly came the reply by airmail from her father--just two lines: 'Two men looked out from prison bars.One saw the mud,and the other saw stars.' The daughter did some real thinking,not only with the intellect but also with her heart.She decided to stick to her post. She made friends with the natives,learned to love the country,and eventually wrote a book about it. The desert hadn't changed,but her attitude had.Because she listened with her heart to the words her father sent,a whole new world opened up to her." A change of attitude could change everything. After reading the article,I was deep in thought ... Which of the following is wrong according to the passage? A. A woman went to live with her husband in a big city. B. The woman finally made friends with the natives. C. She wrote her parents that she was coming. D. The woman received her parents'reply by airmail. Answer: A. A woman went to live with her husband in a big city.
Can you become a creative person? Can you learn to come up with great ideas or learn to create new things? The answer is yes. The first step to becoming creative is to remove the words "I am not creative" from your vocabulary. Seriously, do not say them or do not say them even inside your head. Now you need to start looking what other people are doing. The more you see what they are doing, the more you can get a feel for how they think, and how they come up with creative ideas. Find a way or a place where you feel totally relaxed. This is important so you can let your mind come up with ideas. Write them down as you get them. For me a relaxing place is outside in nature where it is quiet and sunny, or when I take a long drive in my car by myself. The last step is to write down a few ideas every day. Repeat the process of reading and observing what similar people are doing and how they are being creative, finding a relaxing place to write down your thoughts, and writing down a few ideas every day until you start seeing this kind of results you are happy with. It may take a few weeks to a few months, but this is the training process you need to put your mind through to become creative. Remember, looking at things from different angle can also make a big difference to creativity. Question the way that everyone else is doing something using the same method and see if being different and doing it another way will produce something cool. The first step to be creative is to _ . A. have confidence in yourself B. look up "creativity" in the dictionary C. understand the meaning of being creative D. learn many new words by heart Answer: A One Saturday evening, my husband and I went to have dinner at a restaurant. As we sat there eating and sharing conversation, I watched an old woman stop and look around. I looked over at my husband and said, "She must be lost." I got up and caught up with her as she walked by our table and touched her lightly on the shoulder. "Ma'am, are you having trouble finding who you are dining with?" I asked. She said yes. She was there with her daughter. I asked if her daughter was the only person she was there with, and she replied yes. "If you stay right here, I will find her and come back and take you to her--to save you some steps," I offered. She looked at me and said, "But you don't know who I am here with." She was right. I explained that her daughter should be easy to find, because I thought she would be the only lady sitting by herself in the whole restaurant. She agreed...but just then a young man stopped me and asked, "Is she looking for her seat? They're sitting at a table right across from us." I told him that she was and thanked him. I watched as they walked off together and kept my eyes on the old woman to make sure that she could see her daughter and all was well. I couldn't help but think that it must not be much different from being lost as a child. I wondered if I too would accept the help from strangers when I was as old as the lost woman. Who did the woman come to the restaurant with? A. Her husband. B. Her son. C. Her daughter. D. Her friend. Answer: C Howard Dill is a giant among giant pumpkin growers. He grew world champion pumpkins for four years running,from 1979 to 1982, and missed winning the fifth year by only 5 pounds. Today, his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds are sold worldwide to more than 50 seed companies. The pumpkins grown from his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds commonly weigh in at over 1,000 pounds. "I don't have any training in genetics ; it was all trial and error," Dill says. He got his love of pumpkins from his father and has enjoyed growing them for years. Dill still grows giant pumpkins, but not for competition. In the fall, visitors come to enjoy the pumpkins on his 90-acre farm in Nova Scotia, Canada. He plants ten acres of pumpkins for Halloween and two acres of giant pumpkins. One of giant pumpkins was recently baked into 442 pumpkin pies and sold at $5 each for charity. It you want to try growing a giant pumpkin, Dill recommends starting with a soil test and then adding fertilizer as needed. Plant the giant pumpkin seed. A giant pumpkin can gain 15 to 20 pounds a day, so careful watering--every day or two--is necessary. You should wait about 130 days until the pumpkin matures and then you can harvest it. Dill's favorite pumpkin set the Guinness Book record in 1981. It weighted 493.5 pounds. "I've grown them larger since, but that one meant a lot," he remembers. "I never would have imagined ten years ago that there would be a 1,000-pounder, but there are many of them now," says Dill. The 2006 world record holder is Larry Checkon of Pennsylvania. He grew a 1,469 pounder. Dill says, "These world champions are grown from my seeds, so I feel like a winner right along with them." Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A. Gardening Giant: Howard Dill B. World Champion Pumpkin C. Dill Atlantic Giant Seeds D. How to Grow Giant Pumpkins Answer: A In which environment is white fur color an advantage for survival? A. desert B. grassland C. arctic tundra D. temperate forest Answer: C Feel tired lately? Has a doctor said he can't find anything wrong with you? Perhaps he sent you to a hospital, but all the advanced equipment there shows that there is nothing wrong with you. Then , consider this: you might be in a state of sub - health . Sub - health, also called the third state or gray state, is explained as a borderline state between health and disease. According to the survey by the National Health Organization, Over 45 percent of sub - healthy people are middle-aged or elderly. The percentage is even higher among people who work in management positions as well as students around exam week. Symptoms include a shortage of energy, depression, slow reactions, insomnia and poor memory , Other symptoms include shortness of breath, sweating and aching in the waist and legs. The key to preventing and recovering from sub - health, according to some medical experts, is to form good living habits, ale mate work and rest, exercise regularly, and take part in open air activities. As for meals, people are advised to eat less salt and sugar . They should also eat more fresh vegetables, fruits, fish because they are rich in nutritional elements - vitamins and trace elements - that are important to the body. Nutrition experts point out that it is not good to eat too much at one meal because it may cause unhealthy changes in the digestive tract . They also say that a balanced diet is very helpful in avoiding sub - health. When you are in a state of sub - health, you should _ . A. stay home and keep silent B. go to a doctor and buy some medicine C. not consider it very serious D. find out the reasons and relax yourself Answer: D
Question: You have a special card which operates the electronic lock on your room door and a key for the main door of the door of the hotel. These are your responsibility and should never be lent to anyone, including your fellow classmates. If you lose them you will be charged PS20 per replacement. Do not leave your room unlocked even for short periods. Unfortunately, theft from student hotels is very common and insurance companies will not pay for stolen goods unless you can prove that your room was broken into by force. _ There are rarely any rooms available for visitors, except at the end of the summer term. Stan Jenkins, the hotel manager, will be able to tell you and can handle the booking. A small charge is made. Stan also keeps a list of local guesthouses, with some information about what they're like, price, etc. You are also allowed to use empty beds for up to three nights, with the owner's permission (for example, if the person who shares your room is away for the weekend ), but you must inform Stan before your guest arrives, so that he has an exact record of who's in the building of a fire breaks out. Students are not allowed to charge each other for this. _ There is a kitchen on each floor where light meals, drinks, etc. maybe prepared. Each has a large fridge and a food cupboard. All food should be stored, clearly marked with the owner's name, in one of these two places. Bedrooms are too warm for food to be stored, and the cleaners have instructions to remove any food found in them. After using the kitchen, please be sure you do all your washing up immediately and leave it tidy. If you use it late in the evening, please also take care that you do so quietly in order to avoid disturbing people in nearby bedrooms. The passage is probably taken from _ . A. a travel guide book B. a hotel brochure C. a school poster D. a club newsletter Answer: B. a hotel brochure Question: No trip to Chicago is complete without a visit to the Art Institute, which is the second largest art museum in the nation. Opening hours: Mon - Wed & Fri - Sun, 10:30 am - 5 pm; Thu, 10:30 am- 8 pm; closed on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. Highlights: * The Modern Wing contains contemporary masterpieces by Dali, Matisse, Miro, Picasso, Pollock, and Warhol. * View one of the world's finest Impressionist collections, including masterpieces by Monet, Degas, Renoir, Seurat, Gauguin, and Van Gogh. * Thorne Miniature Rooms offer a detailed view of European homes from the 16th century through the 1930s and American homes from the 17th century to 1940. * The past returns as over 550 works from 4,000 years of art come together in Of Gods and Glamour, located in the beautiful new Mary and Michael Jaharis Galleries of Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Art. Advice for visitors: * Free guided tours are available daily at noon. * Free art-making activities are available for children each weekend from 11 am to 2 pm. * Visit the Family Room in the Ryan Education Center, open daily from 10:30 am - 5 pm, and introduce your child to the museum's collections with a variety of hands-on activities. Assemble puzzles based on masterpieces you'll see in the galleries, build architectural wonders with colorful blocks, and learn about art through stories and games at Curious Corner. * Check out the Lion's Trial tour for children ages 5-10. This tour is especially designed for the young people in your group! Don't miss it! Getting there: You can take the follow buses: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 14, 26, 28, 126, 143. At Curious Corner, children can _ . A. take part in many hands-on activities B. join the Lion's Trail tour C. enjoy free art-making activities D. get free guidance Answer: A. take part in many hands-on activities Question: The disadvantage you usually find about MP3 players like the iPod is that they are too big. But get ready for the MP3 player in your hand to get much smaller--the size of a Band-Aid . It's called the Skinny Player, and it's being designed by industrial designers Chih-Wei Wang and Shou-His Fu. Unlike the current types of iPod Shuffles and iPod Nanos, the Skinny Player does not need to be fixed onto your clothes or put into your pocket. It could stick to your skin like you would attach a Band-Aid. But unlike Band-Aids, this tiny MP3 player will not lose its stickiness as you pull it off for the hundredth time. The Skinny Player features flexible speakers allowing the user to enjoy music conveniently. When it gets dirty, the user can simply clean it using a damp cloth. No batteries either. The Skinny Player's designers say it will be powered by body heat, using a flexible battery charging device that is in contact with skin whenever the player is being used. The design only include an on/off button and flexible speakers, no word yet on arranging the volume. Besides, the memory capacity won't be the best, as it is designed to only store one album. The small size and the ability to stick it onto your skin like a Band-Aid should make the Skinny Player perfect for runners who now depend on their iPod to keep them energized on the running path. According to the writer, the disadvantage about the iPod is mostly about its _ . A. price B. colour C. shape D. size Answer: D. size Question: Many families in the prefix = st1 /United Stateshave a larger income now than ever before, but people are finding it difficult to make ends meet anyway. Almost everyone is wondering, "What happens to all my money? I never seem to have anything left to put away." Why isn't a dollar worth as much as it used to be? One dollar is always worth the same amount, that is, 100 cents. But the value of a dollar is how much it can buy. The value of money depends on the cost of living. Economists say that the cost of living is the money that a family must pay for the necessities of life such as food, housing or rent, clothes and medical expenses. For many years now the cost of living has increased greatly, so the value of the dollar has decreased. When a dollar has a low value, you cannot buy as many things with it. No one fully understands why the cost of living keeps increasing, but economists believe that workers and producers can make prices go up. As workers earn more money, they have more money to spend, so they demand more goods. If there is a great demand for certain goods, the prices of these goods go up. At the same time, if there's a shortage of goods, the price also goes up. For example, if everyone wants to buy more and more gas, the price of gas goes up. When companies withhold gas from buyers, they can also make the price of gas go up. Families need to know what happens to their money. They need to make their income meet the cost of living, so many people plan a family budget. A budget is a list of monthly expenses. If your expenses add up to more than your income, you must find ways to save money. Maybe you're spending too much on entertainment. Or if you're spending too much on clothes, you may want to sew your own clothes. Budgeting helps you spend your money wisely as the cost of living increases. According to the passage, when people find it hard to make ends meet, they need to _ . A. find ways to save money B. do extra work to earn more money C. try some other means of making money D. raise a protest against the high cost of living Answer: A. find ways to save money Question: What's your favorite English letter ? Many of you may say Q. Why ? Because so many of you chat with your friends on QQ . What do you like about QQ? What do you talk about ? The CCTV reporter ,Miss Wang interviews three kids . Let's listen to what they say . When do you chat on QQ ? What do you talk about ? Lin Yuhan , Xi'an : On weekends . We talk about homework and chat with each other . Tang Yuting ,Shanghai : On weekends and when I don't have much homework .We exchange test answers and chat . Yang Yuhang , Dalian : Our class goes online together at 4--6pm on weekends , We complain about homework ,chat and talk about computer games . What do you put on your QQ blog ( )? Lin : I put good articles. I have found online on my blog . I also write articles myself . They are about funny things that have happened in my class . Tang : I put pictures on my blog . Not my own photos , but pictures from my favorite Japanese cartoons likeTennis Prince and Conan . Yang: I put DV films on my blog . I shoot ( )them during sports meetings and school parties .The most popular one is about a dancing teacher .It is so funny that everyone watches it . How do you like QQ? Lin : It's a good place for us to make a record of our lives of both good times and sad times . Tang : My friends and I may not have time to chat at school .But we can do it on QQ. It's very helpful to our friendships . Yang : If you chat with your friends on the telephone ,your parents sometimes listen in on your convercation . There is no such problem with QQ . You can relax and talk freely . Which one is TRUE according to this article ? A. Lin says QQ is very helpful to their friendships . B. Yang says he can chat freely with many friends and relax on QQ . C. Tang says QQ is a good space for them to make a record of their lives . D. Tang says he chats on QQ on weekdays though he has lots of homework . Answer: B. Yang says he can chat freely with many friends and relax on QQ .
