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It was just a windy January day here in the North East of Scotland. When I left home for the office where I worked in the next town, the weather forecasters said, "Windy and cold, but no rain." However, by the time I was about to leave work in the early evening, it was pouring! My office was close to the bus stop so that there was no problem; I just shot out the door and onto the bus. Unfortunately, once I got home to Montrose, I had about a mile to walk from the bus stop to my home. As I stepped off the bus that night to walk home, I struggled to get my tiny umbrella to go up in the strong wind. It was obviously designed for a very light shower. Then, suddenly and to my amazement, I heard my mum's voice. "Quickly! Come under here, before you get soaked! " I nipped under my bigger umbrella and stared at mum in surprise. "What on earth are you doing here in this weather?" I asked her. My mum was eighty-three that year, and although fit and healthy, she did not usually like going out in strong wind and heavy rain. "You said to come round for tea tonight, but I came early before the rain got too heavy. Eric told me that your car was in for a service and I saw your big umbrella lying on the chair. Eric was on the phone, so I just picked it up and came out so that I could meet you and you would not get soaked!'' My mum passed away the following year. This simple act remains in my mind, and reminds me how completely my mum loved me. She would not have gone out in the wind and rain for herself, but, at eighty-three, she never gave a second thought about the bad weather so I would not get wet. On hearing her mum's voice the author was much surprised because _ . A. her mum seldom enjoyed going out in such bad weather. B. her mum did not tell her she would bring her an umbrella. C. she had planned to go to her house for tea that day. D. she did not actually realize how much her mum loved her. Answer: A Do you know that it is your own immune system working against the virus that makes you uncomfortable when getting a cold, but not the virus itself? So when you have got a strong immune system and the virus is strong enough too, you will possibly get terrible cold symptoms( ) ? Vitamin C won't stop a cold It is claimed that Vitamin C helps by increasing white blood cells. However, many tests have shown that it does not prevent colds. At best, it only slightly reduces the rime of symptoms. Staying indoors won't protect you One of the most likely sources of cold viruses is your computer mouse or desk. A study of the cold virus in offices found that 47% of desktops, 46% of computer mice and 45% of telephones had cold viruses on them. Wrapping up warm won't protect you Colds are more common in autumn and winter. That's because the cool, wet and cold weather drives people indoors, where viruses may more easily jump from one person to another. And the distinct peak in colds is in September and early January, which is likely due to the return of students to schools and colleges after the summer and winter vacation. Old granny's chicken soup is right Granny's chicken soup is an old cure for colds since a long time ago. Scientists say it is true. Chicken soup does help cure a cold. Many canned soups are just efficient as homemade ones. Staying indoors won't protect you tells us that _ indoors. A. there are many desks B. there are many telephones C. there are many cold viruses D. there are many computer mice Answer: C Renault's new Twizy could be the future of motoring ... or at least a big part of it. This is not some crazy future concept -- this is a real vehicle, fully electric, and on sale now. Prices for the Twizy start at PS6,690, with battery hire from PS45 a month. But is it a car? Technically no, it' s classified under UK law as something closer to a moped . A two-seater (the passenger sits behind the driver), the Twizy runs on electric power only, and is designed to cover all those little trips we do. And as 87 percent of Europe's drivers do less than 37 miles a day -- 50 per cent less than 12--there's really no need to be burning gas for that sort of journey. The Twizy is arguably the most unusual vehicle in this country. Other cars have been beautifully designed, others have been small, but no car has turned motoring on its head in quite the same way. The Twizy's batteries have a range of 62 miles, and it plugs into a standard socket like any other electrical equipment, going from flat to full power in three and a half hours. There are no full doors on the vehicle, so think of it like a covered moped with four wheels, but no noise and no need for a helmet. There's also a lower-powered type being designed, the Twizy 45, for which you don' t need a license. Seeing the Twizy in the flesh, you' re surprised by how striking it looks. Sit in it and everything feels right --just car enough to be easy, but different enough to be exciting. With the battery underneath you, the vehicle is suckered to the road, and the electric power means it accelerates with real energy up to about 50 mph. You don't feel you need any more. In the UK, the weather alone may make it a good buy, but the lack of easy access to outdoor sockets is the biggest challenge. Only time will tell if this brave move answers enough problems to find a place in our lives. In which part of a magazine can we most probably read this text? A. Travel. B. Technology. C. Economy. D. Environment. Answer: B what makes food cooking possible? A. a temperature rise on it B. the washing of it C. the taste of it D. none of these Answer: A LEEDS, England--A Leeds University psychology professor is researching a course to help dozens of Britons forgive their enemies. "The hate we hold within us is a cancer." Professor Ken Hart said, adding that holding in anger can lead to problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease. More than 70 people have become volunteers in Hart's first 20-week workshop in London--a course he says is the first of its kind in the world. These are people who are sick and tired of living with a memory. They realize their bitterness is a poison they think they can pour out, but they end up drinking it themselves, said Canadian-born Hart. The students meet in each group of eight to ten for a two-hour workshop with a director every two weeks. The course, ending in July, is expected to get rid of the cancer of hate in these people. "People have lots of negative attitudes towards forgiveness," he said, "People confuse forgiveness with forgetting. Forgiveness means changing from a negative attitude to a positive one." Hart and his team have created instructions to provide the training needed. "The main idea is to give you guidances on how to look at all kinds of angers and how they affect you, and how to change your attitudes towards the person you are angry with," said Norman Claringbull, a senior expert on the forgiveness project. Hart said, "I believe forgiveness is a skill that can be taught, as these people want to get free of the past." If you are a volunteer in Hart's workshop, you'll _ . A. meet in eight or ten groups B. get rid of the illness of cancer C. attend a gathering twice a month D. pour out everything stored in your mind Answer: C
Rock singer Wu Tong says mixing musical styles is not only creative, it also shows that people can live together harmoniously. The track Linglong Tower was Wu's most popular piece when he performed in Tianjin, a city with a long tradition of quyi or narrative music. Honored as the "Shakespeare of the Asian," Cao Yu was one of the greatest playwrights of 20th-Century China. "Sunrise", Cao Yu's second play, was published in 1936. Following his first work "Thunderstorm," In 1937, the young playwright's third play, "The Wilderness," was released. In 1940, Cao Yu completed the writing of his fifth play, "Peking Man," A winner of the 2011 L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards, Professor Reng Yonghua says she could not have done it without the backing of her family. As a mother of two daughters, 12 and 14, Reng said she is lucky to have been supported by her family. Joan Chen, Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi - who's the next of their ilk? Most agree 24-year-old Liu Yifei is the likely contender to become an internationally Chinese actress.Born to a French-language professor and a dancer, Liu received training in dancing, singing and piano as a little girl. She moved to the United States at 10 and spent four years in New York City's Long Island. Wang Zhiming grew up in a family of instrument makers, but he is the only one who could actually play a violin.Wang, 51, has been making violins for more than 30 years. He grew up around violins and musical instruments. He is the third generation of instrument makers in his family, following his grandfather and father. , . We can see that _ . Mark Twain's First Money Mark Twain was asked one day if he could remember the first money he ever earned. He thought a long time and then said , "Yes, it was at school.I can remember everything about it .School boys in those days did not take good care of their chairs and desks.There was a rule in our school that if anyone damaged his desk or chair, he would have to pay five dollars or the teacher would beat him in front of the whole school." "One day I damaged my desk in some way, I had to pay five dollars or be beaten before the whole school.My father said it would be too bad to have our family disgraced in front of the whole school.He agreed to give me five dollars to hand over the teacher.But before he gave me the money, he took me upstairs and gave me a beating." "But as I had one beating and I decided I would take another beating at school and keep the five dollars.So that's what I did.That was the first money I ever earned." Mark Twain earned his first money _ . Mr. White is very busy today. He helps his mother move into a new house. He starts at 3:30 in the afternoon. First he cleans the windows. Then he carries all the heavy furniture into the new house. He helps his mother put the curtains up too. Mr. White is very tired when he gets "home". It is 9:15 p.m. He can't find the right key to the front door. The front door is locked. Then he tries the back door, but it is also locked. "I should climb in through the kitchen window," Mr. White says to himself. He doesn't want to wake up his wife and children. But suddenly, a big black dog comes to him from behind. Mr. White is afraid and surprised. He doesn't own a dog! He is at the wrong house! Soon the police come. "I'm not a thief or a robber," says Mr. White to the police. "I'm at the wrong house. Please believe me." What an unlucky poor man Mr. White is! Mr. White is _ today. An environment is likely to change when humans Three surfers rushed to save a man's life after he was left drifting on a notorious stretch of water. The men stayed with Greg Popple for 30 minutes and had to be rescued themselves by helicopter as the drama unfolded. The 45-year-old had floated out on a body board near Hutchwns Point at 8:30 am. He found himself in trouble about half-a-mile from the shore and dangerously close to rocks. Surfers Graig Evans, 31, Robert Miles, 19, and Owain Daviees, 23, were risking their own safety to keep him floating for 30 minutes. Luckily a passer-by noticed what was going on and raised the alarm. Porthcawl Coastguard, Porthcaw Lifeboat and an RAF helicopter all took part in the rescue. "The man who got into trouble was a body boarder-there was a big tide where he was," said Joe Missen. "Three other surfers spotted he was in difficulty and he was going down. They kept him afloat because he was in a state of shock and out of energy. If Mr. Popple was closer to the rocks, it could have been a lot worse, but they managed to keep him from harm". Mr. Missen's mum Alison, also part of the rescue team, said, "That part of the water is notorious for taking people out to nowhere". The three men had clocked off a night shift at Ford Motor Company shortly before the incident. "I headed straight down to the beach for a surf, when I saw him flailing . We just swam straight out to him and kept him calm while the help came". The four men were taken to the life boat house to recover, without injuries. According to the text, what was the most important thing to do for the three men?
Many scientists today are convinced that life exists elsewhere in the universe---life probably much like that on our own planet. They reason in the following way. As far as astronomers can determine, the entire universe is built of the same matter. They have no reason to doubt that matter obeys the same laws in every part of the universe. Therefore, it is reasonable to guess that other stars, with their own planets, were born in the same way as our own solar system. What we know of life on earth suggests that life will arise wherever the proper conditions exist. Life requires the right amount and kind of atmosphere. This eliminates all those planets in the universe that are not about the same size and weight as the earth. A smaller planet would lose its atmosphere; a larger one would hold too much of it. Life also requires a steady supply of heat and light. This eliminates double stars, or stars that flare up suddenly. Only single stars that are steady sources of heat and light like our sun would qualify. Finally, life could evolve only if the planet is just the right distance from its sun. With a weaker sun than our own, the planet would have to be closer to it. With a stronger sun, it would have to be farther away. If we suppose that every star in the universe has a family of planets, then how many planets might support life? First, eliminate those stars that are not like our sun. Next eliminate most of their planets; they are either too far from or too close to their suns. Then eliminate all those planets which are not the same size and weight as the earth. Finally, remember that the proper conditions do not necessarily mean that life actually does exist on a planet. It may not have begun yet, or it may have already died out. This process of elimination seems to leave very few planets on which earthlike life might be found. However, even if life could exist on only one planet in a million, there are so many billions of planets that this would still leave a vast number on which life could exist. At the end of the passage the author suggests that _ . Answer: All over the world, libraries have begun the Herculean task of making faithful digital copies of the books, images and recordings that preserve the intellectual effort of mankind. For armchair scholars, the work promises to bring such a wealth of information to desktop that the present Internet may not match. Librarians see three clear benefits to going digital. First, it helps them preserve rare and fragile objects without refusing the demands of those who wish to study them. The British Library, for example, holds the only medieval manuscript of Beowulf in London. Only qualified scholars were allowed to see it until Kevin S. Kiernan of the University of Kentucky scanned the Manuscript with three different light sources and put the images up on the Internet for anyone to use. A second benefit is convenience. Once books are changed to digital form, readers can find them in seconds rather than minutes. Several people can read the same book or view the same picture at the same time. Clerks are spared the chore of reshelving. And libraries could use the Internet to lend their collections to those who are unable to visit in person. The third advantage of electronic copies is that they occupy millimeters of space on a magnetic disk rather than meters on a shelf. The cost of library buildings is increasingly high. The University of California at Berkeley recently spent $ 46 million on an underground addition to house 1.5 million books----an average cost of $30 per volume. The price of disk storage, on the contrary, has fallen to about $ 2 per 300-page publication and continues to drop. How is the text organized? Answer: Business people must keep records of the money they take in and the money they spend. The work of keeping such records is called book keeping. The work of deciding how the records should be set up is called accounting. An accountant also finds out, from the records, whether or not a business is doing well. Suppose a man owns a small clothing store. He keeps records that show that he spent money for newspaper advertising, and for suit, coats, shoes, and neckties to sell to his customers. He had to pay a young man to help him in the store. He also paid rent and had other expenses. At the end of the year. He must take an inventory. That is, he counts how many pieces of clothing he has on hand. Then he must find out exactly how many he sold, how much money he spent in running the business. If he took in more than he spent, he made a profit for the year. If he spent more than he took in he suffered a loss. The owner of a small clothing store can keep accounting records without much trouble. But a giant oil company or a big bank has many difficult accounting problems. The company must know how much money is to be paid by its debtors and how much it owns other companies for supplies. It must know how much the company's buildings and machines are worth, and how much the company has lost in depreciation , or wear and tear, of its equipment. All of this information must be kept in the company's accounts. Big companies employ many accountants. According to the passage, _ . Answer: Elephants scored a big win in 2010. Representatives from 175 countries at the United Nations' Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Doha, Qatar, rejected a bid to allow the sale of ivory. Two African nations, Tanzania and Zambia, had asked to open the ivory trade. Conservationists feared that weakening a 21-year-old ban on the sale of ivory would have encouraged illegal hunting and hurt elephant populations. African elephants once numbered in the millions. Today, there are fewer than 500,000. "People born in 100 years should be able to see an elephant, " said Noah Wekesa, Kenya's minister of forestry and wildlife. His country voted to keep the ban. In the 1980s, as many as one million elephants were killed throughout Africa. Hunters killed the animals for their ivory tusks, which were used to make jewelry and other items. " The slaughter of elephants in Africa was just terrible, " says Paul Todd of the International Fund for Animal Welfare ( IFAW ). The group works to protect animals. The ivory wars continued until 1989, when CITES voted to ban all trade in ivory. With trade controlled, demand for ivory fell. Elephant populations began to increase slowly. Tanzania and Zambia asked CITES to allow ivory sales from government stockpiles . Ivory is so expensive that it's known as "white gold". Tanzania holds almost 200,000 pounds of ivory, which is worth as much as $20 million. Zambia has 48,000 pounds of the "white gold". The two countries argued that their ivory had been taken from hunters or had come from animals that died naturally. They said this income from the sale of ivory would help the countries. Wildlife experts, who believe that the ivory trade encourages illegal hunting, cheered the CITES decision. "It's a rare victory for elephants," said Jason Bell-Leask, the IFAW's director for southern Africa. What is the purpose of the passage? Answer: One day, a boy had a fight with one of his classmates. He didn't wait until school was over, and hurried home to his grandfather. He told him his story angrily. "He is really bad," the boy said, "and I hate him." The grandfather said, "Let me tell you a story. When I was a boy, I, too, sometimes hated others for what they did..." As the boy listened carefully, the grandfather went on,"There are always two tigers inside my heart. One is good and kind. He gets on well with everything around him. But the other is bad and unfriendly. Even the smallest thing will make him angry. He fights with everyone all the time, and for no reason. He can't think carefully because he always hates others. It is difficult to live with these two tigers inside my heart. They both try to control me." The boy looked into his grandfather's eyes and asked,"Which tiger always controls you, Grandfather?" The old man said slowly and seriously, "The one that I feed. I always feed the good and kind tiger, so I never hate others and seldom get angry now." ,. The good tiger _ everything around him. Answer:
Bicycles for rent could become as common as newspaper stands and mail boxes on prefix = st1 /Germany's street corners if a scheme launched by Deutsche Bahn is successful. The German rail operator has launched a bicycle-hire scheme designed for simple one-way trips. "It's a new concept,"said Andreas Knie, head of the project. Users must first register with Call-A-Bike at a cost of 15 euros(US$14.7). With a simple phone call, they can hire one of the many bikes parked outside stations, at a cost of 3 to 5 cents per minute. At the end of their journey, they ring a computer and tell it where the bike is parked. The bikes are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No one will be breaking speed records with Call-A-Bike bicycles. They weigh in at 25 kilograms, at least double the weight of a normal bicycle, though they do have eight gears . "They are pretty heavy, but we don't want people taking them on the train or into the subway," Knie said. They are also designed with parts that do not fit a normal bicycle. Even the screws are irregular and the bike looks so odd that thieves would stand out. Vandalism and theft have led to the downfall of previous schemes which date back toAmsterdam's 1966"White Bike"scheme. In that short-lived experiment, anti-establishment groups painted bikes white and left them around the Dutch capital. However, many were taken permanently and repainted, while the police took away others on the basis that ownerless bikes were street rubbish. Copenhagen, Vienna and Helsinki also have free bike schemes, in which users deposit a coin in Copenhagen's case 20 crowns(US$2.50)--to free a bike from a rack. "The advantage these schemes have is ease of use. But because they're so cheap, people tend to hold on to the bikes and then there are none on the streets,"the person in charge said. Oslo is also planning a bike-hire system where users will pay a symbolic fee of 50 Norwegian crowns(US$6.50)for unlimited use in the city for a year. Users will buy an electronic identity card as a key that will register when the bike is parked or taken from a rack. What can be inferred from the text? Germanyhas taken some measures to stop the bicycles for rent from being taken away. Most stars are similar to each other in composition. I am a Chinese boy. My name is Li Lei. I am twelve. My sister's name is Li Mei. She's Fourteen. Li Mei and I are students. We like school. My mother is a teacher. She is a teacher of English. My father is a policeman. My young brother's name is Li Hong. He is only four. We all like him. Li Lei's sister is _ . fourteen There are many wetlands in China and some of them are the world's important wetlands. The Chinese Yellow Sea Wetlands are among them. They are in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, the east of China. They are homes for many different kinds of birds and animals. The world's largest Milu Deer Nature Reserve is in them. More than 700 milu deer live freely there. There are not many red-crowned cranes in the world, but every winter you can see some in the Red-Crowned Cranes Nature Reserve in the Yellow Sea Wetlands. The temperature in the wetlands is usually neither too high nor too low. There is a lot of rain and sunshine, too. They are really good places for wildlife. Offering food and home for some special kinds of animals and birds is not the only reason why we need to protect wetlands. Wetlands are important because they also prevent flood. But some people want to change the wetlands to make more space for farms and buildings. This means there will be less and less space for wildlife. Luckily, more and more people are beginning to realize the importance of wetlands and wildlife. Every year, on February 2, people hold many activities to tell more about wetlands. The World Wetlands Day is on _ . February 2 Losing a job is considered one of the five most stressful life changes you can experience. Those who have been there say it feels like being robbed of your identity and is as painful as the loss of a loved one. It may be hard to believe at first, but finally you can use this experience as your advantage--to find another, perhaps even better job, to strengthen your relationship with your family, and to make some much-needed changes in your life. Here are three essential steps. Step1 Get emotional support. Because it's easy to feel uneasy and vulnerable , turning to others is the key to making a smooth transition . You'll need people who will listen and provide a safe place for you to cry, or to express your fears and concerns. Don't go it alone. It takes courage to ask for help, and yet, help may be what you need most to move forward. Step2 Seek professional guidance. Getting assistance from a recruiter or career adviser will not only help you value your experience and improve your skills, it also will ensure that you put your best foot forward. Once again, your local unemployment office should have helpful resources. If possible, try not to let fear cause you to grab the first new job you're offered (unless it's the right one). Give yourself time to explore different choices. Step3 _ . Meet with family members to openly discuss your feelings. Listen carefully without interrupting one another, and give everyone a turn to speak. When a man I know did this with his family, his wife agreed to leave the job search planning to him and his outplacement adviser. In turn, he agreed to keep her informed about the process on a weekly basis. When you keep the lines of communication open, you can build stronger relationships. Once you've got a new job, create your own security. Keep your resume up-to-date, stay in touch with recruiters about the job market, and constantly improve your skills to stay marketable in your field. Although being laid-off can turn your life upside down, many people say that it gave them push they needed to start a new life! What's the author's purpose of writing the passage? To deal with the hurt from losing a job.
You want to know where the safest place for young children is in the car? For a child of any age, the back seat is the safest place and the safest part of the back seat is the middle. In the back seat, the child is farthest away from the force or effect of head-on collision , which can cause the most injuries. All fifty states of theprefix = st1 /USAhave laws requiring the use of safety seats for young children. If you have children under 8 years of age weighing no more than 80 pounds, it is necessary to fit your car with a special child safety seat. The child safety seat comes in three types or sizes: the first type is designed for babies from birth to one year of age, until the baby weighs about 20 pounds; the second size is for children between one and four years of age, who weigh between 20 and 40 pounds; the third kind is used by older children big enough to use the car's belt system. Moreover, all these safety seats must be fitted and held in place on the car's back seat. If your child does need your attention while you are driving, don't look back. Just pull over . In addition, always be sure your child is properly fastened throughout the entire trip. Children who can unfasten their own car seats are subject to fatal injuries in an accident. Start early in your child's life teaching them that car safety is serious business and make sure you give a good example and always wear your own seat belt. What safety tip is given in this passage? A Always keep your children beside you. B Fasten your own safety belt to set an example. C Make your child remain seated during the trip. D Study laws requiring the use of safety seats. Answer: B. Fasten your own safety belt to set an example. I decided to go back to school in the fall of 2008 after not being happy with my current job and financial status. I obtained my Associate's Degree in May 2002 in Commercial Arts. After graduation, I had trouble obtaining a job in that field. For years, I was going from one job to another feeling unfilled, and I was not satisfied with the instability. I decided to go back to school for either International Business or Psychology. I weighed the pros and cons of both professions and Psychology won. I like helping my friends and family, when they go through hard situations in their life by giving them sound advice and being honest with them. Also, I was interested in "the mind". I was searching for online schools because my work schedule at my current job would not allow me to attend a regular class. I was nervous about starting online classes because I heard mixed stories from other friends who were taking online classes. I decided to do it anyway to experience something different. I wanted to find an online school that was affordable and reputable. Through my search, I discovered Walden University, which is specially for working adults who want to obtain a bachelor's degree or higher. The process of getting accepted was easy, which included writing an essay on why I wanted to attend their school, transferring my previous credits, etc. I am currently enrolled in the Bachelors program for psychology, and I am paying for college via financial-aid loans and grants. This experience has been interesting yet trying as sometimes it was difficult to balance work, school and home life. I learned a lot about psychology and myself. For example, I like writing about current events, relationships and traveling. I thought my English composition was ordinary, but after taking a few classes at Walden University, I improved my English composition and it made me feel confident enough to start writing professionally so I became a freelance writer. Currently, I am only three classes away from obtaining my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology! It was one of the best decisions I made in my life. Why was the author nervous about starting online classes? A Because he heard some negative remarks about it. B Because he was worried that he didn't have enough time to study. C Because he feared he would fail the entrance exam. D Because he was afraid that he didn't have enough money. Answer: A. Because he heard some negative remarks about it. The day was Thankful Thursday. It's a weekly tradition that my two little girls and I began years ago. Thursday has become our day to go out and make a positive contribution. On this particular Thursday, we had no idea exactly what we were going to do. At noon, I drove to a McDonald's with my daughters because they kept complaining that they hadn't had enough to eat at breakfast. There we saw some homeless people in the street and we bought lunch for them. We were about to complete when we found a small woman standing at the corner, asking for change. We handed her some food, and then started to head home. Suddenly from the mirror of the car, I saw the woman waving at us, so I had to turn around and stopped where the small woman stood. She walked to our car, and said, "Thank you, lady! No one has ever done anything like this for me before." I replied, "Well, I'm glad that we were the first." Feeling uneasy, and wanting to move the conversation along, I asked, "So, when do you think you'll eat your lunch?" She just looked at me with her huge, tired brown eyes and said, "Oh honey, I'm not going to eat this lunch." I was confused, but before I could say anything, she continued. "You see, I have a little girl of my own at home and she just loves McDonald's, but I can never buy it for her because I just don't have the money. But you know what...tonight she is going to have McDonald's!" I don't know if the kids noticed the tears in my eyes. So many times I had questioned whether our Acts of Kindness were too small to have effect on those poor people. Yet at that moment, I realized the truth of Mother Teresa's words: "We cannot do great things -- only small things with great love." What would be the best title of the passage? A No Pains No Gains B No Pleasure Without Pain C No Small Act of Kindness D No Sweet Without Sweat Answer: C. No Small Act of Kindness During which process does a caterpillar become a butterfly? A fertilization B metamorphosis C asexual reproduction D biological adaptation Answer: B. metamorphosis In eukaryotic organisms, microtubules give cells structure, and microfilaments help the cell contract and move. Together, they combine to perform functions similar to what two human body systems? A the endocrine and skeletal systems B the circulatory and respiratory systems C the skeletal and muscular systems D the integumentary and excretory system Answer: C. the skeletal and muscular systems
Visiting Joshua Tree National Park, California Joshua Tree National Park is nearly 800,000 acres large and surrounds parts of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts in South-central California. Although deserted at first sight, the park is full of wildlife and provides a variety of entertainment activities from hiking to climbing. Within a three-hour drive, Joshua Tree National Park takes at least a full day to visit. Things to do Hiking opportunities within the park include several choices, from 12 self-guided nature routines to all-day back-country hikes. Joshua Tree NP has nine camping grounds, and back-country camping is also allowed. Rock climbing is a popular activity in the park, which has 10 mountains greater than 5, 000 feet in height. When to visit Joshua Tree NP is open 365 days a year, although the best time to visit is October through April, when temperature is milder. The peak season is when the wild flowers bloom, and the summer months are the least crowded. What to bring In addition to your camera and telescope, be sure to carry lots of water. Park and guiding maps can be picked up at any of the three visitor centers. Fees Parking fees: You can buy a seven-day vehicle permit for $ 15, a single entry permit for $ 5, or Joshua Tree National Park annual pass for $ 60. Camping fees: They vary by camping ground If one goes to Joshua Tree NP by car and stays there for 9 days, how much at least one should pay for the parking fees? A $60 B $25 C $15 D $30 Answer: B. $25 Alexander the Great was a mighty king and conqueror . He was one of the greatest military geniuses the world has ever known. He was born in Pella, Macedonia. Alexander grew to be a handsome, brilliant man. Aristotle, the famous philosopher , came from Greece to teach him---geography, politics, literature, medicine and science. Alexander's father, King Philip II of Macedon, taught him to plan and win battles. The young prince became King when he was 20. He then began the series of marches that continued until he ruled almost all of the then-known world. On his great war horse, Bucephalus, he first took over Greece. He went on to conquer southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, Egypt and India. On his way he crushed the Persian Empire, and was made King of Egypt and Asia. He and his troops traveled over 11,000 miles(17,700 km). He spread Greek customs and ideas wherever he went. In India his men refused to go further. They were tired and frightened, and wanted to go home. Worn out, Alexander agreed to turn back. He died of fever in Babylon, at the early age of 33. What's the best title of this passage? A How Alexander the Great Became King? B Great Tragedy C Good Education Makes a Great Man D Alexander the Great Answer: D. Alexander the Great What would light bounce off of when it hits it? A a wall painted grey B old worn out leather C a freshly waxed car D a street made of gravel Answer: C. a freshly waxed car A "blogger" is a person who writes on an Internet computer Web site called a "blog". The word "blog" is a short way of saying Web log, or personal Web site. Anyone can start a blog, and they can write about anything they like. There are millions of blogs on the Internet today. They provide news, information and ideas in many people who read them. They contain links to other Web sites. And they provide a place for people to write about their ideas and react to the ideas of others. A research company called Perscus has studied more than 300 Web logs. It says that blogs are most popular with teenage girls. They use them to let their friends know what is happening in their lives. The study also says that more than 100,000 bloggers stopped taking part in the activity after a year. However, some people develop serious blogs to present political and other ideas. For example, the Republican and Democratic parties in the southern state of Kentucky recently started their own blogs. And American companies are beginning to use blogs to advertise their products. At the same time, some long-standing blogs have ended last week, blogging leader Dave Winer closed his free blog service weblogs. com. He says the site became too costly to continue. He started the blog four years ago. And thousands of people had written on it. They are now upset because they did not know that the site was closing. One blog that is still going strong is called Rebecca's Pocket. Rebecca Blood created the Website in 1999. She wrote about the history of blogs on the site. That article led to a book called "The Weblog Handbook". It has been translated into four languages so far. Ms. Blood says Rebecca's Pocket gets about 30,000 visitors a month. She writes about anything and everything--politics, culture and movies. She recently provided medical advice. And she wrote about how to prevent people from stealing money from on-line bank accounts. From the text we can learn that blogs cover almost everything except _ . A different ideas B medical advice C advertisements D account passwords Answer: D. account passwords Children and teenagers who spend lots of time in front of screens---especially TVs---are easier to get more weight as they grow, according to a new study. The findings agree with the research suggesting all that inactive sitting and always watching advertisements may lead to poor eating habits. Researchers used results from a long-term study of children who took part in the surveys every two years. Children were between ages 9 and 16 when the study started. Out of 4,300 girls in the study, 17 percent were overweight or obese . Twenty-four percent of the 3,500 boys were also above a healthy weight. The surveys included questions about their height and weight as well as how much time they spent watching TV and DVDs and playing computer and video games. From one survey to the next, each one-hour increase in children's daily TV watching was in connection with an increase of about 0.1 points on a body mass index (BMI) , which measures weight in connection with height. There's an increase of about half a pound in weight per extra hour of TV. "The weight of the evidence is so strong that television watching is connected with unhealthy changes in weight among youth," says Jennifer Falbe, who led the study while at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. "It's important for parents to know that all the obesity-causing screens really should be limited in their children's lives." Falbe says. "When children watch TV, there are many food advertisements on TV that might lead them to eat a cookie or drink a soft drink." What's more, she says, "they can get into a hibernating state on the sofa, even if children are sitting down while playing a computer game." How many children took part in the study? A 4,300 B 3,500 C 7,800 D 9,800 Answer: C. 7,800
Question: Robots are being used for the first time in hospitals. "Robot-nurses" perform a variety of tasks such as delivering medicine, food and laboratory samples to sickrooms and taking away waste. Patients aren't treated by robots, as this is still done by medical staff. The idea is to employ robots to transport supplies between departments. "Nurses often have to break off from what they are doing to gather supplies," says Peter Seiff, who makes the robots called TUGs. Research shows any interruption in medical work can lead to errors --- a nurse may forget whether she has given medicine and may give a patient double the dose or none at all. The robots vary in size according to what job they perform, but normally take the shape of a metal box on wheels, with a box on the side containing their software. After being programmed, the robots are able to find their way around a hospital unassisted. They also contain scanning technology to create electronic pictures or a "memory" of routes on their hard drives to help them go through passages, doors and other obstacles. Each robot is also monitored at the producer's headquarters in case it runs into any difficulties. Trials show TUGs reduce the time it takes for a patient to receive medicine, and stop drugs from going missing. A study at the University of Maryland Medical Centre in the U.S. found that when three TUGs were used over the course of a year, the average length of time from the drugstore receiving a prescription to the patient receiving it dropped from 74 minutes to 30 minutes and saved nurses 6,123 hours finding medicines. It also cut the number of medicines that went missing to zero. "The biggest complaints we receive from patients is that the nurses don't spend enough time with them. Anything that frees nurses is a _ ," says Katherine Mulligan, director of nursing at the hospital, "The TUGs allow nurses to spend more time focusing on patient care. Nurse satisfaction has improved." What is the attitude of the author towards robot-nurses? A. Neutral. B. Positive. C. Negative. D. Unknown. Answer: B Question: When Debbie Parkhurst choked on a piece of apple at her Maryland home, her dog jumped in, landing hard on her chest and forcing the piece of apple to pop out of her throat. Debbie Parkhurst's husband, Kevin, was at his job at a Wilmington, Del., chemical firm when she took a midday break from jewelry and bit into an apple. When the Keesling family of Indiana were about to be overcome by carbon monoxide(CO), their cat clawed at wife Cathy's hair until she woke up and called for help. For their timely acts, Toby, a golden 2 1/2-year-old dog, and Winnie, a gray-eyed American shorthair, were named Dog and Cat of the Year by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Neither Parkhurst nor Keesling could explain their pets' timely heroics,though Parkhurst suggested it might have been guided by God intervention . "That's what our veterinarian said,"she said. "He wasn't making a joke; he's very spiritual, and now I have to agree with him." But both pets were themselves rescued in baby, Toby as a 4-week-old baby thrown into a garbage bin to die, and Winnie as a week-old orphan hiding under a barn, so helpless that Keesling's husband, Eric, had to feed her milk. As the Keeslings recalled it, a gas-driven pump spread carbon monoxide through the house. By the time Winnie moved into rescue spot, the couple's 14-year-old son, Michael, was already unconscious. "Winnie jumped on the bed and was clawing at me, with a kind of angry noise," Cathy Keesling said. "When I woke up I felt like a T-bar had hit me across the head." State police and officers responding to her 911 call said the family was only minutes from death, judging by the amount of poisonous gas in the house. We can know Debbie Parkhurst _ . A. works in a Wilmington, Del.,chemical firm B. was making jewelry when she had the accident C. might have died but for her pet's help D. was unconscious when her pet found her Answer: C Question: What you give your s and friends can help you know yourself better. Also, what they give you can tell you something about their personality. Most gift--giving (and getting) shows nothing more than the spirit of love and friendship. But it is possible to form some connections between the kinds of things brought and the people who buy them. Here is a guide to who gives what and why. 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 agrees with 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 doesn't match your personality could be an insult to your character. Making something by hand has become the exception in many countries today. If you receive a homemade gift, you're lucky. It may not be made perfectly, but it will show a certain quality of love. They've given time and emotion, two important characteristics of being creative. A person who thinks of food when thinking of gifts is a good example of what human warmth means. Whether you give a box of chocolate, a bag of oranges, or a ball of cheese, all carry the same message of comfort and support. People who give books as gifts either like reading or would like everyone to think they do. 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. Of course, reading is a way of new things. Giving a book can be a way of sharing a feeling or newly learned meaning. The giver is probably trying to say to you what the book said to him. What kind of gifts would people give if they want to show their love toward others? A. Homemade gifts B. Delicious food C. Expensive clothes D. An interesting book Answer: A Question: Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida and has a large number of shopping malls to suit different tastes for tourists and guests to shop. Here are some great places where you can shop in Jacksonville. Gateway Town Center The venerable Gateway Town Center is one of Jacksonville's oldest shopping malls, providing an eclectic mix of exciting stores and fun amusements! Gateway Town Center is located at 5184 Norwood Avenue and owns a mixture of retail boutiques , like Footlocker and Ashley Stewart. You can visit Gateway Town Center Mondays through Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 6:00. St. Johns Town Center The newest and trendiest shopping destination in the city is St. Johns Town Center. This center has all your national favorites like Dillard's, Barnes & Noble and Target as well as a great restaurant selection. St. Johns Towns Center is open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sundays. Regency Square Shopping Center On 9501 Arlington Expressway stands the Regency Square Mall. Children like riding on the mall's mini train while adults like to shop and socialize. Movie fans will like knowing that the Regency Square Mall has a 24 screen AMC theater. You can visit this mall from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and Sundays from noon to 6:00 p.m. River City Marketplace River City Marketplace located in Jacksonville is the largest shopping mall in the city with 70 shops including such stores as Lowes, Wal-Mart Super Center, Pet Smart and Old Navy. All these shops can be found at the open-air plaza. The mall's 14 screen Hollywood theaters are a great attraction for movie buffs. River City Marketplace's hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sundays. If you want to enjoy a good dining during shopping you can go to _ . A. St. Johns Town Center B. River City Marketplace C. Gateway Town Center D. Regency Square Shopping Center Answer: A Question: In its early history, Chicago had floods frequently, especially in the spring, making the streets so muddy that people, horses, and carts got stuck. An old joke that was popular at the time went something like this: A man is stuck up to his waist in a muddy Chicago street. Asked if he needs help, he replies, "No, thanks. I've got a good horse under me." The city planner decided to build an underground drainage system, but there simply wasn't enough difference between the height of the ground level and the water level. The only two options were to lower the Chicago River or raise the city. An engineer named Ellis Chesbrough convinced me the city that it had no choice but to build the pipes above ground and then cover them with dirt. This raised the level of the city's streets by as much as 12 feet. This of course created a new problem: dirt practically buried the first floors of every building in Chicago. Building owners were faced with a choice: either change the first floors of their buildings into basements, and the second stories into main floors, or _ the entire buildings to meet the new street level. Small wood-frame buildings could be lifted fairly easily. But what about large, heavy structures like Tremont Hotel, which was a six-story brick building? That's where George Pullman came in. He had developed some house-moving skills successfully. To lift a big structure like the Tremont Hotel, Pullman would place thousands of jackscrews beneath the building's foundation. One man was assigned to operate each section of roughly 10 jackscrews. At Pullman's signal each man turned his jackscrew the same amount at the same time, thereby raising the building slowly and evenly. Astonishingly, the Tremont Hotel stay open during the entire operation, and many of its guests didn't even notice anything was happening. Some people like to say that every problem has a solution. But in Chicago's early history, every engineering solution seemed to create a new problem. Now that Chicago's waste water was draining efficiently into the Chicago River, the city's next step was to clean the polluted river. What can we conclude about the moving operation of the Tremont Hotel? A. It went on smoothly as intended. B. It interrupted the business of the hotel. C. It involved Pullman turning ten jackscrews. D. It separated the building from its foundation. Answer: A
Question: Wildlife conservationists in Kenya are trying to save a rare kind of rhinoceros .Somanynorthernwhiterhinoshavebeenhuntedandkilled that they are almost dying out. There were only five northern white rhinos left. So the workers hoped they could save the rhinos by helping them produce young. Three northern white rhinos lived at The Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. Workers with military weapons guarded the rhinos as they walked, played and ate over a large area of natural grass and trees. The three rhinos were brought to the conservancy in 2009 from a zoo in the Czech Republic. Workers hoped they would have a better chance of survival in a more natural habitat. But breeding has not been as successful as they had hoped. And the number of northern white rhinos continues to decrease. One of the rhinos at the conservancy died in October. Another died at a zoo in the US city of San Diego, California earlier this month. The San Diego zoo still has one northern white rhino left. The zoo in the Czech Republic also has one. The last wild northern white rhinos were hunted and killed during conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo over the past ten years. Rhinos are killed because many people in Asia want the animals'horns .They believe the horns will help with medical problems. But researchers say there is no medicine in the horn, just a kind of hair. The last male northern white rhino is 41 years old. He has been unsuccessful in producing young with a female rhino. So conservationists will use artificial methods to make a young female become pregnant. If that is not successful, they will try to fertilize a northern rhino egg and put it into a southern white rhino, who will act as a surrogate mother. The last solution would be cross-breeding between the northern and southern white rhino species. If cross-breeding is successful, there is hope that some part of the northern white rhino species may still live on. People hunted and killed rhinos because _ . A. they wanted to get rhinos' horns for medical use B. rhinos ate natural grass and trees on their farmland C. get rid of the threat of rhinos from their life D. they wanted to do researches on producing young for rhinos Answer: A. they wanted to get rhinos' horns for medical use Question: Many animals recognize their food because they see it.So do humans.When you see an apple or a piece of chocolate,you know that these are things you can eat.You can also use other senses when you choose your food.You may like it because it smells good or because it tastes good.You may dislike some types of food because they do not look,smell or taste very nice.Different animals use different senses to find and choose their food.A few animals depend on only one of their senses,while most animals use more than one sense. Although there are many different types of food,some animals spend their lives eating only one type.The giant panda eats only one particular type of bamboo f).Other animals eat only one type of food even when given the choice.A kind of white butterfly will stay on the leaves of a cabbage,even though there are plenty of other vegetables in the garden.However,most animals have a more varied diet .The bear eats fruits and fish.The fox eats small animals,birds and fruits.The diet of these animals will he different depending on the season. Humans have a very varied diet.We often eat food because we like it and not because it is good for us.In countries such as France and Britain.people eat foods with too much sugar.This makes them overweight,which is bad for their health.Eating too much red meat and animal products,such as butter, can also be bad for the health.Choosing the fight food,therefore,has become an area of study in modem life. We can infer from the text that humans and animals. A. eat entirely different food B. are not satisfied with their food C. choose food in similar ways D. depend on one sense in choosing food Answer: C. choose food in similar ways Question: 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 . What can we infer from the passage? A. The HR manager of the company made a mistake. B. The company meant to omit its contact information. C. The HR manager of the company was unfit for his / her job. D. A printing error occurred in the advertisement in the newspaper. Answer: B. The company meant to omit its contact information. Question: "Have you ever heard the old saying, "Never judge a book by its cover"? This is a good rule to follow when you try to judge the cleverness of others by their looks and performance. Some people have minds that shine only in certain situations. A young man with an unusual gift in novel writing may find himself speechless before a pretty girl. But don't make the mistake of thinking he might not be that clever. With a pen and paper, he can tell what he thought very well. Other people may fool you into mistakenly thinking they are clever by putting up a good front. A student who listens carefully and takes notes in class is sure to make a good impression on his teachers. But when it comes to exams, he may get scores much lower than his classmates. We may conclude that:you can't judge someone by appearances. The only way to tell whether a person is clever or not is to get to know him by observing how he reacts to different situations. The more situations you observe, the more accurate your judgement is likely to be. So take your time. Don't judge the book by its cover. The main idea of the passage is _ A. don't judge a book by its cover B. don't judge a person's cleverness by appearance C. people may fool you by putting up a good front D. make sure you know someone well before observing him Answer: B. don't judge a person's cleverness by appearance Question: I don't want to brag , OK, maybe I do want to a little. I have two very smart daughters. My oldest is 7 and she is one of the best students in her second grade class and my youngest, who is 2, is learning new things every day. When it comes to their cleverness, I believe this is because they love reading. When my wife and I first became parents, we were told by a number of people that the best thing we could do for our kids was to encourage them to read. However, with things like television and video games out there, we found it was sometimes hard to make books seem more interesting. But, we succeeded with both of them by doing a few different things. One of the first things we did was reading to them. My youngest daughter can't read books herself yet. But, I also take the time to read to my oldest daughter, too. Not only is this a great way to _ and make them like you, it also introduces them to a world that they might not realize. One thing I recommend is making sure you plan first so you have plenty of time to read more than one book if they want it. This allows you to read their favorite stories while mixing in something new, too. Another thing I started doing with my oldest daughter is having her read to her younger sister. This makes her practice reading out loud something she gets to do at school and loves to and I've noticed my 2-year-old seems to pay closer attention to the stories for some reason. The second thing we do with our kids is we challenge them to read outside their level. I have given my oldest daughter books that are a little more complicated . I do this so she doesn't get bored with "kids" books. For example, the other day, I had her try to read a Sherlock Holmes story. It was a bit hard. But, she understood it enough and she wanted to read it again with my help. I also encourage her to read newspapers and magazines. I do the same thing when I read to my youngest daughter and will sometimes borrow one of her sister's books. So far, she's still paying attention when I read them. Third, and most important, I let them be kids and consider their interests. Reading is a great thing. But, you can get too much of a great thing, too. I let them mix in television, video games, etc. This keeps reading a bit more exciting for them because they like reading the books that they want to rather than think I'm forcing them to read instead of letting them do other things. Why does the writer let his oldest daughter read a Sherlock Holmes story? A. His oldest daughter likes the books that adults read. B. The writer wants his daughter not to lose her interest in reading. C. The writer wants to know whether his daughter can understand it. D. The writer wants to show off his daughter's reading ability. Answer: B. The writer wants his daughter not to lose her interest in reading.
Clouds are made up of moisture particles that are held in the sky until Answer: Which force keeps the planets in their orbits around the Sun? Answer: For poets, bird song is a beautiful expression of nature in full bloom. But for scientists, the chirps of birds are far more meaningful than just pretty sounds. Latest studies show the way that young birds learn to sing is similar to that of a human baby learning to speak. "The question we're trying to answer is how a young bird learns its song," says Professor Michale Fee of MIT. Bird's creative, trial-and-error type of learning provides an ideal model for studying similar processes in humans. An example is how a baby's babble turns into the recognizable syllables of mama and papa. Also the part of the brain that is involved in bird song is very similar to that of a human. So birds may have something to teach us about our own brains, Fee said. The study shows that young birds like to create new and imperfect songs. Gradually, the youngsters' songs become less different and more similar to the sound of their parents. Scientists disabled part of a young finch's brain and stopped the learning in midstream. The bird still sings. But never learns the right songs. Fee's team found that the part of the brain involved is called the anterior forebrain pathway. Its neurons produce random bursts that make the young bird make new sounds and compared it with that of their parents. They also find out that once a bird is old enough that part of the brain will be less active. The study does not enable us to really understand the meaning of bird language. But Fee believes it will eventually be applied to human brain diseases, such as Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease is mentioned here to _ . Answer: Tight-lipped elders used to say, "It's not what you want in this world, but what you get." Psychology teaches that you do get what you want if you know what you want and want the right things. You can make a mental blueprint of a desire as you would make a blueprint of a house, and each of us is continually making these blueprints in the general routine of everyday living.If we intend to have friends to dinner, we plan the menu, make a shopping list, decide which food to cook first, and such planning is an essential for any type of meal to be served. Similarly, If you want to find a job, take a sheet of paper, and write a brief account of yourself.In making a blueprint for a job, begin with yourself, for when you know exactly what you have to offer, you can intelligently plan where to sell your services. This account of yourself is actually a general description of your working life and should include education, experience and references.Such an account is valuable.It can be referred to in filling out standard application blanks and is extremely helpful in personal interviews.While talking to you, your could-be employer is deciding whether your education, your experience, and other qualifications will pay him to employ you and your abilities must be displayed in an orderly and reasonably connected manner. When you have carefully prepared a blueprint of your abilities and desires, you have something _ to sell.Then you are ready to look for a job.Get all the possible information about your could-be job.Make inquiries about the details concerning the job and the firm.Keep your eyes and ears open, and use your own judgment.Spend a certain amount of time each day seeking the position you wish for, and keep in mind: Obtaining a job is your job now. A blueprint made before inviting a friend to dinner is used in this passage as _ . Answer: Now the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories. ( MUSIC) Many everyday American expressions are based on colors. Red is a hot color. Americans often use it to express heat. When they are red-hot, they are very angry about something. Fast loud music is popular with many people. They may say such music is red-hot. Pink is a lighter kind of red. People sometimes say they are in the pink when they are in good health. The expression was first used in America at the beginning of the 20thcentury. It probably comes from the fact that many babies are born with a nice pink color that shows that they are in good health. Blue is a cool color. The blues music in the United States is the opposite of red-hot music. Blues is slow and sad. Someone who is blue is very sad. The color green is natural for trees and grass. But it is an unnatural color for humans. A person who has a sick feeling in the stomach may say he feels a little green. A passenger on a boat who is feeling very sick from high waves may look very green. Sometimes a person may be _ because he does not have something as nice as a friend has, like a fast new car. That person may say he is green with envy. Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars or greenbacks. Dollars are called greenbacks because that is the color of the back of the paper money. The color black is used often in expressions. People describe a day on which everything goes wrong as a black day. (MUSIC) I'm Warren Scheer. Listen again next week for another Words and Their Stories program in Special English on the Voice of America. We describe a day on which everything goes wrong as a _ day. Answer:
Question: Outside her shabby cottage, old Mrs. Tailor was hanging out laundry on a wire line, unaware that some children lay hidden in the leaves of a nearby tree watching her every move. They were determined to find out if she really was a witch. They watched as she took a broomstick to clean the dirt from her stone steps. But, much to their disappointment, she did not mount the broomstick and take flight. Suddenly, the old lady's work was interrupted by the cackling of her hen--a signal that an egg had been laid in the warm nest on top of the haystack. The old broomstick was put aside as she hobbled off towards the haystack followed by Sooty, a black cat she had rescued from a fox trap some time back. With only three legs, it was hard for Sooty to keep up with the old lady. The cat provided proof--the children were sure that only a witch could own a black cat with three legs. There, standing on a wooden box, was Mrs. Tailor, stretching out to gather her precious egg. Taking the egg in one of her hands, she began to climb down when, without warning, the box broke and the old lady fell. "We have to got and help her," whispered Amy. "What if it is a trick?" replied Ben. "Don't be silly, Ben. If she were a witch, she would have turned us into frogs already," reasoned Meg. "Come on Amy, let's go." The girls climbed down the tree and ran all the way to the haystack. Approaching carefully, they could see a wound on the old lady's face. She had knocked her head on a stone and her ankle was definitely broken. "Go and get Dad," Amy yelled to her brother. "Tell him about the accident." The boys did not need another excuse to leave. They ran as fast as they could for help, hoping that Mrs. Tailor would not wake and turn the girls into frogs. . Ben did not rush in help Mrs. Tailor because _ A. he thought that she could be tricking them B. he knew that they could not have been in the tree C. he did not see the old lady fall down D. he was afraid of the three-legged cat Answer: A Question: Opening week specials at Munchies Food Hall. At the corner of Green and Brown Streets in the city Monday 7th of January until Sunday.13rd of January 2008 Feast until you're full! Come down to Monetizes time week to enjoy the special dishes on offer it all of our food outlets. Order from the following: Succulent chicken rice spicy stays beef Delicious noodle dishes plump porky chips seafood specialties crunchy vegetables sweet tropical fruit Halal food is available at the stall. Malay Mood Heaven Win Prizes and Gifts! Spend $20.00 or more and win instant prizes from our lucky draw box. Collect a free party balloon and whistle for each young diner. Enjoy a free meal if you are the first customer of the day at any of our stalls. Win a holiday to Western Australia. A free raffle ticket is given with every receipt . Just fill in your information and place your entry in the box provided. Winner to be announced inThe Strait Timeson the 15th of January. Join in the Fun! Between 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm each evening until the 15th of January, your favorite Channel 3 television actors and singers will entertain you: May Lee Jackie Chen Kim Yap * Kamala Autograph sessions will follow each performance! And who will be our extra special mystery star? Come down on Saturday at noon to find out. Everyone who eats at Munchies will receive a _ . A. free meal B. lucky draw coupon C. free raffle ticket D. balloon and whistle Answer: C Question: A thing that may assist a living being in prolonging life is A. making bad decisions B. quitting when tired C. calibrating to changes D. living in danger Answer: C Question: The year is 2094,It has been announced that a comet is heading towards the Earth.Most of it will miss our planet, but two pieces will probably hit the southern half of the Earth. On 17 July, a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth's atmosphere with a massive explosion.About half of the piece is destoryed but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200times the speed of sound.The sea boils and a huge gole is made in the sea bed.Huge waves are created and spread outwards form the hole.The eall of water,a kilometer high,rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour.Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned. Before the waves reach South America.the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina.Earthquakes and volcanoes are set off in the Andes Moutains.The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean. The cities of Los Angeles,San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes,Millions of people in the southern half of the earth are already dead,but the north won't eacape for long.Because of the explosions the sun is hidden by clouds of dust,and temperatures around the world fall to almost zero.Crops are ruined.The sun won't be seen again for many years.Wars break out as countries fight for food.A year later,no more than 10 million remain laive. Could it really happen?In fact,it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth.The dinesaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years,Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared.Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of object in space. The dinosaurs couldn't live through the cold climate that followed and they died out .Will we meet the same end ? What is mainly described in the passage ? A. A historic discovery B. A research on space C. A scientific adventure D. An imaginary event Answer: D Question: QQ is one of the most popular chat tools among teenagers .We regard it as an important chat tool in our daily life because it has some advantages . First, we can make lots of e-friends on QQ.It is easy to find the person who has the same interest as us ,and we can talk with him or her happily .Second ,we can also join a QQ group to find the information we need .For example ,if we want to learn English well ,we can choose a group with many English lovers in it .Third ,we can also play games with our friends on QQ and always have fun . QQ brings us a lot of benefits ,but it can also cause some problems .It's dangerous to tell strangers on QQ our real personal information like telephone numbers , addresses and ID numbers .If we spend too much time chatting online ,it won't be good for our study and health . QQ will be good for us if _ . A. we spend too much time chatting online . B. we get some useful information we need . C. we tell some strangers about our real telephone number . D. we tell some strangers about our real address and ID number . Answer: B
Question: Emily and Alex were happy when their family moved to a house with a very big garden. They could climb up trees, grow flowers and even play badminton. They liked to watch the birds flying among the trees in the garden. They even started to put food out to attract more birds. Everything was fine for a few days until one afternoon there was a strange bumping noise on a window. Emily went outside and found a small bird dead on the grass. Its neck seemed to be broken. "It must have flown into the window," Alex said when his sister Emily called him to have a look. "Ah, yes, look here. You can see the mark where it hit the window. There are a couple of tiny feathers stuck on the window." "Poor thing!" Emily said. During the next month, five more birds died in the same way. "Why would they fly to the windows?" they wondered. Finally they found out the truth. When the birds were flying, they couldn't see into the rooms. All they saw was the reflection of the garden. They thought that they were flying into trees because they saw trees reflected by the window. "Something has to be done to save the birds." the parents decided. At first, he family tried keeping curtains across the windows, but this made the room dark. Then they bought some strong black paper and cut out the shape of a _ . They made six hawks - one for each window. They stuck the hawks to the windows. They looked pretty and did not keep out much light. When the birds saw the hawks, they would fly away. After that, there were no more dead birds. The family were much happier. _ birds died in the garden. A. 4 B. 5 C. 6 D. 7 Answer: C Question: Which list contains only things that are part of our solar system? A. planets, moons, comets B. galaxies, quasars, asteroids C. black holes, novas, stars D. clusters, asteroids, meteors Answer: A Question: Strictly Shakespeare is a creative writing community and monthly competition site. Its aim is to encourage, stimulate and promote authors, poets and wordsmiths by offering fun challenges, a targeted and friendly community and contact network and an interactive forum for critiques, advice, opportunities and self advertising in a fun and informative manner. The website currently receives one thousand visitors a month but with some amazing work being submitted and shared regularly its workers want to increase that number to highlight the talents of aspiring and creative writers across the globe. Calling all writers: Are you a poet, aspiring author or lover of words? Strictly Shakespeare invites you to join it now. You don't have to write like Shakespeare to enter it. Every month they hold creative writing contests in both poetry and prose based on a theme or prompt and then the TOP TEN finalists are revealed and public voting is open to determine the cash prize winners. Mission: It is to challenge and stimulate enthusiasts from all over the world and provide a forum to share and create. With thousands of visitors to the website, it is also great advertising for those who take part to earn the recognition they deserve and make contacts and new friends. Entries and prizes: It costs only PS1.00 to enter our monthly trysts. It would prefer not to charge at all as they work out of passion as opposed to profit but by charging this minimal fee they can gather all the entry funds, which go into a cash jackpot prize for the winners at the end of each month. Rewards are therefore based upon the number of entries but they give away a minimum of PS20.00 regardless. How to join: Simply visit the website www.strictlyshakespeare.com today, where you can browse through the amazing submissions of previous winners, take part in the forum or enter into the monthly competitions. Monthly timeline: 1st of the Month: Prompts/Themes are posted their "News" page and the contests OPEN! 14th of the Month: Competitions close at midnight. 17th of the Month: Top TEN finalists are revealed and public voting OPENS. 26th of the Month: Winners revealed and prizes distributed. You'd like to pay a visit to Strictly Shakespeare probably because _ . A. you are very interested in strict literature B. there are many interesting advertisements C. the competition is challenging to you D. the community is crowded with many people Answer: C Question: A large book NBA star Yao Ming's English autography will come out in New York, US , this month. It is called "Yao: A Life in Two Worlds." It talks about his first year in the NBA. Yao wrote it with a US report. Alicia's Coming American singer Alicia Keys,23, will be in the "Wall of Hope" concert with other stars, on the Great Wall, in Beijing, on September 25. The R& B singer is a five-time Grammy winner. Top singing award Taiwanese singer Jay Chou, 25, won Best Male singer at the Fourth Chinese Music Billboard Awards , in Taipei, on Saturday. Football winners the Chinese under-17 football team is No. 1 in Asia. They won the Asian U-17 Championship in Japan on Saturday. They beat the Democratic People's Republic of Korea 1-0. After 85 minutes, Wang Weilong shot the only goal. They took the cup for the first time in 12 years. Jay Chou _ . A. is the best singer in the world B. is the top singer in China C. won top singer award of the Fourth Chinese Music Billboard Awards D. has won top singer award four times Answer: C Question: Classified Ads For direct classified service, call 800-0667 10 a.m.--4 p.m., Monday---Friday. For Rent Best on Campus Excellent Room for girls, begins Jan., 2, 4, or 8 months lease. Single, $ 105. $125. Double, $ 140. Call 800-1932. Family Home, 3 bedrooms, large yard. $ 275. Call 800-4300. For Sale Sheepskin Coat, men's size 42, 1year old. $ 85. After 6 p.m. call 800-5224. Moving: Must sell. Color TV 21, $ 150; transistor radio, $ 15; recorder, $ 25. Call 800-0739. Help Wanted Babysitter--My home If you could find a few hours during the day, some evenings and weekends to care for 2 school- age children, please call 800-1111. Lost A black bag with a pencil-box and some books left in the reading room. Will the finder please come to Class 3, Grade 1? Found A green jacket was left on the sports ground yesterday afternoon ( April 15th). Will the owner please ring 656-6688 Classified Ads may probably mean " _ ". A. ads about everyone's life B. ads giving one some necessary information C. ads divided into different groups according to a certain rules D. ads for which you needn't pay any money Answer: C
A father and his young son get into a bus in a small city and sit down. The bus conductor comes to them for their money. The man says "I want one ticket to Oxford." and gives her a shilling( ). The conductor looks at the small boy for a few seconds and then says to him, "How old are you young man?" The man begins speaking,but the conductor stops him,and the boy says, "I'm four years old at home, and two and a half in buses and trains." The man has to take six pence out of his bag and gives the money to the conductor. The conductor gives him one and a half tickets. One day the father takes a bus _ . Answer: When people think of the unique characteristics of Beijing the hutong style always comes to mind.It is no exaggeration to say within hutong lives the city's history. The word hutong was borrowed from the Mongolian word to mean "water well" about 700 years ago.Later it referred to a place where people live.Hutong we see today are made up of small lanes formed by walls of siheyuan.They were built during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. When the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, there were more than 3,000 hutong.Most of the city's population lived in this traditional housing.But with the modernization of the city in the 1980s and early 1990s, many hutong were pulled down to build roads, skyscrapers and modern houses. The government has recognized the importance of hutong to Chinese cultural heritage .In 2002, Beijing listed 40 protected historical zones and increased its efforts to restore some key relics and older streets in the city.Nearly 500 hutong have survived. Hutong that still exist are like oases of calm surrounded by the noisy city.Walking through them, it's common to see groups of elderly citizens sitting together playing cards, mahjong or Chinese chess.In the early mornings and evenings, they gather to practice traditional forms of exercise such as taijiquan as well as dancing and singing folk songs or Peking Opera.Hutong have become a museum of Beijing's folk customs and history. What is the original meaning of the word hutong? Answer: Book Description This isn't an education children's picture book with plenty of facts to expand young minds. Sara Myers simply explains all about dogs with easy words or phrases. Children will learn about : What dogs are Where they can be found What they eat And much more ! The fantastic photos are sure fire your chid's imagination ,and keep them interested all the way through . Publication Date :September 3,2013 Publisher: Hazed Published Language:English What is NOT mentioned in the material ? Answer: When I grew up, all the schools in the village demanded that girls cut their hair. The teachers would measure our hair and make sure it was not too long. I remember crying and begging as the scissors cut my hair. My dad told me that a girl who was in school needed to concentrate on books and that hair was a distraction . I cut my hair all the way through primary school and middle school. Then I went to a high school that allowed long hair but no styles or braids during class hours. Even then, still adhering to my dad's words, I never wore my hair long. When I graduated from high school, I started growing my hair. I spent hours looking in the mirror and shaping my hair. My sister complained, wondering why I had to have two styles in a day. In college I heard the word perm . Girls had some strong chemicals put on their heads and made the hair look beautiful. I quickly sat in a salon and changed my hair. I returned to the salon once every month. Even during the days when I had no money for food, I had to find money for my hair. After college, I was jobless and broke. I had to have my hair cut. At that time I saw a bald black model. Her style shocked me and I admired her so much that I began to follow her. Therefore, there I was. I wore some large earrings and walked around like a model. And many people admired my style. At this point the journey with my hair stopped completely. I decided to have natural hair. I soon found out natural hair is the cheapest, easiest and healthiest way to wear African hair. When did the author wear long hair? Answer: My parents influenced us with the concepts of family, faith and love for one's motherland when l was young.Even though we struggled to make ends meet, they stressed how fortunate we were to live in a great country with limitless opportunities. I got my first real job when l was ten.My dad, Benjamin, injured his back working in a cardboard - box factory and was retrained as a hairstylist.He rented space in a little mall and gave his shop the fancy name of Mr.Ben's Coiffure. The owner of the shopping center gave Dad a discount on his rent for cleaning the parking lot three nights a week, which meant getting up at 3 a.m. to pick up rubbish. Dad used a little machine that looked like a lawn mower.Mom and I emptied rubbish cans and picked up rubbish by hand.It took two to three hours to clean the lot.I'd s1eep in the car on the way home. I did this for two years, but the lessons I learned have lasted a lifetime, I acquired discipline and a strong work morality , and learned at an early age the importance of balancing life's competing interests---in my case, school, homework and a job.This really helped during my senior year of high school, when l worked 40 hours a week flipping hamburgers at a fast-food joint while taking a full load of college-prepared courses. _ .I attended the U.S.Military Academy and went on to receive graduate degree in law and business from Harvard.Later, I joined a big Los Angeles law firm and was elected to the California state committee.In these jobs and in everything else I've done, I have never forgotten those nights in the parking lot.The experience taught me that there is dignity in all work and that if people are working to provide for themselves and their families, that is something we should honor. In order to get a discount on rent, _ Answer:
Speech--the act of uttering sounds to convey meaning--is a kind of human action. Like any other constantly repeated action, speaking has to be learned, but once it is learned, it becomes a generally unconscious and apparently automatic process. As far as we can determine, human beings do not need to be forced to speak; most babies seem to possess a sort of instinctive drive to produce speech like noises. How to speak and what to say are another matter altogetner. There actions are learned from the particular society into which the baby is born; so that, like all conduct that is learned from a society--from the people around us--speech is a patterned activity. The meandering babble and chatter of a young child are eventually channeled by imitation into a few orderly grooves that represent the pattern accepted as meaningful by the people around him. Similarly, a child's indiscriminate practice of putting things into his mouth becomes limited to putting food into his mouth in a certain way. The sounds that a child can make are more varied and numerous than the sounds that any particular language uses. However, a child born into a society with a pattem of language is encouraged to make a small selection of sounds and to make these few sounds over and over until it is natural for him to make these sounds and not others. For an adult, the process of speaking usually involves_. A conscious selection of sounds B imitation of those around him C a drive to make noises D unconscious actions Answer: D Kid Power in Action! Kids wanted aChicken Soup book of their own, so here it is!Children Soup for the Kid'sSoul is for kids ages nine through thirteen, and it's "all that!" Sometimes you feel like life is a complete blast , from scoring the winning goal to hanging out with your friends. Yet other times, life is too difficult: You seem to see violence everywhere you turn, more parents are getting divorced , your best friend moves away, or you feel like you don't fit in. Now there is a place to find answers and encouragement and to help you realize that your dreams really can come true. With funny stories about friendship and family, and serious stories about brave kids and difficult choices, this book will make you laugh, cry, think, and feel good about yourself. Ever since the firstChicken Soup for the Soul was published in June 1993, we have been getting requests from kids all over the world asking for a Chicken Soup book just for them. So here it is, the first full-lengthChicken Soup for the Kid's Soul, written by kids and by grown-ups who haven't forgotten what it's like to be a kid. We would like to know how the stories in the book will affect you and which ones are your favorites, please write to us and let us know. We also invite you to send us any stories that you would like us to consider for the second book: Helping of Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul. You may send stories and poems that you have written, or ones that you have read and liked. For more information, you can visit the Chicken Soup for the Soul site on American Online at keyword:chickensoul. Choose the proper answer according to the passage. A This book is written to help parents who get divorced. B Only people aged from thirteen to nineteen will get help from this book. C This book was specially written for kids ages nine through thirteen. D Other people are not allowed to read it. Answer: C BEIJING--As China scrambles to respond to the choking smog that has _ Beijing in recent weeks, authorities in several major cities are experimenting with carbon trading platforms. The schemes are one effort to get control over greenhouse gases in an economy still hungry for cheap energy. It has been a persistent concern in recent years, but the spiking pollution levels in January are sparking a public outcry. Emissions from coal-fired electricity plants and busy factories are part of the problem that officials hope to get control over through carbon trading platforms. Seven cities are expected to open carbon markets later this year, including Tianjin. "The government has decided to start with programs because the carbon trading is something new to China," said David Tang, secretary of the board of the Tianjin Carbon Exchange. "So we want to have a number of programs to explore the use of the market." said Tang. China wants to launch a national carbon trading program by 2016. If it is successful, analysts say, the program would be one of the largest in the world and would help the country meet its target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 45 percent within seven years. The platforms allow companies to earn credits for lowering greenhouse gas emissions, which can then be traded. If it works, it would encourage for-profit businesses to invest in green technology. As public concern builds pressure for the government to find a solution, Wu Changhua, greater China director of the Climate Group, says there is a broad shift under way in how Chinese weigh their quality of life. China has long put economic growth ahead of environmental concerns, making it the world's biggest polluter. Carbon trading supporters hope that the markets could be one way to curb pollution and keep the economy growing. Which of the following is TRUE about carbon trading platforms? A They are used to trade various resources. B They caused the choking smog in China. C They have been in existence for many years in China. D The choking smog may promote their development. Answer: D Which is the least massive? A the Earth B the moon C the sun D the solar system Answer: B Peter is a sixth-grader at Woodland Primary School. He is only 12 years old but has been smoking for three years. John, 15, is a Junior 2 student at Woodland Secondary School. He began smoking four years ago. "Smoking is part of my life," John said. Peter and John are not those boys' real names. But their problem, smoking, is a very real problem. In many countries, smoking is becoming a bigger problem for young people. Most smokers start in their teens or earlier. A study of 8,000 London students shows that smoking is a problem for many British kids. More than 21% of middle school students and 6% of primary school pupils said they smoked. "If young people start smoking early, it will be very hard for them to give up later on," said a professor. Every year, about four million people die because of smoking. And if people keep smoking that number will go up to about ten million a year by 2030 the World Health Organization (WTO) says. So we have to learn and tell others about dangers of smoking. ,. The main idea of this passage is that _ A smoking is becoming a bigger problem for young people B more and more people die because of smoking every year C who asks young people to give up smoking D we needn't worry about the student smokers Answer: A
At midnight at New Year's Eve people in Rome and Italy throw ( ) all the things they no longer want .The streets are filled with old chairs ,beds ,clothes and dishes .... In Madrid, Spain, new year comes in more quietly ( ) . People go to the main square, each holding a bag of grapes .As the clock strikes ( ) twelve ,the people eat grapes . In Tokyo people eat noodles at New Year's Eve. This food is said to bring long life. Early the next morning , some Japanese families climb Mount Fuji. There they watch the first sunrise ( ) of the new year. In China , New Year's food include ( ) a whole fish and a chicken . The chicken must be presented ( ) with a head ,a tail and two feet to symbolize ( ) completeness ( ) . From the story we know that people in some countries bring in New Year By _ . A. throwing everything B. playing games C. eating some special food D. drinking coke Answer: C Once upon a time, people wrote letters mostly with pen and paper. But the Internet has changed all that. Among computer users today, between 50 and 90 percent of written letters take place through e-mail. That's much different from the days when everyone relied on "snail mail" . More and more new e-mail users are asking, "How can I write better e-mail message?" Here are six tips for you. (1) Who are you writing to? Who are you writing to? A friend, a classmate, a teacher or a boss? Be sure the tone of your e-mail message is right for the receiver. Using slang or abbreviations may be all right for your friends. But business letters should use full names and complete sentences. (2) Be direct. Readers of e-mail have little patience. Say what you want to say directly. (3) Use short sentences. E-mail is quicker and more convenient than snail mail. It's also much easier to throw away. Don't use long sentences. Make your sentences short and clear. (4) Give enough details . A terrible e-mail message reads like this: "Did you get my e-mail?" Someone reading this will wonder, "Which e-mail? Sent when? About what?" Today's e-mail users sometimes get many messages every day, so be sure your messages have enough details to be understood. (5) Use the subject line well Readers see what's in the subject line of your message before anything else. Don't say "Hi, from Wang Peng"------ they can see who sent the message from the address. A short, direct explanation of the content of your message will get you a faster answer. (6) Don't be too slow to answer. Remember that in the world of e-mail, things happen fast. If you take longer than a week to answer someone's message, it may be too late. The best title for the passage is _ . A. How To Use The Computers B. How To Write A Better E-mail C. How To Use The Internet D. E-mails Are Different From Letters Answer: B Celebrate the arts at Harvard ARTS FIRST: April 28-May l, 2012 Experience non-stop art! Over 200 performances, exhibitions, films, and multimedia presentations Highlighting student and faculty creativity at Harvard. Schedule of events: www.ofa.fas.harvard.edu/arts, or call 617 495 8676 to request a program guide. Join us in honoring Susan Meiselas, winner of the 2012 Harvard Arts Medal Photographer Susan Meiselas will be awarded the Arts Medal by President Drew Gilpin Faust and will take part in a conversation organized by John Lithgow. Friday, April 29, 4 pm New College Theatre, 10-12 Holyoke St., Cambridge Admission free: tickets required. Those who receive this announcement may request up to two tickets by emailing www.ofa.fas.harvard.edu/arts or calling 617 495 8676. Please indicate one or two tickets, and reply by April 25. Who is a photographer? A. Susan Meiselas. B. Drew Gilpin Faust C. John Lithgow. D. Holyoke Johnson. Answer: A In sports the sexes are separate. Women and men do not run or swim in the same races. Women are less strong than men. _ . Women are called the weaker sex, or ,if men want to please them, "the fair sex". But boys and girls are taught together at schools and universities .There are women who are famous Prime Ministers, scientists and writers. And women live longer than men. A European woman can expect to live until the age of 74, a man only until he is 68. Are women's bodies really weaker? The fastest men can run a mile under 4 minutes. The best women need 4.5 minutes .Women's times are always slower than men's ,but some facts are a surprise. Some of the fastest women swimmers today are teenager girls. One of them swam 400 meters in 4 minutes 21.2 seconds when she was only 16. The first "Tarzan" in films was an Olympic swimmer ,Johnny Weissmuller. His fastest 400 meters was 4 minutes 59.1 seconds, which is 37.9 seconds slower than a girl 50 years later ! This does not mean that women are catching men up .Conditions are very different now ,and sport is much more serious .It is so serious that some women athletes are given hormone injections. At the Olympics a doctor has to check whether the women athletes are really women or not. It seems sad that sport has such problems. Life can be very complicated when there are two separate sexes! In this passage the author implies that_. A. men are not always stronger and faster than women B. women are slower than men ,but stronger C. men are faster and stronger than women D. women are weaker than men ,but faster Answer: A Riding a two wheeled human powered vehicle is good for the environment because A. it runs without fuel B. it helps people stay in shape C. they are cheaper to maintain D. they are more fun to drive Answer: A
"Now stretch over your right leg!" my dance teacher yells over the music. "If it doesn't hurt, you're not trying hard enough. Hold that stretch for 30 seconds!" My dance teacher works hard to form us into the dancers we desire to be. In order for this to occur, we stretch hard a lot! Dancing is a real passion of many people, including me. I work hard to make myself better, and prove that I am good enough. Performing a dance routine is more than just a performance. Dancers tell stories when they dance. It is a way for us to express our personal feelings. Just letting go and letting your body move with the music can create your emotions. Dance tells us things that our mind secretly hides. "Get up and do it again! You need to keep your spirits up!" Even though I am completely worn out after my dances, I love to hear those words. It gives me a sense of relief knowing that I can again express my feelings out on the floor. "Practice makes perfect! Come on. We have a competition this weekend, and we need to work harder!" Competitions are the best possible example of fun. For a dancer, life cannot get better than competitions. The thrill of losing yourself onstage is a rush of energy rushing through your body! The feeling is unexplainable. As you sit there putting on your makeup, fixing your hair, and putting on your costume, the rush just gradually grows until it is ready to be released onstage. Finally the time comes to tell your story. Standing backstage waiting for your name to be called is one of the scariest moments. You are ready to show the world what you are capable of and what you have been perfecting for a while. Once your number is called, you walk out onstage. The applause at the end tells each dancer that their story has been received, and that the dance has been brought to life. What would be the best title for the text? Answer: He is a familiar sight, the old man who asks change from drivers stopped at a red light on East 35th Street in Slidtown Manhattan every day. After all, he has been at it for 17 years now, seven days a week. With the help of a walker, he hobbles between lanes of traffic, approaching drivers, offering newspapers --- often a free paper collected from boxes on the sidewalk nearby --and asking for change."Help a guy out?" he repeats to drivers who will usually hand over a dollar or some change. Most drivers simply regard him as another homeless down-and-out ,but every so often one might realize that it's the legendary comedian Professor Irwin Corey, who is now 98. Over his eight-decade career, he has been on television and in comedy clubs, nightclubs and concert halls worldwide. He began his stage career on Broadway in 1943. Indeed, he still performs fairly regularly -- a week ago he flew to Chicago to play two nights at a local club. And though he has a homeless appearance, Mr. Corey lives in a comfortable 1840 carriage house on East 36th Street between Lexington and Third Avenues that he estimates could sell for $3.5 million. Mr. Corey said he gathers his daily take-- usually about $100, though there have been $250 days-- every few months and donates the money to a charity that buys medical supplies for children in Cuba. As for the drivers he solicits, Mr. Corey said, "I don't tell them where the money's going, and I'm sure they don't care." Mr. Corey has traveled to Cuba to donate personally. There are photographs of him with President Fidel Castro on his wall. One is with an inscription by Castro: With admiration, gratitude and affection. According to the passage, Corey _ . Answer: Sayings are quite common in spoken English. We don't normally put them in a composition or a letter. Sometimes it is helpful if you know what common proverbs mean. Here are a few examples. " Once bitten, twice shy." If a dog bites me, I shall be twice as careful in future when I see it. This proverb is also used to apply to many things and not only to dogs. For example, if you have been cheated at a shop, you will not go to the same shop again. "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." If I am a hunter, trying to catch birds, it is better to catch one than to see two birds in a bush but not able to catch them. Thus this means that what you have already got is better than the chance of being able to get something bigger in future. " Don't be a dog in a manger " means " Don't be selfish." In a stable ,the manger is the place where the horse's food is put. Sometimes a dog will sleep in the manger and bark when a horse comes to get its food. The dog doesn't want to eat the horse's food in the manger but it will not let the horse eat it. " He who pays the piper calls the tune ." A piper is a musician. The man who pays a musician can say what tunes the man will play. Thus this means that if a man provides the money for a plan, he can say how it will be carried out. "To pour oil on troubled waters" is to try to calm things down. Oil is lighter than water. If a ship is in trouble at sea, another ship may come to help it. The second ship can send small boats to rescue people. However, it may first pour oil on the sea to make the sea less rough. Mr Wang paid for a new school. Some people didn't like the design of the school but they didn't argue with Mr Wang because _ . Answer: Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature.However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment. Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water.Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses in good condition.This causes major environmental effects.For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas. There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you can take up today. You don't need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse.Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit.If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones.Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control. Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials.But the final goal should be "green gyms".They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers.Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces.There is no special requirement for you to start your membership.And best of all, it's free. According to the passage, which of the following is an environment-friendly sport? Answer: Proudly reading my words, I glanced around the room, only to find my classmates with big smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes. Confused, I glanced toward my stone-faced teacher. Having no choice, I slowly raised the report I had worked on, hoping to hide myself. "What could be causing everyone to act this way?" Quickly, I flashed back to the day Miss Lancelot gave me the task. This was the first real task I received in my new school. It seemed simple: go on the Internet and find information about a man named George Washington. Since my idea of history came from an ancient teacher in my home country, I had never heard of that name before. As I searched for the name of this fellow, it became obvious that there were two people with the same name who looked completely different! One invented hundreds of uses for peanuts, while the other led army across America. I stared at the screen, wondering which one my teacher meant. I called my grandfather for a golden piece of advice: flip a coin. Heads--the commander, and tails--the peanuts guy. Ah! Tails, my report would be about the great man who invented peanut butter, George Washington Carver.Weeks later, standing before this unfriendly mass, I was totally lost. Oh well, I lowered the paper and sat down at my desk, burning to find out what I had done wrong. As a classmate began his report, it all became clear, "My report is on George Washington, the man who started the American Revolution." The whole world became quiet! How could I know that she meant that George Washington? Obviously, my grade was terrible. Heartbroken but fearless, I decided to turn this around. I talked to Miss Lancelot, but she insisted: No re-dos; no new grade. I felt that the punishment was not justified, and I believed I deserved a second chance. At last, I worked very hard for the rest of the school year. Ten months later, that chance came as I found myself sitting in the headmaster's office with my grandfather, now having a completely different conversation. I smiled and flashed back to the embarrassing moment at the beginning of the year as the headmaster informed me of my chance to skip the sixth grade. Justice is sweet! In the end, the author turned things around _ . Answer:
Question: Many people say that they are working too many hours. They don't have enough time to relax or to stay with their family. Work hours are different from one country to another. In France, people spend about 1,646 hours a year at work. In Japan, however, people work about 2,159 hours a year. Why do people work so many hours? Some people work extra hours because they want to make more money. However, many companies don't pay overtime. Their workers don't get more pay for more work. Some people think it's their duty to work more hours. Some are afraid of losing their jobs if they don't work more hours. Many people say that their vacations are too short. In France, people get five weeks of paid vacation a year. In Germany, they get four to six weeks, and in the United States, two weeks. One study shows fewer than half of workers used all their vacation days. In Great Britain, there is a saying, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." If that is true, there must be a lot of dull people in the world. A Japanese worker works _ more hours a year than a French one. A. 513 B. 1,646 C. 2,159 D. 3,805 Answer: A Question: As more and more people speak the global languages of English, Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic, other languages are rapidly disappearing. In fact, half of the 6,000--7,000 languages spoken around the world today will likely die out by the next century, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In an effort to prevent language loss, scholars from a number of organizations--UNESCO and National Geographic among them--have for many years been documenting dying languages and the cultures they reflect. Mark Turin, a scientist at the Macmillan Centre Yale University, who specializes in the languages and oral traditions of the Himalayas, is following in _ . His recently published book, A Grammar of Thangmi with an Ethnolinguistic Introduction to the Speakers and Their Culture, grows out of his experience living, working, and raising a family in a village in Nepal. Documenting the Thangmi language and culture is just a starting point for Turin, who seeks to include other languages and oral traditions across the Himalayan reaches of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China. But he is not content to simply record these voices before they disappear without record. At the University of Cambridge Turin discovered a wealth of important materials-including photographs, films, tape recordings, and field notes--which had remained unstudied and were badly in need of care and protection. Now, through the two organizations that he has founded-the Digital Himalaya Project and the World Oral Literature Project--Turin has started a campaign to make such documents, for the world available not just to scholars but to the younger generations of communities from whom the materials were originally collected. Thanks to digital technology and the widely available Internet, Turin notes, the endangered languages can be saved and reconnected with speech communities. Many scholars are making efforts to _ . A. promote global languages B. set up language research organizations. C. search for language communities D. rescue disappearing languages Answer: D Question: Hiking If you like to hike during the warm months, you'll probably like to hike in the winter. The landscape changes completely from summer to fall to winter, and the snow can make for some really beautiful photos. Be sure to bring your camera with you to capture all the awesome scenery. Because it's cold out, you also have the added benefit of not sweating too much through your clothes, and it's a great excuse to grab some hot chocolate when you finish your hike. Cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is great exercise and a great way to see the winter scenery at the same time. If you've never done cross-country skiing before, be sure to check with an expert before trying it yourself. Knowing what to expect can keep you safe and prevent an injury. Snowball fighting Everyone remembers going outside, building a snow fort ,and having snowball fights when they were kids. The fun doesn't have to stop when you're an adult! Go outside with your friends, build a fort and start throwing snowballs at each other. If you have kids, get them in on the action. Throwing snowballs is a great way to use some extra energy and can be really fun for the whole family. Bird-watching Lots of birds migrate during the winter months, and these quiet, cold hours can be a great time to see them like never before. Eagles, for example, migrate through central Illinois in February, and watching them fly through Starved Rock State Park is a breathtaking sight. Check your local parks to find out what birds you can see in your area and get out there to see them. Which of the following does the author suggest for those with kids? A. Hiking B. Cross-country skiing C. Snowball fighting D. Bird-watching Answer: C Question: The Spring Festival is the Chinese New Year's Day. It usually comes in January or February. Everyone in China likes it very much. All the families have a big dinner to celebrate it. Children like the Spring Festival best because they can get presents such as nice food, new clothes and red packets from their grandparents, their parents, their uncles and aunts. People eat dumplings on the Spring Festival. Chinese think eating dumplings can bring them money in the new year. Who doesn't give children red packets? A. Parents. B. Cousins. C. Grandparents. D. Uncles. Answer: B Question: A plane travels through what? A. gas layers B. plains C. oceans D. time Answer: A
The Internet is now a central part of everyday life. The number of Internet hours in the West is increasing each month, but online addiction is still not attracting a great deal of attention. Perhaps one reason Internet addiction has not _ in the West is that there are too many other vices available. In a society ly open to sex, gambling, alcohol and drugs, computer games are not always appealing to young people. In fact, there is almost a shame attached to playing online games. Many consider it an "uncool" thing to do. They would rather spend their free time meeting friends. But this is not to say that people don't do it. One website, wowdetox.com, still offers support to recovering "addicts". One user posted on the website: "I would play all night and spend all day sleeping. I just quit a month ago. Best decision ever." This is just one example from around 1,660 pages of confessions . Still, computer game addiction is not officially recognized in the West. Just last years, the American Medical Association refused calls to have computer game addiction classified as a disease, saying that, "Nothing suggests it is a complex disease similar to alcoholism." Online gaming is more personal in the West. It is rare for people to visit Internet cafes or play with friends at home. After all, the majority of households have their own fast Internet connection. This removes the social joy with friends. And this choice of playing alone is not very appealing to many people. We can learn from this passage that_. Answer: surfing the Internet is not so attractive in the west Knowing the best way to study will help you to be a better student. By using your time properly, you can do your homework more quickly. Learning to study is not difficult. The first thing to remember is that you must be willing to learn. It doesn't mean that you must always like the subject. It does mean, however, that you must be willing to do whatever is necessary to learn. Try to understand why it is important and how it will help you now and later to do and learn other things. Knowing mathematics facts will be useful in your whole life. Knowing how to spell makes any kind of writing easier. Sometimes the subject that you think is going to be uninteresting will be exciting when you begin to work at it and understand it more clearly. Learning things can be fun if you are willing to work with them. Here's some advice for you: have a certain time each day and a quiet place with good lighting for study, so that you can concentrate on your study without interruptions; have everything ready before you sit down to study, a dictionary, paper, a pen and books; be sure you understand what you should learn before you start; read carefully and pay special attention to the most important things; when memorizing, first find out the main parts and then recite the whole thing; check your homework after you finish it; never forget the importance of review and preview. Don't try to spend a lot of time researching learning methods. There are many students who know many good learning methods but don't study well. They forget that the most useful learning method is to study hard. The main purpose of the article is _ . Answer: to tell the students how to study well Exercise is one of the few factors with a positive role in long-term control of body weight. Unfortunately, that message has not gotten through to the average American, who would rather try switching to "light" beer and low-calorie bread than increase physical efforts. The Centers for Disease Control, for example, found that fewer than one-fourth of overweight adults who were trying to lose weight said they were combining exercise with their diet. In rejecting exercise, some people may be discouraged too much by caloric-expenditure charts; for example, one would have to quickly walk hard three miles just to work off the 275 calories in one delicious Danish pastry . Even exercise professionals accept half a point here. "Exercise by itself is a very tough way to lose weight," says York Onnen, program director of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Still, exercise's supporting role in weight reduction is vital. A study at the Boston University Medical Center of overweight police officers and other public employees confirmed that those who dieted without exercise regained almost all their old weight, while those who worked exercise into their daily routine maintained their new weight. If you have been sedentary and decide to start walking one mile a day, the added exercise could burn an extra 100 calories daily. In a year's time, assuming no increase in food intake, you could lose ten pounds. By increasing the distance of your walks gradually and making other dietary adjustments, you may lose even more weight. What is the author's purpose in writing this article? Answer: To show the most effective way to lose weight. The dodo is among the most famous extinct creatures, and _ for human-caused extinction events. Despite its bad name, and the fact that the species was alive during recorded human history, little is actually known about how this animal lived, looked, and behaved. A new study of the only known complete skeleton from a single bird takes advantage of modern 3-D laser scanning technology to open a new window into the life of this famous extinct bird. The study was presented at the 74th Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology in Estrel, Berlin. Leon Claessens, Associate Professor at the College of the Holy Cross, and lead researcher on the study said that, "the 3-D laser surface scans we made of the fragile dodo skeletons enable us to reconstruct how the dodo walked, moved and lived to a level of detail that has never been possible before. There are so many outstanding questions about the dodo bird that we can answer with this new knowledge." A complete dodo skeleton, found by an amateur collector and barber, Etienne Thirioux, on the island of Mauritius between 1899 and 1917, has remained unstudied, even though it is the only complete dodo skeleton from a single individual bird known to exist. All other skeletons are incomplete combinations, meaning that they are gathered from more than one individual. In addition, Thirioux constructed a second, partially combined skeleton, which contains many bones that also belong to a single bird. "Being able to examine the skeleton of a single, individual dodo, which is not made up from as many individual birds as there are bones, as is the case in all those other combined skeletons, truly allows us to appreciate the way the dodo looked and see how tall or fat it really was," said Juilan Hume, of the Natural History Museum UK, a co-author on the study. The scans were performed on site in Durban, South Africa, and allow examination of the biology of this mysterious extinct bird in detail for the first time. Using the newest digital tools and techniques, the scans provide an insight into how the flightless dodo may have developed its giant size, and how it walked and lived in its forest home. According to Kenneth Rijsdijk, a biologist from University of Amsterdam, "the skull of the dodo is so large and its mouth so strong that it is easy to understand that the earliest naturalists thought it was related to sharks and other birds of prey , rather than the pigeon family." The researchers study the dodo skeleton to find out _ . Answer: the dodo's living habits Taking part in charity is not just for adult people. Kids can do it too! Melvin Sheppard, 14, an American student, has done charity work for 8 years. He has also encouraged his classmates to join him. Melvin studies at William Allen Middle School in Philadelphia. Recently, he collected $ 1,500 by himself and $487 from his classmates to donate to Cooper University Hospital. Melvin was born nine weeks premature in Cooper University Hospital, weighing 2.6kg. His father told him how Cooper saved his life, so he feels thankful to the hospital. Melvin's classmates joined him once they found out about his kind behavior. Their teacher, Michael Bemer, also held a class with them about helping others. "It wasn't really about the money," Bemer said. "It was about the fact that they were doing something good." "It feels great, helping someone that I know." said Jordan, Melvin' s classmate. Melvin's neighbors also helped out. Since Melvin was 6, he and his parents have given money to Cooper University Hospital every year. This year, Gray E. Stahl, the head of Cooper's division of neonatology , went to Melvin's school to accept the money. The money goes to a part of the hospital that helps about 500 young patients every year. "When they leave, we call them graduates," Stahl said, "my co - workers and I are pleased when our graduates and their families do well, like Melvin and his family." When did Melvin start to do charity work? Answer: When he was 6 years old.