Diana Jacobs thought her family had a workable plan to pay for college for her 21-year-old twin sons: a combination of savings, income, scholarships, and a modest amount of borrowing. Then her husband lost his job, and the plan fell apart. "I have two kids in college, and I want to say 'come home', but at the same time I want to provide them with a good education." says Jacobs. The Jacobs family did work out a solution. They asked and received more aid from the schools, and each son increased his borrowing to the maximum amount through the federal loan program. They will each graduate with $20,000 of debt, but at least they will be able to finish school. With unemployment rising, financial aid administrators expect to hear more families like the Jacobs. More students are applying for aid, and more families expect to need student loans. College administrators are concerned that they will not have enough aid money to go around. At the same time, tuition continues to rise. A report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education found that college tuition and fees increased 439% from 1982 to 2007, while average family income rose just 147%. Student borrowing has more than doubled in the last decade. "If we go on this way for another 25 years, we won't have an affordable system of higher education," says Patrick M. Callan, president of the center. "The middle class families have been financing it through debt. They will send kids to college whatever it takes, even if that means a huge amount of debt." Financial aid administrators have been having a hard time as many companies decide that student loans are not profitable enough and have stopped making them. The good news, however, is that federal loans account for about three quarters of student borrowing, and the government says that money will flow uninterrupted. How did the Jacobs manage to solve their problem? A. They asked their kids to come home. B. They borrowed $20,000 from the school. C. They encouraged their twin sons to do part-time jobs. D. They got help from the school and the federal government. Answer: D. They got help from the school and the federal government. The number of speakers of English in Shakespeare's time is estimated to have been about five million. Today it is estimated that some 260 million people speak it as a native language, mainly in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In addition to the standard varieties of English found in these areas, there are a great many regional and social varieties of the language as well as various levels of usage that are employed both in its spoken and written forms. In fact, it is impossible to estimate the number of people in the world who have acquired an adequate working knowledge of English in addition to their own languages. The purpose for English learning and the situations in which such learning takes place are so varied that it is difficult to explain and still more difficult to judge what forms an adequate working knowledge for each situation. The main reason for the widespread demand for English is its present-day importance as a world language. Besides serving the indefinite needs of its native speakers, English is a language in which some of important works in science, technology, and other fields are being produced, and not always by native speakers. It is widely used for such purposes as meteorological and airport communications, international conferences, and the spread of information over the radio and television networks of many nations. It is a language of wider communication for a number of developing countries, especially former British colonies. Many of these countries have multilingual populations and need a language for internal communication in such matters as government, commerce, industry, law and education as well as for international communication and for entrance to the scientific and technological developments in the West. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. Some 260 million people in the world have an adequate working knowledge of English. B. There are some 260 million native speakers of English in the world. C. It is almost impossible to estimate the number of people with an adequate working knowledge of English. D. People learn English for a variety of reasons. Answer: A. Some 260 million people in the world have an adequate working knowledge of English. One of the major problems in our economy is inflation , a situation in which prices are going up faster than salary . Thus, a person has to work more hours to pay for the same thing. For example, let's say that this year a loaf of bread costs $1.00 and average salary in the United Sates is $10.00 per hour. That means a person could earn enough money to buy a loaf of bread in one-tenth of an hour, or six minutes. Then, halfway through the year, the price of the bread goes up to $1.25, while salary stay the same. That means that a person now has to work one-eighth of an hour--seven and a half minutes to buy the same loaf of bread. Now let's say that at the end of the year, salary go up to $11.00 per hour, but the price of bread goes up to $1.50. Now a person has to work more than one-seventh of an hour--over eight minutes--to buy loaves of bread, employees will have less money left over to buy other things, Inflation means that the same money buys fewer things and everybody's standard of living goes down, even if salaries are going up. Some kinds of inflation are worse than others. Moderate inflation does not distort relative prices or incomes seriously. Galloping inflation happens rapidly, say at a rate of 100percent or more within a year. And then there's hyperinflation--inflation so serious that people try to get rid of their currency before prices rise further and make the money worthless. Times of hyperinflation are usually characterized by social and political disorder. Why is " a loaf of bread" repeatedly mentioned? A. To express dissatisfaction with the price of bread B. To show the effect of price changes C. To compare bread with other foods D. To explain social and political disorder Answer: B. To show the effect of price changes Short people, studies have shown , are more likely to have a stroke , suffer from high blood pressures and heart disease and be bullied in school . Now, researchers report that short people--at least in the past--were also more likely to die at a younger age than their taller peers. Their study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health , found that short bones have something to do with short life for more than 1,000 years. The conclusion was based on 490 sets of adult skeletal remains from an archaeological site in northeastern England , YC dating from the 9th century to about 1850 . About 55% of men and 73% of women died before the age of 45, and 39% of men and 56% of women died before age 30. The risk of death before age 30 declined as bone length increased. "This study provides evidence from an archaeological sample that long bone length is connected with age at death--those with smaller bones tend to die younger," according to Dr. D.J. Gunnell of the university of Bristol in the UK and colleagues . While it is not clear why short stature might be linked to earlier death , the researchers point out that height is _ of childhood nutrition, which may have long-lasting effect on health . "Mechanism for height-mortality associations in the past may differ from those today , for example , short stature may have increased the risk of death in childbirth and this may explain the higher risk of premature mortality in women," Gunnell and colleagues write . "However, short bones, it would appear, have always been a marker of a short life," the authors conclude. Short stature may be caused by _ . A. less childhood nutrition B. heart disease C. some illnesses D. high blood pressure Answer: A. less childhood nutrition America is the world's largest food exporter . But the worst drought in half a century is hitting corn and wheat harvests. By twenty-fifty, the world will have to produce at least sixty percent more food to feed more and more people. China, a major food importer , is looking to producers around the world to make sure it can get enough food in the future. The serious drought in the United States is adding to care about world food and prices. China has invested in food production in Australia and New Zealand. A new source of food is Ukraine. Ukraine was known as the breadbasket of Europe because of rich corn and wheat harvests a century ago. Galyna Kovtok is chief manager of Ukraine's largest agricultural business, ULF. She says that within a few months her company will export corn to China. That will make Ukraine the first country outside the Americas to do so. Across the Black Sea area -- in Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan -- drought this year is pushing harvests down by fifteen to twenty percent. Traditionally, the Black Sea area is the main source of wheat for North Africa and the Middle East. But this year, Russia may have to _ exports. However, Africa and the Middle East are now having competition with China. China is investing in Ukraine mainly to _ . A. make sure of getting its future food B. help the poor people there C. build up a good relationship with Ukraine D. have competition with Africa and the Middle East Answer: A. make sure of getting its future food
Kasey Kaczmarek: When I read "Would my dad love me?" by Martha, I related to how Martha felt about her father. I always wondered if my dad cared about me, or if he even loved me. All the kids would be with their dads and they would ask me where my dad was, and I would tell them that he was out of town. For all you kids who have a dad, tell him how much you love him because there are plenty of kids who would love to have a dad. Armen Abidian: This article describes everything about me and my life. When I was about 3 years old, my mother and father had a big argument and got divorced. Now I'm 13 years old and I haven't seen my father for 10 years. Just like Martha, I don't know what he looks like now, whether or not he's got married to a different woman, or if he has another child. Emma Ramirez: When Martha talked about how "most girls have dads who take them to their practices, buy them things and play with them", I thought I was one of those girls. I never stopped to think about how there are girls who have always dreamed of having those things but don't have a father. After reading what Martha wrote, I told myself I would always appreciate the days I spend with my dad because I am very lucky to have a dad who does so much for me. Stephanie Felix: This article reminded me of how much I missed my dad when I was younger. I really relate to this article because I used to always wonder about my dad, but not any more. Life without my father has made me more independent and responsible. By reading this article I remember all of this and I was able to understand what the writer was talking about. What does the passage suggest? Answer: Dog owners now have a little help understanding their furry friends.A new device called Bow-Lingual "translates" dog barks into English, Korean or Japanese.Bow-Lingual Japanese inventors spent much time and money analyzing dog barks.They found that dog noises can be broken down into six different emotions: happiness, sadness, frustration, anger, assertion and desire. Part of the Bow-Lingual device hangs on the dog's collar.The other part is a handle-held unit for the owner.When the dog barks, the unit displays translated phrases. Some people have _ at Bow-Lingual."Who would pay $120 to read a dog's mind?" they ask. But those who have purchased Bow-Lingual praise the device.Pet owner Keiko Egawa, of Japan, says it helps her sympathize with her dog Harry."Before we go to the park, he always says he wants to play," says Egawa, "and after a walk, he always says he is hungry." Bow-Lingual is not yet available in Chinese.So you'd better keep studying Studio Classroom, or soon your dog may know more English than you do! The writer of this passage is most likely to be _ . Answer: Big Brothers Big Sisters is based on the simplicity and power of friendship.It is a program which provides friendship and fun by matching _ (ages 7-17) with a volunteer adult who can be both a role model and a supportive friend. Volunteer tutors come from all walks of life--married, single, with or without children. Big Brothers and Big Sisters are not replacement parents or social workers. They are tutors: someone to trust, to have fun with, to talk and go to when needed. A Big Sister and Little Sister will generally spend between one and four hours together three or four times each month for at least twelve months. They enjoy simple activities such as a picnic at a park, cooking, playing sport or going to a football match. These activities improve the friendship and help the young person develop positive self-respect, confidence and life direction. Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations exist throughout the world. It is the large and most well-known provider of tutor services internationally and has been operating for 25 years. Emily and Sarah have been matched since 2008. Emily is a 10-year-old girl who has experienced some difficulties being accepted by her schoolmates at school. " I was pretty sure there was something wrong with me." Emily's mum came across Big Brothers Big Sisters and thought it would be helpful to Emily by "providing different feedback about herself other than just depending on schoolmates to value her self-worth. Sarah wanted to take part in a volunteer program. "I googled it and found out how to be a part of it. I thought it would be fun for me to take part in making time to do something because sometimes it is all work and no play." Big Brothers Big Sisters has been helpful and enjoyable to both Emily and Sarah. They love and look forward to their time together and the partnership has certainly helped Emily be more comfortable in being the wonderful, happy and unusually good girl she is! What is the aim of Big Brothers Big Sisters? Answer: The 31st Summer Olympics will be held in Brazil in 2016. Before this global sporting event, we started thinking about sports that didn't exist any more and sports that were maybe a little strange. Read the following ones that have ever been included in the past Olympic Games. Live Pigeon Shooting (1900) This bloody event was only held once, at the 1900 Paris Games. Nearly 300 birds were killed during the competition, leaving a crime scene of feathers and blood. This is the only event in Olympic history that involved killing live animals. Kabaddi (1936) This sport is popular in South Asia. The object is for one member of a team to enter the other side's half of the field, and score points. The attacker then returns to his half of the field. 12 Hour Bicycle Race (1896) Seven riders got on their bikes at 5 a.m. and rode until 5 p.m. Four riders dropped out before noon, but the winner, Adolf Schmal of Austria, managed about 180 miles. Only Schmal and one other finished. Tug of War (1900--1920) This may seem like a basic PE class sport more than an Olympic event, but Tug of War was actually one of the first sports played at the Olympic games in 500 BC. There are two teams of eight; the winning team must pull the other team six feet forward. Swimming Obstacle Race (1900) The athletes had to climb over a pole and a row of boats, and then swim under another row of boats. All of this was done in the Seine River, so they also had to fight against the water. This event was only ever held in 1900, in Paris. What can we learn from the passage? Answer: sharp beaks are a kind of adaptation for catching Answer:
Brothers Ishmael and Isadore were complete opposites. People who knew them both could hardly believe they were from the same planet, let alone the same family. The boys were not unkind toward one another, but their personalities were so different that it was difficult for them to reach a decision they both liked. Their mother frequently played the judge in their disagreement. Ishmael, the older brother,was athletic. He played baseball, football, and basketball.Isadore, the younger brother, hated sports. He was quieter and less active than his brother. He preferred spending his time on the computer, making short videos and writing short articles. Ishmael loved classic rock. He listened to bands like the Beatles. Isadore didn't care much for those bands. He preferred music from Central Africa. Luckily for their parents, both boys enjoyed listening to music through headphones. One other thing the brothers did agree on was that they wanted a pet. Mom had _ getting one, but after both brothers had begged, she finally agreed."We can get a pet, as long as you two take care of it," she said.That means you do the feeding, you do the training, and if it needs to be walked, you do the walking. "No problem, Mom,"Ishmael and Isadore said together. "Good, we all agree," Mom said. "Now, what kind of pet are we going to get?" The two brothers' mother often had to be the judge when they _ . China is home to the invention of silk and has a long tradition of producing fine materials for clothing. Not all clothing in ancient or contemporary( ) China is made of silk, however. In fact, silk was only available to the wealthy classes for much of China's history. Until the introduction of cotton during the Ming Dynasty, from the 14th to the 17th century, the poorer classes wore rough clothing made from fibers . In ancient China, the tunic was particularly popular . Called hanfu , both men and women could be seen wearing tunics made of different materials. Women's tunics were long and loose , extending all the way down to their feet and often _ with a belt or rope to get tighter . Men's tunics were shorter, usually only extending down to their knees. During the winter, both men and women would wear cotton jackets for warmth. In the winter, men would also wear pants or ankle-length skirts into their clothes to keep warm and protect their legs against the cold winter conditions. Contemporary Chinese clothing is now made of many of the same materials as contemporary clothing found in other countries. Much of the traditional Chinese clothing produced now is made of cotton and silk, but generally contemporary Chinese clothing also contains synthetic fibers in with the cotton and silk, such as nylon . In addition, linen is now commonly used in contemporary Chinese clothing, especially during the summer months because it is light and breathable. What can we know from the text? Most people know that the United States is made up of fifty states. However, few people know a lot about all fifty of them. Sufjan Stevens is a young American musician. He wants to change this situation. Sufjan Stevens plans to make an album about each of the fifty American states. During college he played in several musical groups and recorded an album of his own music. However, he wanted to be a writer, not a musician. So after college he moved to New York City to study writing. In New York. Stevens had trouble writing stories. He discovered that he missed music. He also discovered that most of the stories he did write were about his home state of Michigan. So, Sufjan Stevens decided to make an album of songs about Michigan. Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State was released in 2003. The album was a big success. Many young people and music critics liked it. Before long, Stevens announced that he wanted to make an album for every state. He called it his "fifty states project". Stevens chose Illinois as his next state. He read many books about Illinois. He studied police documents and old newspapers. He talked to people who live in the state. The CD Illinois was released in 2005. Critics loved the album. It won many awards. Illinois became popular at colleges throughout the United States. People said the CD sounded different from anything else they had ever heard. Sufjan Stevens is keeping his next state a secret from reporters. People have said that he is writing about Oregon, Rhode Island, or Minnesota. However, no one but Stevens knows for sure. What did Sufjan Stevens do to make an album of songs about a state? In a Station of the Metro The apparition of these faces in the crowd; Petals on a wet, black bough. This is the only Ezra Pound poem that many people will read in their lives. Why? One obvious reason is that it's just two lines long. The poem, which can be understood as "A man sees a bunch of faces in the subway and thinks they look like flowers on a tree branch," is an exercise in shortness. Pound wrote it after having a spiritual experience in a Paris metro (subway) station. In 1916, the US poet originally thought he could best describe his vision in a painting. Unfortunately, he wasn't a painter. So he wrote a thirty-line poem, which he didn't like. He dropped the long version in the waste bin. Six months later, he wrote a shorter poem, but didn't like that one either. Finally, a full year after the experience, he had been reading short Japanese poems called haikus, and he figured he would try this style. The result, which was published in 1913, is one of the most famous and influential works in modern poetry. This poem is one of the monuments of the 20th-century artistic movement known as "Imagism". Basically, Pound and his friends thought that images weren't just decoration: they were the highest form of speech. By finding the right image, the poet can express the true, spiritual reality of a thing, which is more important than using a bunch of adjectives to describe its physical appearance. Thus, "In a Station of the Metro" is a poem that consists of one image expressed with absolute exactness and nothing else. To the imagists, the best way to describe an experience is not to use more and more words; the best way is to find exactly the right words. Have you ever told a beloved one that "words can't express" how much you love them? Well, Pound would say that you're just being lazy. In his view, words can express anything, even if it takes an entire year to find the right ones. According to the text, "In a Station of the Metro" was _ . My passion started decades ago as a kid on a flight to India. I was attracted by how such a large airplane was able to glide smoothly above the clouds. I made it a goal to become a pilot. I am now a pilot for American airlines. Though being a pilot consumes my life,it is a job worth doing. My job is slightly different compared to that of a typical pilot. Most pilots have their routes they fly. They then familiarize(...)themselves with the routes. However, in my case,I participate in any job where a pilot is immediately required. It is true that some days I might have a workday from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon. In fact,some days,I might even begin my work at three in the morning when I am needed to fly. Sometimes, as for the typical day,I do not have one. Having been on the job for over two decades,I have learned some important life lessons. As I greet passengers boarding the airplane,I realize I,along with other airline pilots, have enhanced the lives of those who we are serving. In fact, there is one particular experience that I will never forget. A family was walking in from the gate, explaining that their beloved one was ill and had to be taken to a big hospital in another city immediately. It was at this point that I realized just how important my job was. Therefore, my life as an airline pilot is definitely not for everyone. However,my job is something I enjoy thoroughly and will continue to do till I am old enough. As a pilot, I have been able to experience so many different types of situations in different places throughout the world. For anyone interested in piloting, I would recommend going for it. The author dreamed of being a pilot when _ .
Question: Last month I had a health problem and had to see a doctor. After examining me, The doctor said to me, "The result isn't too bad ." But you must excise often and have healthy food every day. In fact, I'm a lazy person. I never get up early to exercise. And I often have junk food because I like it. In order to be healthy, I decided to change my lifestyle. Now I get up at 6:00 am every day. Then I go out to run for about an hour. I go to a gym on Wednesday and Saturday afternoon. And I hardly have junk food. I have healthy food, like milk and fish. I often eat vegetables and I have an apple every day. You know, " An apple a day keeps the doctor away " I also have about eight glasses of water. And I usually go to bed by ten. All these things make me healthy. How often do I go to a gym? A. Once a week. B. Twice a week. C. Twice a month. D. Three times a month. Answer: B. Twice a week. Question: Every year, British newspapers report on the stranger questions asked in Oxbridge (Oxford & Cambridge) interviews. Often, though, these questions are not as strange as they first seem. And they are all designed to give applicants a chance to think. Arriving for her first Oxford interview, my sister Jen saw that there was only one chair in the waiting room. On the chair was a large fork. Jen had heard about the strange things in Oxbridge interviews, and believed that this was a test. "What if they're watching me?" she thought. "If I move the fork, it will show initiative ; if I don't move it, it will show that I can easily fit into new situations." In the end, she sat uncomfortably on the edge of the chair! Applicants must be prepared for the unexpected. Now it was Jen's turn. She was handed a monkey skull and asked to talk about it. At first, this seemed unfair --- what could she say? But she soon calmed down, started thinking, and found that there was plenty to talk about. Oxbridge interviews are designed to find out how you think, not just what you think. And there are no wrong answers. Jen learnt that, and she passed the interview. What advice does she give? " Don't be nervous, and be prepared for the unexpected!" According to British newspapers, questions for Oxbridge applicants are very _ . A. unfair B. normal C. easy D. strange Answer: D. strange Question: 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. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A. We can feel that we are perfect when we set ourselves up for success. B. We can tolerate the fact that we've done things we aren't proud of. C. Over-generalizing might encourage you to expect the future. D. Over-generalizing might cause you not to accept yourself. Answer: D. Over-generalizing might cause you not to accept yourself. Question: Most people know the feeling when you walk into a lift with other people. A study has found that where people stand is based on their social position on entering the lift. Rebekah Rousi, a Ph.D. student, did a study of lift behavior in two of the tallest office buildings in Adelaide, Australia. As part of her research, she took a total of 30 lift rides in the two buildings, and discovered there was a fixed order about where people chose to stand. In her research paper, she wrote that more senior men seemed to walk straight towards the back of the lift. She said , "in front of them were younger men, and in front of them were women of all ages." She also noticed there was a difference in the direction where people look during the ride. "Men watched the monitors, looked in the side mirrors (in one building) to see themselves, and in the door mirrors (in the other building) to watch others. Women would watch the monitors and avoid looking into others' eyes (unless in conversations) and the mirrors." Rebekah Rousi concluded that shyer people stand toward the front, where they can't see other passengers, while fearless people stand in the back, where they have a good view of everyone else. According to the study, where people stand in a lift is decided by _ . A. their social position B. the monitors C. other passengers D. others' position Answer: A. their social position Question: About a year ago,if you had asked who Dinara Safina was,the answer would have been,"She is Marat Safin's younger sister." She was overshadowed by her wonder brother.But now she has made a name for herself:the world No.1 player in women's tennis. The 22yearold Russian overtook Serena Williams of the US for top ranking on April 20."Before,every place I go,I am Marat's sister.Nothing else,"she told New York Times."I always wanted to be myself,and now finally the results come,and people can know me as Dinara Safina." Safina has made it to two great event finals,in the 2008 French and in the 2009 Australian Open,and won a silver medal in the Beijing Olympic Games. Clearly,family isn't the only connection Safina and her brother share.Their DNA burns with competitive fire.Safin has held the distinction for years of being a hottempered player on court.When he lost his temper,he would smash a racket .Safina is as emotionally explosive as her brother.A headline in the newspaper The Australian once described her as "mad as a snake".The Sydney Morning Herald,during the Australian Open,summed up Safina's volatile emotional state with the headline--Safina goes from basket case to top of the world. It's not rare for a family to have two top tennis players.Safina's father owns a tennis academy and her mother worked as a coach."I had no choice but to become a tennis player,but I don't mind being a tennis player," Safina said. From this talented family she is also given one of her best weapons on court,her size.She is 1.82 meters tall and weighs 70kg.But it is hard work that led her to her recent success. "I hope to prove to everyone over the coming months that I deserve the honor of being world No.1,"she said. Which of the following statements is TRUE? A. Serena Williams was topped by Safina on ranking list on April 20. B. Dinara Safina was always very confident and eager to succeed. C. Safina was eager to become a tennis player when she was a child. D. Marat Safin won the two finals,in the 2008 French and in the 2009 Australian Open. Answer: A. Serena Williams was topped by Safina on ranking list on April 20.
HE is one of the most charming young heroes since Harry Potter. Like Potter, he is chosen by fate to carry out a , but unlike the boy wizard, he doesn't get any chances to have fun or hang out with friends because he's a little too busy preparing to lead during an upcoming war to save the Earth. Meet Ender Wiggin, 15, the main character of the hit US sci-fi movie Ender's Game (<<>> ), which will come out on Jan 7 in China. The story opens in 2086, 50 years after an insect-like alien race, called the Formics, attacked the Earth and killed tens of millions of people before being driven back to their home planet. Since then, human beings have been in a state of fear, awaiting a second attack. Earth's military leaders seek young warriors to risk going into space for battle, and children are taught to compete for these positions. As the film explains, youths can make leaps of logic and intuition, devising effective attack strategies more quickly than adults. So here comes Ender, the savior of all mankind. Though Ender is a skinny kid, smaller than most, he is also smarter than average. He tends to analyze situations and easily find ways to achieve the most positive outcomes. This rare gift makes him stand out in the program and get promoted to the Battle School, where he is directed to plan and carry out a series of virtual attacks on the Formics. Can he use his military talents to wipe out Earth's enemies? Despite the obvious "be all you can be" subtext , the movie "explores complex issues, including the consequences of violence and maintaining humanity and morality during wartime with intelligence and insight," commented Yahoo. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film best presents the power of empathy , which is what makes Ender a good leader. "The reason Ender succeeds is because he understands what makes his opponents tick on the battlefield," explained the entertainment news site. Earth's military leaders want to choose youths to be warriors because they think _ . A. youths are smarter and more fearless than adults B. youths are more willing to take risks in space C. youths have sharper intuition and quicker reactions than adults D. youths adapt to new battle environments more quickly than adults Answer: C "A child is dying---out of breath!" I had just begun my working day in the city, when those words came through the radio of the police car I was driving. I turned on the red lights and siren and drove off as fast as I could. "Just my luck!" I thought. I did not know this city well and my first call of the day was a life-and-death sudden happening, several kilometers away. I got to the house. A mother, filled with fear, handed me her baby, his face already blue. Was I too late? Dear me! I did what I had been taught to do in such a serious condition. A small thing flew out of the baby's mouth onto the floor. It was a button. Thanks heavens! The holes in it let a little air through. The doctor rushed into the room. He had with him an oxygen bag. The child began to cry at the top of his voice, turned red and started to look for his mother. He was angry but saved. The baby was still living when the writer got to the house because _ A. the writer arrived in time B. the writer had been taught what to do at that time C. the button was not big enough D. the button happened to have holes in it Answer: D Whether you're flying off to distant beaches or piling into the car for a weekend vacation, nurture a love of new places in your child this travel season. There are some wonderful products and media available to help your kids get fired up about geography. For the youngest ones, don't miss the adorable Hugg-A- Planet, Earth (peacetoys.com, $19.95). It's a soft, stuffed globe that's covered with a color1ful map of Earth. Kids will eye it like a treasure, toss it like a ball and hug it like a friend. For toddlers, the nifty puzzle My Town A-B-C (Great American Puzzle Factory, ages 3 and up; $12) helps teach the concept of place as it illustrates the relationship of one location to another. Also worth looking at for younger kids is the very cool CD-ROM Tonka Town (Atari, ages 3-6; $19.99), which lets children steer their favorite giant trucks down some adventurous paths. For the older kids, probably nothing beats Handling the Actual Map (ages 8-15; $12.95) that your family's using to get to your vacation destination. Whether you are traveling by car, bus, train or plane, show the kids how to follow your route. Ask them to narrate the trip. During your journey, consider weaving in a history lesson or two. Discuss how the famous explorers used maps to chart their journeys. An excellent book is The Lewis & Clark Expedition (Williamson Publishing, ages 9-12; $12.95), which shows how the Corps of Discovery bravely pushed westward. Love music and want to work it into your vacation in a meaningful, catchy way? Sample the delightful video States and Capitals Songs (Educational Insights, ages 7 and up; $14.95). Or, if you want lots of laughs as you travel (and who wouldn't?), try Scrambled States of America (Gamewright, ages 8 and up; $11.99). It's a fun game of observation and fast reflexes that sets players scrambling to find. From the passage, we can learn that _ . A. traveling is a dull and simple activity. B. some products and media mentioned can make the kids interested in geography. C. don't lose Hugg-A-Planet, Earth when you have a vacation. D. States and Capitals Songs is as expensive as Handling the Actual Map. Answer: B Dear Tom, I go on a trip to Beijing with my father Rick. On the first day, we visit the Palace Museum. It is in the centre of Beijing. There are many rooms in it. You can see "No photos!" in some places. If so, you need to follow the instructions . On the second day, we visit the Summer Palace. It's great fun to boat there. I can swim, so I'm not afraid of water. Tomorrow we will go to the Great Wall. I also make a new friend Tony who comes from Australia. When he leaves, he gives me his e-mail address and telephone number. After the six-day trip, we can go back to New York by plane. I hope to see you soon. Bill How many days does Bill stay in Beijing? A. For three days. B. For four days. C. For five days. D. For six days. Answer: D There once was a zoo worker named Charlie. He really liked his job that allowed his to meet new people every day and take care of zoo animals. One day, Charlie showed up at the zoo that he worked at and saw that a turtle had escaped! He quickly picked up the radio and told all of the other workers to look out for the missing Turtle named Brian. Because of this, the zoo had to close down for the whole day! They were trying so hard, but still could not find any clue to where the turtle went. Finally, a girl named Samantha went on the radio and said that she found Brian eating lettuce in the Polar Bear cage. She also told everyone that the Polar Bears were protecting Brian! For hours, the zoo team tried to find a way to get Brian out of the cage without getting hurt themselves. Charlie finally had an idea. He was going to take a stuffed turtle from the gift shop, sneak into the cage, put the Polar Bears to sleep for a little bit, and then place the stuffed turtle where Brian was eating his lettuce. Charlie's plan worked, but the Polar Bears woke up and weren't happy! They took the stuffed turtle and ripped it up! Samantha went to find some fish to make them happy again as Charlie told Brian the turtle to never run off again. Why did the zoo have to close down? A. There was a turtle missing B. The zoo worker became ill C. They ran out of lettuce D. The lions were angry Answer: A
Thousands of people pass through the gates of Disney's entertainment parks in California, Florida and Japan each year. What makes these places an almost universal place of interest? What makes foreign kings and queens and other important people want to visit these Disney parks? Well, one reason is the way they're treated once they get there. The people at Disney go out of their way to serve their "guests", as they prefer to call them, and to see that they enjoy themselves. All new employees, from vice presidents to part-time workers, begin their employment by attending Disney University and taking "Traditions I". Here, they learn about the company's history, how it is managed, and why it is successful. They are shown how each department relates to the whole. All employees are shown how their part is important in making the park a success. After passing "Traditions I", the employees go on to do more specialized training for their specific jobs. No detail is missed. A simple job like taking tickets requires four eight-hour days of training. When one ticket taker was asked why it took so much training for such a simple and ordinary job, he replied, "What happens if someone wants to know where the restrooms are, when the parade starts or what bus to take back to the campgrounds?...We need to know the answers or where to get them quickly. Our constant aim is to help our guests enjoy the party." Even Disney's managers get involved in the daily management of the park. Every year, the mangers leave their desks and business suits and put on special service clothes. For a full week, the bosses sell hot dogs or ice cream, take tickets or drive the monorail , and take up any of the 100 jobs that make the entertainment park come alive. The managers agree that this week helps them to see the company's goals more clearly. All these efforts to serve the public well have made Walt Disney Productions famous. Disney is considered by many as the best mass service provider in America or the world. As one longtime business observer once said, "How Disney treats people, communicates with them and rewards them, is the very reason for his fifty years of success... I have watched with great admiration, the theory and practice of successfully selling satisfaction and serving millions of people on a daily basis. It is what Disney does best." The first day they come to Disney parks, all new employees _ . Taj Mahal, Agra, India As many as 28 different varieties of semi-precious and precious stones were used to decorate the outside of the Taj Mahal. Construction of the Taj Mahal took around 20 years. The building, which was made from white marble from the quarries of Rajasthan, appears pink in the morning, white in the day and golden in the moonlight. Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, Japan It took 10 years to construct the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. It connects the city of Kobe, on Japan's mainland, with Iwaya on Awaji Island. Before it opened, the only way to get between the two cities was ferry. However, the waterway was prone to severe storms and when two ferries capsized in 1955, killing 168 people, public anger convinced the government of the need for a bridge. It's the longest suspension bridge in the world, with a length of 1,991 meters. Panama Canal, Panama More than 4.5 million cubic yards of concrete were used in the construction of this canal's locks and dams. The Panama Canal is a 77-kilometer (47-mile) long waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The earth and rubble excavated to make way for it was enough to bury Manhattan to a depth of four meters. A series of locks allow ships to pass through the water; each of the moveable lock doors weighs 750 tons and each of the locks fills with 52 million gallons of water to accommodate the 15,000 ships that use the canal every year. Completion date: January 7, 1914 after 10 years of building. Grand Canyon Skywalk, Arizona, America The Skywalk's foundation is strong enough to support 71 million pounds. Located 1, 219 meters above the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon's Skywalk consists of one million pounds of steel and 83,000 pounds of glass. It was the creation of Las Vegas businessman David Jin, who approached the Hualapai Tribe with the idea of a glass walkway over the Grand Canyon in 1996. The Skywalk was assembled on site. Completion date: March 28, 2007. The Japanese government decided to build the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge _ . American author Mark Twain once noted that "life would be surely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18." Twain's words were only one of many complaints about aging. The ancient Greek poet Homer called old age "hateful", and William Shakespeare termed it "terrible winter". Alexander the Great, who conquered most of the known world before he died around 323 B.C., may have been looking for a river that healed the of age. During the 12th century A.D., a king called Prester John ruled a land that had a river of gold and a fountain of youth. But the name linked most closely to the search for a fountain of youth is 16th-century Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon. He thought it would be found in Florida. In St. Augustine, the oldest city in the U.S., there's a tourist attraction. It is said to be the fountain of youth that Ponce de Leon discovered soon after he arrived in what is now Florida in 1513. However, elderly visitors who drink the spring's water don't turn into teenagers. But the tale of the search for a fountain of youth is so appealing that it survives anyway, says Ryan K. Smith, a professor of history. "People are more attracted by the story of looking and not finding than they are by the idea that the fountain might be out there somewhere." Still, a few grains of truth have helped to support . Kathleen Deagan, a professor of archaeology, says a graveyard and the remains of a Spanish mission dating back to St. Augustine's founding in 1565 have been discovered near the so-called fountain of youth. Michelle Reyna, a spokesperson for the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, says the fountain has been a tourist attraction since at least 1901 and may have been attracting visitors since 1860. What is the attitude of people towards the fountain of youth _ ? Becoming a teacher is one of the best ways to make a difference in the life of a child and even older students. Here are some great scholarships and grant opportunities to get the ball rolling on your dreams of becoming a teacher. Straightforward Teacher Program This is one of the most popular and unique scholarships available for students working towards becoming teachers. The foundation offers their scholarships every three months as opposed to each year. During each payment, four students receive a $500 scholarship. Prezell Robinson Scholarship Program While this scholarship is available only to students in the state of North Carolina, it is so incredibly helpful that many students choose to study in the state for the only purpose of receiving it. It is offered to college students who come from low-income high schools or families that are interested in pursuing a long term career in education at any level. New York State Scholarship Program Officials in the state of New York founded this program to award students who want to give back to their community through their ability to teach. The catch for this scholarship is that the students must be pursuing a teaching career in mathematics or science at the secondary level. Also, because the program was designed to improve the education system in New York, the candidates must sign a service contract agreeing to work full time within the state for at least five years after graduation. Coca-Cola Scholarships You may have many opportunities for grants and scholarships through The Coca Cola Foundation. There is the Coca Cola Teaching Foundation that will provide free money for students pursuing an education in the teaching field. This is the most obvious for teachers, but do not be afraid to check out their other offers. Funds For Teachers Not all scholarships or grants are for students entering or already in college. The Funds for Teachers scholarships are for graduates who are already working in the field, but want to improve their possibilities, skills and education in an effort to increase their ability to teach the students that cross their path more effectively. Teachers in PreK through 12th grade are applicable no matter where they teach or what subject they specialize in. Which scholarship goes to the student who must be a science or math teacher after graduation? This is a song millions of Americans will hear this New Year's Eve. It is called Auld Lang Syne (<<>> ). It is the traditional music played during the New Year's celebration. Auld Lang Syne is an old Scottish poem. It tells about the need to remember old friends. The words "auld lang syne" mean "old long since". No one knows who wrote the poem first. However, a version by Scottish poet Robert Bums was published in 1796. The words and music we know today first appeared in a songbook three years later. The song is played in the United States mainly on New Year's Eve. The version you are hearing today is by the Washington Saxophone Quartet. As we end our program with Auld Lang Syne. I would like to wish all of our radio friends a very Happy New Year! This is Buddy Thomas. ,. What's Auld Lang Syne about?
Is this a car? Is it a smart phone? Is it a gaming machine? Yes to all three. The Toyota Fun-Vii is a pleasure palace on wheels. If Toyota has its way, paint jobs could become a thing of the past, because it has introduced an amazing car that can change its whole look in an instant. The Vii in Fun-Vii, which stands for "Vehicle, Interactive, Internet" It is a small three-seater car that looks like a smart phone, so it is called a smart phone on wheels.Inside and out, most aspects of the car can interact with the internet and be controlled by a smart phone.The magical car allows the owners to download pictures from their phones onto the outside, so that the look of the car could be changed instantly.The color inside could also be changed to reflect the owner's mood.Just as the company president Akio Toyoda said, "A car must appeal to our emotions.If it's not fun, it's not a car." Its outside and inside are not made of solid paint but touch screens that can display pictures and videos.A network update function downloads all the latest software to make sure the car is always up-to-date, and it can provide the latest entertainment as well as information about its surroundings to the driver.As you drive around, the thoughtful car allows you to communicate with your friends in the nearby cars.It also helps you find your way from one place to another. It's all because the car is networked with all the other cars on the road and drives itself. The smart car is a practical, family sized vehicle fuelled by hydrogen, and it is one of the futuristic concept cars under the theme of "fun to drive, again".It heralds a not-too-distant future where people, cars and society are linked. We can infer from the text that the Fun-Vii _ . Answer: will make car paint industry face a difficult situation Henry works in a factory. He comes from a poor family and was in school for only four years. He has to do the hard work, but he hasn't got much money. He likes to watch football matches very much and spends much time on it. One evening there was a big football match on a playground. He borrowed some money from his friend and hurried there. There were a lot of people there. And all the tickets were sold out. He was sorry for it. He saw a pole outside the playground and climbed up it quickly. A policeman came and said, "It's dangerous to stay on it! Come down!" "Wait a minute, please!" Henry said and just at that moment the policeman heard cheers in the playground and asked in a hurry, "Which team has kicked a goal?" "Ours!" "Wonderful! You can stay there. But take care!" the policeman said happily and left. When the match was nearly over, he came again and asked, "Who's won?" "Theirs, 3:2." "Come down," said the policeman angrily. "Such a match isn't worth watching!" Henry had to come down. But soon they heard cheers again. The policeman said anxiously, "Climb up and quickly and see who's kicked a goal!" From this passage, we know _ are football fans. Answer: both Henry and the policeman. Body language shows all kinds of feelings and is sometimes more important than spoken language.A smile is a usual facial expression----it shows that you are friendly to others. However, it does not always mean that you are happy. A smile can hide other feelings, like anger, fear, or worry. In most countries, nodding the head up and down shows agreement, while shaking the head means that you do not agree, or that you would not like to do something. If you stand holding your arms across your chest, you may be protecting yourself---just from a conversation you do not want! If you sit looking at the person you are talking to and then turn toward to him, it shows that you are interested. If you roll your eyes and turn your head away, most likely you do not believe what you are hearing, or you do not like what you hear. _ , nodding heads up and down shows he agrees with you. Answer: In most countries During which phase change is heat energy absorbed by a substance? Answer: liquid to gas It was not yet eleven o'clock when a boat crossed the river with a single passenger who had obtained his transportation at that unusual hour by promising an extra fare. While the youth stood on the landing-place searching in his pockets for money, the ferryman lifted a lantern, by the aid of which, together with the newly risen moon, he took a very accurate survey of the stranger's figure. He was a young man of barely eighteen years, evidently country bred , and now, as it seemed, on his first visit to town. He was wearing a rough gray coat, which was in good shape, but which had seen many winters before this one. The garments under his coat were well constructed of leather, and fitted tightly to a pair of muscular legs; his stockings of blue yarn must have been the work of a mother or sister, and on his head was a three-cornered hat, which in its better days had sheltered the grayer head of the lad's father. In his left hand was a walking stick, and his equipment was completed by a leather bag not so abundantly stocked as to inconvenience the strong shoulders on which it hung. Brown, curly hair, well-shaped-features, bright, cheerful eyes were nature's gifts, and worth all that art could have done for his adornment . The youth, whose name was Robin, paid the boatman, and then walked forward into the town with a light step, as if he had not already traveled more than thirty miles that day. As he walked, he surveyed his surroundings as eagerly as if he were entering London or Madrid, instead of the little metropolis of a New England colony. The boatman was willing to take Robin across the river because _ . Answer: he would give extra money