Rodd and Todd were lucky children chosen to see Santa Claus himself up at the North Pole. Some elves come in and said, "Santa Claus is very busy. You'll only be able to see him for a short while, so make the most of it." Santa Claus appeared, carrying all the toys the two boys had ever wanted. While Todd ran to hug Santa Claus, Rodd went over to the bicycle he had always dreamed of having. Santa was only there for a few seconds, and disappeared before Rodd had even looked at him. He cried and complained, but within a few hours the two boys had been returned to their homes. From that day on, every time Rodd saw a toy he felt the excitement of receiving a present, but he would instantly look around to see what else of importance he was missing. And in this way, Rodd helped those who had nothing, giving love to those who almost never received it, and putting smiles on the faces of the unhappy. All by himself, he managed to change the atmosphere of his town, and no one could know him without being grateful to him. One Christmas, while he was sleeping, he felt someone pulling his leg. Rodd opened his eyes and saw the long white beard and the soft red suit. "Forgive me. I didn't know how to choose what was most important," said Rodd. But Santa Claus answered with a smile. "I chose to spend some time with the best boy in the world, just before I leave you the great gift you've earned for yourself. Thank you!" And the next morning, there were no presents under the Christmas tree. That Christmas, the gift had been so big that it couldn't fit down the chimney; the only place it could fit was in Rodd's heart. The story mainly tells us _ . A to respect Santa Claus B to spend Christmas with Santa Claus C not to miss the important thing D not to ask for too many gifts for Christmas Answer: C It was a freezing cold winter day. My father and I went to the market to buy a few oranges. When we arrived, the market was crowded with people. We looked around and stopped at the sight of a small booth . It was just a big piece of cloth on the ground with a few fresh-looking oranges. A young girl was sitting on the ground, reading next to the booth. My father cleared his throat and asked,'How much are the oranges?' The girl jumped up and asked,'Oh....what?' 'How much are the oranges?' my father repeated patiently. 'Oh......two for one yuan ,'the girl answered politely. 'They are not fully grown......a bit sour ,' she added ,when my father was examining the oranges. After a while he said, 'I don 't mind if they are sour......I'll buy thirty of them.' I looked at him, baffled . Then the girl put the oranges in a bag and gave it to him. My father paid for the oranges and we left. 'Why did you buy so many oranges?' I asked my father, 'Well, she was so truthful and even told me that her oranges are sour; besides, she really enjoys studying. And look at her book-it's so old; maybe she can use the money she earned to buy a book!' I nodded my head. Just then, I felt somebody pulling my arm; I turned and recognized it was the girl from whom we bought the oranges.' Here's......here's ......your change ......' she panted , and put the money in my hand. Before we could say something ,she had already turned a corner and was out of sight. The girl and her oranges will be in my memory forever. Which of the following can be used to describe the young girl? A Generous. B Careful C Honest. D Patient Answer: C which one of these can help a person cook their food? A a stack of clothes B a stack of cans C a pack of cigarettes D a counter cooker appliance Answer: D With the beautiful music, the first lesson of the new term in 2014 began at 8:05 on the evening of September 1st, 2014. The program includes four parts: be nice to your parents, be polite to others, love others and be self-improved. It really makes a great difference to the students and the parents' ideas. Family education plays an important role to the children. The "king" of fairy tales Zheng Yuanjie told us the story between his father, his son and him. His father helped him fill the pen in order to let Zheng focus on writing. His father set us a good example on how to be a nice father. Zheng is nice to his father, too. He bought a TV for his father and his son learnt from him. The moving story really touched my heart. It made me know how important it is to teach by precept and example role. Joey Yung told us that how her mother taught her to be a polite girl. We should think about others when we do something we like. We need try to be popular people. She reminded us of good manners in our daily life. Qin Yong, a famous rock star, gave up his career and put all his heart in educating his sick son. Though he felt too tired, he never quitted. It's his duty to bring his son up. When he found that his son made great progress, he felt very happy. The orphans' life made us deeply moved. From their father, we know that if we encourage a person, he will have self-improvement. From this program, we know that we should love the people around us. Then, our world will be better and better. According to the writer, if you want to teach somebody something, you should _ . A be very strict with him B have too much experience C have much knowledge D teach by precept and example role Answer: D Petroleum, consisting of crude oil and natural gas, seems to originate from organic matter in marine sediment .Tiny organisms settle to the seafloor and gather in marine mud. The organic matter may partially break down, using up the dissolved oxygen in the sediment. As soon as the oxygen is gone, decay stops and the remaining organic matter is preserved. Continued sedimentation buries the organic matter and subjects it to higher temperatures and pressures, which change the organic matter to oil and gas. As muddy sediments are pressed together, the gas and small drops of oil may be squeezed out of the mud and may move into sandy layers nearby. Over millions of years, accumulations of gas and oil can collect in the sandy layers. Both oil and gas are less dense than water, so they generally tend to rise upward through rock and sediment. Oil pools are valuable underground accumulations of oil, and oil fields are regions underlain by one or more oil pools. When an oil pool or field is discovered, wells are drilled into the ground. When the well reaches a pool, oil usually rises up the well because of its density difference with water beneath it or because of the pressure of expanding gas trapped above it. Although this rise of oil is almost always carefully controlled today, strong natural flows of oil were common in the past. Gas pressure gradually dies out, and oil is pumped from the well. Water or steam may be pumped down neighboring wells to help push the oil out. As oil becomes increasingly difficult to find, the search for it is extended into more unfriendly environments. The development of the oil field on the North Slope of Alaska and the construction of the Alaska pipeline are examples of the great expense and difficulty involved in new oil discoveries. Offshore drilling platforms extend the search for oil to the ocean's continental shelves. More than one-quarter of the world's oil and almost one-fifth of the world's natural gas come from offshore, even though offshore drilling is six to seven times more expensive than drilling on land. Of course, there is far more oil underground than can be recovered. Even given the best exploration techniques, only about 30 to 40 percent of the oil in a given pool can be brought to the surface. The rest is far too difficult to reach and has to remain underground. What does the development of the Alaskan oil field mentioned illustrate? A More petroleum is extracted from the sea than from land. B Drilling for oil requires huge financial investments. C The global demand for oil has been increasing over the years. D The North Slope of Alaska has substantial amounts of oil. Answer: B
Question: (Reuters)--- A Michigan man credited his dog with saving his life by chewing off his diseased big toe as he lay passed out in a drunken stupor Jerry Douthett, 48, who woke up on a Saturday night in late July in his Rockford, Michigan home to find his Jack Russell Terrier, Kiko, had _ his right big toe. "The dog always lies with me on the bed", said Douthett. "That night, I woke up and looked down at my foot, and it was wet. When I looked, it was blood and there was the dog looking at me with a blood moustache." Douthett's wife, Rosee, rushed him to a hospital where doctors found he was suffering from Type 2 diabetes. His toe was badly infected and surgeons amputated the remainder of the toe. Douthett's wife, a registered nurse, had been urging him for weeks to have his infected toe examined by a doctor. On the night Kiko ate his toe, Douthett said he had been out with his wife and drank about six or seven beers and a pair of giant margaritas--big enough to put goldfish in. "I was self-medicating at this point," he said. "The moral of the story is that the dog saved my life, because otherwise I would never have gone to see a doctor." The couple said they were amazed that Kiko appeared to know Douthett had an infection that needed treatment. "He kind of chewed off the infected part and stopped at the good bone," said Rosee. "We joked that we shouldn't have had to pay the co-pay because he did half the job by chewing off half of the toe." It can be learned from the text that _ . A. Douthett's wife was a doctor B. Douthett's wife felt something about his disease C. Douthett never got that drunk D. Douthett had seen a doctor for his disease Answer: B Question: These classmates all had good jobs and made lots of money. They talked happily. Then their talk soon turned to complaining about the stress in work and life. The teacher went to the kitchen and came back with a large pot of coffee and many cups--china ones, plastic ones and glass ones. Some are plain looking, some are expensive and some are lovely. The teacher told them to help themselves to the coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the teacher said, "Can you notice that all of you took nice-looking expensive cups, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones? You want only the best for yourselves, and that is the source of your problems." "What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you went for the best cups and then began looking at each other's cups." "Now think about this: life is the coffee, and the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold, and do not change the life. Sometimes, by caring only about the cups, we fail to enjoy the coffee. So don't let the cups drive you, and enjoy the coffee instead." What did the group of classmates get together for? A. Visiting their old teacher. B. Enjoying coffee. C. Complaining about their stress in work and life. D. Showing each other's good jobs. Answer: A Question: The more cereal people consume the more we will need to plant A. corn B. gravy C. milk D. tomatoes Answer: A Question: When Nancy Lublin got $5,000 from her grandpa in 1996, she never once considered taking a vacation or paying off student loans .Instead, the 24-year-old New York University law student began thinking about helping low-income women get better jobs. "If a woman goes for a job interview poorly dressed, she won't get the job." Lublin says. " but without a job, she can't afford suitable clothes." So with the money Lublin founded "Dress for Success" and began collecting women's clothes which were still in good condition but which their owners no longer needed. "So many women have clothes lying around that they will never wear again," one of Lublin's assistants says "Nancy's idea is so simple and yet so important to women." Many women come to Lublin's office before going to a job interview. Here, they receive a suit, shoes and any other things they need. Since it was set up, more than 1,000 women have turned to "Dress for Success" for help. Many of them have won jobs. Some have round jobs after being out of work for many years. Jenny, a 32-year-old woman who was recently hired as a law-firm office manager , says, "I made a good impression because of "Dress for Success" From what Jenny says, we know that _ . A. she got a lot of good ideas from Nancy B. "Dress for Success" has a good business relation with her firm. C. clothes from Nancy's office helped to get her a job. D. she is working happily at her present job Answer: C Question: A 13-year-old American has made a cheap machine that can help blind people read. The blind can read by using _ - a system of small bumps that the blind touch to read the letters. The machine that makes these small bumps usually costs at least $2,000. It is called Braille writer. The American schoolboy, Shubham Banerjee, made a new Braille writer from a Lego tool that lets people create robots. Banerjee has called his new machine the Braigo - a combination of the words Braille and Lego. It costs just $ 350. It works by changing electronic text into Braille and then printing it using a computer or mobile machine. Banerjee designed his Braigo last year for a school science exhibition. Since then, he has caught the interest of Silicon Valley in the USA. The big technology company Intel spent money on Banerjee's machine last November, but they did not say how much money they put in. Banerjee also got $35, 000 from his father to help him start the project. His father works as a computer engineer at Intel. He spoke about why he gave so much money to his son, saying:"We as parents started to be interested more, thinking that he's on to something and this invention has to continue." Banerjee told the AP News: "My dream would probably be having most of the blind people...using my Braigo." What is Braile in Line 2? A. A system of bumps to help the blind read. B. The name of a new invention. C. A very cheap machine. D. A Lego robot. Answer: A
Ever walked to the shops only to find, once there, you've completely forgotten what you went for? Or struggled to remember the name of an old friend? For years we've accepted that a forgetful brain is as much a part of ageing as wrinkles and grey hair.But now a new book suggests that we've got it all wrong. According to The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain, by science writer Barbara Strauch, when it comes to the important things, our brains actually get better with age.In fact, she argues that some studies have found that our brain hits its peak between our 40s and 60s--much later than previously thought. Furthermore, rather than losing many brain cells as we age, we retain them, and even produce new ones well into middle age.For years it's been assumed that brain, much like the body, declines with age.But the longest, largest study into what happens to people as they age suggests otherwise. This continuing research has followed 6,000 people since 1956, testing them every seven years.It has found that on average, participants performed better on cognitive tests in their 40s and 50s than they had done in their 20s.Specifically, older people did better on tests of vocabulary, verbal memory (how many words you can remember) and problem solving. Where they performed less well was number ability and perceptual speed--how fast you can push a button when ordered.However, with more complex tasks such as problem-solving and language, we are at our best at middle age and beyond.In short, researchers are now coming up with scientific proof that we do get wiser with age. Neuroscientists are also finding that we are happier with ageing.A recent US study found older people were much better at controlling and balancing their emotions.It is thought that when we're younger we need to focus more on the negative aspects of life in order to learn about the possible dangers in the world, but as we get older we've learned our lessons and are sub-consciously aware that we have less time left in life: therefore, it becomes more important for us to be happy. Barbara Strauch probably agrees that _ . A the young are better at handling important things B people's brains work best between their 40s and 60s C ageing leads to the decline of the function of the brain D wrinkles and grey hair are the only symbols of ageing Answer: B There is no doubt eCommerce is growing, and it will continue to grow. However, physical stores would not die as a result of the rise of eCommerce, at least not in the near future. The idea that eCommerce is taking over physical stores has already misguided many people. Physical stores are far from vanishing, and there are some solid reasons for it. The _ for online spending is optimistic with $150 billion expected to be spent in the coming three years, yet we are also expecting $300 billion in spending at physical stores in the same duration. Do you still think that physical-store shopping is too small to sustain the eCommerce blow? Even though consumers are staying away from physical stores that follow older concepts, yet we are seeing the rise of fresh concept stores all around the US. We are seeing innovative and attractive success stories of physical stores, ranging from clothes stores to restaurants to health spas. It would be easy to assume that this trend will continue. Indeed, many shopping malls are dying, yet there are still those shopping centers that are performing well. You can see this for yourself by visiting shopping malls near you. What I want to emphasize here is that not all shopping centers are made equal, just like not all eCommerce retailers are made equal. Both shopping malls and eCommerce sites can lose business if they fail to maintain productivity through improvements and innovations. When you visit shopping centers that are serious about their business, you would see their shops and parking lots packed. On the other hand, even e-tailers like Amazon have experimented with pop-up shopping concepts. It is important to bear in mind that consumers prefer face-to-face interactions instead of online interactions during shopping, meaning that physical stores are going to stay there. Still, eCommerce retailers are seeing all of their excitement disappear as they settle the sales tax problem associated with e-tailing. As of now, five states of America have already imposed sales tax on purchases through eCommerce sites, and e-tailers in those states have already witnessed 6 to 12 percent decrease in sales. This reinforces the fact that physical stores are here to stay, and if you are still undervaluing their growth, you are omitting a huge chunk of the retail representation. What can we infer from the passage? A E-tailers are more creative businesses. B Fresh concepts help build good business. C Fewer consumers will visit physical stores. D Physical stores can't stand the blow of eCommerce. Answer: B People who are worried about bad breath often reach for a toothbrush or a gun. But in the future, personal breath monitoring may include far more than fresh breath. In face, breath is so rich in chemical compounds that fully understanding it has proved challenging. Each breath contains gases like carbon dioxide, the volatile remains of recent snacks, medicines and even compounds taken in from things like carpeting or various kinds of air pollution. But breath detectors can sort out these substances with increasing sensitivity . Scientists are building electronic sniffers that examine the exhaled air for signs of cancer, asthma , and other diseases. "There are clear signatures in the breath for liver disease, kidney disease and heart disease. Breath is a rich mixture that can reflect out state of health and disease." said Dr. Raed Dweik, director of the Cleveland Clinic, adding "Breath analysis is the future of medical testing." He and his partners are testing a desktop system called BreathLink for use in rapid identification of diseases. The system is designed to work wherever there is an Internet connection. To use BreathLink, a person breathes into a long tube, and a breath sample is collected and analyzed within the system. Then it can detail chemical concentrations of the breath in graphics. Dr. Raed Dweik said, "If you examine patients of asthma, you will find they have higher levels of nitric oxide in their exhaled air. It reflects their abnormal symptoms in the lungs." His tests have reached 85 percent accuracy so far in spotting people with some illness. But some trained dogs, he pointed out, can sniff out cancer with 99 percent accuracy--although without the ability to identify particular compounds the way some detectors can. "We are getting better and better," he said. "But whether we will ever approach the accuracy of the dog--we don't know." What is the breath detector used for? A To find what kind of disease a person has. B To identify substances from people's breath. C To help a patient recover from disease. D To smell how bad the breath is. Answer: B Basic Study Manual Hardcover: $ 37.50 Future success depends on the ability to learn. Here are the answers to the questions most often asked by parents, teachers, business trainers and by students themselves. Read this book and learn: What the three barriers to study are - and what to do about them * What to do if you get tired of a subject you are studying * Twenty-six simple drills to help you learn how to study easily, rapidly and with full understanding * Buy and read the Basic Study Manual and use it to dramatically improve your ability to study. Study Skills for Life Hardcover: $31.99 L. Ron Hubbard's study technology for teenagers opens the door to their future success by giving them the ability to study and learn. Fully illustrated for easy comprehension. Learning How to Learn Hardcover: $24.99 The basics of effective study for 8-to 12-year olds, fully illustrated. Children who read and apply the materials in this book regain their liking for study and their ability to apply this knowledge in life. Get this book for a child you want to see win at his studies! * How to Use a Dictionary Picture Book for Children Hardcover: $34.90 In spite of billions of dollars spent on "educational research," children are not taught the most basic skills of learning, even the most basic of these: how to use a dictionary. In fact, a search of educational books for children found not one that told them how to use a dictionary -or that one should. Written for children 8 to 12-year old, this fully illustrated book will teach your child: * How to find words in a dictionary * The different ways that words are used * What the different marks and symbols that are used in a dictionary mean * How to use a dictionary to correctly pronounce words Includes a section for parents and teachers showing you how to use this book with children. Buy this book and give it to your children to unlock their education. What's more, you'll just pay 50% for it before May 1, 2008. According to the advertisements, the four books are all intended for _ . A teachers B adults C children D women Answer: C One day, I went to see my last patient, an old woman. In the doorway, I saw she was struggling to put socks on her swollen feet in the bed. I stepped in, spoke quickly to the nurse, read her chart noting . I was almost in the clear that she was not in serious condition. I asked, "Could I help put on your socks? How are you feeling? Your sugars and blood pressure were high but they're better today. The nurse mentioned you're anxious to see your son. He's visiting you today. It's nice to have a family visit. I think you really look forward to seeing him." "Sit down, doctor. This is my story, not yours." She said with a serious voice. I was surprised as I helped her with the socks. She told me that her only son lived across from her house, but she had not seen him for five years. She believed that was the main cause of her health problems. After hearing her story and putting on her socks, I asked if there was anything else I could do for her. She shook her head no and smiled. All she wanted me to do was to listen. Each story is different. Some are detailed and others are simple. Some have a beginning, middle and end but others don't have clear ends. Some are true but others not. Yet all those things do not really matter. What matters to the storyteller is that the story is heard -- without interruption or judgment . It was that woman who taught me the importance of stopping, sitting down and truly listening. And, not long after, in an unexpected accident, I became a patient. 20 years later, I sit all the time -- in a wheelchair. For as long as I could, I continued to see patients from my chair. I believe in the power of listening. What did the old woman think caused her health problems? A Her son's not seeing her. B No one listening to her story. C The medical care of the hospital. D The distance between her and the doctor. Answer: A
Question: Humans sometimes eat what? A. air B. kernels C. ocean water D. rocks Answer: B Question: Robots are being used for the first time in hospitals. "Robot-nurses" perform a variety of tasks such as delivering medicine, food and laboratory samples to sickrooms and taking away waste. Patients aren't treated by robots, as this is still done by medical staff. The idea is to employ robots to transport supplies between departments. "Nurses often have to break off from what they are doing to gather supplies," says Peter Seiff, who makes the robots called TUGs. Research shows any interruption in medical work can lead to errors --- a nurse may forget whether she has given medicine and may give a patient double the dose or none at all. The robots vary in size according to what job they perform, but normally take the shape of a metal box on wheels, with a box on the side containing their software. After being programmed, the robots are able to find their way around a hospital unassisted. They also contain scanning technology to create electronic pictures or a "memory" of routes on their hard drives to help them go through passages, doors and other obstacles. Each robot is also monitored at the producer's headquarters in case it runs into any difficulties. Trials show TUGs reduce the time it takes for a patient to receive medicine, and stop drugs from going missing. A study at the University of Maryland Medical Centre in the U.S. found that when three TUGs were used over the course of a year, the average length of time from the drugstore receiving a prescription to the patient receiving it dropped from 74 minutes to 30 minutes and saved nurses 6,123 hours finding medicines. It also cut the number of medicines that went missing to zero. "The biggest complaints we receive from patients is that the nurses don't spend enough time with them. Anything that frees nurses is a _ ," says Katherine Mulligan, director of nursing at the hospital, "The TUGs allow nurses to spend more time focusing on patient care. Nurse satisfaction has improved." Which of the following activities are robot-nurses NOT programmed to deal with? A. Transporting supplies. B. Taking away waste. C. Taking care of patients. D. Creating electronic pictures. Answer: C Question: A Hollywood movie was met with an awkward situation last Saturday in China. While fans are standing in long queues to watch the first show, others are advocating a boycott on the American movie with Chinese story elements. After "Kung Fu Panda", a cartoon movie telling about a panda's Kung Fu master journey, hit China's silver screens in 2008, its sequel , Kung Fu Panda 2, was released in China just ahead of International Children's Day, adding more Chinese elements such as shadow play and lion dancing. However, some Chinese artists and scholars argue that the movie has twisted Chinese culture and serves as a tool to "kidnap " the mind of the Chinese people. "Children's Day should be pure. Don't turn it into a money-making day for Hollywood, and don' t fool our next generation with American fast food," according to an open letter to Chinese cinema managers written by Zhao Bandi, an artist hoping to boycott the "Americanized" movie. His move is _ by Kong Qingdong, a professor of the Chinese language in Beijing University, who said Chinese elements have become advertising products to advocate American culture. "It is a cultural invasion," said Kong. In the movie, the main character called "Po," a panda, is talkative, humorous, lovely, and is widely believed to be a typical American figure. However, the panda has won millions of fans in China. On China's most popular website, comments on the movie reached nearly 270 million entries. "I won't call it a cultural invasion," said Li Jiayi, a Beijing university student. "I see nothing bad for others to use our cultural elements to make a movie. I' m a huge fan of Po. In spite of being a cartoon, it is still loved by many adults like me," said the 25-year-old after watching the first show at midnight. Cao Hui, general manager of Shenzhen Global Digital Creations company, said: "instead of a 'boycott', movie producers should learn from the movie to make better use of Chinese story elements. Technically, Kung Fu Panda is not more advanced than Chinese movies, but as for story telling skills, Chinese movies have a long way to go". Some artists and scholars are against "Kung Fu Panda" because they think _ . A. it has added too many Chinese elements B. it has ruined Chinese image deliberately C. it is an exact copy of Chinese culture D. it is advertising American culture Answer: D Question: More than four out of five people admit to telling little white lies at least once a day and the preferred way of " _ " is to use technology such as cellphones, text messages and e-mails, a survey said last Thursday. The research found that "techno-treachery " was widespread with nearly 75 percent of people saying gadgets made it easier to fib . Just over half of the respondents said using gadgets made them feel less guilty when telling a lie than doing it face to face. The workplace was a favorite location for fibbing with 67 percent of the 1,487 respondents admitting they had lied at work. The top lie was pretending to be ill (43 percent), followed by saying work had been completed when it hadn't (23 percent). Worryingly for bosses 18 percent said they lied to hide a big mistake. But, employers were not the only ones on the receiving end of dishonest statements. Just over 40 percent of the respondents said they had lied to their families or partners. Key topics to lie about were: buying new clothes or the cost of them (37 percent), how good someone looked in something (35 percent), how much they had eaten (35 percent) and drunk (31 percent) and how much they weighed (32 percent). Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage? A. Cell phones make people more likely to lie. B. Some people might lie to their bosses when they are not doing their work well. C. 40% of employers admit that they have lied to their families or partners. D. Nearly 1,500 people were questioned in the survey. Answer: C Question: Mr.Brown is 80 years old.Every morning he goes for a walk in the park.And he comes home at twelve thirty for lunch.But today a car stops at his house.At twelve,two policemen help him get out.One of them says to Mr.Brown's daughter,"The old man can't find his way in the park.He asks us to take him home by car."The daughter thanks the policemen and they leave.Then she asks her father,"Dad,you go to that park every day.But today,you can't find the way.What's wrong with you?"The old man smiles like a child and says,"I can find my way.I don't want to walk home." Mr.Brown's daughter thinks _ . A. he wants to go home B. he wants to have lunch early C. he doesn't want to go to the park D. something is wrong with him Answer: D
John moved into a new house. He was very happy. He had an old cat and a young cat. He liked them very much, He thought, "I must let my cat go in and out of my house when I'm not at home." He had an idea. One day, a friend came to see him and saw two holes in his door. One is big, the other is small. "My dear friend," he said, "It's a very nice house, but why are two holes in your door of the new house?" "To let the cat in and out, of course." John said. "But why are there two holes? Is one hole all right?" "How can a big cat go through the little hole?" said John. "That's right. But can't a little cat go through a big hole?" The friend laughed. A friend came to see _ . Answer: Since the beginning of history, man has been attracted by the idea of living forever, of winning the fight against death and disease. So far, this has only remained a dream. Many people have wondered whether it would be possible to find a way to preserve human bodies, and what would be the best way. It has long been known that meat of fruit can be kept fresh for long periods by freezing; in ancient China, for example, food was stored with ice to keep it fresh. This method could also be useful for preserving humans. However, most living beings that exist under warm conditions die when frozen. This is because of the harmful effects of freezing ice crystals , which not only are larger than the volume of the water originally in the cells, but also form sharp cutting shapes that harm the cells. In the 1940s Dr B.J. Luyet and a group of scientists in England were working on the problem of freezing cells without damaging them. Since the harm caused by ice crystals was the main cause of damage, Luyet suggested removing some or all of the water from the cells before freezing them. Using living cells form chicken, Luyet and his assistants discovered that they could partly dry the chicken cells, using a mixture of the white part of an egg and glycerin . Some success was obtained. The chicken cells were dried, frozen for a period of time, and then carefully unfrozen. Almost all the cells recovered when they reached normal temperatures. Since then, the cooling of whole animals to a temperature far below freezing point for later unfreezing has become more of a possibility, and the glycerin method would probably be used to accomplish this. When this can be done completely and successfully, science will have moved much closer to its aim of freezing and storing incurable patients until the day they can be cured. According to the text, freezing _ . Answer: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Here's the morning news. Yesterday afternoon a ten-year-old school boy swallowed a pen cap! The boy was daydreaming in class. Without knowing what he was doing, he put a pen cap into his mouth. A few minutes later, he was terrified to find that he had swallowed it! The teacher was shocked when the boy stood up and said, "I've just swallowed a pen cap." He was quickly sent to the nearest hospital. There a doctor examined him and said the best treatment was to give him medicine so that the pen cap could pass naturally. Three hours later the boy successfully _ "The boy is really lucky," said the doctor. "It's not rare that small children put things into their mouths for fun. It's very dangerous." He added. Where will we probably get this news? Answer: Education is not an end, but a means to an end. In other words, we do not educate children only for the purpose of educating them. Our purpose is to fit them for life. In some modern countries it has for some time been fashionable to think that by free education for all -- one can solve all the problems of society and build a perfect nation. But we can already see that free education for all is not enough; we find in such countries a far larger number of people with university degree; they refuse to do what they think "low" work; and, in fact, work with hands is thought to be dirty and shameful in such countries. But we have only to think a moment to understand that the work of a completely uneducated farmer is far more important than that of a professor; we can live without education, but we die if we have no food. If no one cleaned our streets and took the rubbish away from our houses, we should get terrible diseases in our towns... In fact, when we say that all of us must be educated to fit us for life, it means that we must be educated in such a way that, firstly, each of us can do whatever work suited to his brains and ability and, secondly, that we can realize that all jobs are necessary to society, and that is very bad to be ashamed of one's work. Only such a type of education can be considered valuable to society. The writer of the passage thinks that _ . Answer: When I was fourteen, I earned money in the summer by cutting lawns , and within a few weeks I had built up a body of customers. I got to know people by the flowers they planted that I had to remember not to cut down, by the things they lost in the grass or struck in the ground on purpose. I reached the point with most of them when I knew in advance what complaint was about to be spoken, which request was most important. And I learned something about the measure of my neighbors by their preferred method of payment: by the job, by the month--or not at all. Mr. Ballou fell into the last category, and he always had a reason why. On one day, he had no change for a fifty, on another he was flat out of checks, on another, he was simply out when I knocked on his door. Still, except for the money apart, he was a nice enough guy, always waving or tipping his hat when he'd seen me from a distance. I figured him for a thin retirement check, maybe a work-related injury that kept him from doing his own yard work. Sure, I kept track of the total, but I didn't worry about the amount too much. Grass was grass, and the little that Mr. Ballou's property comprised didn't take long to trim . Then, one late afternoon in mid-July, the hottest time of the year, I was walking by his house and he opened the door, mentioned me to come inside. The hall was cool, shaded, and it took my eyes a minute to adjust to the dim light. "I owe you," Mr Ballou said, "but..." I thought I'd save him the trouble of thinking of a new excuse. "No problem. Don't worry about it." "The bank made a mistake in my account," he continued, ignoring my words. "It will be cleared up in a day or two. But in the meantime I thought perhaps you could choose one or two volumes for a down payment. He gestured toward the walls and I saw that books were stacked everywhere. It was like a library, except with no order to the arrangement. "Take your time," Mr. Ballou encouraged. "Read, borrow, keep, or find something you like. What do you read?" "I don't know." And I didn't. I generally read what was in front of me, what I could get from the paperback stack at the drugstore, what I found at the library, magazines, the back of cereal boxes, comics. The idea of consciously seeking out a special title was new to me, but, I realized, not without appeal--- so I started to look through the piles of books. "You actually read all of these?" "This isn't much," Mr. Ballou said. "This is nothing, just what I've kept, the ones worth looking at a second time." "Pick for me, then." He raised his eyebrows, cocked his head, and regarded me as though measuring me for a suit. After a moment, he nodded, searched through a stack, and handed me a dark red hardbound book, fairly thick. "The Last of the Just," I read. "By Andre Schwarz-Bart. What's it about?" "You tell me," he said. "Next week." I started after supper, sitting outdoors on an uncomfortable kitchen chair. Within a few pages, the yard, the summer, disappeared, and I was plunged into the aching tragedy of the Holocaust, the extraordinary clash of good, represented by one decent man, and evil. Translated from French, the language was elegant, simple, impossible to resist. When the evening light finally failed I moved inside, read all through the night. To this day, thirty years later, I vividly remember the experience. It was my first voluntary encounter with world literature, and I was amazed by the concentrated power a novel could contain. I lacked the vocabulary, however, to translate my feelings into words, so the next week. When Mr. Ballou asked, "Well?" I only replied, "It was good?" "Keep it, then," he said. "Shall I suggest another?" I nodded, and was presented with the paperback edition of Margaret Mead'sComing of Age in Samoa(a very important book on the study of the social and cultural development of peoples--anthropology ). To make two long stories short, Mr. Ballou never paid me a cent for cutting his grass that year or the next, but for fifteen years I taught anthropology at Dartmouth College. Summer reading was not the innocent entertainment I had assumed it to be, not a light-hearted, instantly forgettable escape in a hammock (though I have since enjoyed many of those, too). A book, if it arrives before you at the right moment, in the proper season, at an internal in the daily business of things, will change the course of all that follows. The author found the first book Mr. Ballou gave him _ . Answer:
Jerome David Salinger was born in Manhattan on New Year s Day,1919.His father was a Jew.His mother was of Irish descent. Never much of a student attended the progressive McBurney School.But he left school after two years and in 1934was packed off to Valley Forge Military Academy.In 1937,after a couple of unenthusiastic weeks at New York University,he traveled with his father to Austraia and Poland,where father s plan for him was to learn the ham business.Deciding that wasn t for him.he returned to America and driturned to America and drifted through a term or so at Ursinus College.His most sustained exposure to higher education was an evening class he took at Columbia in 1939,and under Mr.Burnett s directions he managed to sell a stpry"The Young Folks"to Story magazine.He afterwards sold stories to Esquire,Colliers and The Saturday Evening Post.In 1941,after several rejections,Mr.Salinger finally cracked The New Yorker,with s story"Slight Rebellion Off Madison,"that was an earlu sketch of what became a scene in"The Catcher in the Rye<<>> . "But the magazine then had second thoughts,apparently worried about seeming to encourage young people to run away from school and held the story for five years--a long time even for The New Yorker--before finally pubishing it in 1946,buried in the back of an issus. Meanwhile Mr.Salinger had been drafted and was stationef for a while in Tiverton,Devon,the setting of "For Esme--with Love and Squalor,"probably the most deeply felt of the "Nint Stories".On June,6,1944,he landed at Utah Beach,and he later saw action during the Battle of the Bulge.In 1945 he was hospitalized for"battle breakdown"and after recovering he stayed on in Europe past the end of the war.He married a German woan doctor,very briefly. Which of the following is his novel? For Esme ?with Love and Squalor Many children would start school hungry without breakfast clubs, teachers have claimed. A new survey suggests these clubs are the only way many students can get a meal before lessons. About 54% of the 552 school staff questioned by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers(ATL)said their school provides a breakfast club for pupils. The biggest reason for them to attend these clubs is that their parents or carer goes to work early, cited by 76.8% of those questioned. About 22.6% said children attended due to lack of money at home because parents or carers are unemployed and 15.2% said lack of money at home due to changes or cuts to benefits. About 17.6% said pupils mainly attend breakfast clubs to socialize. The survey found that teachers believe that offering breakfast to pupils often helps improve their concentration and ability to learn. One primary school teacher said: "Although there is a charge for our breakfast club, we have accessed funding for those pupils on free school meals and the breakfast club had an effect on their attendance, concentration and being in school for the start of lessons. ATL general secretary Dr Roper said a nutritious meal at the start of the day has a huge impact on pupils' ability to learn. "Many schools do everything they can to ensure children eat well during school term-time. But there are many children living in poverty, who we fear won't be getting a decent meal a day in the holidays and this is something the government needs to address," she said. A Department for Education spokesman said: "We know how important it is for children to have a good breakfast. We want schools and local authorities to use their budgets to best meet the needs of their children. Many provide breakfast clubs which offer a free meal to children from poorer families. The Pupil Premium, which will double to PS 2.5 billion in 2014-2015, targets extra money to help schools to provide support such as this to the most disadvantaged children. The free school meal scheme also ensures that these children have access to a nutritious lunch every day. By getting breakfast offered by breakfast clubs, pupils can _ . perform better in their study 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." According to the passage, Bill Gates was _ . a successful college dropout Waiters wanted King Restaurant needs five waiters. If you want to find a new job, you can come here. Please call John at 678-5342. To get to the restaurant, you just have to cross North Road. It's next to the bank. Teachers wanted Do you want to be a teacher? Are you friendly to kids? Can you sing, dance or play the piano? We need a man teacher and a woman teacher to teach music. It's not difficult! Please call Mr. Clark at 415-3440. My lost pet My pet Nini is a small brown cat. I played ball games with Nini in Central Park last Saturday. Then she ran after the ball and did not come back. I am worried about her. If you see her, please call Sara at 283-2585. Thank you! Specials We have some great specials. We have different kinds of noodles, dumplings and soup. Would you like a big bowl of noodles for 12 yuan or a small one for just 8 yuan? You can also order our delicious chicken soup. It's only 9 yuan. Welcome to our restaurant! ,. If Mike only has 10 yuan, he can have _ . a small bowl of noodles A well-known manufacturer of weighing machines produced a new model. The machine had a computer inside it, and this computer could do wonderful things: it could weigh people very accurately; it could tell them their weight in their own language; and it could tell them what they should eat to reduce their weight. The manufacturer decided to try out his machine before he sold it to the shops. He looked around for a good place to put it and finally decided on an airport. There were always people at an airport from many different countries. The first person to use the machine was an Italian woman. She stood on the machine, put a coin in and waited to hear her weight. The machine took only a second or two to weigh her, decide on her nationality and the language she spoke, and figure out what kind of food she should eat. "Good morning, madam," it said in perfect Italian. "Your weight is 72 kilos, three more than it should be for a woman of your height, age and nationality. This is because you have been eating too much spaghetti. I suggest you eat more fruit and vegetables. Please have a nice day". The second person to use the machine was a Chinese girl. She stood on the machine, put a coin in and waited to hear her weight. "Good morning, Miss," the machine said in perfect Chinese. "Your weight is 38 kilos, exactly the correct weight for your height, age and nationality. Continue to eat what you are eating. Please have a nice day." The third person to use the machine was a huge Australian woman. She walked up to the machine and looked at it for a long time. At last she found the courage to stand on the machine and put a coin in. The machine spoke immediately. "Good morning. Will one of you ladies please get off?" What did the machine suggest about the Australian woman? She was too heavy.
Worms,antis,and flowers live in soil.Fish,crabs,and seaweeds live in oceans.Birds,insects,and moss live in trees.soil,oceans,and trees are habitatsplaces where animals and plants live .Besides offering food and shelter, habitats allow for growth and reproduction. Humans, however,have destroyed many habitats.We change forests into parking lots. We turn grasslands into neighborhoods.We turn beach land into resorts.We turn 0ceans into chemical dumps.Some plants and animals adapt and survive.Others,however die.The changes are too much,too fast.Sometimes the death rate becomes greater than the birth rate.then the extinction occurs.An example of this happened on Florida's east coast,the habitat of the dusky seaside sparrow.This habitat changed suddenly as land was developed. And the sparrows were not able to adapt. More sparrows died than were born. In 1987 the dusky seaside sparrow became extinct.None exist in the world today. Fortunately,conservation efforts are underway.Many states have set aside land for nature preserves. Here,plants and animals live in their natural habitats.Some states have created man-made habitats .Artificial reefs,for example,have been put in ocean waters. The artificial reefs are habitats for hundreds of fish and other marine life.In 1970 the federal government passed a law to protect habitats.'Ibis~that the efforts of development must be studied.A highway,dam,or power plant may not be built if plants and animals,endangered.We were too late to save the dusky sparrow.Hopefully,however,these new efforts will save other plants and animals. The author's feeling about conservation efforts is one of _ . Once again, I was in a new school. There was a girl in my class named Paris. That's where the similarities ended. I was tall and she was small. I was one of the oldest in the class while she was the youngest. I was awkward and shy. She wasn't. I couldn't stand her, considering her my enemy. But she wanted to be friends with me. One day, she invited me over and I said yes---I was too shocked to say no. Actually no one had invited me over to play before. But the girl, who wore the latest fashions, wanted to see me. She lived on the fourth floor in a two-room place with her mother, her stepfather, her two brothers and her sister. When we got to the room she shared with her sister, she took out a big case of Barbies which was my next surprise. I would have thought she'd outgrown them. I had never played with them. But we sat on the floor of a walk-in cupboard laughing as we made up crazy stories about the Barbies. That's when we found out that we both wanted to be writers when we were older. We both had wild imaginations. We had a great day that afternoon. Our jaws ached from smiling so much. She showed me her outfits , which had mostly come from a designer clothing store down the block. T he woman who owned it used her as a model sometimes for her newspaper ads and gave her clothes in exchange. Paris had the whole neighborhood attracted. The bookstore owners lent her fashion magazines, the movie theater gave her free passes and the pizza place let her have free pieces. Soon I included in her magic world. We slept over at each other's house, spent ever free moment together. My dark hair grew out and I learned to love being tall. Paris, my first real friend since childhood, helped me get through th tough teenage years and taught me and amazing thing about making friends: your "worst enemy" can turn out to be your best friend. Which of the following is most probably the best title? Plastic is everywhere because plastic is an extremely useful material. It is cheap, strong and lightweight. What's more, it can take on nearly any form or shape, from soft and stretchy to hard and glasslike. Plastic, however, is far from perfect. It may even be bad for us. Studies now suggest that poisonous chemicals can get out of some types of plastic, get into our bodies, and cause a variety of health problems, including cancer, birth defects and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder . Two types of chemicals in particular have raised special concern lately. They are called phthalates and Bisphenol-A , BPA for short. Not all plastic products contain them. But the ones that do are surrounded by controversy . That's because experts disagree on how dangerous these chemicals are. Plastic is a single word, but plastic isn't just one thing. What all plastics share in common are plasticizers -- special chemicals that allow the material to be changed into nearly any shape or texture. Plasticizers are added to plastic during the manufacturing process. Phthalates and BPA are two types of plasticizers that work in different ways. Phthalates add softness to things like shampoo bottles, raincoats and rubber. They are also used in perfumes and makeup. BPA, on the other hand, gives a hard, clear, almost glasslike feel to products such as infant bottles. BPA also appears in food and soda cans, DVDs and other unexpected places. How do these chemicals get into us? When plastic is heated in the microwave or dishwasher, chewed on or scratched, the chemicals can seep out of the plastic. Even though we can't see them, we eat them, drink them and breathe them in. Scientists and parents are especially worried about young children, who tend to chew on everything, including plastic. Dozens of countries, including the European Union, Japan, Canada and Mexico have already banned phthalates from products made for children younger than three. California and Washington have done the same. And a number of other states are considering similar rules. As for BPA, Canada became the first country to ban the chemical from baby bottles. A dozen states are considering it. What is the passage mainly about? Donald John Trump(born June 14, 1946), is an American businessman and politician who became the President-elect of the United Stateson November 8, 2016. Since 1971 he has chairedThe Trump Organization, the principalholding companyfor his real estate ventures and other business interests. Duringhis business career, Trump has built office towers, hotels, casinos, golf courses, andother branded facilitiesworldwide. Trump was born and raised in New York City and received abachelor's degreein economics from theWharton Schoolof the University of Pennsylvaniain 1968. In 1971, he was given control of his fatherFred Trump's real estate and construction firm. Trump has appeared at theMiss USApageants, which he owned from 1996 to 2015, and has madecameo appearancesin films and television series. Trump and his businesses, as well as his three marriages, have received prominent media exposure. He hosted a popularNBCreality show, The Apprentice, from 2004 to 2015. As of 2016, he was listed byForbesas the 324th wealthiest person in the world, and 156th in the United States, with a net worth of $3.7 billion in October 2016. Trump first campaigned for the U.S. presidency in2000, winning twoReform Partyprimaries. On June 16, 2015, Trump again announced his candidacy for president, this time as a Republican. Trump became known for his opposition toillegal immigrationandfree trade agreements, as well as his frequently non-interventionistviews on foreign policy, and quickly emerged as the Republican nomination front-runner.As of March 23, 2016, Trump has won 21 contests in the2016 Republican presidential primaries. He was elected as the 45th U.S. presidentin the2016 electionon theRepublicanticket, defeatingDemocraticnomineeHillary Clinton, andis scheduled to take officeon January 20, 2017. At 70 years old, he will be theoldest person to ever assume the presidency. We can learn from the passage that _ . Four days after Dad's 67thbirthday, he had a heart attack. Luckily, he survived. But something inside him had died. His enthusiasm for life was gone. He refused to follow doctor's orders, and his sour attitude made everyone upset when they visit him. Dad was left alone. So I asked Dad to come to live with me on my small farm, hoping the fresh air would help him adjust. Within a week after he moved in, I regretted the invitation. He criticized everything I did. I became frustrated. Something had to be done. One day I read an article which said when given dogs, depressed patients would be better off. So I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon. As soon as I got there, a pointer's eyes caught my attention. They watched me calmly. A staff member said: "He got here two weeks ago and we've heard nothing. His time is up tomorrow." I turned to the man in horror. "You mean you're going to kill him?" "Ma'am," he said gently. "We don't have room for every unclaimed dog." The police's calm brown eyes awaited my decision. "I'll take him," I said. I drove home with the dog on the front seat beside me. I was helping it out of the car when Dad walked onto the front porch. "Look what I got you!" I said excitedly. Dad wrinkled his face. "I don't want it," he muttered, turning back towards the house. Then, suddenly, the dog pulled free from my grasp. He sat down in front of my Dad. Dad's anger melted, and soon he was hugging the dog. This was the beginning of a warm friendship. Dad named the dog Cheyenne. Together they spent long hours walking down dusty lanes and relaxing on the banks of streams. Dad's bitterness faded, and he and Cheyenne went on to make many friends. Then, late one night two years later, I felt Cheyenne's cold nose burrowing through my bed covers. He had never before come into my bedroom at night. I ran into my father's room and found that he had passed away. Two days later, my shock and grief deepened when I discovered Cheyenne lying dead beside Dad's bed. As I buried him near their favorite stream, I silently thanked the dog for restoring Dad's peace of mind. After the author's father survived the heart attack, he _ .