Diamonds may be forever. But what's a girl to do when she gets dumped or divorced and those rings, necklace and love gifts lose their emotional sense? Help is just a click away on new Web sites that provide an outlet for selling jewelry from past relationships, sharing break-up stories and helping broken hearts heal . "You go through a divorce. What do you do with that ring? Maybe you have a child you can pass it on to. Maybe you don't. It just sits there, " said Megahn Perry, who with her stepmother Marie Perry runswww.exboyfriendjewelry.com. Three months after its start with the slogan "You Don't Want It. He Can't Have It Back," the web site has 3,000 registered users and more than 600 postings of rings, bracelets and earrings for sale--all with a personal tale attached. As one woman posting a diamond ring for $3,500 wrote: "Beautiful ring came with a wrong man. Decided to sell to regain the money that I spent finishing payments on the ring that my ex didn't." The idea was born when Megahn Perry, a Los Angeles actress and writer, was looking for a safe place to sell a wedding set after a divorce and realized others might have former boyfriends' jewelry with memories that make them too painful to wear. The local pawn shop proved an unattractive choice. So she teamed up with her stepmother Marie, researched the market and found a _ in it. How long is it since the start of this website? More than one-third of adults in the United States are obese .In fact,over obesity has reached such proportions that one big-city mayor has gone about banning large-sized,sugary soft drinks and the First Lady has been on a campaign to control the dietary offerings in public schools. Even many adults who do not fit the clinic definition of obesity are still overweight,and a large percentage are looking for the best ways to lose weight. Reducing pounds largely comes down to the two-sided factors of diet and exercise.Not carrying out the first one enough,and not getting enough of the second one,ends up giving the individual a recipe for being overweight. Advising someone to eat less and exercise more might be the easiest advice possible,but it's also,partially,an oversimplification.Dieting has more to do with the types of food you eat than how much you eat.Reduce the amount of red meat in your diet.If you don't want to eliminate red meat altogether,choose cuts of meat with less fat content.Limit your intake of salt and starches.If you've got to have potato chips alongside your sandwich at lunch,choose the baked potato chips that contain less fat than the deep-fried chips.You might find you're really not sacrificing that much in terms of taste. A diet rich in fruits,vegetables,egg whites,fish and nonfat dairy products will certainly aid in the mission of losing weight.Drink more water and less sugary drinks.If you have to have a soda,a diet soda is a better option,but seltzer is an even better choice than that. It's important--if not always easy--to make sure you get at least some physical activity each and every day.If your feet won't allow for a regular jogging regimen,then make sure you take lots of walks.Next time you need to mail a letter,walk to the mailbox instead of driving.Try to work in a daily walk in your neighborhood. You should _ when you want to lose weight One night I was sitting in my room half-listening as my 15-year-old brother Tommy fought with my 12-year-old brother Kevin. I didn't pay attention when Kevin rushed up the stairs with the hurt on his face. About 20 minutes later, as I was walking upstairs I heard Kevin crying inside the bathroom. I knocked on the door and asked, "Hey Kevin, do you want to talk?" No answer. I tried again, "Why don't you come out of there?" Again, no answer. So, joking around, I grabbed a stack of cards and a pencil and wrote, "If you don't want to talk, we can write notes to each other." An hour later I was still sitting on the floor outside the bathroom with two stacks of cards in front of me. One was blank and one was cards from Kevin on which he had translated all his _ feelings into words for me. As I read one of Kevin's notes, tears came to my eyes. It said, "Nobody in this family cares about me. I'm not the youngest, and I'm not the oldest. Tommy thinks I'm silly and Dad wishes he had the other Kevin as a kid because he's better at basketball. And you're never around to even notice me." Tears came to my eyes as I wrote back to him. "You know Kevin, I really do love you and I'm sorry I don't always show it. I am here for you and you are loved in this family." There was no answer for a while, but then I heard a tearing sound coming from inside the bathroom. Kevin, who had run out of cards wrote on a torn paper cup. "Thanks." I wrote back "For what?" it returned to me with "Loving me" on it. Since then, I try my best to never only half-notice my family members any more. Kevin and I have a closer relationship now. And sometimes when one of us notices that the other is upset, we'll smile and say "Write it on a paper cup." What do we know about the writer? Being the boss might mean more money and challenging work but it can also cause damage to physical and mental well-being, according to a Canadian study. For years studies have shown people in lower-status jobs generally have higher rates of heart disease and other illnesses and die earlier than those in higher-status positions while job authority has shown no relationship with workers' health. But University of Toronto researchers, using data from 1,800 US workers, found the health of people in higher positions is affected by work as they are more likely to report conflicts with co-workers and say work disturbs their home life. However, the positive aspects of having a power position at work, such as higher status, more pay and greater independence, seemed to cancel out the negative aspects when it came to people's physical and psychological health. These latest findings, reported in the journal Social Science & Medicine, suggest that the advantages and disadvantages of authority positions basically cancel each other out, giving the general impression that job authority has no health effects. For the study, the researchers surveyed participants about various aspects of their work, life and well-being. Job authority was judged based on whether a person managed other employees and had power over hiring, firing and pay. Physical health complaints included problems like headaches, body aches, heartburn and tiredness. Psychological complaints included sleep problems, difficulty concentrating and feelings of sadness, worry and anxiety. "This isn't to suggest that having authority is 'bad' -- in fact, we show it has benefits ... but it is important to identify the negative sides and deal with them." researcher Scott Schieman said. Schieman said conflicts with co-workers or involvement of work into home life may destroy physical and mental well-being by creating stress. "These are key stressors that can tax individuals' ability to function effectively," Schieman said. Work will have a negative effect on job authority's health probably because _ . Plants brought to the western United States from the eastern United States often die because of
Question: In the near future, we may be using our eyes to operate our smartphones and tablets, even when it comes to playing popular games like Fruit Ninja. The GazeGroup has been developing eye-controlled computer technology for nearly 20 years. But those devices have been mainly designed to aid those with disabilities, and are very expensive. "After a while, we figured out that probably the best way is to go for a mass-market approach," says Gaze's Sune Alstrup Johansen, "where everybody would have this available." Johansen and some of his colleagues have formed a new company, The Eye Tribe, which is hoping to develop the technology on a mass commercial level. The technology works by sending an infrared light from the computing device toward the user's face. After measuring the user's eye movements, the technology is then able to easily know where a person's eyes are moving, allowing the eyes to control a cursor . A software can determine the location of the eyes and tell where the user is looking on the screen. It even knows which image he is looking at. There has been a gradual change toward hands-free technology in recent years, particularly in the gaming world. Following Nintendo's popular Wii system, Xbox released the Kinect device, which lets users control their Xbox and play certain games using only their hands, legs and voices. Since most smartphones and other mobile devices can't come standard with an infrared device, Johansen said a replaceable filter would be an inexpensive, convenient choice for most consumers. And even as companies like The Eye Tribe work to create a commercially practical product for the average user, making the eye-controlled technology more accessible and less expensive will have similar benefits for disabled users. "Then I can go to any computer, and then I can control it and I can use it, instead of just bringing my own," said Stig Langvad, who heads up Denmark's umbrella organization for people with disabilities. "So I'll be a part of society on an equal foot, instead of being a special solution." We can learn from the passage that _ . A. the Kinect device was released earlier than Nintendo's Wii system B. cheap eye-controlled devices completely changed the gaming world many years ago C. the development of eye-controlled computer technology began a very long time ago D. with no help of special devices, a large number of people are now using their eyes to operate devices Answer: C Question: Washington: A research conducted at the University of Maryland looks at the numerous complex reasons as to why young children decide to include or exclude other kids from their group of friends. It suggests that the kids' decision-making process is much more complex than previously believed. "They take into account group information, ranging from cliques and networks, when deciding what makes a group work well. Sometimes kids are excluded because they lack social skills, but a lot of time it has nothing to do with that. Instead it has to do with what we refer to as 'group membership' such as gender, race, nation, and culture," says Professor Melanie Killen, the Associate Director of the Centre for Children Relationships and Culture at Maryland, who led the 4-year project. Reporting their findings in the journal, the researcher said whatever was the reason, individuals who experienced long-term exclusion from the group of friends suffered from depression, anxiety and loneliness. The study looked at two models to define how children make decisions regarding acceptance of other kids in their group -- the individual social _ model and the inter-group social cognition model. While the former says that children's rejection occurs due to social deficits like shyness, wariness or fearfulness, the latter says that it happens because of group dynamics, prejudice and exclusion. It was also found that the age of children was also a factor that influenced their decisions regarding other kids' acceptance as friends. "With age, kids become more aware of group dynamics, conventions, customs, and rituals. With this comes a greater concern about group functioning, which can lead to exclusion which can be negative from a social justice viewpoint," says Killen. The researcher believes that her study may have many benefits, as it could provide insights into how to help when children are rejected by their peers. While making friends, kids think more about the following EXCEPT _ . A. social skills B. culture C. race D. gender Answer: A Question: Jo was the first to wake in the gray dawn of Christmas morning. No stockings hung at the fireplace, and for a moment she felt as much disappointed as she did long ago, when her little sock fell down because it was crammed so full of goodies. Then she remembered her mother's promise and, slipping her hand under her pillow, drew out a little red-covered book. She knew it very well, for it was that beautiful old story of the best life ever lived, and Jo felt that it was a true guidebook for any pilgrim going on a long journey. She woke Meg with a "Merry Christmas," and asked her to see what was under her pillow. A green-covered book appeared, with the same picture inside, and a few words written by their mother, which made their one present very precious in their eyes. Presently Beth and Amy woke to find their little books also, one grey-color1ed, the other blue, and all sat looking at and talking about them, while the east grew rosy with the coming day. "Girls," said Meg seriously, "Mother wants us to read and love and mind these books, and we must begin at once. I shall keep my book on the table here and read a little every morning as soon as I wake, for I know it will do me good and help me through the day." Then she opened her new book and began to read. Jo put her arm round her and, leaning cheek to cheek, read also, with the quiet expression so seldom seen on her restless face. Much impressed by the pretty books and her sisters' example, the other two started reading too. And then the rooms were very still while the pages were softly turned, and the winter sunshine crept in to touch the bright heads and serious faces with a Christmas greeting. "Where is Mother?" asked Meg, as she and Jo ran down to thank her for their gifts, half an hour later. "Your ma went straight off to see what was needed in a poor woman's home." Replied Hannah, who had lived with the family since Meg was born, and was considered by them all more as a friend than a servant. "She will be back soon, I think, so fry your cakes, and have everything ready," said Meg, looking over the presents which were collected in a basket and kept under the sofa, ready to be produced at the proper time." "There's Mother. Hide the basket, quick!" cried Jo, as a door slammed and steps sounded in the hall. The girls rushed to the table, eager for breakfast. "Merry Christmas, Mummy! Thank you for our books. We read some, and mean to every day," they all cried happily together. "Merry Christmas, little daughters! I'm glad you began at once, and hope you will keep on. But I want to say one word before we sit down. Not far away from here lies a poor woman with a little newborn baby. Six children are huddled into one bed to keep from freezing, for they have no fire. There is nothing to eat over there, and the oldest boy came to tell me they were suffering hunger and cold. My girls, will you give them your breakfast as a Christmas present?" They were all unusually hungry, having waited nearly an hour, and for a minute no one spoke, only a minute, for Jo exclaimed excitedly, "I'm so glad you came before we began!" Then the four girls put the cream, the muffins and the buckwheat bread into a big basket. "I thought you'd do it," said Mrs. March, smiling as if satisfied." You shall all go and help me, and when we come back we will have bread and milk for breakfast, and make it up at dinner time." They were soon ready, and the procession set out. A poor, bare, miserable room it was, with broken windows, no fire, ragged bedclothes, a sick mother, crying baby, and a group of pale, hungry children cuddled under one old quilt, trying to keep warm. How the big eyes stared and the blue lips smiled as the girls went in. "Ach, mein Gott! It is good angels come to us!" said the poor woman, crying for joy. "Funny angels in hoods and mittens ," said Jo, and set them to laughing. In a few minutes it really did seem as if kind spirits had been at work there. Hannah, who had carried wood, made a fire and stopped up the broken panes with old hats and her own cloak . Mrs. March gave the mother tea and gruel , and comforted her with promises of help, while she dressed the little baby as tenderly as if it had been her own. The girls meantime spread the table, set the children round the fire, and fed them like so many hungry birds, laughing, talking, and trying to understand the funny broken English. That was a very happy breakfast, though they didn't get any of it. When they went away, leaving comfort behind, there were not in all the city four merrier people than the hungry little girls. They gave away their breakfasts and contented themselves with bread and milk on Christmas morning. Why was Jo disappointed for a moment? A. Because she couldn't find her stockings. B. Because her stocking hung at the fireplace disappeared. C. Because she couldn't find her parents' present. D. Because her stocking wasn't full of goodies as she wished. Answer: C Question: Dear Editor; Why do newspapers carry so many advertisements for electronic equipment? Last Sunday I counted ads for seven kinds of televisions and thirteen kinds of radios in the Atlanta Journal. Besides that, there were pages and pages of ads for Citizens' Band radios and tape recorders. Don't you realize what electronic equipment is doing to our daily life? Everywhere you go you may hear loud musician advertisements over radios; this continual noise is ruining our ears. Husbands don't talk to wives any more; they are always watching the news or a ball game. Children ruin their eyes (not to mention their minds) with endless hours of watching not only the programs for children but those for grown-ups as well. And worse, hidden microphones find out about our private lives, and computers keep records of personal information about us. Enough is enough! I think you should limit the amount of advertising of electronic equipment in the Atlanta journal. Otherwise it will make life unbearable for us all. Atlanta Journal is the name of _ . A. a department store B. a shop that sells electronic equipment C. a local newspaper D. a hotel where the writer stayed Answer: C Question: Mr Brown is one of my friend . He can run very fast and likes to show people how fast he can run . One day , a thief got into his house , took some of his things and ran out of the house fast . Mr. Brown found it and ran after him , and shouted ,"Hey ! Don't you know you can't get away from me ?" But the thief ran much faster . Mr. Brown got angry and ran faster , too . He was soon a few kilometers away from his house . He was running hard when he met me. " Why are you running so fast ?" I asked , " I want to catch a thief ." said Mr. Brown "But where is the thief ?" I asked . " Kilometers and kilometers behind ." Said Mr. Brown proudly . " He thought he could run faster than me , but you see he is wrong ." Who ran faster , Mr. Brown or the thief ? A. Yes, Mr. Brown . B. No, the thief . C. Mr. Brown D. The thief. Answer: C
Jerry Baldwin was 63 years old. He was manager of a pizza restaurant in America. He lived in an apartment about one mile north of the restaurant. He walked to and from the work. When it was rainy, he took the bus. Jerry loved gangster movies. When a new one came out, he would go to the theatre and watch the new movie three or four times. Jerry would also buy videos at Barney's Video Store. Jerry had a home collection of over 1,000 gangster videos. Old ones, new ones, color, black and white, English, Spanish, Japanese - he loved them all. He could tell you the names, the directors, the stars and all the details of the movies. And then he would invite you to his place to watch a gangster film some time. He was a nice man. Jerry finally decided that he would like to own a gun, just like the gangster. So he saved money for some months. Then he went to a gun store and bought a used revolver for $ 300. While there, he also bought a lot of bullets . The following Saturday morning, he went to the gun club for only ten minutes when the accident happened. The gun went off, and the bullet went into Jerry's right knee. Some of the videos came from _ . England This is my first day at our new school. In the morning, I help my new teacher Mr Hu put some new English textbooks into a big box. And then I carry it to the classroom. The box is very heavy. I walk very slowly with the big heavy box in my arms. A boy runs very fast to me. He can't stop. Oh, dear! My box drops on the floor and there are books everywhere on the floor. "I'm very sorry," the boy says again and again. He helps me to pick up all the books. He then helps me to carry the books to our classroom. Who is he? He is my classmate. His name is Jim. He comes to China with his father. He is from England. Jim and I are _ . in the same class Birds in cities are damaging their health by trying to sing above the noise of urban life. New research shows that male birds are trying to compete against traffic and city sounds.They are now singing louder and at higher frequencies,which could harm their vocal cords .Some birds are choosing to sing at night instead of during the day.This makes them more open to attack and also creates stress and exhaustion. "The difference between urban and rural birdsong is becoming so big that the two groups could now be unable to communicate.This could lead to inbreeding and a weak gene poo1."said Dr Sue Anne Zollinger of the.University of St Andrews. According to Zollingar,a bird group with a small gene pool might adapt less quickly to new diseases and could be wiped out. A study of the dawn chorus found that birds in Berlin sang up to 14 decibels louder than those in the forest.The birds sang loudest on weekday mornings. "By trying to sing over the sound of the city,birds ale rising vocal injury,"said Zollinger."All this puts the same strain on a bird's vocal cords as when a human need to shout to be heard--except that the birds are doing it all day,every day,"she said. "Singing under such pressure means birds have less control over the sound they produce.Their songs may lose quality and become more rough--sounding."said Zollinger.This could make them appear less attractive to female birds. Mark Constantine,author of The Sound Approach to Birding,said:"Birdsong is important for our quality of life and has been proved to reduce our blood pressure.When we live in the centre of large,urban areas,we get stressed and it's extremely good to have birdsong around us.The impact on humans of birdsong is massive.It harms us,as well as the birds,if their songs become louder and simpler. Some birds in cities now choose to sing at night time because _ . they can't adapt to the loud noises during the daytime Kids at the Interlake School Division were the first Canadian students to take part in a program to send experiments to the International Space Station.(ISS). Jordan Schott and three other sixth grade students came up with the idea to test royal jelly in space . Their experiment came very close to be tested on the space station. "We were seeing if we could send it to space, and if it would lose its nutritional value" faster and or slower, "said Schott. Schott is one of the 18 students in the Space Knights Club at Woodlands Elementary School, part of the Interlake School Division. Over 450 students from the Division took part in the program. "I thought we were just students and we couldn't do much in the way of that. It's a way to communicate with people up there ," said Braeden Clark, a seventh grade student who is also in the club. The astronauts shared what they learned with their school with a full day of activities all about science and space. Teacher Maria Nickel is the organizer of the club. She said the day was great for students to learn what they could do. "Space is one of those great things that get kids excited, but it also gives them the chance to do so much. They can be an astronaut; they can be an engineer, "She said. The day was held in honour of Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut now in the Internal Space Station. "It gives kids someone more to look up to. Here's a real hero to look up to who's doing it all, doing it through education," said Nickel. Jordan Schott thinks it's really cool. "To me it seems so cool how people can go up to space, and science is something I've always liked," She said. Schott says she wants to follow in the footsteps of Hadfield and be an astronaut when she gets older. One of the winning experiments in the competition was produced by students from Argyle, Manitoba. It will travel to the space station in the fall of 2013. What's the main idea of the text? Kids carry out experiments for the ISS. Students made lemonade using the following recipe: 100 grams of lemon juice 100 grams of sugar 1,000 grams of water The students combined the lemon juice, sugar, and water in a container. They stirred the lemonade until all the sugar dissolved. They poured the lemonade into a plastic tray and put the tray in a freezer. The next day, the students removed the tray from the freezer and observed that the lemonade was a solid. What is the mass of the solid lemonade? 1,200 grams
Heating ice A. changes it's chemical make-up B. will leave a puddle C. requires a deep freezer D. makes it even colder Answer: B Hair has always been an important sign of beauty. This is especially true for women. Next to the face, hair is one of the main qualities people look for when they consider a woman's beauty. Whether long or short, curly or straight, hair often gets a lot of attention. Each hair on a person's head grows from a single tube-like hole in the skin called a follicle. People are born with all of the hair follicles they are ever going to have. The average person has about one hundred thousand hair follicles. _ begin to form around the third month of pregnancy. Each hair grows independently of other hairs. There are three periods of hair growth. Not all hairs experience the same period of growth at the same time. The period of active growth is called Anagen. During this period, hair grows at a rate of about three tenths millimeters a day, or one centimeter a month. About 85 percent of hair follicles are going through this process at any given time. This period can last from two to six years. The Catagen period of hair growth comes next. It is then that hair growth begins to slow down. This period usually lasts two or three weeks. Finally, hair growth comes to a complete stop and the hairs begin to fall out. This period is known as Telogen. It affects about 15 percent of all hairs at a time. On average, a person loses between 50 and 100 hairs every day. Since each hair grows at a different rate, this process is overlooked. Once the Telogen period has ended, the hair growth process begins again. Anagen is the period when _ . A. hairs grow the fastest B. hairs grow at a different rate C. hair growth comes to a stop D. 85 percent of hairs are growing Answer: A Western films play an important role in the history of American films. They are set in the American West. Most of the heroes are from famous novels. They speak highly of people's spirit, courage and building everything all by themselves. Early western films were mostly filmed in the studio, just like other early Hollywood films. With the development of technology, it began to be filmed at movie ranches from the 1930s. Often, the vast _ becomes a character in the film. After the early 1950s, various wide screen technologies began to be used. During this time, the most typical western films focused on huge plains, soldiers or tourists, they were always the most handsome men. Until recent times, western films seem to be a little out of date. For example, the guns are always some old ones. They were frequently used in films set in the 1870s. In the late 1960s, things began to change. Some new guns began to show in the films. According to the passage, which of the following sentences is NOT true? A. They are set in the American West. B. Western films only focused on soldiers. C. Early western films were mostly filmed in the studio. D. Guns are an important part in these films. Answer: B "Why do we have to learn this useless thing?" Of all the questions I have heard from my students during my years in the classroom, this was the one most frequently asked. I would answer it by telling them about an experience I once had. It was an experience I had with a students, who I shall call Alan, early in my teaching career. When Alan was in the eighth grade, he majored in "trouble". He had studied how to be a bully and was getting his master's degree in "thievery". Every day I had my students memorize a famous saying from a great thinker. No one complained about this daily routine more than Alan -- right up to the day he was dismissed. Then I lost touch with him for five years. Then one day, he called. He told me that after being sent to juvenile prison , he hated himself so much that he had cut his wrists with a knife. He said, "You know what? Mr. Schlatter, as I lay there with my life running out of my body, I suddenly remembered that useless saying you made me write twenty times one day. 'There is no failure except in no longer trying.' Then it suddenly made sense to me. As long as I was alive, I wasn't a failure, but if I allowed myself to die, I would most certainly die a failure. So with my remaining strength, I called for help and started a new life." At the time he had heard the saying, it as a pebble which made no sense to him. But when he needed guidance in a moment of difficulty, it had become a diamond. And so it is to you. I say, gather all the pebbles you can, and you can count on a future filled with diamonds. What can we learn from the passage? A. Remembering some saying from great thinkers is very important. B. Alan is not a good student because he didn't memorize the sayings. C. Sometimes the small thing in the life may become a wise guidance when we are in trouble. D. Try to collect as many pebbles as we can because they will become shining diamonds one day Answer: C Schooling Matters March 25, 2014 Chengdu Michelle Obama You see, the truth is that I grew up like many of you. My mom, my dad, my brother and I, we lived in a tiny apartment in Chicago, which is one of the largest cities in America. My father worked at the local water plant... While we certainly weren't rich, my parents had big dreams for me and my brother. They had only a high school education themselves, but they were determined to send us both to universities. So they poured all of their love and all of their hope into us, and they worked hard. They saved every penny. And I know that wasn't easy for them, especially for my father. You see, my father had serious illness called multiple sclerosis . And as he got sicker, it got harder for him to walk, and it took him longer to get dressed in the morning. But no matter how tired he felt, no matter how much pain he was in, my father hardly ever missed a day of work, because he was determined to give me and my brother a better life. And every day, like so many of you, I felt the weight of my parents' sacrifices on my shoulders. Every day, I wanted to make them proud. So, while most American kids attend public schools near their homes, when it was time for me to attend high school, I took an exam and got into a special public high school where I could get a better education. But the school was very far from my home, so I had to get up early every morning and ride a bus for an hour, sometimes an hour and a half if the weather was bad. And every afternoon, I'd ride that same bus back home and then immediately start my homework, often studying late into the night - and sometimes I would wake up at 4:30 or 5:00 in the morning to study even more. And it wasn't easy. But whenever I got tired or discouraged, I would just think about how hard my parents were working for me. And I would remember something my mother always told me - she said, "A good education is something that no one can take away from you." The passage can be sorted as a _ . A. self-introduction B. short story C. news report D. speech draft Answer: D
Apollo For lovers of the arts, Apollo is a truly necessary magazine. Covering the ages and the great civilizations of the world, Apollo brings you well-illustrated yet academic articles by internationally famous scholars, as well as information on exhibitions and sales. Experience five monthly issues for as little as PS5 each. The Guardian Weekly gives you a global view with articles from four of the world's most respected newspapers. Read the news from different views and draw your own conclusions on the stories shaping our world. Try it for 3 months for just PS15.55. Plus get a free copy of The Guardian Year 2004. New Internationalist Full of excellent writing and photography, the NI covers one key subject each month, from Terrorism to Poverty to Climate Change. Reporters from around the globe provide you with a comprehensive world view. PLUS: masses of fresh reports and stories to keep you up-to-date on world affairs. 3 months free and free World Map. The Week is the only weekly summary giving you the best of the British and foreign newspapers in just 35 pages. Designed to be read in just 1 hour, it provides you with everything you need and want to know. Try The Week now with 13 issues for just PS13.75. If you decide it's not for you, just tell us within the first 6 weeks and you can get your money back. It is possible that most of the readers of the four magazines are _ . Answer: grown-ups Asexually produced offspring are genetically Answer: identical to the parent I have a rule for travel: Never carry a map. I prefer to ask for directions. Foreign visitors are often puzzled in Japan because most streets there don't have names. In Japan, people use _ in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, "Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop." In the countryside of the American Midwest, usually there are not many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat . In many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distance. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, "Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile." People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map: They measure distance by means of time, not miles. "How far away is the post office?" you ask. "Oh," they answer, "It's about five minutes from here." You say, "Yes, but how many miles away is it?" They don't know. People in Greece sometimes do not even try to give directions because visitors seldom understand the Greek language. Instead of giving you the direction, a Greek will often say, "Follow me." Then he'll lead you through the streets of the city to the post office. Sometimes a person doesn't know the answer to your question. What happens in this situation? A New Yorker might say, "Sorry, I have no idea." But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers, "I don't know." People in Yucatan think that "I don't know" is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A visitor can get very, very lost in Yucatan! One thing will help you everywhere -- in Japan, in the United States, in Greece, in Mexico, or in any other place. You might not understand a person's words, but maybe you can understand his body language. He or she will usually turn and then point in the correct direction. Go in that direction, and you may find the post office! In the passage, _ countries are mentioned by the writer. Answer: four Claude and Louris are "giraffes". So are police officers Hankins and Pearson. These men and women don't look like giraffes; they look like you and me. Then, why do people call them "giraffes"? A giraffe, they say, is an animal that sticks its neck out, can see places far away and has a large heart. It lives a quiet life and moves about in an easy and beautiful way. In the same way, a "giraffe" can be a person who likes to "stick his or her neck out" for other people, always watches for future happenings, has a warm heart for people around, and at the same time lives a quiet and beautiful life himself or herself. "The Giraffe Project" is a 10-year-old group which finds and honors "giraffes" in the US and in the world. The group wants to teach people to do something to build a better world. The group members believe that a person shouldn't draw his or her head back; instead, they tell people to "stick their neck out" and help others. Claude and Louris, Hankins and Pearson are only a few of the nearly 1,000 "giraffes" that the group found and honored. Claude and Louris were getting old and they left their work with some money that they saved for future use. One day, however, they saw a homeless man looking for a place to keep warm and they decided that they should "stick their neck out" and give him some help. Today, they lived in Friends' House, where they invite twelve homeless people to stay every night. Police officers Hankins and Pearson work in a large city. They see crimes every day and their work is sometimes dangerous. They work hard for their money. However, these two men put their savings together and even borrowed money to start an educational center to teach young people in a poor part of the city. Hankins and Pearson are certainly "giraffes". The Giraffe Project is a group _ . Answer: which appeared ten years ago Chicken soup has long been a comfort food for people with cold symptoms. Whether the remedy comes from the warmth and comfort of the soup or from actual cold-fighting ingredients in the meal, it is still up for debate. Chicken Soup: Just the Evidence _ The heat, salt, and hydration provided by chicken soup may actually fight the cold virus. Laboratory studies have shown that ingredients of chicken soup with vegetables could kill viral cells and prevent the growth of new ones. The soup may also provide an anti-inflammatory effect that helps reduce cold symptoms. Unfortunately, the benefits of chicken soup appear to be limited by how quickly the soup leaves the body. There is no indication that chicken soup would help in the prevention of colds, but its use as a remedy for symptoms is common. It is largely a safe remedy with no ill side effects, and scientific evidence points more in favor of its cold-fighting properties than against it. The Downside of Chicken Soup Evidence in support of chicken soup's antiviral properties is not yet solid enough to prove true, reliable medicinal effects. Although the evidence based on personal experiences and existing research seem to support a good effect of chicken soup, a clinical trial would be very difficult to perform. In addition, some people with food allergies or sensitivities to salt may experience ill side effects from chicken soup. Unbroken bones may also lead to a chocking risk, particularly for children. However, the potential benefits of chicken soup seem to far outweigh the possible risks. What's the author's opinion on chicken soup? Answer: It is good for people with colds to have chicken soup.
Studying volcanoes is a demanding profession. Hazel Rymer frequently has to struggle through rainforests, climb to the top of mountains, then climb 200 metres into the crater of active volcanoes. But the 38-year-old volcanologist does her best to make it sound less alarming than it is. "Driving to work is more risky," she insists. "And the deepest I go into the crater of a volcano is about 300 metres," she adds, trying to make it all sound as ordinary as taking the dog for a walk. Hazel has been studying volcanoes for a long time, so it's not surprising she is used to the danger. Her interest in volcanoes began at school. A teacher gave her a book about Pompeii. "I remember reading about the eruption of Vesuvius and the destruction of the city," she explains. "The thought of all those people just frozen in time had quite an effect on me and I am still excited by their dangerous beauty today." Nowadays, volcanoes are getting more and more unpredictable. There have been many changes in sea level caused by global warming and melting ice caps. _ have resulted in some dormant volcanoes erupting, so studying them is more dangerous than ever before. Hazel says that although she doesn't take any unnecessary risk she has had some frightening moments. Her worst experience was on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, when she was slowly surrounded by lava. "I had a choice of walking ten hours to get around the lava flow or just walking across it," she explains. She chose to pick a path across the cooler rocks in the lava stream. "I guess it was five metres. The flow was 1,000degC, so if you hesitated your boots would begin to melt. It was scary, but it really was a practical decision --- there wasn't time to do anything else." And what about the future? "I haven't been to the volcanoes in Indonesia yet. And I would love to spend some time working in the Antarctic," she says. "I would also like to know why quiet lava flows erupt from some volcanoes and why other volcanoes go bang." In other words, Hazel Rymer won't be exchanging her volcanoes for the relative safety of driving to work just yet. When did Hazel first become interested in volcanoes? A. When she was visiting Italy. B. When she was at school. C. When she was twenty. D. When she saw Vesuvius. Answer: B. When she was at school. I was born an albino.No one in my family had ever known what an albino was,what it meant to be an albino,and what had to be done differently because I was an albino. My parents treated me just like they treated everybody else.That was just about the best thing they could have done.It helped me trust myself,so when the annoyances came along,I could deal with them. True,my photo always looked like a snowball with two pieces of coal for eyes.Kids would tease me,asking if I was joining the circus and calling me "Whitey".Like most albinos,I had terrible eyesight,and my grades suffered until eventually I overcame my feeling ashamed of myself and realized it was okay to ask to sit in the front of the classroom so I could see the blackboard better.People stared at me when I held reading material right at the tip of my nose so I could see it well enough to read.Even when I was eight or nine.movie-theater clerks started asking me to pay adult prices because I "looked older". The worst part for me was that because my eyesight was so bad,I couldn't play sports very well.I didn't give up trying,though.And I studied harder. Eventually,I got better at school and loved it.By the time I got to college 1 was double majoring,going to summer school and devoting myself to every kind of extracurricular activity I could find.I had learned to be proud of being an albino.I did my best to make "albino" a positive word.And I decided to make my living with my eyes. I couldn't see well enough to play spots,but with a solid education and the drive to do it.I could make a living involved in the field I loved.I've done it now for more than thirty years in print and in video,and now in cyberspace.People make jokes about how I'm the only "blind editor" they know,but most of the time the jokes are signs of respect.And I make jokes about being an albino. I was just a proud albino kid from the coal country of Pennsylvania.I now realize that being born an albino helped me to overcome difficulties,gain confidence,and be proud of my personal achievement and humble about my professional accomplishments. What is an albino according to the passage? A. Someone with bad eyesight. B. Someone with some kind of disease. C. Someone who looks older than his age. D. Someone who joins the circus. Answer: B. Someone with some kind of disease. There are some very good things about open education. This way of teaching allows the students to grow as people, and to develop their own interests in many subjects. Open education allows students to be responsible for their own education, as they are responsible for what they do in life. Some students do badly in a traditional classroom. The open classroom may allow them to enjoy learning. Some students will be happier in an open education school. They will not have to worry about grades or rules. For students who worry about these things a lot, it is a good idea to be in an open classroom. But many students will not do well in an open classroom. For some students, there are too few rules. These students will do little in school. They will not make good use of open education. Because open education is so different from traditional education, these students may have a problem getting used to making so many choices. For many students it is important to have some rules in the classroom. They worry about the rules even when there are no rules. Even a few rules will help this kind of students. The last point about open education is that some traditional teachers do not like it. Many teachers do not believe in open education. Teachers who want to have an open classroom may have many problems at their schools. You now know what open education is. Some of its good points and bad points have been explained. You may have your own opinion about open education. The writer thinks that open education is a good idea, but only in theory. In actual fact, it may not work very well in a real class or school. The writer believes that most students, but of course not all students, want some structure in their classes. They want and need to have rules. In some cases, they must be made to study some subjects. Many students are pleased to find subjects they have to study interesting. They would not study some subjects if they did not have to. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage? A. Some traditional teachers do not like it. B. Many teachers do not believe in open education. C. Teachers may have problems in open classrooms. D. The teacher's feelings and attitudes are important to the students. Answer: D. The teacher's feelings and attitudes are important to the students. It's three thirty in the afternoon at Raynham Primary School in London. Students are ready for their after-school math lesson. Thousands of kilometers away, their math tutors are also arriving for class. Each pupil gets an online tutor. The students work on their computer screen and wear a headset to talk to their tutor. Their classroom teacher, Altus, says he has seen an improvement in results. Nine-year-old Samia says she enjoys the online lessons. She said, "It helps me because sometimes when we're doing it in class, I don't hear the teacher very much and I don't understand, but online is better." Tom Hooper started the company. It provides the online tutoring. The company is called Bright Spark Education. Children today feel very confident online, so they enjoy their learning. Online tutoring costs between twenty and twenty-five dollars an hour. An online tutor is about half the cost of traditional face-to-face tutoring. Bright Spark Education says the online tutoring is used only as an addition to the regular teaching. The company says its service doesn't _ the teachers' jobs in Britain. Some parents say they are pleased with the results. But some students still hate math. Even with the latest technology to teach it, math is still not everyone's favorite subject. Why does Samia like to learn online? _ A. Because the tutor is only for her. B. Because she likes playing on the screen. C. Because it's cool. D. Because she can hear the tutor clearly. Answer: D. Because she can hear the tutor clearly. There are a lot of things you can do to help in your community, whether with your mom's chores, or if a friend is upset. Here are some little things you can do to give a helping hand. Be a volunteer. Being in charitable organizations is a great way to help the poor, like giving away food or money. You can also donate money on some charitable website like Tencent Charity. Put yourself in another person's shoes. It can give a strong reason to help someone else if you show your sympathy. It is the best way to show people that you really care about someone. Try to offer first. When people need your help, they'll probably ask you first. But if you have the chance, try to offer to help before they ask you. This will show that you are willing to help from the start. Think about what might happen if you don't help. More people will feel sad if you just leave them when they need you, you don't want to see people unhappy, do you? It's always nice to lend a hand. You should offer help first because _ . A. people don't ask for help B. you can get more chances C. people need help from the start D. it shows you are willing to help Answer: D. it shows you are willing to help
Five teens from Sarasota, Florida, are making music from garbage. The Garbage-Men band's instruments are made from recycled objects. The guitars are boxes. A horn is made from pipes. The keyboard is formed from old bottles. The band started about two years ago. Jack Berry decided to make a playable, homemade guitar. After some trial-and-error, he ended up building it from a cereal box, a yardstick and toothpicks. After Jack showed his creation to his friend Ollie Gray, Ollie had the idea to form a band using other homemade instruments as a way to promote recycling. "We want to show people there is more to recycling than throwing things away in the bin ," Jack, 16, said, "You can actually reuse materials." Ollie, 15, plays drums made from trash cans. Evan Tucker, 15 (bass guitar); Harrison Paparatto, 15 (horns and violin); and Austin Siegel, 15, (keyboard), round out the band. The Garbage-Men plays at local events around Sarasota, including festivals, farmer's markets and community fundraisers. Typically, the teens will set up on the street and perform popular songs from the 1960s, including classic Beatles tunes and people's favorite "Wipe Out," by The Surfaris. In between sets, they talk about recycling the offer tips for how to help the environment. while they perform, Jack's little brother Trent, 11, gives out flyers about recycling and helps sell the band's CD and other merchandise. The band donates the money from sales to charity. They have raised more than $2,500 for Heifer International. The organization gives farm animals, seeds and agricultural training to people in poor countries to help end poverty and hunger. The band--all tenth graders--tries to play a gig for America's Got Talent. The teens hope to eventually take their show on the road by touring in other states. "Music is a really good way to get a good message across to people because it's really accessible," Jack says. Their instruments may be garbage, but their message isn't. Who first had the idea to organize the Garbage-Men band? A Jack Berry B Ollie Gray C Evan Tucker D Harrison Paparatto Answer: B. Ollie Gray 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. ,. When is Tom's birthday? A October 8th. B October 7th. C November 7th. D November 8th. Answer: A. October 8th. Britain has laws to make sure that women have the same chances as men in education, jobs and training. But it's still unusual to find women doing dirty or heavy jobs. Nikki Henriques is a car _ engineer in London. She used to be a secretary. Barty Philips, a journalist with "The Observer", a Sunday newspaper, asked her why she wanted to work with cars. "My first reason was independence ," she said. "I also wanted to use my hands, and I like learning about how things work. Many people prefer to have a woman repair their cars, too." Nikki didn't find it easy to become a car maintenance engineer. She went to a Government Skill Centre--a special sort of college where people can learn a new job for twenty weeks. "For ten weeks I was the only woman among four hundred men, and some of them were rude to me. It was also very tiring--from 8 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon, with only 30 minutes for lunch." Now Nikki works free-lance, that is, she's self-employed, working for herself and not for a garage or a company. Barty Phillips also spoke to Rose, who works as a general builder in Sheffield, an industrial town in the north of England. Like Nikki, Rose used to be a secretary. "I didn't enjoy it at all." she said. "I wanted to do more practical work, and I wanted to be self-employed." Rose joined a women's building co-operative, and she learnt her job from other people and from experience. However, many of the women in her group have been specially trained. Most of the jobs they do are improvements to buildings and general repairs. "People often say, 'Oh, women aren't strong enough,' but I don't think strength is important." said Rose, "The important thing is to get used to doing a different sort of work." Rose would like more women to come into the building industry. "Everything built at the moment is a product of man's world. If women become builders, they will be able to understand the production of their house and their towns." The best title for this passage might be _ . A Nikki Henriques, a car maintenance engineer B Rose, a General Builder in Shefield C Women at Work D British Women Answer: C. Women at Work Early this morning, I got up to make a batch of Rice Krispie Treats for my neighbor across the hall. She barely greets me when we see each other, and her sweet little boy, who's now four, has picked up her mother's manner and will not talk to me, either. Last Monday, she had called the firefighters when a pan I'd forgotten on the stove caused my flat to fog up while I was out taking a walk. When I came home, the street in front of our apartment house was blocked by a police car, a fire truck and an ambulance! The instant I saw them, I remembered the pan! Luckily, nothing serious had happened, and all my neighbors agreed with the firefighter who said, "It could have happened to anyone." When I thanked the neighbor who had called the firefighters-let's call her Ivy-and apologized for causing the trouble, she just asked if my cats were all right.When I said they were fine, she said, "Well, that's ok then," and turned into her flat.l felt strangely safe, knowing that even though we don't get along, she'd done the right thing and didn't blame me.So, the Rice Krispie Treats. Last Christmas, my neighbor carelessly let it out that she was holding a grudge towards me because of an incident we'd had four years ago.I had particularly apologized and asked if there was anything I could do to improve our relationship. She would not accept my apology. It had taken me a lot of courage to apologize and ask that question instead of insisting that we both shared responsibility for what had happened.Her flat-out refusal to make amends really shocked and saddened me.After that, I decided I'd just leave her be-a relationship takes two to work.So, you see, I was really scared she was going to refuse my offer again, leaving me standing on her doorstep, facing the closed door and holding my plate of treats. I know some people have a hard time understanding how the possibility of rejection can make an adult so afraid, but that's just the way I felt. Then, I reminded myself of how loving and good I had felt yesterday when I'd done some random acts of kindness (thanks to helpothers.org), after telling myself: Feet the fear, and do it anyway! So I put the squares of Rice Krispie Treats on a beautiful plate, opened my apartment door-and there she was, standing in the hallway.I smiled and said, "Hi," but when she saw me, she turned on her heels and went back inside, even though she seemed to have just stepped out.I went after her, regardless, and quickly said, "I'm sorry, I've got something for you ! I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am that you were paying attention on Monday." When she heard me speaking, she turned around. As I held the plate towards her, explaining these were very sweet American treats, and that she could just try and see whether she and her family would like them, her eyebrows winged up-and she took the plate.l was so happy and excited.We then talked a bit about how she'd become aware of the smoke in my flat, and parted ways. Back in my place, I did a "happy dance", because I had dared to be kind even though I hadn't been sure at all my kindness would be welcome.I do hope that our relationship will slowly get better; I know I was and still am biased towards her at times, but even if we don't make amends, I want to be able to be kind without depending on other people's behaviors and reactions . After the writer said "Feel the fear, and do it anyway!", she decided to _ . A do an act of kindness B leave her neighbor be C apologize to her neighbor once more D do something to let her neighbor down Answer: A. do an act of kindness An exploratory robot was sent to the planet Mars. The gravity on Mars is weaker than the gravity on Earth. Compared to the mass and weight of the robot on Earth, the robot on Mars has A less mass and weight. B less mass but equal weight. C equal mass but less weight. D equal mass and weight. Answer: C. equal mass but less weight.