Geologists have been studying volcanoes for a long time.Though they have learned a great deal,they still have not discovered the cause of volcanic action.They know that the inside of the earth is very hot,but they are not sure exactly what causes the great heat.Some geologists have thought that the heat is caused by the great pressure of the earth's outer layers.Or the heat may be left from the time when the earth was formed.During the last sixty years scientists have learned about radium,uranium,thorium,and other radioactive elements.Many scientists now believe that much of the heat inside the earth is produced by radioactive elements. Whatever the cause of the heat may be,we do know that the earth gets hotter the farther down we dig.In deep mines and oil wells the temperatures rise about 1degF for every 50 feet.At this rate of the temperature 40 miles below the earth's surface should be over 4 000deg.This is much hotter than necessary to melt rock.However,the pressure of the rock above keeps most materials from melting at their usual melting points.Geologists believe that the rock deep in the earth may be plastic,or puttylike .In other words,the rock yields slowly to pressure but is not liquid.But if some change in the earth's crust releases the pressure,the rock melts.Then the hot,liquid rock can move up toward the surface. The cause for the great heat inside of the earth is _ . A great pressure of the earth's outer layers B the heat left from the time when the earth was formed C radioactive elements giving out heat D not sure Answer: D Delvin Washington was having a difficult speech therapy . Over half a year ago, Washington was preparing for the biggest day of his young life ---graduating from high school. But on a cloudy day in May, he had a serious car accident. He survived, but his life changed forever. He recently began all-day physical rehabilitation . He is relearning almost everything, from the names of his best friends to simple physical tasks. His friends and family have given him a lot of support. While Washington lay in a coma in hospital, friends and family filled his room during visits. They celebrated his 18th birthday in July while he was still unconscious.Two days after Thanksgiving, eight friends from high school visited Washington at his home. The friends looked through photos on Facebook, showing them all to Washington. As he sat in his wheelchair, friends asked him to recognize the people in the photos, helping him recover his brain. Washington's popularity doesn't come from nowhere. He was determined to become a police officer after college and behaved like a respectable police officer at school.His high school principal , Eric Markinson, said Washington was always a gentleman. "He was incredibly gracious and incredibly helpful,"he said. His accident has damaged Washington's brain. It has caused his left side, from his face to his feet, to all but shut down. His personality has also changed. The serious police-officer behavior is gone. He laughs a lot and smiles when he sees children, his mom said. Now Washington is working hard on all-day rehabilitation. So far, he has made tremendous improvement, said his therapist Lindsay Sims."I try to live as independently as possible,"Washington said slowly but firmly. What happened to Delvin Washington last May? A He started to make improvements in his speech therapy. B He was seriously injured in a car accident. C He graduated from high school with good grades. D He suffered a heart attack and went into a coma. Answer: B Bali is home to most of Indonesia's Hindu minority. Here's how to get the most out of a 48hour visit: FRIDAY 3pm--There's nothing like a good meal. La Lucciola is the place to go, with its good food, great service and a beautiful view of the sea. You can hire a car for some 450,000 rupiah per day. This will help you have more to spare during your trip there. 5pm--About an hour away from La Lucciola is Uluwatu. This southern tip of the island is famous for its temple that lies on the edge, high above the sea. Fire dance is performed here daily at sunset. 8pm--To finish off the evening, head to Jimbaran Bay where restaurants offer candles, dances, boys singing songs. Kick off your shoes, feel the sand, and enjoy the night. SATURDAY 9:30am--Start the day with another taste of culture by heading for a "barong and keris" dance performance. It's held in many places. One is the Catur Eka Budi in Denpasar, capital of Bali. 12pm--About 50km from Denpasar is Kintamani, a favorite with tourists for the view of active volcano Mt. Batur. It's a good idea to reach Kintamani early as it gets cloudy after 3pm. Have lunch at a local restaurant with a view of Mt. Batur. Tourists can climb to Mt. Batur to catch the sunrise. 6:30pm--Spa time! Spa Hati is a good place. Book ahead. SUNDAY 6am--It's time to go to the sea. Don't forget the camera. 10:30am--Another halfday trip to two of the most famous temples in Bali. Drive down to the Taman Ayun temple at Mengwi. 12am--Next up is the Tanah Lot temple, perhaps the most famous of them all. Built on a rock, it's best seen in the afternoon when it's against the sun or at sunset. Where can you enjoy fire dance? A In La Lucciola. B In Uluwatu. C At Mengwi. D In Denpasar. Answer: B Dear Amy, My husband is a loving, creative and sensitive person who is 15 years my senior. (I am in my mid-30s.) Now I still struggle with my ups and downs, and he is still broke. I have continually asked my husband to get a job. I know he's trying, but even a part-time job at a convenience store would make ends meet. His former profession as a freelance producer dropped off with the economy, and while he tries hard to find work in his field, he is extremely unwilling to accept the fact that he may need to get a "regular"job. I love him very much, but I can't continue to keep my frustration bottled up. I tell myself I'm going to leave him if he doesn't find work, but I really want to stay together. How should I handle this? Round the Bend Dear Round, Having been a freelancer for many years, I assure you (and him) that the true meaning of freelancing is that you have the freedom to accept a variety of jobs, as well as the responsibility to make a living between jobs. Freelancers teach, tend bar, sell things door to door and do anything it takes to bring home the money. Volunteering is also a wonderful way to keep busy and meet new people. Amy Dear Amy, "Joan" was a 50-year-old reader who wants to spend her parents' gift (money) on a trip to India. Her retirement fund is less than half of what she will need for retirement. It's also clear that she hasn't budgeted monthly for car repairs and other out-of-pocket expenses. In your answer, you encourage her to go. She's 50 and the clock is ticking! How will she feel about the trip she took when she turns 70 when she can't afford to retire? Maybe there are other ways she can experience Indian food, culture, history and art without spending the entire sum of money. When her "health slows her down." she may wish she had kept a rainy-day fund. Realistic Reader Dear Realistic, Your argument is very logical and realistic, but there are also times when you have to go for it. I hope she does. Amy Amy suggested Joan _ . A go for her dream of traveling to India B experience Indian culture at home C save money for retirement D refuse her parents' gift money Answer: A Watercolor is the oldest paints known. It dates back to the early cave men who discovered they could add lifelike qualities to drawings of animals and other figures on the walls of caves by mixing the natural colors found in the earth with water. Fresco , one of the greatest of all art forms, is done with watercolor. It is created by mixing paints and water and applying these to wet plaster . Of the thousands of people who stand under Michelangelo's heroic ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, very few know that they are looking at perhaps the greatest watercolor painting in the world. The invention of oil painting by the Flemish masters in the fifteenth century made fresco painting go down-hill, and for the next several centuries watercolor was used mainly for doing sketches or as a tool for study. It was not until the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that English painters put back watercolor as a serious art form. The English have a widely-known love for the outdoors and also small, private pictures. The softness of watercolor had a remarkably strong attraction for them. The popularity of watercolor continued to grow until in the twentieth century. The United States passed England as the center for watercolor, producing such well-known watercolor artists as Thomas Eakins and Andrew Wyeth. In 16th and 17th centuries the artists thought _ . A watercolor was more costly, but was better B oil painting lasted less long, but clearer and brighter C watercolor was not suitable for finished works D oil painting was difficult to use Answer: C
The income gap between China's rural and urban residents has continued to widen during the past few years in spite of rapidly rising rural incomes, Agricultural Minister Sun Zhengcai said here on Wednesday. The income ratio between urban and rural residents was 3.28:1 in 2006, against 3.23:1 in 2003, said Sun in his report on the promotion of building a new countryside in 2007. Sun also said the net income of rural residents in different regions also varied widely. The income gap is only one of several problems in rural areas, according to Sun's report. While listing the achievements in rural areas in recent years, Sun believed that rural development still followed behind urban development. "We have bigger pressure to ensure the supply of major agricultural products such as grain," he said. "China's urbanization has been speeded up and more rural residents have gone to urban areas," he said. "In this case, more agricultural producers become farm produce consumers, which created more pressure for supply," he said. Another problem facing China's agricultural development is _ application of science and technology. "Only 30 percent of scientific and technological achievements have been applied to agricultural production, which is 40 percentage points lower than developed countries," he said. Despite increased government spending in rural areas, the infrastructure is still poor and easily hit by disasters. According to Sun, the government spent 431.8 billion yuan ($59.15 billion) on agriculture, rural areas and farmers this year, an increase of 80.1 billion yuan over the previous year. China set aside 11.38 billion yuan to promote a new rural cooperative medical care system and 27.98 billion yuan to support the new compulsory education mechanism in rural area to ensure that all citizens shared the fruits of China's reform and opening-up, Sun said. Which is NOT the problem in rural areas? Answer: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston HOURS The MFA is open 7 days a week. Monday and Tuesday: 10 am - 4:45 pm Wednesday - Friday: 10 am - 9:45 pm Saturday and Sunday: 10 am - 4:45 pm HOLIDAYS AND CLOSINGS The Museum will be closed on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Patriots' Day (third Monday in April), Independence Day (July 4), Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. The Museum will close early on Wednesday, at 4:45 pm, June 11, and Thursday, July 24. ADMISSION Adults: $25 Seniors (65+): $23 Students (18+): $23 Youths 7 - 17: FREE Children 6 and under: FREE *Weekdays after 3 pm, weekends, and Boston public school holidays; otherwise $10. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Take the T! Because our limited parking fills up quickly - especially during popular exhibitions, holidays, and school vacation weeks - we encourage you to take advantage of the MBTA, Boston's public transportation system (known by natives as the "T"). Subway Take the Green Line E train to the Museum of Fine Arts stop, or the Orange Line train to the Ruggles stop. Bus Take the 39 bus to the Museum of Fine Arts stop, or the 8, 47, or CT2 buses to the Ruggles stop. The MFA strives to maintain a safe, comfortable, and respectful environment for all visitors. We also take our role as guardians of the objects in our collection very seriously. Please enjoy all that the Museum has to offer and observe the policies listed here to help protect and preserve the art on view in the Museum. When Visiting the MFA Please Refrain from the Following: Touching any art objects Getting closer than 12 inches to any unprotected artwork Gesturing within 2 feet of any artwork Smoking Chewing gum Running, yelling, or disruptive behavior Cell phone usage in the galleries Flash photography According to the rules of the museum, _ . Answer: We were going to play against a team from a country school. They didn't come until the last minute. They looked worse than we had thought. They were wearing dirty blue trousers and looked like farm boys. We sat down for a rest. We felt that we didn't need any practice against a team like that. The game began. One of us got the ball and he shot a long pass to our forward . From out of nowhere a boy in an old T-shirt stopped the ball and with beautiful style he shot and got two points. Then another two points in a minute. Soon the game was all over. We were beaten by the country team. After that, we thought a lot. We certainly learned that even though your team is very good, you can't look down upon the others and still need to do you best. And the most important lesson we learned was: One can't judge a person or a team only by their clothes. The country team arrived so late that _ . Answer: In the early 1950s, researchers found that people scored lower on intelligence tests if they spoke more than one language. Research in the sixties found the opposite. Bilingual people scored higher than monolinguals, people who speak only one language. So which is it? Researchers presented their newest studies last month at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The latest evidence shows that being bilingual does not necessarily make people smarter. But researcher Ellen Bialystok says it probably does make you better at certain skills. Ellen Bialystok said, "Imagine driving down the highway. There're many things that could capture your attention and you really need to be able to monitor all of them. Why would bilingualism make you any better at that?" And the answer, she says, is that bilingual people are often better at controlling their attention -- a function called the executive control system. Ms. Bialystok is a psychology professor at York University in Toronto, Canada. She says the best method to measure the executive control system is called the Stroop Test. A person is shown words in different color1s. The person has to ignore the word but say the color1. The .problem is that the words are all names of color1s. Ellen Bialystok said, "So you would have the word blue written in red, but you have to say red. But blue is so salient , it's just lighting up all these circuits in your brain, and you really want to say blue. So you need a mechanism to _ that so that you can say red. That's the executive control system." Her work shows that bilingual people continually practice this function. They have to, because both languages are active in their brain at the same time. They need to suppress one to be able to speak in the other. This mental exercise might help in other ways, too. Researchers say bilingual children are better able to separate a word from its meaning, and more likely to have friends from different cultures. Bilingual adults are often four to five years later than others in developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease. In the Stroop Test, supposing you have the word yellow written in white, you will have to say _ . Answer: Movement of Earth's crust along plate boundaries produces Answer:
Fashion always keeps at least one eye on the future. Now scientists are lending a hand, developing tomorrow's super-powered clothing such as coats that can recharge your MP3 player and make you stronger. For example, electronics could get recharged in the future simply by plugging them into your outer wear, because Australian researchers are designing clothing that can collect energy from a person. The coats would include small things that change vibration energy from a person's movements into electricity. High-tech fabrics would carry this energy to batteries . "It will look like an ordinary(common)coat but have super energy," said Adam Best, an Australian head research scientist. " _ has important uses for soldiers in the field and could mean they no longer need to carry heavy batteries,'' Best added. "Above all, they'd be wearing the battery, not carrying it." Besides helping soldiers, these coats could also have common uses for common people, such as powering radios, mobile phones, MP3 players or medical things. Solar-powered handbags could do the same thing. Thanks to self-cleaning fabrics developed by scientists working for the U. S. Air Force, underwear and sports clothing could go weeks without washing. The general idea of clothes that never get dirty can be found in the 1951 film The Man in the White Suit. The new technology helps keep off water, oil and bacteria . High-tech fabrics could also help serve as protection. For example, future fabrics could lead to soft helmets that turn hard in an accident. Not all the possible fabrics of tomorrow are necessarily high-tech. For example, chicken feathers and other things of the farming industry could get changed into wool-like fabrics or cotton-like ones, helping use fewer fabrics made from oil. Scientific development is also creating wool that doesn't become bigger or smaller after washing. And future clothing could help soldiers shoulder heavy bags and help people walk. But not all electronic coats have such uses--some might serve as video game players with high technology and the latest fashion joined together perfectly. The world of fashion is set to be taken by high-tech clothing that works as you wear! How can high-tech fabrics protect people from danger? Answer: A negative effect of the invention and use of paper is the Answer: A large rock breaks into small pieces within 10 years. Which process is most likely responsible for breaking the large rock into small pieces within 10 years? Answer: What will be more available in an area when rain is common? Answer: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the eleventh largest nation in Europe. England, Wales and Scotland make up the island of Great Britain, which takes up most of the Britain Isles. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are mountainous. The highest mountain is Ben Nevis in Scotland. Plains and valleys cover much of England. The British climate is mild. About 58 million people live in the United Kingdom. Few other countries are so crowded. Four out of five people live in cities such as Belfast, Glasgow, and London. London is the capital. Great Britain grows half of the food it needs. Its industries help to pay for the food that is bought from abroad. The United Kingdom manufactures a wide range of goods. Service industries, such as tourism, that provide services rather than producing goods, are increasing. Traditional industries, such as coal mining, are declining. In the United Kingdom, about _ people live in big cities. Answer:
Throughout history there have always been people who can make other people laugh. Early clowns often both annoyed and delighted listeners with their comments and songs. They were not the silent performers seen in today's circus rings. Clowns _ when the big three-ring circuses made it impossible for the audience to hear them. Circus clowns give performances in various ways. Walk-around clowns use an animal or something, like a huge rubber hammer, as part of their performance. A carpet clown moves around, talking with the audience and performing while the acts change in the rings. Then there are acrobatic clowns, riding clowns, juggling clowns and others. Everything a clown does looks easy, but it is not. Making people laugh can be hard work. Clowns must be in good physical condition to prevent injuries. Each funny move is carefully timed and well-rehearsed . Most clowns have also been trained as acrobats, jugglers or aerial artists, and many include such skills into their acts. Generally, there are three types of circus clowns--whiteface, auguste and character. Each has a special makeup and clothes. Each has a typical act as well. The neat whiteface is usually a strict, in-charge character who sets up the punch line (the point of a joke) with a partner who is typically an auguste. His facial makeup is neatly detailed in red or black, and his clothes look so loose with a ruffle around the neck. Old circus stories have it that the auguste clown got his name from a German nickname for someone who is clumsy, acting in a careless and stupid way. The auguste wears light-coloured makeup, but white is used around the mouth and eyes, and there's a big red nose. This clown performs a great deal of humour. An oversized suit or baggy trousers allow freedom of movement for all the clumsy acts. He also wears big shoes. Character clowns perform as different characters--cowboys, grandmothers or concert conductors. The most famous character clown, however, is the tramp . Tramps wear different styles of makeup and torn clothes. Some tramp clowns are happy-go-lucky. Others are extremely sad. Still others act like gentlemen who just happen to be out of money. If a clown is dressed in baggy clothing, which set of clowns does he belong to? The auguste and the whiteface. I wonder whether there is any girl or boy who does not like to see a rainbow in the sky. It is so beautiful. There is a story, saying that whenever you see a rainbow you should run at once to the place where it touches the ground, and there you would find a pot of gold. Of course it is not true. You could not find the pot of gold or its end. No matter how far you run, it always seems far away. A rainbow is not a thing which we can feel with our hands as we can feel a flower. It is only the effect of light shining on raindrops. The raindrops catch the sunlight and break it up into all the wonderful colours which we see. It is called a rainbow perhaps because it is made up of raindrops and looks like a bow . That is why we can never see a rainbow in a clear sky. We see a rainbow only when there is rain in the air and the sun is shining brightly through the clouds. Every rainbow has many colours in the same order. The first or the top colour is always red, and the next comes orange, then yellow, and last of all, blue. A rainbow is indeed one of the wonders of nature. Which of the following statements is NOT true? Every rainbow has different colours in different orders. Tired of all the pushing in supermarkets? Fed up with waiting in endless lines to pay for what you have bought? Angry at wasting time in traffic jams only to find no parking spaces when you eventually arrive at the store? If this is you, then online shopping is the answer to your dreams of trouble-free shopping. Online shopping brings its own challenges. Here are a few things to bear in mind whenbrowsing various websites. Theclaim made by online sites is that shopping online is a safe and secure way to make purchases. The evidence challenges this. In any case, you only have to be thevictim offraud once to experience all the problems that come with this form of stealing. Use only sites that have a trusted history and an excellent reputation . Another problem is that the appearance of items in reality is often quite different from what you see on your computer screen. This might not be a problem if you are buying washing up powder but could be a major disappointment when that beautiful blue dress you ordered turns up in green. Also, product descriptions are sometimes simply untrue! Perhaps the wisest plan is to purchase items whose design and color are not essential to customer satisfaction. Some even argue that online shopping indirectly contributes to global warming. Yes, your car can stay parked but how are online goods delivered? Often by some large van pouring out carbon monoxide and adding to our already desperate traffic problems. You are also by now becoming increasinglyirritated by the fact that the delivery is late ! Without question, online shopping is here to stay and it has its benefits. However, perhaps it is not as wonderful as some of its supporters claim it to be. How can online shoppers avoid fraud? By using only trusted websites. A goat gets energy from the grass it eats. Where does the grass get its energy? sunlight #United States Capitol It serves as the seat of government for the US Congress. It is located in Washington, D. C., on top of Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall. Officially, both the east and west sides of the Capitol are referred to as "fronts". Historically, however, the east front was initially the side of the building intended for the arrival of visitors and famous guests. Phone: (202) 225-6827 Official website: www.aoc.gov Hours: Monday-Saturday: 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. #International Spy Museum It is a privately owned museum dedicated to the field of espionage located in Washington. D. C., The museum was built by The Malrite Company at a cost of US $ 40 million. Despite being one of the few museums in Washington that charges admission fees, it has been popular since its opening in July 2002. Phone: (202) 393-7798 Official website: www.spymuseum.org Hours: Monday-Sunday: 9:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. #National Museum of Natural History It is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Admission is free and the museum is open 364 days a year. The museum's collections total over 125 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites ,and human cultural artifacts, making it the largest such museum anywhere. It is the second most popular of all of the Smithsonian museums and is also home to about 185 professional natural history scientists--the largest group of scientists dedicated to the study of the natural and cultural history in the world. Phone: (202) 633-1000 Official website: www.mnh.si.edu #Jefferson Memorial It is a presidential memorial in Washington, D. C., dedicated to Thomas Jefferson, an American Founding Father and the third president of the United States. The neoclassical building was designed by John Russell Pope. It was built by Philadelphia contractor John Mc. Shain. Construction began in 1939, the building was completed in 1942, and the bronze statue of Jefferson was added in 1947. When completed, the memorial occupied one of the last significant sites left in the city. Phone: (202) 426-6821 Official website: www.mps.gov/thje Where does this text probably come from? A tourist guide
Question: Huang Naihui was born in 1964 in Taipei. When he was a child, he had a very high fever, which made him partially paralyzed. His parents were afraid that he would bring bad luck to the family and abandoned him. But his grandmother brought him up. It was at the age of 13 that he went to school. At the age of 22, he would study and work part-time. He would sell flowers during the day and attend classes at night. During his spare time he would study. The learning made him very happy. He used his knowledge very well in his business of selling flowers. He would go door to door selling flowers during the day. He would sell flowers at pubs and night clubs at night. At times, in order to sell, he had to sing. He was often tricked. However, he would face the next customer with a smile. His grandmother passed away when he was 24. It was the darkest day of his life. Today Huang Naihui owns 3 flower shops and employs disabled people to work for him. He would spend his spare time doing charity work. His book Facing the sun and his story have encouraged many people. ,. Which is WRONG about Huang Naihui? A. He was disabled. B. He liked learning. C. He did charity work in his spare time. D. He was deeply loved by his mother. Answer: D Question: How did your friendships begin? Most start with a short conversation on a random day. Asking about a homework assignment in class or complaining about your painful legs after playing in a soccer game, you found your best pal by accident. "Small talk is where all your relationships begin," Forbes magazine summed up. The following is a five-step guide to making small talk from Bernardo J. Carducci, the director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast, US. Let's have a look. Getting started Begin by talking about the setting, such as the weather outside or the room you are in ("It's cold in here, isn't it?"). The purpose of talking about the setting is to show the other person that you are willing to make a conversation. 2The personal introduction You should mention something about yourself, such as your name. A good personal introduction helps move the conversation forward. 3Looking for topics At this point, you and your conversation partner need to find common ground. This is a good time to ask questions or to refer back to things you've said or heard earlier. Don't worry if it gets quiet. The other person is probably just thinking of something to say. 4Expanding the topic The goal is to keep the conversation going. At every stage, you should be careful not to talk too much. But don't let the other person _ the conversation either. If that starts to happen, mention something about yourself when he or she takes a breath. 5A polite ending When ending a conversation, let the person know you'll be leaving soon, express gratitude for the conversation and set the stage for a future conversation. For example, you could say, "I really must be going soon, but I had a great time chatting with you. I really liked hearing your opinion about that new movie. Here's my phone number. Call or text me if you know of any other movies you think I might enjoy." According to the article, starting by talking about the setting is meant to _ . A. find common ground B. impress the other person C. make a conversation D. make the room warmer Answer: C Question: Jane is a nice girl. She lives in London. She studies in a middle school, she gets up at six every day. She likes learning English. She's a clever girl. She draws pictures well. After school, she often reads newspapers with her grandmother. At seven o'clock in the evening. Jane has supper at home. Every day at eight she does her homework and goes to bed at nine. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. Jane likes reading storybooks. B. Jane likes drawing big pictures. C. Jane likes learning English. D. Jane likes doing her homework. Answer: C Question: In 1945, a 12-year-old boy saw something in a shop window that set his heart racing. But the price-five dollars-was far beyond Reuben Earle's means. Five dollars would buy almost a week's groceries for his family. Reuben couldn't ask his father for the money. Everything his father made through fishing went to her mother, Dora, who struggled to feed and clothe their five children. Nevertheless, he opened the shop's weathered door and went inside. Standing proud and straight in his flour-sack shirt and washed-out trousers, he told the shopkeeper what he wanted, adding ,"But I don't have the money right now. Can you please hold it for me for some time?" "I'll try,"the shopkeeper smiled."Folks around here don't usually have that kind of money to spend on things. It should keep for a while." Reuben respectfully touched his worn cap and walked out. He would raise the money and not tell anybody. On hearing the sound of hammering from a side street, Reuben suddenly had an idea. People built their own homes in Bay Roberts, using nails purchased in sacks from a local factory. Sometimes the used sacks were disposed of at the construction site, and Reuben knew he could sell them back to the factory for five cents a piece. That day he found two sacks, which he sold to the man in charge of packing nails. The boy's hand tightly clutched the five-cent pieces as he ran the two kilometers home. Near his house stood an ancient barn. Reuben found a rusty soda tin and dropped his coins inside. Then he climbed into it and hid the tin beneath a pile of hay. It was dinnertime when Reuben got home. His father was ready to serve dinner as Reuben took his place at the table. He looked at his mother and smiled. Slim and beautiful, she was the center of the home, the glue that held it together. Her chores were never-ending, but she was happy as her family and their well-being were her highest priority. Every day after chores and school, Reuben _ the town, collecting the nail sacks. Summer vacation came, and no student was more delighted than Reuben. Now he would have more time for his mission. All summer long, despite chores at home weeding and watering the garden, cutting wood and fetching water -- Reuben kept to his secret task. Then all too soon fall arrived, and the winds blew cold and gusty from the bay. Reuben wandered the streets, diligently searching for his treasures. Often he was cold, tired and hungry, but the thought of the object in the shop window sustained him. Sometimes his mother would ask:"Reuben, where were you? We were waiting for you to have dinner." "Playing, Mum. Sorry." Dora would look at his face and shake her head. Boys. Finally the time had come! He ran into the barn, climbed to the hayloft and uncovered the tin can. He poured the coins out and began to count. Then he counted again. He needed 20 cents more. Could there be any sacks left anywhere in town? He had to find out and sell them before the day ended. Reuben ran down Water Street. The shadows were lengthening when Reuben arrived at the factory. The sack buyer was about to lock up. "Mister! Please don't close up yet." The man turned and saw Reuben, dirty and sweat stained. "Come back tomorrow, boy." "Please, Mister. I have to sell the sacks now -- please."The man heard a tremor in Reuben's voice and could tell he was close to tears. "Why do you need this money so badly?" "It's a secret." The man took the sacks, reached into his pocket and put four coins in Reuben's hand. Reuben murmured a thank you and ran home. Then, clutching the tin can, he headed for the shop. "I have the money,"he solemnly told the owner. The man went to the window and retrieved Reuben's treasure. He wiped the dust off and gently wrapped it in brown paper. Then he placed the parcel in Reuben's hands. Racing home, Reuben burst through the front door. His mother was busy in the kitchen. "Here, Mum! Here!"Reuben exclaimed as he ran to her side. He placed a small box in her work-roughened hand. She unwrapped it carefully, to save the paper. A blue-velvet jewel box appeared. Dora lifted the lid, tears beginning to blur her vision. In gold lettering on a small, almond-shaped brooch was the word "Mother". It was Mother's Day, 1946. Dora had never received such a gift; she had no finery except her wedding ring. Speechless, she smiled radiantly and gathered her son into her arms. Why did Reuben enter the shop? A. Because he wanted to bargain with the shop keeper. B. Because he wanted to ask the shop keeper for a favor. C. Because he wondered if he could get what he wanted for free. D. Because he wanted to have a better look at the thing that appealed to him. Answer: B Question: I think it is safe to say that snakes are not popular among most people. It would be hard to find a person who is neutral ,or simply doesn't care one way or the other. What I wonder is why something even without legs causes such great fear. Snakes are quite useful, but that doesn't seem to matter. Snakes help control the population of mice. Without snakes, perhaps we would find mice everywhere. Most of us, however, would rather see a mouse than a snake. The poison argument is a strong one. Some snakes are poisonous, and this causes people's death. However, the poisonous snakes are only a small number. We can't say all the snakes are bad just because of a few dangerous ones. And what do we do with the people who really like snakes? They like snakes even more strongly than we dislike them. These people learn about them, find them out, and watch them carefully. Why? The only reason I can think of is that these people are open-minded. They are able to put aside differences and welcome the snake as a friend. Whatever the reason for our like or dislike, snakes do something good in the circle of life. They would prefer to be left alone, and that is what we should do. If you're lucky, you might not run across more than a few of them in a lifetime. That would be fine with most of us. People who really like snakes are open-mindedbecause they _ . A. are able to put aside differences B. think all the snakes are poisonous C. are able to deal with poisonous snakes D. take part in the poison argument Answer: A
Until the twentieth century cigarettes were not an important threat to public health. Men used tobacco mainly in the form of cigars. They chewed tobacco, piped tobacco, and snuffed. Most women did not use tobacco at all. The cigarette industry began in 1870s with the development of the cigarette manufacturing machine. This made it possible to produce great numbers of cigarettes very quickly, and it reduced the price. Today cigarette smoking is a widespread habit. About forty-three percent of the adult men and thirty-one percent of the adult women in the United States smoke cigarettes regularly. It is encouraging to note, however, that millions of people have quit smoking. Seventy-five percent of the male population and forty-six percent of the female population have smoked cigarettes for some time during their lives, but twenty-six percent of these men and eleven percent of the women have stopped smoking. The number of persons who have given up smoking is increasing. Men as a group smoke more than women. Among both men and women the age group with the highest proportion of smokers is the age group 24--44. Income, education, and occupation all play a part in determining a person's smoking habit. City people smoke more than people living on farms. Well-educated men with high incomes are less likely to smoke cigarettes than men with fewer years of schooling and lower incomes. On the other hand, if a well-educated man with a higher income smokes, he's likely to smoke more packs of cigarettes per day. The situation is somewhat different for women. There are slightly more smokers among women with higher family incomes and higher education than among the lower income and lower educational groups. These more highly educated women tend to smoke more heavily. Among teenagers the _ is similar. There are fewer teenager smokers from upper-income, well-educated families, and also fewer from families living in farm areas. High school students who are preparing for college are less likely to smoke than those who don't plan to continue their education after high school. Children are most likely to start smoking if one or both of their parents smoke. Which group of people smoked more according to the passage? Answer: The group of men. Today we celebrate our nation's school support staff and their tireless work in meeting the needs of all the students. See how Native American specialist Cecil Crawford is addressing a critical need by helping to lower the dropout rate at his school. How Are You Celebrating American Education Week Share your plans and photos with us at AEW@nea.org! If you're on social media, be sure to use #AEW2015. 2015 Artwork: Click here for our 2015 poster, web banners, ads and more. What Is American Education Week? American Education Week -- November 16-20 -- presents all Americans with a wonderful opportunity to celebrate public education and honor individuals who are making a difference in ensuring that every child receives a quality education. This year's theme is "Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility", and can be reflected in special observances each day of the weeklong celebration: Monday, November 16: Kickoff Day Tuesday, November 17: Parents' Day Wednesday, November 18: Education Support Professionals' Day Thursday, November 19: Educator for a Day Friday, November 20: Substitute Educators' Day Online Q&A: The Power of Teacher-parent Relationships for Student Success Our Q&A has ended, but you can still visit our Facebook page and read through the great advice and discussion between parents and educators. Weigh in with your own ideas and keep the conversation going! Read more here. Read more about the history of American Education Week. What is related to the fourth day of the celebration? Answer: Educator for a Day. Older fathers have uglier children, researchers have claimed after linking age to genetic mutations . The finding comes weeks after leading scientists reported children born to men over the age of 45 run a higher risk of having autism and mental disorders. With age, sperm -producing cells do not copy a man's DNA as effectively, leading to genetic mutations. Martin Fielder, an anthropologist at Vienna University, told the Sunday Times: 'Every 16 years the mutation rate doubles. Other researchers found 25 mutations per sperm in a 20-year-old, but at age 40 it is 65 mutations. By 56, it doubles again. The effect is very visible - someone born to a father of 22 is already 5-10 per cent more attractive than those with a 40-year-old father and the difference grows with the age gap. In contrast, women pass on a maximum of 15 mutations to their baby, regardless of age, according to the study published in the journal Nature. Surveying a group of six men and six women, researchers showed them each 4,018 photographs of 18-20-year-old men and 4,416 of women the same age, and asked to assess their attractiveness. Those with older fathers were consistently considered less attractive. However, the children of older men, though less attractive, are likely to outlive their peers with younger fathers, it is claimed. Professor Lee Smith, a geneticist at Edinburgh University, told the Sunday Times other research found such children have longer telomeres - the caps on the end of chromosomes --- which are associated with longer life. But the mounting research connecting parents' age with autism is cause for concern, experts warn. Autism is an umbrella term for a range of developmental disorders that have a lifelong effect on someone's ability to interact socially and communicate openly. In the UK, around one in 100 adults is thought to be affected by autism, mostly men, caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Researchers said men should be advised about the potential problems in order to help their personal decision-making when it came to having fathering children at older ages. They warned that advancing paternal age faced a risk of 'numerous public health and societal problems'. Among well-known older dads are Simon Cowell, 54, whose son was born earlier this month, and comedian Frank Skinner whose first child was born in 2012 when he was 55. What does the passage say about autism? _ Answer: Autism prevents people from interacting socially and communicating openly One of the most popular American singers of the twentieth century was Elvis Presley. He made the rock & roll music popular all over the world. He sold millions of records and made many successful films, and he helped change the direction of popular music in the 1960 s. Elvis Presley was born in a poor family in 1935. His parents were simple country people who often took him to church, where he learned to sing, and he never forgot the kind of songs that he used to sing in church as a child. When he was young, Elvis moved from Toledo to Memphis in Tennessee, where he attended high school. But he was not a good student. His only real interest was singing. He began to sing in the style that is called "country and western". In 1955 he recorded some songs for his mother's birthday. The people at the recording studio liked his singing and his music. It was country and western music, but it also sounded a little like the music which black people used to sing in the American South. It was called "blues". Shortly after that, Elvis met Tom Parker, who became his manager and arranged concerts for him across the United States and new recordings as well. Soon Elvis became famous around the country. Later Elvis went to Hollywood and began to appear in films such as Love Me Tender and King Creole. But Elvis found it difficult to live with success. Like many other famous people, He began to take drugs and his health started to suffer. When he died at an early age of 42 in 1977,his many millions of fans were shocked. "The King Is Dead!" the newspaper said. But today his memory and his music live on and will always be remembered as the King of Rock & roll. What was Elvis' music style like most? Answer: Not only country and western but also a bit "blues" Vancouver Natural Resources As a major centre for the global forestry industry, Vancouver is host to many international forestry conferences and events, and the natural home of the massive BC forestry business. Companies such as Canfor and West Fraser Timber Co., the second and third largest lumber producers in the world, are headquartered in Vancouver. Vancouver is also a major centre for the mining industry. International trade International trade is a key part for Vancouver's economy. The city has Canada's largest port and is one of North America's major gateways for Pan-Pacific trade. The Port of Vancouver ranks first in North America in total foreign exports and second on the West Coast in total goods volume. Banking and Financial The headquarters for HSBC Canada is located in the Financial District in downtown. Canada's third largest commercial entity , Jim Pattison Group is also based in Vancouver. International relation Vancouver is a major centre for diplomacy and foreign relations. Most countries of the world have consulate or general offices in the Central Business District. In fact, many major diplomatic conferences are hosted by the city - including the world famous G7 summit with President Clinton, APEC, and the World Trade Organization. Greenpeace has its world headquarters in the city. Therefore, Vancouver was among the first North American cities to declare itself a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone. Tourism Tourism is a leading industry to Vancouver. The Whistler-Blackcomb Resort is among the most popular skiing resorts in North America, and will be the site of the downhill events of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Vancouver's beaches, parks, waterfronts, and mountain backdrops and its multi- cultural character attract more and more tourists. Film Vancouver was the source of the sobriquet "Hollywood North", for hosting the production of about ten percent of Hollywood's movies. Many U.S. television and films series are shot exclusively in Vancouver. This has partly been because of the favourable Canadian dollar exchange rate. Which of the following organizations or events is not related to Vancouver? Answer: WHO
On a Friday night in May 2015, Oliver and Lone Kleven heard angry shouts coming from their front lawn. Lone, 68, stepped onto the porch and saw two men in dark clothes struggling with something on the ground--right where she and her grandson had planted a flower bed the weekend before. "Go fight somewhere else!" she shouted, worried her plants would get damaged. At the sound of her voice, the face of a boy appeared from beneath the two men. He looked 13 or 14 or so. "They're trying to kill me!" the boy screamed. Lone ran toward them and, without hesitation, caught the boy's arm, pulling him out. "Leave _ alone!" she shouted. When the men stood up, Lone saw what looked like a sharp object in one man's hand. When she turned back toward the boy, he was moaning in pain and holding his stomach. The attackers began to move in on the boy again when Lone's husband shouted: "Get lost!" The two men walked quickly and quietly across the street and drove off in a dark car. "I have to get to the hospital!" the boy cried. He lifted his shirt, and Lone could see a bloody wound on his stomach. Oliver hugged the trembling boy while Lone caught her cell phone and car keys inside the house. She handed the phone to Oliver. "Call 911," she told him. "I'm going after them." Lone took off but was unable to find the car. The Klevens then learned what had happened. Earlier that night, as the boy waited for his parents to pick him up from the high school across the street from the Klevens' house, two men approached and demanded his wallet. When he refused, one of the men hit him in the face. The boy ran across the street. The men caught up with him, and one hurt him in the back and stomach with a sharp knife. That's when Lone stepped in. The boy's wounds required operations, but he has fully recovered. "He was alone and outnumbered," says Lone. "There was no time to do anything except what I did." What's Lone's first reaction when she got close to the men? A. She kept them separate. B. She was shocked at the boy's wounds. C. She pulled the boy out. D. She called her husband for help. Answer: C Dear David, My daughter will be five years old. She is happy, well-mannered, loving and pretty. She has attended a Montessori school since she was 16 months old and has made two friends. The three girls are always together, or talking with each other. But recently the girls told my daughter that they would not play with her if she kept playing with the boy who was disliked by most of the class. My daughter always finds good things in others and insisted they play with him, too. Then one of the friends told my daughter she didn't have straight hair and shouldn't play with them. Then she started ignoring my daughter. My mother-in-law decided to iron my girl's beautiful curly hair . With her birthday coming, my child decided to invite her friends to her party. When I asked her why, she said because they were always together, but I know one of the girls will not attend her party. I'm concerned about her. I feel lost, not knowing how to help my child. Jenny Dear Jenny, It's always painful to a mother when someone hurts her child. Your daughter's friends weren't nice to her, but little kids are still learning how to get along with others. As a result, young friendships are often fleeting, even changing from day to day. Your daughter seems to be remarkably loving, outgoing and mature beyond her years. Perhaps you need to be proud of the way she treats people. Ironing your daughter's hair won't send your daughter or the other girls a good message. It implies that there is something wrong with the way she is. You have no choice but to let your daughter know that one of the girls won't be attending her birthday party. If she seems upset, remind her that other friends will be there. My guess is that she will rise to the occasion. Hope this helps. David When the daughter was asked not to play with that boy, she probably _ . A. thought her friends were right. B. felt lucky to have such good friends. C. thought her friends shouldn't have said that. D. realized her friends were not popular with others. Answer: C My dad was a plumber for the public works department in our town, so from time to time he came into my school. Can you imagine sitting in class and seeing your dad walk past the door of your classroom and wave his hand at you? In junior high? One girl in our class always made fun of me because my dad was a plumber and hers was a lawyer , and she would say things like, "Ew, that's gross !" I must admit I was sometimes embarrassed by what my dad did, especially in my early teens, when the only thing I really cared about was what the other girls thought. The girl lived a few streets away from us, and one winter day---the day her elder sister was getting married---the toilet in their main upstairs bathroom broke and there was water everywhere. Her father, the lawyer called every plumber in the Yellow Page, but nobody would come and because we were having a major snowstorm. Her daughter told him that my father was a plumber, and he called, and my dad went right over---and took me with him.(Maybe he was hoping that the lawyer's daughter would be nicer to me.) My father fixed the toilet, help them clean up everything, and didn't take much time for his trouble. But as we were leaving, he told the girl, "If I ever need a lawyer, I'll be happy to call your dad." As we walked to our car, he said to me, "Do you believe he didn't know where the main shut-off valve was? What a dumb ass!" From that point on, her dad was known in school as Lawyer Dumb Ass. When my husband and I bought our house, the first thing my dad showed him was the main shut-off valve. I have always been proud to say that I'm a plumber's daughter. Why couldn't the lawyer find anybody to fix the toilet on that winter day? A. He had little money B. All the plumbers were too busy to come C. There was a major snowstorm and nobody would come out D. One of his daughters was getting married and the house was in a mess Answer: C Mr. and Mrs White have a son and two daughters. They have a cat and a big house. In front of the house there are some trees and two cars. On weekends they go to the beach . Mr. White works from Tuesday to Friday. Mrs. White works from Tuesday to Saturday. They are teachers. Their students like them very much. There is a gym near their house. They often go there to watch soccer games because their son's favorite sport is football. Mr. White's favorite sport is table tennis. Their daughters don't like sports. They like to see movies. Their family are very happy. How many people are there in the family? A. Seven B. Six C. Four D. Five Answer: D When John Weston awoke that morning, he remembered that his mother was going into hospital. He hadn't worked out quite what was wrong with her. He knew, though that she hadn't been well for some time now, and it had become almost familiar to him to see her eyes narrowed in a sudden attack of pain, and her hand pressing against her heart. Their own doctor, who she had finally gone to for advice, had sent her to an expert who knew all about these things. He had told her that just as soon as there was a bed for her, she would have to come into his hospital where he could look after her himself. During the weeks since then the pains had come even more frequently, and the narrowed eyes became an almost permanent part of her expression. Always rather sharp, she began losing her temper over little things so that John's father kept his thoughts to himself more and more. John, as ready as possible to make allowances, tried to think what it would be like to have toothache all the time and how bad-tempered that would make you. So his mother would go into hospital for a few days. He was going to stay with his Aunt Daisy till she came back, and his father would stay on at home by himself. John's cousin, Mona, was to come in and make the bed and wash the pots and dust round now and again. That was the arrangement, and John didn't care much for it. Apart from missing his mother(and he was glad she was going away because they would make her better), he wasn't very fond of his Aunt Daisy because she was even more bad-tempered than his mother. how did John react to his mother's bad temper? A. he tried to imagine himself in her place. B. He tried not to notice it. C. He pretended that he had toothache. D. He behaved himself as well as possible. Answer: A
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. What is this passage mainly about? A Thin people may be fat inside. B Internal fat is of no importance. C Internal fat leads to many diseases. D Thin people don't have diabetes. Answer: A Mnrk Zuckerberg, born on May 14. 1984, is an American computer programmer and businessman. As a Harvard student. He created the online social website Facebook, a site popular among students worldwide, with fellow computer science major students and his roommates Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes. He serves as Facebook's CEO. He has been the subject of argument for the origins of his business and his wealth. Time Magazine added Zuckerherg as one of The World's Most Influential people 2008. Zuckerberg grew up in prefix = st1 /Dobbs Ferry,New York. Early on. Zuckerlrg enjoyed making computer programs, especially communication tools and games. He started programming when he was in middle school. While attending Phillips Exeter Academy in high school, he built a program to help the workers in his dad's office communicate and a version of the game Risk. He also built a music player named Synapse that can learn the user's listening habits. Microsoft and AOL tried to purchase Synapse and employ Zuckerberg, but instead he decided to attend HarvardUniversity. Zuckerberg started Facebook from his Harvard dorm room on February 4, 2004. it quickly became a success at Harvard and more than two-thirds of the school's studetts signed up in the first two weeks. It started off as just a "Havard-Thing," until Zuckerberg then decided to spread Facebook to other schools and enlisted the help of roommate Dustin Moskovitz. They first spread it to Stanford, Dartmouth, Columbia, Cornell and Yale, and then to other schools with social contacts with Harvard. By the beginning of the summer, Zuckerberg and Moskovitz had made Facebook available at almost forty-five schools and hundreds of thousands of people were using it. We can learn from the passage that_. A Facebook suffered immediate failure when it first appeared B Microsoft and AOL failed to take on Zuckerberg as a member C people agree on the origins of Zuckerberg's business and his wealth D Zuckerberg began making computer programs after entering Harvard Answer: B This may be music to your ears. Researchers P. Jason Rentfrow and Samuel Gosling gave 3,500 people a personality quiz. Then they asked them to name their favorite kind of music. "We found that the musical style people like are closely linked to their personalities," Gosling says. RAP/HIP-HOP Known for their quick speech, some rappers can say more than 700 syllables a minute! If you like rap/hip-hop, you are energetic and have a way with words. _ , whether it's new moves on the dance floor or your hip style. CLASSLCAL In the 18thcentury, classical musicians were like rock stars. Beethoven and Mozart, for example, played in packed concert halls. If you like classical, you are open to new ideas and like debating with friends. Creative and imaginative, you can easily spend many hours scrapbooking, writing or painting. COUNTRY Country music came from the folk songs of English, Scottish, and Irish settlers of the southeastern United States. If you like country, you express your opinions well, which makes you the ideal class president or team captain. Traditional and loyal, you enjoy spending time with your family. POP Pop music is designed to appeal to almost everyone, and it does. Each year, the industry brings in about 30 billion dollars! If you like pop, you are attractive to your friends. You can make big things happen, like planning for a huge party or inspiring your team to victory. ROCK In the 1950s, rock music created a brand-new culture. Teenagers, for the first time, had an identity separate from adults and children. If you like rock, you are a risk-taker who never accepts no for an answer. You rise to any challenge, like doing very well in a big exam or landing the lead in the school play. If these personality profiles don't match you, that's OK. These are just for fun. What's the main idea of the passage? A When music came into being. B What your favorite music says about you. C Some basic information about music. D How to like music. Answer: B Most people know precious gemstones by their appearances. An emerald flashes deep green, a ruby seems to hold a red fire inside, and a diamond shines like a star. It's more difficult to tell where the gem was mined, since a diamond from Australia or Arkansas may appear the same to one from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, recently, a team of scientists has found a way to identify a gemstone's origin. Beneath the surface of a gemstone, on the tiny level of atoms and molecules , lie clues to its origin. At this year's meeting of the Geological Society of America in Minneapolis, Catherine McManus reported on a technique that uses lasers to clarify these clues and identify a stone's homeland. McManus directs scientific research at Materialytics, in Killeen, Texas. The company is developing the technique. "With enough data, we could identify which country, which mining place, even the individual mine a gemstone comes from," McManus told Science News. Some gemstones, including many diamonds, come from war-torn countries. Sales of those "blood minerals" may encourage violent civil wars where innocent people are injured or killed. In an effort to reduce the trade in blood minerals, the U.S. government passed law in July 2010 that requires companies that sell gemstones to determine the origins of their stones. To figure out where gemstones come from, McManus and her team focus a powerful laser on a small sample of the gemstone. The technique is called laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Just as heat can turn ice into water or water into steam, energy from the laser changes the state of matter of the stone. The laser changes a miniscule part of the gemstone into plasma, a gas state of matter in which tiny particles called electrons separate from atoms. The plasma, which is superhot, produces a light pattern. (The science of analyzing this kind of light pattern is called spectroscopy.) Different elements produce different patterns, but McManus and her team say that gemstones from the same area produce similar patterns. Materialytics has already collected patterns from thousands of gemstones, including more than 200 from diamonds. They can compare the light pattern from an unknown gemstone to patterns they do know and look for a match. The light pattern acts like a signature, telling the researchers the origin of the gemstone. In a small test, the laser technique correctly identified the origins of 95 out of every 100 diamonds. For gemstones like emeralds and rubies, the technique proved successful for 98 out of every 100 stones. The scientists need to collect and analyze more samples, including those from war-torn countries, before the tool is ready for commercial use. Scientists like Barbara Dutrow, a mineralogist from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, find the technique exciting. "This is a basic new tool that could provide a better fingerprint of a material from a particular locality," she told Science News. Which of the following facts most probably helps McManus and her team in identifying the origin of stones? A Heat can turn ice into water or water into steam. B Gemstones from the same area produce similar light patterns. C Laser can changes a miniscule part of the gemstone into plasma. D Materialytics has already collected patterns from thousands of gemstones. Answer: B The most frequent reason why people don't make any money blogging is quite obvious: They do not work enough for it. Lots of people tend to think they just have to put some content online, fill it with Adsense ads and wait until they make money. Seriously, if it were that easy, everyone will have at least one website. Blogging is a job, and often a full- time job. If you want to make money online, you'll have to work with passion. This is unfair, but true. When a website is young (i. e. less than one year old), it is harder to rank high on search engines and to get people's attention. If you own a young website and work a lot, don't worry. Money will come later. Some people work a lot and with passion, but their blog posts suck . When you're a beginner, it is normal to make some mistakes. But if your blog exists since about one year, if you work a lot but do not see good effect, you'll have to improve your skills. In order to write better blog posts, pick the leader blog and study how it succeeds, how many posts the author writes per week, how the author improves the blog, etc. Blogging is one thing, and blog benefit is another. You can be a very good writer with had marketing skills. In that case, do not expect to make a lot of money with your blog, even if you have the _ I recommend you to read this article if you'd like to improve your blog benefit skills. What's the best title for the passage? A Reasons Why You're Making Money BIogging B Reasons Why You're Not Making Money Blogging C Skills That You Can Depend on to Improve Your Blogs D It's Easy to Make Money by Writing Blogs Answer: B
It seems like every year brings a new outbreak of sickness.Recent research tells us how diseases spread, from person to person.And it also gives us an idea how we can spread something better than diseases. An author called Malcom Gladwell recently published a book explaining how the process works.We usually think of an epidemic as a force of nature that rolls over anyone in its way.In fact, it starts with a single person or very few people.These people travel around and infect small groups in different places.When enough of these groups are infected, then the disease suddenly seems to be everywhere.Gladwell also found that the process of infection was not just limited to disease? It also affects the world of ideas. The process can be seen in books and fashion.So called _ are not pushed towards the public.They spread through hundreds of small reading groups until the day when everybody you know seems to have a copy.A group of young people may decide to wear an item of clothing simply because no one else is wearing it.Designers who monitor street fashion then pick up the idea and spread it.Finally everyone is wearing it. New York is often described as an unfriendly place.People are too busy looking after business to look after each other.In the early 1990s, one unknown person decided to perform at least one kind act a day.This caught on with his or her friends.The newspapers noticed the trend .New York became full of people smiling and carrying each other's bags. The success of trends like this fits in with other social phenomena .One is the 80/20 rule.This was invented by economists who noticed that in any situation 20 percent of the people did 80 percent of the work.Another is the "bystander problem".Psychologists noticed that in accidents where a large number of people were around, no one stepped forward to help.Each person supposed that someone else would do something.When there were less people present, more of them decided to offer help. What all this proves is the power of individuals and small groups.The "epidemic model" could be a great way of making a business grow or spreading an idea.A small start can make a big difference. The 80/20 rule shows the fact that _ . Answer: a small group may be a great power Remembering your dreams will require some efforts on your part. But what your dreams can offer and tell you about yourself will be well worth _ Here are some tips to help recall your dreams: 1. Before going to bed, keep a clear mind. Tell yourself that "I will remember my dreams when I wake up". This is actually a proven and effective way to recall your dreams. 2. Have a regular bedtime and wake-up time. Make this your routine. Going to bed and waking up at a regular time every day could aid in dream recollection. 3. Avoid alcohol consumption and taking medicine before going to bed. These things may prevent you from remembering your dreams. 4. Keep a pencil and a notebook next to your bed so that they will be within reach as soon as you wake up. Having a small lamp by your bedside is also a good idea, so you wake up in the middle of the night and can record your dreams immediately. 5. Do not get out of bed immediately. Upon waking from a dream, lie still in your bed, keeping your eyes closed and moving as little as possible. Let your mind wander among the images of what you have just dreamed. 6. Write down as many details in your dreams as you can, no matter how seemingly unimportant they may be. Do not judge the content or worry if they make sense. 7. Sometimes it may help to draw pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes. Even if you are not an artist, a simple drawing can help to recall details of your dreams. This passage tells you _ . .w.^w.k.&s.5*u.c.#om..... Answer: some useful tips to recall your dreams Research on the human brain has been attracting the attention of more and more scientists in recent years. One of the latest research topics is how to change the human brain or combine the computer and the human brain, i.e., to transplant a chip into human brain. This innovation may make everyone's dream come true. If we compare a human brain to a hard disc, what the scientists do is to enlarge the capacity of the hard disc. There are some difficulties in such transplant experiments, but scientists never give up. Experiments were started on animals. In 1996, a transplant experiment performed at the Defense and Military Physiology Research Institute in the U.S. turned a bear into a dolphin. The dolphin was named Ted, and the bear was named Tallin. Using the most advanced technology, deep and detailed studies were made of the swimming action memory area in Ted's brain by the scientists. They got a lot of useful information. The information was saved into a button-sized chip, which was then transplanted into the action memory area in Tallin's brain. The information saved on the chip was released by means of electric power. Recently, another memory transplant was performed at the Motor Nerve Research Institute of the University of California. The transplant was performed from a dog named "Genius" to a dog named "Idiot". "Genius" could understand and follow up to 100 gestures and orders made by its master. It was a real genius. "Idiot" was the younger brother of "Genius". It had no contact with people at all since its birth. It became an animal with nothing in its brain, without any memory. _ When the two dogs woke up, "Idiot" had all the abilities "Genius" possessed. It could follow every gesture and order given by its master. But "Genius" gave no response to its master, and in fact did not recognize him at all. The scientists did the two experiments to _ . Answer: make preparative research on changing the human brain Every child has his own dream. Every child hopes to be an adult. However, is it truly like what they imagine? As a boy who lives in modern times and in a modern city, I feel greater pressure on me with the city's development. Although we seldom worry about money, we still have a lot of things such as competition among classmates and expectations from parents. These experiences are very helpful to our future. But in fact they really give me a lot of pressure. I still clearly remembered the happiness of my childhood. Unluckily, we had to face the fact with time passing by. We began to feel this invisible pressure come upon us. We get up before sunrise and return after sunset. We work and study like an adult, even harder. What we do is to get an excellent mark. Oh, growing up is completely boring. We must try to find happiness while growing up. I think the friendship among our friends, the support from our parents and the encouragement among our teachers can help us. Why not enjoy the pleasure of growing up? The best title for the passage is " _ ". Answer: My worries For the past many centuries, people had been enjoying the benefits of green tea for the body. Many people would prefer drinking green tea than white tea and black tea, simply because of its _ aroma not found in other types of tea. Nowadays, keeping the natural greenish color1 of tea leaves remained just like before. This is done by preparing the green tea just like the way it was prepared before--by washing the leaves right after pulling off them from the bush, then boiling them. There have been many healthful claims saying that drinking green tea-based products help a lot in improving the general health of their body. For a long time, there has been many beliefs saying that green tea can help, cure beriberi disease , treat wounds, and even prevent tiredness. Now modern technology determines that there are even added healthful benefits that include reducing the possibility of having a heart disease and helping people to lose more weight easily. Besides, studies have found out that green tea has Polyphenols , a type of flaonoid that greatly reduces the amount of time of cell maturation. The flavonoid found in green tea is called EGCg- a stronger matter than Vitamin C and E. It is believed to be 20 times stronger than these mentioned vitamins. Having two cups of green tea daily is a good routine for your body. However, most doctors would suggest drinking at least 4 cups a day is the best. You can slowly increase the amount of drinking it to allow your body to get used to it. There is nothing to lose but everything to gain in drinking green tea. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . Answer: drinking green tea has no bad effect but benefits.
Question: They are among the 250, 000 people under the age of 25 who are out of work in the Netherlands, a group that makes up 40 percent of the nation's unemployed. A storm of anger boils up at the government-sponsored youth center, even among those who are continuing their studies. "We study for jobs that don't exist," Nicollets Steggerda, 23, said. After thirty years of prosperity, unemployment among 10 member nations of the European Community has reached as much as 11 percent, affecting a total of 12.3 million people, and the number is climbing. The bitter disappointment long expressed by British youths is spreading across the Continent. The title of a rock song "No Future" can now be seen written on the brick walls of closed factories in Belgium and France. One form of protest tends to put the responsibility for a country's economic troubles on the large numbers of "guest workers" from Third World nations, people welcomed in Western Europe in the years of prosperity. Young Europeans, brought up in an extended period of economic success and general stability, seem to be similar to Americans more than they do their own parents. Material enjoyment has given them a sense of expectation, even the right to a standard of living that they see around them. "And so we pass the days at the discos, or meet people at the cafe, and sit and stare," said Isabella Cault. "There is usually not much conversation. You look for happiness. Sometimes you even find ." Unemployment in the Netherlands has affected _ A. about 0.6 million people B. 250,000 people C. 1ess than half of the population D. one million people Answer: A Question: When a person travels over long distances, the place may not be the only change. When his or her body rhythms get thrown off, he or she suffers from jet lag -- it's hard to sleep and eat at the right times in the new location. Humans and animals have a biological clock in their body that tells them when to sleep, and when to wake. When someone comes to a different place far away, this biological clock takes a while to match the day and night time of the new place. In a new study, reported in November's Science News, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley tested the effects of jet lag on hamsters . They wanted to know how serious jet lag would affect the brain and thinking habits of the animals. They think what happens to hamsters may happen to humans, too. In their experiments, the researchers first moved the hamsters' schedules forward by six hours. The animals' eating schedules, for example, were changed. If a hamster was often fed at noon and 4 pm, then it ate at 6 pm and 10 pm on the new schedule. People who travel from China to Europe experience the same shift, since the two regions are about six hours apart, half the shift between China and the USA. After three days, the scientists did it again - they shifted the hamsters' schedules forward by another six hours. Three days after that, they did it again; and then again three days later. For a full month, the scientists changed the hamsters' routines every three days. During the study, the hamsters slept the same amount every day as they did before the study. However, their sleep patterns had a hard time keeping up with the changing schedule. What's more, they seemed to feel low. The researchers also found that the hamsters had trouble with basic learning exercises during the study. The animals' thinking problems didn't go away when the experiment was over. A month after they went back living on a normal schedule, the hamsters still had trouble with basic mental tasks, such as learning and memory. The scientists concluded that serious jet lag has serious side effects, including stupidity . They are now trying to find out how jet lag is causing these problems, and then it will be possible for them to work out a solution. Which of the following was NOT a true effect of jet lag on hamsters according to the text? A. They got a weaker memory. B. They were in low spirits. C. They slept more than before. D. They became slow in learning. Answer: C Question: Running Running is good for people with too much fat because it can help them become slim. It also makes people strong. But it may be bad for joints . If we don't feel comfortable in our joints, we should stop for another activity. Walking Walking makes our bodies relaxed . It can also help people to be slim. Swimming Swimming is a great way to make different places of your body strong. But it is not a good way to keep slim. The water in a swimming pool is cooler than our body. The body protects itself from the cold by keeping fat. Cycling Riding a bike will help us be slim and make our legs strong, too. But be careful! If you live in the city, you should ride on the bike road and be away from the busy traffic. You can be slim if you play these sports except _ . A. running B. walking C. swimming D. cycling Answer: C Question: Why do parents have such a difficult time to communicate openly and honestly with their teens? For this, there are many reasons but most of them stem from not being able to properly understand their teens. It is a dangerous gap because parents will have to communicate with their teens about a wide variety of issues during the most important years of their lives. Thus, parents must know how to communicate openly and honestly with their teens. Here are a few tips to make communication easier between parents and teenagers. 1. Try not to talk down to your teens. Make them feel as if their views really matter, which not only helps your discussions with your teen but bring you closer to him. 2. Imagine what it would be like to be a teen. Try to remember some of the negative feelings you experienced as a teenager and apply it to your teen's situation. 3. Never make negative remarks to your teen about what she has said or done. 4. Remember how much courage it would have taken for your teen to come and talk to you about his personal issues. So listen respectfully. 5. Don't ignore your teen's feelings because it is usually a cry for help. For instance, if your teen is unusually angry, it may be time to spend a bit of quality time with your teen to determine what is wrong and where he is coming from. It is, therefore, necessary for parents to strive to keep lines of communication open at all times with their teens. Try to remember what it was like to be a teenager and how vulnerable you felt. Then you will be well on your way to help your teen communicate more openly and honestly. When your son comes to you for help, you should NOT _ . A. listen respectively B. treat him seriously C. care about his feeling D. make negative remarks Answer: D Question: You can easily scratch a windshield with A. beach sand B. non-abrasive sponges C. rubber standoffs D. prophylactics Answer: A
Question: Some years ago,writing in my diary used to be a usual activity.I would return from school and spend the expected half hour recording the day's events,feelings,and impressions in my little blue diary.I did not really need to express my emotions by way of words,but I gained a certain satisfaction from seeing my experiences forever recorded on paper.After all,isn't accumulating memories a way of preserving the past? When I was thirteen years old,I went on a long journey on foot in a great valley,wellequipped with pens,a diary,and a camera.During the trip,I was busy recording every incident,name and place I came across.I felt proud to be spending my time productively,dutifully preserving for future generations a detailed description of my travels.On my last night there,I wandered out of my tent,diary in hand.The sky was clear and lit by the glare of the moon,and the walls of the valley looked threatening behind their screen of shadows.I automatically took out my pen... At that point,I understood that nothing I wrote could ever match or replace the few seconds I allowed myself to experience the dramatic beauty of the valley.All I remembered of the previous few days were the dull characterizations I had set down in my diary. Now,I only write in my diary when I need to write down a special thought or feeling.I still love to record ideas and quotations that strike me in books,or observations that are particularly meaningful.I take pictures,but not very often-only of objects I find really beautiful.I'm no longer blindly satisfied with having something to remember when I grow old.I realize that life will simply pass me by if I stay behind the camera,busy preserving the present so as to live it in the future. I don't want to wake up one day and have nothing but a pile of pictures and notes.Maybe I won't have as many exact representations of people and places;maybe I'll forget certain facts,but at least the experiences will always remain inside me.I don't live to make memories-I just live,and the memories form themselves. Before the age of thirteen,the author regarded keeping a diary as a way of _ . A. observing her school routine B. expressing her satisfaction C. impressing her classmates D. preserving her history Answer: D Question: Accustomed though we are to speaking of the films made before 1927 as "silent",the film has never been,in the full sense of the word,silent.From the very beginning,music was regarded as a necessary accompaniment ;when the Lumiere films were shown at the first public film exhibition in the United States in February 1896,they were accompanied by piano on popular tunes. At first,the music played bore no special relationship to the films;an accompaniment of any kind was sufficient.Within a very short time, however the _ of playing lively music to a serious film became apparent,and film pianists began to take some care in matching their pieces to the mood of the film. As movie theaters grew in number and importance.a violinist would be added to the pianist in certain cases,and in the larger movie theaters small orchestras were formed.For a number of years the selection of music for each film program rested entirely in the hands of the conductor or leader of the orchestra,and very often the qualification for holding such a position was not skill or taste so much as the ownership of a large personal library of musical pieces.Since the conductor seldom saw the films until the night before they were to be shown (if indeed,the conductor was lucky enough to see them then),the musical arrangement was normally improvised in the greatest hurry. To help meet this difficulty,film distributing companies started the practice of publishing suggestions for musical accompaniments.In 1909,for example,the Edison Company began issuing with their films such suggestions of mood as "pleasant","sad","lively".The suggestions became clearer,and so appeared the musical sheet containing indications of mood,the titles of suitable pieces of music,and precise directions to show where one piece led into the next. Certain films had music especially composed for them.The most famous of these early special scores was that composed and arranged for D.W Griffith's film Birth of a Nation.which was shown in 1915. It can be inferred from the passage that_. A. there were no movie music composers at the very beginning. B. the Edison Company had its own orchestras. C. movie music is a kind of music with a history of one hundred years. D. conductors paid much attention to the mood of a film. Answer: A Question: It would be pleasant to believe that all young girls in the past got married for romantic reasons; but the fact is that many of them regarded marriage as their only chance to gain independence from their parents, to have a provider, or to be assured of a good place in society. A couple of generations ago, an old maid of twenty-five did not have much to look forward to, she was more or less fated to remain with her parents or to live in some relative's home where she would help with the chores and the children. Not so any more. In the first place, women remain young much longer than they used to, and an unmarried woman of twenty-eight or thirty does not feel that her life is over. Besides, since she is probably working and supporting herself, she is free to marry only when and if she chooses. As a result, today's women tend to marry later in life. They have fewer children-or none at all--if they prefer to devote themselves to their profession. The result is a decline in the birthrate. The new role that women have developed for themselves has changed family life. Children are raised differently; they spend more time with adults who are not their parents: baby sitters, day-care center personnel, relatives, or neighbors. Whether they gain or lose in the process is a hotly debated question. Some child experts believe that young children must spend all their time with their mother if they are to grow sound in body and mind. Others think that children get more from a mother who spends with them "quality time" (a time of fun and relaxation set aside for them) rather than hours of forced and unhappy baby sitting. And many child psychologists point out that children kept in day-care centers every day are brighter than those raised at home. No matter what it is, one thing about child-raising to be certain of is that the longer the child is with the mother, the better. People have different opinions over the question as to _ . A. how children should be raised B. where children should be raised C. whether children should stay with their parents D. how long children should stay with their parents Answer: D Question: Mr. Green and his wife had a dog. When they went out, they always left the dog inside the house. One evening they wanted to go to the cinema, so they left the dog in the house and locked the door and their garden gate. They went off in their car. When the film was finished, they went home. They opened the gate and put the car away. When they came to the front door, they found that the glass in the door was broken. The door was not locked and it was open. A robber! They went in and quickly looked in all the rooms to see if the robber had taken their things. However, everything was in the right place and nothing at all was missing. The dog was sleeping in the sitting-room. The wife was angry with the dog."Why didn't you guard the house?"she said. The dog was pleased to see Mr. and Mrs. Green. It began to wag its tail and then it went to a comer of the room and picked up something in its mouth. It went to the wife and dropped the thing at her feet. When she went to pick it up, she was very surprised. Can you guess what the dog's present was ?It was a man's finger! The end of the story is this. Mr. Green telephoned the police and told them everything. Three days later the police caught the robber. They found him easily. The robber stole _ . A. everything from the house B. something expensive from the house C. nothing from the house D. a car from the house Answer: C Question: A renewable resource you can find on Earth is A. stars B. Oil C. sand clay D. fossil fuels Answer: C
Reading is thought to be a kind of conversation between the reader and the text. The reader puts questions to the text and gets answers. In the light of these he puts further questions, etc. For most of the time this "conversation" goes on below the level of consciousness. At times, however, we become aware of it. This is usually when we are running into difficulties, when mismatch is occurring between our expectations and meaning of the text. When successful matching is being experienced, our questioning of the text continues at the unconscious level. Different people converse with the text differently. Some stay very close to the words on the pages; others take off imaginatively from the words, interpreting, criticizing, analyzing and examining. The former represents a kind of comprehension which is written in the text. The latter represents higher levels of comprehension. The balance between these is important, especially for the advanced readers. There is another conversation which from our point of view is equally important, and that has nothing to do with what is read but with how it is read. We call this a "process" conversation as opposed to "content" conversation. It is concerned not with meaning but with the strategies we employ in reading. If we are advanced reader our ability to hold a content conversation with text is usually well developed but not so our ability to hold a process conversation. It is just this kind of conversation that is of importance when we are seeking to develop our reading to meet the new demands being placed upon us by studying at a higher level. According to the writer, _ is of great importance to readers. balance of lower and higher levels of comprehension Tom was the best baseball player in his neighborhood. He also enjoyed playing basketball, but he wasn't very good at it. Every morning he would get up and go out to the baseball field, and every night he would dream about his favorite players. He loved the Yankees, and knew he would someday play for them. One day when Tom was practicing at the field, a man in a nice suit came out of a long car and walked over to Tom. The man said that he worked for the Yankees, and was there to see Tom play! Tom was so excited he could scream! Knowing that the man was watching, he played the best game ever that day. When he was done, the man told Tom that he was good enough to play for the Yankees, and to pack his things right away. Tom hurried home as fast as he could, and started to pack up all his clothes. His mom walked in and asked what Tom was doing. "I'm going to play for the Yankees ma!" Tom said. Tom's mom was so excited that she took Tom and the whole family out for dinner. Grandpa, Grandma, Mom and Dad were all there, and bought Tom a big cake! As Tom said goodbye to everyone, he couldn't help but feel sad that he would be gone for so long. "Don't worry son, we'll be at all the games cheering you on!" said his dad. This made Tom happy again, and as he left to be with his team, he knew that he had finally made it. Where was Tom when the man who worked for the Yankees talked to him? The baseball field Welcome to WeKnowDiets.com. We have compiled the most comprehensive database of information for people who are looking for a trimmer body and healthier lifestyle. There are now thousands of Weight-Loss Products and Diet Programs available to choose from-that can be a little confusing. Our goal is to give you a quick snapshot of what options are available to you. We will inform you of the hottest new ingredients and which products and programs bring you the most quality and best results. The most popular ones NuPhedrine-burn 500 more calories per day NuPhedrine is probably one of the best weight-loss pills ever made. What is so impressive about this pill is that the makers can honestly say that you WILL burn at least 500 more calories per day just by taking NuPhedrine. _ Miracle Fat Burning Cream Imagine being able to target your problem areas for rapid results. Now you can do just that. We have found that Miracle Fat Burning Cream is clinically proven to burn fat and it uses a patented delivery technology that works immediately. _ Alli Diet Pill This diet pill, claims to provide weight loss that "won't be easy". This product does not seem to promise particularly fast results, and instead emphasizes gradual weight loss. The accompanying book is intended to act as a companion to the weight-loss product. _ Bikini Boot Camp-14 days for a bikini body It is a customized back-to-basics system, which, regardless of its name, is actually about putting "fun" back into exercise while eating in a balanced way. The developers of this diet system make it accessible to everyone by bringing it into people's homes-in both a book and an online-based plan. _ Which of the following emphasizes gradual weight loss? Alli Diet Pill. I left home for New Zealand to start my new life on my 15th birthday. My father and mother took me to Hong Kong, where we had to say goodbye. When we were saying goodbye, I suddenly felt afraid that I had never had before. This was the first time I had traveled so far by myself. And going to a far-away place I have never been before made me feel terrible. I held back my tears until I could no longer see my parents. As I was wiping away my tears, I realized that, from that moment on, I would have to do everything by myself. After my arrival in _ , my teacher, Ms. Lang, showed me around my new school. A few days later, I started having classes. There were only 20 students in each class. Only math, science, social studies and English were _ , and students could choose other subjects for themselves, I chose music, Japanese and health. In New Zealand, students are very active in class. And teachers are not as serious. They often let us play games in class. We can sit with anyone we like, and the teacher can sit at her own desk or at a student's desk. The school had an easy manner, with few rules. Because there was no homework, we could join clubs or do anything we liked. I always went to the library after school, where I found a lot of books to help with my studies. Studying in New Zealand is very different from studying in China. In New Zealand, students depend on the library to gain knowledge instead of waiting for what teachers ask them to do. Time went fast. The two months flew by after I arrived. Then a week of exams began. I did not have to take these exams, because I had only been at the school for a short time. However, my math teacher encouraged me to take the math exam, as she thought I could do well. Though there wasn't much pressure on me, I worked very hard to get ready for the exam because I know that no pain means no gain. When the day of the exam came, I found that I finished the paper faster than the other students. One week later, my teacher told the whole class who had got the top mark: It was me! I got 94 percent. All my classmates were very happy and said congratulations to me. It was one of the happiest days of my life. The writer always went to the library because _ . she wanted to gain knowledge with the help of many books There are more and more fast food chains all over the world now. Most of these places work on a similar principle .There is a long counter ,above which hangs a list(often with pictures)of the items they sell,and behind which several people (often students working for the lowest pay) are working. Buyers form queues in front of each assistant. You receive what you order and take it on a tray to a table. If you can't see any knives and forks, this means you should eat with your hands. If you can't see any straws ,that's because they are hiding in the straw machine and you have to press the button to get a straw. When you have finished, you yourself throw away everything except the tray. It seems that you should do almost everything while you are having food in this kind of restaurant. Many fast food places have drive-in facilities You place your order from your car through a microphone and then drive to a special window to pay and pick it up. You may even find places where a waitress brings your meal out, and you sit and eat it in the car from a tray hooked over the door through the open window. What do you think about this king of food-serving? Everything happens in seconds as well as your lunch or supper. You have no time to enjoy your meal because you are eating fast food. According to the passage, these fast food restaurants are usually quite similar
Welcome to the Little Rock Zoo! The little Rock Zoo is open every day of the week, all year round, EXCEPT Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year`s Day. Opening Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and the last admission is at 4:00 pm. Admission price: Adults: $10 Children( 12 and under) : $8 ( only children 12 months of age are admitted free.) Cafe: Currently open every day from 9:30 am -4:00 pm Opening hours may change according to the weather and special hours. Zoo Train: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday :9:00 am--4:00 pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday , : 9:30 am--4:00 pm Run every half an hour If 9-year- old Peter goes to the Little Rock Zoo with his parents , they need to pay _ . A. $20 B. $24 C. $28 D. $30 Answer: C. $28 Nigel is our new next-door neighbour. He's a pilot . He was in the R.F.A. He will fly to New York next month. The month after next he'll fly to Tokyo. At the moment, he's in Madrid. He flew to Spain a week ago. He'll return to London the week after next . He's only forty-one years old, and he has already been to nearly every country in the world. Nigel is a very lucky man. But his wife isn't very lucky. She usually stays at home! Nigel's job is a _ . A. teacher B. doctor C. actor D. pilot Answer: D. pilot Mr and Mrs Smith come from America. They teach English in Yangzhou. They like their jobs. They have a son, Tom and a daughter, Mary. They are all in China now. Mr Smith can speak Chinese. He likes swimming and singing. Mrs Smith likes swimming and running. Tom and Mary like playing chess. They often play games with Chinese boys and girls. Mr and Mrs Smith like Chinese food very much, but Tom and Mary don't like it. They like French fries and hamburgers. Mrs Smith wants them to eat more vegetables and fruit. One day, Mrs Smith cooks some vegetables for them. Tom sees them and says, " I am full ." And Mary says, "I have something to do." And she runs away. Mr and Mrs Smith are from _ . A. America B. China C. England D. France Answer: A. America She handed me a five dollar bill through the car window, then turned and walked away. I don't know her name, nor where she was going ,but I know I will never forget that stranger who generously saved me from a lot of frustration and prevented me from walking a mile or more to my destination. That day My husband, Leo, and I were already a half hour late for an important conference . We had taken the wrong fork in the expressway, and found ourselves stuck in traffic that was blocked for four miles due to a serious accident. When we finally were able to exit, we tried to find parking lots near the hosting hotel. But they were all full. Not expecting this, neither of us had brought change; all we had was a twenty dollar bill. When we did find some space in a lot two blocks away from the conference, we were unable to pay the automatic box for parking. So we needed five dollars. We asked several people approaching the pay box if they could change a twenty. "No", "No", "No" were their answers. So, _ , we walked back to our car, got inside, and started to back out. We were going to look for other parking spot on the street that would surely have taken us a longer distance away. Just then, one tapped on the window on the passenger side. It was a short, medium-built woman, who was all bundled up in jacket and scarf, wearing jeans and boots. Surprised, I was reluctant, at first, to roll the window down. What could she possibly want? I lowered the window just enough to hear what the woman had to say. Through the window, she shoved a five dollar bill. "I don't have change," she said, "but here is an extra five dollar bill. Use it to pay for your parking spot." I was floored! Was this woman, whom I'd never seen before, actually giving me this much money? Yes, that was exactly what she was doing! She wouldn't take the check I offered her for the cash. She just walked away. The author writes the text to _ . A. warn readers of the difficulty with parking B. express her gratitude to the stranger C. talk about her bad experience D. call on readers to lend a helping hand if possible Answer: B. express her gratitude to the stranger Which best describes all unicellular organisms? A. Every cell is round. B. Every cell can make food. C. Every cell can move on its own. D. Every cell performs all life functions. Answer: D. Every cell performs all life functions.
Dieter parked her car in violation of a city ordinance that prohibits parking within 10 feet of a fire hydrant. Because Grove was driving negligently, his car sideswiped Dieter's parked car. Plaintiff, a passenger in Grove's car, was injured in the collision. If Plaintiff asserts a claim against Dieter to recover damages for his injuries, basing his claim on Dieter's violation of the parking ordinance, will Plaintiff prevail? No, if prevention of traffic accidents was not a purpose of the ordinance. This year some twenty-three hundred teen-agers (young people aged from 13-19)from all over the world will spend about ten months in U. S. homes. They will attend U. S. schools, meet U. S. teen-agers, and form impressions of the real America. At the same time, about thirteen hundred American teen-agers will go to other countries to learn new languages and gain a new understanding of the rest of the world. Here is a two-way student exchange in action. Fred, nineteen, spent last year in Germany with George's family. In turn, George's son Mike spent a year in Fred's home in America. Fred, a lively young man, knew little German when he arrived, but after two months' study, the language began to come to him. School was completely different from what he had expected --much harder. Students rose respectfully when the teacher entered the room. They took fourteen subjects instead of the six that are usual in the United States. There were almost no outside activities. Family life, too, was different. The father's word was law, and all activities were around the family rather than the individual . Fred found the food too simple at first. Also, he missed having a car. "Back home, you pick up some friends in a car and go out and have a good time. In Germany, you walk, but you soon learn to like it." At the same time, in America, Mike, a friendly German boy, was also forming his idea. "I suppose I should criticize American schools", he says. "It is far too easy by our level. But I have to say that I like it very much. In Germany we do nothing but study. Here we take part in many outside activities. I think that maybe your schools are better in training for citizens . There ought to be some middle ground between the two. " The whole exchange programme is mainly to _ . let students learn something about other countries In our life,we may meet people with different personalities .What is your personality type ?Read about the following and find out! A Dreamer thinks there is a"right"way to do things.This person wants to live in the"perfect world".Many are good listeners and like to help others.Many Dreamers work as teachers,and often lead others.Famous Dreamers:Mohandas Gandhi,Angelina Jolie. A Partner wants to be in a group.For this person,rules are important.They consider tradition to be of great value.Partners are often serious,careful people.Many do well as teachers,managers and police officers.Famous Partners:Queen Elizabeth II,Mother Teresa. For Thinkers,understanding things is very important.They like to deal with problems and make new things.Thinkers can also be active.They like to win.They have very strong opinions.Many Thinkers work as scientists,inventors and engineers.Famous Thinkers:Bill Gates,Stephen Hawking. Artists want to be free.They don't want to follow the rules all the time.They also like trying new things.Like Thinkers,many Artists have strong opinions.They are creative and do well as musicians and actors.Famous Artists:Cristiano Ronaldo,Madonna. Which could be the best title for the passage? Personality Types Visit the Forest Zoo. Come and see the Indian elephants and the new tigers from Northeast of China. The beautiful birds from England are ready to sing songs for you, and the monkeys from Mount Emei will be happy to talk to you. The lovely dogs from Australia want to laugh at you. Sichuan pandas will play balls for you. The giraffes from Africa are waiting to look down on you. Tickets Opening time Grown-ups: Y=3 9:00a.m.--4:00p.m. Children: Over 1.4m: Y=2 except Friday Under 1.4m: Free 10:00a.m.--3:00p.m. Keep the zoo clean! Do not touch, give food or go near to the animals. We can visit the zoo at _ . 3:00 p.m. Sunday Last month, the president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, held an underwater meeting. The purpose of the ocean floor conference? To highlight the effects of global warming on his island nation. The Maldives, located in the Indian Ocean, is the lowest-lying country on Earth. Melting glaciers and polar ice are causing sea levels to rise, putting the Maldives and other low-lying areas at risk of being swallowed by the sea within the next 100 years. What can be done? Scientists and leaders from 190 nations will try to figure that out at the United Nations climate change conference next month. The main goal of the meeting is to come up with a new climate agreement for 2012 and beyond. That is when the existing plan, the Kyoto Protocol will expire. The agreement was created in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997. Since then, it has been ratified by 190 nations. The countries promised to limit the amount of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, that they produced each year. The debate over who should cut greenhouse emissions has been going on for years. The US has been hesitant to reduce emissions unless fast-growing nations such as China and India also reduce their use of fossil fuels. In recent months, China has taken steps to be greener. But India has been unwilling to change. It argues that it is unfair for rich nations to ask poorer countries to cut down on emissions. While world leaders work on a plan in Copenhagen, there are many things you can do to help the planet. You can save fuel by walking or biking instead of riding in a car. You can start a recycling program in your community. You can plant trees. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and give off oxygen. According to the passage, limiting greenhouse emissions_. has been a controversial question
Squirrels often communicate with whistles, chirps and chucks, which sound like the word "chuck". Whistles and chirps are like the sounds that many birds make.Now scientists have translated some of their squirrel-speak. Hare, a professor of zoology at the University of Maniloha in Winnipeg, and his team managed to record squirrels' alarm calls.The researchers studied the sounds and then played them back to 60 wild squirrels, which the scientists approached individually with a video recorder to capture their reponses.Some squirrels lifted their heads up and became.Alert .Creatures that were more frightened simply ran for their lives and dived into caves. "In effect then, whistles that mix with chucks say 'there's an enemy of average threat that's here', and whistles without chucks say 'there's an enemy of seemingly average threat around here somewhere', while pure chirps say, 'I'm hiding here because there's an immediate danger.' " Hare told.Discovery News. Hare and some other researchers believe such sounds arc part of an advanced language that develops just as all other communication systems. Although squirrels risk their lives when they call out to warn others of threats, other squirrels might admire this behaviour, thus increasingly the caller's social status, like humans who look up to heroes. Hare added that other animals, such as birds, probably understand at least some squirrel language, since they also may benefit from the alarm calls. In fact, another Canadian study found that deep-voiced, black-capped chickadees have their own language too.According to certain research, there are a lot of tidings in chickadees' calls, such as directing fellows' activities, keeping in contact between mates, and raising alarms. While chickadees and other birds are often welcomed into gardens by homeowners, squirrels are frequently viewed as pests . Hare wishes a greater understanding of the complex social lives and communication systems of squirrels will provide "hope that humans will gain a greater appreciation and stop doing harm to these animals". What can be learned from this text? Answer: Some squirrels understand the recorded alarm calls. Amazing Scientific Breakthrough Helps You Lose Weight without Starvation Diets or Tiring Exercise Have You Ever Wished... There was a fast easy and reliable way to safely drop weight by magically _ your food desires? An easy way to use product that magically melts off ugly fat without "dieting,"[calorie counting, or tiring exercise? What if this breakthrough could also increase your energy levels and brightened your mood throughout the day? Introducing...The Amazing Diet Patch The all new Amazing Diet Patch(as seen on TV) is a revolutionary new weight loss system that makes you lose 3 to 7 pounds wee after week! Until you fit into the clothes you've always dreamed of! This is the fastest most effective and safe way to lose weight. Without starvation diets or strenuous exercise! How Does It Work? The secret is a material called Fucus Vesiculosus that suppresses your food desires, and increases your metabolism turning your body into a fat burning machine. Just listen to what others are saying about it: After the birth of my child I started gaining weight quickly and nothing would make me lose weight. At first I wondered if the diet patch really worked? But I decided to try the free sample, and after the first seven days I lost 7-Lbs. I couldn't feel better about myself. --Sherry Parker I could not believe how easy it was to use the Amazing Diet Patch! I've tried using pills, but I would always forget to take pills before my meals. Now with the patch I just put it on in the morning and forget about it. --Jeff Robins Not Available In Stores But you can get it right here directly from us through this special online offer. And we're willing to absorb 100% of the risk by giving you a 1-Week Free Trial! According to the passage, we know that the Amazing Diet Patch is some kind of _ . Answer: plaster You Mi, a lovely and confident 17-year-old student, is the first Chinese high school student to appear on the cover of the popular young adults' fashion magazine Seventeen. "You is IN," said Wang LiHua, Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen. "She is active and mature because of her knowledge on everything from academic studies, to books on art, to movies. We found she's the very style we're looking for to represent young people's attitudes." You also impressed Wang with her fluent English when they first met last year. As the hostess of an English broadcasting programme at the High School Attached to Renmin University, You is always praised for speaking English almost like a native speaker. "I've built up my English by watching thousands of English DVDs since I was 10," she explained. But for You, watching isn't enough. Last year, while in Senior 1, she met a talented boy who showed self-made DV movies at the English Corner in her school. "I thought it was so cool and I knew that I should start making my own films," she said. So she wrote a campus story, persuaded schoolmates to star in it and then began shooting a 30-minute DV movie, all in English. "I played one of the leading roles, actually I was everything in my film. I worked on it every single day during the SARS holidays," she recalled. The movie finally became a big hit on campus, earning You a strong reputation as a DV movie director. But this is not the only field she wants to master. Despite being a science student, You likes art, literature and fashion design very much. "There are people who can be artists, there are people who edit books, and there are people who become film producers. But I just hope to mix all the things up!" she said. "There is an old saying I believe: Chance favours only the prepared mind." The author mentioned a talented boy to show _ . Answer: the great influence he had on You Mi Many cells have a nucleus that contains chromosomes. These chromosomes carry genes that are composed of Answer: DNA molecules I have a big family. My name is Tony Brown. I'm English. My father and mother are teachers. They teach English in No.1 Middle School. I have a sister. Her name is Mona. We are students in N0.1 Middle School. My grandfather's name is David, My grandmother's name is Sue. They are retired , they are at home. Paul is my uncle. He is a worker . Paul's wife --Jane, is a doctor . They have ason. His name is Jeff. He's only three. Jeff is Mona's _ . Answer: cousin
Tony and Anna are brother and sister. They are Americans. Tony likes sports very much. He can play soccer, basketball and volleyball. Anna likes music very much. She can't play ball games. But they both like playing on computers. They like eggs, bread and milk for breakfast. For lunch, Anna likes eating vegetables and fruit, but Tony likes chicken and fish. They both like hamburgers. But they don't like ice cream or dessert. Tony and Anna both like _ . A vegetables B soccer C fish D playing on computers Answer: D. playing on computers Want to improve your writing skills? New Writing South is directing the way! Towner Writer Squad for kids aged 13-17 Led by comedy and TV writer, Marian Kilpatrick, Towner Writer Squad will meet once a month at the contemporary art museum for 11 months, starting 12 October, 2014. The FREE squad sessions will include introductions to a wide range of writing styles, from poetry to play writing and lyrics to flash fiction, to support the development of young writers. Application & Selection If you would like to apply to be part of the Towner Writer Squad, please send a sample piece of your writing (about 500 words), responding to the title'LUNCH,'with your name, age, address and e-mail address to: debo@newwritingsouth.com. Once all applications are in, you will be invited to an open selection event on 17 September,4-5pm, at the gallery of Towner. This will be an informal opportunity to meet the Squad Leader, Squad Associate and other young people. You will also have a chance to get to know the fantastic gallery space and get a taste of what's to come. Deadline for applications: 8 September, 2014 For further information go to: facebook.com/towner or towner.org.uk or newwritingsouth.com Any questions feel free to send your e-mail to Towner Writer Squad Associate: whame@towner.gov.uk * * * * * * * * *Beginner Writing Project for kids aged 10-13 Due to popular demand, a writing project will be started for eager beginners. Start time: 6 September, 2014 Meet every other Saturday,2-4pm, at the Towner Study Centre. Study and write at your own pace you do not have to rush as you have a year to go through the project. Practise under the guidance of some experienced writers and teachers who can help you with basic writing skills. Most importantly, build confidence and have fun while writing! No previous experience or special background is required. Many others have been successful this way. If they can do it, why can't you? Fee: PS179 For more information go to: newtowner.org.uk or generate.org.uk Applications for the Writer Squad should be e-mailed no later than _ . A 6 September, 2014 B 8 September, 2014 C 17 September, 2014 D 12 October, 2014 Answer: B. 8 September, 2014 Mary Allen was my best friend- like the sister I ever had. We did everything together : piano lessons, movies, swimming, and horseback riding. When I was 13, my family moved away. Mary and I kept in touch through letters and we saw each other on special occasions- like my wedding and Mary's. Soon we were busy with children and moving to new homes, and we wrote less often. One day a card that I sent came back stamped "Address Unknown". Over the years, I thought of Mary often. I wanted to share stories of my children and then grandchildren. And I needed to share my sorrow when my brother and then mother died. There was an empty place in my heart that only a friend like Mary could fill. One day I was reading the newspaper when I noticed a photo of a young woman who looked a lot like Mary and whose last name was Wagman- Mary's married name. "There must be thousands of Wagman. "I thought, but I wrote to her anyway. She called as soon as she got my letter. "Mrs Tobin!"she said excitedly. "Mary Allen Wagman "is my mother. Minutes later I heard a voice that was recognized instantly, even after 40 years. We laughed and cried and caught up on each others lives. Now the empty place in my heart is filled. And theres one thing that Mary and I know for sure: We don't lose each other again. Which of the following is TRUE? A We never see each other again when I moved away when I was 13 B I find my friend in the newspaper C It is 40 years since we last saw each other D My friends husband is Mr. Tobin Answer: C. It is 40 years since we last saw each other Today, there are many chances for those who wish to continue their education. However, nearly all require some break in one's career in order to attend school full time. Part-time education, that is, attending school at night or for one weekend a month, tends to drag the process out over time and puts the completion of a degree program out of reach of many people. Additionally, such programs require a fixed time commitment which can also impact negatively on one's career and family time. Of the many approaches to teaching and learning, however, perhaps the most flexible is that called distance learning. Distance learning is an educational method which allows the students the flexibility to study at his or her own pace to achieve the academic goals which are so necessary in today's world. The time required to study may be set aside at the student's convenience. Additionally, the student may enroll in distance learning courses from actually any place in the world, while continuing to pursue their chosen career. Individual assistance may be available via regular airmail, telephone, fax machine, teleconferencing and over the Internet. Good distance learning programs are characterized by the inclusion of a subject evaluation tool with every subject, so a student doesn't need to travel away from home to take a test. Another characteristic of a good distance learning program is the equivalence of the distance learning course with the same subject materials as those students taking the course on the home campus. The resultant diploma or degree should also be the same whether distance learning or on-campus study is employed. The individuality of the professor/student relationship is another characteristic of a good distance learning program. In the final analysis, a good distance learning program has a place not only for the individual student but also the company or business that wants to work in partnership with their employees for the educational benefit, professional development, and business growth of the organization. Supporting distance learning programs for their employees gives the business the advantage of retaining career-minded people while contributing to their personal and professional growth through education. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT a disadvantage of part time education? A It requires some break in one's career. B It tends to last too long for many people to complete a degree program. C It affects one's career. D It gives the student less time to share with the family. Answer: A. It requires some break in one's career. "Some of the worst human tragedies happening in the world today go on because we don't really see them.We rarely make eye communication with people who are suffering,so we act sometimes as if the people don't exist." The speaker is Bill Gates,the world's richest man.At a gathering in Seattle,he is talking not as the Microsoft chairman but as a partner in a strong personal duty.For Gates and his wife,Melinda,making less inequality in global health and domestic education has become a life's goal. Having set up their foundation with close to $29 billion,the Gateses are on track to become history's greatest philanthropists .But they do more than just give money out.Experts praise the couple for their wisdom and their ability to gather others:"Even with this great contribution,"says Susan Schwab,president and CEO of the University System of Maryland Foundation,"they know they can't solve these problems alone." Their devotion came from different sources.For Melinda,it was a vacation to Zaire.Where she was struck by meeting women in being extremely poor.For Bill,it was reading that millions of children die every year from preventable diseases."Melinda and I had assumed that if there were medicines and treatments that could save lives,government would be doing everything they could to get them to...people,"Bill said at the World Health Assembly in Geneva."We couldn't escape the cruel conclusion that...some lives are seen as worth saving and others are not." From shock came action.They focused on the simple message that one life is worth no more or less than another.Frances Hesselbein,chairman of the non-profit Leader to Leader Institute, says:"Sometimes people give in a very fair way,but there is something about what they are doing...that is the opposite of that.It is very difficult to understand and very personal." Both Gateses read scientific books and travel extensively in developing countries.So far, the Gateses have devoted $9 billion to global health.They share a sense of urgency."We're not doing enough in developing countries to give out the treatments and practices we know are effective in fighting diseases such as malaria,tuberculosis and HIV,"the couple told U.S.News. What made Gates' wife also a philanthropist according to the passage? A She was attacked and was saved while traveling to prefix = st1 /Zaire. B She was impressed with the poverty of people in Zaire. C She read that millions of children die every year from preventable diseases. D She and her husband have set up their foundation with close to $29 billion. Answer: B. She was impressed with the poverty of people in Zaire.
Overuse of soil for farming causes local disruptions of several Earth subsystems. Which of these is a part of the biogeochemical cycle that experiences the most severe local disruption? Answer: cycling phosphorus into the soil What is the color1 of the universe? Astronomers had not answered this question, until two months ago. That is when two American astronomers reported on their study of all the light in the universe. They said that the universe would appear to the human eye to be a light greenish color1, called turquoise . Karl Glazebrook and Ivan Baldry of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, reported their finding in January. They presented the research at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society. They said that finding the color1 of the universe was not part of their serious scientific research. They did it for fun. However, earlier this month, the scientists admitted to making a mistake. They said their finding was much more color1ful than it should have been. They now say the light from our universe is closer to white. It is more like a milky or creamy white color1. Their study attempted to show what people might see if they could observe the universe from far away. The scientists found the average color1 by combining light from about two-hundred-thousand star systems. Their information came from an observatory in New South Wales, Australia. These scientists and color1 engineers attempted to reproduce the result. Mark Fairchild of the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York was the first person to identify a mistake. He discovered a mistake in the computer software program used by the Johns Hopkins scientists. When the mistake was corrected, the results changed. The new color1 of the universe is much less color1ful. It is very close to white. The scientists have apologized for the mistake. They are now working with the Rochester Institute of Technology to produce more images of the color1 of the universe. They also asked for suggestions for a name for the new color1 of the universe. Which of the following people recognized the mistake first? Answer: Mark Fairchild Frank Woolworth was born in Rodman, New York, in 1852. His family were very poor farmers, and there was never enough to eat. Frank decided he did not want to be a farmer. He took a short business course, and went to work as a salesman in a large city. Woolworth realized he had a natural skill for showing goods to attract people's interest, but he soon learned something more important. One day his boss told him to sell some odds and ends ( ) for as much as he could get. Frank put all these things on one table with a sign which said FIVE CENTS EACH. People fought and pushed to buy the things and the table was soon cleared. Soon afterwards, Woolworth opened his own store, selling goods at five and ten cents. But he had another lesson to learn before he became successful. That is, if you want to make money by selling low-price goods, you have to buy them in large quantities directly from the factories. Once, for example, Woolworth went to Germany and placed an order for knives. The order was so large that the factory had to keep running 24 hours a day for a whole year. In this way, the price of the knives was cut down by half. By 1919, Woolworth had over 1000 stores in the US and Canada, and opened his first store in London. He made many millions and his name became famous throughout the world. He always runs his business according to strict rules, of which the most important was: "THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT."www.ks5u.com Frank sold the odds and ends quickly because _ . Answer: the sign he put on the table was well designed. The Internet has greatly changed the way people communicate. But some teachers think the changes are not all for the better. Eleanor Johnson, an English professor, thinks that text messaging has made students believe that it is far more acceptable than it actually is to just make terrible spelling and grammatical errors. And she says her students over the past several years have increasingly used less formal English in their writing. Words and phrases like "guy" and "you know" now appear in research papers. Professor Johnson supposes there is a strong relationship between the rise of informal online communication and an increase in writing mistakes. But she says there may not be much scientific information, at least not yet. David Crystal, a British linguist , says the actively changing nature of the Internet makes it difficult to keep up-to-date in studying its effects. But he believes its influence on language is small. The main effect of the Internet on language is the way it has added to the expressive richness of language, providing language with a new set of communicative tools that haven't existed in the past. Erin Jansen is founder of NetLingo.com, an online dictionary of the Internet and text messaging terms. She says the new technology has not changed existing language but has greatly added to its vocabulary. Basically it's freedom of expression. And what about those teachers who find these new kinds of mistakes in spelling and grammar in their students' work? What is her message to them? Erin Jansen said, "I am always on the students' side and won't get angry or upset about that. If it's helping the kids write more or communicate more, that's great. That's what teachers and educators want--to get kids communicating." But Erin Jansen and David Crystal agree with Eleanor Johnson on at least one thing. Teachers need to make sure students understand the uses and rules of language. The author wants to tell us that _ . Answer: different opinions on informal expressions exist Canada, the world's second-largest country, has a massive Atlantic coastline . So, the best way to experience it is by car. One week Cross over to Wolfville and the Bay of Fundy via HWY 12. Spend a day criss-crossing the country roads and grassy hills of Cape Blomidon to catch some of the most impressive views of the Fundy tides . The next day, drive east, stopping at wineries and shopping for unique jams and other local foods at Tangled Garden, where you can also cool down with a herb-flavored ice cream. Drive through the rural roads and maybe get lost on the way to Maitland to sign up for a day of white-water rafting, which can be relaxing and one of the most exciting experiences in your life. On the last day, head back to Halifax via east coast Martinique Beach, one of the longest beaches in Nova Scotia, a beautiful place for stretching legs and bird watching. Two weeks With more time, you can go directly up to Cape Breton, along the circuitous roads of the "Cabot Trail", over high sea vista points, where you have to watch for moose on the road. Those with more time can go to Newfoundland and continue on the "Viking Trail" that links the Gros Morne National Park with Leif Eriksson's historic Viking settlement. When to go Outside of June to October the coast will be extremely cold and most businesses will be shut. Where to stay * Lennox Inn 1791 (Lunenburg): Canada's oldest continually operating hotel. * The Olde Lantern Inn & Vineyard (Grand Pre): in the heart of winery and Fundy tide country. Where to eat * Fleur de Sel (Lunenburg): widely considered this coast's finest restaurant. * Hall's Lobster Pound (Hall's Harbour): pick your lobster, get it boiled and enjoy it on a park bench. If choosing the one-week tour, you are advised to start from _ . Answer: Halifax
A soap opera called "Tiger Mother and Cat Father" is popular in China now. The tiger mother is pretty strict with her daughter and the little girl is not allowed to watch TV or play computer games. On the other hand, she makes all efforts to buy the expensive house near the key school, in order to let her daughter have a better education. However, the cat father has an opposite _ of how to raise their child. He gives her daughter more independence and doesn't make many rules for her. Which one is better, " Tiger Mother"or "Cat Father"? In China, it seems that in each family, there is tiger mother and a cat father, even worse, some families have two tigers. Children can't decide anything for themselves. What's worse, Chinese mothers believe key school will bring a better future to their children. This soap opera fully shows us a common problem in China. And maybe it is the real reason why such kind of TV shows can get popular. Whether the tiger mother or the cat father, respecting children and growing together are the keys to family education. Confidence, kindness, honesty and independence are the most important qualities to develop a child, not the grades. Just like a poem said, "Educating children is like walking with a snail , and the steps are gentle and slow." In the soap opera, the father is called "Cat Father" because _ Answer: he gives her daughter more independence Want to be a volunteer for Beijing Olympics in 2008? Recently, the recruiting started. The recruiting of Beijing Olympics Volunteer starts from Aug 28, 2006 to end of March 2008. Stage 1: Beijing Volunteers From August 28, 2006, the program opens to applicants in Beijing (and Beijing only). Stage 2: China Volunteers From Dec, 2006, people from outside Beijing can submit their application. Stage 3: Overseas Volunteers By March 2007, people from outside China (including in other countries) can apply for volunteering in Olympics 2008. The Program Travel, hotel are not provided. Only working meal is available for volunteers (makes sense, isn't it?) If you have any questions, just call Olympics Volunteer hotline: +86-10-12308 According to news, 100k college students have applied for the position after three days of recruiting. 50,000 to 100,000 volunteers are needed for the game. If you want to participate, just call the number and ask more questions about the program. However, my guess is, to be admitted to the program is not easy. Why does the author think it is not easy to be admitted to the program? Answer: Because more and more people care for the Olympics . Something woke me at four in the morning and it's a good thing it did. A polar bear was about to attack the tent right above my head. As claws started to rip the fabric, I kicked and screamed. That woke my brother, Eric, who charged after the bear with a camp shovel. In the chaos I managed to find our shotgun, fire in the air a couple of times, and scare off the bear for good. Eric and I were attempting the first kite-skiing crossing of the frozen Northwest Passage. We had set off in March 2012 from Tukoyaktuk, in Canada's Northwest Territories and hoped to end on Baffin Island, Nunavut, where we had grown up. Our parents are adventure guides, so we spent weekends on dog-sleds learning to have fun in the cold. As teenagers we took up kite-skiing--catching the strong polar winds with a kite to pull us over the ice and snow. Now we're showing how it can open new routes by moving expeditions quickly over long distances. On this trip the native Inuit tracked our progress through the radio interviews we did along the way. When we got to a town, they were always waiting for us. After 85 days and 2,050 miles, we pulled into Pond Inlet, on Baffin Island, where people welcomed us with a square dance. There was only one thing for us to do. We took off our skis and joined in. We believe what we are doing is of meanings: to inspire the youths to get outdoors and get active, promoting a healthy lifestyle and love of nature. How did the two brothers travel in the ice and snow? Answer: Kites were put in use in pulling the sled. I was 9 years old when I found out my father was ill. It was 1994, but I can remember my mother's words as if it were yesterday: "Kerrel, I don't want you to take food from your father, because he has AIDS. Be very careful when you are around him." AIDS wasn't something we talked about in my country when I was growing up. From then on, I knew that this would be a family secret. My parents were not together anymore, and my dad lived alone. For a while, he could take care of himself. But when I was 12, his condition worsened. My father's other children lived far away, so it fell to me to look after him. We couldn't afford all the necessary medication for him, and because Dad was unable to work, I had no money for school supplies and often couldn't even buy food for dinner. I would sit in class feeling completely lost, the teacher's words muffled as I tried to figure out how I was going to manage. I did not share my burden with anyone. I had seen how people reacted to AIDS. Kids laughed at classmates who had parents with the disease. And even adults could be cold. When my father was moved to the hospital, the nurses would leave his food on the bedside table even though he was too weak to feed himself. I had known that he was going to die, but after so many years of keeping his condition a secret, I was completely unprepared when he reached his final days. Sad and hopeless, I called a woman at the nonprofit National AIDS Support. That day, she kept me on the phone for hours. I was so lucky to find someone who cared. She saved my life. I was 15 when my father died. He took his secret away with him, having never spoken about AIDS to anyone, even me. He didn't want to call attention to AIDS. I do. Which of the following statements about Kerrel's father is true? Answer: He told no one about his disease. In today's world English is the most wildly used language. It is our duty to learn English in the new situation of the reform and opening to the outside world. How can we master the English language? I'd like to give you some good advice. First, get interested in it. I enjoy listening to foreign friends talking when I was a child. At the same time I watched the English programme Follow Meon TV. From then on, I kept on learning English. The more I learned, the more progress I made. Second, practice makes perfect. Many people study English very hard, but they are very shy to speak it in public, for they are afraid of making mistakes. Remember you have to make a mistake before you can correct it. A native English speaker makes mistakes sometimes, too. Third, the beginners should be encouraged to pay attention to _ The English language has many idioms. For example, you should say "He is as strong as a cow." If we want to learn English, we must first _ . Answer: show interest in it
Shake Shack is a new kind of restaurant becoming more popular in the U.S. The restaurants are not"fast food" . They are known as"fast casual" . Observers say Americans want more choices and fresh food when choosing where and what to eat. This trend is one reason why the fast food restaurant McDonald' s has struggled financially. In the last quarter of 2014, McDonald' s net income dropped by about $300 million. The January earnings report brought more bad news. Worldwide sales dropped for the eighth month in a row and even more than expected. While McDonald' s is struggling to get their customers back, Shake Shack, is doing well in making money. The New York-based burger chain had a very successful IPO, or initial public offering, of shares at the end of January. On its first day of trading, Shake Shack went from $21 a share to just under $46 a share. Being part of the "fast casual "trend has helped Shake Shack. Other fast casual restaurants in the U.S. include Chipotle and Panera. Bonnie Riggs, a restaurant expert with NPD has studied Americans' restaurant habits for almost 30 years. She says one reason why Americans like fast casual food is that it' s new. It' s creative, it' s something different and people like to try new things. Her study shows Americans made 61 billion visits to restaurants last year. Three out of four visits were to fast food restaurants, like McDonald' s. Fast casual is still a small percentage of restaurant visits, but it has developed fast. Just as Ms. Riggs says,"It' s growing _ because they meet consumers' needs. They know it' s being prepared while they wait, it' s fresh, quality food, good tasting food at what they say are reasonable and affordable prices." Many Americans still like their fast food. They just are not going as often. They are finding other ways to have a meal. What' s the trouble with McDonald' s? A. Its share goes down to $21. B. Shake Shack has taken its place. C. It' s not popular with Americans. D. Its sales and income have dropped. Answer: D. Its sales and income have dropped. Joe Brown has a shop. He sells meat in his shop. One Thursday a woman comes into his shop at five to one. "I'm sorry I'm late," she says. "I need some more meat for my dinner tonight." Joe has only one piece of meat in his shop. He takes it out of the fridge and says, "This is $6.50." "That piece is too small," the woman says, "Don't you have anything bigger?" Joe goes into the room behind his shop, puts the piece of meat into the fridge, takes it out of the fridge again and closes the door with lots of noise. Then he brings the piece of meat to the woman and says, "This piece of meat is bigger and more expensive. It's $8.75." "Good," the woman says with a smile, "give me both of them, please." Why doesn't the woman want that piece of meat? A. Because she has no money. B. Because it is bad. C. Because it isn't big enough . D. Because it is too big. Answer: C. Because it isn't big enough . Americans do many different things during their vacations. Some people stay at home and enjoy time with their families. They may go to a local swimming pool, zoo or museum. Other people travel to enjoy large national parks, the mountains, the ocean, or large amusement parks. Many people visit interesting American cities or historic areas. Some people visit family members in other states. Still other Americans visit foreign countries. Recently there is a new use for vacation time -- learning about a new kind of job. This program is called Vocation Vacations. People pay between six hundred and five thousand dollars to work at a job for a few days or a week. Brian Kurth of Portland, Oregon, started Vocation Vacations. He says it serves a valuable purpose. It gives people a chance to try out a job they always wanted without leaving their present job. People use Vocation Vacations to try many kinds of jobs around the United States. These are jobs that anyone can learn to do. For example, they can learn how to make beer, wine, cheese or cakes. They can help train dogs or horses. They can learn how to be a hunting and fishing guide or a gardener. They can work with a sports announcer, television producer, wedding planner or photographer. Or they can learn how to operate a very small hotel, called a "bed and breakfast". Vocation Vacations recently added several new jobs. They include comedians, dog-sled drivers and hair stylists. The company says the most popular job so far is winemaking. The Vocation Vacations Website recently asked visitors what prevents them from working at their dream job. More than two thousand people answered. Forty-two percent said the main block is money. Lack of the right education or experience was the answer given by twenty-five percent. Other answers included fear of failure and lack of family support. It seems that most of the jobs in Vocation Vacations are _ . A. difficult B. boring C. expensive D. enjoyable Answer: D. enjoyable I prefer Lynne Truss's phraseology: I am a grammar "sticker". And, like Truss - author of Eats, shoots & Leaves - I have a "zero tolerance" approach to grammar mistakes that make people look stupid. Now, Truss and I disagree on what it means to have "zero tolerance". She thinks that people who mix up basic grammar "deserve to be struck by lightning, hacked up on the spot and buried in an unmarked grave", while I just think they deserve to be passed over for a job - even if they are otherwise qualified for the position. Everyone who applies for a position at either of my companies, iFixit or Dozuki, takes a compulsory grammar test. If job hopefuls can't distinguish between "to" and "too", their applications go into the bin. Of course, we write for a living. iFixit.com is the world's largest online repair manual , and Dozuki helps companies write their own technical documentation, like paperless work instructions and step-by-step user manuals. So, it makes sense that we've made a strong strike against grammar errors. But grammar is relevant for all companies. Yes, language is constantly changing, but that doesn't make grammar unimportant. Good grammar is credibility, especially on the Internet. And, for better or worse, people judge you if you can't tell the difference between "their" "there" and "they're". Good grammar makes good business sense - and not just when it comes to hiring writers. Writing isn't in the official job description of most people in our office. Still, we give our grammar test to everybody, including our salespeople, our operations staff, and our programmers. Grammar signifies more than just a person's ability to remember high school English. I've found that people who make fewer mistakes on a grammar test also make fewer mistakes when they are doing something completely unrelated to writing - like stocking shelves or labeling parts. It is the same with programmers. Applicants who don't think writing is important are likely to think lots of other things also aren't important. The author agrees with Lynne Truss in that _ . A. grammar mistakes can't be tolerated B. books on grammar make people stupid C. people need to learn basic grammar D. grammar mistakes are absolutely unavoidable Answer: A. grammar mistakes can't be tolerated May 2, Saturday We arrived in Hangzhou at 3:00p.m. After we walked out of the train station, we took a taxi to the hotel. The hotel was very clean. We stayed there for three days. Then we wanted to travel to Hainan. May 5, Tuesday In the morning we went to Hainan by plane. The people in Hainan were very friendly. Then we went to a beautiful beach. It was sunny. So we had great fun playing in the water. May 7, Thursday It was rainy today. So we went to a museum. We saw many old things there. Then we went to the aquarium to see some sea animals. We saw many kinds of fish. They were very lovely. I hope I could come to Hainan again. The writer stayed in Hangzhou for _ days. A. two B. three C. four D. five Answer: B. three
Question: Happiness is a feeling that lights up your eyes, makes your steps light and makes you want to sing for no reason. Everyone wants to be happy. But sometimes, a guest comes in without invitation. It's unhappiness. Don't let it get you down. Send it away! When you are happy, the world feels like a better place. As the saying goes: When you smile, the world smiles with you; when you cry, you cry alone. Wearing a smile will make you more charming and help you to win lots of friends. A good mood always gives you hope, which makes troubles and problems easier to handle. No matte how happy you are, it's normal to feel angry, sad or gloomy once in a while. Life is full of ups and downs. We can't change the way life is, but we can do our best to change a bad situation into a good one. To help us do this, it's good to know some of the factors that influence happiness. One of the biggest factors is social relationships. People who are close to family and friends are happier than people who don't have those relationships. Talking and sharing is a good way to relax and build confidence . Knowing someone is there for you will make you braver and more outgoing. Another factor is work or school. If you enjoy school, even if you have lots of homework or extra classes, you will still feel that your school life is meaningful and happy. But if you hate school, your negative attitude may cause you to feel bored and upset that you have to do so much work. A third factor is your attitude towards life. How do you feel if you fail in an exam? Maybe you think it's unfair because you always study hard and should get a good mark. You can't stop blaming yourself. Or, maybe you accept it. You go through the paper carefully, find our why you made stupid mistakes, and tell yourself, "Take it easy! I'll do better next time!" Your attitude makes a big difference. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A. Life is full of ups and downs. B. When you cry, the world cries with you. C. It's normal if you always feel sad and gloomy. D. It's hard to change bad situation into a good one. Answer: A. Life is full of ups and downs. Question: Our guide was excellent! He walked us through all the local villages and took extra time at the end to enjoy a local dinner. He stayed with us longer than he was obliged to and made this a fantastic experience. Tour _ Travel is all about the street food these days, and why not? It's fresh, fast, cheap and a great way to crack into the local scene. Join this Hanoi tour to source the best street eats from markets, food carts, street cafes and other hard-to-find-but-totally-worth-the-effort secret spots. Highlights Sample delicious Vietnamese cuisine just like the locals do -- on the street Stroll through hidden alleyways and bustling markets of Hanoi's charming old quarter Learn more about Hanoi's unique food culture Try local specialties with influences from French and Chinese cuisine Take in a spectacular night view of Hoan Kiem lake from a secret cafe Schedule details Duration: 2.5 hours Meeting point: Sacombank ATM Machine - No. 1 Dong Xuan street (front entrance of Dong Xuan Market, Corner of Dong Xuan St with Cau Dong St) Starting time: 5. 00 PM Ending point: Cafe Pho Co - 11 Hang Gai St, Hoan Kiem What did the guide do? A. He showed visitors around by car. B. He took many photos of visitors. C. He stayed with visitors for extra time. D. He enjoyed breakfast with visitors. Answer: C. He stayed with visitors for extra time. Question: "Extra? Extra!Gasoline hits four dollars a gallon!" No one will really be shockedexcept, perhaps, the old-timers who tell about the good old days when gas was three gallons for a dollar, and people drove around "just for the fun of it". As a matter of fact; the price of gas has been rising fast and steadily for several years, and many adjustments have already been made. 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 w e wish them success or not? What is the best title for this passage? A. New fuels on the way B. Cars or bicycles, that is a question C. End of the good old days D. From wheels to heels Answer: D. From wheels to heels Question: In the case of mobile phones, change is everything. Recent research indicates that the mobile phone is changing not only our culture, but our very bodies as well. First, let's talk about culture. The difference between the mobile phone and its parent, the fixed-line phone, is that a mobile number corresponds to a person, while a landline goes to a place. If you call my mobile, you get me. If you call my fixed-line phone, you get whoever answers it. This has several implications . The most common one, however, and perhaps the thing that has changed our culture forever, is the "meeting" influence. People no longer need to make firm plans about when and where to meet. Twenty years ago, a Friday night would need to be arranged in advance. You needed enough time to allow everyone to get from their place of work to the first meeting place. Now,however, a night out can be arranged on the run. It is no longer "see you there at 8",but "text me around 8 and we'll see where we all are." Texting changes people as well. In their paper, "Insights into the Social and Psychological Effects of SMS Text Messaging", two British researchers distinguished between two types of mobile phone users: the "talkers" and the "texters"-those who prefer voice to text messages and those who prefer text to voice. They found that the mobile phone's individuality and privacy gave texters the ability to express a whole new outer personality. Texters were likely to report that their family would be surprised if they were to read their texts. This suggests that texting allowed texters to present a self-image that differed from the one familiar to those who knew them well. Another scientist wrote of the changes that mobiles have brought to body language. There are two kinds that people use while speaking on the phone. There is the "speakeasy": the head is held high, in a self-confident way, chatting away. And there is the "spacemaker": these people focus on themselves and keep out other people. Who can blame them? Phone meetings get cancelled or reformed and camera- phones intrude on people's privacy. So, it is understandable if your mobile makes you nervous. But perhaps you needn't worry so much. After all, it is good to talk. We can infer from the passage that the texts sent by texters are A. quite revealing B. well written C. unacceptable by others D. shocking to others Answer: A. quite revealing Question: The Dangers of Dieting Thanks to our modern lifestyle, with more and more time spent sitting down in front of computers than ever before, the number of overweight people is at a new high. As people crazily search for a solution to this problem, they often try some of the popular fad diets being offered. Many people see fad diets as harmless ways of losing weight, and they are grateful to have them. Unfortunately, not only don't fad diets usually do the trick, but they can actually be dangerous for your health. Although permanent weight loss is the goal, few are able to achieve it. Experts estimate that 95 percent of dieters return to their starting weight, or even add weight. While the irresponsible or unwise use of fad diets can bring some initial results, long-term results are very rare.[:**] Nonetheless, people who are bored with the difficulties of changing their eating habits often turn to fad diets. Rather than being moderate, fad diets involve extreme dietary changes. They advise eating only one type of food, or they prohibit other types of foods entirely. This results in a situation where a person's body doesn't get all the vitamins and other things that it needs to stay healthy. One popular fad diet recommends eating lots of meat and animal products, while nearly eliminating carbohydrates . A scientific study from Britain found that this diet is very high in fat. According to the study, the increase of damaging fats in the blood can lead to heart disease and, in extreme cases, kidney failure. Furthermore, diets that are too low in carbohydrates can cause the body to use its own muscle for energy. The less muscle you have, the less food you use up, and the result is slower weight loss. Veteran dieters may well ask at this point, "What is the ideal diet?" Well, to some extent, it depends on the individual. A United States government agency has determined that to change your eating habits requires changing your psychology of eating, and everyone has a different psychology. That being said, the British study quoted above recommends a diet that is high in carbohydrates and high in fiber, with portions of fatty foods kept low. According to the study, such a diet is the best for people who want to stay healthy, lose weight, and keep that weight off. And, any dieting program is best undertaken with a doctor's supervision. After losing weight by dieting, what usually happens to people? A. They have kidney failure. B. They gain the weight back again. C. They keep the weight off. D. They have less muscle. Answer: B. They gain the weight back again.
Australian researchers have studied records of 105 plane crashes and interviews with more than 2,000 survivors of traffic accidents, and outlined the following self-help tips. First, sit with your family but escape separately. About 50 percent of passengers travel with at least one companion. If you are traveling with your family, try not to sit separately because in an emergency, families who are separated will try to reunite before they escape, thereby missing the best time to escape and causing tragedy. However, it is best to escape separately because it will improve your chances of survival. Second, have your seat belts securely fastened. The shoulder belt should be worn closely against the body, over the shoulder, cross the chest, and never under the arms. It should not be too close to your head, or it may get you hurt in an accident, or too close to your shoulder joint, which may cause the belt easily to slip off. It is best to wear the belt two fingers away from your shoulder joint. The lap belt should be firm against the body and low across the hips in order to prevent collision forces from hurting your viscera . Make sure both belts are fastened closely against the body. Third, find the nearest exit on board. A study found that the average distance a survivor will take in an escape is seven seat rows, so choose a passage seat within this range. If not available, count exactly how many rows you are from the nearest exit in advance, so that you can find your exit in the dark or in smoke. Fourth, sit backwards on trains. Seats on military aircrafts normally face backwards so that soldiers are less likely to be bumped and injured in the head in the event of a crash. The same theory applies to trains. The best title for the passage is _ . Self-help tips for passengers Which environmental factor would most likely prevent an orange tree from surviving in the desert? the lack of moisture Malnutrition remains a serious problem for India. But a new study shows that India's leading causes of death now also include diseases related to obesity such as heart disease. India's National Family Health Survey shows that more than twenty percent of Indians living in cities are overweight or obese. And in the northwestern state of Punjab, that is true for almost forty percent of women. Aradhna Tripathi is a business professional in New Delhi. She said, " Eating is the most important thing in any Indian household and how you show your love and gratitude for a person is through the kind of food you serve him. And the kind of lifestyle we are leading is one of the reasons why we have the number of obese people increasing every day. But Aradhna Tripathi says she has decided to lose weight. Her mother and grandmother are also diabetic . In fact, the International Diabetes Federation says India is now the diabetes capital of the world. Researchers say Indians store more body fat per kilogram than Europeans. That means obese Indians are even more at the risk of diabetes than other people. Doctor Anoop Misra at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi says the risk of diabetes is crossing social and economic lines. _ But Doctor Misra is hopeful that the spread (,)of obesity can be slowed. And he says it must start in schools by giving all Indian children the same instruction on physical activity and diet. The World Health Organization says China is also moving up in obesity rates. The estimate has reached about five percent countryside and as high as twenty percent in some cities. According to Aradhna Tripathi , one of the causes of the obesity problems is _ . Indians' attitude towards eating Some people were eating and drinking in a coffee house. A young woman was sitting alone at a table. She was wearing a beautiful diamond necklace. There was an ugly man at a table not far from her. He was looking at her necklace all the time. Suddenly the lights went out. The coffee house was in darkness. The woman started to shout. She was very frightened. A few minutes later the lights came on again. The woman was crying. Her necklace was missing. The manager quickly closed all the doors. He telephoned the police. No one could get out of the coffee house. The policemen soon came. The police inspector told his men to search everyone. The necklace was not on anyone. They then searched the whole coffee house. The necklace couldn't be found. The police inspector then looked at the faces of all the people in the coffee house. He saw the ugly man and looked at the man carefully. He went up to the man and picked up the bowl of soup that was on his table. He then poured the soup into a glass. The necklace fell out. The policemen caught hold of the man and took him away. The young woman was happy to get back her necklace. A young woman lost her necklace in _ . a coffee house A farmer grew some vegetables in his garden. One day his wife was ill and he had no money. He had to sell some cabbages and carrots in the market. The next morning he took two baskets of vegetables to town. But it was raining hard that afternoon and there were few people in the street. When his vegetables were sold out, it was dark. He bought some medicine and hurried to his village. On his way home he saw a person lying on the snow. He placed his baskets on the ground and was going to help the person to get up. At that time he found it was a dead man and there was much blood on his body. He was so afraid that he ran away quickly, without taking the baskets with him. The next afternoon the farmer was sent to the police station. Having shown the baskets, an officer asked: "Are these yours?" "Yes, sir." the farmer answered timidly . "Have you killed the man?" "No, no, sir." the farmer said in a hurry." When did you see the dead man?" "About seven last evening." "Did you see who killed the man?" "No, Sir." The officer brought out a knife and asked, "Have you seen it yet?" "No, Sir.' The officer became angry and told the policemen to beat him up and send him into prison. That evening the officer went on trying .Pointing to the knife, he asked again," Have you seen it yet?" "Yes, Sir." The officer was happy and asked," When and where?" "I saw it here this afternoon, sir." As _ , the farmer decided to help the person to stand up. he thought the person had drunk too much
Question: crumple means change shape from smooth into A. lots of folds and ridges B. extra smooth all over C. a pile of burned ash D. a wet mushy pike Answer: A Question: Ten Chinese PhD students are demanding that Beijing Normal University Professor Yu Dan be away from her television show on CCTV10. They argue that her on-air explanations of Confucius's Analects (<<>> ) are "incorrect and misleading". Yu is known for explaining Confucius's Analects to a TV audience. But some complain that her explanations are unfaithful to Chinese tradition. But Yu doesn't seem to worry too much about her critics, saying, "It's a matter of personal choice. Some like KFC, while others like McDonalds." STEALING some online gamer's password might seem less harmful than credit card theft. It does keep the victim from wearing himself out all night playing. But it is not all that nice, says 19-year-old Zhang Qiwen, in Shanghai. Last August, Zhang accidentally downloaded a Trojan while playing Warcraft. The Trojan is a type of virus used by hackers to steal people's passwords. Overnight the Trojan transferred all the "gold" (game credits) from Zhang's private account to an unknown account. Zhang hopes the police will find and punish the thief, who can also pocket some cash since the stolen "gold" can go on sale online. New England's largest indoor public garden has opened here in a historic park, and officials expect it to become a center for learning about plants as well as a top attraction for visitors. The glass-walled Roger Williams Park Botanical Center, which opened on March 2, offers a tropical garden, an orchid garden, and a Mediterranean room with a collection of citrus trees. The center also has two classrooms and will offer gardening classes provided by the University of Rhode Island. Roger Williams Park, named for the city's 17th-century founder, also has a zoo. The park already attracts more than 2 million visitors a year, and Providence Mayor David Cicilline said that he expects the new center will attract more and more visitors to Providence. Which of the following statements is true? A. Confucius's Analects is like KFC or McDonalds in China now. B. 19-year-old Zhang was angry because a hacker stole his "gold". C. The Trojan is a new online game. D. The garden is run by a university. Answer: B Question: Allan is eight this year and he's in Grade Two. The boy is clever and can answer all the questions in class. But he hates to stay in the classroom for more than half an hour. He would not listen to the teachers when class is soon going to be over. Or he touches his deskmate's head, or he makes faces. He often makes the whole Class laugh. His teachers tell his parents about it. He has to make a promise that he won't do that again. But soon he will forget it. The teachers think he does well in his lessons and don't mind it. One Saturday evening Allan finished his homework as soon as he had supper. He turned on the television, but there was no football match on TV. He found all the programmes were not interesting and turned it off. He saw his sister Mabel doing her homework in her bedroom. He decided to play a joke on her. He found an earthworm in the garden and put it in her clothes. The girl was so frightened that she cried out for help. Their mother heard this and went in to find out what had happened there. Of course, the boy was punished for it. The next morning Mabel gave her mother a card and said, "Merry Mother's Day. Mum!" The woman was happy and thanked her daughter. But Allan had nothing to give his mother as a present. He felt sorry and said, "Don't be angry with me Mummy. I've forgotten it. " "It doesn't matter, dear," said his mother. "The best present is to be a good boy. Don't be naughty , my son, or your child will be naughty, too! " Hearing this, the boy began to laugh and said. "You've told me the truth today, Mummy!" Allan wouldn't listen to the teachers _ . A. when he can't understand them B. when the class is going to be over C. when he can't answer the questions D. after he finishes the exercises Answer: B Question: The "59 smiles" on a smartphone by an old woman in Wuhan, Hubei province in about six months tell a big story. The smiles are from the 59 people who offered her seats on buses. "Everybody can be a good _ , because in many cases a friendly smile is all that is needed to build a better world." says Zhang Yongsheng in an article on youth.cn. The 69-year-old Wuhan woman has taken photographs of the people who offered their seats to her on buses. The 59 photographs are good memories for her. Some of the smiles are shy, some friendly, while others are like sunshine. The old lady is not good at taking photographs with her smartphone, because some of them are of poor quality, but in spite of that, the series of photographs has become famous immediately on the Internet. The smiles that the old lady has taken show people's care and love for others, which is becoming valuable in today's society. Her act also expressed her thanks to those who have helped her, says Zhang. Offering one's seat to elderly people on buses has become a hot topic of discussion. There have been many cases of quarrels between young and aged people recently. They could have been avoided if we had thought more about others and also more thankful when others offered help. Why has the woman taken so many photos? A. Because she has a good smartphone. B. Because she wants to show thanks. C. Because she decides to become famous. D. Because she is good at taking photos. Answer: B Question: It is commonly known that Japan went from a 19th century national economy to a 20th century global economy in a time span of 30 years between 1945 and 1975. What is less known is that Japan, understanding that fast, efficient transport was the key to a global economy, was the first country in the world to introduce the "Bullet Train". Kawasaki Heavy Industries was duly appointed the manufacturer and the first high speed train went "on line" in 1964. The Shinkansen, as is known in Japan, made its first journey between her capital and Osaka, a distance of 301 miles, at a speed of 132 mph. The next country to introduce high speed trains was France. SNGF, the public rail system in France, was losing passengers to other forms of transport and introduced the "TGV" (Train a Grande Vitesse) to counteract the trend in 1981. As a result of Opec controlling the oil market in 1974, the train was designed to be powered by gas turbines. It ran on a specially built track between Lyon and Paris. Eight years later another TGV was introduced, this time between the coast and Paris. Soon, France became the most rail efficient country in the world with high speed train connections to Belgium, London, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands. There was another positive element that resulted from the introduction of high speed trains. Between 1964 and 1991, Japan's Shinkansen had transported in excess of three billion passengers without there being a single fatal accident and eleven years after France introduced the TGV, it still had a 100% safety record. This statistic has never been equaled by the traditional slow moving trains in any country. China has become the fourth country to produce such trains, after France, Germany and Japan. China's first domestically produced bullet train with a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour has rolled off the production line. Equipped with highly-efficient power system, the currently fastest train in China is also energy efficient. When the train is running, it can transfer kinetic energy into electricity, so that it can ensure its electricity supply even when it is cut off from the power grids. In all, such trains are expected to be in commercial operation by the end of 2010. Which of the following advantage(s) belongs to bullet train? A. Speedy and energy-wasting. B. Slow but secure. C. Fast and safe. D. Crowded and expensive. Answer: C
Few buildings on earth can compete with the legendary beauty of the Taj Mahal. Towering over the ancient Indian city of Agra, the Taj Mahal is the grandest monument to love ever created. The lovers in this story are the 17th century Indian emperor Shah Jehan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. She took a leading role in advising him, which is something unusual for a woman to do for a husband who's an emperor. Over the course of their nineteen-year marriage she gave birth to 14 children. But in 1631 while trying to deliver their fifteenth -- she tragically died. He was heartbroken when she died. And after her death, he decided to build the world's greatest monument ever built, for love. He ordered the royal architects to design the most beautiful building the world had known and decided to name it after his beloved, Mumtaz Mahal. He called on twenty thousand workers and sent many more people to all corners of his country in search of valuable metals and jewels. And after seventeen years of hard work, Shah Jehan's monument was completed and his beloved empress was moved to her final resting place. Everything had gone according to plan, but Shah Jehan's luck was about to change ... In 1658, just four years after the completion of the Taj Mahal, he was thrown out of power. Unfortunately, his son, Aran Azibe imprisoned him, his own father. And he spent the last seven years of his life in prison. And he was allowed to look at the Taj Mahal through a window. His life was in ruins, but when he died his last wish was promised. He was buried beside his beloved wife in the Taj Mahal. What was unusual for Mumtaz Mahal according to the passage? A She gave birth to 14 children for her husband. B She gave important advice to her husband. C She asked her son to imprison his father. D She planned to build the world's greatest monument. Answer: B Just then the police radio says there was a robbery in a supermarket nearby. The police told Mr. Brown to stay there and they would be back soon. Then the police ran to the supermarket. Mr. Brown didn't wait but drove home. When he got home, he was tired and went to bed. Mrs. Brown found a police car in front of their house and the lights were still on. . There was a robbery _ . A in a supermarket nearby B in a supermarket far away C in a shop nearby D in a shop far away Answer: A Police Officer Tidwell left the station after 8 a.m. on Sunday. He was looking forward to his day of rest. By habit he took a short cut down the path behind prefix = st1 /Digby Hall Road. Suddenly he saw a man climbing down a drain-pipe from an open bedroom window of number 29. Quietly Tidwell walked into the garden. The man had just reached the ground when he felt his arm grasped. "It seems an unlikely adventure. Would you mind explaining? " said the officer. The man was frightened, saying, "I know what's on your mind, officer, but it is a mistake. " "It's part of my job to take an interest in unusual events. I think you've just left this house in a manner other than the customary one. " Tidwell took out his notebook and a pen. "Name, address and your job and then, please, tell me your story." "Charlie Crane, Lorry Driver, from Nottingham, 51 Brecon Street. My story..." "Yes, What were you doing, Mr. Crane?" "Well, I had a breakdown yesterday and had to stay here until it was fixed. Bed and breakfast. The landlady is Mrs. Fern. She gave me breakfast at seven, and I was out here in the right way and down at the lorry park. It was only when I felt for a cigarette that I realised I'd left 80 pounds under the pillow. It's my habit to put my money under the pillow at night." "I see. Have you paid Mrs. Fern?" "I'd paid her last night. So I came back, but it's Sunday, and she'd gone back to bed. Could I wake her? I rang the bell and knocked on the door for ten minutes before I came here and found my bedroom window still open. Up I went, then, up this pipe. The money was still there. I hope you believe it because..." "Mr. Crane, what are you doing here? I thought you'd gone an hour ago." It was Mrs. Fern, speaking from the kitchen window. Why had Crane stayed the night at number 29? A He had lost his way in the dark. B He had suddenly felt sick at stomach. C There was something wrong with his lorry. D Nottingham was too far for him to reach that night. Answer: C A beautiful woman took a plane on business. She found her seat and sat down next to a young man. The man was just thinking of making a few dollars on the plane. When he saw the woman, he got an idea. "Hey! Would you like to play a game?" he asked the woman. "No, thank you. I just want to take a nap ," the woman answered. "It's really easy. All you have to do is to answer the questions that I ask you. If you don't know the answer, you give me five dollars. If I don't know the answer to your question, then I'll give you five dollars." "No," the woman still refused. "OK. If I don't know the answer to your question, I'll give you five hundred dollars. How about that?" the man said. Then the woman became interested and decided to join in the game. "OK. How many moons does Jupiter have?" asked the young man. The woman reached into her purse and took out a five-dollar bill. "What goes up the mountain with three legs and comes back with four?" the woman asked. Then the young man took out his computer and searched the Internet for an answer. Minutes later, the young man handed five hundred dollars to the woman. After a few hours, the young man really wanted to know the answer to the question. So he asked the woman, "What is the answer to your question?" The woman reached into her purse and handed the young man a five-dollar bill. How much did the woman get at the end of the story? A $ 500. B $ 5. C $ 10. D $ 490. Answer: D The human body has hundreds of muscles. The three types are skeletal muscles, smooth muscles and cardiac, or heart muscles. Each kind of muscle has a special job to do. The skeletal muscles are attached to the bones; they actually hold the skeleton together. Strong cords, called tendons , help connect these muscles to the bones. Skeletal muscles give us strength and allow us to move in many ways. If you look at skeletal muscles through a microscope, you will see that it has bands of fibers that look like stripes . These stripes are called striations. Skeletal muscles usually move because the brain has sent a conscious message to them telling them what to do. This is called voluntary movement. Another type of muscle is smooth muscle. Unlike skeletal muscle, smooth muscle does not have striations. This is found in organs such as the stomach, the bladder , the lungs and the eyes. Smooth muscles are smaller than the skeletal muscles and they move involuntarily. The brain tells these muscles what to do, but we aren't even aware of it. For example, we don't have to think about breathing or digesting food. The smooth muscles just do their jobs automatically. For this reason smooth muscles are sometimes called involuntary muscles. Like smooth muscle, cardiac muscle also works involuntarily. It is a very thick muscle that is found only in the walls of the heart. Its job is to pump blood out of the heart and into blood vessels called arteries . The arteries help carry the blood to all parts of the body. When the cardiac muscles relax, they let blood back into the heart. Cardiac muscles have striations, just like skeletal muscles do. Skeletal muscles and heart muscles are alike because _ . A both can move voluntarily B both are thick muscles C both are bigger than smooth muscles D both have stripes called striations Answer: D
If you ask Americans whether or not they think their former president George W. Bush is smart, most of them will probably tell you they don't think so. However, Bush's IQ score is estimated to be above 120, which puts him in the top ten percent of the population. It doesn't seem to make sense. How come someone with such an IQ score is not considered smart? Researchers say: IQ does not tell the whole story. Some people have high IQ scores, but still they can be poor thinkers and decision-makers. Keith Stanovich, a Canadian professor of human development and applied psychology, has been looking into the "clever fools" phenomenon for 15 years. He says IQ tests are very good at measuring certain mental faculties , including logic, learning ability, working-memory capacity (how much information you can hold in mind), etc. Those faculties play a part in one's academic success, but rational thinking is more important for us to make good judgments in real-life situations. IQ tests fail to work when it comes to rational thinking. That's because they are unable to assess things such as a person's ability to weigh up information, or whether an individual can set aside the cognitive biases that may be misleading. "A high IQ is like height in a basketball player," says David Perkins, who studies thinking and reasoning skills at Harvard University. "It is very important, all other things being equal. But all other things aren't equal. It takes a lot more to be a good basketball player than being tall, and it takes a lot more to be a good thinker than having a high IQ." We know from the text that _ the former president George W. Bush has a high IQ score A new report said scientists may not be far from giving apes the ability to think and talk like humans. The report is about experiments which transplant human cells into animals for medical purposes. It claimed that concerns about the creation of talking apes should be taken seriously. It should also draw people's attention to the possibility that the medical research about creating "humanised" animals is going to generate monsters. A regulatory body is needed to closely monitor any experiments that many risk creating animals with human-like consciousness or giving them any appearance or behavioural traits that too closely resemble humans, the report said. Scientists would, for example, be prevented from replacing a large number of an ape's brain cells with human brain cells until more is known about the potential risks. This has already been done in simpler animals like mice, which is judged to be less risky. Under the new UK guidelines, the power to regulate tests on animals containing human material would be transferred to a body with wider responsibility for animal testing in the Home Office. While there is no risk from experiments currently being carried out in Britain, it is possible that ethical boundaries could be crossed within the next few years if scientists are not careful, the experts said. Professor Thomas Baldwin, a member of the Academy of Medical Sciences working group that produced the report, said the possibility of humanised apes should be taken seriously. He said, "The fear is that if you start putting very large numbers of human brain cells into the brains of primates you might transform the primates into something that has some of the abilities that we regard as distinctly human, such as speech, or other ways of being able to _ or relate to us." Professor Martin Bobrow, chair of the academy working group that produced the report, said, "The very great majority of experiments present no issues beyond the general use of animals in research and these should continue to proceed under the current regulations." Lord Willis, chair of the Association of Medical Research Charities, said, "AMRC only supports research that is absolutely necessary and where no suitable alternative methods are available." It can be inferred that _ . scientists must be cautious not to cross ethical boundaries Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson River must remember the Catskill Mountains. They are a branch of the great Appalachian family, and can be seen to the west rising up to a noble height and towering over the surrounding country. When the weather is fair and settled, they are clothed in blue and purple, and print their beautiful shapes on the clear evening sky, but sometimes when it is cloudless, gray steam gathers around the top of the mountains which, in the last rays of the setting sun, will shine and light up like a crown of glory. At the foot of these mountains, a traveler may see light smoke going up from a village, In that village, and in one of the houses (which, to tell the exact truth, was sadly timeworn and weather-beaten), there lived many years ago, a simple, good-natured fellow by the name of Rip Van Winkle. Rip's great weakness was a natural dislike of all kinds of money-making labor. It could not be from lack of diligence ,for he could sit all day on a wet rock and fish without saying a word, even though he was not encouraged by a single bite. He would carry a gun on his shoulder for hours, walking through woods and fields to shoot a few birds or squirrels. He would never refuse to help a neighbor, even in the roughest work. The women of the village, too, used to employ him to do such little jobs as their less helpful husbands would not do for them. In a word. Rip was ready to attend to everybody's business but his own. If left to himself, he would have whistled life away in perfect satisfaction but his wife was always mad at him for his idleness . Morning, noon, and night, her tongue was endlessly going, so that he was forced to escape to the outside of the house , the only side which, in truth, belongs to a _ The hero of the story is probably _ . gentle, helpful but a little idle It seems that some people go out of their way to get into trouble. That's more or less what happened the night that Nashville Police Officer Floyd Hyde was on duty. "I was on the way to a personal-injury accident in West Nashville. As I got onto Highway 40, blue lights and sirens going, I fell in behind a gold Pontiac Firebird that suddenly seemed to take off quickly down the highway. The driver somehow panicked at the sight of me. He was going more than a hundred miles an hour and began passing cars on the shoulder. " But Hyde couldn't go after him. Taking care of injured people is always more important than worrying about speeders, so the officer had to stay on his way to the accident. But he did try to keep the Firebird in sight as he drove, hoping another nearby unit would be able to step in and stop the speeding car. As it turned out, keeping the Firebird in sight was not that difficult. Every turn the Pontiac made was the very turn the officer needed to get to the accident scene. Hyde followed the Pontiac all the way to his destination. At that point he found another unit had already arrived at the accident scene. His help wasn't needed. Now he was free to try to stop the driver of the Firebird, who by this time had developed something new to panic about. "Just about that time," Hyde says, "I saw fire coming out from under that car, with blue smoke and oil going everywhere. He'd blown his engine. Now he had to stop. " "After I arrested him, I asked him why he was running. He told me he didn't have a driver's license." That accident cost the driver of the Firebird plenty -- a thousand dollars for the new engine -- not to mention the charges for driving without a license, attempting to run away, and dangerous driving. Which of the following statements is true? Someone else was taking care of the injured person. In modem society there is a great deal of argument about competition.Some value it highly,believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity.Others say that competition is bad, that it sets one person against another and that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people. I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth relied on how well they performed at tennis and other skills.For them,playing well and winning are often life-and-death affair. In their single-minded pursuit of success,the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten. However,while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed,others take an opposite attitude.In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players,they strongly blame competition.Among _ are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society.Teaching these young people,I often observe in them a desire to fail.They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success .By not trying,they always have an excuse:"I may have lost,but it doesn't matter because I really didn't try.'' What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost,that would mean a lot.Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly,this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves.Both are based on the mistaken belief that one's self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others.Both are afraid of not being valued.Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve can we discover a new meaning in competition. Which point of view may the author agree to? Fear of failure should be removed in competition.