It is reported that today in China, 50% of people who write blogs do so as a personal diary and 83% use their blogs for sending messages to friends. It is also found that there is a strong East-West difference. In places like the US, blogs that offer information on news attract more readers but in China, blogs are more likely to be about sharing personal feelings. It seems that bloggers can be divided into three types: IT bloggers, bloggers who record their ordinary feelings and media bloggers. When blogging first started, the IT people had the technological advantage and they took the chance to put their thoughts on the web. Some of these IT people read their blogs. The next wave of bloggers did not have any training as writes or in IT and wrote about normal daily life. Media bloggers, however, are trained writers, such as journalists and editors. When the many media bloggers showed up, the everyday blogs lost most of their readers. Media bloggers have the advantage of knowing how to communicate well through the written word. However, the normal bloggers are still out there and increasing in number. It seems that blogging is the new way to express your feelings. People feel like the world is listening to, or rather reading, their problems, even if they are not . How does the writers feel about the subject? Answer: We can't tell since he/she is just reporting facts. A person can get sick when eating a vegetable if it was farmed using Answer: insect destroyers Which type of force requires contact between two objects for one to push or pull the other? Answer: frictional forces slowing down a rolling soccer ball "Let the world know China and let China know the world." I can't remember exactly where I have seen this slogan in Beijing. Considering the simple fact of the wish people have for learning foreign languages and the number of people going abroad each year, everyone can tell how hard China and Chinese people are trying to know the world. But I didn't know how equally important and urgent it is for the world to know China until I came to the UK. In the self-introduction during our first class in a PhD course, when I told them I wanted to finish the degree as soon as I could and then go back to China, the British students looked at me in both surprise and disbelief. Their idea is that everybody who comes to the UK, including the Chinese, will stay here to look for a better life and that this is the only place where one can find a better life. When I asked my friend for advice about buying a new car, she looked at me, asking in surprise, "A new car?" Later I found out that her surprise was because of the popular image of Chinese students: either too poor or too economical. When we Chinese students for the first time joined the monthly performance hour of the department and sang some traditional songs and gave a short humorous introduction, all the teachers and students were surprised. To them, Chinese students are so serious and shy. These ideas have been because of the fact that Chinese students are sometimes not seen among the students. So "let the world know China" should no longer remain an empty slogan. It is something we all should do, home and abroad, and something we should do with confidence and openness. The general image of Chinese students in British students' mind is _ . Answer: very poor or economical Recently we've had a popular department store open in our area. It's been the talk of the town for months. On about the third day of the grand opening, I thought I'd stop by to check it out. I noticed right away that the parking area was very busy. As I was about to exit my car, a lady was about to enter her car to leave. She was parked on the opposite side of me and there was a four way stop behind our parking areas. As the lady tried to back out to leave, some of the shoppers were extremely rude to her. They shouted and beeped their horns at the lady and she had a look of terror on her face. She looked at me and threw up both of her hands as if she didn't know what to do. I gestured for the lady to put her window down and I told her that she was doing just fine. She smiled and seemed to relax. I then became her rear view mirror as it was hard for her to see behind her while backing out of the parking space. As I watched for safety, she was able to back out enough to drive forward. At this point, she was smiling broadly!She thanked me many times. I felt that many of the other drivers weren't sympathetic enough toward. I was happy to help that lady. Besides that, who knows, we may have avoided a potential accident with this simple act of patience and kindness. Compared with the writer, what the other drivers lacked was _ . Answer: patience and wisdom
American actress Marisa Tomei won an Academy Award for her work in the 1992 movie My Cousin Vinny. People laughed when they saw her film character telling a boyfriend that they need to get married. Why marriage? Because her biological clock is ticking and she wants a baby. "Well I hate to bring it up because I know you got enough pressure on you already. But...we agreed to get married as soon as you won your first case(law case). Meanwhile, ten years later...my niece...the daughter of my sister is getting married. My biological clock is ticking like this (stomp, stomp, stomp). And the way this case is going...I ain't never getting married." "Lisa, I don't need this. I swear to God I don't need this right now." Using it this way, a biological clock means the time in a woman's life when she is able to bear children. In the not-so-distant past, most people thought that when a woman reached her 40s it was too late for her to have children. The time on her biological clock had run out. Well, that has changed. These days some women are resetting their biological clocks. They are giving themselves more time to have children. Make no mistake. Being a "Single Mother by Choice" is very different from younger women who find themselves pregnant, perhaps not by choice. Generally speaking, single mothers by choice are older and well educated. They are usually financially secure and successful in their careers. So, they have the money. What they may not have is a partner. This is the place in life where writer Kerry Reichs found herself several years ago. She says she did not plan to become a single mother. She says she just did not find the right partner. "Well, I think I had a set of standards for the partner I was looking for and I didn't meet anyone that fit those standards. And, at 39 I found myself single, without children and I wanted them very much. So, I made the difficult decision that I could do this on my own. What does "Single Mother by Choice" mean? It means single women in their late 30s or early 40s decided to have children. If you go to visit London,you will see a lot of buses and cars on the road,you will also see a lot of bikes because more people travel by bike.Why? There are a lot of reasons for this.First,it's very cheap to buy a bike,and riding bikes is quick, too.You often need to wait for a bus for half an hour.When the bus comes,there are so many other buses and cars on the roads so the bus moves very slowly.The underground train is quick but very expensive. I travel to work by bus for about four years.I often arrive at work late and feel tired.Then one day , a friend of mine says, "I go to work by bike,why don't we travel together?""Because my bike's old,"I answer,"and there are so many buses and cars on the road.I feel afraid...""Don't be afraid!"says my friend,"If you follow me and we ride slowly,you will be fine." Two days later I buy a new bike.We go slowly, but we arrive at work quickly. I spend 40 minutes going by bus, but only half an hour by bike! Now I love riding a bike. And I feel healthy. Many people think my idea is good and maybe you'll see more bikes on the road in the future. Many people think in the same way as I do.That's why you see a lot of bikes on the road.Who knows,perhaps in the future we'll have roads for bicycles only.I hope so! Which of the following is TRUE? Buses,cars and bikes run on the road in London. Sound can travel through the sky When Emily Beardmore first heard that a trip was being planned by the biology class at Windsor High School, she thought about how much fun it would be. "I thought it would be a really good experience to go with other friends and teachers to another country in an environment other than a vacation environment," the 17-year-old girl said. A few months later, Emily got her chance when she and 14 of her classmates, along with biology teacher Tamara Pennington went to Costa Rica for eight days in late May. "It was not just a tour," said Pennington, who organized the trip. "You can go any place in the world on just a tour. This one was really working with the sea turtles and practicing conservation . It just seemed like the perfect science field trip for kids who think they want to get into science to see what it's really like to be out in the field and enjoy themselves." Emily said her time on the turtle program, which was the focus of the trip, was "crazy." "We were walking on the beach at night and you can't see anything--just see a big black dot." She said with a laugh. "I was not expecting the turtles to be that big." The turtles are leatherback turtles, which are becoming extinct because their eggs are used as food. "When they would move their legs while laying their eggs they were really hard to control because they were a lot more powerful than you would imagine," Emily said. Once the eggs were collected, the students took them back to a hatchery and dug holes to copy the hole the mother turtle had made and then buried the eggs for the 60 days needed to hatch. "The experience was so cool," Emily said. "You go to another country to see what their culture is like and learn what their everyday lives are like. It made me really want to help out my mom a lot more than I do, and value what I have." What did Emily learn from her experience? She understood the importance of what she had. Growing up in town, I classified myself as a "city girl." I had very little knowledge about farming and rural areas, but all of that changed six years ago when my mother and stepfather married and we moved to my stepfather's farm. Surrounded by cows and cornfields, I was unsure of what to do. However, I did enjoy the beauty and peace of the countryside. On the farm, I helped with odd jobs like feeding cows. When I was old enough to get a real summer job, my step-father said I could choose between two options--getting a job at our local Dairy Queen or selling produce that I grew on our farm. While I came up with a short list of pros for working at the fast food restaurant, I found more advantages to selling produce. Yet I realized the numerous disadvantages to selling produce: responsibility for the success or failure of the operation, early mornings, and long days. At last, I decided to start my own farming business. My stepfather and I began planning in March. Together we chose three varieties of seeds, prepared the land, and planted the first batch of sweet corn at the end of April. Throughout the spring, my stepfather continued to plant sweet corn every two weeks as I rode in the tractor with him. The sweet corn needs taking great care while growing. As the corn was putting forth ears, we applied fertilizer and sprayed pesticide to prevent worms. I watched them grow taller and taller, dreaming about the money I would soon make. We planned to harvest and sell the corn at our local farmer's market. It sounded easy and looked good on paper, but it worked out a little differently. Nonstop rain delayed the harvest by a week or so. When my sweet corn was finally ready to pick, I found that a pack of raccoons had visited the field at night, ruining about half of it. We picked what was still good and prepared for market. This was it--my first day at market! I was excited to see my hard work finally pay off. I loaded my materials into the pickup truck and arrived early at the farmer's market to find a good spot. There were many customers and several other tradesmen. Probably because I was young and new, potential customers would look at me and smile, then head straight to my competitor, Mrs Cates, who had been in the market for years and had an established following. At the end of the first day, about half of my corn was left, so I donated it to a local homeless shelter and went home disappointed. Soon I noticed that Mrs Cates and her crew did not arrive at the farmer's market until about 11 am. So I decided to show up an hour earlier. This meant that we had to start picking corn at 6 am, no easy task with teenage workers. But the effort paid off; I was selling half of my corn before Mrs Cates arrived and most of it by the end of the day. Although the farmer's market was only open three days a week, the corn needed to be picked and sold daily because it would not keep. On days the farmer's market was not open, I developed a marketing plan that included sending e-mails to family and friends. I also went to local businesses to sell corn and distribute business cards. Customers began calling, and I took orders over the phone. Before I knew it, I had a loyal following. I stayed busy by making weekly and sometimes daily deliveries to these businesses while maintaining my produce stand at the farmer's market. Then something wonderful happened. I had made more money than any of my friends with typical teenage jobs. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I see people buy produce from me. After the author settled down on the farm . she was not accustomed to the new surroundings
Question: Airport Information Name:Copenhagen Airport Location: Located 8km southeast of Copenhagen(capital of Denmark) No. of terminals:4 Disabled facilities: Copenhagen Airport is physically accessible throughout. Wheelchair-accessible toilets and reserved seating are provided and dedicated parking spaces are available. Passengers with disabilities are requesited to inform their airline in avdance about their needs. Car Parking: There are more than 10,000 car parking spaces in short-, medium- and long-term car parks at Copenhagen Airport. The P6, P7, and P8 areas offer short-term options directly linked terminals 2 and 3. Medium-term rates are avaiable in P1, P2, P5, P8, P10 and P12, which are all ly near the terminal buildings. Economy long-term parking is available at P15 and P17, a little further from the terminals (free tasnsit buses sre provided). The airport parking office is located between Terminals 2 and 3 and is open 24 hours. Public Transport Rail; There are direct high-speed trains to Copenhagen Central station(journey time: 14 minutes; fare; Kr36), as well as a number of other destination in Denmark and Sweden. The station and ticket office are situated in Terminal 3. Metro: The Metro M2 line connects to the city center (journey time: 14 minutes;fare: Kr24). The station is situated in Terminal 3, from which tickets can be purchased. Bus: Several buses(5A, 35 and 36)run from Copenhagen Airport to the city center(journey time: about 55 minutes; fare:Kr 30)and beyond. Taxi: Taxis are readily available from ranks outside the arrival areas of Terminal 1, 2 and 3. The ride into Copenhagen takes about 15 to 20 minutes, and prices start from Kr250. Which is the fastest and cheapest way to the city center? A. By Metro B. By rail C. By bus D. By taxi Answer: A. By Metro Question: In the first half of this century, which technology allowed people, for the first time, to work IN the city but live OUTSIDE the city? A. airplanes B. automobiles C. telephones D. television Answer: B. automobiles Question: For many years, the school students have to finish some homework during their winter and summer holidays. But with the fast development of the Internet, some students have found a new way to deal with their homework recently. Instead of finishing their homework by themselves, they ask the Internet for help. Since most of the holiday homework is the same from school to school, this makes it possible for some people to sell the homework answers on the Internet. Usually one must pay about 50 to 100 yuan for the answers for one subject of the homework. A survey shows that 90% of the students complain their homework is too much and they don't want to do it by themselves. To solve the problem, some schools have stopped using the standard homework and turned to other forms of homework. As for students, they must remember "No pains, no gains". If today they pay for their homework answers, perhaps one day they will pay more for their laziness . The price of the answers for one subject is _ . A. 90 yuan B. about 100 yuan C. about 50 yuan D. about 50 to 100 yuan Answer: D. about 50 to 100 yuan Question: One morning, teachers arrived to find the little country schoolhouse swallowed in flames. They dragged an unconscious little boy, who went to start the fire in the old-fashioned coal stove to heat, out of the flaming building more dead than alive. He had major burns over the lower half of his body and was taken to a nearby county hospital. From his bed the dreadfully burned, semi-conscious little boy faintly heard the doctor talking to his mother. The doctor told his mother that her son would surely die -- which was for the best, really -- for the terrible fire had ruined the lower half of his body. But the brave boy didn't want to die. He made up his mind that he would survive. Somehow, to the amazement of the physician, he did survive. When the deadly danger was past, he again heard the doctor and his mother speaking quietly. The mother was told that since the fire had destroyed so much flesh in the lower part of his body, it would almost be better if he had died, since he was doomed to be in a wheelchair all lifetime with no use at all of his lower limbs . Once more the brave boy made up his mind. He would not be a disabled man. He would walk. But unfortunately from the waist down, he had no motor ability. His thin legs just hung there, all but lifeless. Ultimately he was released from the hospital. Every day his mother would massage his little legs, but there was no feeling, no control, nothing. Yet his determination that he would walk was as strong as ever. When he wasn't in bed, he was confined to a wheelchair. One sunny day his mother wheeled him out into the yard to get some fresh air. This day, instead of sitting there, he threw himself from the chair. He pulled himself across the grass, dragging his legs behind him. He worked his way to the white fence bordering their lot. With great effort, he raised himself up on the fence. Then he began dragging himself along the fence,resolved that he would walk. He started to do this every day until he wore a smooth path all around the yard beside the fence. There was nothing he wanted more than to develop life in those legs. Ultimately through his daily massages, his iron persistence and his resolute determination, he did develop the ability to stand up, then to walk slowly, then to walk by himself -- and then to run. He began to walk to school, then to run to school, to run for the pure joy of running. Later in college he made the track team. Still later in Madison Square Garden this young man, the great athlete, Dr. Glenn Cunningham, ran the world's fastest mile! Which word can best describe Glenn Cunningham according to the author? A. Miserable B. Unfortunate C. Determined D. Disabled Answer: C. Determined Question: Nobody knows who invented the pencil or when it was invented. A Swiss described a pencil in a book in 1565. He said it was a piece of wood with lead inside it . Pencils weren't popular, and people continued to write with pens. In 1795,someone started making pencils from graphite and they became very popular. Today, people make pencils in the same way. They make the graphite into the shape of a stick, and then they put it inside a piece of wood. One pencil can make a line as long as 55 kilometers. When people first wrote with pens , they had to put the penpoint into ink after every few letters. Later someone invented a fountain pen and this kind of pen could hold ink inside. A fountain pen can write several pages before you have to fill it again. Two brothers, Ladislao and Georg Biro, invented the ballpoint pen that we use today. They left their country Hungary and started producing ballpoint pens in England in 1943 during World War II. Later, a French company called Bic bought the Biro's company. Someone calls ballpoint pens bics. Australians call them biros. Whatever we call them, we use them every day. When did the pencil become popular according to the passage? A. In 1565. B. In 1655 C. In 1795 D. In 1943. Answer: C. In 1795