The cost of college textbooks has risen sharply from 2002 to 2014. As a result, students have to look for other less expensive options , such as renting books. Now, they find another way, that is, using textbooks on the Internet, uploaded by other students. It is hard to know how popular this practice will be, but many college students around the country are uploading their expensive college textbooks onto the Internet, so that other students can download them for free and avoid the big fees. A year ago, a student wrote a blog called Children of the Stars about a professor who insisted that students buy the newest edition of a specific sociology book for more than $200 and didn't allow them to purchase an older paperback edition of the same book for $5. The student wrote, "The newest edition of the book is so expensive. Fortunately, we found the electronic one online, which is very cheap. This is why we downloaded. " The blog is followed by a list of websites where people can download books. Curious about how varied the selection of books was and how easy it was to download them, Vocativ.com decided to do an experiment. The workers of it picked five typical and important courses of freshmen and tried downloading all these textbooks on the websites offered by the student who wrote Children of the Stars. They typed the titles of these textbooks into a computer, and found them immediately. Within minutes, they had four textbooks on their hard drive. It is illegal to upload or download copyrighted materials without permission, but students still do it due to its advantages. Besides, schools haven't taken action to stop it. The passage is most probably taken from a(n) _ . education report These days, if you still think the cellphone is just for talking, you will get laughed at. Yes, it's true, voice-only handsets have become out of date. Today's do-it-all mobiles have a lot in common with the computer. The only difference may be that they fit in your pocket and you pay by the minutes to use them. Some of the things a cellphone can do for you will be available this year: Surf at speed Cellpones that let you use the Web have been around for years. So, what's new? Well, faster third-generation(3G) net works let you surf at anywhere. This then allows a carrier to send video, music, and games to your phone. Possible choices are from LG Electronic VX 8000 and Motorola V 1150. Listen as you go The problem with most cellphone MP3 players is that they hold only a handful of songs. But, that's about to change. Sony Ericsson's new W800i can hold around 150 songs in its 500 MB memory. And Sumsung's SPH-V5400 even comes with a 1.5 GB hard drive. Mobile phones may eventually replace mini-MP3 players, especially for teens. Say cheese Camera cellphones are not new either. But, most of them have limitations: around 1-megapixel . But new technology has made 2-megapixel units more common and 3-megapixel units are showing up soon. Some 2-megapixel models, like Sony Ericsson's K750i, offer limited zoom and focus controls. Others, like LG's recent MMA7110, can even capture 30 minutes of full- motion video. Portable TV You say you like "watching TV"? That's what Sumsung MM-A700 wants to give you. The new model lets users watch popular TV programs--for a fee. Other choices are Nokia's 6620, Sanyo's MM 7400 and NEC's N940.The NEC model lets you watch public TV--no fee. The above are just a handful of what you will see in the coming months. Further down the road, your mobile phone may play a host of other roles, such as mobile credit card, position locator... So what is there that a cellphone can't do? Which of the following models should you choose to listen to the music? Sony Ericsson's W800i and Sumsung's SPH-V5400 Betty and Harold have been married for years.But one thing still puzzles old Harold.How is it that he can leave Betty and her friend Joan sitting on the sofa,talking,go out to a ballgame,come back three and a half hours later,and they're still sitting on the sofa?Talking? What in the world,Harold wonders,do they have to talk about? Betty shrugs.Talk?We're friends. Researching this matter called friendship,psychologist Lilian Rubin spent two years interviewing more than two hundred women and men.No matter what their age,their job,their sex,the results were completely clear:women have more friendships than men,and the difference in the content and the quality of those friendships is "marked and unmistakable." More than two-thirds of the single men Rubin interviewed could not name a best friend.Those who could were likely to name a woman.Yet three-quarters of the single women had no problem naming a best friend,and almost always it was a woman.More married men than women named their wife/husband as a best friend,most trusted person,or the one they would turn to in time of emotional distress ."Most women,"says Rubin,"identified at least one,usually more,trusted friends to whom they could turn in a troubled moment,and they spoke openly about the importance of these relationships in their lives." "In general,"writes Rubin in her new book,"women's friendships with each other rest on shared emotions and support,but men's relationships are marked by shared activities."For the most part,Rubin says,interactions between men are emotionally controlled-a good fit with the social requirements of "manly behavior." "Even when a man is said to be a best friend,"Robin writes,"the two share little about their innermost feelings.Whereas a woman's closest female friend might be the first to tell her to leave a failing marriage, it wasn't unusual to hear a man say he didn't know his friend's marriage was in serious trouble until he appeared one night asking if he could sleep on the sofa." According to the text,which type of behavior is NOT expected of a man by society? Complaining about his marriage trouble. Wild I was 16 when my father finally decided he would send me to wilderness camp for several months. He had threatened to do it many times before, but my mother had always managed to prevent him from doing so. This time he insisted on doing it. The latest incident was the last straw. Impulsively , I hade pushed Mr. Ford, my math teacher, down a flight of steps at school. He broke his arm in two places. Anyway, he had agreed not to accuse me as a favour to my dad, who was in the middle of a tight race for sheriff in our town. But my _ behaviour had my dad's closest advisor talking. "John, he's your son and he's a kid, but he is dragging you down," I heard Jake Hutch tell my dad through his closed office door the night after I pushed Mr. Ford. "If you can't make your son obey the rules, how can you make the law obeyed in this town?" So, off to Pisgah National Forest I went. I imagined hours of untold abuse at the hands of some strong sergeants . I was determined no to be broken. I was who I was. Nearly every day for six months, a small group of other troubled teens and I carried our 30-pound backpacks on a difficult journey covering about 10 miles. We hiked in a rough wilderness that seemed untouched by civilization. Our sergeants were firm but kind, not frightening as I had imagined. We learned how to make a fire without matches and create a shelter with branches and grass. We learned which plants were safe to eat out in the wild. I felt myself change. I was calm and often reflective. My old, impulsive self was gone. One morning, six months later, my dad came to pick me up. I ran to hug him and saw relief and love in his eyes. "So what's it like being sheriff?" I asked on the ride home. "I lost the race, Danny," he said. "I'm sorry, Dad." I knew my behaviour probably had a lot to do with hid defeat. Dad squeezed my shoulder and brought me close. "As long as I don't ever lose you, I'm okay." What can we learn about the author from the passage? He changed a lot after the camp. Earth's core is primarily composed of which of the following materials? iron
In our life, we have rarely expressed our gratitude to the one who'd lived those years with us.In fact, we don't have to wait for anniversaries to thank the ones close to us--the ones so easily overlooked. If I have learned anything about giving thanks, it is this: give it now!While your feeling of appreciation is alive and sincere, act on it. Saying thanks is such an easy way to add to the world's happiness. Saying thanks not only brightens someone else's world, but it also brightens yours. If you're feeling left out, unloved or unappreciated, try reaching out to others. It may be just the medicine you need. Of course, there are times when you can't express gratitude immediately. In that case don't let embarrassment sink you into silence--speak up the first time you have the chance. Once a young minister, Mark Brian, was sent to a remote parish of Kwakiutl Indians in British Columbia. He had been told that the Indians did not have a word for thank you. But Brian soon found that these people had exceptional generosity. Instead of saying thanks, it is their custom to return every favor with a favor of their own, and every kindness with an equal or superior kindness. They do their thanks. I wonder if we had no words in our vocabulary for thank you, would we do a better job of communicating our gratitude? Would we be more responsive, more sensitive and more caring? Thankfulness sets in motion a chain of reaction that transforms people all around us--including ourselves, for no one ever misunderstands the melody of a grateful heart. According to the writer, _ could be the best way to prevent ourselves from being left out. Answer: March Break Leadership Camp The aim of this FREE program is to develop an awareness of race relations, diversity, an equal issue for students in Grades 6-8. Place: The Central Library Room Time: March 16&17, 2009 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm Pick up and hand in registration forms at the Central Library. All forms must be handed in by March 6th. Space is limited. Please send any questions related to the program to Becky George, the Public Library 905-831-6265 ext 6230 or email: pickering-younity@hotmail.com Free Your Space......Free Your Mind At the Central Library: Wednesday, May 13thfrom7:00 pm to 8:30 pm This time management course will help you to create more balance and time in your life. In today's increasingly stressful times, it is becoming more difficult to spend quality time with family and friends. This course will provide positive solutions and strategies to achieve peace. Book Club for Teens At the Central Library: Every 2ndThursday at 7:00 pm Do you enjoy reading? Part of the pleasure of reading comes from meeting with others to discuss characters, plots or style. Come to trade ideas and questions, and make new friends. This program is currently full but for more information, please call 905-831-6265 ext 6232. Computer Training Group computer classes for teens will be provided at the Central Library in March, April, and May. Registration starts at 9:30 am on Friday, March 6thfor the March session; Friday, March 27thfor the April session; and Friday, April 24thfor the May session. A valid Public Library card is required for all computer training sessions. Call the Central Library for more information or to register, 905-831-6265 ext 6243. Limit 10 participants per class. If you want to do computer studies, you need to _ . Answer: From furniture to jewelry, from the medical industry to civil engineering,three--dimensional printing can turn all sorts of ideas into objects. "I wanted to print large objects such as buildings,"said Behrokh Khoshnevis,professor of the University of Southern California.He planned to construct a house in 24 hours by applying 3D printing techniques,but he admitted there would be difficulties in meeting his goal. "For example,if you run out of ink while printing on paper,you will throw that paper away.But you cannot throw half completed buildings away if your material gets stuck,"he said.Although the printed house is not available to visit,there is a chance for people in Shanghai to see items printed in 3D. The Belgium-based company Materialize NV is currently holding a 3D printing exhibition in Shanghai that started in late 2012 and will continue until the middle of this year.The company is eager to show Asia what is possible with 3D printing. "All the pieces shown here are what cannot be made through traditional techniques. A good example of this customization is hearing aids More than l0 million people already use 3D printed hearing aids.all made according to the size of their ear."said Wim Michiels, executive vice-president at Materialise NV. "You can produce anything whenever and wherever you like.You don't need to set-up production lines for pieces that only need a limited amount of product.Setting up a production Line is a tot of work, takes a long time and is very expensive for a limited number of pieces" said Michiels. Kim Francois,managing director of Matcrialise China,said their European and American clients have at ready made the next step toward additive manufacturing with small-series production such as hearing aids. The example of 3D printed hearing aids was mentioned to show that Answer: A written construction contract, under which Contractor agreed to build a new house for Owner at a fixed price of $200,000, contained the following provision: Prior to construction or during the course thereof, this contract may be modified by mutual agreement of the parties as to "extras" or other departures from the plans and specifications provided by Owner and attached hereto. Such modifications, however, may be authorized only in writing, signed by both parties. During construction, Contractor incorporated into the structure overhanging gargoyles and other "extras" orally requested by Owner for orally agreed prices in addition to the contract price. Owner subsequently refused to pay anything for such extras, aggregating $30,000 at the agreed prices, solely on the ground that no written, signed authorization for them was ever effected. If Contractor sues Owner on account of the "extras," which, if any, of the following will effectively support Owner's defense? I. The parol evidence rule. II. The preexisting duty rule. III. Failure of an express condition. IV. The statute of frauds. Answer: When it comes to the choice of books,I always manage to find a hidden jewel or two,which led to my journey to Earthsea. Ursula K. Le Guin has her own voice in fantasy literature-that's something I had to admit as soon as I passed the first page.She doesn't imitate anybody-she is herself. I followed Ged's adventures and his gradual transformation from a wild and proud kid into a wise,powerful wizard. A Wizard of Earthsea begins in Ged's own village where he,a kid of 7,learns his first magic from his aunt. Five years later he starts to learn from Ogion the Wizard. But Ogion teaches him patience-not magic-so Ged leaves him and sails to the island of Roke to learn the art in a real School of Magic. There the boy is so proud that he plays with forbidden spells -he frees into this world a terrible shadow horn the land of the dead,leading to the death of Nemmerle,the head of the school. Now Ged must try to overcome this shadow before it controls him. Finally,Ged guesses its secret and saves the world-and himself-from a terrible danger. He knows now the patience is indeed the greatest of arts,and names Ogion his only true master. Ursula K. Le Guin makes every word sing-her language is more poetic than poetry and more musical than some music.She draws the reader's attention without effort. She's made me want to try my own hand at fantasy-and I might one day. The author considers Ursula K. Le Guin's writing style _ . Answer:
Question: Every day it seems that people are coming up with new and innovative ways to use mobile devices like cellphones and smart phones. Researchers at Princeton University are looking for new ways to measure a person's sense of _ with mobile devices. To gain a better understanding of how cellphones and other mobile devices can measure our sense of happiness, the research team conducted a study that was published recently in the journal Demography. To gather data for their study, the team created an application for mobile devices using the Android operating system. Once the app was developed, the researchers invited people to download it and take part in their study. Over a three-week period, the research team was able to collect data from some 270 participants living in 13 countries. Participants came not only from the United States, but also from other nations like Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Over the course of the study, participants received occasional text questions from the researchers that asked "How happy are you?". Along with recording their response, the app used the mobile device's built-in GPS to keep track of the participant's location. The study participants were asked to rate their current state of happiness on a scale of zero to five. As they gathered data from the information collected through the application, the researchers then were able to create new methods that could help provide a better understanding of how our surroundings can influence our emotional well-being. The researchers learned that mobile devices can provide an effective way to quickly grab information that, because of today's active lifestyle, can be difficult to record. Being able to quickly grab this information was something the researchers felt was important. They said feelings and emotions that were recorded as they were happening were most likely to be more honest and precise than using other methods like writing down how they felt on a piece of paper after the fact. The best title of the passage is most likely to be " _ ". A. People's Sense of Happiness Related to Mobile Phones B. Scientists Track Happiness with Cellphones C. Methods to Rate People's Happiness D. A Better Understanding of People's Sense of Happiness Answer: B. Scientists Track Happiness with Cellphones Question: Michael Jordan was born on February 17,1963 in Brooklym ,N.Y. And he graduated from North Carolina College. There are four people in his family, his wife Juanita, his sons Jeffrey and Marcus. His favorite food is seafood. His position is board and his favorite sports are golf and football except basketball. His awards won: Won a 1982 NCAA Named the Century's Greatest Athlete. Men's Basketball Title. Won an Olympic Gold Medal in Men's Basketball. Won a NBA Title 6 times.(91, 92, 93 ,96, 97, 98) Broke a NBA play-offs scoring record by scoring 63 in 1986 versus the Boston Celtics. Named NBA Most Valuable Player 5 times.( 88, 91, 92, 96, 98) When was the first time that he was named NBA Most Valuable Player? A. In 1963. B. In 1988. C. In 1991. D. In 1982. Answer: B. In 1988. Question: Last week John went to his sister's house, and it's also the house he was born in. Sue, his sister felt excited and surprised. She said to John, "You haven't changed a lot, John .Let me see, now...When did we meet last time?" "Ten years ago." John answered. "You haven't changed a lot, either." John said. It was polite for John to say so, but it wasn't true. Sue seemed like an old lady. The next day John walked through the small town alone. The place have already changed a lot. There was a new bus stop, a new post office, a new car park and lots of traffic signs. He remembered suddenly that the bus used to stop anywhere. You just put up your hand and it stopped. Everything has changed. To John's surprise, he didn't recognize anybody at all. Maybe everybody seemed old. He went into a shop and bought some things. Then he asked the boss, "Where are all the children and young people?" "Children?" he said, "They're in school, of course. There are three or four young families here." At lunch, Sue said, "Do you think it is still a beautiful place, John?" "It's all different, Sue. It used to be an exciting place, but now it's full of old people. I don't understand." John said. ,A, B, C, D. John didn't know anybody at all because _ . A. the people of the small town were all newcomers B. he didn't know them at all C. they had become much older than before D. he knew the people had gone to school Answer: C. they had become much older than before Question: Your body goes into starvation mode when you insufficient amounts of A. shoes B. fun C. pants D. sustenance Answer: D. sustenance Question: This is a song millions of Americans will hear this New Year's Eve. It is calledAuld Lang Syne(<<>> ). It is the traditional music played during the New Year's celebration.Auld Lang Syneis an old Scottish poem. It tells about the need to remember old friends. The words "auld lang syen" 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 Quarter. As we end our program withAuld Lang Syne, I would like to wish all our radio friends a very Happy New Year! This is Buddy Thomas. This passage is from _ . A. a newspaper B. a magazine C. a TV program D. a radio program Answer: D. a radio program
Could cities that float on the sea solve the problems caused by floods and provide food for the world? Some scientists think so. The idea is already being tested and they believe that floating citied will provide more homes for a growing population, without having to use land needed to grow food. And they believe floating areas will allow more food to be grown, so that no one in the world is hungry. In some places, cities that float on the sea are already being planned, A company in the Netherlands called DeltaSync thinks that sea cities will save the world, with more than one in ten people living in them. They say sea cities solve many of the problems the world faces in the 21st century, like not having enough land , more and more people needing homes, fossil fuels running low and the increasingly serious problems caused by floods. DeltaSync says building in the desert is not possible because there is no enough water and that developing ways for people to live in space is still too expensive. So they believe the answer is our oceans, which cover over two thirds of the Earth's surface. Their plans for floating areas include using algae to produce fuel and food. More than a quarter of the land in the Netherlands already lies underwater and scientists there have spent years trying to find ways to deal with it. In the city of Rotterdam they already have floating homes. Bart Roeffen from DeltaSync says: "We have plans for neighbourhoods including roads and, in the end, I believe we can build floating cities on the sea." What is the best title for the text? A Will there be enough water? B Will sea cities save the world? C Is it possible to live in the desert? D Is it expensive to build floating cities? Answer: B. Will sea cities save the world? The British usually expect one or two snowfalls each year but the amount of snow rarely affects everyday life. However, this week Britain has had the worst snow it has seen in around 18 years. Some places had more than 30cm in a day. The bad weather caused severe disruption. More than 3000 schools had to close as teachers and pupils were unable to get to school. School children weren't too unhappy about it though as they headed out to play the snow, building snowmen, having snowball fights, sledging and some even snowboarding and skiing. In London, bus services were withdrawn for a day and tubes and trains were cancelled. Major motorways in the country had to close. Many people were unable to get to work and it is thought the cost of this lost labor is around &1 billion (10 billion yuan) to businesses and the economy. Anyone who wanted to leave the country had problems too. Runways were closed at all the UK's major airports because of the amount of snow. Hundreds of flights were cancelled leaving some passengers stranded at airports. So why is the UK so ill-prepared for snow? The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, explained that there aren't enough snow -ploughs and gritters and it doesn't make sense to buy such equipment when it snows so infrequently. The south-east of England was the hardest hit at the beginning of the week but the snow is now moving northwards where the chaos continues. More ice and snow is forecast throughout the week and the advice from travel and weather organizations is to stay indoors unless you really need to _ ! Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? A Harsh Winters Visit Britain B Heavy Snow Hits the UK C Bad Weather Causes Chaos Just in London D Heavy Snow Causes Disruption Only in Motorways Answer: B. Heavy Snow Hits the UK A survey by baidu.com showed there were 16 million bloggers . Xu Jinglei was one of the first famous people that the website sina .com. invited to open blogs. The web log written by Xu Jinglei is now the world's most popular . Xu , an actress-turned -director, became famous overseas when she won a Best Director Award for the film. A Letter From an Unknown Woman in 2004. Her blog has broken the domestic record with more than 10 million visits . Xu updates her blog every other day . But if she feels very good she sometimes posts two or three articles in a day . Visitors leave thousands of messages about each of her articles , praising her open, free writing style, commenting on films. From the passage we know that _ . A a survey by baidu.com showed there were 16 million bloggers writing in English B Xu Jinglei was the only one that the website sina.com invited to open blogs C Xu Jinglei always posts one article in a day D Visitors leave lots of messages about her articles in her blogs Answer: D. Visitors leave lots of messages about her articles in her blogs Today Chinese people can enjoy longer and more holidays, such as the two"Gold Week Holidays" -- the Spring Festival, National Day and Mid-autumn Festival and so on. They have more time to travel. Rising incomes also make it possible for ordinary Chinese people to travel abroad . Zhang Haitao, a middle school student in Shanghai will go to Japan with his parents during the Spring Festival. "Overseas touring has always been a dream of mine ,"Zhang Haitao said. " How will you go to Japan, by air or by ship?" I asked him. "By ship. Traveling by ship is more enjoyable than a rushed trip by air.""But a plane is much faster than a ship. ""Yes. but you can't see much during the flight while a sea trip will make you happier, because you can see waves, islands and even big fish." "Will you travel at your own expense ?" "Certainly. Though my father's job is to recycle rubbish, I'm very proud of him. He has saved lots of money in the last three years. What's more, he has made a contribution to protecting our environment." Zhang Haitao is _ . A a middle school teacher B a Japanese student C a tour guide D a middle school student Answer: D. a middle school student Zoos divide opinion : there are those who think it is cruel to keep animals locked up while others believe zoos are essential for the survival of endangered species. To argue that zoos imprison animals is to misunderstand what zoos are about. Without zoos many of the creatures we love and admire would no longer exist. Every single day,over one hundred animal species vanish. Scientists predict that as early as 2050 one quarter of the Earth's species will become extinct. Some animals are in danger because they are hunted. Alarmingly, the population of tigers has already fallen by ninety-five percent. Other species are in danger because of a lack of food. For example, there are fewer than 1300 giant pandas left in the wild. Zoos have special breeding programmes to help those animals at risk. These breeding programmes are proving extremely successful. As Irene Shapiro from Zoo and Wildlife Support says, "the Puerto Rican Parrot has grown in numbers from just thirteen to about eighty-five and the Golden Lion Tamarin Monkey, which has almost ceased to exist twenty years ago, has been reintroduced back into the wild. " Unfortunately, not everyone understands this important role zoos play. For example, Brian Featherstone from the Anti-Zoo Forum says, "I can't believe we take animals from the wild and put them in cages for the entertainment of the public! We should view them on film or TV in their natural environment.,' However, this misses the point. A zoo does more than display animals to the public. It ensures their survival. Without zoos you would not be able to see many of these animals on TV or anywhere else! According to the passage the world's tiger population _ . A will rise by 5% next year B is relatively stable C is 95% smaller than in the past D has fallen to 95% Answer: C. is 95% smaller than in the past
Happiness is _ , researchers reported on Thursday. The more happy people you know, the more likely you are yourself to be happy. And getting connected to happy people improves a person's own happiness. Researchers have been analyzing a collection of facts from tracking sheets dating back to 1971, following births, marriages, deaths, and divorces. Volunteers also listed the information of their closest friends, co-workers, and neighbors. They assessed happiness with a simple, four-question test. "People are asked how often during the past week, one, I enjoyed life, two, I was happy, three, I felt hopeful about the future, and four, I felt that I was just as good as other people," Fowler said. The 60 percent of people who scored highly on all four questions were regarded as happy, while the rest were considered unhappy. People with the most social connections -- friends, spouses , neighbors, s -- were also the happiest, the data showed. "Each additional happy person makes you happier," Christakis said. And happiness is more infectious than unhappiness, they discovered. If a social contact is happy, it increases the possibility that you are happy by 15 percent. A friend of a friend, or the friend of a spouse or a sibling , if they are happy, increases your chances by 10 percent. A happy third-degree friend -- the friend of a friend of a friend -- increases a person's chances of being happy by 6 percent. But every extra unhappy friend increases the possibility that you'll be unhappy by only 7 percent. The finding is interesting and useful. Among other benefits, happiness has been shown to have an important effect on reduced death rate, pain reduction, and improved heart function. So better understanding of how happiness spreads can help us learn how to promote a healthier society. Other data suggested having extra $5,000 increases a person's chances of becoming happier by about 2 percent. A happy friend is worth about $40,000. The finding of the research mainly shows _ . Answer: People often talk as if shyness is a disease or mental condition that can be cured. I prefer to think of it as an emotional disability. It's something we are born with and something we carry with us in our entire lives. There are too many people, however, who seem to be determined to find some way of doing away with their shyness. In my opinion, it's a waste of time. I don't mean that we should do nothing about it; quite the contrary, I think we need to separate the basic fact of our shyness from our ability to take part in a social environment. Look at one of the most famous shy people of them all, Johnny Carson. This man is painfully shy, yet for decades he made a living talking and associating with different people every night, in front of a national audience. Carson has never done away with his shyness, but he has successfully found a way to deal with it to the extent that he could be, not just a talk show host, but a legend among talk show hosts. Look also at Sally Fields, who has recently admitted her problem with shyness. This is a woman who has appeared in many films, TV shows and interviews, yet in her early years she was so shy that she turned down a lunch invitation from Jane Fonda because she was terribly afraid of meeting her. I guess that our shyness is there because each of us is born with some insecurity and this insecurity prevents us from reaching out to others the way people with a more open personality do. As we grow up and become adults, we allow our social skills to grow and develop. But we are still stuck in kindergarten or elementary school or wherever it was when our shyness took root in our soul. The author thinks that our shyness is there because _ . Answer: In the United States, people like going camping for vacation. They do everything for themselves to relax in the woods instead of staying at a modern hotel or a restaurant. They enjoy themselves far away from the noisy cities for a few days. What should you prepare if you want to go camping like them? When you are camping, you make all of your own food. Barbeques are very necessary while camping. You can bring bread, drinks, meat and vegetables to the camp. You'd better bring some wood and a lighter to _ . Remember to put stones around the fire to make sure it won't get too big and dangerous. When the fire is ready, you can cook food over it. Children really like this activity at night. The whole family sit around the fire, eat their favorite food. Certainly they can sing songs and dance together. What a pleasant and exciting moment. Camping is a fun activity for the family to do. Vacation does not have to mean going to visit a place far away. It could be as simple as setting up a tent in the nearby woods. Where do people in the United States like to go camping according to the passage? Answer: how many hours will it take the planet to complete a spinning motion? Answer: Our boat floated on between walls of forest. It was too thick for us to get a view of the land we were passing through, though we knew from the map that our river must be passing through chains of hills from time to time. Nowhere did we find a place where we could have landed: although the jungle did not actually spread right down into the river, banks of soft mud prevented us from going ashore. In any case, what would we have gained by landing? The country was full of snakes and other dangerous creatures and the jungle was so thick that one would be able to advance slowly, cutting one's way with knives the whole way. So we stayed in the boat, hoping that when we reached the sea, a friendly fisherman would pick us up and take us to civilization. As for water, there was a choice. We could drink the muddy river water, or die of thirst. We drank the water. Men who have just escaped from what appeared to be certain death lost all worries about such small things as diseases caused by dirty water. In fact, none of us suffered from any illness as a result. One day we passed another village, but fortunately nobody saw us. We did not wish to risk being taken prisoners a second time: we might not be so lucky as to escape in a stolen boat again. They couldn't land because. Answer:
Question: It's often true that jobs for students sometimes lead to employment after graduation, so it's a good idea to think carefully before you begin working during your college years. During my entire college life I worked as a . I have to say that I really enjoyed that job, and was fond of the idea of making money without doing too much work. I also had the opportunity to ( ) while working. I came to be known among the upper class, and gradually became popular on campus because of my job. However, working as a bartender can have the side that people tend to think that you enjoy drinking. All in all, I wish I had thought more carefully before deciding to take that job. I got a in English, qualifying(***) me to work as a writer, but so far I have only been able to use the skills I learned from that part-time job. It would be different if I had searched for jobs related to writing or editing instead of bartending. It's commonly accepted that employment for students is only ,but we should never forget that it can connect to the work we get after we graduate. After all, employers not only look at the degree, but also your previous experience. So before getting a part-time job while you're at school, consider what you want to do for the rest of your life. Which of the following is a benefit of working as a bartender for the author? A. He had a good time after school. B. He made connect with many people. C. He satisfied his curiosity about others. D. He had learned how to make wine. Answer: B Question: Many children would start school hungry without breakfast clubs, teachers have claimed. A new survey suggests these clubs are the only way many students can get a meal before lessons. About 54% of the 552 school staff questioned by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers(ATL)said their school provides a breakfast club for pupils. The biggest reason for them to attend these clubs is that their parents or carer goes to work early, cited by 76.8% of those questioned. About 22.6% said children attended due to lack of money at home because parents or carers are unemployed and 15.2% said lack of money at home due to changes or cuts to benefits. About 17.6% said pupils mainly attend breakfast clubs to socialize. The survey found that teachers believe that offering breakfast to pupils often helps improve their concentration and ability to learn. One primary school teacher said: "Although there is a charge for our breakfast club, we have accessed funding for those pupils on free school meals and the breakfast club had an effect on their attendance, concentration and being in school for the start of lessons. ATL general secretary Dr Roper said a nutritious meal at the start of the day has a huge impact on pupils' ability to learn. "Many schools do everything they can to ensure children eat well during school term-time. But there are many children living in poverty, who we fear won't be getting a decent meal a day in the holidays and this is something the government needs to address," she said. A Department for Education spokesman said: "We know how important it is for children to have a good breakfast. We want schools and local authorities to use their budgets to best meet the needs of their children. Many provide breakfast clubs which offer a free meal to children from poorer families. The Pupil Premium, which will double to PS 2.5 billion in 2014-2015, targets extra money to help schools to provide support such as this to the most disadvantaged children. The free school meal scheme also ensures that these children have access to a nutritious lunch every day. In which part of a magazine can we probably read this passage? A. Entertainment. B. Education. C. Culture. D. Health. Answer: D Question: "Come on, Dad! It's 7:20 a.m. now," says Harry. "I need to wash the car now," Mr. Smith says. "You walk to school this morning, OK?" "But the school is a little far," says Jane. "Walking is good. Now get your schoolbags and go!" Then Jane and Harry walk to school. It takes 30 minutes. When they get to school, they are very tired. In the evening, Jane and Harry have a big meal with their grandfather. They tell him they are not happy to walk to school. Grandpa says, "That's good for you. I used to walk five miles to school every day." "Really?" Jane says. "But I don't like walking." Grandpa says, "Kids need to walk or run every day. It's good for your health. "Oh, I'll start walking every day," Harry says. "I'd like to be healthy." "I will join you, Harry," says Jane. How do Jane and Harry get to school this morning? A. They ride a bike. B. They take the subway. C. They walk. D. They take a bus. Answer: C Question: Patti Page, the top-selling female artist of the 1950s with more than 100 million records sold, died on January 2nd, 2013, when she was 85. She was one of the most beloved singers of the post-war era. Take her "Tennessee Waltz" for example, it sold more than 10 million copies and was her biggest hit . Born in Claremore, Oklahoma, a small town near Tulsa, Page once dreamed of a career in commercial art. Her first job in the art department at a local radio station soon led to her performing 15-minute program on her own. At age 20, Page was discovered by big-band leader Jack Rael, who gave up his job to become her manager. The next year, she signed her first recording contract with Mercury Records and enjoyed her first hit record soon. She stayed with Mercury for the next 14 years and recorded hit after hit including: "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming" and "Old Cape Cod". Her last hit was "Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte" , recorded for the Bette Davis movie of the same name. And then, there was "Doggie in the Window". The creative tune was a huge hit, but with its repeated barking sounds and silly lyrics , the song has been used by many people as an example of all that was wrong with pop music in the early 1950s. Throughout the 1950s, Patti Page made regular appearances on a variety of television shows and in 1957 she was chosen to host the musical program "The Big Record". The following year, Page appeared in her own CBS television series "The Patti Page Show". She continued to record and perform into the 21st century, most recently releasing an album of songs for children, a Christmas record, and a new "best of" collection. Besides music, Patti Page did a bit of acting. She co-starred with the Oscar-winning Burt Lancaster in "Elmer Gantry", and also starred on stage in the musical play "Annie Get Your Gun". It is inferred from the passage that _ . A. Patti Page gave up singing in public in her late life B. Patti Page's gift for music began to be shown in her childhood C. Patti Page's great success was because of her luck and others' help D. Patti Page was not only a successful singer but also an actress Answer: D Question: Here are a few books for your children to read as they grow up. Just choose one right now! I'm Gonna Like Me Jamie Lee Curtis Price: $15.00 (15% off) Celebrate Liking yourself? Through the dialogues between a girl and a boy, Jamie lee Curtis's text and Laura Cornell's artwork show children that the key to feeling good is liking yourself because you are you. It's Okay To Be Different Todd Parr Price: $20.00 (10% off) The book, full of bright color1s and silly scenes, tells children how to learn to accept others, understand others, and respect others. The author always tells stories in a way that is easy to understand for children. Psychology for Kids Vol. I: 40 Fun Tests That help You Learn About Yourself J. Kincher Price: $18.00 (15% off) These forty interesting tests help children explore their interests and abilities, find out why they act the way they do, and discover what makes them different. The Golden Rule Ilene Cooper Price: $10.00 (20% off) The Golden Rule: "Treat others as you want to be treated." In this book, a grandfather explains to his grandson that the Golden Rule means you treat people the way you would like to be treated. It's golden because it's so valuable, and it's a way of living your life simply. What Do You Really Want? Beverly K. Bachel Price: $20.00 (15% off) Each part includes fun exercises, helpful suggestions, and success stories from teens. Readers learn how to set a goal, put it into action, build a support system, use positive self-talk, celebrate their successes, and more. What Do You Really Want? is a book that _ . A. talks about how to treat others B. discusses how to reach one's goal C. teaches children how to feel good D. shows how to succeed in a short time Answer: B
I like watching TV very much, for I think it has many advantages . First of all, watching TV is a good rest(;). After a day of hard work, we need a good rest. Watching TV can make our mind and body not tired any more because of the pleasant music and TV plays. Besides , watching TV is entertaining . There are many kinds of entertainment, such as sports activities, singing and dancing, plays and films all over the world at every time. It's not possible for us to go to every place to enjoy all the activities within a short time. We need at least over ten hours to fly from New York to Paris, a week by train from Beijing to Moscow and an hour to drive from Queens District to Manhattan District.)But within just one second, TV can bring us from an NBA game in New York to a fashion show in Paris by changing the channels . Most importantly, watching TV is educational. Our children can learn every kind of subjects through the educational programs and the special reports on TV, and it's easy for them to learn Chinese from a Chinese teacher in Beijing and to learn Russian lessons from a Russian teacher in Moscow. At the same time, a teacher can teach quite a lot of students without a large classroom. The writer writes the text to _ . tell her ideas about TV Wanted, Someone for a Kiss We're looking for producers to join us on the sound of London Kiss 100 FM. You'll work on the station's music programs. Music production experience in radio is necessary, along with rich knowledge of modern dance music. Please apply in writing to Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100. Father Christmas We're looking for a very special person, preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit. Working days: Every Saturday from November 24 to December 15 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sundays, 10:30-16:00. Excellent pay. Please contact the Enterprise Shopping Centre, Station Parade, Eastbourne. Accountants Assistant When you join the team in our Revenue Administration Unit, you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Revenue Division, dealing with post and other general duties. If you are educated to GCSE grade C level we would like to talk to you. This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience. Wealden District Council. Software Trainer If you are aged 24-45 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for. You should be good at the computer and have some experience in program writing. You will be allowed to make your own decisions, and to design courses as well as present them. Pay upwards of PS15,000 for the right person. Please apply by sending your CV to Mrs R.Oglivie, Palmlace Limited. Which position is open to recent school graduates? Accountants Assistant. People are more likely to lie or cheat during the afternoon because self control reduces during the day, according to researchers. Volunteers taking part in two experiments where they could benefit by cheating were more likely to do so if the tests took place after midday, researchers found. The findings back up previous studies which have shown that our capacity for self-control declines during the day, due to tiredness and repeatedly making decisions. Psychologists from Harvard University first showed a group of volunteers various patterns of dots on a computer screen, asking them to decide whether there were more dots on the left or the right hand side. Instead of being rewarded for getting the answer right, the participants were paid based on which side they chose, earning ten times as much for choosing the right hand side as the left. People who were tested after midday were significantly more likely to select the right hand side, even if there were clearly more dots on the left, than those who took part during the morning. In a second test, participants were shown a series of word fragments , such as "--ral" and "e--c--" and asked which words they associated with them. In morning experiments, participants were more likely to form the words "moral" and "ethical" while during the afternoon the words "coral" and "effects" were most common. Further tests conducted online showed that people were more likely to send dishonest messages or claim to have solved an unsolvable problem in the afternoon than in the morning. Writing the Psychological Science journal, the researchers said the difference was particularly _ in people with higher ethical standards, who always behaved morally during the morning but slipped during the afternoon. In contrast, those who were able to "morally disengage", or behave unethically without feeling guilty, tended to cheat whatever the time of day. Dr. Maryam Kouchaki, one of the lead authors, said "Unfortunately, the most honest people, such as those less likely to morally disengage, may be the most susceptible to the negative consequences associated with the morning morality effect." The findings could be relevant to organizations that should be more alert about the behavior of customers and employees during the afternoon, she added. "Our findings suggest that mere time of day can lead to a systematic failure of good people to act morally." Which of the following statements is TRUE? The finding especially applies to those who behave ethically. A ten-year-old boy from Howell, Michigan America is being hailed (...) a hero due to his persistence that led to saving the life of an elderly neighbor. The chain of events unfolded late in the evening on Sunday, January 26th, 2014 when Danny Dipietro was being driven home from hockey practice by his dad. That's when the young boy noticed an open garage and a figure that he believed was a dog outside an apartment near his house. Given the extremely cold weather, the young boy got a feeling that something was not right. But instead of dismissing it like most kids at his age would have, he insisted that his mother, Dawn, go to examine what was going on. Dawn tried to convince Danny that no one would leave a dog out in such cold weather, but he refused to take no for an answer. Dawn finally gave in and decided to take a walk to the area with the family dog and see if there was any truth to Danny's premonition . Sure enough, as she got closer to the apartment she noticed a garage that was wide open and a bent figure, waving madly. Upon getting there, she realized that it was not a dog that the young boy had seen, but Kathleen St. Onge, one of her neighbors. The 80-year-old had slipped on some ice in her garage and had been lying there for two hours, unable to get up. Dawn rushed home to get her husband for help and called 911. The two then returned with some blankets to cover Ms. St. Onge, while they waited for the ambulance to arrive. Though still in hospital, the elderly woman is recovering well and grateful to Danny for his premonition. When Danny Dipietro's mother found the elderly woman, the elderly woman _ . had lain in the garage for two hours Once upon a time an old man and woman lived in the mountains in Japan. Every day the old man went to the mountain and collected firewood, while the old woman went to the river and did the washing. One day, she was doing the washing when a big peach came floating down the river towards her. As it was a big and juicy-looking fruit, she thought that her husband would be glad to eat it, so she took it home. When the old man came back for lunch and saw the nice peach, he was really happy. The old woman cut the big peach open with a knife! What a surprise! A lovely little boy was in the peach. The old man and woman had no children, so they were really grateful the gods sent them a boy in this peach. Since he was born in a peach they decided to call him Momotaro which means "peach-boy". The old woman cooked a meal for the little boy who ate as much as he could. The more he ate, the more he grew. Soon he became a tall and strong boy. Day after day, all Momotaro did was sleep and eat. In the village the other boys went to the mountain and picked firewood while Monotaro was the only one doing nothing. This worried the old man and the old woman. The boys then invited him, "Momotaro, would you come with us? We're going to collect fire wood." But he answered, "I don't have a basket, so I can't go with you", and went back to sleep. On hearing this, the old woman got angry with Momotaro for being so lazy, so the next day he went to collect firewood with the other boys. What do we know about Momotaro in the passage? Monotaro was really a lazy boy.
When people think of Hollywood, they think of the city where dreams come true. This did not apply to F. Scott Fitzgerald, a screenwriter who had his share of ups and downs in this land. Fitzgerald was not a successful Hollywood writer because he was not good at the career path he chose. He was an amazing novelist, but his efforts of turning them into screenplays ended in disappointment and confusion. It was because of a lack of potential for screenwriting as well as his addiction and desire to be famous. Growing up as a boy, Fitzgerald went to movies a lot. He wanted to write stories that would eventually turn into movies. The problem was: just because Fitzgerald wanted to do something didn't necessarily mean that he was good at it. He made his attempts, but most of these efforts ended in disappointment because he thought about the change from script to screen too much. His plot was too detailed and complicated; his tone was too serious or his dialogue too sentimental . Fitzgerald's quick rise to fame also led to his fall. In life, things are not meant to happen all at once, all that the same time but it did for Fitzgerald. At his best time, three of his early stories were made into short films, including The Great Gatsby and Babylon Revisited. As the twenties approached, he was gradually forgotten by the reading public. He became drunk and constantly took pills both to sleep and wake up. His marriage was destroyed and his wife broke down mentally. He seemed unsure about his life. Fitzgerald had another chance at success when many opportunities came his way, including revisions of Emlyn William's play The Light of Heart and production of one of his own scripts, Cosmopolitan. However, these were all put aside and he was right back where he started, left behind and called a "ruined man". Fitzgerald simply wanted too much in his life. He wanted "to be both a great novelist and a Hollywood success, to write songs like Cole Porter and poetry like John Keats". His addiction to fame held him back and led to his failure as a Hollywood writer. Fitzgerald's screenwriting was _ . Answer: A lily wants to spread its genetic material around and so relies upon Answer: Nick Hancock hopes to set a new record by living alone for 60 days on a small island in the Atlantic. Tom McClean, an SAS soldier who holds the solo record for occupying Rockall for 40 days in 1985, told Hancock that being alone for two months was the greatest challenge Hancock would have to face. "I'm fully expecting it to be tough," Nick Hancock said. "I'm hoping that by doing my daily tasks fairly slowly, I'm going to be able to keep most of my time busy. I think the worst times will come if I'm boxed up for several days by bad weather." Hancock hopes to land on Rockall in early June and will carry out the last tests of his boat next week. He has a small wind turbine and a solar panel for power, more than two months' food, a satellite phone and a laptop loaded with e-books to keep him going. Hancock will update an adventure blog, texting messages out on Twitter and emailing his wife Pam and friends every day. Rockall has been occupied before, most famously by McClean but also by three Greenpeace campaigners, who set the long-stay record of 42 days in 1997 by occupying the rock in protest at oil and gas exploration in the area. The last human inhabitants Hancock knows of are a small group of Belgian amateur radio enthusiasts, who are interested in broadcasting from distant islands; they were on Rockall overnight in late 2010. Hancock has no large support team behind him. Except for the coastguard , his only lifeline will be the Orca III, the passenger boat which will take him to Rockall. To keep his time busy on Rockall, Hancock will _ . Answer: There are three kinds of goals: short-term, intermediate and long-term goals. Short-term goals are those that usually deal with present activities. Such goals can be achieved in a week or two, or possible months. It should be remembered that just as a building is no stronger than its foundation , our long-term goals cannot be achieved without the achievement of solid short-term goals. Upon completing our short-term goals, we should date the time and then add new short-term goals that will build on those that have been completed. The intermediate goals build on the foundation of the short-term goals. They might deal with just one term of school or the entire school years, or they could extend for several years. Any time you move a step at a time, you never allow yourself to become discouraged. As you complete each step, you will have more belief in your ability to grow and succeed. Long-term goals may be related to our dreams of future. They might cover five years or more. Life is not a static thing. We should never allow a long-term goal to limit us or our course of action. It is the most important for us students to have _ first. Answer: Dolores Huerta has worked hard most of her life to help other people. She has helped change things so that farm workers can have a better life. Dolores grew up in California. She was a good student and liked school. After she finished high school, she went to college and studied to be a teacher. After she became a teacher, Dolores noticed that many of her students were not getting enough food to eat. Some of them wore very old clothes. Dolores wondered how she could help them. Dolores decided to stop teaching so that she could spend more time helping the farm workers and their families. One thing she wanted to do was to get more pay for farm workers so they could buy their children the things they needed. Dolores knew that many farm workers moved often from one place to another to help pick different kinds of fruits and vegetables. She began talking and writing about these workers. Even people who lived far from California read what Dolores wrote. Getting higher pay for the farm workers was not easy. Dolores worked hard to make sure that farm workers got good pay for their work. She knew that nothing would change unless people made new laws to help the workers. Through all her hard work, new laws were made that gave farm workers good pay. Dolores Huerta has worked for more than 30 years in many different ways to make life better for working people. She has shown how much one person can change things. Dolores became a _ after she left college. Answer:
A UN report said that around 60 million people across the world are drinking polluted water. Some 4,500 children die every day because of polluted water. A report showed that environmental problems kill 3 million children under five years old each year, making them one of the key contributors in more than 10 million child deaths each year. Dangerous factors include indoor and outdoor air pollution, water pollution. Another study showed that parents and scientists from seven countries including the United States and India think pollution is the biggest threat to children's living environment. Mrs Green tries to teach her daughter Susan by setting a personal example. She picks out recyclable waste and uses the water from the washing machine to wash the toilet. Chinese children mostly learn about environmental protection in school. Some non-governmental organizations and child centres also teach kids to protect the environment. "More parents have known about it. Family is now playing a more important role," says a Chinese official. Vera Lehmann, a German scientist says many Chinese now think more of pollution. "I was surprised to find many schools in China are willing to educate the children on environment," Lehmann said. "There has been a big change between now and ten years ago when I first travelled here." What is the main cause of child deaths? Answer: Even the hardest days contain lessons that will help you be a better person.Feeling down? Consider these things to remember when you're having a bad day. No one promised life would be perfect.If you look for perfection,you'11 never be content.Don't condition your happiness on meeting every expectation you set for yourself.It is good to be ambitious,but you'11 never be perfect.If you expect otherwise,your life will be filled with disappointments. Success doesn't happen overnight. _ .Don't kid yourself into thinking success will come quickly.It isn't easy to be patient,but anything worth doing requires time.If you get frustrated,remind yourself why your goal is important. There is a lesson in every struggle.And once the storm is over,you won't remember how you made it through or how you managed to survive.But one thing is certain.When you come out of the storm.you won't be the same person who walked in.That's what this storm's all about.Don't complain about how terrible your life is.If you search for the lesson in your present struggle,you'11 be able to make positive changes that would prevent similar situations in the future. Without hard times,you wouldn't appreciate the good ones.Strength does not come from winning.Your struggles develop your strengths.When you go through hardships and decide not to give in,that is strength.It is hard to find much to smile about when you fail,but how else would you improve yourself? If you look at failure as a part of your evolutionary process,you'11 stay positive and pursue your goals for as long as it takes. Which of the following is the best title of this passage? Answer: When one loves one's Art, no service seems too hard. Joe was a man with a genius for art. Delia did things in six octaves promisingly. Joe and Delia became in love with one of the other, or each of the other, as you please, and in a short time were married - for (see above), when one loves one's Art no service seems too hard. They began housekeeping in a flat. It was a lonesome flat, but they were happy; for they had their Art, and they had each other. Joe was learning painting in the class of the great Magister - you know his fame. His fees are high; his lessons are light - his high-lights have brought him fame. Delia was studying under Rosenstock - you know his reputation as a disturber of the piano keys. They were mighty happy as long as their money lasted. After a while, Art flagged . Everything going out and nothing coming in, money was lacking to pay Mr. Magister and Rosenstock their prices. When one loves one's Art, no service seems too hard. So, Delia said she must give music lessons to make the ends meet. For two or three days she went out looking for pupils. One evening she came home overjoyed. "Joe, dear," she said, cheerfully, "I've a pupil. And, oh, the loveliest people! General - General Pinkney's daughter Clementina - on Seventy-first street." "That's all right for you, Dele," said Joe, "but how about me? Do you think I'm going to let you work while I play in the regions of high art? " Delia came and hung about his neck. "Joe, dear, you are silly. You must keep on at your studies. It is not as if I had quit my music and gone to work at something else. While I teach I learn. I am always with my music." "All right," said Joe. "But I may sell some of my pictures as well." The next few weeks, they both busied themselves with their own business and brought back a ten, a five, a two and a one - all legal tender notes - and laid them beside each others' earnings. One Saturday evening Joe reached home first. He spread his $18 on the table and washed what seemed to be a great deal of dark paint from his hands. Half an hour later Delia arrived, her right hand tied up in a shapeless bundle of wraps and bandages . "How is this?" asked Joe. Delia laughed, but not very joyously. "Clementina," she explained, "insisted upon a Welsh rabbit after her lesson. In serving the rabbit she spilled a great lot of it, boiling hot, over my wrist. Nothing serious, dear." "What time this afternoon did you burn your hand, Dele?" "Five o'clock, I think," said Dele. "The iron - I mean the rabbit came off the fire about that time." "Sit down here a moment, Dele," said Joe. "What have you been doing for the last few weeks, Dele?" he asked. She braved it for a moment or two with an eye full of love and stubbornness, but at last down went her head and out came the truth and tears. "I couldn't get any pupils," she wept. "I got a place ironing shirts in that big Twenty-fourth street laundry . A girl in the laundry set down a hot iron on my hand this afternoon. I think I did very well to make up both General Pinkney and Clementina. What made you ever suspect that I wasn't giving music lessons?" "I didn't," said Joe, "until tonight. And I wouldn't have then, only I sent up this cotton waste and oil from the engine-room this afternoon for a girl upstairs who had her hand burned with a smoothing-iron. I've been firing the engine in that laundry for the last few weeks." "And then you didn't ..." said Delia And then they both looked at each other and laughed, and Joe began: "When one loves one's Art no service seems ..." But Delia stopped him with her hand on his lips. "No," she said - "just 'When one loves.'" What qualities of the couple's are best conveyed in the story? Answer: Human beings are the most intelligent of all animals because we are gifted with the ability to think and reason logically. Scientists and even common people with special intelligence have made a lot of inventions and contributions to modern lifestyle in the past. "Houses" have been the most popular area for discoveries and inventions in the past and even now. Many household items have been the result of inventions of people who desired better functioning of the existent products. Every individual has intelligence and if it is used properly for the right purpose it leads to invention of a new tool or device. Many new household inventions are made almost every day and there are specific companies, which particularly keep a record of all these inventions. A lot of inventions have been made recently in the household field. These products are patented and have trade mark licenses . The patented sliding cinch is a very simple but effective method to prevent shoulder stress and injury for those who work before computers all day long. Vanity PC is a type of computer furniture that specifically hides all the computer wires and keeps a clean and good look. All the outdoor dust, mud and snow can be kept out of the house by installing the dirt drain at the entrance of the door. Another important invention is the automatic toilet night-light, in which a small light starts when the lid of the toilet seat is opened and closes as soon as the lid is closed. These are some of the new household inventions invented mostly by common people. Thus, a variety of new household items are invented every day, which helps in a better functioning of household chores and in a more useful manner. The passage is mainly talking about _ . Answer: A student places a sheet of black construction paper on her desk. What happens to most of the light that strikes the black construction paper? Answer:
Many kids go to day camp during the summer. They can have a lot of fun, but the _ is almost the same. You start camp in the morning and go home in the afternoon. Sometimes, a bus takes you there or you might get a ride there. It might take you some time to like the place, the camp teacher, and the kids. But you go home every night, just like what you do during the school year. Sleepaway camp makes you feel more excited because you'll be there all day. It's a kind of holiday, but without your parents. You'll sleep in adormitory with other kids of the camp. You'll eat together in a large dining hall and you'll share the bathroom with other kids. Some sleepaway camps are coed. That means there are both boys and girls at the camp. Some camps are just for girls or just for boys, but often these all-girl and all-boy camps meet up for dances and parties. The writer thinks _ . Answer: In recent years advances in medical technology have made it possible for people to live longer than in the past. New medicines and instruments are being developed every day to extend life. However,some people,including some doctors, are not in favour of these life extending measures,and they argue that people should have the right to die when they want. They say that the quality of life is as important as life itself,and that people should not be forced to go on living when conditions of life have become unbearable(. They say that people should be allowed to die with dignity and to decide when they want to die. Others argue that life under any conditions is better. According to some people, whether a dying patient has the right to die or not is up to _ . Answer: Which part of a plant is most responsible for using energy from the Sun to produce food for the plant? Answer: When a dog bites a man, it usually doesn't make news. However, this saying change when Beijing and several other Chinese cities announced the "Civilized Dog Raising" campaign in November. The government will require Beijingers to get licenses for their dogs, and will enforce the one-dog, one-family policy. Police say the "one-dog policy" is aimed at reducing the number of dog bites and lowering the risk of rabies. According to the Ministry of Health, rabies has become the top infectious disease in China. Dangerous dogs and dogs taller than 35 centimeters, such as Great Danes, have been banned from urban areas. Pet owners are also required to clean up their dog's droppings and make sure dogs are leashed , especially in public areas. Some public areas, such as banks, are closed to dogs entirely. Dogs are regarded as man's best friend and the history of raising dogs can be traced back to the stone age. It therefore seems sad that dogs are unwelcome in Beijing. But it is not the case that Beijingers dislike dogs. Actually, there are many dog lovers in Beijing. The city now has more than 550,000 registered dogs, up 20 percent from the previous year. The problem is, actually, about living space. Different from many Westerners, most Beijingers live in urban apartment buildings, not houses in the suburbs. There is very limited open space for walking dogs. The barking, the waste, and unleashed dogs in buildings, elevators and places people gather can cause fear, fights and frustration. Beijing is not the only city to have a dog problem. Paris, London, New York and Vienna all face similar challenges and have common rules for dogs and their owners. Which of the following may be a suitable title for the story? Answer: Over the past two weeks, public feedback was sought on new safety standards for school buses.In the wake of the accidents coming one after another, experts from MIIT drew up a new safety technique document of school buses in December, based on US and EU standards. School bus makers and industry watchers doubt the possibility of these new standards, saying that hiking costs would make school buses unaffordable in rural China.The US-modeled standards also mean that most smaller bus makers will be kept out from the market. These views, however, have aroused anger among netizens who are questioning "why can't we enjoy US standards when it comes to human lives?" Similar debates keep taking place.China falls behind the US on various standards--air quality measurement, mine safety, milk safety and so on.The idea is highly attractive that China presses on with adapting advanced US standards and improves all unsatisfying aspects of social life.However, this is far more complex than drawing up documents on paper. Some standards today were unimaginable just a few years ago.But public demand for using better standards from developed countries is on the rise.The government has to learn from them and keep pushing for higher standards.Adopting PM 2.5 in air quality monitoring follows _ . On the other hand, it is not always good to copy Western standards.Take the US-style big school buses.Their size makes it tough for them to go on the narrow roads of rural China.Similarly in cities, if school buses carry a "stop" sign like their US counterparts and enjoy right of way, how many would then complain about the disturbing traffic? China should try its best to develop its own standards.It should have its own schedule to steadily reach higher standards.Over the past decades, the nation has developed many a standard We need to have more confidence, rather than simply copying foreign standards. The author of the passage insists that _ . Answer:
Question: I often hear some students say English is difficult, and it gives them a headache. But English is very easy for me. I'm good at it. I'm very glad to tell you something about how I study English. First, I think an interest in English is very important. When I learned English first, it was fresh for me. I was interested in it, so I worked hard at it. Soon we had an English exam and I got a very good mark. How happy I was! After that, I learned English harder and harder. Our English teacher often teaches us English songs, and the songs sound nice. I often think how interesting English is! Second, I think English is a foreign language. I should learn it well in the following ways: Listen to the teacher carefully, speak bravely, read aloud and have a good vocabulary. Then practice again and again, never be tired. And I also have a good habit: Asking whenever I have a question. I must make it clear by asking our English teacher. How happy I am when I understand! Besides this, I often read English stories, jokes and easy novels. They help me understand a lot of things. So to do more reading is an important way to learn English well. And I also write English diaries. English has become a close friend of mine. Why do some students often "have a headache"? A. Because they are easy to catch a cold. B. Because it's often very cold C. Because they think English is easy. D. Because they don't think English is easy. Answer: D Question: Kids in a Sudanese refugee camp stir up a cloud of dust as they kick around a football. NBA superstar Tracy McCray watches from a distance before offering to buy the kids a grass pitch for $1. 000. Perhaps he sees a Ronaldinho rising up out of the African soil. Or maybe he just wants to do something -- anything -- to give these children some hope. But he is told, politely, that grass is not what the kids need. This scene appears in 3 Point, a new documentary , which shows the Houston Rockets star coming face to face with the reality that life is more than sport. McGrady,29, writes on his website that he traveled to Africa because he was tired of only reading about it in news. "Who were the faces behind the numbers?" He said. "I needed to see it for myself. And he did. He stepped out of his large house and flew to a place torn to bits by war and famine . He slept in a tent. He kept away from minefields. He talked with people who have been suffering. And he swallowed his pride. But no one should blame McGrady for wanting to buy the kids a pitch of grass. Sports gave him a chance, so perhaps he thought it would do the same for the refugees. McGrady was _ by NBA managers as a teenager and he didn't bother going to college. Instead, he leaped right into the NBA. Since that move, basketball has given him a handsome living, but one very far removed from the lives of ordinary people. As McGrady would learn in Africa, most people see sports as just a break from life's difficulties. They don't mistake it for 1ife itself. Only McGrady knows how this Africa trip changed him, but I'd bet that, at the very least, it has given him a new sense for what is truly meaningful. McGrady doesn't own an NBA championship ring. He hasn't risen to the heights of Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan. But, perhaps, now he knows he doesn't have to in order to truly make a difference in the world. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A. While in Africa, McGrady behaved considerately. B. The trip to Africa has changed McGrady's life totally. C. McGrady should be blamed for wanting to buy kids grass pitch. D. McGrady suffered as much as the African kids in his childhood. Answer: A Question: Baby girls make their way directly for dolls as soon as they can crawl, while boys will head for cars, a study has shown. The findings, the first to show differences in very young babies, suggest there is a biological basis to their preferences. Psychologists Dr Brenda Todd from City University London carried out an experiment involving 90 babies aged 9 months to 36 months. The babies were allowed to choose from seven toys. Some were typically boys' toys ---- a car, a digger, a ball and a blue teddy. The rest were girls' toys: a pink teddy, a doll and a cooking set. They were placed a meter away from the toys;and could pick whichever toy they liked their choice and the amount of time they spent playing with each toy were recorded. Of the youngest children (9 to 14 months), girls spent significantly longer playing with the doll than boys, and boys spent much more time with the car and ball than the girls did. Among the two and three-year-olds, girls spent 50 percent of the time playing with the doll while only two boys briefly touched it. The boys spent almost 90 percent of their time playing with cars, which the girls barely touched. There was no link between the parents' view on which toys were more appropriate for boys or girls, and the children's choice. Dr Brenda Todd said, "Children of this age are already exposed to much socialization. Boys may be given 'toys that go' while girls get toys they can care for, which may help shape their preference. But these findings agree with the former idea that children show natural interests in particular kinds of toys. There could be a biological basis for their choices. Males through evolution have been adapted to prefer: moving objects, probably through hunting instincts , while girls prefer warmer colors such as pink, the colour of a newborn baby." What conclusion did Dr. Brenda Todd draw from the results of the study? A. Adults purposely influence their babies' preference. B. Babies' preference isn't affected by social surroundings. C. Baby boys preferring to moving toys will be good at hunting. D. Baby girls preferring warmer colors will be warm-hearted. Answer: B Question: A good way to pass an exam is to work hard every day in the year. You may fail in an exam if you are lazy for most of the year and then work hard only a few days before the exam. Do not remember only grammar when you are learning English. Try to read stories in English and speak in English as often as you can. A few days before the exam you should go to bed early. Do not study late at night. Before you start the exam, read carefully over the exam paper. Try to understand the exact meaning of each question before you pick up your pen to write. When you have finished your exam, read your answers again. Correct the mistakes if there are any and make sure you have not missed anything out. In the last sentence "miss ...out" means _ . A. think it hard B. be important C. be wrong D. forget to answer Answer: D Question: Betty is an American girl. She is thirteen. She is in Beijing with her parents. She doesn't know much Chinese. She can't speak Chinese well. Sometimes her friends don't understand her. It's Sunday morning. She's going to the zoo to see the pandas. She's waiting at the bus stop. At the bus stop she asks a Chinese boy how to go to the zoo. But the boy can't understand her. Then she takes out a pen and some paper. She draws a panda on the paper and shows the picture to the boy. The boy smiles and then shows her the way to the zoo. She can speak _ Chinese. A. much B. a little C. any D. not Answer: B
As early as the mid-18th century, some people began raising doubts about Marco Polo's travels. They pointed to seemingly obvious omissions in his descriptions of the Far East. In 1995,historian Frances Wood argued in her book "Did Marco Polo Go to China?" that the famous explorer from Venice never made it pass the Black Sea. She noted that his travel journal " The travels of Marco Polo" left out the Great Wall of China, chopsticks and tea drinking among other details. Furthermore, Chinese documents from Polo's day make no mention of the explorer and his men. Wood and other scholars have argued that Marco Polo based his tales of China on information collected from fellow trades who had actually been there. Last year, a team of Italian researchers became the latest skeptics to challenge Polo's accounts. They said that archaeological evidence didn't support his description of Kublai Khan's Japanese invasions. Now, however, research by Hans Ulrich Vogel of Germany's Tubingen University might help prove Marco Polo was true. In a new book " Marco Polo Was in China", the professor of Chinese history counters the arguments most frequently made by skeptics. He tries to prove that Marco Polo spoke the truth. He suggests, for example, that Polo didn't included the Great Wall in his book because it only achieved its great importance under the Ming Dynasty, several hundred years later. Vogel further explains that Chinese records from the 13thand 14thcenturies routinely avoided setting down visits from Westerners. Historians before him have touched on these issues while defending Marco Polo's honor. But Vogel also relies on another evidence: the explorer's very detailed descriptions of currency and salt production in the Yuan Dynasty. According to Vogel, Polo documented these aspects of Mongol Chinese culture in greater detail than any other of his time. This is a hint that the Venetian relied on his own powers of observation. Will we ever know whether Marco Polo traveled to China? Perhaps not, but the consequences of his real of fictional journey are still felt across the globe. One reader of "The travels of Marco Polo" was Christopher Columbus, who stepped upon the New World while following in his Venetian idol's footsteps. France Wood doubted Marco Polo's travel's to China because his description _ . A missed some important culture of China. B covered so much about trader's life. C was full of obvious mistakes. D seemed less detailed. Answer: A Twenty years are just a blink in time. But 20 years is also long enough for a man to grow up. It is always painful. For Andre Agassi, maturing in the spotlight of international tennis competition was even harder. On September 3, the American tennis player said a tearful goodbye to his 21-year career after a third-round defeat in the US Open. The 36-year-old tried his best, but was unable to keep up with German Benjamin Becker, _ years his _ "The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn't say is what I've found," Agassi said to the fans. "I have found inspiration and you willed me to succeed." It was an emotional speech at the end of a long career. Agassi hated tennis as a teenager as much as he loves it now. His father made him play when he was a child. He got bored, and became a rebel . The strict training that his father pushed upon him got in the way of his wild lifestyle. He grew hair long, wore colourful clothes and spat at a judge. Over the years, he has made bad jokes during news conferences Asked what he would say to his 17-year-old self, Agassi answered, "I would say, I understand you a lot more than I want to be you." The turning point in Agassi's career came in 1992 when he unexpectedly won his first Grand Slam at Wimbledon. It was the first time Agassi understood what real champions finally understand: winning is a test of courage and not just power, it's a marathon, not a sprint . And what a marathon Agassi was about to begin. He cut his long hair, got fitter and tightened up emotionally. On the court, he was ranked No. 1 for almost two years. His lowest point came in 1997 when his ranking dropped to No. 141. He didn't quit though. "I knew that I would try to get the most out of myself every day from that day forward. That was my promise," he said. "That never stopped." The passage implies_. A after 1997 Agassi began to take up marathon besides tennis B Agassi began to play tennis before he was fifteen C Agassi decided to quit his sports career D the reason why Agassi lost his last competition was that he was lack of courage and power Answer: B A Train Floating On Air A train that floats on air? It's not magic--it's magnets .And it's close to reality. In Virginia USA the fall of 2002, a train with no wheels traveled on air and carried college students across their campus.In Japan, a whisper-quiet railway engine hovered and raced at 350 miles per hour using magnets and electricity as the power.And in China, a magnet train line linked Shanghai with nearby Pudong Airport. These trains use magnetic levitation technology, "maglev" for short. They use the same rules as the magnets you pick up at home or school: opposite poles of magnets attract each other, and like poles _ each other. How does it work? Powerful magnets on the bottom of the train repel magnets on the track, which is actually just a magnet-filled guiding way. With a magnetic field of sufficient force, the train will go hovering on air, which seemed impossible to us in the past. When an electrical current is sent through the track, the train moves. Turn the current backwards and the train slows down. Maglev doesn't rely on the friction of wheels on track, so it can climb a much steeper hill than a traditional train. And it can travel easily in snow and ice, something that could bring normal trains to a screaming stop. This passage is about _ . A maglev B magnets C levitation D electricity Answer: A Experiments aboard the spaceship Columbia have disproved a theory on the human nervous system which won an Austrian professor a Nobel prize 79 years ago. West German astronaut Ulf Merbold disproved the theory during tests aboard the spaceship yesterday. His discovery is connected with the workings of the inner ear, the body's balance mechanism . In l914 Professor Robert Barany won the Nobel prize for Physiology and Medicine when he announced that temperature differences affected the inner ear and caused the eyes to blink . His theory was accepted by scientists. But Merbold carried out tests to find if the theory was correct and shocked himself and space officials when he proved it wrong. According to Barany's theory the eyes would blink when cold air was blown into one ear and hot air blown into the other. But if this theory was correct such a movement would be impossible in zero gravity . Both Merbold's eyes continually blinked when the test was carried out. Tests were carried out in outer space in order to _ . A find what causes the eyes to blink B shock the world C win the prize D prove the theory Answer: D Weighed down by study? Pushed to the limit by the fast pace of life ? Frightened by the possible war ? Well, you're not alone. Men and women in France are seeking relief using the world's best medicine-----laughter. In the past year, more than 15 laughter clubs have been set up across the country. People of all ages go to release their stress with an hour group laughs. "People telephoned me and said they have forgotten what it is to laugh. They want to find a place where they can escape all their problems for a while. So they come," said 40--year--old Jocelyne Le Moan. She usually takes a class of around 60 people through a series of laughter techniques. Her pupils range from teenagers to 70 years old, but most are middle---aged white collars seeking 60 minutes of relaxation at the end of a busy day. Le Moan takes them through the "Lion Laugh"and the "Laugh Contest", where participants "speak"to each other in different ways. And instead of talking, they break into fits of laughter. At the end there are 15 minutes of "meditation", when they lie on their backs and let the laughs burst out of their mouths. "I love it. It's an experience that has changed my life. Through it I rediscovered the child's laugh inside me,"Said Romain Jouffroy, 24. "US President George W. Bush should give it a try. He has lost his laugh,"she joked . Like Jouffroy, many laughter club members find themselves changed into children again, and why not ? The average preschooler laughs up to 400 times a day. The average adult only a day seven to 15. The physical benefits of laughter are already well--recognized. Doctors say the act of laughing releases good chemicals into the blood--stream, while the quick breathing that accompanies it helps massage the digestive organs and strengthens the heart. "A full hour is like having your inside go jogging!One finishes out of breath, but feels revitalized(. And on top of that , you've had a laugh,"said doctor Alexisd' Estaing.And many participants in Paris also emphasize the psychological benefits. They believe that laughter is a way of making oneself feel more confident. Which of the following is not included among the benefits of laughing? A It can make people rediscover their children's laugh. B It can release good chemical into blood streams. C It can make you feel self--confident. D It can cure the illness of people. Answer: D
We were standing at the top of a church not far from my home. I didn't know why. "Look down," Father said. I tried and saw the square in the center of the village. And I saw the streets to the square. "See, Elsa," Father said. "There is more than one way to the square. If you can't get where you want to go by one road, try another." Earlier that day, I asked Mother to do something about what we had for lunch at school. But she didn't think the food was as bad as I said. When I turned to Father for help, he brought me to the church. At school the next day, I filled a bottle with the soup for our lunch and took it home. I told the cook to pour the soup in a plate and bring it to Mother. She drank it and cried out, "What's the matter with the soup today?" I at once told her what I had done , and Mother said that she would take up the matter of lunches at school the next day . Now I really understood why Father had taken me to the church. I began to work as a fashion designer two years ago. I wouldn't stop working until I tried every way to my goal. When the writer really understood what his father had said. A she saw the streets to the square B she had the idea of bringing the soup home C she tried every way to her goal D she began her own life as a fashion designer Answer: C Two more cases of H7N9 bird flu virus have been detected in Zhejiang province, including a man who died last week, authorities said on Wednesday. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that a 38-year-old patient surnamed Hong from Hangzhou, the provincial capital, who died in hospital on March 27, had the virus. Hong was infected on March 7 while working in neighboring Jiangsu province. He returned home on March 18, according to the Zhejiang health department. The other patient, surnamed Yang, is a 67-year-old man. He developed a cough and fever on March 25 and was admitted to hospital on Tuesday. None of the people who came into close contact with the patients have developed symptoms of the flu, the health department said. On Sunday, two men in Shanghai died from H7N9. A woman in Anhui province and four men in Jiangsu province remain in _ condition, which makes a large number of people scared to death. All patients had fevers and coughs in the early stages before developing pneumonia and breathing difficulties, China's health authorities said. Experts say genetic analysis shows that the H7N9 virus can be treated with Tamiflu, an antiviral drug that may slow the spread of influenza(,) in the body. Wang Xianjun, head of the Shandong provincial center of disease control, said H7N9 is sensitive to neuraminidase-inhibiting medicine such as Tamiflu, Qilu Evening News reported on Wednesday. There are no effective vaccines for H7N9 as yet, Wang said, but using Tamiflu may be effective in the early stages. The passage is mainly about _ . A the medicine for H7N9 B the spread of H7N9 and an antiviral drug C the number of patients who died from H7N9 D people who came into close contact with the patients of H7N9 Answer: B Bill Robinson is on trial for murder .He grew up in a small town in Ohio and then went to Kent State University for one year. When he was nineteen years old ,he was asked to join the army and was soon sent to fight in Vietnam. He was very unhappy there as he hated the war and he hated killing people. Two years later he returned home and tried to pick up where he had left off, but things were never quite the same again for the young black man. For one thing, he always had terrible dreams about the war. He could not concentrate on his studies and soon he had to leave school. Then he was fired from one job after another. He wanted to meet someone nice and get married , but he just couldn't seem to get close to anyone. He become angry easily and people avoided him. He was always lonely. Finally one day, while eating at a restaurant, Bill lost control of himself and shot someone for no reason at all. Bill's lawyer hopes that he will not be held responsible for the shooting. He hopes that the judge and the jury will understand that Bill was "temporarily insane" and did not really choose to kill anyone. He failed to complete his college education because he _ . A hated school B joined the army C didn't study hard D found it difficult to keep his mind on his studies Answer: D From March 12 to 17 of each year, hundreds of clowns get together in the Bonior Regis Town, UK. They all wear tall blue hats and big red noses with colorful faces. The first International Clown Festival was in 1987, UK. All the clowns from all over the world came together to celebrate the great festival in England. During the festival, people can see clowns from the world. They are together for the world of clown shows. They try their best to please all the people for the festival. In the shows, they have big feet, funny noses and look really funny. They sing and dance in a strange way to make people laugh. All people for the festival can have great fun. Of course, children like this interesting festival best. Now women can take part in the clown shows , and they are very popular. But in the old days, only men could be clowns. There are different kinds of clowns like white faces, red faces, street clowns and clowns for children. All these clowns are popular with people. Which of the following is NOT true? A The clowns wear in a funny way. B The clowns dance in a strange way C The clowns try their best to make others laugh D Women clowns are not popular with people. Answer: D The concept of Emotional Intelligence(EQ or EI)was first given by Peter Salovey and John Mayer.but it became widely popular after the publication of Daniel Coleman's best seller"Emotional Intelligence"in 1995.The meaning of emotional intelligence is"Knowing how you and others feel and what to do about it." The control center of our emotions is a small part of oily brain called the amygdala,,which scans incoming signals from our sensory organs(eyes,ears...)and acts as the emotional alarm center of our bed.When it detects a condition that we hate,that we fear,or that could hurt us,it sends an immediate signal to the other parts of our brain that controls our actions. The amygdala's widespread web of neural connections allows it,during an emotional emergency.to take control of much of the rest of the brain including the mind.This explains why we sometimes do things "without thinking'' like closing our eyes just before a flying insect hits our face or losing control during the course of a heated argument. Emotions are important for good decision-making and to keep friendly relationships with others around us.We admire people with determination when have the ability to control their emotions when they face pressure,arguments or aggression(attack).We also enjoy being with people who can express co-operation and forgiveness.We need these emotions to be happy in our professional life as much as we need them in our private life. The majority of problems at work are caused by unmet emotional needs.The emotional-intelligent manager knows bow to make out and manage the emotional needs of both the customers and his team.He or she.wants to help others feel respected,supported,helped,trusted,important,special,useful,needed and valued. When our emotional needs are satisfled, we feel better,and when we feel better,we are more productive,patient,creative,open-minded,and caring. Emotional intelligence requires that we develop our abilities in four main areas: 1) self-awareness being aware of our emotions as they happen; 2) managing emotions keeping a healthy balance of emotion and thinking; 3) recognizing emotions in others it's a great communicating skill; 4) handling relationships managing emotions in others increases our popularity.our leadership ability and our communication effectiveness. According to the passage,"managing emotions"suggests that_. A we should always control our emotions B we should not always control our emotions C we should not care so much about our emotions D we should neither control nor free our emotions too much Answer: D
On a cold winter morning in the late 1930s, Bobby awoke early. It was a day that Bobby would never forget. Bobby, his brother and his mother were once again abandoned by his father. When times got hard, the man left home. Bobby wasn't surprised. He must take the responsibility for caring for his family. He put on the warmest clothes he had and pulled on his old socks and torn shoes. After thinking of a way to keep his feet dry, he went outside looking for work. Coming across some men working on the road, he joined in and worked hard for hours. Suddenly, rain poured down. "Go home and get out of this weather," the men shouted, giving him a few coins. Bobby used the money to buy as much food as he could afford in the nearest store. While holding a small bag of food ,Bobby stopped to adjust the thick paper in his shoes. A man, who was a member of the Salvation Army, saw Bobby's problem. He bought Bobby a new pair of shoes. I wasn't there on that cold day. But I've heard the story many times and can always imagine my father, as a child, dancing and wearing a pair of new shoes home. Several years later, Bobby joined the navy. He continued to support his family and meanwhile worked for the Salvation Army so that another little boy somewhere might receive a new pair of shoes for Christmas. The tradition lasted until my father became too ill. Daddy died six years ago. While the new shoes kept his feet warm in the 1930s, Daddy's act of giving back for tens of years warmed his heart in a greater way. According to the passage, people from the Salvation Army _ . A are the members of the army B are willing to help the poor C serve at the local church D are local shop assistants Answer: B It is not unusual for people to speak two or three languages; they're known as bilinguals or trilinguals. Speakers of more than three languages are known as polyglots. And when we refer to people who speak many languages, perhaps a dozen or more, we use the term hyper-polyglot. The most famous hyper-polyglot was Giuseppe Mezzofanti, a 19thcentury Italian cardinal, who was said to speak 72 languages. This claim sounds absurd. _ But Mezzofanti was tested by critics, and they were all impressed. Did Mezzofanti have an extraordinary brain? Or are hyper-polyglots just ordinary people with ordinary brains who manage to do something extraordinary through hard work? U.S. linguist Stephen Drashen believes that outstanding language learners just work harder at it and then they acquire unusually strong language ability. As an example, he mentions a Hungarian woman who worked as an interpreter during the 20thcentury. When she was 86, she could speak 16 languages and was still working on learning new languages. She said she learned them mostly on her own, reading fiction or working through dictionaries or textbooks. Some researchers argue to the contrary. They believe that there is such a thing as a talent for learning languages. In the 1930s, a German scientist examined parts of the preserved brain of a hyper-polyglot named Emil Krebs, who could speak 60 languages fluently. The scientist found that the area of Krebs's brain called Broca's area, which is associated with language, looked different from the Broca's area in the brains of men who speak only one language. However, we still don't know if Krebs was born with a brain ready to learn dozens of languages or if his brain adapted to the demands he put on it. Although it is still not clear whether the ability to learn many languages is in born, there's no doubt that just about all of us can acquire skills in a second, third, or even fourth language by putting our mind to it. The German scientist's findings showed that Krebs _ . A had an unusual brain B was born with great talent C had worked hard at languages D expected too much of himself Answer: A Canada is the second largest country in the world after Russia. It stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the high Arctic to the northern border of the continental U.S.A. Although very much a "northern" country, the geography of Canada is very _ . As well as the popular image of Canada as a country of forests, there are also deserts and badlands , rain forests and long and wide beaches. Canada has huge inland lakes, evergreen forests, woodlands and meadows. Canada's coastlines are thousands of miles long, with long, wild rivers leading to the oceans. In contrast to the expanses of open country, Canada also has its share of urban areas. The majority of the population and heavy industry is in the two provinces of Quebec and Ontario, but large and modern cities are spread across the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific, all within a few hours drive, at most, from the border with the United States. Business is active throughout the country, The Prairie Provinces with their vast fields of grain help to feed the world. The fisheries on both the West and the East Coast are widespread. Oil and natural gas have recently been discovered off the East Coast. The Trans-Canada Highway links the country from coast to coast, there is an extensive network of railways, and a widespread network of airline routes serving both major and remote communities. The rural areas are less populated, with more and more people leaving for the larger towns and cities. The lands to the north are much less developed, but as some of these areas are used for their plenty of natural resources, populations are growing. Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage? A Many of the cities bordering the US are large and modern. B Most of the Canadians live along the west and east coast. C Natural gas is an important industry to the people in the east. D Quebec and Ontario are the center for heavy industry. Answer: B HIGH (Human Growth Hormone) could be the favorite drug at the next athletic world championships, and we might never know it. It is a natural substance produced by the human body, and it helps children's bones and muscles to grow. Scientists are allowed to make the drug and it is also legal to take HGH in most countries. HGH is considered a wonder drug for children. It helps many children with growth problems every year. However, some athletes are now taking the drug. HGH helps add muscle in adults and recent research by the World Anti-Doping Agency shows that HGH may improve the sportsman's time by 5% when he takes part in short, fast races. Some athletes say that HGH surely makes them stronger. It also helps them to recover more quickly from injuries. Although it is _ by most professional sports, HGH is almost impossible to test for. The drug is completely natural and it will only show in tests for around 24 hours after taking it. Testing is usually done only during competitions, but athletes use HGH during training, so it is very difficult to know who has used the drug. This makes it very attractive for some athletes. Scientists are developing a new test which will find the drug in the body for up to two weeks. But it isn't going to be easy. Everybody has different levels of natural HGH in their body. For this reason, scientists are warning athletes of the possible problems with the drug. Research shows that HGH increase the risk of cancer. But is this enough to stop athletes from taking it? Scientists don't think so. Some athletes will do all they can to win, and worry about their health later. Scientists are afraid that _ . A some athletes will pay no attention to the dangers of using HGH. B there isn't any risk of developing cancer as a result of taking HGH. C health problems caused by HGH will stop athletes from taking it. D athletes' results are almost the same, so they want HGH to help them be the best. Answer: A They say that soon, we will be able to receive more than 500 television networks on cable or by satellite. Some people think that it's useless to have that many channels. Their usual criticism goes something like this: "I already get more channels on my TV than I have time to watch. No one needs to see that much TV. There's not enough time in the day to watch all that!"They also say that most of what's on television now isn't worth watching in the first place. I think they're missing the point. If the local library wanted to add another 5,000 books, would we say, "That's silly, we'll never have time to read all those books"? The point is that we would have more choices. I don't believe that most people should watch more television. And if we had 500 or even 1,000 channels to choose from, we wouldn't have to spend more time watching TV. We would, however, have more programs to choose from. That means that the quality of our viewing time would be improved. I think the more channels we have, the better. Give me more choices! If they're not worth my time, I'll just hit the "off" button. From the passage we know that the author wants to _ . A read more books B rent more TV sets C have more choices D watch more sports Answer: C
Now net fiction ,also called computer fiction is popular in more than 80 countries. To write computer fictions,the writers don't have to think about making any plot.Like reporters,they just go to a lot of places and collect materials:what most women want,their ideas about life and love,their happiness and sufferings and emotions.All these materials are fed into the computer to be processed and classified .Then the writers just pick some materials from every part and fill in some details and a story is made up. The first computer fiction was edited by 13 editors and published in Canada in 1976.It was a great success and 45 million copies were sold.Seeing this new process as profittaking a big American publishing company bought over the majority of the 13 Canadian editors and soon a series of computer fictions were published in the United States. All the computer fictions have very romantic titles.The heroine is always about 20,while the hero is a 30 to 40 bachelor ,handsome,with money and power.The hero and the heroine have a happy reunion after all kinds of misunderstandings .Computer fictions are enjoyed by most women readers of the west.But people doubt if they have any literary value . The first computer fiction was published_years ago. A 13 B 28 C 20 D 80 Answer: B A disheveled man appeared in court Thursday on charges of murdering a Chinese woman whose fight with her attacker was seen on webcam by her boyfriend in China. Police refused to release any details about the crime or its possible motive. The body of York University student Liu Qian, 23, of Beijing, was found Friday in her apartment in Toronto a few hours after her boyfriend witnessed the attack, police said. She was found undressed from the waist down but there were no obvious signs of sexual attack or trauma severe enough to kill her. Police say it may be weeks before the results of an autopsy are known. Brian Dickson, 29, stood before the court in a wrinkled white shirt and blue jeans as a charge of first- degree murder was read out. He did not enter a plea. His case was held over until April 26. Dickson was arrested Wednesday. Police only announced his name and his age and asked the media not to publish any photos of Dickson, saying it could compromise the investigation. Toronto police spokesman Tony Vella declined to respond to the request further. Liu's father, Liu Jianhui, who arrived from China after being informed of his daughter's death, thanked authorities for their quick action. "I sincerely thank the people concerned with my daughter's case," he told reporters after the arrest. "Our daughter was studying very hard." Police released no motive or details about Dickson, but one friend described the Toronto man as _ . Patricia Tomasi, a friend of Dickson's, told The Associated Press that she acted in a play at a local theater in Toronto with Dickson in 2007. "He doesn't seem like the type but that's what they always say," Tomasi said. "He's tall with boyish good looks. I don't know much about him except that he wanted to be an actor." Dickson attended York University where he studied global politics, but did not earn a degree from there. He later worked for the Atlantic Council of Canada (ACC), where he served as an assistant to the president Juilie Lindhout. According to his biography on a newsletter from the Atlantic Council of Canada, Dickson has also been a running instructor and has been involved with Developments in Literacy, a Pakistani aid organization that raises money for children in Pakistan. A statement from the Atlantic Council of Canada on Thursday said it was not council policy to comment on staff, but it confirmed that Dickson had been an intern with the council from September 29, 2008, until March 27, 2009. Liu was chatting with her boyfriend, Meng Xianchao, by webcam at about 1 am. Friday when a man knocked on the door, police said. Meng reported seeing a struggle break out between the two before Liu's webcam was shut off. Meng contacted other friends in Toronto who in turn called police. The victim's father, Liu Jianhui, said his daughter studied at Beijing City University before moving to Canada, where she met Meng. Liu Qian's laptop computer, webcam and mobile phone were taken from the apartment the night of the attack, police said. Police said the online chat was on a live streaming camera and was not recorded, though investigators were trying to figure out if there was any way they could recover it. York University, whose campus is located near one of Toronto's rougher neighborhoods, is one of Canada's largest universities with more than 53,000 undergraduate and graduate students. About 3,200 of York's students come from more than 150 foreign countries, the university's website says. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? A York University students come from over 150 foreign countries. B Dickson was a graduate of York University where he studied global politics. C The passage does not mention the reason why Dickson murdered Liu Qian. D ACC wouldn't make any comments on staff even if they committed a crime. Answer: B The common cold is the world's most widespread illness, which is probably why there are more myths(,) about it than any of the other illnesses. The most widespread mistake of all is that colds are caused by cold.They are not.They are caused by viruses passing on from person to person.You catch a cold by coming into contact, directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one.If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever.But they do not.And in isolated Arctic regions explorers have reported being free from colds until coming into contact again with infected people from the outside world by way of packages and mail dropped from airplanes. At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteers took part in Experiments in which they gave themselves to the discomforts of being cold and wet for long stretches of time.After taking hot baths, they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be doused with cold water, and then stood about dripping wet in drafty rooms.Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain until close to exhaustion.Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose. If cold and wet have nothing to do with catching colds, why are they more frequent in the winter? In spite of the most painstaking research, no one has yet found the answer.One explanation offered by scientists is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on. No one has yet found a cure for the cold.There are drugs and pain suppressors such as aspirin, but all they do is to relieve the symptoms. According to the passage, colds are commonly seen in winter because _ . A there is great difference between indoor and outdoor temperature B viruses can go into people's warm bodies more easily in winter C staying together indoors makes it easier for viruses to pass on D people are usually weak because of the extreme cold in winter Answer: C To learn English well you must learn about yourself. You must discover what your own special needs are in English. You should pick out what makes English different from your own language and concentrate on those parts. And above all, you should pick out your own personal weaknesses in English, pick out your own special problems, find out what mistakes you most often make and make a list of them. It will be best if, in your preparation, you can practise doing all sorts of work that you will be asked to do in examination. You should then make a careful note of any mistakes that you make more than once. Count up how many times you make for each mistake, and the mistake you make most often should be at the top of your list, the next most common in the second place, and so on. For example, if your native language is Japanese, you may find the problem of articles comes at the top of your list. If you speak German, you may find using some of the conjunctions is your biggest problem. If your mother tongue is French, you find you are always having trouble with some of prepositions. And if Italian is your language, you may constantly forget to use a suitable pronoun when you should. But these are only examples of mistakes typical of certain languages. They may or may not be your particular personal mistakes. As I say, these personal ones are the most important of all to discover. .The first item on the list should be the mistake you make _ . A most often B many times C more than more D very often Answer: A Dear Peter, I know that you are coming to Hefei next week. Welcome to my home. Let me tell you the way to my house. You will live in Changjiang Hotel on Changjiang Street, won't you? OK! Changjiang Street is a famous and busy street in our city. You can start from your hotel and go straight along Tongcheng Street. You pass two small streets: Hongxing Street and Lujinag Street. When you see an overbridge ,please turn right and go along Huangcheng Street. It's an old street, but it's clean. There's a big park on the street. It's beautiful and clean. When you get to Jinzhai Street, please turn left and go along it. You will pass Wuhu Street and Tunxi Street. Then you can see a KFC on your right. There's a supermarket across from the KFC and my house is near the supermarket. There's a pay phone in front of the KFC. You can call me there and I will go to meet you. I hope you will have a good trip. Yours, Li Li Where is the KFC? A It's near Li Li's home. B It's across from the pay phone. C It's across from the supermarket. D It's between the supermarket and the pay phone. Answer: C
Lion was the King of the Jungle . One day, Giraffe told Lion, "Rabbit says he is the new King of the Jungle." "What?" Lion was very angry. He went to meet Rabbit. The other animals followed him to see what he would do. "Rabbit," said Lion, "Why do you say that you are the new King of the Jungle?" "Oh, but it's true," said Rabbit. "I'm faster and cleverer than you. We can have a competition ." "All right," said Lion. Rabbit took Lion to a deep ravine . He said, "If I fly down to the ravine faster than you, I am faster and cleverer than you. So I go, or you will go first?" "Of course I will go first," said Lion, "I am the King of the Jungle!" He then threw himself into the deep ravine. Rabbit smiled and said to the other animals. "I am your new king now. I am faster and cleverer than Lion." The other animals didn't understand. "Lion was stupid! Anyone will die after jumping into the ravine!" Rabbit took Lion to _ to have the competition. A. a deep ravine B. a long river C. a high mountain D. a big house Answer: A Are you looking for a summer reading list for your child or teen? Keep your child reading all summer with this selection of 2012 summer reading lists. Books for primary school students Kenneth Cadow: Alfie Runs Away When his mother wants to give away his favorite shoes just because they're too small, Alfie decides he's had enough. Kate Feiffer: My Side of the Car It might be raining on Dad's side of the car, but imaginative Sadie argues that it is not raining on her side, so their trip to the zoo doesn't need to be put off. Books for high school students Flinn: Beastly A modern retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" from the point of view of the Beast, a proud Manhattan private school student who is turned into a monster and must find true love before he can return. Lord: A Night to Remember A description of the sinking of the " Titanic". a reputedly unsinkable ship that went down in the Atlantic on April 10, 1912 after hitting an iceberg, resulting in the deaths of over l, 500 people. Books for high school students Mark Twain: Huckleberry Finn It's Mark Twain's classic story about a young man and his slave Jim. They travel upriver to escape slavery and in the process Huck discovers what it J11cans to be a man. It teaches us about the value of friendship and sacrifice. Charles Dickens: Great Expectations It is about a young man named Pip who inherits ( ) a great deal of wealth from an unknown source.The money quickly moves him up the scale in London.however, at the same time it also teaches him about the dangers of ambition. These lists of recommended books are generally organized by _ . A. book names B. grade levels C. their popularity D. writers' names Answer: B Which best determines the health of a lake used as a source of freshwater? A. its depth and width B. its temperature and pH C. its location and depth D. its temperature and depth Answer: B Mrs Hunt comes back from work. She tells Mr Hunt about a nice dress. "I see it in the shop every day", she says , "and ..." "And you want to buy it ?" says Mr hunt . "How much is it ?" "Two hundred and sixty yuan." "Two hundred and sixty yuan for a dress ?That's too much !" But every evening when she comes back , Mrs Hunt speaks only about the dress, so at last he says , "Oh ,buy the dress ! here's the money !" She is every happy . But the next evening, when Mr Hunt wants to have a look at the nice dress, Mrs Hunt says ,"I don't want to buy it .""Why not ?" he asks. "Well, it is still in the window of the shop after a week. So I think no one wants this dress . And I don't want it ,either." Mr Hunt sees a nice dress _ . A. at a bus stop B. in her factory C. in a shop window D. at her friend's home Answer: C This boy is Peter Brown . His first name is Peter . His last name is Brown . He is in No.3 Middle School . His school ID card number is 279-4856 . His English teacher is Miss White . Miss White is a good teacher . Jack is his good friend at school . They are in the same school and the same grade . Mrs. Green is Jack's mother . She is an English teacher , too . She is in this school , too . But Peter does not know it . Peter's English teacher is _ . A. Jack B. Brown C. Mrs. Green D. Miss White Answer: D
Earth is made of different layers that have varying characteristics. Which is the thickest layer? Answer: the mantle "It was amazing, just impressive," Holly Budge, a 29-year-old British woman, said after making a safe landing at a spot 12,350 feet (3,765 meters) above sea level -- the highest "drop zone" achieved by a parachutist . "We had one minute of freefall and while we were above the clouds you could see Everest and the other high mountains popping out of the top," she said. Ms Budge and her two fellow daredevils, Wendy Smith, from New Zealand, and Neil Jones, from Canada, jumped out of an aircraft at about 29,500 feet, just higher than the peak of the world's highest mountain. They fell at speeds reaching 140mph, past the highest ridges of the snow-covering Himalayas, before each released a parachute . The jumpers wore oxygen masks to keep their lungs working as they fell. Wearing neoprene underwear was compulsory -- to prevent them from being frozen to death. The adventure, advertised by its organizers as "a feast for those who seek to stimulate all their senses to the full", appeared to have lived up to its billing. "I had never seen so many mountains before," Ms Smith said. "To be on top of the world was simply stunning ." The expedition also offered a way by which to celebrate her 30th birthday later this month, she said. Besides, her jump raised funds for charities in Britain and Nepal, including more than PS10,000 for the Hampshire Autistic Society. In the next few days the feat will be repeated by about 30 others, weather permitting. Each has paid at least PS12,675 to High and Wild, the British adventure travel company behind the project. Ms Budge said: "It was worth the money. It is something that has never been done before." The three skydivers jumped out of the plane at an altitude of about _ . Answer: 8993 meters Angie went to the library with her mother. First she had to turn in the books she was returning at the return desk. They said hello to the man there. He took their books. Then they went into the adult reading room. Angie sat in a brown chair at the table. She made a drawing of her mother. Her mother found a large red book. Then they went to the Mystery section. Angie sat in a blue chair. She drew a picture of her brother. Her mother found the book. It was a green book. Finally it was time to go to the children's room. It was Story Hour. Miss Hudson was there to read to all the children. She read a book about friendship. After the story Angie sat in the red chair and began drawing. They were drawing pictures of friends. Angie drew a picture of her best friend Lilly. Miss Hudson hung the pictures on the wall. Then Angie and her mother picked out 8 books to read at home. They checked the books out and went home. What did Angie do in the reading room? Answer: She sat in a brown chair. Do you find getting up in the morning so difficult that it's painful? This might be called laziness, but Dr. Kleitman has a new explanation. He has proved that everyone has a daily energy cycle. During the hours when you labour through your work, you may say that you're "hot". That's true. The time of day when you feel most energetic is when your cycle of body temperature is at its peak. For some people that peak comes during the forenoon. For others it comes in the afternoon or evening. No one has discovered why this is so, but it leads to such familiar monologues as "Get up , John ! You'll be late for work again !" The possible explanation to the trouble is that John is at his temperature-and-energy peak in the evening. Much family quarrelling ends when husbands and wives realize what these energy cycles mean, and which cycle each member of the family has. You can't change your energy cycle, but you can make your life fit it better. Habit can help. Dr. Kleitman believes. Maybe you're sleepy in the evening but feel you must stay up late anyway. Counteract your cycle to some extent by habitually staying up later than you want to . If your energy is low in the morning but you have an important job to do early in the day, rise before your usual hour. This won't change your cycle , but you'll get up steam and work better at your low point . Get off to a slow start which saves your energy. Get up with a yawn and stretch. Sit on the edge of the bed a minute before putting your feet on the floor. Avoid the troublesome search for clean clothes by laying them out the night before. Whenever possible, do routine work in the afternoon and save tasks requiring more energy for your sharper hours . If you want to work better at your low point in the morning, you should _ . Answer: get up early than usual Tea, coffee and cocoa are three major drinks all over the world. Tea is drunk by the largest number of people in the world. Tea, as well as silk and porcelain, began to be known by the world over a thousand years ago and has been an important Chinese export since then. Tea has a history of over 4 , 000 years and China is the home of tea. In ancient China, tea was used as a kind of medicine, while nowadays people drink tea daily. Longjing, Pu'er, Wulong and Tieguanyin are all famous tea. Thanks to the mild climate and rich soil in Fujian, Zhejiang and Yunnan, tea is produced mainly in these provinces. The word for tea in different languages came from Chinese, like "cha'i" in Russian. And the Japanese character for tea is written exactly the same as it is in Chinese. Over the past centuries, Chinese people have developed their unique tea culture, which includes tea planting, tea-leaf picking, tea making, tea drinking and so on. Tea is also popular in some sayings, like " " In dances, songs, poems and novels, tea is often mentioned. loo. ,A, B, C, D,. (10) How many drinks are mentioned in this passage? Answer: Three.
Rabbit Shiny and tortoise Smily were neighbours. One day they were reading a story about their great grandfathers: Shiny's and Smily's great grandfathers decided to have a race. While Shiny's great grandfather went to sleep during the race, Smily's great grandfather won the race by slowly walking towards the finish line. Smily said, "If your great grandfather didn't go to sleep, my great granddad might never win. So his win was not a real win." The next day there was a notice in the jungle newspaper. It said that there would be a race and the winner would win many prizes. The race started from the bear's house. From there, the runners had to cross the river. But most of the animals could not both run fast and swim fast. So they didn't know what to do. Shiny and Smily made a plan. Shiny ran, while smily was sitting on his back. He and other animals, like the deer, reached the river side at the same time. But they saw the swift water and stood there because they were worried. None of them liked the idea of crossing the river. Smily quickly got into the water and Shiny sat on his back. Smily started swimming. Soon they reached the other side of the river. Shiny got down from Smily's back and Smily climbed on Shiny's back again. Shiny ran fast. They reached the finish line first. "Both of them are the winners." The president of the jungle said, "Shiny and Smily helped each other during the race and they won. So let's give them a big hand." What is the best title for the passage? Answer: The massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck the west coast of Chile moved the entire city of Concepcion at least 10 feet to the west, and moved other parts of South America as far apart as the Falkland Islands and Fortaleza, Brazil. These measurements, produced from data gathered by researchers from four universities and several agencies, paint a much clearer picture of the power behind this earthquake, believed to be the fifth-most-powerful since instruments have been available to measure earthquake. Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina moved about 1 inch to the west. And Chile's capital, Santiago, moved about 11 inches to the west-southwest. The cities of Valparaiso and Mendoza, Argentina, northeast of Concepcion, also moved. The quake's epicenter was in a region of South America that's part of the so-called "ring of fire," an area of major seismic stresses which encircles(,) the Pacific Ocean. All along this line, the plates on which the continents move press against each other. Mike Bevis, professor of earth sciences at Ohio State, has led a project since 1993 that has been measuring crustal movement in the Central and Southern Andes. The effort is called the Central and Southern Andes GPS Project, or CAP. Ben Brooks, an associate researcher with the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology at the University of Hawaii, said that the event, offers a unique opportunity to better understand the seismic processes that control earthquakes. "We now have modern, precise instruments to evaluate this event, and because the site borders a continent, we will be able to get evidences of the changes it caused." said Brooks. What is the main idea of the passage? Answer: History Has Arrived Nine-year-old Barack Obama was looking through magazines. But the African-American boy was shocked by a series of photos. The pictures were of a black man who destroyed his skin with chemicals that promised to make him white. For the first time, the boy began to doubt who he was. "I stood in front of the mirror and wondered if something was wrong with me,"Obama said. However, now the boy who used to struggle with his identity doesn't see it as a problem any more, but an advantage for his career. Obama made history by being elected as the first black president of US. He defeated John Ma Cain in a landslide victory. Obama's story started in opposite corners of the world. His white mother was born in the heartland of the US. His black father grew up in a tiny village in Kenya. They met during in Hawaii, but his father left the family when Obama was just two years old and his mother moved to Indonesia. At 10, Obama moved back to live with his white grandparents in Hawaii where his sense that he didn't belong grew. At his class a white boy asked Obama if his father ate people. Out of embarrassment ,Obama lied to his classmates that his father was a prince. "I kept asking who I was and I ended up trying drugs and drinking,"Obama recalled. Things came to change after the young man made friends with those with a similar background at college. Their experiences back in Africa helped Obama to finally face up to his African origin. He worked hard to become a star at Harvard Law School and the third black senator in US history. At the beginning of his campaign for the White House, few people viewed Obama favorably. Many doubted his unusual background, which left him neither black enough nor white enough. But Obama turned his pain of growing up into a tool to make Americans believe:"There is not a black America, an Asian America. There's the United States of America." Barack Obama's victory is"a historic vicotory that promised changes and overcame centuries of prejudice ."His success realised Martin Luther King's dream that a man should be judged not by the color1 of his skin, but by the content of his character. From the above passage we can know that Barack Obama was born in_. Answer: A lone fox is searching for its next meal in a meadow that used to be bountiful with food. This season, though, rabbits have all been eaten up and the field is dry and barren. The fox may Answer: A deadly strain of avian flu may have passed between people for the first time, experts believe.The avian influenza A (H7N9) virus is thought to have been transmitted between father and daughter in eastern China, according to research published online by the British Medical Journal (BMJ). The findings provide the strongest evidence yet of H7N9 transmission between humans since its discover in February, but its ability to transmit itself _ "limited and non-sustainable" by the Chinese researchers behind the study.At the end of June 133 cases had been reported, including 43 deaths. Most infections have been among people visiting markets, selling live birds or among those who had contact with live poultry in the seven to 10 days before becoming ill. The latest study examined the case of a 60-year-old father who regularly visited a live poultry market and became ill five to six days after his last visit in March. He was admitted to hospital with fever, cough and shortness of breath. Despite intensive care treatment he died of multiple organ failure on 4 May. His 32-year-old daughter, who was previously healthy, looked after him at his bedside before he was admitted to intensive care. She had no known exposure to live poultry before falling ill with a very high temperature, cough and fever. The daughter developed symptoms six days after her last contact with her father and was admitted to hospital where she died of multiple organ failure on 24 April. Follow-up investigations uncovered almost genetically identical virus strains from each patient, suggesting transmission from father to daughter. Another 43 people were also tested who had had close contact with the father, daughter or both. Dr Peter Horby, senior clinical research fellow at the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Hanoi, Vietnam, said of the study: "The most likely source of infection for the daughter was her father, during the period that she cared for him while he was ill. "He said "limited person to person transmission had been reported for other strains like H5N1 , H7N7, and the pig origin flu virus H3N2. Those strains had been around for more than a decade but have not progressed any further down the path towards a world-wide virus." "Limited human-to-human transmission of H7N9 virus is therefore not surprising, but strengthening to monitor it was still needed," Dr Horby added. What's the main idea of the passage ? Answer:
Are you looking for something fun and would you like to help other people in your spare time? Then join us to be a volunteer . We are a non-profit organization . We have volunteer jobs for people of all ages. Anyone, from twelve-year-old children to people in their 80s, can become a volunteer. You can help people in many ways. Schools need help with taking care of children when their parents are working. Hospitals need volunteers to look after children when their parents see a doctor. Animal lovers can help take care of those dogs and cats without homes. There is something for everyone. "As a volunteer, I don't want to get anything. Seeing the children's happy faces, I am happy, too."says Carlos Domingo, an old woman of 62. If everyone helps a bit, we'll have a better world to live in. Interested in?Call us on 1-800-555-5756, or visit our website:www. activol. com. ,. Volunteers want to get _ when they help others. Answer: nothing Many American youngsters earn their own allowance by doing temporary jobs for their neighbors. Babysitting is one of the common of these jobs. Most couples do not have maids or relatives living with them, and they need to have someone watch the children if they want to go out. Another way is by mowing lawn in summer and clearing snow from sidewalks and driveways in winter. Many people mow their own lawns,but often people prefer to give the job to a neighbor's child. In winter, snow clearing from streets and highways is the government's responsibility. Homeowners or tenants, however, must clear sidewalks and driveways. Since clearing snow is very tiring, many people prefer to hire teenagers for this job rather than do it themselves. Besides, many American teenagers usually work two to three hours after school and all day on Saturday or Sunday at the local supermarket. They work as cashiers or stockroom clerks. Or they help customers carry things to their cars. Other favorite jobs are waiting on tables in restaurants or working part-time at stores or gas stations. By earning their own allowance,teenagers acquire a feeling of independence and a sense of responsibility which prepares them for a productive life in society. When it comes to clearing snow,what do many people like to do? Answer: Hire teenagers for this job rather than do it themselves A close friend of mine lives with six hundred wild animals on the Greek Island of Kyklos.Ever since he left school (where I first knew him),he has travelled all over the world collecting animals for his very own zoo.He hoped to collect at least two examples of every sort of animal on his island before the Great Flood. But the flood that my friend was afraid of was a flood not of water, but of people. I expect you have heard of my friend: he writes books about his travels,and about the wild and wonderful animals that he collects. The money from the books helps to pay for all the food that these animals eat. My friend told me that when he was out looking for water last week,(there is not enough water on the island,though there is plenty all round it,)he found oil.He needs money for his travels,and for his zoo,and a little oil would buy enough water for a lifetime;but he knows that if he tells anybody else about it,it will be the end of his zoo, and his life's work. So,if I know my friend,he will not tell anybody (but you and me)about what he found--because oil and water do not mix. My friend lives _ . Answer: on a Greek island with six hundred animals This is Scott. He has an interesting job. He works at a radio station. His radio show is from twelve o'clock at night to six o'clock in the morning. He sings well. He usually gets up at seven thirty at night. He brushes his teeth and takes a shower at ten past eight. Then he eats breakfast at nine. That's a funny time for breakfast! After that , he usually exercise at about ten twenty. He goes to work by car at eleven o'clock. It takes ten minutes to get the radio station. So he is never late for work. It takes Scott _ minutes to get to the radio station. Answer: 10 Most Chinese people expect to relax and enjoy themselves during the Golden Week. But for those trying to go someplace,it may seem more disappointment than pleasure. This year, the severe traffic jam resulted in a roadside wedding. The suffering of being stuck in traffic was possibly most strongly felt by Lv Kangzhou and his bride Yan Mengxia. By tradition, the groom drove early in the morning to the bride's home in Zhejiang province in East China to pick her up along with her family and take them to his family's hometown for the wedding. By 4 p.m., Lv's wedding was 90 minutes away, but his car had not moved an inch for a long time. Lv contacted the local radio to explain his difficult situation and ask for a traffic forecast. The radio host told Lv there was no way he could hold his wedding on time and offered to hold their wedding on the air. At 5:30 p.m., Lv and his bride said their vows on the side of the road while Lv's family and friends witnessed the ceremony while listening to the radio. Lv wasn't the only person stuck in the Golden Week crowds. According to the state news agency Xinhua, 11.7 million people traveled by train Wednesday. It calculated that 120,000 people gathered at Tiananmen Square in Beijing to watch the flag raising ceremony. Last year, the Forbidden City in Beijing hosted 175,000 tourists on a single day during Golden Week, and the number is expecting to be even bigger this year. Chinese internet users routinely complain about the Golden Week holiday every year. As internet user Tuzhi said on Sina Weibo: "On the Great Wall, I'm holding your hand, but I cannot see your face." By tradition, the wedding was supposed to take place _ . Answer: in the groom's hometown
AAAGH! The Generation 90s is coming! Wearing earphones, using complex Net language and constantly text messaging friends, the Gen-90s following the Gen-80s begin to make their world debut . Each generation or age group has its own symbols and lifestyle. Read on and judge for yourselves if you fit the Gen-90s group. Earphones These little devices seem to grow on the heads of the Gen-90s. They might lead to MP3, MP4 or MP101 players, giving these young people a plugged-in, cool and perhaps self-addicted look, of course, life is not always music to the ears. Martian language They have created their own code-like online language. It's a mixture of English, Japanese and Chinese that perhaps only Martians can understand. This is an imaginative generation, though they need to be careful to keep it out of their term papers. Self-Portrait Saying "cheese" to their own digital cameras is usual for this generation. A little bit of narcissism never hurts anyone. It helps them reflect a little on their own lives. But be aware of the risks of posting private photos online. Text-messaging They can type their mobile phones as fast as they can speak. This is a generation that respects efficiency . However, oral communication is important and will never go out of style. Who do you think would most likely be the readers of the passage? Answer: Sheela spent three days memorizing a poem for an oral test, but her friend Nisha merely scanned a new poem twice before reciting it from memory! Why then was there a difference? Nisha just knew how to learn better than Sheela. She had increased the ability of her brain by using some skills. Here are some steps to better learning. Preview the matter first: That is, _ l. You can understand more if you first scan it or skim over it quickly. Read the first sentence of each paragraph, and glance at the table of contents and the preface. Slow down and read it aloud to yourself: Speed reading is fine for easy material but for more complex works, slower reading is much more effective. Good learners vocalize , either loudly or in their minds, listening to each word as they read. They also actively think about what they read and take in it. Organize facts into categories: For instance, if you have to memorize a _ list containing names of animals, types of transport, items of clothing and kinds of jobs, it is easier if you divide them into groups or categories. Dividing it into smaller, meaningful parts makes it easier to learn. Be focused: To improve concentration and focus, fix a particular time and place for studying. Use a variety of methods, like writing down what you've read or taping it and then listening to it, or making an outline. Follow your own learning style: Each person has his own way of learning. lf given the pieces of an object to assemble , each of us uses a different method to arrive at the same result. Analyze your approach and follow the method that you feel most comfortable with. The example of Sheela and Nisha is used to _ . Answer: Every country has its traditional festivals. The Chinese New Year is now known as the Spring Festival because it starts from the beginning of spring. Though there are some sayings about its origin, all agree that the word Nian, which in modern Chinese means "year", was originally the name of a beast that started to eat people the night before the beginning of a new year. One story goes that the beast Nian had a very big mouth that would take in a great many people at one time. People were very afraid. One day, an old man came to their help and said he would stop all this. He said to Nian, "I hear that you are very strong, but can you eat up all the beasts on earth instead of people who are too weak to be your enemies?" "Yes," Nian agreed with him and went to kill many of the beasts on earth. People were very happy because those beasts also did bad things to people and killed their farm animals from time to time. After that, the old man, who was a god, rode on the beast Nian and left. Nian was gone, and other beasts also went into forests; people began to enjoy their happy life. Before the old man left, he had told people to put up red paper-cuts on their windows and doors at each year's end to drive Nian away, because red is the color the beast felt most afraid of. From then on, every year at the beginning of spring, people prepare to "Guo Nian". The word "Guo Nian" means "go through the Nian safely". Putting up red paper-cuts to drive Nian away and making dumplings for a better new year are still an every-year doing by the Chinese people. However, people today have long forgotten why they are doing all this, they just feel the color and the food make the New Year very enjoyable. How did the old man stop Nian from eating people? Answer: Worldwide, the most people willing to return your mobile phone if you've lost it are to be found in Slovenia, and the fewest in Malaysia. This finding is the result of an interesting study in 32 of the world's largest cities. Altogether, researchers "lost" 960 new mobile phones. They got back 654 of them, or 68 percent. Prague came in at number eight. There, 23 out of 30 people who were willing to return the mobile phone. It wasn't a traditional study. Two researchers carefully chose different places, such as areas with high crime and busy downtown shopping areas, to "lose" the phones. When one of the researchers dropped a phone, the other would keep watching from a distance. The honest finders tried their best to find the owner with the help of the address book in the phone. They were told why the study was done and asked why they acted the way they did. It was found that the busier the place where the researchers dropped the phone, the greater the chance of it being returned. Another interesting finding was that women were generally more likely than men to return the phone. Researchers also found that most people still have a sense of honesty. "Crime is simply not good behaviour ," said an expert. "People want to trust others, and want to be trusted." Who would be most likely to return a phone, according to the study? Answer: There are a lot of differences in life in the US that you can only learn by living here. However, we will try to introduce you to some of the more important cultural differences. Personal Space When two people are talking to each other, they tend to stand a distance apart. Each person has an invisible boundary around their body into which other people may not come. Interestingly,the average personal distance varies from culture to culture. Americans tend to require more personal space than in other cultures. So if you try to get too close to an American during your conversation, he or she will feel that you are "in their face" and will try to back away. Try to avoid physical contact while you are speaking, since this may also lead to _ . Tipping Restaurants do not include a service charge in the bill, so you should tip the waiter 15% of the total bill. If service is slow or particular bad, some Americans will tip only 10%. If service is particularly good, it is appropriate to tip 20%. If service is so bad that you will never eat in the restaurant again, leave two cents. It tells the waiter that you haven't forgotten to leave a tip. Tipping is only appropriate in restaurants which offer table service. You do not tip the cashier in a fast food restaurant. Gestures To wave goodbye or hello to someone, raise your hand and wave it from side to side, not front to back. Wave the whole hand, not just the fingers. Waving the hand front to back or the fingers up and down means "no", "stop", or "go away'. Holding your hand up with the palm facing forward but no movement means "stop". If you want to point at an object, extend the index finger and use it to point at the object. It is not polite to point at people. Although showing your fist with the thumb up or your open hand with the tips of the thumb and index finger together forming an "O" means "OK", these are stereotypes . Americans understand these gestures, but they are mainly used by actors in movies, not in real life. We can learn from the passage that in the US _ . Answer:
Question: The Channel Islands are a group of British-owned islands lying in the English Channel 10 to 30 miles off the French coast, and 70 to 90 miles from the English coast. There are ten islands with a total land area of 75 square miles and a total population of 123,000. The three largest islands, Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney, have long been known for the fine breeds of cattle that are raised on them and named after them. In earliest known history the islands were considered part of Normandy, which was part of France, but the ruler of Normandy became king of England in 1066, and from then on the islands were looked upon as British land. English control was unbroken until World War II, when the Germans held the islands for five years. Although people on the islands speak both languages and they are considered English, their customs are more French than English. Why do people on the Channel Islands follow French way of living? A. Their islands used to be part of France. B. Their islands are often visited by the French. C. They came from France. D. They speak French. Answer: A Question: Harry Houdini was a man who astonished and attracted many people during his life. Whether he was escaping from a locked box or making things disappear and reappear, he surely was entertaining. People thought that he must truly have some supernatural powers, but in fact, what Harry really had was drive. Harry was born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1874. His real name was Ehrich Weiss, the third of five children. His family moved to Wisconsin not long after his birth and when he was nine, he was tying ropes all over his backyard and learning amazing tricks to show his friends and neighbors. He visited the local locksmith, and when he had reached his teens he could pick almost any lock that was made. He also learned how to do card tricks. He and his brother, Theo, would often entertain at local parties and clubs for extra money. When Ehrich was 16, he came across a book that would actually change his life: the biography of France's greatest magician, Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin. It showed Ehrich that his hobby of magic and tricks could also be a career. Immediately, he changed his name to Harry Houdini. He and Theo headed out to make a living as magicians. In 1893, they performed at the Chicago World's Fair, and after that they traveled around giving magic shows for anyone willing to listen and pay. Theo grew restless, however, as the jobs became scarce, so he left. His timing was perfect since Harry had just fallen in love with a lovely woman named Bess who was just the right size for slipping in and out of the trunk they used in their magic tricks. They married immediately and then off they went, traveling with circuses and other road shows. Harry learned more and more tricks and spent much of his time reading and studying all kinds of locks, especially handcuffs. However, no matter what tricks they did or how hard they tried, Bess and Harry were not doing well. They tried to sell their shows for seven years and finally, in desperation, they went to Europe. It was the right move. Harry's persistence and constant practice were about to pay off. To get people's attention, he walked into police stations and offered to be handcuffed by all the policemen. They were shocked when he was loose only seconds later. Soon, everyone in Europe was talking about Houdini's astounding skills. He was in high demand and found himself doing more and more dangerous acts. He escaped from a straitjacket hanging upside down over the street; he escaped from locked boxes of all kinds; and, of course, he got out of any kind of handcuffs put on him. After several years in Europe, Bess and Harry returned to the United States in victory. Harry was doing such amazing tricks that people felt he must have special powers. However, few realized how much time he spent practicing and studying. He would do special exercises to keep his body strong, and he would do tricks with his fingers to keep them flexible. He would spend large amounts of time tying and untying knots -- with his toes! For his underwater tricks, he would get in the bathtub and practice holding his breath for longer and longer times. Since many of his tricks involved being deep in icy water, he would pour buckets of ice in the tub to get accustomed to working in the cold. The reason that Harry Houdini was such a success was that he practiced and prepared for whatever might happen. When a college student punched him in the abdomen in 1926, however, he wasn't prepared. The punch did internal damage that not even this magician could get out of. Harry died in 1926 at 52 years of age -- a master of his trade and a true legend. Houdini decided to become a magician after _ . A. he read a book about a famous magician B. he learned to pick a lock C. he started entertaining at local parties D. he learned to do card tricks Answer: A Question: Before the mid 1860's, the impact of the railroads in the United States was limited, in the sense that the tracks ended at this Missouri River, approximately the center of the country. At the point thetrains turned their freight, mail, and passengers over to steamboats, wagons, and stagecoaches. This meant that wagon freighting, stage coaching, and steam boating did not come to an end when the first train appeared; rather they became supplements or feeders. Each new "end of track" became a center for animal drawn or waterborne transportation. The major effect of the railroad was to shorten the distance that had to be covered by the older, slower, and more costly means. Wagon freighters continued operating throughout the 1870's and 1880's and into the 1890's. Although over constantly shrinking routes, and coaches and wagons continued to crisscross the West wherever the rails had not yet been laid. The beginning of a major change was foreshadowed in the later 1860's, when the Union Pacific Railroad at last began to build westward from the Central Plains city of Omaha to meet the Central Pacific Railroad advancing eastward from California through the formidable barrier of the Sierra Nevada. Although President Abraham Lincoln signed the original Pacific Railroad bill in 1862 and a revised, financially much more generous version in 1864, little construction was completed until 1865 on the Central Pacific and 1866 on the Union Pacific. The primary reason was skepticism that a Railroad built through so challenging and thinly settled a stretch of desert, mountain, and semiarid plain could pay a profit. In the words of an economist, this was a case of "premature enterprise", where not only the cost of construction but also the very high risk deterred private investment. In discussing the Pacific Railroad bill, the chair of the congressional committee bluntly stated that without government subsidy no one would undertake so unpromising a venture; yet it was a national necessity to link East and West together. The author refers to the impact of railroads before the late 1860's as"limited" because _ . A. the track did not take the direct route from one city to the next B. passengers and freight had to transfer to other modes of transportation to reach western destinations C. passengers preferred stagecoaches D. railroad travel was quite expensive Answer: B Question: There are several reasons why some people enjoy a better standard of living than other people. Then again, some people work very hard for their entire life and only are able to pay their monthly living expenses. As a matter of fact, they usually end up working until the last day they are alive. On the other hand, many people who are well off, so to speak, and through no fault of their own, experience a rapid decline of their standard of living due to an unexpected disaster, poor health and /or a severe economic depression within the country in which they live. Additionally, well-educated people usually earn more money during their active working years and thus are able to save a great deal of money in which to support themselves after they retire from the work force. People also become wealthy as a result of their own determination or they inherit wealth from elder family members, or they simply continue to work in the business that past generations of their family worked within. It is also true that a person can simply be a lucky dog who wins a lottery or some such contests that give a great deal of wealth to the winner. Let us not forget about the self-made individuals who have a dream of achieving fame and fortune and, after many years truly hard work, are well-rewarded for their continued efforts. An example of whom is the person who wrote the Harry Potter novels. She was just an average person who became a billionaire. So too, Ray Croc, the founder of a chain of fast food restaurants, became rich and famous at a time in life when most people retire from the workforce. Bill Gates is another person, who, by his own determination, skill and hard work, became rich and famous, as well as Ben Franklin and Thomas Edison. As you can see, there are many ways in which to become wealthy and enjoy an above average standard of living. However, those who are motivated by greed and become criminals as a result of such greed end up causing harm to others, as they continue to suck the wealth out of other people within the society. Those criminals simply take all that they get and give back little or nothing in return. What is your plan for achieving financial security, happiness, fame, and fortune? What does the author want to emphasize in Para 2? A. Man's determination will finally conquer nature. B. People should keep fighting for living a better life. C. Human fortunes are as unpredictable as the weather. D. People should enjoy a standard life when they are rich. Answer: C Question: There are forty-eight students in our class. There are twenty-three boys and twenty-five girls. Some students live near the school, and some others live very far from the school. About half of the students come to school by bike . They often get to school at a quarter to seven. About ten students often come to school by bus. They often go to school very early, too. Another ten students come to school on foot. Their homes are near the school, but they are often late for school, because they get up very late. How many students live far from the school? A. About thirty-eight B. About twenty C. About ten. D. About twenty-five Answer: A
Vending machines are found in 16% of U.S.elementary schools, 52% of middle schools and 88% of high schools.About 22% of students in grades 1 through 12 buy food in vending machines each day--and those purchases added an average of 253 calories to their diets, according to a new study in the September issue of the Journal of School Health. Just to be clear, those were not 253 calories' worth of tofu, yogurt or carrot.The most popular vending machine items included soft drinks, candy, chips, crackers, cookies, cakes and ice cream.On the plus side , kids also bought low-fat milk, fruit juice and even fruit, the study found. But the eventual effect on kids' diets was not good.Those who bought from vending machines ate an average of 156 grams of sugar per day, compared with 146 grams for those who abstained .They also consumed less fiber, iron and vitamin B. _ Vending machine customers ate 4% less sodium than other students--an average of 3,287 milligrams per day compared with 3,436 mg for those who didn't buy from vending machines.That's probably because the extra snacks made kids too full to eat as much at mealtimes, when dishes are especially Salty.In any event, kids should eat no more than 1,200 to 1,500 mg of sodium each day, according to the Mayo Clinic.Even for adults, the government recommends a daily limit of 2,300 mg. Overall, vending machines in school appear to be a threat to children's health.The researchers calculated that all that snacking adds up to about14 extra pounds per child per school year.For some students this might be a serious contributor to weight issues.The study was based on data collected from 2,309 children nationwide for the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study, which was conducted by the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service. The students using vending machines take in less of all the following EXCEPT . A sugar B fiber C vitamin D iron Answer: A. sugar How could we tell time if there were no watches or clocks anywhere in the world? The sun is probably the world's first "clock", except in the far north, where the Eskimos live. There, it's dark most of the winter, and light most of the summer. But in most of the world, people have used the sun as a clock. Even today, if you don't have a clock, you can still know that when the sun shines, it's day and when it's dark, it's night. The sun can also tell you if it's morning, noon, or afternoon. Some people live near the sea from the _ In the daytime, for about six hours, water rises higher and higher on the beach. And then it goes down and down for about six hours. The same thing happens again at night. There are two high tides and two low tides every 24 hours. Seamen on the ship learn how to tell time by looking at the moon and the stars. The whole sky is their clock. In some places in the world the wind comes up at about the same time every day or changes direction or stops blowing. In these places the wind can be the clock. A sand clock is an even better clock. If you had fine dry sand in a glass shaped like the one in the picture, you would have what is called an hourglass. The sand in the hourglass goes from the top part to the bottom in exactly one hour. When the hourglass is turned over, the sand will take another hour to go back again From the passage we can know there are _ ways to tell time besides the clock and watch. A 3 B 4 C 5 D 7 Answer: C. 5 Humans: It's time to give up the earth or face extinction . It could be the plot of a summer blockbuster , but this prediction isn't science fiction. It's a glimpse of the future, according to famous British scientist Stephen Hawking. "I see great dangers for the human race," he said in an interview with global forum Big Think. "There have been a number of times in the past when its survival has been a question of touch-and-go." Hawking, an award-winning physicist, says humans must evacuate our home planet within the next two centuries and expand into space to survive. "I believe that the long-term future of the human race must be in space," he said. "It will be difficult enough to avoid disasters on our planet in the next hundred years, let alone the next thousand, or million." Hawking, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom last year, has recently voiced many concerns about the future of life on the earth. In April, he spoke about his fear of aliens in an interview for the Discovery Channel. "If aliens visited us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans," he said. "Such advanced aliens would perhaps become wanders, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they can reach." But Hawking says he is still hopeful for the future of humanity. "I'm an optimist," he told Big Think. "We have made remarkable progress in the last hundred years. But if we want to continue beyond the next hundred years, our future is in space." Getting to another planet will prove a challenge, not to mention colonizing it for humanity. University of Michigan astrophysicist Katherine Freese told Big Think that "the nearest star to the earth is Proxima Centauri which is 4.2 light years away. That means, if you were travelling at the speed of light the whole time, it would take 4.2 years to get there--or about 50,000 years using current rocket science." How long will it take to reach Proxima Centauri by current rocket? A About 4.2 years. B Over 10 years. C Less than 42000 years. D About 50,000years. Answer: D. About 50,000years. The Spring Festival is the Chinese New Year's Day. It usually comes in January or February. Everyone in China likes it very much. All the families have a big dinner to celebrate it. Children like the Spring Festival best because they can get presents such as nice food, new clothes and red packets from their grandparents, their parents, their uncles and aunts. People eat dumplings on the Spring Festival. Chinese think eating dumplings can bring them money in the new year. According to the passage, which of the following sentences is WRONG? A All the Chinese like the Spring Festival. B Children are the happiest during the Spring Festival. C Chinese think eating dumplings can make people rich. D People all over the world celebrate the Chinese New Year. Answer: D. People all over the world celebrate the Chinese New Year. A place without a sand bar is indicative of which of these characteristics? A a flow of sedimentation to settle B a stacking of silty sediments C a downstream movement without sediments D a rapid movement of sediments for downward deposit Answer: C. a downstream movement without sediments
China is one of the countries with the richest history, culture and the most developed civilization, economy and political system on the planet. Their language has fascinated people a very long time and still does. These are only a few reasons for which today there are still a lot of students and tourists that are attracted by this country, its culture and economical growth. Numerous students decide to study abroad China every year as they want to experience the life there and learn its fascinating language. There are over 500 dialects in China because of the big distance between villages and towns from the capital cities such as Beijing. In spite of great popularity that the English language has around the globe, Mandarin Chinese is the most spoken language in the entire world because of the fact that China is the most populated country on Earth, having more than 1.3 billion citizens. This is the main reason for which most students want to study Chinese in China. On the other hand, China has the fastest growing and expanding economies in the world and this might give you the chance to take part in future projects in different areas of China. These are well--trained specialists around the world that decide to study Mandarin in China where they can become leaders in their specific field of operation. People who study Chinese in Beijing will have a lot of opportunities after mastering the Chinese alphabet and a lot of doors will open for them, giving them a lot of chances to succeed in their career. To sum up, if you decide to study Chinese in Beijing, the best place to start your research and gather information is the Internet. Here you have various opportunities to study in China at affordable prices. What would be the best title for this passage? Answer: The reasons of learning Chinese in Beijing The Mayan Indians lived in Mexico for thousands of years before the Spanish arrived in the 1500s. The Mayan achievements were many. They had farms, beautiful palaces, and cities with many buildings. The Mayan people knew a lot about nature and the world around them. This knowledge helped them to live a better life than most people of that time, because they could use it to make their lives more comfortable and rewarding . Knowledge about tools and farming, for example, made their work easier and more productive. The Maya believed in many gods, including rain gods, sun gods, and corn gods. The people built large temples to honor the Mayan gods. Skillful workers built cities around these temples. It was difficult for them to build these cities, because they had no horses to carry the heavy stone they used to build with. Workers had to carry all of the building materials themselves. Today, many of these ancient Mayan cities and temples are still standing. Although the cities that the Maya built were beautiful, and the people worked hard to build them, very few of the people lived in them. Usually, only the priests lived in the cities. The other people lived in small villages in the forests. Their houses were much simpler than the _ buildings in the cities. They lived in small huts with no windows. The walls were made of poles covered with dried mud, and the roof was made of grass or leaves. Most Maya lived a simple life close to nature. The Mayan priests studied the Sun, the Moon, stars, and planets. They made a calendar from what they learned. The year was divided into 18 months of 20 days each with five days left over. The Mayan calendar was far more exact than the European calendars of the time. Around the year 800, the Maya left their villages and beautiful cities, never to return. No one knows why this happened. They may have died from some disease. They may have left because the soil could no longer grow crops. Archaeologists are still trying to find the lost secrets of the Maya. From the passage we can infer that _ . Answer: the Maya were intelligent and culturally rich people 2008 sadly saw the worst earthquake in China in over 30 years. The Great Sichuan Earthquake was 8 on the Richter scale and killed around 70,000 people in May, not to mention the tens of thousands who were injured or went missing. On 26thJanuary, 2009, the biggest earthquake in India took the lives of 25,000 people. In the morning, when everybody was enjoying holiday, the earthquake began, It was about 7.5 on the Richter scale. "There is nothing left between the sky and the earth any more. Everything has been pulled down. " said one of the villagers alive. " There is no water, no food and no one has come to help." Nobody died in Pakistan, a country next to India. The City of Lahore was lucky. In Lahore American School, where I was studying, all of the students were safe. They were in the field, so most children didn't feel anything. The earthquake was felt by the teachers that were on the second floor. However, though Mrs Young was also on the second floor, she didn't feel anything. She didn't know what happened until a teacher told her about it. Those teachers who were on the other floors had different feelings. Mr Emond, the maths teacher from Australia, said that when the earthquake started he thought there was something wrong with him, but then another teacher said that it was an earthquake. After those words Mr Emond felt better. Mrs Davis and Mr Frost didn't feel anything either. My mother didn't feel anything. She didn't even know that it was an earthquake till she saw a shaking light. My dad saw the computer shaking and then he looked out of the window and saw many people going out. From the sentence " There is nothing left between the sky and the earth any more" we learn that _ . Answer: the earthquake in India was serious Ammie Reddick from East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, was only 18 months old when she had the accident that had scarred her for life. The child reached up to get a hot bottle in the family kitchen and poured boiling water over her body. Her mother Ruby turned round and, seeing Ammie badly burnt, rushed her daughter to a nearby hospital. Twenty percent of Ammie's body had been burned and all of her burns were third-degree. There, doctors performed an operation that took about six hours to control her injuries. Over the next 16 years, Ammie received 12 more operations to repair her body. When she started school at Maxwelton Primary at age 4, other pupils said cruel words or simply wouldn't play with her. "I was the only burned child in the street, the class and the school," she said, "some children refused to become friends because of that." Today, aged 17, Ammie can only ever remember being a burned person with scars; pain is a _ part of her body. She still has to have two further operations. Yet she is a confident, outgoing teenager who offers hope to other young burns victims . She is a member of the Scottish Burned Children's Club. This month, Ammie will be joining the younger children at the Graffham Water Center in Cambridge for the first summer camp. "I'll show them how to get rid of unkind looking from others," she says. Ammie loves wearing fashionable clothes, and she plans to show the youngsters at the summer camp that they can too. "I do not hide my burns scars," she says, "I gave up wondering how other people would say years ago." What did other children do when Ammie first went to school? Answer: They looked down upon her. Leadership is the art of getting someone to do something you want done because he wants to do it. People naturally want to follow a good leader. After meeting with an effective leader it is not unusual to feel uplifted , inspired, and motivated to work towards a common goal. An effective leader makes others feel good about themselves, as well as the work they are doing. The leader has a vision of what he or she wants to achieve, and can communicate that vision to others in a way that makes people want to be part of it. One thing a good leader typically does is to communicate the big picture, so that each employee can see how the particular role he or she plays makes a contribution to the final result. Good leaders are positive and optimistic when they speak about the future. Their enthusiasm wins them plenty of supporters who help make their vision a reality. Good leaders also understand that different people are motivated by different things. For employees motivated by a need for achievement, a leader explains how the task offers an opportunity to take on a challenge with an achievable goal. And employees are motivated by hearing how they will be part of a team of people working together. Good leaders will introduce employees by name first, rather than job titles. They refer to employees as team members, companions, or colleagues, never as "servants". Words have power, including the power to make people feel whether or not they are important to the success of an organization. Good leaders believe that every team member matters and set up environments that make everyone feel important. It is no wonder they can attract the support they need to help them achieve their goals. What's the author's purpose of writing this passage? Answer: To tell us how to be a good leader at work.
Since last year, Where Are We Going, Dad? has become one of the most popular TV shows. On the show, the five fathers and their children traveled around China, riding camels through the western desserts , fishing on the east coast, and selling vegetables for their bus fare( )home in southwestern Yunnan Province. One dad doesn't know how to do his daughter's hair, so some people try to help him. Another one must survive with his son for three days in the desert. Because the father can't cook, they only eat instant noodles . Why is Where Are We Going, Dad? so popular? Because it is about how Chinese parents look after their kids. The show makes modern parents think about what they should do with their kids. "In traditional Chinese culture, the father is strict and the mother is kind. But on the show, we see fathers who are much kinder on their kids and more involved in their upbringing ."said Li Minyi, a professor of early childhood education. In the past, children were taught to follow their parents' wishes and look after _ in their old age. But today Chinese parents start to realize that respecting their children's choices may be a better way to be ready for modern society. As they raise their children, parents are growing up at the same time. One father and his son only eat instant noodles because _ . Answer: Welcome to one of the largest collections of footwear in the world that will make you green with envy. Here at the Footwear Museum you can see exhibits from all over the world. You can find out about shoes worn by everyone from the Ancient Egyptians to pop stars. Room 1 The celebrity footwear section is probably the most popular in the entire museum. Started in the 1950s there is a wide variety of shoes and boots belonging to everyone from queens and presidents to pop stars and actors! Most visitors find the celebrities' choice of footwear extremely interesting. Room 2 Most of our visitors are amazed--and shocked--by the collection of "special purpose" shoes on exhibition here at the Museum of Footwear. For example, there are Chinese shoes made of silk that were worn by women to tie their feet firmly to prevent them from growing too much! Room 3 As well as shoes and boots, the museum also exhibits shoeshaped objects. The variety is unbelievable. For example, there is a metal lamp that resembles a pair of shoes, and Greek wine bottles that look like legs! The Footwear Library People come from all over the world to study in our excellent footwear library. Designers and researchers come here to look up information on anything and everything related to the subject of footwear. The purpose of the text is to get more people to _ . Answer: When newspapers and radio describe the damage caused by a hurricane named Hazel,girls named Hazel are probably teased by their friends.To keep out of trouble,the Weather Bureau says, "Any _ between hurricane names and the names of particular girls is purely accidental. " Some women became angry because hurricanes are given their names,but many other women are proud to see their names make headlines.They don't even care that they are the names of destructive storms. Because more women seem to like it than dislike it,the Weather Bureau has decided to continue using girls' names for hurricanes. In some ways a hurricane is like a person.After it is born,it grows and develops, then becomes old and dies.Each hurricane has a character of its own.Each follows its own path through the world,and people remember it long after it has gone.So it is natural to give hurricanes names,and to talk about them almost as if they were alive. According to passage, which is more reasonable? Answer: Carnival does not take place only in Louisiana. There are many celebrations around the world. In Brazil, the celebration is supposed to go on from the Saturday before Mardi Gras to Mardi Gras Day, but in some Brazilian cities the celebration can last seven or eight days. Just like New Orleans, not many important things are decided in Brazil from New Year's Day to Mardi Gras Day because everyone is preparing for or celebrating carnival. Most Brazilian parades have a subject, which could be political or historical. The parades had to have a subject related to Brazil until 1996. Some cities in Brazil do not have a street carnival, but they might have an indoor party. Bolivia has carnival parades for children and then more parades for adults. The children dress up in costumes and march in the streets. The adults make traditional dance groups and dance in the streets. But the main part of Bolivia's carnival is getting wet. Almost everyone gets wet from water balloons and water buckets. In Oruru, Bolivia, their carnival is held in the last ten days of the carnival season. People there join in dancing, but their main carnival event is a ceremonial parade that lasts for twenty hours and parades for four kilometers. Over 20,000 dancers are involved as well as 10,000 musicians. This parade attracts at least 400,000 people. The carnival in Venice, Italy is often regarded as the most carefully prepared carnival and lasts ten days before Lent . Many events are held in the canals including shows, concerts, dances and water processions . The official ending to the celebration is the party held in St. Mark's Square. The most important feature of the celebration of carnival in Bolivia is that _ . Answer: Coketown was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but in fact it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of savage . It was a town of machinery and tall chimney, out of which smoke trailed themselves for ever and ever. It had a black canal in it, and a river that ran purple with ill smelling color1, and large piles of building full of windows where there was a rattling and a trembling all day long, and where the steam-engine worked up and down like the head of an elephant in a state of madness. The town contained several large streets all very like one another, and many small streets still more like one another, inhabited by people equally like one another. A sunny midsummer day. There was such a thing sometimes even in Coketown. Seen from a distance in such weather, Coketown lay covered in a smoke of its own. You only knew the town was there, because you knew there could have been no such a place upon the view without a town. The streets were hot and dusty on the summer day, and the sun was so bright that it even shone through the smoke over Coketown, and could not be looked at steadily. Workers appeared from low underground doorways into factory yards, and sat on steps, wiping their face sand looking at coals. The whole town seemed to be frying in oil. There was a smell of hot oil everywhere. The atmosphere of those places was like the breath of hell , and their inhabitants wasting with heat, walked lazily in the desert. But no temperature made the mad elephants more mad or more sane . Their tiresome heads went up and down at the sane rate, in hot weather and in cold, wet weather and dry. The measured movement of their shadows of wood; while for the summer noise of insects, it could offer all the year round, from the dawn of Monday to the night of Saturday. Only _ were not affected by weather. Answer:
Question: Scientists have searched for many years for a method to tell whether a volcano explosion will be small or large. Now, four scientists say they have discovered something in lava that will help do this. They did the research on Mount Unzen on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. Mount Unzen exploded in November, 1990. Since then, more explosions have killed 43 people and destroyed the homes of more than 2,000 others. The volcano is still active today. The scientists say the lava of the volcano contains high level of an element ,which is a sign of the presence of the lava from deep in the earth, not from the surface. They say it shows that the lava coming directly from inside the earth is connected with huge explosions instead of smaller ones. The scientists examined the lava from 18 explosions of Mount Unzen that took place during many thousands of years. They also studied the lava from other volcanoes in the area that are older than Mount Unzen. The lava studied came from both large and small explosions. The scientists found that large explosions contained more of the element than small ones. The scientists say if they had known this two years earlier, they could have warned the people living in the area near Mount Unzen and saved many lives. The research of the four scientists was based on _ . A. the lava from different explosions in the area B. the presence of the lava from the surface C. the damages caused by the 1990 explosion D. the lava that caused explosions Answer: A. the lava from different explosions in the area Question: A woodcutter was working in the forest one day when he found a box full of gold coins. Unfortunately, his wife was the kind of woman who could not keep a secret. Somehow, he knew, he had to prevent her from talking about the gold. He thought about this for a long time, then had an idea. " I found something in the forest", he told his wife, "come with me and I'll show you.".His wife followed him into the forest and soon they came to a tree." Look at that!" the woodcutter said to his wife, and pointed to the tree. "There's a fish growing on that branch!" His wife was surprised ,especially when he climbed up the tree and brought down the fish for her to see.They walked on and soon came to the river. "I'll just pull in my net and see what I've caught", the woodcutter said. He pulled in his net and inside there were several hares . "How interesting!" he said "there are now hares in the river." After that, they came to where the woodcutter had found the box of gold. "Look, wife", he said "this is what I have found. A box of gold coins." The next day, his wife could not stop herself from telling her friends about all the wonderful things she had seen.Of course, nobody believe her! Where did the woodcutter find the box of gold? _ A. When he was working B. In his garden C. In the forest where he was working D. On his farm fields, where he was farming Answer: C. In the forest where he was working Question: James lives in the mountains with his parents.There are not any schools near the farm.He has to study in the _ from Monday to Friday.His father often takes him there in his car on Sunday afternoon.And he meets him on Friday afternoon. The boy likes animals.He can see some near his house and school.But he never visits a zoo.Some of his classmates have been to the zoo and they often talk about the elephants,dolphins,lions,tigers and pandas.He sees them on TV.So he can only listen to them. It's Friday today.James' father will go to the city tomorrow.There's a big zoo there.The boy asks him to take him there.He agrees.James is so happy that he can't sleep at night.He gets up early this morning and puts some food in his bag.Can you guess what he does that for? His father takes James to school because _ . A. he does not like to stay there B. he works there C. it is far from the farm D. he is very free Answer: C. it is far from the farm Question: The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California is one of the world's most beautiful bridges. It is also one of the most visited places in the world. Vehicles cross the bridge an average of 41 million times each year. More than 1,800 hundred million vehicles have used the bridge since it opened more than 70 years ago. The bridge was painted "International Orange" because that color went well with the natural surroundings. The color also is easier to see in the heavy fog that often covers the area. But the Golden Gate Bridge was not named for its orange color. It was named for the body of water that it crosses, the Golden Gate Strait. The Golden Gate Strait is the entrance to the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. The Golden Gate Bridge links the city of San Francisco with Marin County,California. Planning for the bridge began in the 1920s when the area around San Francisco was growing. People living in the area needed another way to get to the city besides small ferries . Joseph Strauss was the chief engineer for the project. Work began in 1934. Mr.Strauss demanded the strongest safety protections in the history of bridge building. These included the first use of "hard hats" to protect the workers' heads and special glasses to protect their eyes. A special safety net was suspended under the bridge. This net saved the lives of 19 men during the construction. However, 11 other workers were killed when they fell from the bridge through the net. Still, this was a new safety record for the time. The Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937. It extends 1,280 meters across the water. The total length is 2,737 meters. It was the largest suspension bridge in the world until 1964. That is when the Verrazano Narrows Bridge opened in New York City. Today, the Golden Gate Bridge is the ninth longest suspension bridge in the world. What do we know about Joseph Strauss? A. He attached importance to the workers' safety. B. His safety measures were not of practical value. C. He built the first suspension bridge in the world. D. He demanded strong measures to ensure the safety of the bridge. Answer: A. He attached importance to the workers' safety. Question: BEIJING - A research team led by Chinese scientists have discovered dietary modulation of gut microbiota can alleviate both genetic and simple obesity in children. The findings of the team, led by Zhao Liping with Shanghai Jiaotong University, Yin Aihua with the Guangdong province children's hospital, and Tang Huiru with Chinese Academy of Sciences, have been published on EBioMedicine, a renowned medical journal co-sponsored by Cell and The Lancet in July. The team identified bacterial genomes specifically for producing obesity-related metabolites , and said an improved gut microbiota can significantly help to treat genetic obesity such as Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). Beginning in childhood, PWS affected kids develop an insatiable appetite, leading to chronic overeating and obesity. The scientists used a diet therapy with beneficial gut bacteria on trial patients and found considerable _ appetite, weight loss and improved health conditions on the patients. The paper concluded dysbiosis of gut microbiota is highly related with both genetic and simple obesity in children, implicating dietary modulation of gut microbiota a potentially effective treatment method. Where is the passage extracted? A. Medicine book B. Science book C. Doctor's instructions D. News report Answer: D. News report
Paper is a cheap and accessible medium that can produce beautiful results. To most people, making a paper plane could be one of the simplest things to do. It's the simplest and easiest form of paper art. And paper art can be dated back to Japan, where it originated over a thousand years ago. However, there's a special minority who takes paper art to the next level, magically turning the plain white or colored paper into some of the most amazing artworks. Check out the following artists and their works! The Danish artist Peter Callesen is famous for his talent in combining the minimalism of a white sheet of paper with the complexity of carefully cut and folded paper and uses the two to build out some pleasing works. The British artist Su Blackwell often goes to secondhand bookstores -- to look for materials with which she can carve out delicate sculptures. The models look as if they "grow" naturally from the pages of the books. The artist finds inspiration from the book title or a paragraph or picture inside and then spends months carefully making each one into an eye-catching paper model. Her old book sculptures sell for up toPS5,000 each. By carefully folding simple pieces of paper, German artist Simon Schubert creates amazing masterpieces. He turns paper into architectural masterpieces by folding a simple piece of paper to shape the creases , then unfolding it to show the fascinating artwork. Another master of paper-folding is Jen Stark. Her artwork is often in the form of colorful caves and land maps. Using her imagination and a special knife, she is a modern day magician who turns _ materials like construction paper and glue into fantastic, complicated sculptures that puzzle the eyes. Her work draws inspiration from nature. According to the passage, Jen Stark _ . Answer: uses paper to build complicated shapes The most important holiday in spring, especially for Christians, is Easter. This Christian holiday is not on the same date every year,but it's always on a Sunday. It can be any Sunday between March 22 and April 25. Many people celebrate Easter by buying new clothes. Children celebrate by hunting for colored eggs that their parents have hidden around the house. People also give Easter baskets filled with candy and other goodies to one another to celebrate the day. But the holiday is more than new clothes and good things to eat. On Easter, many people go to church to celebrate Jesus' resurrection from the dead. Most people color Easter eggs. Some people hide them. Others just eat them. But no matter what one does with Easter eggs,they are an important Easter tradition throughout the Western world. People from many different cultures celebrate Easter. In both America and Belgium, children look for Easter eggs hidden on lawns and in bushes. In America, children believe the eggs are hidden by the Easter bunny .But in Belgium, the hidden eggs are supposed to have fallen from church bells. In Bulgaria , red Easter eggs are lucky in churches. Bulgarian families also hit these Easter eggs together to see whose is the strongest. The winner looks forward to good fortune that year. Still dozens of other Easter traditions exist. In parts of Austria,for example,children sing from door to door and are rewarded with colorful eggs. People from different cultures have different ideas about Easter egg _ . Answer: In American, children believe the eggs are hidden by the Easter bunny Zheng Pengyu: Interest is the best teacher. Classrooms that weren't fixed could give students the chance to explore their interests. At the same time, they would be able to learn on their own because they would have to make their own decisions. All in all, the new system would be a good chance to inspire students' passion for studying. Sun Yao: Despite its benefits, I'm worried about whether the new system would work. Going to different classrooms would take up a big part of our break time and we would have less time to relax after class. Also, not all schools could offer so many diversified classes. Shi Zhenghan: I support students learning in different classes. It would solve the problem of some students thinking the classes are too easy while some think they are too difficult. Teachers could also teach more effectively. What's more, friendships built while in different classes might be a pleasant surprise. Zhou Qingqing: In my opinion, studying in different classrooms might affect students' psychological development. They might find it difficult to develop deep and strong friendships with other students if they had to change classrooms constantly. They would also lose their sense of belonging to a certain class. Hu Qile: I _ the idea. It would help teachers set up special teaching plans for different classes. For students, making choices by themselves could encourage them to be responsible. Changing classrooms could also help relive the boredom of doing the same dull routine every day. Wang Xiaoqian: The new system might help with students' individual development, but I still prefer the current system. Studying in one fixed classroom, students with different academic levels can help each other. Spending your senior middle school years with the same classmates is an unforgettable experience. What is the passage about? Answer: Different opinions about changing classroom. The best swimmers tend to be tall and thin with long arms, long legs, long feet, and long hands. The size of their hands gives them great "water grasp", and only a very small hand movement keeps them afloat. They also have great strength, endurance, insulation against heat loss while in water below body temperature, thus better energy conservation, low resistance when in the water, and swimming stroke mechanics . Part of the reason why some people are better swimmers than others has to do with body density. The average person's body density is slightly less than that of water. Muscle has greater density than fat. Therefore, very muscular people tend to be poor at staying afloat. Bone has greater density than fat. Therefore, very skinny people tend to be poor at staying afloat. Good buoyancy is not necessarily the most important factor in good swimming, but it certainly helps. For example, great competitive swimmers--tall, thin, and usually more muscular than average--tend to have greater body density than average and less buoyancy. Many would not float very well if they remained motionless in the water. Their much greater "water grasp" makes up for it. www.ks5u.com The average woman contains a higher proportion of fat in her body than the average man, and the average man contains a higher proportion of muscle in his body than the average woman. Therefore, in general, women are better floaters than men. Compared with other competitive sports, the performance of women is closer to that of men in competitive swimming. Which of the following can serve as the best title of the passage? Answer: Facts about swimming Now throwing shoes at President Bush is a popular game on the Internet. It turns out that there are times when it's good to throw shoes. After leaving his office in the center of the city, a young man bought a new car and drove it from the city to his home. He was very happy and the car ran very fast. Suddenly, a shoe hit the car door . The man got very angry. He jumped out of the car and caught a boy who still had a shoe in his hand. "Who are you? Why did you do that?" the young man shouted at the boy. "I'm sorry. But I don't know what else to do. My sister has been hurt. I cried for help but nobody stopped," the boy said. The man looked around and saw a girl by the road. Her leg was bleeding . "She is my sister. She wanted to cross the road but fell out of her wheelchair. She is too heavy for me. I can't get her back into the _ . "The man was moved. He helped the bleeding girl back into her wheelchair. "Thank you. You're so kind," said the little boy. Life speaks to our hearts. Sometimes we don't have time to listen and it will throw a shoe at us. What can we learn from the story? Answer: We should be kind and helpful.