Harvard student Julie Zauzmer turned 20 on January 22, and her birthday couldn't have been better: She got to working the overnight shift at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter. That might seem an extraordinary act of selflessness for someone turning 20. But there's increasing evidence that commitment to community service is becoming much more ordinary to today's young adults. "Young adults are doing more volunteer service than in any point in history,'' said Scott Seider, an assistant professor of education at Boston University who studies the civic development of young adults. At Harvard, the Winthrop Street Homeless Shelter is one of 86 social service programs associated with the Phillips Brooks House Association, which is a student-run nonprofit organization. Students can work with deaf children, bring pets to nursing homes, and prepare Chinese students to become US citizens, and so on. Volunteerism develops well outside of colleges, too. Applications to AmeriCorps have risen to a very high level, jumping from 91,399 in 2008 to 258,829 in 2010. City Year, which puts young people in high-poverty schools as tutors and mentors for at-risk students, has had a 140 percent increase in applications since its 2007-2008 service year. Citizen Schools, which uses volunteers to work with students in middle schools, has had a 28 percent jump in applicants between 2008 and 2009. "Most of my friends know it's their duty to give back before they settle down,'' said Samantha Wolf, a 23-year-old Boston University graduate serving with City Year in a Mattapan school. City Year corps member Antonio Gutierrez, 22, graduated last year from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., and is applying for admission to law schools, but this year he is tutoring and mentoring students at the Blackstone Elementary School in the South End. "I grew up in similar circumstances,'' said Gutierrez, who said he was a weak student until enrichment programs changed his academic trajectory . Raised by a single mother in low-income housing across the street from City Year's South End Headquarters, he used to watch the red-jacketed corps members come and go, and decided to become one someday. What do we know about Antonio Gutierrez? A He wants to give back as a volunteer. B He has always been an excellent student. C He never expected to become a volunteer. D He now works as a teacher. Answer: A In colleges around the country, most students are also workers. The reality of college can be pretty different from the images presented in movies and television. Instead of the students who wake up late, party all the time, and study only before exams, many colleges are full of students with pressing schedules of not just classes and activities, but real jobs, too. This isn't a temporary phenomenon.The share of working students has been on the rise since the 1970s, and one-fifth of students work yearround. About one-quarter of those who work while attending school have both a full-courseload and a full-time job. The arrangement can help pay for tuition and living costs, obviously. And there's value in it beyond the direct cause: such jobs can also be critical for developing important professional and social skills that make it easier to land a job after graduation. With many employers looking for students with already-developed skill sets, on-the-job training while in college can be the best way to ensure a job later on. But it's not all upside. Even full-time work may not completely cover the cost of tuition and living expenses. The study notes that if a student worked a full-time job at the federal minimum wage, they would earn just over $15,000 each year, certainly not enough to pay for tuition, room, and board at many colleges without some serious financial aid. That means that though they're sacrificing time away from the classroom, many working students will still graduate with at least some debt. And working fulltime can reduce the chance that students will graduate at all, by cutting into the time available for studying and attending classes. There is little reward for attending but not finishing college. Students who wind up leaving school because of difficulty in managing work and class are likely to find themselves stuck in some of the same jobs they might have gotten if they hadn't gone at all. The difficulty of working too much while in school can create a cycle that pushes students further into debt without receiving any of the financial or career benefits. According to the passage, the reality of college students is that _ . A they throw parties a lot B they stay up late every night C they pay no attention to exams D they work besides attending classes Answer: D In the United States, it is important to be on time , or punctual , for an appointment , a class, a meeting, etc. However, this may not be true in all countries. An American professor discovered the difference while teaching a class in a Brazilian university. The two-hour class was scheduled to begin at 10 A.M. and end at 12. On the first day , when the professor arrived on time, no one was in the classroom. Many students came after 10:30 A.M. Two students came after 11 A.M. Although all the students greeted the professor as they arrived, few apologized for their lateness.Were these students being rude? He decided to study the students' behavior. The professor talked to American and Brazilian students about lateness in both an informal and a formal situation:at a lunch with a friend and in a university class, respectively.He gave them an example and asked them how they would react, If they had a lunch appointment with a friend,the average American student defined lateness as 19 minutes after the agreed time,On the other hand.the average Brazilian student felt the friend was late after 33 minutes. In an American university, students are expected to arrive at the appointed hour.In contrast, in Brazil,neither the teacher nor the students always arrive at the appointed hour.Classes not only begin at the scheduled time in the United States,but also end at the scheduled time.In the Brazilian class, only a few students left the class at 12:00;many remained past 12:30 to discuss the class and ask more questions.While arriving late may not be very important in Brazil , neither is staying late. Why did the professor study the Brazilian students'behavior? A He felt puzzled at the students' being late. B He felt angry at the students' rudeness. C He wanted to make the students come on time later. D He wanted to collect data for one of his studies. Answer: A One of its worst ever mass shootings in America occurred on Friday when 20 children and six adults were shot dead by a gunman who opened fire at an elementary school in Connecticut. The gunshot at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, about 65 miles north-east of New York, is understood to have been carried out by a gunman, who was later found dead at the scene. State policeman Paul Vance said 18 children died at the scene and two more died in hospital Six adults were found dead at the school, Vance said.The bodies of the victims remain inside the school. In an emotional press conference at the White House, Barack Obama suggested that he may take action.Fighting back tears, he said: "We've tolerate too many of these tragedies in the past few years.And each time ] learn the news I react not as a president, but as anybody else would as a parent.And that was especially true today.I know there's not a parent in America who isn't in the same overwhelming sorrow that I am." Referring to a number of major shootings this year alone, Obama continued: "Whether it's an elementary school in Newtown, or a shopping mall in Oregon, or a temple in Wisconsin, or a movie theater in Aurora, or a street comer in Chicago - these neighborhoods are our neighborhoods, and these children are our children.And we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics." From the speech, we can infer that Obama is _ . A serious and supportive B confused and worried C delighted and satisfied D sad and determined Answer: D I work in a busy Emergency Room( E. R. ) . This weekend, I had a patient who was very nervousand paranoid. After looking at his chart, I saw that he was seeking treatment for alcoholism. There is an immediate prejudice against substance abuse in my E. R. One -we do not have a detox facility.The people seeking treatment for addiction are sometimes looked down on as being less worthy of treatment than other serious physical " ailments" . At first glance, I found out that the man was now somewhere in his mid-thirties, was very weak and had a generally aggressive character. He could not sit still and had a cough. He had not had a drink in four days. His hands were shaking and there was a scared look in his eyes. He told me that he began drinking about age 11 when his mother supplied him with it. He had tried to quit many times before but had not been able to." So . what's different this time ?"I asked. "Because I'm starting to be mean to the people I love, but now I don't want to be. I ca:n see that I'm changing into something else. " That answer helped change my attitude toward him. I could see the pain behind his eyes. Behind the appearance, there was a terrified person whose goodness was being claimed by the alcohol. He was desperate for help, but not so sure that his condition could be changed. I, thank this man for showing me that the goodness is dressed in all sorts of disguises . Sometimes we have to undress it. It's worth doing. My patient was admitted to the hospital for help ,despite us not having a detox facility. How long has the man been drinking? A 20 years B 11 years C Over 30 years D Over 20 years Answer: D
London is my favorite city in the world and it's a place that draws me back to it again and again. My first trip to London at the age of 19 was my first solo trip anywhere. I found a home stay program in one of my guidebooks so I spent my first several days staying on the out streets of London near Ealing Broadway. Each morning the older lady I was staying with would come into my room and place a cup of tea by my bedside and then wake me up so I could have breakfast and start my day of sight-seeing. It was like having my own British grandmother. On that first trip to the UK, which was three weeks long, I decided to spend a week in London and then the rest of the time in Liverpool with a pen pal of mine. Well, after traveling up to Liverpool and spending two days with him, I found we really weren't such great friends after all, so I decided to take the boat from Liverpool to Dublin and make my way to County Galway to see my family. Partly, I wanted to go to Ireland. And partly, I just wanted to get away from my pen pal and couldn't afford a whole week on my own in England, so family to the rescue! After a great week in Galway with my s, I went back to London for a few more days and ended up staying with some s there I didn't even know I had. One of the funny things about that entire trip was that every single day when I was in London it rained. The only time it didn't rain was the week I spent in Ireland. The writer spent most of his days in Answer: White House Tours Members of the public can visit the White House now. Requests must be made through one's Member of Congress . These self-guided tours are available from 7:30 am to 11:00 am Tuesday through Thursday, 7:30 am to 12:00 pm Fridays, and 7:30 am to 1:00 pm Saturdays (except for holidays). Requests can be made up to six months in advance and no less than 21 days in advance. All White House tours are free. If you wish to visit the White House and are a citizen from a foreign country, please contact your embassy for help in making a tour request. All visitors 18 years of age or older will be required to present a valid photo ID. All foreign visitors must present their passport. All other forms of foreign identification will not be accepted. All visitors should call the 24-hour Visitors Office information line at 202-456-7041 to determine if any last minute changes have been made in the tour schedule . Forbidden Items: l Cameras or video recorders l Handbags, book bags, backpacks or purses l Food, drinks, or cigarettes l Any pointed objects l Guns, or knives of any size The U.S. Secret Service has the right to forbid any other personal items. Umbrellas, car keys, and cell phones (including those with cameras) are permitted. However, guests will not be allowed to use cell phones inside the White House. Please note that there is no place to store forbidden items for visitors. Those who arrive with forbidden items will not be allowed to enter the White House. Restrooms / Public telephones The nearest restrooms and public telephones to the White House are in the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion (the park area south of the White House). Restrooms and public telephones are not available at the White House. The Disabled Please contact your Member of Congress if you cannot hear or see clearly and need help during your White House tour. Guide animals are permitted in the White House. When can people visit the White House? Answer: I once experienced an unforgettable trip to Gloucester to see some of the world's most beautiful and exciting animals in their own habitat , the North Atlantic Ocean. After a long trip by bus, we got on the ship. After a while, we stopped and everyone on the ship started to shout because we saw a humpback whale . It was wonderful. Sometimes, whales came so close to the ship that you thought you could easily touch them. While we were watching the whales, a guide was giving us some information about them. She told us that we saw only two kinds of whales -- 50-foot humpback whales (singing whales) and 70-foot fin back whales (the second largest whales on earth). She also said we could easily recognize a whale by its tail because every whale has a different kind of tail just like people have different fingerprints. They all have names, and on this trip, we saw "Salt" and "Pepper", two whales named by a biologist and a fisherman. They were swimming together all the time. I took twenty-seven photos, but it was very hard to take them because the whales were quick and stayed on the surface of the ocean just for a short time. It was really something. It was one of the chances that a person hardly ever experiences in life, but I had that chance. This passage is mainly about _ . Answer: It was the afternoon of December 24, the day before Christmas; and as the newest doctor in our office, I had to work. The only thing that brightened my day was the beautifully decorated Christmas tree in our waiting room and a gift sent to me by a fellow I was dating -- a dozen long-stemmed red roses. As I was cleaning my office, I was told a lady urgently needed to speak with me. As I stepped out, I noticed a young, tired-looking woman with a baby in her arms. Nervously, she explained that her husband -- a prisoner in a nearby prison -- was my next patient. She told me she wasn't allowed to visit her husband in prison and that he had never seen his son. Her request was for me to let the boy's father sit in the waiting room with her as long as possible before I called him for his appointment. Since my schedule wasn't full, I agreed. After all, it was Christmas Eve.[:Zxxk.Com] A short time later, her husband arrived -- with chains on his feet and hands, and two armed guards as bodyguards. The woman's tired face lit up like our little Christmas tree when her husband took a seat beside her. I kept glancing out to watch them laugh, cry and share their child. After almost an hour, I called the prisoner back to my office. The patient seemed like a gentle and modest man. I wondered what he possibly could have done to be held _ . I tried to make him as comfortable as possible. At the end of the appointment, I wished him a Merry Christmas-a difficult thing to say to a man headed back to prison. He smiled and thanked me. He also said he felt saddened by the fact he hadn't been able to get his wife anything for Christmas. On hearing this, I was inspired with a wonderful idea. I'll never forget the look on both their faces as the prisoner gave his wife the beautiful, long-stemmed roses. I'm not sure who experienced the most joy -- the husband in giving, the wife in receiving, or myself in having the opportunity to share in this special moment. What does the writer learn from the story? Answer: Gao Xiaosong,the 42-year-old singer,music producer and director was three times over the legal alcohol limit when he crashed his Infiniti SUV into a car stopped at a red light in Beijing May 9. A blood test showed Gao had 243.04 milligrams of alcohol for 100 milliliters of blood,well over the 80 milligram limit within a 100 milliliters of blood. On Tuesday afternoon the man known to million for his harsh comments to participants on China's Got Talent had to face the judge himself at Beijing Dongcheng District People's Court under China's newly amended Road Traffic Safety Law. "I've nothing to defend myself only regret," he told the courtroom filled with people. "I always thought alcohol could bring me freedom,but it never occurred to me that drunk driving will rid others of their freedom. l' 11 be responsible for all the loss it has caused. This incident showed my irresponsibility for life. I'm willing to be a volunteer for my life promoting the non-drunk driving." A day earlier at an administrative punishment hearing, wearing an orange detention suit,he was banned from driving for five years and fined 1,000 yuan for having an expired license. On May 10 he was pictured at Beijing's traffic police headquarters where he turned down requests for interviews,but wrote on a piece of paper,"sorry,never drive when drunk." Now he has become the first celebrity to be punished under the tough new rules that came into effect on May 1. Guo Shudong,the first driver sentenced since the new law was introduced,was jailed for four months for being twice over the legal limit on May 9. Gao,famous for campus song "My Deskmate" in the 1990s,was replaced by music producer and composer Antonio Chen during the recording of China's Got Talent on May 10. What can be the best title of the passage? Answer:
Q My daughter is a junior in high school and has been on an individualized education program since fourth grade. She plans to go to college and intends to finish with a master's degree. Her performance is fairly good, but test scores are very low. She has held many leadership and volunteer positions. We have been advised to have her write an essay about how her learning disability is a barrier that she has overcome. Will that help or hurt her chances for admission? --Deborah AFirst let me answer the question on low standardized test scores (ACT/ SAT). There are hundreds of colleges that are "test optional" which means students can choose not to release their test scores in the application process. Admission decisions at these colleges for students who do not submit their test scores are made based on other factors. A list of test optional colleges can be found atfairtest.org. It is important, however, to make sure that the college is the right fit academically regardless of the test optional policy. You also asked if your daughter should write about her disability and if this would hurt her chances of being admitted. Please know that colleges do not deny admission based on disability. "Disclosing" a learning disability in a personal statement within the college application can certainly help. By writing a personal statement, students can potentially demonstrate, for example, their understanding of the challenge they face. They might also demonstrate an improved grade trend in that subject area, and show interest in more complex courses in spite of this disability. More importantly, a student disclosure can show self-confidence, motivation and an understanding of the disability. --Ms. Kravis According to Ms. Kravis, what can Deborah do about her daughter's low test scores? Keep them secret Few people ever took notice of Mr. Jimmy Tan whenever he entered a room. He was a shy, quiet and simple man who preferred to keep to himself in public. On the other hand, Mr. Thomas Kim, a fellow scientist, was a man everyone would notice on the streets. He wore bright outfits with huge flower prints, spoke with a booming voice, and his laughter could be heard from all corners of a room. In addition to the differences in their characters, Mr. Kim and Mr. Tan were also great _ at work in the Institute of Future Science. On Christmas Eve, everyone left work early to celebrate the special occasion, except for Mr. Tan and Mr. Kim. They were in their laboratory analyzing the results of their latest experiments. Mr. Tan realized that something special was taking place in his experiment --the bacteria he had cultured were growing extremely quickly under high pressure and at a very low temperature. After noting down the findings in his notebook, he left the room to prepare for another round of tests. Shortly after, Mr. Kim entered. "Hey Jimmy," Mr. Kim called out, "do you have an extra copy of the laboratory booking form?" There was no reply, so Mr. Kim looked through Mr. Tan's things. He soon found Mr. Tan's notebook and was horrified to see that Mr. Tan had managed to make one of the most important discoveries in modern science. He then looked into the deep-freeze cupboard where a dish containing the bacteria was kept. He put _ into his pocket and returned to his own laboratory. Mr. Tan came back an hour later to find his notebook and the dish missing. He knew that Mr. Kim had taken them and went to Mr. Kim's laboratory to find out. When he opened the door, he found Mr. Kim lying on the floor motionless. His face was pale and his skin had turned black. The deadly bacteria had been handled improperly. He shook his head and left. What happened to Mr. Kim in the end? He died on Christmas Eve. 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 competition. 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 now so _ that he found it hard to stay in the air, and had to struggle to keep himself from falling into the water. The swan pretended not to notice, and said, "Why do you keep touching the water, brother? Is that another trick?" "No," said the crow. He knew he had lost the competition. "I'm in trouble because of my pride! If you don't help me, I'll lose my life..." The swan took pity on him, and took him on his shoulders and flew back to the beach. What does the story tell us? Pride goes before a fall. Yasuda is 95 years old. Looking for easier ways to search the Web and send email, he bought Apple's iPad. The company has sold 3.27 million iPads since they entered the market in April. Although it's impossible to know with certainty how many seniors are buying them, evidence suggests that it's a hit with seniors. The iPad's intuitive interface makes it attractive to seniors around the world, says Takahiro Miura, a researcher at the University of Tokyou. "The iPad is a good tool for seniors because it's very easy to use," he says. "Unlike the PC, it doesn't require former knowledge." James Cordwell, a researcher in London, says the iPad's popularity with seniors is helping Apple reach beyond its traditional base of young customers. "The world's population, especially in developed markets, is getting older. It's probably a market where Apple has least entered, " Cordwell says. Senior users are "a key source of growth for them in the future." Seniors make up about 22 percent of the population in Japan. They may prove that seniors are willing to accept the iPad. Besides the customer group under 30, they spend more than any other group in the country, according to a report. Motoo Kitamura, 78, a former gas salesman, bought an iPad to help him communicate with his 2-year-old grandson and prevent him from experiencing some of the mental problems that sometimes come with getting older. "Trying new things like that is good mental exercise," he says. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of the iPad? People can use it as a way to do mental exercise. Recently, I experienced a wonderful lesson in how little things still mean a lot. My brother, mother and I live in a very rural district on the Big Island of Hawaii. Our farm is at least a dozen miles from the most basic of services. Consequently, we take weekly trips to COSTCO to procure fuel and supplies. About a month ago, we'd finished loading up the SUV and prepared to leave. As I settled into my seat, I glanced down at the roadside, when a piece of paper caught my eye. I picked it up and read it carefully. Instantly, I was grateful I did. The form turned out to be a receipt from the State Motor Vehicle Division, documenting the owners' payment of their Vehicle's Registration fees. Quickly, I put myself in their shoes and figured: no one would throw this out, especially if it was current. I also looked over the form for contact or any personal data, perhaps a license tag or telephone number. But that seemed impractical. Although the form had been born on the wind, where in the busy, crowded parking lot would I find the owners? Had it been lying there for a few minutes or a week? So I checked the date, the fees paid, noted the names of the owners and pocketed the receipt. Recalling the parable of the Good Samaritan, I concluded that the best and easiest step to take was to put the form in an envelope addressed to the couple and send it to them by post. Further, I imagined how crazy I'd be if I had misplaced my receipt. Much easier to attempt returning it than to leave them angry, upset, etc. over the loss. By the end of the week, I received a beautiful thank-you letter from a very grateful and happy couple containing a hand written message and a gift card to use at any Starbuck's. In her note, the wife explained how a gust of wind snatched their receipt from a pocket in her car's passenger door. They had panicked and searched crazily for quite some time before giving up. It felt great to know I'd helped someone avoid a major loss by doing something that at first glance seemed minor or even unimportant. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the short passage? I rode my car to COSTCO to buy supplies a month ago.