Question: Success does not belong to a select group of individuals . Success belongs to those who are willing to go after it and try their best to do what they have to do. Here are some useful practical ways for you if you want to be a success. Desire. Desire is the strong wish to achieve a goal. Without desire you have nothing. Before you can run with desire, your goal must be plain, clear, and it must also be exciting. Show up. Seventy percent of success in life is showing up. You can't have a best seller, if you have never written a book. You can't get your dream job, if you're afraid to turn in an application. Showing up doesn't guarantee success, but if you don't show up, you won't succeed. Fail. Unless you're willing to have a try, fail unhappily, and have another try, success won't happen. To have success you have to do things the right way, but often the only way to do something right is to first fail at it. As Thomas J. Watson said, a simple formula for success is to double your rate of failure . So welcome failure, become a student of failure, learn from failure, and soon you will succeed. Work Harder. _ Success is not about doing what the common person can't do. It's about doing what the common person is unwilling to do. And on a deeper level, it's about creating habits that the common person is unwilling to create. It's the habit of doing things with excellence that causes success. Enjoy the Journey. Success is a journey, not a destination . Success is not a certain car or a certain house or a certain happy marriage. Success is the enjoyment of the journey. You have to enjoy the journey. Someone once said, "Unless you change how you are, you will always have what you've got." You have to change, you will change, and you will succeed. The best title of the passage might be _ . A. The Importance of Success B. The Meaning of Success C. Success or Failure D. The Five Main Steps to Success Answer: D Question: 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. When the writer writes"the greatest winner of friends the world has ever known",he refers to A. himself B. Tippy C. a pet dog D. a psychology book Answer: C Question: When I was 17 years old I had surgery because of a disease. The day after the surgery, I awoke to find a friend of mine sitting in a chair across from my bed. I don't remember much about his visit. But I will not forget that he visited me on that day, and sat there for I don't know how long, while I was under the influence of a morphine drip . We benefit greatly from our close friendships, but they are not a matter of calculable gain or loss. Our age, what we might call the age of economics, is strongly influenced by two types of relationships that reflect the lives we are encouraged to lead. There are consumer relationships, those that we participate in for the pleasure they bring us. They are focused on the present. It is what brings immediate pleasure that matters. And there are entrepreneurial relationships, those that we invest in, hoping they will bring us some return. Aristotle thought that there were three types of friendship: those of pleasure, those of usefulness, and true friendship. In pleasure friendships, he said, "It is not for their character that men love ready-witted people, but because they find them pleasant." About the usefulness friendships, he said, "Those who love each other for their utility do not love each other for themselves, but because of some good which they get from each other." Although we benefit from our close friendships, these friendships are not a matter of calculable gain and loss. Consumer pleasures are lasting for only a limited time. They surround us for a short period and then they fade, like a drug. Entrepreneur friendship, when successful, leads to the victory of personal gain. It is precisely this non-economic character that is threatened in a society in which each of us is offered only the choices of ownership, shopping, competition and growth. It is threatened when we are led to believe that friendships without obvious recognizable gain are, in the economic sense, irrational . Friendships are not without reason, perhaps, but they are certainly without that particular reason. Shared experience, not just everyday amusement or advancement, is the true basis of friendship. The author seems to support the idea that _ . A. friendships are a matter of calculable gain or loss B. there are no specific reasons for friendship C. short-term pleasure is the center of friendship D. everyday amusement is the true basis of friendship Answer: B Question: Do you like walking? A 13-year-old girl named Jenny likes walking very much. She likes walking because she thinks it is good for her health. "It's about 6 kilometers from my home to school. I get up at 6:00 every morning. After having breakfast, I walk to school. I can enjoy the beautiful _ on the way. I feel very happy. I can also think about what to do or how to do things at school on the way," says Jenny. "My father buys a new car and he wants to take me to school every morning. But I think I need to exercise and I hope my father can exercise, too. Now he often walks to work. After dinner, my father, my mother and I often take a walk in the park near our house. I have a healthy and happy family." Why does Jenny like walking? A. It makes her healthy. B. It's funny. C. She can get up late. D. It makes her happy. Answer: A Question: "I had a test and didn't want to do it, so I pretended to be ill", says 13-year-old Mary. But Mary did not enjoy her day off. "It was boring. I wished I had gone to school." Mary's story is not unusual in Britain. According to the latest government figures, pupil absences are rising, despite schools _ truancy . Dr Philip James from Cardiff University thinks she knows why: "As schools make more efforts to find and punish missing students, students find better ways to avoid being caught." For several years, James has researched teenager truancy and discovered that most truancy was "a response to factors within the school". Students that skip school are not necessarily less advanced or less intelligent. They complained of teachers who failed to engage them, and of "boring" lessons. "Many of them really enjoy school and believe in education, but drop out when aspects of it are ineffective." James says. The views of students like Adam, who believes that skipping lessons has little impact on his schooling, are common. "I only take off for a lesson, or a couple of days. It doesn't affect my education," he told James. James believes that schools need to address the question of why pupils want to leave in the first place. "Pupils need help from the start." she says. "Schools need to look at the reasons for truancy rather than the number, so that instead of walking away from school, students have the skills and chances to talk through problems and make a change." What is one of the reasons that many students skip school according to James' study? A. They feel they have fallen behind in their studies. B. They have no interest in school education. C. They now have more interesting things to do. D. They find some lessons and teachers uninteresting. Answer: D
Which cannot be an example of crop rotation? A. planting tomatoes one year and alfalfa the next B. planting zucchini one year and beans the next C. planting bell peppers one year and hot peppers the next D. planting corn one year and lelttuce the next Answer: C. planting bell peppers one year and hot peppers the next There is an old Chinese proverb that states "One Generation plants the trees; another gets the shade," and this is how it should be with mothers and daughters. The relationship between a mother and daughter is sometimes confusing. If close, the relationship can be similar to friendship. However, the mother and daughter relationship has unique characteristics that distinguish it from a friendship. These characteristics include a hierarchy of responsibility and unconditional love, which _ mothers and daughters from being best friends. Marina, 27 years old, says, "I love spending time with my mom, but I wouldn't consider her my best friend. Best friends don't pay for your wedding. Best friends don't remind you how they carried you in their body and gave you life! Best friends don't tell you how wise they are because they have been alive at least 20 years longer than you." This doesn't mean that the mother and daughter relationship can't be very close and satisfying. While some adult relationships are still troubled, many find them to be extremely rewarding. This generation of mothers and adult daughters has a lot in common which increases the likelihood of shared companionship. Mothers and daughters have always shared the common experience of being homemakers, responsible for maintaining and passing on family values and traditions. Today contemporary mothers and daughters also share the experience of the workforce and technology, which may bring them even closer together. Best friends may or may not continue to be best friends, but for better or worse, the mother and daughter relationship is permanent, even if for some unfortunate reason they aren't speaking. The mother and child relationship is closer than any other. There is not an equal relationship. Daughters should not feel responsible for their mother's emotional well-being. It isn't that they don't care deeply about their mothers. It's just that they shouldn't be burdened with their mother's well being. The mother and daughter relationship is a relationship that is not replaceable by any other. Mothers never stop being mothers, which includes frequently wanting to protect their daughters and often feeling responsible for their happiness. Mother always "trumps" friend. What is the best title for the passage? A. How to be a good mother and daughter B. Who is a mother's best friend? C. A friend in need is a friend indeed. D. Can a mother be a daughter's best friend? Answer: D. Can a mother be a daughter's best friend? Are you feeling blue? An American study suggests that being surrounded by happy friends and neighbours could have more of an effect on your happiness than money.That is the finding of researchers from Harvard University and the University of California at San Diego. Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler studied the emotional health of more than 4,700 people.They used information from the Framingham Heart Study.That study began sixty years ago in the American community of Framingham.Massachusetts.It was started to learn more about the risks of heart attack and stroke. For the new study,the researchers examined the emotions of the men and women in the Framingham Heart Study.The information was gathered from 1983 to 2003. The researchers found that friends of happy people had a greater chance of being happy themselves.That means that happiness spreads,or has a contagious effect,among people.And,the smaller the physical distance between friends,the larger the effect they had on each other's happiness. Sadness was also contagious among friends,but not as much as happiness.The researchers say social groups did not influence happiness as much as personal situations. However,people removed by as much as three degrees of separation still had an effect on one's happiness.The expression three degrees of separation means the friends of an individual's friends. In fact,persons with three degrees of separation had a greater effect on an individual's happiness than having five thousand dollars.The researchers say the study is historic because it shows that social effects on health can be spread among people. Another finding is that people who work together or are married do not have as much of an effect on happiness levels as friends.The researchers say this is often true among friends of the same sex. The report is about_. A. culture B. economy C. science D. technology Answer: C. science Computers are useful machines. They can help people a lot in their life. For example, they can help people save much time, and they can help people do hard work. Today more and more families have computers. Parents buy computers for their children. They hope computers can help their children improve their studies. But many of the children use computers to play games, watch movies or chat, instead of studying. Many teachers and parents _ that computers make children fall behind. So many parents don't allow their children to play computers again. In some other countries, even some scientists hate computers. They say computers let some people lose their jobs or bring them a lot of trouble. Will computers really bring trouble to people or can they bring people happiness? It will be up to people themselves. In this passage we know computers _ . A. also bring us trouble B. bring us happiness only C. are hated by people D. are bad for people's health Answer: A. also bring us trouble By now, we are all aware that social media has had a tremendous influence on our culture, in business, on the world-at-large. Social media websites revolutionized the way people communicate and socialize on the Web. However, aside from seeing your friends' new baby on Facebook, or reading about Justin Bieber's latest conflict with the law on Twitter, what are some of the real influences? Social networks offer the opportunity for people to re-connect with their old friends and acquaintances, make new friends, share ideas and pictures, and many other activities. Users can keep pace with the latest global and local developments, and participate in campaigns and activities of their choice. Professionals use social media sites like LinkedIn to enhance their career and business development. Students can work together with their peers to improve their academic and communication skills. Unfortunately, there are a few downsides too to social networking. If you are not careful, immoral people can target you for cyber bullying and disturbance on social sites. School children, young girls, and women can fall victim to online attacks which can create tension and suffering. If you are a victim of cyber bullying, do not take it lying down, but try to take appropriate legal action against the attacker. Many companies have blocked social networks as addicted employees can distract themselves on such sites, instead of focusing on work. In fact, studies show that British companies have lost billions of dollars per year in productivity because of social media addiction among employees. Also, what you carelessly post on the Net can come back to trouble you. Revealing( ) personal information on social sites can make users vulnerable to crimes like identity theft, stalking, etc. Many companies perform a background check on the Web before hiring an employee. If a potential employee has posted something embarrassing on social media, it can greatly affect their chances of getting the job. The same holds true for our relationships too, as our loved ones and friends may get to know if we post something undesirable on social networks. Social media has its advantages and drawbacks as each coin has two sides. It is up to each user to use social sites wisely to enhance their professional and social life, and exercise caution to ensure they do not fall victim to online dangers. Faced with problems caused by social media, some companies _ . A. take legal action against the attackers B. avoid posting embarrassing information C. refuse to hire potential addicted employees D. forbid the use of social networks during work time Answer: D. forbid the use of social networks during work time
In schools all over the world boys and girls are learning foreign languages. Everyone knows his own language , but knowing another one is very useful. If we go to England or the USA, we must be able to speak English. And in Japan people will expect us to understand Japanese. How many languages are there in the world? There are thousands of languages, but most of them are not very important, English is one of the most important languages because so many people use it, not only in England and the USA, but also in other parts of the world. About 300 million people speak it as their own language and another 200 million use it as a second language. It's difficult to say how many people are learning it. Million upon million of school children are trying to learn it. If you go to Japan, you must be able to speak _ . Answer: After the killer earthquake hit Sichuan Province on May 12, 2008, love and charity began spreading through China from all over the world. Rebuilding after the quake begins now, and it will last long into the future. First of all, the most important thing is to help the people in the disaster area take care of their mental health. Here are Professor Le's suggestions: Dos: Do have enough sleep every day. Do stay with your family and friends. Do treat yourself to healthy food. Don'ts: Don't hide your feelings. Don't feel shy to talk to others how you feel. Try to get them to understand you and they can help you. Don't run away when your relatives talk about their experience during the earthquake. Don't force yourself and your family to forget the disaster. But how long will it take to recover psychologically from the earthquake? "It depends on the person's character. They have to help themselves, which is more efficient than passively receiving comfort and sympathy from others," said Professor Le, a member of the Chinese Psychological Society. What's the main idea of Professor Le, a member of the Chinese Psychological Society? Answer: Heat transfer is part of everyday life. Which of these examples involving heat transfer occurs mainly by conduction? Answer: One day when the famous American scientist Edison was on his way home, a young man stopped him and required to have a word with him. Edison accepted his request. The young man asked, "How can you invent so many things and achieve your fame?" The scientist said, "It seems that you have been thinking of becoming famous every day." The young man nodded, "Yes. I have been dreaming of being a person as notable as you. Every minute I am thinking of how to become reputable. I don't know when I can achieve my fame (,)." Edison told him, "Don't worry, young man. If you want to be a famous man this way, you will have to wait until you die!" "Why should I?" the young man was puzzled. Edison said, "What you dream is actually a high building. You never think of how to build it with bricks . Thus the building will never come into reality . However, your story can serve as a mirror. People will remember you because of your illness and laziness. They will often speak of your name while they give warnings to their children. Aren't you a notorious person by then?" What happened to Edison when he was on his way home? Answer: Once a small boy lived on a farm which seemed so far away from everywhere. He needed to get up before the sun rose every morning to help his father on the farm. After an hour he could take a break for a while. Then he climbed up on the walls along the side of the farm. He could see a house with gold windows. "If they could afford gold windows, then there must be other nice things inside the house." He imagined how great it would be to live there. Then he promised himself, "Some day I will go there and see this wonderful place." One morning, his father would go to the town and told him to stay at home for a rest. Knowing that this was his chance, he took a sandwich and went across the field towards the house with the gold windows. As the afternoon went on, he began to realize how wrong he was. The house was much farther than he had expected. As he went near the house, he saw no gold windows but instead a place in need of painting. A small girl very close to his age came out of the poor house and stood there. He asked her if she had seen the house with the gold windows. The girl said, "Sure, I know." and invited him to sit on the porch . As he sat there, he looked back from where he just came. There he saw the sunset turned the windows of his house to gold! Now he understood that everyone had his own house with gold windows. When the boy knew he would stay alone, he thought it was a chance for him to _ . Answer:
Gordon Ramsay is one of prefix = st1 /Britain's best-known chefs. He is one of the only three chefs in the country to maintain three Michelin stars for their restaurant. Gordon was born in Scotlandbut was brought up inEnglandafter his family moved toStratford. He played football as a teenager for Oxford United Football Club's youth side and was spotted by a scout for Rangers. He became a professional player at the age of 15. After a knee injury that left him unable to regain full fitness, he was released from the club. At the age of 19 Ramsay now turned his hand to cookery. He worked under Marco Pierre White and Albert Roux in London and Guy Savoy and Joel Robuchon in Parisbefore becoming head chef of the newly-opened Aubergine restaurant in 1993. By 1996, the restaurant had been awarded two Michelin stars. In 1998 Ramsay opened his first own restaurant inChelsea. The restaurant gained three Michelin stars in 1999, making Ramsay the first Scot to gain the achievement. From there his empire has expanded rapidly, opening a lot of restaurants. Ramsay has published six books on cooking and also appeared in two documentaries --Boiling Pointin 1998 andBeyond Boiling Pointin 2000. The series showed that Ramsay is a hot-tempered man in the kitchen; he was seen yelling dirty words at his staff and throwing equipment around. Food critic Gill, who was famously fired from Ramsay'sChelsearestaurant, has said that Ramsay is "a wonderful chef, just a really second-rate human being". It can be learned from the passage that _ . Today's story is about Zhang Qian,a student from Beijing. He's now studying in the United States. He's living with an American family in New York. Today is the Dragon Boat Festival. It's 9: 00 a.m. and Zhang Qian's family are at home. His mom and aunt are making zongzi. His dad and uncle are watching the boat races on TV. Is Zhang Qian also watching the races and eating zongzi? It's 9: 00 p. m. in New York,and it's the night before the festival. But there isn't a Dragon Boat Festival in the US, so it's like any other night for Zhang Qian and his host family . The mother is reading a story to her young children. The father is watching a football game on TV. Zhang Qian is talking on the phone to his cousin in Beijing. Zhang Qian misses his family and wants to have his mom's delicious zongzi. Zhang Qian likes New York and his host family a lot, but there's still 'no place like home'. What does Zhang Qian think of his host family? Steve Fossett did not really look like an adventurer, but he reached some of the most difficult goals in sailing and flying. Fossett was most proud of being the first person to fly around the world alone in a hot-air balloon. To make a trip around the world alone, it was necessary to have an improvedautopilot device. Fossett had one of his team members develop a more advanced balloon autopilot that would allow him to sleep and do other tasks while flying safely. Steve Fossett attempted the hot-air balloon trip around the world six times. This was not easy to do. He flew in the balloon'scapsule that was too small to stand upright. During his fourth attempt in 1998, he was almost killed during a storm off the coast of Australia. He fell 9,000 meters into the Coral Sea with his balloon's capsule on fire. He was later rescued at sea. Fossett successfully made the trip in 2002. The trip started and ended in Australia. He traveled more than 33,000 kilometers for more than 14 days. On this flight, Fossett set other records including a speed record of 322 kilometers per hour. One main problem with earlier balloon flights was the threat of dangerous storms. A team of weather experts e-mailed and talked to Fossett by a satellite telephone to help him avoid such weather. Steve Fossett's hot-air balloon is now at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. It is there as an example for other people to try and succeed in doing something important to them. What did Steve Fossett specially prepare for the trip around the world? No quick change I would be the first to say that I am not materialistic. My friends regard me as a goody-goody . My parents say I am conservative and modest when it comes to clothes. I don't wear bikinis, and none of my skirts or shorts end above my knees. That is my choice. So why, why did I decide to buy that skirt? My family and I were in Target, and there it was, waiting - a skirt specifically designed not to cover anything. It was light brown and looked like something one of those anime schoolgirls would wear. I checked my purse. The skirt cost $10. I had the money. I could buy it. I imagined walking into school and my pals' jaws dropping. Guys would ask me out, and I would be happy. I could buy it - no, I should buy it. I showed my mother. She was surprised but said it was my decision. My sister looked on jealously. I went into the dressing room to try it on. I was so sure that this skirt would change me, somehow make me not what I am but what I wished to be. I slid my jeans off and put it on. Now for the decisive moment. I looked in the mirror. There I was - a girl in a Superman T-shirt and sneakers who didn't know how to make friends with others. Of course, the skirt had not changed me. It fit me well; that wasn't the problem. It might make me look good in the eyes of today's world. But it simply was not me. I am not a girl who wears cool clothes to fit in. My glasses fogged up as I started to cry. I took the thing off and went back into the comfort and safety of modesty. My mom knocked on the door. "Emily, are you okay?" I wiped away my tears. "I'm fine." I looked in the mirror again and saw a blond skinny girl with thick glasses and a ponytail . I saw myself. What is the main point of the article? People think of ice cream as an American food. Yet, ice cream really came from Asia. In the late 1200s Marco Polo, the great explorer, is said to have seen rich Asians eating dishes of ice. Camels had brought the ice from distant mountains. Before it was served, the ice had been flavored with fruits. Marco Polo brought this new dish to Italy, In France cooks changed the ice recipe and made ice cream. At first, cooks tried to keep the recipe a secret. They wanted it to be a special dish for rich people. By the late 1700s, though, ice cream was sold throughout Europe and America. Some great Americans loved ice cream. George Washington was the first to buy a special machine for making it. When Thomas Jefferson returned from France, he brought an ice cream recipe home with him. Dolly Madison, wife of President James Madison, also liked ice cream, and she often served it at the White House. Actually, a famous brand of ice cream was even named after her. In the late 1800s, the ice cream industry began to grow. A way of keeping ice cream frozen had been found, so ice cream makers did not have to worry about ice cream melting anymore. When did ice cream become well-known in many countries?
Question: Student Residences Banbury House Tel: 564839 Enjoy mixing with other students in comfortable accommodation ? 10 minutes' walk to the university district and close to all main bus stops. Single and double rooms. All cleaning services offered. Please bring your own bedding. Three Seasons Tel: 445987 We can provide all types of accommodations for all types of single students. Rooms are fully furnished with bedding and there are four bathrooms each floor. Meals provided. 20minutes' walk to the university and city center. First Stop Tel: 223300 Suitable for new students. We provide double rooms. If you wish, we can offer help in finding a suitable person to share a room with. All washing and cleaning services offered at extra charge. Large canteen and three bathrooms on each floor. Sturtin Hotel Tel: 876333 Located in pleasant countryside surroundings. We offer scenic views and old-world attractiveness. Relax after a long day by swimming in the pool or using the exercise gym. Separate study rooms; bar & restaurants available. No children. Downtown Digs Tel: 882312 Do you worry that you'll not have enough money to see the term through? Don't waste it on expensive housing. This is a hostel run by students. No references and no rules. Shared bathroom, dormitory accommodation. 30 minutes' walk to the university and city center. Hilton Hostel Tel: 846241 It is not quite the Hilton Hotel but all rooms are fully provided with meals, bedding and cleaning services included. 5minutes' walk to the university and bus stops to the city downtown. Minimum stay period of six months. Singles only. If you choose First Stop, you _ . A. have to cook yourself B. can choose your roommates C. can enjoy the washing services for free D. must share a room with others Answer: B Question: At a party, Diane and Victor agreed to play a game they called "spin the barrel." Victor took an unloaded revolver, placed one bullet in the barrel, and spun the barrel. Victor then pointed the gun at Diane's head and pulled the trigger once. The gun did not fire. Diane then took the gun, pointed it at Victor, spun the barrel, and pulled the trigger once. The gun fired, and Victor fell over dead. A statute in the jurisdiction defines murder in the first degree as an intentional and premeditated killing or one occurring during the commission of a common-law felony, and murder in the second degree as all other murder at common law. Manslaughter is defined as a killing in the heat of passion upon an adequate legal provocation or a killing caused by gross negligence. The most serious crime for which Diane can properly be convicted is A. murder in the first degree, because the killing was intentional and premeditated and, in any event, occurred during commission of the felony of assault with a deadly weapon. B. murder in the second degree, because Diane's act posed a great threat of serious bodily harm. C. manslaughter, because Diane's act was grossly negligent and reckless. D. no crime, because Victor and Diane voluntarily agreed to play a game and each assumed the risk of death. Answer: B Question: Welcome to our restaurant! We have many kinds of food and drinks here. We have fish, chicken, rice, eggs and vegetables for you to eat. We have apple juice, orange juice, milk and beer for you to drink. Many people come here for dinner every day. We have Sichuan food, Shandong food and Guangdong food. All these Chinese food are nice to eat. _ . Would you like to have some? Please come in. Our telephone number is 6821-8301. Many people come here for _ every day. A. dinner B. lunch C. breakfast D. drinking Answer: A Question: The morning was cold and clear. A yellow bus came around the corner and stopped near a wood . A coach asked the students to get off the bus. Girls began to gather by the starting line. One of them is a young, little girl. She had prepared for this running race for the whole summer. She looked around at the other girls, noticing how she was different. There was a break in the silence, and everyone started to run. After about twenty-five minutes, every runner finished the race except the girl. She was still running for the next forty minutes. As she came near the finishing line, she saw her parents, classmates and the coach. They shouted her name and told her not to stop until the end. The sweat was flowing down her face. She kept on running until she crossed the line. I was that girl, and that was the first time I had finished a cross-country race . Finishing this race made me realize that I could do anything with my own strength. After that, I took more hard work to practice running. I was not a natural-born runner, but I want to become one. I continued to struggle with every run. Now I run much faster than before and become more and more confident. I am so thankful for running because it has helped make me who I am today. From the sentence "I was not a natural-born runner", we learn that the writer _ . A. wasn't good at running B. didn't like running C. ran faster than anyone D. couldn't run when she was born Answer: A Question: The terrible college entrance exam is not only a big challenge for Chinese high school students,but also a very important exam in the lives of South Korean students.Although the long,cold winter has already started in South Korea.the annual national exams have made the atmosphere very heated. More than 675,000 South Korean high school graduates took the college entrance exam last Wednesday.They usually take exams in Korean,maths,sociology,history and foreign languages. Officially there is one college place for every 1.33 students.But because all the students want to go to the top universities in the country,the competition can reach one place for 10 students.The students want to attend these colleges for both their famous names and better job opportunities. Because students face fierce competition,they have to study very hard to realize their dreams.park Seung said he and his classmates often go to school before 7:30 in the morning.After school has finished at 6:30 P.m,most of them go to the library to continue their study instead of returning home.Since many libraries in South Korea are open 24 hours a day,they often stay long into the night Many of the Senior 3 students only sleep for three to four hours a day. "I feel a lot of pressure.but I have to study very hard in order to make my dream come true.This is my lifetime goal and it will be a turning point in my life which could decide my future,"Park said. The exam day is a very serious day for the whole of South Korea.Vehicles are not allowed within a 200-metre radius of all the test sites to make sure the students have quiet surroundings.Noises are forbidden,even airplanes are ordered to avoid landing and take-off near the test sites during listening comprehension test hours. Students are told their scores in December before they apply for college.This is followed by face-to-face oral tests.There are public and private universities in South Korea .Many private universities are well-known, but their fees can be 18,000 yuan each term.This has made a lot of students think again. We can infer that there are almost_college places for high school graduates. A. 675,000 B. 507,520 C. 400,000 D. 600,000 Answer: B
"Mind your own business." we're told."Don't talk about others behind their backs."The problem with this advice is that,not only is it unrealistic,it's also counterproductive . Common sense holds that gossip hurts people's feelings and damages relationships.But recent research shows the opposite--that strong communities and relationships between people would be impossible without gossip. Gossip is a way for people to let you know the limits of social behavior."If you move into a community and your neighbor tells you how the former homeowner never dealt with his rubbish properly,his gossip is letting you in on something,"says Dr.Ralph Rosnow of Temple University."Gossip says:these are the boundaries and you are crossing them.You're not _ the rules and you'd better get back in line." Seen this way,gossip is a way to communicate criticism without conflict ,giving you a chance to change your behavior without losing face. On the other hand,what about ill-willed gossip,the kind that puts other people down? Gossip is hearing something we like about someone we don't and,in nearly every country in the world,gossip magazines have huge numbers of readers.According to researchers,however,this kind of gossip also has a good side because it helps us put our own problems in perspective ."If we read bad news about well-known people,or get the frightful details of our neighbors' bad situation over a cup of coffee,our own problems begin to pale in comparison ,"says Dr.Jack Levin of Northeastern University. However,that doesn't mean that gossip is necessarily a good thing,either.Researchers found that people who gossip a lot tend to feel like they're under a lot of stress.This might be because while they're busy talking about other people,they're also busy thinking what other people are saying about them. What is the purpose of the text? Answer: To recognize certain positive functions of gossip. Ask a question! Email it to Letters@Highlights.com. Gift Giving I'm going to China and everyone in my class is asking me to buy them something. What should I do? Reply from the Highlights Editor: Your classmates are probably just excited about your trip. Most likely they don't expect you to buy gifts for everyone. Sending a few postcards to the entire class during your trip would be a wonderful way to share your experiences. The pictures on the cards and your words of description will be the best gift of all. Dog Begging My dog always begs for food at the dinner table. I really want to feed him, but my mom says I can't. I'm afraid he won't like me anymore. What should I do? Reply from the Highlights Editor: Your dog loves you for many more reasons than just for what you feed him. You can show him that you care about him by playing with him, by petting him and speaking kindly to him and by making sure he has fresh water. It might be best if your dog is not near the dinner table while you are eating. You could teach him to stay in another room. Being Bilingual My aunt insists that we speak our language(Tagalog) at home and English outside the house. Do you think she is right? Reply from the Highlights Editor: It is a great gift to have someone in your family who is willing to take the time to teach you another language. It's a good way to keep family traditions alive, and it helps develop your language skills. Your ability to use both English and Tagalog will help you learn a third and fourth language later in life. So it sounds like a great idea! According to the Highlights editor, if your dog begs for food at the dinner table, you'd better _ . Answer: teach him to stay in another room Attention to detail is something everyone can and should do-especially in tight job market. Bob Crossley,a human-resources expert notices this in the job applications that come across his desk every day."It's amazing how many candidates eliminate themselves,"he says."Resumes arrive with faults.Some candidates don't bother to spell the company's name correctly.Once I see a mistake,I refuse the candidates,"Crossley concludes,"If they cannot take care of these details,why should we trust them with a job?" Can we pay too much attention to details?Absolutely not. Perfectionists struggle over little things instead of something larger they work toward."To keep from losing the forest for the trees,"says Charles Garfield,the professor at the University of California,San Francisco,"We must constantly ask ourselves how the details we're working will influence the larger picture.If they don't,we should drop them and move to something else." Garfield compares this process to his work as a computer scientist at NASA."The Apollo II moon launch was slightly off-course 90percent of the time,"says Garfield."But a successful landing was still likely because we knew the exact position of our goal.This allowed us to make adjustments as necessary."Knowing where to go helps us judge the importance of every task we undertake. Again and again,we see that by doing little things within our grasp well,large rewards follow. From the passage,we can infer that a perfectionist will . Answer: pay attention to details more than their major goals People around the world drink about 180 billion liters of soda a year. That translates to more than 29 liters per person. Experts say the amount of carbonated soft drinks we consume is growing. New research from the American Heart Association finds that drinking soda, even diet soda, may significantly increase your risk for heart disease. Dr. Ramachandran Vasan led the study. "Drinking just one or more sodas a day may not be as innocuous as people think." In a large study of 9,000 people, doctors discovered that those who drank one or more sodas a day had a 30% increased risk for obesity , a 25% increase in the risk for abnormal blood sugar levels, and a 32% increase in the odds of having low levels of good cholesterol . All of these factors increase the risk for heart disease. And there was no difference in the results for those who drank diet soda over regular soda. It's something that surprised even the researchers. Critics of the study say diet soda may not be the cause of increased risk of heart disease. Connie Diekman is president of the American Dietetic Association. "It does not conclusively say that this will cause that." In other words, it could be that unhealthy people like soda. Dr. Vasan found those who drink soda generally tend to have greater caloric intake. They eat more saturated fat and trans fats. They also eat less fiber and exercise less. Diet soda drinkers may also share this unhealthy lifestyle. Dr. Vasan agrees that the link he found between heart disease risk and diet soda needs additional study. According to the study, which of the following is true? Answer: Both regular and diet sodas can probably increase the risk for heart disease. There is an interesting, but at the same time a sad phenomenon now: there is a rise in the number of singers and bands that have little to do with good music.Many singers or bands know little about what good music means.What is the cause of this rise? Most of these singers have taken music as a "job" because it is a good source of making money.And if you have a good appearance and also expensive clothes to show off at your concerts or at different appearances in public, then your voice is not as important as it should be.The public will prefer to admire more the most interesting parts of your body, whether you are a girl or a boy.They will even forget about the fact that you are there to show your music skills, not your dancing, which is important too, but not at such a high level. Therefore, we can see many young girls on TV who look very good but who have nothing to do with music.They choose to wear very provocative clothes to catch attention, but when it comes to singing they are a complete mess and one doesn't need to have an ear for music to notice their lack of talent.But anyway, they have concerts and they enjoy travelling from one place to another.It is the public's fault because they accept this and are pleased with this commercial music.People who enjoy this kind of music are generally young people while adults prefer listening to old good bands. However, the young generation should understand while appearance is important, it is less important than talent and a good voice.If somebody has a great voice and wants to become a singer, he should take some special courses in this area, because they will help them improve singing abilities. What kind of article does this passage belong to? Answer: entertainment
We are looking for teachers for our private secondary school in Nigeria. This is a Christian school and we are looking for Christian teachers. Accommodations are provided and salaries can be discussed. Volunteers are welcome to apply but those with teaching qualifications and experience will be first chosen. Subjects: English, French or Art. Those who teach other subjects are also welcome. Applicant 1 Modupe Bvuma I have a master's degree in Managerial Psychology and know a little French. I'm looking for a job either as a teacher or as a personnel manager. I'm a Christian and live in Nigeria, Africa and I'd be glad to be given the opportunity. Applicant 2 Rachel Moore I'm an Australian and have experience in working with children in the local church, although I don't believe in Jesus. I have bachelor's degrees in both Art and Education. I have _ my job with my pupils and now have settled in Nigeria, Africa to look for a job teaching English or French. Applicant 3 Mwanyimi Bushabu I've been in Africa for 5 years as a banker. It is advantageous for me to teach French at your school since it's my mother tongue, I am a Church member and promise I shall keep the Christian standards at your school. Applicant 4 Freddie Matthews I am to graduate from the University of Nottingham, England. I have gained teaching experience by tutoring children in lots of families and will have a teaching qualification. I'm interested in your job. Applicant 5 Adelaide White I am an Egyptian living in San Francisco, the USA. I'm a Christian. I have been a teacher of English and French for 12 years. I am currently an advisor in schools. Besides my master's degree, my post bachelor's degree is in Pupils Personnel Service Credentials. I want to return to my continent. Which of the following statements is TRUE? It is not probable for Rachel Moore to be employed as a teacher by the school. The world itself is becoming much smaller by using modern traffic and modern communication. Life today is much easier than it was hundreds of years ago, but it has brought new problems. One of the biggest problems is pollution. To pollute means to make things dirty. Pollution comes in many ways. We see it, smell it, drink it and even eat it. Man has been polluting the earth. The more people, the more pollution. Many years ago, the problems was not so serious because there were not so many people. When the land was used up or the river was dirty in one place, man moved to another place. But this is no longer true. Man is now slowly polluting the whole world. Air pollution is still the most serious. It's bad for all living things in the world, but it is not the only one kind of pollution. Water pollution kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us angry more easily. Many countries are making rules to fight pollution. They stop people from burning coal in houses and factories in the city, and from putting dirty smoke into the air. Pollution by SO2 is now the most dangerous kind of air pollutions. It is caused by heavy traffic. We are sure that if there are fewer people driving there will be less air pollution. The earth is our home. We must take care of it. That means keeping the land, water and air clean. And we must take care of the rise in pollution at the same time. : Pollution comes in may ways. We can even hear it. Here "it" means _ . noise pollution Many parents try hard to protect their kids from TV and Internet advertising. But how can you protect a child from a large fast-food ad painted on her school locker ? Or a toy ad on the side of his school bus? As school budgets get smaller, a growing number of schools in the US are selling, advertising space on lockers and buses and in gyms or cafeterias. It is an easy way for schools to make money. And ads may provide relief for parents exhausted by making cash donations to support schools. While parents can always turn off the televisions or the computers, they can't keep advertising out of schools. This isn't the first time the issue has come up. For example, a news program for teens has been criticized for including ads in its 12-minute classroom broadcasts. And parents' groups successfully fought a plan by a company called Bus Radio to put music and ads into school buses. But now things are different. Just last month, Los Angeles approved a plan to allow companies to advertise in the district's schools. Officials say the plan could provide as much as $18 million for the schools. In St. Francis, Minn., schools recently agreed to cover 10% to 15% of their lockers with ads. Time says. Edward Saxton, a teacher in the school, says, "So far, parents are accepting this as a way to bring in needed money. The money pays for programs like arts, sports and music. Parents don't like to see programs getting cut. Neither do I. Besides, schools are thinking about the effects on kids all the time." However, Susan Linn, an educational expert, says, "Kids have already seen enough ads on TV, in magazines and the products they use daily. School is no place for advertisements at all." Readers, what about you? Would you rather help run yet another school fundraiser, or expose your child to ads on lockers and buses? Is keeping ads out of schools worth raising taxes, or increasing your own cash support for school through donations? Who are the intended readers of the text? Parents. Copenhagen is a city full of fairy tales . If you want to _ it, you have to spend a long time and walk slower to enjoy yourself. Copenhagen was the first city to have a street for walkers only. The city has less traffic noise and pollution than any other European capital. Walking along the river banks, you'll see the Amalienborg Palace first. The king's family is living there. Churches and castles show us the original city. Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark in 1445. But fires in 1728 and 1795 completely destroyed the old wooden buildings. Much of what we see today dates back to the 19th and early 20th centuries. Keep going, and you'll see the Christiansborg Palace. The town of Copenhagen began there. The you'll see Nyhavn ,a waterway, which was dug in 1673. When you see it, you'll understand why Hans Christian Andersen made this beautiful waterway his home. Nyhavn is a peaceful and wonderful place. You'll usually see some rich people walk along here. If you walk there, you can enjoy the old trees, the colorful lights and the beautiful gardens. You might feel as if you were in a fairy tale. We can Not see _ in Copenhagen today. the old wooden buildings Promised yourself to quit smoking in the new year, but just can't stop lighting up? You're not alone, with an Australian survey showing that only 3 percent of smokers who made such resolutions stuck with them. An online poll of just over 1,000 people, conducted ahead of the launch of a video game designed to help smokers quit, showed one in four Australians made New Year's resolutions to quit ---- but more than half went back on their word within a week.Some 15 percent lit up within hours of making the pledge, the survey showed, The research revealed that seven out of ten smokers have tried to kick the habit at some point. "Our research shows that the majority of smokers in Australia want to quit but are struggling to stick to their resolution.For most people, the desire to stop smoking is not enough, "Edward Fong, general manager of Ubisoft, the videogame manufacturer selling the anti-- smoking software, said in a statement. According to the survey, Australian smokers light up an average of 13.8 cigarettes every day or 5,037 cigarettes a year.There are currently 2.63 million smokers in Australia, which equates to 16 percent of the population over the age of 18, with women on average making more attempts to quit than men.The World Health Organization says smoking kills about 4 million people each year, causing a quarter of deaths related to heart disease.The organization estimates that by 2030, more than 8 million people will die from tobacco - related causes each year, mainly in developing countries. What is the population over the age of 18 in Australia? 16.44 million.
England has been the birthplace of most of the great English-language theater written throughout history. Most of the plays in England that are truly famous have something in common. They usually come from a playwright with several famous plays. Shakespeare William Shakespeare is considered the most famous British playwright. Shakespeare has a large catalog of tragedies, comedies and history plays, and each category is home to some of the most famous plays ever written. _ are all tragedies and performed in theaters around the world every year. Famous comedies include A Midsummer Night's Dream and Much Ado About Nothing. In the history category, Richard III and Henry V are very famous. Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw Several hundred years after Shakespeare, English people began to enjoy the works of Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw. Wilde's plays are still popular now, and The Importance of Being Earnest is both performed and studied extremely frequently. A Woman of No Importance and An Ideal Husband are among his other famous works. Shaw and Wilde were born within a few years of each other, but Shaw was a much more productive writer. His most famous plays include Pygmalion and Candida. Shaw's plays are loved so much that an entire theater company is devoted to performing his work in Niagara-on-the-Lake in southern Ontario. Harold Pinter The plays of Harold Pinter certainly have an international presence. His writing was so widely recognized for its importance that he was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 2005. Pinter is especially known for his style of writing. Many of his plays such as Betrayal, The Dumb Waiter and his first play, The Room, are extremely well known. Who was mentioned in this passage that he had received the Nobel Prize because of his writing? A William Shakespeare. B Oscar Wilde. C George Bernard Shaw. D Harold Pinter. Answer: D Geniuses amaze us,impress us and make us all a little jealous. How do they differ from the average person?Scientists are working hard to figure out that answer. Tune in to the National Geographic Channel to find out about the discoveries they're making in the series My Brilliant Brain. When Marc Yu was only two years old,he began to play the piano. After a year, he started learning pieces by Beethoven. Now he's a world-famous concert pianist at age eight. He learns newer and more difficult pieces with ease and can identify any note he hears. He seems to be specially designed for music. In Born Genius, National Geographic looks at the science behind child prodigies to explain why some children seem to be born without limits. _ His came only after he nearly died from bleeding in his brain. After recovering, McHugh's head was filled with new thoughts and picture. So, he began to express them in the form of poetry and art. Now, he's a seemingly unstoppable creative machine. Suffers of brain injury have shown that great mental ability can sometimes come from damage or disease. Accidental Genius explores this puzzling relationship. Can normal people be trained to be geniuses? Susan Polger has shown no sign of extraordinary intelligence. Yet, during her childhood, she studied thousands of chess patterns and learned to recognize them immediately. As a result, she was able to beat skilled adult players by age 10 and can now play up to five games at the same time without even seeing the boards. Make Me a Genius examines what is takes to turn an ordinary brain into that of a genius. If becoming a genius were easy, we'd all be done. Yet, there is much more to super intelligence than simply being born lucky. Learn more about amazing brains this month on National Geographic's My Brilliant Brain. The passage may come from _ . A a report B a novel C a TV program D a newspaper Answer: C Welcome. You have just entered the largest online museum on the Internet. A work in progress, steadily expanding with thousands of high quality images of the greatest paintings and sculpture in history, the Art Renewal Center is building an encyclopedic collection of essays, biographies and articles by top scholars in the field. ARC is the Eye of the Storm, at the core, hub and center of a major cultural shift in the art world. With a growing body of experts, we are setting standards to become ARC Approved for artists, art schools, systems of training, museum exhibitions and historical scholarship, to bring guidance, direction, goals and reality to an art establishment that has been sailing rudderless for nearly a hundred years. Additionally, the Art Renewal Center is a non-profit educational organization committed to refreshing standards of craftsmanship and excellence. Only by gaining a full command of the skills of the past masters can we create the masters of tomorrow. This is a step forward for our culture. Experimentation and creativity can only succeed and prosper(......) when built on a solid foundation of past accomplishments, with the tools which can make artists realize their visions. Nothing has been more restricting and weakening than the theories of modernism, which got rid of these tools, along with the skills to employ them. We are providing a forum for artists, scholars, collectors and the public to appreciate great art, and to recognize that they're not alone in their doubts about the emptiness of modern and postmodern art. These doubts are fully justified by the overwhelming body of evidence and historical facts. What's the purpose of the forum for artists, scholars, collectors and the public? A To get the information of great arts all over the world. B To help evaluate great arts and encourage to develop modern arts. C To show the doubts of the public and resist the exhibition. D To offer enough room to complain about what they are dissatisfied with. Answer: B Jimmy is an automotive mechanic, but he lost his job a few months ago. He has a good heart,but always afraid to apply for a new job. One day, he gathered up all his strength and decided to attend a job interview. His appoint--ment was at 10 a.m. and it was already 8:30. While waiting for a bus, he saw an elderly man wildly kicking the tyre of his car. Obviously there was something wrong with the car. Jimmy immediately went up to lend him a hand. When Jimmy finished working on the car, the old man askedhim how much he should pay for the service. Jimmy said there was no need to pay him; he just helped someone in need, and he had to rush for an interview. Then the old man said,"Well, Icould take you to the office for your interview. It's the least I could do. Please, I insist."Jimmy agreed. Upon arrival, Jimmy found a long line of applicants waiting to be interviewed. Finally his name was called. The interviewer was sitting on a large chair facing the office window. Rocking the chair back and forth, he asked,"Do you really need to be interviewed?"Jimmy's heart sank."With the way I look now, how could I possibly pass this interview?"He thought to himself. Then the interviewer turned the chair and to Jimmy's surprise, it was the old man he helped earlier in the morning. "Sorry I had to keep you waiting, but I was pretty sure I made the right decision to have you as part of our workforce before you even stepped into this office. I just know you'd be a trustworthy worker. Congratulations!"Jimmy sat down and they shared a cup of well-deserved coffee . Why did Jimmy apply for a new job? A He was out of work. B He was bored with his job. C He wanted a higher position. D he hoped to find a better boss. Answer: A If you go to Brisbane, Australia, you can easily get a small book called Discover Brisbane free. The book tells you almost everything in Brisbane: the restaurants, the shops, the cinemas, the streets, the buses, the trains, the banks, etc. Here is something about banks on page 49: ANZ Banking Group Cnr. Greek && Queen Sts .................. 228 3228 Bank of New Zealand 410 Queen Street ........................... 221 0411 Bank of Queensland 229 Elizabeth Street ........................ 229 3122 Commonwealth Banking Group 240 Queen Street ........................... 237 3111 National Australia Bank Ltd 225 Adelaide Street ........................ 221 6422 Westpac Banking Corp 260 Queen Street ........................... 227 2666 Banking hours are Mon.-Thu. 9:30 am to 4 pm. Fri. 9:30 am to 5 pm. All banks close Sat. Sun. && Public Holidays. Australia has a decimal currency with 100 cents to the dollar. Notes available are: $100, $50, $20, $10, $5 Gold coins are: $2 && $1 Silver coins are: 50, 20, 10&&5 cent Copper coins are: 2 && 1 cent You can find ANZ Banking Group on _ . A Queen Street B Elizabeth Street C the corner of Greek Street and Queen Street D the corner of Queen Street and Elizabeth Street Answer: C
For the first time, scientists have found a planet beyond the solar system that not only is the same size as Earth, but has the same proportions of iron and rock, a key step in an ongoing quest to find potentially habitable sister worlds. The planet, known as Kepler-78b, circles a star that is slightly smaller than the sun located in the constellation Cygnus , about 400 light years away. Kepler-78b was discovered last year with NASA's now-idled Kepler space telescope, which detected potential planets as they circled in front of their parent stars, blocking a bit of light. That measurement not only revealed that Kepler-78b was ly small, with a diameter just 20 percent larger than Earth's, but that it was practically orbiting on the surface of its host star. Scientists do not know how the planets ended up so close to their host stars. While the planet's presumably molten surface and hot temperatures make it ill-suited for life, two independent teams of astronomers jumped at the opportunity to follow up the discovery with ground-based measurements to try to determine the density of Kepler-78b. In two papers in this week's journal Nature, the teams report that not only were they successful, but that they came to the same conclusion: Kepler-78b has roughly the same density as Earth, suggesting that it also is made primarily of rock and iron. Kepler-78b is among a dozen or so recently discovered small planets that orbit very close to their parent stars. Kepler-78b, for example, completes an orbit in just 8.5 hours. The word " density" in the text suggests a measurement of the planet's _ . thickness Proudly reading my words, I glanced around the room, only to find my classmates bearing big smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes. Confused, I glanced toward my stonefaced teacher. Having no choice, I slowly raised the report I had read carefully, hoping to hide myself. "What could be causing everyone to act this way?" Quickly, I flashed back to the day Miss Lancelot gave me the task. This was the first real task I received in my new school. It seemed simple: go on the Internet and find information about a man named George Washington. Since my idea of history came from an ancient teacher in my home country, I had never heard of that name before. As I searched the name of this fellow, it became evident that there were two people bearing the same name who looked completely different! One invented hundreds of uses for peanuts, while the other led some sort of army across America. I stared at the screen, wondering which one my teacher meant. I called my grandfather for a golden piece of advice: flip a coin. Heads--the commander, and tails--the peanuts guy. Ah! Tails,my report would be about the great man who invented peanut butter, George Washington Carver. Weeks later, standing before this unfriendly class, I was totally lost. Oh well, I lowered the paper and sat down at my desk, burning to find out what I had done wrong. As a classmate began his report, it all became clear,"My report is on George Washington, the man who started the American Revolution." The whole world became quiet! How could I know that she meant that George Washington? Obviously, my grade was awful. Heartbroken but fearless, I decided to turn this around. I talked to Miss Lancelot, but she insisted: No redos; no new grade. I felt that the punishment was not fair, and I believed I deserved a second chance. Consequently, I threw myself heartily into my work for the rest of the school year. Ten months later, that chance unfolded as I found myself sitting in the headmaster's office with my grandfather, now having an entirely different conversation. I smiled and flashed back to the embarrassing moment at the beginning of the year as the headmaster informed me of my opinion to skip the sixth grade. Justice is sweet! What did the author's classmates think about his report? Ridiculous Just when scientists think they have discovered and recorded every species of insect that crawls on the earth they find something new.Earlier this month, Peter Jager, the head of Frankfurt's Senckenberg Research Institute reported the discovery of a unique eyeless spider! The creature that has a leg span of six centimeters and a body size of just twelve millimeters was found in a cave inside the tiny nation of Laos, in Southeast Asia. It was identified as a member of the Huntsman spider, a large family that consists of 1100 species.However, the other members of the family all have eyes.The spider is the first one that has no eyes.The scientists believe that the reason for the lack of eyes can be that these spiders spend their entire life inside caves.In the past they have seen other members of the Huntsman spiders living in caves with six or less eyes.They believe that the kind of spider has adapted to the fact that they do not really need the eyes to such an extreme measure that they have _ them altogether. But they are not the only creature to have done that.Over the years, scientists have discovered completely blind cave fish, and even a freshwater crab, which happens to live in the same cave as this eyeless spider! Surrounded by Burma and China on the northwest, Vietnam on the east, Cambodia on the South and Thailand on the west, the landlocked nation of Laos has been a treasure trove of an incredible number of new and exotic species.In the last few years researchers have discovered the Saola -- never-before seen antelope-like creature, a small deer species called muntjacs, a tiny striped rabbit and a rock rat that was thought to have been extinct 11 million years ago.In addition to that it is also home to over one hundred species of large mammals ranging from tigers to macaques and over 165 species of amphibians and reptiles like the terrible King cobra and the noisy Tokay gecko, a permanent resident inside most Laos households. From the passage we can know _ . Tokay gecko is common in Laos A Groundbreaking Event It was an unforgettable field trip. Twenty-six fifth-graders from George Bancroft Elementary School, in Washington, D.C., went to the White House on Friday. They used shovels, rakes and wheelbarrows to help First Lady Michelle Obama break ground on a new vegetable garden. This White House garden is the first since World War II. In the 1940s, First lady Eleanor Roosevelt planted a White House "Victory Garden" to encourage Americans to grow gardens at home. Mrs. Obama's new garden is an L-shaped patch near the fountain on the South Lawn. Vegetables to be planted include lettuce, peas, collard greens, onions and spinach. A herb garden will grow garlic, sage and cilantro. These herbs are used in Mexican food, an Obama family favourite. White House chefs will prepare meals for the First Family with food from the garden and some of the produce will be donated to Miriam's Kitchen, a soup kitchen near the White House. Health food is important to Mrs. Obama. She said that the purpose of the garden is to make sure that her family, the White House staff, and guests eat fresh vegetables. Mrs. Obama has also said that she hopes the new White House garden will help educate Americans about the importance of fresh, nutritious food at a time when obesity is a national crisis. A diet high in natural, unprocessed foods helps people maintain a healthy weight. Mrs. Obama said she has found that her daughters, Malia, 16, and Sasha, 13, like vegetables more if they have been involved in growing them. "If they have been involved in planting and picking the vegetables, they are much more curious about giving them a try," she said. When Bancroft students go back to the White House this summer they will get to taste the vegetables they helped to grow. After they help to harvest the crops, they will cook them in the White House kitchen and then eat them. What did the Bancroft students do outside the White House? They helped First Lady Michelle Obama to plant a garden. Do you know that you can lose weight just by eating? If someone tells you that the only way to burn fat and lose weight is by eating like a mouse, you know it is not right. Now you can lose weight by eating the right kinds of foods in the right way! Diet pills or fiber ? Diet pills, while helping you control your appetite , come with several harmful side effects. To tell the truth, when you use them, you lose more than you gain! Here is a healthier and more natural way: increase your fiber intake. Natural fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber. These foods help keep you full for a long time so that you don't feel hungry too often. Apart from vegetables and fruits, nuts and whole grains are other foods which are rich in fiber! Soft drinks or water? If you feel thirsty, you may either drink lots of soft drinks or water. Here is an interesting fact about soft drinks: since they are rich in sugar, they not only make you fatter but also in-crease your thirst, so that you are forced to drink more of them! Not so with water! It has no unhealthy side effects! Water also cleanses your body of all harmful things and waste products, making it easier for your body to burn fat and lose weight! A large plate or a small one? We all know how important it is to eat less for the purpose of weight loss. Here is one funny thing to note: if you put very little food on a large plate, your brain will think that you have eaten less than your requirement, even though that may not be the case. However, put that same food on a smaller plate, and you will feel completely full! You may not believe it, but this is a fact. In order to feel full, you need to satisfy not only your stomach but also your eyes! Which of the following is a good way to lose weight according to the text? Having a good diet.
Poor Oral Health Leads to Social and Emotional Problems A new report says nearly four-billion people have major tooth decay, or cavities. That number represents more than half of the world's population. Health officials are warning that failure to repair cavities can lead to social and emotional problems. Wagner Marcenes is with the Institute of Dentistry at Queen Mary, University of London. He led a team of researchers as part of the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study. About 500 researchers attempt to collect and examine studies about all major diseases. They used the information to estimate rates of the infection. The report says untreated tooth decay is the most common of all 291 major diseases and injuries. Professor Marcenes says cavities or holes in permanent teeth are also known as caries. "Caries is a chronic disease that shares the same risk factors as cancer, cardiovascular disease. What we're having now is an increase in disease from highly developed countries happening in sub-Saharan Africa and probably it will be in other areas of Africa, too." He says an increase in tooth decay in Africa could be a result of developing countries becoming more like Western nations. "It is likely to be related to a change in diet. Our industrialized diet leads to chronic disease, which includes caries. And that may be the main explanation." Western diets are rich in sugar, a leading cause of health problems in the mouth. Wagner Marcenes says oral health problems can have a major effect on a person's quality of life. First, cavities make eating difficult. Second, people may change what they eat. They may eat softer foods that are not hard to chew. However, softer foods are often fattier foods. But professor Marcenes says the biggest issue in tooth decay is both social and mental. He says the researchers found strong evidence that the mouth has a big influence on socialization. He says many people want to hide bad teeth. They smile less and communicate less. Wagner Marcenes is calling for an "urgent, organized, social response" to the widespread lack of oral health. He believes in a natural method to fight tooth decay by having a healthier diet. He is also calling for the development of new and less costly dental materials and treatments. What is the writer's attitude towards tooth decay? Answer: There is a lot of misunderstanding about studying. Most students have not been taught the principles behind really effective working. Imagine a graph showing the amount a person learns against the number of hours he works in a day. If he doesn't do any work, he learns nothing (point 0). If he does an hour's work he learns a certain amount (point 1). If he does two hours' work he learns about twice as much (point 2). If he does more work he'll learn still more (point 3). However, if he tries to do twenty-three and a half hours' work in a day, he will be so tired that he'll hardly remember anything: what he learns will be very little (point 4). If he did less work he'd learn more (point 5). Now whatever the exact shape of the graph's curve , made by joining these points, it must have a high point. Point "X" is the very maximum anyone can learn in the day. And this represents the optimum , the best, amount of work to do. It is the best possible compromise between adequate time at the books and fatigue . Fatigue is an absolutely real thing; one can't escape it or ignore it. If you try to ignore it and press yourself to work past the optimum, you will only get on this downward slope and achieve less than the best - and then become very tired and lose your power of concentration. The skill in being a student consists of getting one's daily study as near the optimum point as possible. I cannot tell you what the optimum is. It differs with the type of work, it differs from person to person, and even in the same person it varies from week to week. You must try to find your own. Every day you study, bear this principle of the optimum in mind. When you feel yourself getting fatigued, if you find yourself reading the same paragraph over and over again and not taking it in, that's a pretty good sign you've reached your highest point for the day and should stop. Most ordinary students find their optimum at five hours a day. Yours may be a little more or a little less - but if you get in five hours' good work a day, you will be doing well. Now, what are you doing with yourself when you aren't working? Before examinations some students do nothing at all except sit in a chair and worry. Here is another misunderstanding. People often think that the mind works like the body; it does not. If one wanted to save one's physical energy in order to cut the maximum amount of firewood, one would lie flat on a bed and rest when one wasn't chopping. But the mind cannot rest. Even in sleep you dream, even if you forget your dreams. The mind is always turning. It gets its relaxation only by variety. That is what makes the mind rest. When you've finished your optimum number of hours you must stop. You must not then sit around in the chair thinking about the work - that only tires without any learning. You must get out and do something. It doesn't matter what - anything so long as you are actively doing something else but work. The only way the mind can relax is by _ . Answer: A pot of cold water was heated on a stove until the water boiled. Which of the following best explains why the water was able to boil? Answer: Aava Whistler Hotel Star Ratings: Location: Whistler Rooms:192 Stay at the Aava Whistler Hotel (formerly Coast Whistler Hotel) and experience a great vacation. The Aava Whistler Hotel is within minutes from over a hundred shopping malls and restaurants. It also has a great number of recreational facilities,including swimming,diving and even skiing. Hotel services include 24-hour reception,laundry and room service. Guests can stay in cozy rooms equipped with air-conditioning, bathroom and television. From CN Y=496 per night. Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel Star Ratings: Location: East Lundy's Lane Room:l66 Relax and unwind at the Best Western Cairn Hotel. This resort-style hotel is located just minutes from the airport. At the Best Western Cairn Croft, guests can enjoy a large number of recreational facilities,including children's activities, sightseeing and a swimming pool. Business travelers can also take advantage of spacious meeting and banqueting facilities for hosting corporate events. All rooms come with basic amenities . From CNY=439 per night. Clarion Hotel&Suites Downtown Montreal Star Ratings: Location:Montreal Rooms:266 Conveniently located just 20 minutes from the airport, the Clarion Hotel&Suite Downtown Montreal is a moderately-priced three-star hotel that provides services to both business and leisure travelers. The Clarion has spacious meeting facilities and modern business centers for business travelers. It also has a sauna and whirlpool where guest can relax. All rooms come with basic amenities, including cable TV and a kitchenette. From CNY=553 per night. Delta Bow Valley Hotel Star Ratings: Location:Calgary Rooms:398 The Delta Bow Valley Hotel is located a couple of blocks north of Olympic Plaza, east of James Short Park, and north-east of the Petro-Canada Centre. Apart from business and recreational services such as a business centre,fitness centre and restaurant, all rooms in the Delta come with a mini bar and in-house movies. From CNY=l,227 per night. Which hotel offers facilities for children's activities? Answer: Ronald Hoffman born in 1937 is Polish-born American organic chemist and Nobel laureate . As a theoretical chemist, Hoffmann studied energy levels in chemical bonds during chemical reactions. He put computers to use to solve his problems and, despite the complexity of his research, was able to explain his theories and discoveries to the non-specialist. For his work he was awarded the 1981 Nobel Prize in chemistry, which he shared with Fukui Kenichi. Born in Poland, Hoffmann settled in New York City as a child and became a United States citizen. He received his undergraduate degree in premedical studies from Columbia College in 1958. He attended Harvard University, where he received his PhD. degree in chemical physics in 1962. He joined the faculty of Cornell University in the mid-1960s and remained there throughout his career. Hoffmann and Nobel laureate chemist Robert Burns Woodward developed rules, based on quantum mechanics, to determine how energy levels in atomic electron orbits influence how a chemical reaction takes place. These simple rules, known as the Woodward-Hoffmann rules, allowed chemists to predict reaction results and was quickly accepted and put to use in a wide variety of situations. Hoffmann later turned his research to a variety of problems related to discovering the molecular structure of inorganic and organometallic compounds. Hoffmann is also known for what is called the Isolobal Analogy, which is yet another discovery linking all areas of chemistry. It is useful in predicting the behavior of new molecules based on the orbit structure of the components used to form them. Aided by computers, Hoffmann was able to _ a vast amount of data to support his ideas. Unlike the scientific papers of many chemists, Hoffmann's publications contain little raw data but instead are filled with diagrams and pictures to explain his results. His drawings of shaded balloons to indicate eigenvectors, a unit used in mathematics, are now the accepted scientific notation for illustrating this value. What can be inferred from the above passage about Hoffman? Answer:
Standard English is the formal English that you need to use when you write in coursework or in the exam. Standard English is the form of English you learn in school. All written English should be standard -- that means it should be clear enough for anyone in Britain to understand it. Standard English developed as the main form of printed English in the 15th Century. At the time, every region of Britain used to spell words differently, but printers needed a fixed spelling. Printers like Caxton chose the East Midlands dialect form which was used in London and the South East. Soon Standard English replaced all written dialect forms -- the other forms of English spoken around the country. It also replaced French and Latin in law and in academic work. In the 18th Century, people wrote dictionaries and grammar books which standardized spelling -- Dr Johnson's Dictionary of 1755 fixed many of the spellings we still use today. All written English should be Standard English -- any grammar rules you learn are for Standard English and you will definitely need to learn them to avoid making mistakes in your work. The rules of Standard English mean using the correct forms of words with the correct spellings. Avoid slang words -- words that your teachers or friends wouldn't understand. You'll lose marks if the examiners can't understand what you say or write. Don't use dialect words. Every region has words or phrases that are only used there. Don't use them in your coursework, because you won't be understood. Make sure you revise grammar and punctuation you have learned, and learn the list of commonly misspelled words you have made. Cliches are ideas or sayings which have been used so often that they've become boring and unoriginal. Phrases like, "As good as it gets" "At the end of the day" "In the fullness of time" are all cliches. So are images like, "as fierce as a lion" "as cunning as a fox". If you use them you will sound boring and unimaginative -- that could mean you lose marks for writing and speaking style. So avoid cliches. What is the cliche according to the passage? Answer: The flag, the most common symbol of a nation in the modern world, is also one of the most ancient. With a clear symbolic meaning, the flag in the traditional form is still used today to mark buildings, ships and other vehicles related to a country. The national flag as we know it today is in no way a primitive artifact. It is, rather, the product of thousands of years' development. Historians believe that it had two major ancestors, of which the earlier served to show wind direction. Early human beings used very fragile houses and boats. Often strong winds would tear roofs from houses or cause high waves that endangered travelers. People's food supplies were similarly _ . Even after they had learned how to plant grains, they still needed help from nature to ensure good harvests. Therefore they feared and depended on the power of the wind, which could bring warmth from one direction and cold from another. Using a simple piece of cloth tied to the top of a post to tell the direction of the wind was more dependable than earlier methods, such as watching the rising of smoke from a fire. The connection of the flag with heavenly power was therefore reasonable. Early human societies began to fix long pieces of cloth to the tops of totems before carrying them into battle. They believed that the power of the wind would be added to the good wishes of the gods and ancestors represented by the totems themselves. These flags developed very slowly into modern flags. The first known flag of a nation or a ruler was unmarked. The king of China around 1000 B.C. was known to have a white flag carried ahead of him. This practice might have been learned from Egyptians even further in the past, but it was from China that it spread over trade routes through India, then across Arab lands, and finally to Europe, where it met up with the other ancestor of the national flag. What does the author know of the first national flag? Answer: Mike and his father are sitting at the table . They are having their lunch. " I don't like this soup . I don't want to have it" , says Mike . After lunch , Mike and his father work on the farm . They work hard. In the evening , Mike's father gives him a bowl of soup . "Oh, this soup is nice ", says Mike. His mother says: "It's the same soup." Mike's father is a _ . Answer: One morning, it was already a quarter to eight when I got up. I was afraid that I would be late so I put on my clothes hurriedly and left without breakfast. There were so many people at the bus stop that it was not easy to catch a bus. Five minutes went by, I still couldn't get on one. The only thing I could do was to walk. I rushed through the crowded and ran towards my school. Unexpectedly, I hit an old woman, and she fell down. Without saying sorry, I left her and went on my way. That evening, when I was back from school, I learned that the old woman was badly hurt in the leg from the fall. Some kind people sent her to a hospital after I left. I felt very sorry and nearly cried. The only way for me to ask her pardon was to pay her a visit. The next day, I went to the hospital, I met the old woman and told her who I was. At first I thought that she would give me _ To my surprise, she didn't, but smiled. For me, that smile was worse. She touched my hand and said, "Never mind, my girl, I knew you didn't want to hurt me, did you? Don't worry, I will be better soon." What happened to the old woman after her fall? Answer: Traits are transferred from generation to generation through the 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. Where will most probably a triangle space be formed? Answer: A scientist is comparing two body cells of a multicellular organism. Which of the following is most likely identical? Answer: Recently, a professor of philosophy in the United States has written a book called Money and the Meaning of Life. He has discovered that how we deal with money in our daytoday life has more meaning than we usually think. One of the exercises he asked his students to do is to keep record of every penny they spend for a week. From the way they spend their money,they can see what they really value in life. He says our relation with others often becomes clearly defined when money enters the picture. You might have wonderful friendship with somebody and you think that you are very good friends. But you will know him only when you ask him to lend you some money. If he does,it brings something to the relationship that seems stronger than ever before. Or it can suddenly weaken the relationship if he doesn't. This person may say that he has a certain feeling,but if it is not carried out in the money world,there is something less real about it. Since money is so important to us,we consider those who possess a lot of it to be very important. The author interviewed some millionaires in researching his book. Question:What is the most surprising thing you have discovered about being rich,because you are a selfmade man? Answer:The most surprising thing is how people give me so much respect. I am nothing. I do not know much. All I am is rich. People just have an idea of making more and more money,but what is it for?How much do I need for any given purposes in my life?In his book,the professor uncovered an important need in modern society:To bring back the idea that money is a tool rather than the purpose. Money plays an important role in the material world,but expecting money to bring happiness may be missing the meaning of life. The author seems to believe that asking your friend to lend you some money _ . Answer: 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 passage mainly discusses _ . Answer: Most humans expect to receive fair treatment. A recent study shows that monkeys may feel the same way. This is the first time scientists have seen this kind of behavior in animals. Scientists chose monkeys for the research because monkeys have close relationship with each other and they also have good teamwork. Sarah Brosnan, the leader of the research, put female monkeys in pairs. The researchers trained the monkeys to exchange a small rock with them. "That may sound simple, but not very many animals are willing to give things away." Says Brosnan. When a monkey exchanged a rock with the researcher within 60 seconds, she received a reward. Usually, the reward was a piece of cucumber. The partner of each monkey who made an exchange also received a reward. Sometimes the partner got the same reward (a piece of cucumber), but other times the partner received a better reward (a grape). The researchers were surprised at how the monkey _ to the unfair treatment. When a monkey saw her partner get better treatment, she was unhappy. The monkeys did not want to continue the test or eat the cucumbers they received. Some monkeys even threw their food at the researchers. Bronson's research suggests that monkeys do not like unfair treatment. However, as Brosnan explains, "We don't know how monkeys learn to dislike being treated unfairly. But that opens up a whole new research field." Scientists will continue their research. The monkeys in the research were trained to _ . Answer:
Wind , water, fire and ice-these powerful natural forces have shaped the land of America in the past. They are still changing it today. The Colorado River slowly cut down through stone to make the Grand Canyon . Long ago, ice sheets cut Yosemite Valley and the Great Lakes, and glaciers are still on the move in Alaska. Wind and rain storm hit the land from time to time. Fires sometimes burn down forests and destroy the homes of wild animals. This happened in Yellowstone Park in 1988. Dead volcanic mountains such as Haleakala on Maui and Carter Lakein Oregon are beautiful to look at. But there are several active volcanoes in the US, especially along the Pacific Coast. There are also many earthquakes in this area. Scientists can do nothing to control earthquakes or volcanoes. This was shown clearly on May 18, 1980. At 8:32 that morning, Mount St Helens in Washington state broke out. The top of the mountain was blown off. Over 60 people -campers, scientists, journalists, forest workers--were killed. Hundreds of square miles of forests were knocked down. In towns over 100 miles away, day suddenly became night. An ash cloud hid the sun for many hours. Towns and fields in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho were covered with dirty gray ash. Scientists knew that Mt St Helens might erupt soon. But no one could say when. And no one expected the terrible strength of the eruption. Many people were surprised and unready. Harry R. Truman, 84, owned a small hotel in Mt St Helens. Scientists had asked people to move away because the volcano was becoming dangerous. But Harry Truman would not leave his home. Now _ is covered with many feet of dirty ash. A small cross stands above the place where Harry probably died. Perhaps it is better that he did not see the destruction of Mt St Helens, the once beautiful lake, and the forests. But slowly, life is returning to the dead area around the mountain. Grass and small plants are beginning to grow again. Deer and birds have been seen. The land will never be the same as it once was. Perhaps Mt St Helens will erupt again. But this is all part of nature's pattern of change, and man has little power to control it. After the eruption of volcano, what makes the sky turn dark? Answer: The ash. Dogs wag their tails in different directions depending on whether they are excited and wanting to move forward or threatened and thinking of moving back, a study has found. Researchers in Italy examined the tail wagging behaviour of 30 dogs, catching their responses to a range of stimuli with video cameras. To conduct the study they chose 15 male dogs and 15 female ones aged between one and six years. The dogs were all family pets whose owners had allowed them to take part in the experiment at Bari University. The dogs were placed in a large wooden box with an opening at the front to allow for them to view various stimuli. They were tested one at a time. The researchers led by Professor Giorgio Vallortigara of the University of Trieste found that when the dogs were shown their owners--a positive experience--their tails wagged energetically to the right side. When they were shown an unfamiliar human they wagged to the right, but with somewhat less enthusiasm. The appearance of a cat again caused a right-hand side wag, although with less again. The appearance of a large unfamiliar dog, similar to a German shepherd, changed the direction of tail wagging to the left. Researchers supposed the dog was thinking of moving back. When the dogs were not shown any stimuli they tended to wag their tails to the left, suggesting they preferred company. While the changes in the tail wagging were not easily noticed without the aid of video, it was thought that the findings could help people judge the mood of dogs. Computer and video systems, for example, could be used by professional dog trainers to determine the mood of dogs that were required to approach. When there are no stimuli, a dog will _ . Answer: wag to the left Good health is the most precious thing in the world .When you have got it, you never think about it. When you haven't got it , you think about it all the time. Our biggest enemies are not terrible diseases. We are our own biggest enemies because we sometimes destroy our own good health. Some of us eat too much, drink too much and smoke too much. And though our reason tells us we should control ourselves, we find it difficult. The fact is that most human beings need stimulation. Who doesn't enjoy a drink after a busy day? Only a smoker knows the pleasure of a cigarette with a cup of coffee. The danger is when these innocent pleasures run our lives and so destroy our health. When you find yourself eating between meals or eating too much rich food, when you can only keep yourself going by taking frequent drinks or by smoking one cigarette after another, then it's time to stop and think what you might be doing to yourself. The funny thing is that when we don't control ourselves, simple pleasures are no longer simple pleasures. All right, I know what you're thinking. You're probably saying: "It's all very well for him to talk, but I can't help myself. I need that extra bit of food, that extra drink, that extra cigarette. Life has so many pressures that I can't manage without them." But I'm saying you can help yourself. Not only that you must help yourself. Because if you don't help yourself, no one else can. So be your own best friend . I can't help myself means _ . Answer: I can't control myself BEIJING Nov. 28 (Xinhuanet) - Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday pledged central and local government funds to provide and improve school bus services in the wake of the traffic accident that killed 19 preschool children and sparked national outrage . He urged relevant departments of the State Council to "rapidly" formulate safety regulations for school coaches, and said China will accelerate the setting up of standards on design and production. Central and local governments will share the costs on providing more school buses that meet safety requirements, the premier said. However, Wen said a lot of local governments have failed to meet the rapidly increased demand for safe school buses or established sound management systems. Officials will face investigations into their responsibility if tragedies such as the one in Gansu occur again, he warned. Yuan Guilin, an education professor at Beijing Normal University who is known for his research into rural education, has proposed that all school buses should be equipped with black boxes, adding that it is achievable and affordable. The government should also improve the wages and benefits for drivers to prevent them from taking extra jobs and often driving while tired, he said. Given that some authorities complain that they are short of money, Yuan suggested they be allowed to sell advertising space on school buses. Gan Yuanchun, who participated in a campaign to promote school bus safety, said the central government should encourage the use of smaller school buses in rural areas, as roads in remote countryside areas are not as wide as in cities. Students' parents should also be able to get involved in deciding how school buses are managed, he added. In rural areas, especially in western parts, many children are struggling to receive quality preschool education because public kindergartens are scarce and most private ones often do not have qualified teachers or hardware. Which of the following would be the best title of the passage? Answer: Premier Wen promised to guarantee school bus safety. I still clearly remember that day. I was on the side of the road for about four hours with my big jeep. I put signs in the windows that said, "Need a jack ." As I was about to give up,a truck stopped and a man got off. He looked at the situation, made a judgment and went back to take a jack. After about two hours, we finished the job with sweats. We were both dirty. His wife took a large bottle of water for us to wash our hands. I tried to put $ 20 in the man's hand, but he wouldn't take it, so I went to give it to his wife as quietly as I could. I asked their little girl where they lived, thinking maybe Pd send them a gift. She said they lived in Mexico. They were in Oregon now,so Mommy and Daddy could pick cherries for the next few weeks. After that, they were going to pick peaches and then go back home. After I said goodbye and started going back to my jeep, the girl ran to me and handed me a tamale for lunch. I thanked them again and walked back to my jeep. When I opened the tamale, what did I find inside? My $ 20! I ran to the truck and the guy rolled down his window. He started shaking his head, smiled, and with what looked like great concentration said in English, "Today you, tomorrow me. " Then he drove away, with his daughter waving to me from the back. This family, working on a seasonal basis where time is money, took a couple of hours to help a stranger while others passed by quietly. Since then I've helped many people like the Mexican family. I didn't accept their money. Every time I was able to help,I felt as if I was putting something in the bank. From the passage we can know that _ . Answer: the author's jeep broke downon the road