Question: Hemingway(1898~1961) was born in Illinois. His family took him, as a boy, hunting and fishing trips and so made him know early the kinds of virtues, such as courage and endurance , which were later shown in his stories. After high school, he worked as a newspaper reporter and then went abroad to take part in World War I. After the war, he lived for several years in Paris. It was not long before he began publishing remarkable short stories. In the year he left Paris he published the powerful novel The Sun Also Rises. His subjects were often war and its effects on people, or contests, such as hunting or bullfighting, which demand endurance and courage. Hemingway's style of writing is striking. His sentences are short, his words are simple, yet they are often filled with feelings. A careful reading can show us, further more, that we see how the action of his stories continue during the silence, during the times his character say nothing. This action is often full of meaning. There are times when the most powerful effect comes from restraint . Such times happen often in Hemingway's writings. He perfected the art of expressing excitement with few words. What do you know about Hemingway as a boy from the article? A. He was very brave and bright. B. He liked writing short stories. C. He often went hunting and fishing. D. He was good at hunting and fishing. Answer: C Question: People at risk of a heart attack or stroke could benefit from blood-pressure-lowering drugs even if their blood pressure is considered in the normal, healthy range. If such drugs were offered to people with cardiac risks regardless of their blood pressure at the beginning of treatment it could save millions of lives, researchers in Oxford University found. For the study, the team analyzed more than 120 medical trials including around 600,000 people conducted over two decades, saying their findings are a call for an urgent review of existing blood pressure treatment guidelines. "Our findings clearly show that treating blood pressure to a lower level could greatly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, if widely conducted," said study lead author Kazem Rahimi. High blood pressure has long been identified as a factor in higher risks of heart disease and strokes, and makes more than a billion people around the globe in torment -- including one out of three U.S. adults. Blood pressure is recorded in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) as two numbers in a ratio: "systolic" pressure inside the arteries when the heart beats as the top number, and "diastolic " pressure between heartbeats, as the heart rests and is refilled with blood. "Normal" blood pressure is considered at 120/80 or below, and is considered "high" at 140/90 or above, according to the American Heart Association. The researchers said their study showed that for every reduction in systolic pressure of 10 mmHg, the risk of heart attacks was reduced by a fifth and that of a stroke around a quarter. Some experts said they thought the study's findings were important but did offer some warnings. "One important warning is that not everyone will be able to tolerate having their blood pressure reduced to low levels, and there is a need to balance possible drug side effects and likely benefits," Smeeth said. What can be inferred from Smeeth's words? A. He thought less of the findings. B. Reducing blood pressure isn't safe for everyone. C. Most experts disagree with the findings. D. Drug side effects are bigger than benefits. Answer: B Question: Having a dental fear is a common problem. Learning to overcome your fear of the dentist is possible with a little determination and guidance. It is worthwhile to overcome the issue as healthy teeth might help you be healthy physically and spiritually. Admission Admitting you have a fear is the first step in overcoming dental fear. When you acknowledge your fear, you can start the process. Dentistry has come a long way over the years. The anesthetics are improved, the techniques are of higher quality and dental offices have a better understanding of these issues you are concerned and all these can help you overcome it. Research Speak to family and friends about your fear. Be open and honest about your issues and get feedback from them regarding their dental experiences. You can contact your local Dental Society and express your concerns. Another good approach is to simply call dental offices and get useful information from the front office staff. First visit Most dental offices schedule your first visit by a dental assistant. This gives you a chance to ease into the situation. Do not hesitate to express your fear and hesitation. Pay attention to what the assistant says. It can be very useful and it can gently guide you to a new attitude towards dentists. Relaxation techniques There are many things you can do to relax yourself. Slow, steady, deep breathes are keys to relax properly. Another aid in relaxation is to bring your iPod to play some relaxing music while you are in the dental chair. Music is a wonderful tool to use and is a helpful distraction . Facing your fear and making the first dental appointment are necessary for your health. Ignoring your dental health because of your fear will only worsen the issues and cause you to have serious dental problems. You can start the process of overcoming dental fear after _ . A. making an appointment with a good dentist B. learning something about dental health C. admitting your dental fear D. asking advice from other people Answer: A Question: Jane was not a good student. Her head was in the clouds most of the time. She wanted to listen in class, but other things seemed more important: her clothes, her hairstyle, films and television. Many times she tried to work hard at her lessons, but soon she became absent-minded. One day, her math teacher gave the class an important lesson and told her students that there would be a test the next week. She helped them review all the week. Jane seemed to listen in class, but her mind went away again. The day of the test arrived. Jane couldn't answer many of the questions on the exam. Mike, a very hard-working student, sat next to Jane. So Jane decided to copy his. Mike was very angry when he found Jane was copying his answers. He changed all his answers so that they were not right. Before the bell rang, Mike quickly changed his answers back into right ones. After the test, Mike turned to Jane and said, " All those answers you copied from my paper are wrong." Jane thought a lot of things EXCEPT _ . A. her clothes B. her study C. films and television D. her hairstyle Answer: B Question: What should I do with the diary I've kept for 50 years? I've been keeping a journal since I was 16 and I'm now 65. I have more than 80 notebooks in a big box. I don't want my children embarrassed by _ when I die. But I can't bring myself, yet, to burn the case. My journals are still part of me. Might my grandchildren, with a bit more distance, be interested? Or is there some way I could turn them into something creative? I'm thinking about art instead of a book. * _ 5 March 2012, 11:22 p.m. Please don't burn them! What a wonderful source of memories for you--or if you feel you'd rather not keep them, possibly what a wonderful resource for others! Why not contact something like the Mass Observation Project at the University of Sussex? Then they will remain as a record of everyday life throughout your lifetime, and if your grandchildren are interested they'll know where to find them. * _ 6 March 2012, 8:30 a.m. Please don't burn them! If possible, transcribe them, or have them transcribed, into a computer medium before your words are lost because the paper has decayed. I recently had an opportunity to read a similar diary of the WWII record of an ordinary soldier. It was attractive in the way it differed from the official record. I suppose to some degree it all depends on what you have recorded, but many social historians and similar people would find such a complete personal record of a life led during the second half of the 20thcentury to be very valuable. Please don't stop writing now just because you are 65! What does " _ " think of the owner's journal? A. They provide good memories for others especially his grandchildren. B. They will educate the young to remember the hard life. C. They will help his grandchildren earn more money. D. They will make others learn more about the war. Answer: A
Question: Pearl Buck(1892--1973)was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. She grew up in China, but was educated at Randolph-Macon Woman's College. After her graduation she returned to China and lived there until 1934 with the exception of a year spent at Cornell University, where she took an MA in 1926.Pearl Buck began to write in the twenties; her first novel, East Wind; West Wind, appeared in 1930.It was followed by The Good Earth (1931),Sons(1932),and A House Divided(1935),together forming a trilogy on the stories of the family of Wang. The Good Earth stood on the American list of bestsellers for a long time and earned her several awards, including the Pulitzer Prize and the William Dean Howells Medal. She also published The first Wife and Other Stories(1933),All Men are Brothers(1933),The Mother(1934),and This Proud Heart(1938).The biographies of her mother and father, The Exile and Fighting Angel, were published in 1936 and later brought out together under the title of The Spirit and the Flesh(1944). Pearl Buck's works after 1938 are too many to speak about. Her novels have continued to deal with the differences between East and West. Her interest has spread to such countries as India and Korea. Pearl Buck was active in many charity organizations; in particular she set up an organization for the adoption of Asian-American children and took an active interest in children with low IQ. We can learn from the passage that _ . A. Pearl Buck attended a college in China B. The Good Earth was well-received by American readers C. Pearl Buck stayed in China in 1926 D. Pearl Buck stopped writing in 1938 Answer: B Question: First it was jogging. Then aerobics . Not too long ago, Americans discovered race walking. Now Americans are into a newfitnesscraze. They'retaking up bicycling. Over hills and down mountainsides and across quiet country roads, Americans are busily rolling along. The number of adults who ride for fitness is around 17 million, an increase of 70 percent over four years ago. Twice as many women as men are coming to the sport. Americans arefalling in love withbiking because it has speed, the benefitsofjoggingand beautiful scenery. Bicycling is a very appropriate sport, which is important to people who injured their knees while jogging or whosejointsareachingfrom aerobics. And biking is a real awakening for people who have been into race walking in the past. Race walking isas dull as watching paint dry. The most popular kind of bicycle for people who are new to the sport is the mountain bike, which has afixed framewith wide tires andupright handles. Mountain bikes also have manygears to make it easier to climb hills. About 5 million Americans ride mountain bikes, compared with 200,000 who rode them only five years ago. Costsrangefrom about $130 for abottom-of-the-linebicycle to more than $2,700 for an expensive bicycle. Mountain biking has attracted somepeoplewho race down the sides of mountainslike a bat out of hell. But most riders ride slowly and theyrarelyventurefar from home. The biking craze has brought an unexpected profit to clothing and bicycle accessory makers. Last year, bikers paid $ 630 million for biking clothes and accessories. Bicycling seems likely to continue its fantastic growth. Race walking is about as dull as watching paint dry because _ A. race walking is a slow-moving sport B. the number of adults who ride for fitness has grown 70 percent in four years. C. it has speed, the benefits of jogging and beautiful scenery. D. Americans are taking up bicycling. Answer: A Question: An eight-year-old Arthur Gonzaga from Minas Gerais, Brazil has taken the Internet by a storm, as first reported by TheHuffingtonPost, with his online YouTube series videos "Arthur Gourmand". And while it would not be a far stretch of the imagination to assume an 8-year-old's cooking show would be filled with dishes like pizza and burgers, Arthur's show actually features recipes like fruit salad a la creme de passion fruit and filet mignon . The idea to record Arthur's cooking adventures on YouTube was rooted in the young chef's leukemia diagnosis in August 2013.Treatment and recovery for the cancer left the young boy in the hospital for the second half of the year and Aruthur was even forced to spend Christmas Eve in the emergency room of So Paulo's A.C. Camargo Cancer Center. That's when his family--father Renato Gonzaga and stepmother Priscila Inserra--decided that Arthur should create something positive that would distract him from his health. The videos, which are filmed in the kitchen of a friend of the family, are in Portuguese. They show Arthur walking the viewers through a step-by-step process of the entire recipe--from preparation to cooking. Occasionally, viewers can see Arthur's father serving as his son's _ , passing ingredients and following his lead. Fluent in Portuguese or not, viewers can immediately notice Arthur's optimistic and friendly personality. It is perhaps these qualities that have given the young rising Internet star almost 5,000 likes on his Facebook Fan Page. There are currently three videos on YouTube and according to his most recent Facebook post, the young boy will be taking suggestions for his next video. Fortunately, according to what Inserra told TheHuffingtonPost, Arthur is responding well to his treatments and is on his path to recovery. "The secret of life is to let it take you, to have fun and to know how to turn lemons into lemonade ," wrote her family, fittingly, on their most recent Facebook post. Hats off to Arthur, who truly serves as a shining example of how to turn lemons into lemonade. Arthur Gourmand is a name of _ . A. the boy B. the boy's illness C. a newspaper D. the boy's cooking show Answer: D Question: Mr. Black, Ann's father works in a hospital. He's friendly to the patients. So he's very busy all the time. Ann is seven and began to be at school. She often watches TV at home. Some of her friends often go traveling abroad , but her father doesn't have time. He and his wife can only take their daughter to some cities in England. This summer Mr. Black has got some time. He's going to take his family to Iceland . Ann is very excited and tells her friends about it. "Why are you going to travel to Iceland, Ann?" asks a girl. The little girl does not know how to answer. She thinks for a few minutes and says, "We're going to see it before it melts ." Ann thinks _ . A. Iceland is an English city B. Iceland can soon melt C. they are going to see a building D. they are going to live there Answer: B Question: Some people don't mind being fat. Other people can keep slim without any effort. But a lot of people do put on too much weight and don't like it. The question is, what can they do about it? Some believe exercise can be helpful. But the trouble is that it only makes you want to eat more. You might sweat out a couple of pounds playing tennis or climbing a mountain, but you put it all back on again with a big steak or bread and jam. A helpful way is food choosing. But what sort of food should you choose? Some believe that the less they eat, the slimmer they will be. They don't eat anything until they become weak with hunger. Some stick to milk and bananas. You'll find you need a lot of bananas, and unless you live where they grow, they aren't cheap. Others say that if you eat things like hard-boiled eggs, and apples with their skins on which are hard for your stomach to digest, the more you eat, the thinner you get. This is because you use up the fat in your body to get the energy to digest the food. For most of us these methods are too extreme. The simplest way is just to cut down on the carbohydrates that means not eating bread, potatoes, cakes, sugar, rice, and so on and eating anything else you like. It's straight forward and often quite effective. There seems nothing wrong with exercise except _ . A. it makes you sweat B. it's hard work C. it tires you out D. it makes you eat more Answer: D

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.