Question: What is more important to a high school student than being popular? Anyone who has ever gone to high school or at least seen a John Hughes' movie knows the answer to that question. When Theresa Sommers first discovered MySpace three years ago, the teen from Minneapolis, St. Paul thought she had found the real high school popularity contest. She could spend hours a day creating an online picture, finding cool pictures and music to make her page look more beautiful, and looking for interesting-looking people to be her online friends. And along the way, she could compete with her friends to see who had the most friends or most-visited page. The more she used the site, however, the less interested she became in only being popular; she started using her time for more heartfelt conversations with friends and went more deeply into her personal interests. As a beginner in taking pictures, she put her best pictures on the site and looked for advice from people who are good at taking pictures. At the same time,she began to get in touch with the students of the colleges she wanted to go to. She opened up a new account on Facebook. And she even began to put some of her own creative writing on the website and would ask for advice on homework from her friends. She asked them," How long did you spend on your homework?" or "How would you write it?" Often she would put her homework online. At the beginning, Theresa spent much time on MySpace in order to _ . A. Look for beautiful pictures. B. Make more online friends. C. Keep in touch with her friends. D. Watch some online movies. Answer: B Question: Cuba's former leader, Fidel Castro,died at the age of 90,according to a November 25 announcement on Cuban state television. The death marks the passing of a controversial figure who made a major impact on international affairs during his long rule. The Cuban government declared nine days of official mourning. On Monday, thousands of Cubans lined up near Havana's Plaza of the Revolution to pay their final respects to their leader. On Wednesday,Castro's ashes will begin a three-day journey across Cuba to Santa Ifigenia cemetery in Santiago de Cuba. Castro was born into a middle-class family on August 13 1926. He spent his childhood alongside the laborers on his father's plantation . In 1945, Castro entered the University of Havana as a law student. He later joined groups that sought to end dictatorships in Latin-American countries. On July 26. 1953,Castro staged an unsuccessful revolt against Batista's government. He and his brother Raul were captured and imprisoned for two years. After they were freed, the brothers went into exile in Mexico, On November 25, 1956,Castro set out once again to overthrow Batista. His revolution grew in strength. On New Year s Day 1959, Batista fled from Cuba. Castro took absolute power on January 8. The U.S. viewed Castro's relationship with the Soviet Union as a threat. In 1961,President John F. Kennedy approved the invasion of Cuba by 1,500 Cuban exiles. They landed on April 17 at the Bay of Pigs, but with little U. S. military support. Cuban troops smashed the attack within a few days. In October 1962,Castro confronted Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, during which he allowed the Soviet Union to place nuclear-capable missiles in Cuba. By that time, the U. S. had cut all relations with Cuba. After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991,Cuba lost its economic support. To fuel the economy, the Cuban government allowed outside investment in hotels and resorts, but that created inequality. Meanwhile, Castro continued to crack down on any opposition. After undergoing intestinal surgery in 2006,Castro handed Cuba's presidency to Raul. The transition of power became official in 2008. What did the Cuban Missile Crisis result in directly? A. Batista fled from Cuba. B. The U. S. cut all relations with Cuba. C. The U. S. viewed the Soviet Union as a threat. D. President John F. Kennedy approved an invasion of Cuba. Answer: B Question: Why are people interested in eating raw foods or whole foods? One reason is that eating these types of food reduces the risk of acid accumulation in your body. Raw and whole foods are usually digested more efficiently than cooked and refined foods. When we cook foods, we destroy the natural enzymes that are part of the food in its raw form. These enzymes were intended by nature to help us digest the food. When we consume food without these natural enzymes, our bodies either digest the food improperly or allow too many nutrients to be absorbed into the bloodstream. In both instances, the result is obesity. When too many nutrients are absorbed at once, the body grows fat. Improperly digested food moves slowly through the digestive tract, where it becomes increasingly acidic . To protect its vital organs from this acidic waste, the body changes the acid into fat and stores it safely away from the organs. Processed foods contain chemical elements, which might confuse the appetite mechanism that tells us when we've had enough to eat; as a result, people often overeat . Processed foods also upset the digestive cycle. The body will either identify these foods as allergens and then store them safely away from the organs as fat, or the remains of undigested food will become acidic and enter the bloodstream as acid waste, which will stick to the blood vessel walls and block the passage of vital oxygen and nutrients heading for the body's cells. The body's metabolism becomes inactive, and then result is weight gain and obesity. The accumulation of acid in the digestive tract makes digestion increasingly inefficient. When that happens, even healthy foods can become acidic and the food allergies will become more common. To stop this vicious circle in its tracks, people need to consume food and supplements that will neutralize (...)the acid already accumulated in body. Eating the right types of raw and whole foods can help. it's also important to restore your enzyme balance. You need to identify and avoid the foods that cause acid accumulation and consume the foods that increase enzyme production. If you truly want to change and help your body heal itself , you need to take an active approach.. . It can be inferred from Para. 2 that _ A. it is essential for people to protect their vital organs B. foods with natural enzymes help people keep fit C. we'd better be cautious about raw and whole foods D. giving up cooked and refined foods is a new lifestyle Answer: B Question: The French Revolution broke out in 1789. At the time France was in a crisis. The government was badly run and people's lives were miserable. King Louis XIV tried to control the national parliament and raise more taxes. But his effort failed. He ordered his troops to Versailles. The people thought that Louis intended to put down the Revolution by force. On July 14, 1789, they stormed and took the Bastille, where political prisoners were kept. Ever since that day, July 14 has been the French National Day. Louis tried to flee the country in 1792, to get support from Austria and Prussia. However, he was caught and put in prison. In September 1792, the monarchy was abolished _ . In the same year, Louis was executed. A few months later his wife, Marie also had her head cut off. The Revolution of France had frightened the other kings of Europe. Armies from Austria and Prussia began to march against France. The French raised republican armies to defend the nation. The Revolution went through a period of terror. Thousands of people lost their lives. In the end, power passed to Napoleon Bonaparte. Which did not happen in 1789? A. The French Revolution broke out. B. The national economy was developing rapidly. C. The government wasn't well run. D. King Louis XIV was in power. Answer: B Question: On March 1, Computer Programs, Inc. (CP) orally agreed with Holiday Department Store (HDS) to write a set of programs for HDS's computer and to coordinate the programs with HDS's billing methods. A subsequent memo, signed by both parties, provided in its entirety: HDS will pay CP $20,000 in two equal installments within one month of completion if CP is successful in shortening by one-half the 17 processing time for the financial transactions now handled on HDS's Zenon 747 computer; CP to complete by July 1. This agreement may be amended only by a signed writing. On June 6, CP demanded $10,000, saying the job was one-half done. After HDS denied liability, the parties orally agreed that HDS should deposit $20,000 in escrow, pending completion to the satisfaction of HDS's computer systems manager. The escrow deposit was thereupon made. On July 5, CP completed the programs, having used an amount of time in which it could have earned $18,000 had it devoted that time to other jobs. Tests by CP and HDS's computer systems manager then showed that the computer programs, not being perfectly coordinated with HDS's billing methods, cut processing time by only 47 percent. They would, however, save HDS $12,000 a year. Further, if HDS would spend $5,000 to change its invoice preparation methods, as recommended by CP, the programs would cut processing time by a total of 58 percent, saving HDS another $8,000 a year. HDS's computer systems manager refused in good faith to certify satisfactory completion. HDS asked the escrow agent to return the $20,000 and asserted that nothing was owed to CP even though HDS continued to use the programs"If HDS denies liability on the ground that CP had orally agreed to coordinate with HDS's methods of accounting, and CP seeks in litigation to bar introduction of that agreement because of the parol evidence rule, HDS's most effective argument is that A. the parol evidence rule does not bar the introduction of evidence for the purpose of interpreting a written agreement. B. the memorandum was not a completely integrated agreement. C. HDS detrimentally relied on the oral promise of coordination in signing the memorandum D. the memorandum was not a partially integrated agreement. Answer: B
The strongest constitutional basis for the enactment of a federal statute requiring colleges and universities receiving federal funds to offer student aid solely on the basis of need is the power to tax and spend for the general welfare. Junelle Lynch knocked on more than 200 doors in the Gayln Manor neighborhood of Brunswick in recent weeks. Her aim is to collect hundreds of pounds of food for the Brunswick Food Bank. "I like helping people a lot,"said Junelle,who celebrated her 11th birthday in June. With the support of her parents Isabella and Robert,Junelle walked along the streets with an orange grocery bag .Isabella always accompanies her daughter. Isabella helps her daughter by car,so Junelle can empty her grocery bag when it becomes heavy. Junelle's friend,Destiny Williams,helped the first night,but he didn't turn up the rest of the time. Neighbor Lynda Mallory donated food to Junelle. Mallory dropped noodles,canned soup,vegetables and fruits into Junelle's bag. After visiting the last house and looking at what she collected,Junelle said she felt good about what she achieved with the help of her neighbors. Working an hour a night three times per week,she has collected more than 400 pounds of canned and boxed food. This isn't the first year she's collected food. Junelle started nearly three years ago when,at 8 years old,she saw a collection box at a grocery store and decided to become involved. In her first year,she collected 80 pounds of food in the mostly undeveloped neighborhood,and 214 pounds the next year. The food helped feed many families. When she isn't helping,Junelle is a straightA student who snowboards,plays the trumpet,sings with the Brunswick Chorus,plays basketball and writes poems. She plans on spending her summer vacation attending a basketball camp. Which of the following statements is TRUE about Junelle's food collecting? She spent several hours on it each week. Are you able to send a letter with pictures and sounds to someone, anywhere in the world without putting a stamp on it? With an e-mail you can just do that. Using computers you can send e-mails quickly and easily. The post is much slower than email. E-mail can send its messages to the other side of the world in seconds. E-mail is easy to use and it saves time and money. The different time and different parts of the world do not matter when you send an e-mail. It does not matter if your friends are in bed when you send an e-mail to them, or you are seeing a film at the cinema when they send an e-mail back. Which of the following is true? E-mail saves time and money. Life used to be fun for "teenagers". They used to have money to spend, and free time to while away. They used to wear teenage clothes, and meet in teenage coffee bars and discos. Some of them still do. But for many young people, life is harder now. Jobs are difficult to find. There's not so much money around. Things are more expensive, and it's hard to find a place to live in. Teachers say that students work harder than they used to. They are less interested in politics, and more interested in passing exams. They know that good exam results may bring them better jobs. Most young people worry more about money than their parents did twenty years ago. They try to spend less and save more. They want to be able to get homes of their own one day. For some, the answer to unemployment is to leave home and look for jobs in one of Britain's big cities. Every day hundreds of young people arrive in London from other parts of Britain, looking for jobs. Some find jobs, and stay. Others don't, and go home again, or join the unemployed in London. When you read the newspapers and watch the news on television, it's easy to get the idea that British young people are all unemployed, angry and in trouble. But that's not true. Three quarters of them do more or less what their parents did. They do their best at school, find some kinds of jobs in the end, and get married in their early twenties. They get on well with their parents, and enjoy their family life. After all, if they don't, they won't be British, will they? Now most young British people _ . find it hard to find a job Nowadays,people in China are increasingly interested in celebrating foreign festivals,especially those western festivals. A survey conducted recently by sina.com showed that among the 18,222 people surveyed 63.90%said celebrating Christmas is just another way of recreation,nothing serious while 17.85%surveyed considered the festival as a fashion act.showing they were not "out".These two parts clearly indicate the general opinion of the young.10.45%people involved said the celebration of a religious western festival with so much enthusiasm is ly ridiculous pursuit of foreign goodness.Only 7.80%of people define Christmas as a kind of festival colonization The arising of celebrating foreign festivals clearly has something to do, with the advancement of China's economy.In my point of view.Christmas and other festivals celebrated in China have difference from the origin.They have lost their religious background and turned into a big occasion to have fun and enjoy life.Shop owners' pockets are filled,the public's hunger for happiness is filled,and that is enough.Foreign festivals in China are more like carnivals giving people pleasure and enjoyment. The crisis of traditional Chinese festivals that are losing their attraction may be linked to the culture tradition and background of the festivals.Most Chinese festival culture is related more or less to real life "The country is based on its people while the people are relied on their food". But the western culture shows much of romance.Some festivals have their religious background while others have much to do with culture and people.At this point,food seems to be too plain.Flowers and chocolates are more welcomed. Foreign festivals in China today are celebrated for fun.They give people opportunities to relax mad celebrate,to show appreciation and gratefulness.The acceptance of foreign festivals generally depends on the openness of the public,the familiarity with the western culture,and most importantly,on people's economic status. From the survey we know that among the people surveyed_. some think that celebrating foreign festivals is a sign of foreign goodness chasing
Long bus rides are like television shows. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end with commercials thrown in every three or four minutes. The commercials are unavoidable. They happen whether you want them or not. Every couple of minutes a billboard glides by outside the bus window. "Buy Super Clean Toothpaste." "Drink Good Wet Root Beer." "Fill up with Pacific Gas. "Only when you have fallen asleep, which is equal to turning the television set off, can you get separated from the unending cry of "You Need It! Buy It Now!" As for the ride itself, the beginning of it is comfortable and somewhat exciting, even if you've traveled that way before. Usually some things are keeping changing out of the windows -- various houses, crop fields, attractive bridges, ... and sometimes even a small accident. Your bus driver may have a unique style of driving and it's fun trying experience it the first hour or so. If the driver is particularly reckless or daring, the ride can be as thrilling as an adventurous story. Will the driver pass the truck in time? Will the driver move into the right or the left hand lane? After a while, of course, the excitement dies down. Sleeping for a while helps pass the middle hours of the ride. Food always makes bus rides more interesting. But you've got to be careful of what kind of food you eat. Too much salty food can make you very thirsty between stops. The end of the ride is somewhat like the beginning. You know the riding will soon be over and there's a kind of expectation and excitement with that. The seat, of course, has become harder for the hours having passed. By now you may sit with your legs crossed, or with your hands in your lap, or with your hands on the arms, or even with your hands crossed behind your head. That is to say that the end comes just at no more ways to sit. According to the passage, what do the passengers usually see when they are on a long bus trip? A Buses on the road. B Films on television. C Advertisements on the billboards. D Gas stations. Answer: C There are numerous similarities between Muhammad Ali and his 23-year-old daughter Laila. She is the only one of his nine sons and daughters to have those genes that led to the ring . Her father's great status had nothing to do with Laila's decision to pursue a boxing career. She has always been proud of his achievements, but he was never a great man to her ---- just dad. What attracted her to take up boxing was the unusual sight of two women in the ring on the television screen when she was about to watch a Mike Tyson fight five years ago. She was very excited and said to herself, "I can do that." Laila's father would prefer her not to take up the dangerous sport. Johnny McClain, her husband and manager (former boxer himself) feels the same way. Even though both the men in her life worry about her, they're 100 percent supportive. "They don't want me to get hurt," she says. Long before entering the ring, Laila was a fighter. Being the daughter of an outstanding boxer made her an easy target for high school kids to see how tough she was. They, not she, failed in the test. For the public, her biggest test took place last summer in the New York State when she took on Jacqui Frazier Lyde, the daughter of Joe Frazier, her father's most famous opponent during the 1970s. _ . News reporters poured in. Some called it "Ali/Frazier - Generation II". No match involving women had ever attracted so much attention. Laila had a narrow victory in the fight. Like it or not, she accepts the fact that she is the face of female boxing. And she hopes that her name and fame will help get the public to take it more seriously. The name Ali has and always will bring her attention. But she is determined to make her own mark on opponents' faces as well as in boxing history books. She says, "I want women's boxing to get its due respect." Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? A A female boxer ---- Laila Ali B The best-known fight C Ali/Frazie ---- Generation II D Muhammad Ali and his daughter Answer: A If a high percentage of water is visible in the air? A this is called heat and it is unsafe to drive in B this is called fog and it is safe to drive in C this is called heat and is safe to drive in D this is called fog and is unsafe to drive in Answer: D All of us love music; we just differ in the kind of music we like to play and listen to. Music plays a huge part in our life. Even when we were still inside our mother, we heard music. Babies easily fall asleep when they hear lullabies and most mothers believe that making their child listen to music at an early age can develop their musical skills. Aside from improving sleep quality and making us feel relaxed, music also helps develop our brain. Studies have proven that musical education or training helps develop the left side of the brain which is responsible for processing language. We easily remember things when we link them to a particular song and this can help them get good grades especially in math since they can link the songs they sing to the elements of math. Music can also cure people. These days music is used to help treat depression , high blood pressure, brain injuries and many other problems. Most of all, according to researchers, music can help improve people's memory, if not totally bring it back. Doctors play the favorite songs of their patients to help them recall things. Music is also used to reduce pain after a person receives a surgery. Music also affects the way we live and get along with other people. Creating music together with people in a band can help a person learn how to communicate well with other people. Music activities provide enjoyment for children and adults alike. They have fun making music together with friends and at the same time learn how to sing or play a musical instrument. Music really has amazing effects on us; it may be physical, emotional, social, or psychological . Make sure to enjoy life by listening to your favorite music along with your family and friends. What's the author's attitude towards music? A Doubtful. B Critical. C Curious. D Favorable. Answer: D LONDON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- A four-year-old child's ability to draw could be an indicator of intelligence at age 14, according to a study published on Tuesday in the British journal Psychological Science. The researchers from King's College London (KCL) studied 7,752 pairs of identical and non-identical twins, and found that the link between drawing and later intelligence was influenced by genes. At the age of 4, children were asked by their parents to complete a 'Draw-a-Child' test. Their drawings were rated from 0 to 12, based on the presence and correct number of body-parts, like arms, legs, head, eyes and nose. The children were also given verbal and non-verbal intelligence tests at ages 4 and 14. According to researchers, the test was devised in the 1920's to assess children's intelligence, so it's not surprising that the test correlated with intelligence at age 4.However, they found that higher scores on the test were also moderately associated with higher scores of intelligence at 14. The researchers also measured the heritability of figure drawing. Identical twins share all their genes, whereas non-identical twins only share about 50 percent. Overall, at age 4, drawings from identical twin pairs were more similar to one another than drawings from non-identical twin pairs. Therefore, the researchers concluded that differences in children's drawings have an important genetic link. They also found that drawing at age 4 and intelligence at age 14 had a strong genetic link. "Drawing is an ancient behaviour, dating back beyond 15,000 years ago," Dr. Rosalind Arden, lead author of the paper from KCL, said that: "This capacity to reproduce figures is a uniquely human ability and a sign of cognitive ability, in a similar way to writing, which transformed the human species' ability to store information, and build a civilisation." According to the passage, which of the following statement about 'Draw-a-Child' test is true? A The test was devised in the 1920's. B 7,752 identical and non-identical twins took part in it. C The test was set to assess children's intelligence. D The children took the test at four. Answer: D
In a drought, a resource that will be lacking is A. soil B. land C. droplets D. cheese Answer: C. droplets CCTV anchorman Luo Jing died of cancer on June 5 ,2009 at the age of 48. In 1983 ,graduating from Beijing Broadcasting Institute, he began his career as a prime time newscaster for CCTV .Over the past decades , as an icon of China's broadcasting industry,Luo Jing's modest image and clear voice left unforgettable memories with his audience. Last year when he was diagnosed as having lymph cancer ,he felt it too awful,for two weeks later he was to run the torch ,He asked doctors to keep the secret in order for him to complete the task of the Olympic torch. Finally, not only did he complete the task, but he participated in a series of voice - over work in the Olympic Games opening ceremony . After that ,he frankly said to the leader the next day,"I have completed the task and I am going to hospital today." Broadcast sowing rate of the News Network used to be 180words a minute, but increases to 300 words a minute, which is beyond most people's ability. What's more terror is the strict limit of time .Sometimes after a piece of news is broadcast, there is a few seconds left, when staff hand a message press release. The host must strictly control the time to broadcast the unexpected news. As soon as his voice _ , the program turns into the following images without one more second or less. In such high - intensity work environment, with the perfect professional he worked for 26 years without any error. In life , we seldom mention comedy without tragedy, laughter without tears ,and joy without sorrow.Though the passing of Luo Jings brings us pain, it's only fitting to remember his smiles with happiness. He's been taken from us much too soon , but he leaves us what he's been working for. When Luo Jing began his career he was _ years old A. 22 B. 24 C. 26 D. 28[: http://wx.jtyjy.com/.Com] Answer: A. 22 Soap operas from South Korea have been popular in China for two decades now. So, it is not the first time Chinese TV dramas have paled in comparison. But this time, the one-two punch from The Heirs and My Love From the Star really hurts. A senior official freely admitted to being an occasional participant in the vast club of Korean soap watchers. It has also been reported that he follows House of Cards, an American political thriller that would understandably fascinate him. His remark opened the flood gate of complaints about why we are falling behind in the creative industry. Most seem to agree that, given some content limits, China's television industry is not able to produce something like House of Cards, which is very dark and filled with conspiracy . But there is a concern about our inability to make something as entertaining as My Love from the Star, a Korean love story about a time-traveling professor and a proud movie star. Judging from Chinese shows in recent years, time travel is not strictly forbidden, but allowed when it is used as a background and handled with kid gloves. A series of palace dramas is built on the plot that the female leading character is transported from contemporary times back to ancient China, playing the game of an unhappy girl and a real prince coming to her rescue. There are many reasons why Chinese soap operas have become the favorite punching bag. Among them is the most important one that the industry itself has never set right its mechanism for operation. The role of the creator, the most important job for American TV series programming that is often taken on by the head writer, is vacant in China. Because Chinese television came from the film industry, few have realized that, unlike director-dominated films, TV is the art of the writer, which is accepted in almost all countries with highly developed television industries. In the author's opinion, China's television industry_. A. has been struck hard this time by The Heirs and My Love from the Star B. is not able to produce good TV dramas as a result of the content limits C. is able to produce something like House of Cards D. doesn't have enough ability to make entertaining TV dramas Answer: A. has been struck hard this time by The Heirs and My Love from the Star 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 is the best title for this passage? A. My Teachers B. My schooldays C. My Best friends D. My Childhood Answer: B. My schooldays It would be interesting to discover how many young people go to university without any clear idea of what they are going to do afterwards. If one considers the enormous variety of courses offered, it is not hard to see how difficult it is to select the course most suited to his interests and abilities. If a student goes to acquire a broader perspective of life, to enlarge his ideas and to learn to think for himself, he will undoubtedly benefit, since school often has too restricting an atmosphere, with its timetables and disciplines, to allow him much time for independent assessment of the work he is asked to do. Most students would, I believe, profit by a year or so's exploration of different academic studies, especially those "all-rounders" with no particular bent. They should have longer time to decide in what subject they want to take their degree, so that in later life they do not look back and say, "I should like to have been an archaeologist. If I hadn't taken a degree in Modern Languages, I shouldn't have ended up as an interpreter, but it's too late now. I couldn't go back and begin all over again, even if I had the chance." There is, of course, another side to the question of how to make the best use of one's time at university. This is the case of the student who excels in a particular branch of learning, is a first-rate mathematician, scientist, linguist and what you have. He is immediately accepted by the university of his choice, and spends his three or four years becoming a specialist, emerging with a first-class Honors Degree and very little knowledge of what the rest of the world is all about. It therefore becomes more and more important that, if students are not to waste their opportunities and, incidentally, the taxpayers' money, there will have to be much more detailed information about courses, more advice from Career Masters and Course Tutors if _ are not to bring up, on one hand, a band of specialists ignorant of anything outside their own subject, and on the other hand, an ever-increasing number of graduates qualified in subjects for which there is little or no demand in the working world. According to the passage, university students should avoid . A. acquiring a broad perspective of life B. allowing themselves the independence of thinking C. becoming specialists ignorant of what the rest of the world is D. wasting their opportunities and the taxpayers' money Answer: C. becoming specialists ignorant of what the rest of the world is
Parents fear they are putting too much pressure on their daughters to reach their academic potential, the president of a girls' school body has said. Incoming Girls School Association head Jill Berry said parents were worried about achieving a balance between school achievement and happiness. Mrs. Berry also said that girls could put themselves under a lot of pressure. A poll of 1000 parents surveyed for the association said their top concern was their daughter's education. Girls tend to outperform boys in all stages of their education, and this can lead schools to assume all girls will do well. Mrs. Berry said, "There is no doubt that many mothers and fathers are worried about getting the balance right between their daughters realizing their academic potential while at the same time being happy and safe." Mrs. Berry said in her experience girls had very high expectations of themselves. "That's a positive thing and we want them to aim high. But sometimes we do find a girl is being unrealistic in her aspirations or putting herself under unreasonable pressure. It's not necessarily pushy parents--it can come from the girls themselves." But parents, too, wanted support to get the balance right between caring and being involved in their children's lives and not being "helicopter parents", she added. Women could be perfectionists and it was important to encourage girls to listen to their body, which could give warning signs of too much stress, she added. "Bright motivated high achieving girls with high expectations of themselves are more susceptible to eating disorders," Mrs. Berry said, "But girls' schools are usually very good at dealing with these things." It was a teacher's job to help girls "to have it all", but to help them deal with inevitable disappointments as well, she said. Mrs. Berry believes that _ . A girls' pressure mainly comes from their parents B it's not necessary for girls to aim high C girls who aim high usually end up disappointed D girls' pressure mainly comes from themselves Answer: D For more than 40 years, scientists have sought to learn how well human beings can adapt to long periods in space. The International Space Station continues to provide valuable knowledge about spaceflight. But an earlier space station, Skylab, helped make the current space project possible. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield sang aboard the International Space Station on May 12, 2013. His music video has become extremely popular. The astronaut played his own version of David Bowie's song Space Oddity. He performed while floating weightlessly, with images of planet earth and space appearing in the window behind him. Chris Hadfield recently returned home after nearly five months on the space station. For him, the long flight produced a hit video on YouTube and no major physical problems. But 40 years ago, scientists did not know how humans would react to long-term spaceflight. To find out, NASA, the American space agency, launched Skylab in May, 1973. Over nearly a year, three teams of astronauts visited Skylab for stays of between 28 to 84 days. They learned how people react to extended periods in space. Gerald Carr commanded Skylab 4. He spoke at a NASA event marking the 40th anniversary of Skylab's launch. He said that the loss of the body's muscle mass was a main concern. Astronauts on Skylab used exercise equipment to stay strong. The astronauts spent their workdays carrying out experiments, including biomedical research. Marshall Porterfield is the director of NASA's Space Life and Physical Sciences Division. He says the Skylab astronauts' understanding of their own ability to deal with long-term spaceflight continues to help current astronauts. NASA says the next step for life away from Earth is a year-long space station mission, set for 2015. Which of the following best describes the physical condition of Chris Hadfield after his return? A Worse. B Better. C Normal. D Weaker. Answer: C 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 many countries will Mr Smith visit? A Three. B Four. C Five. D Six. Answer: B Dear Michelle, My Dad hates my Mom. He tells me that she is a liar and that I should not trust her. Of course, they are divorced but they have "joint custody" . What a joke! I am 15, my brother is nine, and we have a life of hell, frankly. We live one week on and one week off. This was the brilliant idea of both of my parents, which was fair to them but ruining my life. I cannot get away from his voice and his putting my mom down. Sometimes I think about running away. A Hopeless Ant Dear Hopeless Ant, First, thank you for trusting me with your problem. If all you said is correct, then there are several things that you can and should do to help yourself, your brother, and oddly enough, your parents. You need a family counselor. Such a person could listen to each family member alone and then meet together to talk about the situation. If refused, you need to talk to a counselor in your school. You need to be heard, and you need an adult who will listen. A school counselor can organize a meeting with your parents. Perhaps you need to write to your mother. Writing things down allows people to go over it more than one time. I cannot imagine that she will stand passively by and do nothing at all to help once she reads how you feel. Your father needs a letter as well. He may not realize the destructive effect that it has on his children. Lastly, have a plan in mind when all else fails that is not self-destructive. Life passes very quickly, sweetheart, and you will grow up and have your own life. Until then, you need to keep yourself safe. Never doubt that it will get better. Write back and let me know how everything is going. Michelle The Hopeless Ant hated his father because _ . A his father always told a lie B his father wasn't friendly to his mother C his father divorced his mother D the Hopeless Ant couldn't stay with his parents Answer: B As a professor I have grown accustomed to the opinion regarding American education. We are repeatedly told that American schools are failing, that colleges are not teaching, and that the students of today are not as good as the students of the past. There are, of course, problems with the education system. Because of economic inequality some schools are significantly better than others and the ideas of equality of education and equality of opportunity are cruel jokes. However, the mere fact that there are some serious problems does not mean that all the _ claims are true. One stock claim is that America has fallen behind the world in education in terms of performance on various tests. While the fact that America is behind other countries is a point of concern, there are at least three points worth considering here. The first is the above-mentioned economic inequality which will tend to result in poorer performance when taking the average for America. The second is that many countries have put considerable effort into improving their education systems and hence it is worth considering that America's decline is also due to the improvement of others. The third is the matter of the measures-- do they, in fact, present an accurate picture of the situation? I am not claiming that the data is bad. I am merely raising a reasonable concern about how accurate our picture of education is at this time. Another stock claim is that American students are doing badly on standardized tests. While there is clearly value in assessment, it is reasonable to consider whether or not such tests are a proper and adequate measure of education. It is also worth considering whether the puzzle with these tests is itself causing damage to education. That is, as teachers teach for the test and students learn for the test, it might be the case that what is being taught is not what should be taught and what is being learned is not what should be learned. Judging by the text ,the claims are centered on _ . A what should be taught in the American classroom B fair judgment of American education C American students' performance on tests D an accurate picture of American colleges Answer: C
In class, your teachers will talk about topics that you are studying. The information they provide will be important for you to know when you take tests. You must be able to take good written notes from what your teachers say. Taking good notes is a three-stage process in which there are certain things you should do before class, during class and after class. Review your notes from the previous class before you come to class. This will help remember what was covered and get you ready to understand new information your teacher provide. Complete all assigned readings before you come to class. Your teacher will expect that you have done this and will use and build upon this information. Bring all notetaking materials with you to class. Have several pens and pencils as well as your notebook. Keep your attention focused on what your teacher is saying. Listen for "signal statements" that tell you that what your teacher is about to say is important to write in your notes. Write quickly so that you can include all the information in your notes. Place a "?" next to information you write in your notes that you are not sure of. Rewrite your notes to make them more complete by changing short words into whole words, symbols into words and shortened sentences into longer sentences. Make your notes more _ by answering any questions you had when writing your notes in class. Use your textbook and reference sources to obtain the information you need to answer your questions. If necessary, ask your teacher or other students for help. Check with other students to be sure you did not leave out important information. Having good class note will help you to be better prepared for tests. We can infer from the passage that good notes _ . A are the only sources to get information you need B can help you prepare for your tests C play a less important role in study than your textbook D are a standard for your teacher to consider a student good or not Answer: B. can help you prepare for your tests You may not be aware, but digital currency is a big part of the Internet world. QQ Coins can buy you accessories for your QQ images. More importantly, a new digital currency, Bitcoin, is bringing the world's commerce online. If you're traveling, you can spend Bitcoins at restaurants and hotels listed at BitcoinTravel.com. In China, Bitcoins can be used to buy goods at about 134 online shops on Taobao. And at a cafe named 2nd Place in Beijing, you can even buy fresh coffee with Bitcoins. So what makes Bitcoin so attractive to investors? First of all, the Bitcoin system is not controlled by anyone. One central authority cannot make policies to change the value of Bitcoins. The fixed amount of Bitcoins also means they cannot lose value through inflation , as all forms of paper money have done over time. In addition, accounts in the Bitcoin system are anonymous and transparent. Users can set up an account easily and track every Bitcoin. All of these features seem to make Bitcoins immune from loss, but that is not entirely true. "The value of Bitcoins can vary wildly as no central government makes the price of them steady. If the value drops suddenly, investors cannot get any compensation ," Zhao Qingming, a senior researcher at China Construction Bank, told China Economic Weekly. And Bitcoins, unlike company shares, are not backed by any tangible funds, which also adds to their risk. While China will not recognize the digital currency anytime soon, Xinhua said, lawmakers and officials at a hearing on Nov. 18 in the US made positive comments about Bitcoin. Ben Bernanke, outgoing chairman of the Federal Reserve, told the Washington Post that "these types of creations, such as Bitcoin... may hold long-term promise, particularly if its system promotes a faster, more secure and more efficient payment system." We can use Bitcoin to buy the following things except _ . A online goods B goods at 134 online shops on Taobao C books in physical shops D coffee at a cafe named 2nd Place Answer: C. books in physical shops I had lunch with a friend of mine the other day and she said something that I found surprising: "Work is paid slavery." My friend wanted more control over her work hours, income, etc., but you can imagine that if "work is serving someone," she won't have much luck until that belief changes. When I asked her where that belief came from, she said her father. Most of us spend many of our waking hours at work. How we think about those hours will determine how good or bad we feel about our lives. How would you complete the sentence: "Work is...."? How many of us say that work is fulfilling? How many say work is fun? Changing Limiting Beliefs Almost everyone I talk to has limiting beliefs about money or work. I worked with my friend using the walking belief change described in Debug Your Mental Software. When it came time to come up with a new belief, she struggled. She even asked me: "What's the opposite of slavery?" So strong was the old belief that she couldn't think of the opposite. What's Your Work Belief? If you think work is bad, you'll end up working in an unfulfilling job regardless of how much it pays. If you think work is freedom, you'll enjoy your work because it fulfills you. I call it "soul work." If you're doing the work you love, it will be energizing, freeing. Much of our work ethic starts in childhood by watching our parents. How did they talk about work? Did they hate it, or did they love it? The truth is probably somewhere in between. Many of us say we don't want a job "like my parent had" or a job where they're stuck inside a small room. But many of us end up with jobs like that. Sometimes it's how we approach the tasks of our jobs that make the difference. It's possible to make even the most ordinary job meaningful and fulfilling. If it isn't possible for you to do that, then it is time to think about "evolving out of the job". Sometimes just quitting a job because it's boring is the wrong thing to do, but thinking about where you want to be and if you need more education is a good idea. Some young people seem to have trouble starting jobs or finishing college. Has our economy discouraged them? A recent movie I saw had a grown man (over thirty) telling his friends that he's a "stay-at-home-son." Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. I had breakfast at my local Perkins yesterday. Kristin took my order. She was bubbly and full of energy compared to the other waitresses. I watched as she remembered everything a family of four staying at a neighboring hotel had ordered the day before. Kristin loved people and loved her job. She has the kind of attitude and work ethic that employers crave. What's your work belief? Does it limit you? Could you tune it up to live a better life right now? If most of us are going to spend 30 years working, shouldn't we try to make it enjoyable? Could it be that work is freedom or right work is energizing or something even better? The writer thinks highly of Kristin because _ . A she treats every customer equally B she is good at memorizing things C she is a close friend of the writer's D she has positive job attitude Answer: D. she has positive job attitude A little boy named Joey did not like to brush his teeth. One day, as his mother asked him to brush his teeth, Joey said, "I don't want to! It's gross and a waste of time!" In response, Joey's mom told him that in order for him to grow up and be big and strong like she is, he must brush his teeth. In disgust, with his mom watching to make sure he brushed his teeth right, he brushed his teeth and whined until he was finished. The next day, Joey did not brush his teeth and told his mom that he did. After going to school, one of Joey's friends said that his breath stunk and began to make fun of him. This made Joey very angry, so he pushed the boy over and started to cry. A teacher came over and called the principal as both kids were being loud and starting a fight. Joey's mom came to school and took him home. After asking what was wrong, Joey told his mom that he didn't brush his teeth. After hearing this, his mom marched him up to the bathroom and forced him to brush his teeth. "You won't get teased if you brush your teeth, Joey!" she yelled, and then left the room. From that day forward, Joey brushed his teeth every day so the other kids wouldn't make fun of him. What did Joey do after his mom yelled at him? A He stopped brushing his teeth. B He didn't go back to school. C He only brushed his teeth sometimes. D He brushed his teeth every day after that. Answer: D. He brushed his teeth every day after that. "Now stretch over your right leg!" my dance teacher yells over the music. "If it doesn't hurt, you're not trying hard enough. Hold that stretch for 30 seconds!" My dance teacher works hard to form us into the dancers we desire to be. In order for this to occur, we stretch hard a lot! Dancing is a real passion of many people, including me. I work hard to make myself better, and prove that I am good enough. Performing a dance routine is more than just a performance. Dancers tell stories when they dance. It is a way for us to express our personal feelings. Just letting go and letting your body move with the music can create your emotions. Dance tells us things that our mind secretly hides. "Get up and do it again! You need to keep your spirits up!" Even though I am completely worn out after my dances, I love to hear those words. It gives me a sense of relief knowing that I can again express my feelings out on the floor. "Practice makes perfect! Come on. We have a competition this weekend, and we need to work harder!" Competitions are the best possible example of fun. For a dancer, life cannot get better than competitions. The thrill of losing yourself onstage is a rush of energy rushing through your body! The feeling is unexplainable. As you sit there putting on your makeup, fixing your hair, and putting on your costume, the rush just gradually grows until it is ready to be released onstage. Finally the time comes to tell your story. Standing backstage waiting for your name to be called is one of the scariest moments. You are ready to show the world what you are capable of and what you have been perfecting for a while. Once your number is called, you walk out onstage. The applause at the end tells each dancer that their story has been received, and that the dance has been brought to life. How does the author understand dancing according to the text? A It is a good way to release stress. B It takes talent, confidence and patience to dance well. C It is no more than a performance with our bodies. D It is a way to show our personal emotions. Answer: D. It is a way to show our personal emotions.
President Obama ranks 15th out of 44 in a poll of the best and worst Presidents while former President George W. Bush earns a place in the bottom five, according to the Siena College Research Institute's recent survey released Thursday Obama won a top ten place in two skill set categories, communication ability (7th) and ability to compromise (10th), and in two personality trait categories, imagination (6th) and intelligence (8th). Background, described as family, education, and experience, proved his lowest score at 32nd. This is the 5th time the institute has conducted the survey of U.S. presidents, which is done a year after a new president takes office. The first survey was done in 1982. "Obviously, there's not great _ to the poll since the Presidents have only been in office for one year," says the survey's co-director and statistician Douglas Lonnstrom. "But it's a benchmark for us to see how they move." Presidents tend to rank around 20th while they are in office, and Obama is no exception. His actions over the next few years will decide if he stays roughly the same like Reagan--who moved from 16th to 20th, 22nd, 16th again, and finally to 18th this year--or like Bush, who fell from 23rd to 39th. Franklin D. Roosevelt has held his title as top president since 1982 with the same four following as top five: Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson. The survey, which ranks Presidents using 20 different factors, shows Jefferson was the most intelligent president, Richard Nixon was the worst at honesty and avoiding serious mistakes, Lincoln had the best overall ability, and Washington was the best leader. In which category did Obama win his best place? A Imagination. B Intelligence. C Background. D Communication ability. Answer: A Rupert Hoogewerf, whose name sounds Dutch, is actually an Englishman. The 34-year-old man is very famous in prefix = st1 /China--though many Chinese merchant princes have complicated feeling towards him. Every day people, meanwhile, take delight in talking about his work. All of the fuss is over the annual report that Hoogewerf puts out ranking Chinese millionaires. On the wall of Hoogewerf's office in Shanghai, there is a massive Chinese map, and on almost every province is glued a small strip of paper. On each strip is written how many millionaires are registered on Hoogewerf's list. Hoogewerf, wearing jeans and sandals, speaks fluent Chinese to introduce the initial motivation for compiling the list. When Hoogewerf went into university to study Chinese in 1997, he says, he was affiliated with the renowned accounting firm Arthur Andersen, and was assigned to work in Shanghai. Working in Shanghai, he could see first-handChina's fast economic development. "But my fellows and I don't understand the process of how this could happen," he says, "let alone to explain this phenomenon in the concept of economics." Then he had an idea to compile a ranked list to introduce Chinese tycoons abroad, knowing that foreigners preferred reading people's stories to data. With the help of two colleagues in 1999, Hoogewerf complied the first ranking of Chinese millionaires. The most difficult task was to select candidates, and Hoogewerf and his colleagues spent two months reading Chinese and English magazines and newspapers. From a list of more than 1,000 people, they chose 300 people to survey and contact further. Finally, a list with the hundred richest businessmen in Chinaappeared. The listing astounded the populace; the Chinese have a tradition where people are afraid to exhibit their wealth. The achievement of a hundred millionaires became the main topic in everyone's conversation. Hoogewerf instantly became famous acrossChina. Hoogewerf also brings forward some advice to Chinese companies. In his opinion, compared to foreign companies, Chinese companies are still in the beginning phase. Their finance management and public relations need most work. So the service in accountant, auditing, public relations, consultation and so on is still required. "If I don't compile ranks one day," Hoogewerf says,"I hope to do my Chinese career in _ ." What can be implied from the passage? A As Chinese companies are still in the beginning phase, Hoogewerf doesn't feel happy to work in China. B If Hoogewerf doesn't compile ranks one day, he will choose to work in China. C Hoogewerf puts out the report ranking Chinese millionaires every other year. D Hoogewerf doesn't have a good relationship with Chinese millionaires. Answer: B SYDNEY 2005-01-01 08:33--Mother of two, Jillian Searle, had to choose between her children when she made a life-or-death decision. Swept up by mountainous tsunami waves at a Thai resort ( ), she could not hold on to both her young sons and survive . Fighting to stay above the waters , she had to choose which one would have to take his chances in the swirling torrent . "I knew I had to let go of one of them and I just thought I'd better let go of the one that's the older," she told Sky News television in a report broadcast on Thursday. She said she was accompanied by the two boys, Lachie, 5, and two-year-old Blake, and their father, Brad, who had watched the drama helplessly from their first-floor hotel room, when the waves struck. "And I was screaming, trying to find _ , and we thought he was dead," she told reporters on arrival back in Australia. Lachie was found alive about 2 hours later clinging to a door and, looked uninjured as his mother spoke to reporters. British surfer Martin Markwell is also a lucky man. He had always dreamed of catching that perfect wave -but when it finally came along, it was a nightmare. He was on his surfboard when he was swept up by a tsunami wave. "It was really terrible because I was surfing, I was really surfing on a wave I wasn't supposed to be on," he said. "As an experienced surfer, when I saw the wave come I realized something was wrong, but I couldn't escape because my surfboard was tied to my ankle." His wife Vicki and son Jake looked on in horror from a hotel balcony as he crashed towards the shore. Luckily , he stayed on top of his board until he reached the hotel , jumped off and got to safety as the ocean rolled back to feed a much larger tsunami wave on its way . The family regrouped and ran to safety just minutes before a giant tsunami wave 10 meters high. When the waves struck, the father Brad _ . A reported the disaster to Sky News television B was watching a drama play on TV in the hotel C tried to find his son lost in the waters D watched things going on , unable to do anything Answer: D Music Club Music lessons(guitar, violin, piano and drums) Time: 8:30 am-9:30 am every Sunday Price: Only $20 each Address: 25 Jiefang Road Tel: 420-258-1200 National Park Riding horses Boating Time: 11:00am-7:00pm every day Price: adults $15, children (ages 3-7) $ 8 Address: 95 the Fifth Avenue Tel: 208-683-3400 Art Museum 200 famous pictures More than 300 works Opening hours:8:00am-6:00pm on weekdays Price: adults $10Children $5.50 Address: 120 Xinjin Street, Thermopolis Town Tel: 307-864-2997 When can we visit Art Museum? A 11:00 am-7:00 pm every day B 8:00 am - 6:00 pm on weekdays C 8:00 am - 9:30 am every Sunday. D 8:00 am - 6:00 pm on weekends. Answer: B Li Ming: Hi, Lingling,! Nice to meet you! Lingling: Hi, Li Ming! _ Li Ming: How are you, Lingling? Lingling: Fine, thanks. Mum, this is my friend, Li Ming. Li Ming, this is my mum, Mrs. Wang. Li Ming: Good afternoon, Mrs. Wang ! Mrs. Wang : Good afternoon, Li Ming! Welcome to our home! Li Ming: _ . Li Ming, _ . A Thank you. B Sorry? C Goodbye. D Welcome to our home too! Answer: A
Televisions were among the most talked about items at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show last week in Las Vegas, Nevada. Some employed the most advanced technology ever. Some of the TVs used a new technology called Organic Light Emitting Diodes, or OLED. They were thinner, lighter, offered better color1 and were brighter than traditional LEDs. Smart TVs this year were smarter. Many offered technology that let users have a more personalized experience. One such TV from the electronics company TCL uses sensors and voice recognition to determine who is watching. It then offers programming based on the specific user. Another TV from Panasonic offers a similar personalized user experience. In addition to television technology, size also played a major part in CES 2013. Televisions varied in size from big to bigger, with at least two companies -- Samsung and HiSense -- exhibiting TVs measuring 110 inches. The yearly Consumer Electronics Show is the biggest technology trade show in North America and one of the biggest in the world. Gary Shapiro is president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, the group that organizes CES. He gave one of the keynote speeches on opening day. "Now you know that CES is more than a trade show. It's a gathering of the brightest minds and the top leaders from many industries and those seeking a glimpse into the future." That glimpse into the future included a look at digital health and fitness devices, which were also big at CES 2013. There were devices that track your activity and others that measure blood pressure, heart rate and weight. There was even a fork that tells you when you are eating too fast. Cars, smart-phones, tablet computers and PCs also made news. And a 27-inch table computer drew quite a bit of attention. CEA President Gary Shapiro says there was much to see but not nearly enough time to see it all. "You cannot see the show in the four days that you have. We have over 3200 different industries showing over 20,000 new products. It's ly incredible." At the 2013 CES, which item drew the most attention? A Cars. B Smart-phones. C Computers. D Televisions. Answer: D. Televisions. Tsunami is a natural disaster, which is a Japanese word that means "sea wave". A tsunami is a huge sea wave that forms mainly in the Pacific Ocean area. People die and property is destroyed when a tsunami hits land. What causes these dangerous sea waves? Sometimes, tsunamis are caused when earthquakes take place underwater. Then, water begins to move up and down from the top of the ocean right down to the bottom. Waves begin to form, and each wave is called a tsunami. A tsunami is less than one meter high and can move at a speed of almost 800 kilometers per hour while it is far out in the ocean. But the tsunami rises much higher and moves more slowly as it comes closer to land. The weather bureau warns people over the radio and television when a tsunami is heading for land. These warnings have helped save many lives. The Japanese word tsunami means _ . A earthquake B sea wave C ocean water D tornado Answer: B. sea wave Although mobile phones have brought a lot of convenience to people,they have also brought troubles. Besides endless spam text messages( ),another problem seems even more annoying.That is the so-called "one ring"call.It is a phone call that only rings one time and stops before the receivers is able to pick it up .When the receiver calls back,the other side is usually a recorded advertisement.And by the time people realize that they have been _ they've already paid for the call. An article in the China Youth Dailysays that these terrible calls trouble many mobile users day and night.But up till now,the government hasn't taken any steps to solve the problem. It seems that if someone chooses to use a cellphone,he must bear( )the trouble. The number of mobile phone users in China has risen to more than 570 million.Thanks to news reports,many people have come to understand the harm of the "one ring"call.Some users say they won't call back if it is an unknown number.But the article points out that this doesn't mean the related government departments should turn a blind eye to it. According to an online survey of more than 200,000 Chinese netizens ( ), nearly 70 percent believed telecommunication( )operators make money from these annoying phone calls.The article argues that "one ring"calls not only take away people's money,but also trouble their lives. New technology should not do harm to society.Instead,people should enjoy the convenience of information technology. Thus, the article advises that laws should be set up to protect people's legal rights. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A mobile users can't do anything about the "one ring"call B "one ring"calls and spam text messages are from the same people C "one ring"calls will be got rid of in the near future D telecommunication operators hate "one ring"calls too Answer: A. mobile users can't do anything about the "one ring"call Oscar, owner of Greenacre, conveyed Greenacre by quitclaim deed as a gift to Ann, who did not then record her deed. Later, Oscar conveyed Greenacre by warranty deed to Belle, who paid valuable consideration, knew nothing of Ann's claim, and promptly and properly recorded. Next, Ann recorded her deed. Then Belle conveyed Greenacre by quitclaim deed to her son Cal as a gift. When the possible conflict with Ann was discovered, Cal recorded his deed. Greenacre at all relevant times has been vacant unoccupied land. The recording act of the jurisdiction provides: "No unrecorded conveyance or mortgage of real property shall be good against subsequent purchasers for value without notice, who shall first record." No other statute is applicable. Cal has sued Ann to establish who owns Greenacre. The court will hold for A Cal, because Ann was a donee. B Cal, because Belle's purchase cut off Ann's rights. C Ann, because she recorded before Cal. D Ann, because Cal was a subsequent donee. Answer: B. Cal, because Belle's purchase cut off Ann's rights. Woman Uses Daughter's Key to "Steal" Car Charlie Vansant, a college student of Athens, Ohio, who reported that his car was stolen, got a surprise when he learned that a woman had mistaken it for her daughter's car and driven it home--using her key. Kate Anderson became an accidental "car thief" when picking up her daughter's car near an Ohio University building last week. Anderson found the Toyota Camry and used her daughter's car key to unlock the car, start the engine and drove it home--without realizing that the car didn't belong to her daughter. When Charlie Vansant left class a short time later, he found only an empty parking spot. He first assumed the car had been towed , but when the police couldn't find a record of it, then they took a theft report. That morning, after Anderson drove the car home, her daughter discovered the Camry in the driveway wasn't hers. Anderson said she was able to find Vansant's name on the paperwork in the glove compartment and look up his phone number on the website for the university. When Anderson told Charlie the car was in her driveway, "It sounded really suspicious at first, as if she wanted to hold the thing for ransom ," said Vansant. He eventually went to the house with a police officer, where he was reunited with his car. According to the police report, the case was closed "because of mistaken car identity", and Anderson wasn't charged. Vansant blamed the car company more than the "thief". "Her key fit not only my lock, but my ignition as well--so high-five for Toyota, I guess," he said. (307 words) What is likely to happen next according to the passage? A Mrs. Anderson was charged with stealing a car. B Charlie blamed Mrs. Anderson for mistakenly taking his car. C Charlie would ask the Toyota Company to give him an explanation. D The Toyota Company would give Charlie a new car as compensation . Answer: C. Charlie would ask the Toyota Company to give him an explanation.
The earth revolves around Answer: a heat source Like any good mother,when Karen found out that another baby was on the way,she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son,Michael,prepare for a new baby.They find out that the new baby is going to be a girl,and day after day,night after night,Michael sings to his sister in Mommy's stomach. Finally,Michael's little sister is born.But she is in serious condition.With alarm in the night,the ambulance rushes _ to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital,Knoxville,Tennessee.The days go by.The little girl gets worse.The pediatric specialist tells the parents,"There is very little hope.Be prepared for the worst." Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about a burial plot.They have fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby,but now they plan a funeral.Michael,keeps begging his parents to let him see his sister,"I want to sing to her,"he says. Karen makes up her mind.She will take Michael whether they like it or not.If he doesn't see his sister now,he may never see her alive. She dresses him in an oversized suit and marches him into ICU.He looks like a walking laundry basket,but the head nurse recognizes him as a child and shouts,"Get that kid out of here now! No children are allowed.Never disturb patients here."The mother rises up strongly and said,"He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!" Karen leads Michael to his sister's bedside.He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live.And he begins to sing.In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old,Michael sings:"You are my sunshine,my only sunshine,you make me happy when skies are gray..."Instantly the baby girl responds.The pulse rate becomes calm and steady. The next day,the very next day,the little girl is well enough to go home! Woman's Day magazine called it"the miracle of a brother's song."The medical staff just called it a miracle.Karen called it a miracle of God's love! Never give up on the people you love. What do we know about the little sister after she was born? Answer: She was in great danger. By 2050, half of the world's population will live in the tropics--the ly warm belt that circles the globe--according to State of the Tropics, a report released today. Rapid population growth, along with economic growth, means that the region's influence will grow in coming decades, the authors of the 500-page work predict. The project, first launched in 2011, aimed to answer one significant question: Is life in the tropics improving? To find out, the researchers analyzed environmental, social, and economic indicators collected over 6 decades. It finds that the region has made "extraordinary progress" in many areas. For example, more people have access to safe drinking water, and the number of protected areas is increasing. The tropics also have outperformed the rest of the world in economic growth over the past 30 years. However, some challenges remain. Investment in research and development, for example, has increased cautiously, but tropical nations still invest less than the rest of the world. "As a proportion of GDP the Rest of the World invests almost four times as much in research and development than the Tropics." concludes the report. The report also includes a new analysis of how climate change will affect the region. Many plant and animal species are moving poleward in an attempt to stay within their preferred environmental conditions in the tropics, the authors write. However, some organisms may not be able to keep pace with the changing conditions, they predict. As a result, they can experience population declines or go extinct. In addition, an expanded tropical zone also threatens health and safety issues, the authors warn. As regions become more suitable to insects such as mosquitoes and ticks, the spread of insect-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and Lyme disease could rise, causing a burden to human health and the economy. Bruna, a researcher, says he sees a lot to be concerned about in the report. "While we've made incredible advances in some areas, I think the risks for the tropics that are highlighted in this report are things that we really need to be concerned about." Which of the following best describes the writer's attitude? Answer: Objective. The French word renaissance means rebirth. It was first used in 1855 by the historian Jules Michelet in his History of France,then adopted by historians of culture,by art historians,and eventually by music historians,all of whom applied it to European culture during the 150 years spanning 1450-1600.The concept of rebirth was appropriate to this period of European history because of the renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman culture that began in Italy and then spread throughout Europe. Scholars and artists of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries wanted to restore the learning and ideals of the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome. To these scholars this meant a return to human--as opposed to spiritual values. Fulfillment in life--as opposed to concern about an afterlife--became a desirable goal,and expressing the entire range of human emotions and enjoying the pleasures of the senses were no longer frowned on. Artists and writers _ turned to secular as well as religious subject matter and sought to make their works understandable and appealing. These changes in outlook deeply affected the musical culture of the Renaissance period--how people thought about music as well as the way music was composed,experienced,discussed,and circulated. They could see the architectural monuments,sculptures ,plays,and poems that were being rediscovered,but they could not actually hear ancient music--although they could read the writings of classical philosophers,poets,essayists,and music theorists that were becoming available in translation. They learned about the power of ancient music to move the listener and wondered why modern music did not have the same effect. For example,the influential religious leader Bernardino Cirillo expressed disappointment with the learned music of his time. He urged musicians to follow the example of the sculptors,painters,architects,and scholars who had rediscovered ancient art and literature. The musical Renaissance in Europe was more a general cultural movement and state of mind than a specific set of musical techniques. Furthermore,music changed so rapidly during this century and a half--though at different rates in different countries--that we cannot define a single Renaissance style. What can be inferred about the music of ancient Greece and Rome? Answer: Its effect on listeners was described in a number of classical texts. Meagan and her friend Samantha, both students, lived together in Denver. On mornings when Samantha had class, Meagan would watch her 2-year-old daughter, Hannah. Also part of the household was Meagan's pet, Willie, a parrot -- a particularly intelligent and chatty breed. He picked up quite a healthy vocabulary ("Silly Willie"was a favorite saying) and became a great mimic -- of cats, dogs, chickens and humans. One day with Samantha at school, Hannah sat in front of morning cartoons while Meagan cooked Pop-Tarts in the kitchen. When the toaster spat out the food, Meagan placed it at the center of the kitchen table to cool. She glanced at Hannah and, confident the child was fully engaged in the TV, slipped out quickly to use the bathroom. "I was gone maybe 30 seconds,"Meagan recalls."And suddenly, I heard the bird going crazy and shouting."She heard two very distinct words from the parrot's mouth."Mama! Baby! Mama! Baby!"Meagan ran out of the bathroom to find Hannah in the kitchen, holding the partly eaten Pop-Tarts, out of breath, her face and lips a terrifying shade of blue. And Willie was still crying. "Hannah had climbed up on a chair and gotten the Pop-Tarts and she was clearly choking on them,"says Meagan."I seized her and immediately started doing first aid until the piece came flying out."The bird quieted down and Meagan burst into tears, relief washing over her; Hannah was fine, already smiling her big smile. When Meagan told Samantha what happened,"She was so grateful, thanking me for what I did,"Meagan says."But I said, 'Don't thank me! It was Willie who was the hero!'" What had Meagan expected Hannah to do while she was away? Answer: To enjoy the TV program.
Japanese sailor Kenichi Horie has finished a 110-day solo voyage across the Pacific Ocean in a boat pushed by sea waves to win another world first. Weak waves and ocean water movements made his arrival late, which was going to be in late May. "When waves were weak, the boat slowed down. That's a problem that needs to be solved," the adventure told reporters from his boat in western Japan. His 9.5-meter-long boat can move like a dolphin's tail, and it rises or falls with the waves. Horie reached his destination in the channel between the main Japanese islands just before midnight after covering about 7,000 kilometers from Hawaii. Horie first made world record in 1962 when, at the age of 23, he became the first person to sail alone across the Pacific. He made the three-month voyage from his hometown in spite of breaking Japanese law, which did not allow his citizens to sail on their own out of the country, and without a passport or money. He was arrested upon arrival in San Francisco but the city mayor freed him, gave him a 30-day visa and made him an honorary citizen. News of his achievement made him a hero back home in Japan and his book of the voyage In the Pacific was made into a film. Since then, he has completed many sailing trips across the Pacific and around the world. After his latest adventure with an environmentally friendly theme, Horie planned to return to his hometown on Sunday. He said, "Throughout history, mankind has used wind for power, but no one has appeared to be serious about wave power." Horie told the reporter, "I think I'm a lucky boy as this wave power system has remained untouched in fact." Horie's boat was mainly powered by _ . On the first day of school, our professor introduced himself and let us get to know someone we didn't know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. "Hi, girl! My name is Rose, I'm 87 years old." "Why are you in college at such a young age?" I asked jokingly. "I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she replied. Rose became a college symbol this year and she easily made friends with other students. At the end of the term we invited her to speak at our football party. I'll never forget what she taught us. "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only two secrets of staying young, being happy and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it! "There is a big difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do anything, you will turn 20 years older. If I am 87 years old, and stay in bed for a year, and never do anything, will turn 88. Anybody can grow older. But every minute counts for young men," she added. She ended her speech by singing The Song Rose. She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the end of the year, Rose finished the college education. One week after graduation, Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be. Remember GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY , GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL . Rose was _ during her stay in college. Australian scientists are trying to give kangaroo-style stomachs to cattle and sheep in order to cut the greenhouse gases they send out, which is thought to be responsible for global warming. Thanks to special bacteria in their stomachs, kangaroo flatulence contains nomethane and scientists want to transfer that bacteria to cattle and sheep who produce large quantities of the harmful gas. While the usual image of greenhouse gas pollution is a billowing smokestack pushing out carbon dioxide, farm animals' passing wind contributes a surprisingly high percentage of total emissions in some countries. "Fourteen percent of emissions from all sources in Australia is from enteric methane from cattle and sheep," said Athol Klieve, a senior research scientist with the Queensland state government. "And if you look at another country such as New Zealand, which has got a much higher agricultural base, they're actually up around 50 percent," he said. Researchers say the bacteria also make the digestive process much more efficient and could potentially save millions of dollars in feed costs for farmers. But it will take researchers at least three years to isolate the bacteria, before they can even start to develop a way of transferring it to cattle and sheep. Another group of scientists, meanwhile, has suggested Australians should farm fewer cattle and sheep and just eat more kangaroos. And about 20 percent of health-conscious Australians have eaten the national symbol already. "It's low in fat, it's got high protein levels and it's very clean in the sense that basically it's the free-range animal," said Peter Ampt of the University of New South Wales's institute of environmental studies. Scientists intend to put the bacteria into cattle and sheep _ . I think all of us should know it's necessary to have breakfast. It's one of the most important meals of the day. If you want to keep fit, you should have a good breakfast. Choosing the right food is also important. For it, you may have bread, eggs and milk. But in fact, many students go to school without breakfast. This does harm to their health. Maybe they say they have no time because it's too late or their parents are too busy to prepare breakfast for them. What will happen to the students on an empty stomach ? Because of no energy, they can't keep active. They may not grow fast. When they feel hungry, they are not able to study well and they have no energy to play well, either. What's worse , they will spend more time getting better once they fall ill. Therefore , we shouldn't go to school without breakfast, no matter what reason it is. Which is TRUE according to the passage? Imagine the following scenario : A woman buys her lunch every day from a fast food outlet near her job. After some years, she finds herself 30 pounds overweight, and feeling unhealthy. So what does she do? She chooses to bring a lawsuit against the fast food outlet, claiming that the food served there was the cause of her being overweight and in poor health. Sounds ridiculous, doesn't? The only thing more absurd than the story itself is the fact that is not fiction. There are people who have sued fast food chains for causing their weight problems. This is an example of one of the ways in which many of us spend enormous amounts of energy trying to deny the undeniable and universal fact that we are all ultimately responsible for our own choices and our own lives. How much easier would we make it for ourselves if we could accept this fact rather than resist it? But how can we embrace the truth, that we are living the lives we choose to live, that we are enjoying or suffering the consequences of our own choices, and that blaming others for our problems and shortcomings is nothing more than a comfortable fantasy? We must acknowledge the truth of our lives, however unpleasant this may be. If we are overweight, in a bad relationship, in a dead end, we need to accept that this is where we are, at this moment in time. Imagine that woman decided that she was unhappy with the extra pounds she'd gained after many years of eating fast food on a regular basis. Imagine that this woman took the time to really understand and accept that she and no one else was responsible for her eating choices. Having acknowledged this fact, she then decides to make the changes in her lifestyle to become the healthier, slimmer person she wants to be. What would be the best title for the passage?
Recently, China Dream has been the subject of a public topic. Although it is quite common for Chinese people to dream of a developed China, most people also have their own dreams. I interviewed several young Chinese students with higher US educational backgrounds. They all had their own dreams for their native country. Fred Wang, an MBA student in the US, said, "I dream of equal chance for the young in China. Equality means all young people can compete fairly, based on the rule-of-law no matter whether they are rich or poor." Yujie Zhao, another MBA student in California, said, "I dream of having the best education for my children so they will not lose at the starting line, and I dream of being able to take good care of my parents after they return home from work." Yiqiong Zhang, an MBA graduate from the US, shared her dreams. "I have a dream which I have been holding for many years, that is after working hard for about 20 to 25 years, I can have enough money to build and manage a bookstore or a flower shop. Besides working hard, I am able to enjoy life, to play the piano, to hike and to enjoy a two-month-long vacation every year. This may be a common dream among young Chinese students." There is no doubt that all of these young students have their own China Dream. They all love chasing their dreams. The beautiful China Dream requires everyone's hard work. Everyone should work hard to make their dreams come true. From the passage we can learn that China Dream _ . A is very difficult to come true B requires everyone's hard work C is a subject we need to teach in school D is only a dream of young Chinese students Answer: B. requires everyone's hard work There is more to tourism in Britain than you might think. When you think of tourist sites in Britain, what do you think of? Big Ben and the Tower of London? Lock Ness? Shakespeare's birthplace at Strafford-upon-Avon? There are many famous tourist attractions in the UK and they attract millions of visitors each year. But along with the famous names there are thousands of other interesting places that are only open to the public for a few days each year. Heritage Open Days takes place each September and lets the public visit places that would normally be out of bounds. Among the thousands of historic sites there are castles and factories, town halls and churches. Here we look at some of the places that most tourists might not know about. Roman Baths --- Chester These Roman baths are almost two thousand years old and a fascinating insight into the history of the city but they aren't often open to visitors because they are under a clothes shop and a shop that sells baked potatoes! In Open Days week, visitors can go downstairs to the basement of the shops and find a little piece of history. Tennis Club --- Birmingham Edgbaston Tennis Club opened in 1860 and is the oldest tennis club in the world. Visitors can see the club's collection of tennis clothes and equipment and learn about the game's rich history. Ardman Animation --- Bristol The studios that produced the famous Wallace and Gromit animated films open its doors to the public to let people find out more about how the films are made. Paddock Wood --- Kent A family house where some of the rooms are unchanged since the 1920s. The home's owner, Sarah Hamilton, is happy to open her doors to the public, saying "I'm passionate about history and I love taking to people." These are just a few of the thousands of places to visit each year. If you're visiting Britain in September ---- look out for Open Days! Which place might be most attractive to movie fans? A Paddock Wood --- Kent B Tennis Club --- Birmingham C Roman Baths --- Chester D Ardman Animation --- Bristol Answer: D. Ardman Animation --- Bristol Zhang Lili, a Chinese language teacher at No.19 Middle School of Jiamusi in Heilongjiang Province, has recently been considered to be "the Most Beautiful Teacher" in China. At 8:38 pm on Tuesday, May 8th, 2012, Zhang Lili and her several students were waiting for a bus at the school gate when suddenly a school bus lost control and rushed towards them. When she realized the danger, she pushed two students to safety, but she was hit and run over. The 29-year-old teacher lost her legs. "She is a backbone teacher in our school. She works very hard," said the headteacher. The heroic teacher was the most popular teacher among the students. "Her students love her a lot. Her room is always full of students when she is free," said another teacher. Zhang Lili was also very _ . "My son has lost his father. Every month, Zhang secretly put 100 yuan in his desk from her own salary to support his studies," said a boy's mother, who was waiting outside the emergency room for hours to express how grateful she felt towards Zhang. Two weeks later, Zhang Lili came out of her coma . She wrote a letter to her students, wishing them good luck on their entrance exams for high school. Her letter, 200 words long took her three days to write. Zhang Lili was hit and run over by a school bus when she was _ . A saving her students B waiting for a bus at a bus stop C waiting for a bus alone D taking a walk with her students Answer: A. saving her students Speaking in any language is all about imitating other people. You want to be able to speak like native speakers do. Before you can form your own correct sentences, you first need to see lots of similar ones in the language you are learning. When you speak in your native language, you don't have to think about the grammar or the words you use. Correct sentences just come to you. In fact, your brain uses sentences you've already seen or heard. If you want to speak a foreign language fluently, you have to learn it the way you learned your native language--- by massive input. Reading and listening will help you develop language intuition . It's all about putting lots of correct sentences in your head. Then your brain can imitate them, producing similar sentences to express the meaning you want. When you read and listen a lot, paying attention to useful vocabulary, you will soon start to use new words and phrases in your speaking and writing, and you will develop language intuition. You will start to feel what sounds good and what sounds bad --- just as you do in your native language. It may seem like you need more time to learn a language by reading and listening, as opposed to learning based on grammar rules. For example, to get a good feeling for the use of articles in English you need to read lots of sentences, analyzing them closely. Wouldn't it be easier to read a unit on articles in a grammar book? Well, the problem is that it takes lots of time to build a sentence when you have to think of grammar rules. When you talk to someone, you don't have time for that. The input-based approach may seem to be more demanding, but it's the only way to achieve fluency. According to the passage, if you want to speak a foreign language like a native speaker, you must _ . A learn grammar very well B input many sentences in your head C read many books in the foreign language D write many compositions Answer: B. input many sentences in your head By the middle of the 19th century, newspapers were becoming the primary means of spreading and receiving information. The period between 1890 and 1920 is known as the "golden age" of print media. Broadcast radio came onto the media scene in the 1920's. Newspapers were forced to re-evaluate their role as society's primary information provider. Like the new media technologies of today, the development of a low-cost, convenient media source produced results that radio would greatly affect the newspaper industry. No sooner had newspapers adapted to radio than they were forced to re-evaluate themselves because of a new and more powerful medium: television. Between 1940 and 1990, newspaper sales in America dropped from one newspaper for every two adults to one for every three adults. Some newspapers, like USA Today, responded to the technological advancements by using color1 and the "short, quick and to the point" stories that are usually featured on television. The technological revolution of today is creating new challenges and opportunities for traditional media. Never before has so much information been so accessible to so many. By the end of the 1990s, about 700 traditional media had websites; today there are thousands. The amount and speed of information on the Internet is _ , but it has not signalled the end of the newspaper's existence . Newspapers in print remain a popular and powerful medium for the reporting and analysis of events that shape our lives. It is reported that one billion people in the world read a newspaper every day! Radio had a great influence on the newspaper industry because _ . A it was easier and cheaper to receive information by radio B nobody supported the development of the newspaper industry C newspapers were not a primary information provider any longer D many people were too poor to buy newspapers in the early 20th century Answer: A. it was easier and cheaper to receive information by radio
Jean is a bright young lady who comes from a rich and famous family. She goes to a good university and has everything that money can buy. Well, almost everything is good. But the problem is that Jean's family are so busy that they can hardly find time to be with her. So Jean spends a lot of time on her QQ. She likes being anonymous , talking to people who do not know about her famous family and her rich life. She uses the name Linda on QQ and has made a lot of friends who she keeps in touch with quite often. Last year Jean made a very special friend on QQ. His name was David and lived in San Francisco. David was full of stories and jokes. He and Jean had a common interest in rock music and modern dance. So it always took them hours to talk happily on QQ and sometimes they even forgot their time. Of course, they wanted to know more about each other. David sent a picture of himself: He was a tall, good looking young man with big, happy smile. As time went by, they became good friends and often sent cards and small things to each other. When Jean's father told her that he was going on a business trip to San Francisco, she asked him to let her go with him so that she could give David a surprise for his birthday. She would take him the latest DVD of their favorite rock singer. But when she knocked on David's door in San Francisco, she found that her special friend was a twelve-year-old boy named Jim! We could believe that Jean was _ when seeing Jim himself instead of David at his door. A. delighted B. disappointed C. regretful D. confused Answer: B. disappointed I might be letting my young son watch too much television. I am certainly watching too much many of his programs. They can really be puzzling as they force you to _ . For example, when Franklin (the turtle) wanted a pet, his parents did not want it to be a frog. They felt that frogs belong in a pond. Isn't that where turtles belong? And why is it that Little Bear's animal friends can all talk and behave like people, but his friend Emily has a dog that can only bark and fetch? Tell me that isn't a mystery! Dog lovers can be reassured (less worried or frightened) by Kipper and his friends. These dogs are very human. However, the only time they wear clothes is when they put on bathing suits to go swimming. I am confused! Speaking of dogs, could Pluto ever be Goofy's pet? I don't get it! What did the great Mr. Disney have in mind? And this is unfair! The other day we watched a very nice little pig setting up a picnic. One of the foods was a big ham. Could it have been a soybeam ham? Is there such a thing? I hope so! Another thing that really bothers me: what if Elmo(one of my son's favorite cartoon stars) isn't real? He can't be a mere puppet ! He's got a better attitude than most people. I just keep wondering. I think we will turn off the TV and go out for a walk. Maybe we will run into that mouse who dresses well but certainly doesn't speak as clearly as the average bear. The author thinks it is "unfair" when _ . A. a pig has a picnic because pigs are dirty animals B. a pig eats soy beans because soy beans give pigs gas C. a pig eats ham because ham is too expensive for farmer animals D. a pig eats ham because ham is made from pigs. Answer: D. a pig eats ham because ham is made from pigs. The Internet has become part of teenagers' life. There's a report on 3 375 students aged from 10 to 18 in seven Chinese cities. It says that 38 percent of them believe they use the Internet often. While most of them get useful information and use the Internet to help in their studies, some are not using _ in a good way. Many are playing online games too much. A few even visit Web sites they should not look at. Bad things can happen if young people spend too much time on the Internet. In order to help young people use the Internet in a good way, a textbook on good Internet behavior has started to be used in some Shanghai middle schools this term. It uses real examples to teach students all about good ways of using the Internet. It gives useful advice such as it's good to read news or find helpful information to study. Some students also make online friends. But if you are meeting a friend offline, let your parents know. Teachers and parents all think the book is a very good idea. It will teach students how to be a good person in the online world. It will be a guide for teens to use the Internet and keep students away from bad sites. What do most of the students do on the Internet? A. To make online friends. B. To play online games. C. To get useful information to help in their studies. D. To visit Web sites they should not look at. Answer: C. To get useful information to help in their studies. My name is Jenny . I have a sister and a brother, Rose and Paul. We like apples very much. Rose and I like hamburgers. But I don't like salad. Paul doesn't like broccoli. But Rose does. My parents like tomatoes and French fries. My sister likes _ . A. apples B. hamburgers C. broccolis D. A, B and C Answer: B. hamburgers Ottawa is the capital of Canada. It is the second largest city in Ontario and the fourth largest city in the country. The Centre Block is the main building on Parliament Hill . It is also the location of several ceremonial spaces, such as the Hall of Honor and the Memorial Chamber. The present Centre Block is the second iteration of the building,after the first was destroyed by fire in 1916,and it is one of the most recognizable buildings in Canada. Downtown Ottawa is the commercial and economic centre of the city. Most of the buildings are office towers. While most of Ottawa's high tech industry is based elsewhere, it has a significant presence in the downtown core. The downtown also contains a number of apartments, hotels, and the older single family homes and townhouses along its edges. The National Gallery of Canada is one of Canada's premier art galleries. The Gallery has a large and varied collection of paintings, drawings, sculpture and photographs. Although its focus is on Canadian art, it also holds works by some noted American and European artists. The Rideau Canal is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America. At the very beginning,the purpose of the Rideau Canal was military, as it was intended to provide a secure supply and communication route between Montreal and the British naval base in Kingston. It remains in use today primarily for pleasure boating, with most of its original structures undamaged. The locks on the system open for navigation in mid-May and close in mid-October. In the core of Downtown Ottawa, we could see _ . A. a large number of tall towers B. head offices ofOttawa's high tech industry C. a number of apartments and hotels D. the older single family homes and townhouses Answer: B. head offices ofOttawa's high tech industry
From Monday until Friday most people are busy working or studying, but in the evenings and on weekends they are free to relax and enjoy themselves. Some watch TV or go to the movies; others take part in sports. It depends on _ interests. There are many different ways to spend our spare time. Almost everyone has some kinds of hobbies. It may be anything from collecting stamps to making model airplanes. Some hobbies are very expensive, but others don't cost anything at all. Some collections are worth a lot of money; others are valuable only to their owners. I know a man who has a coin collection worth several thousand dollars. A short time ago he bought a rare fifty-cent piece worth $250! He was very happy about his buying and thought the price was reasonable . On the other hand, my youngest brother collects matchboxes. He has almost 600 of them but I doubt if they are worth any money. However, to my brother they are very valuable. Nothing makes him happier than to find a new matchbox for his collection. That's what a hobby means, I guess. It is something we like to do in our spare time simply for the fun of it. The value in dollars is not important, but the pleasure it gives us is. Something that one enjoys doing in one's spare time is a _ . hobby These days, more and more students in the UK are taking a "gap year"between their graduation from school and their university studies. This means they can take a year off to do something else, before they start their studies. For most students, spending time in foreign countries is the favorite activity --- and Australia is the favorite place to go. Many parents, teachers and business people agree that travelling can teach important values. "After a year of travelling, I felt I'd grown up. I had learnt the importance of relationships with people, on all kinds of levels." There are many companies around the world that welcome these students on their projects---helping people in poorer countries, or even in your home country. Although you don't get paid for your work, this kind of work can teach important skills---decision making and finding answers to problems, for example---that will help many students in a job one day. Finally, getting some knowledge and experience in an area you hope to study or work in one day will always be very useful. If several university graduates are applying for the same job, gar year work experience allows you to say, " I've already had some experience of this kind of work." And that can get your job. The best title of the passage can be . Take a Year off It was on her 14th birthday that her first book ,In the Forest of the Night, was accepted for publication. It was a huge success gaining the attention of millions of young readers. At 16, her second novel,Demon in My View, also reached the bookstores. Several books later, the teenage author still works away in her room, surrounded by shelves full of dark tales about vampires and witches. Amelia Atwater - Rhodes is widely seen as America's finest teen writer and was named one of Teen People's "20 Teens Who Will Change the World." Born in 1984, she began making up stories when she was about three years old. "I never stopped and said, 'I want to write'," Amelia remembers. "I loved stories and created stories before I was old enough to know how to write them down." In her family, reading was basic and fun. "My parents encouraged me to read -- and to read anything I wanted, so long as I was reading," she said. "They never restricted what I read. Later, when I started writing, they never criticized what I did or said I was 'too young'. They never said it was impossible for me to achieve what I have." In her short but successful career, Amelia has tried different styles. But vampires were the first characters to really come alive in her work. From _ she has developed a whole world, one which she always enjoys learning more about. As a published teen writer, Amelia's advice to other teens who dream of being authors is: just do it! "I believe anything is possible. Don't give up your dreams just because you fear failure. Getting a book published is difficult, but if I can do it, others can too. " Which of the following can be the best title for the text? A Top-selling Teen Writer Pens Vampire Tales A ship met a storm at sea and only two of the men were able to swim to a small, deserted island. Not knowing what else to do, they agreed to pray to God on opposite sides of the island. Of course, the first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit tree on his side. But there was nothing on the other man's side. Later the first man prayed for a house, clothes and more food. The next day, all of these things were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing. Finally, the first man prayed for a ship so that he could leave the island, and the next morning he found a ship. The first man decided to leave alone. As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice, "Why are you leaving your friend on island?" "My gs are mine alone, since I was the one that prayed for them," the first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered." "You are wrong!" the voice said. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of our blessings." "Tell me", the first man asked, "what he prayed for?" "He prayed that all your prayers would be answered." For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of others' prayers for us The first man decided to leave alone because he thought _ . he was the one that prayed for the ship Risk of death is 3.5 t0 5 times greater for obese smokers than it is for people who have never smoked and are at a normal weight, according to a study published in the November, 2006 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The study, which began with a self-administered questionnaire taken between 1983 and 1989, asked more than 80,000 radiologic technologists aged 22 t0 92 questions about age, height, weight and smoking behavior. BMI (body mass index) was calculated, with a BMI of 30 t0 34.9 being considered obese, and 35 and over being very obese. Smoking behavior was analyzed by looking at a person's tobacco consumption level, number of years smoked, and current smoking status. Researchers then followed participants through December of 2002, noting the number of deaths that occurred. The study involved researchers from the National Cancer Institute, the University of Minnesota and the American Registry of Radiolegic Technologists. Key Findings: 20 percent of obese adults in the United States smoke. Obese smokers face a greater risk of death from cancer and circulatory disease. Current smoking is a greater risk factor for death by cancer than obesity is, generally speaking. The higher a person's pack-years (number of packs smoked per day times the number of years smoked) are, the greater the risk of death. Men and women of all ages faced an elevated risk of death due to circulatory disease as BMI increased. And for those who were both obese and currently smoking, risk of circulatory disease increased 6 to 11 times under the age of 65, as compared to their never-smoking, normal weight counterparts. While it's not surprising that obesity coupled with smoking is a recipe for trouble, it is important to highlight this growing health concern in America today. Taking Charge of Your Health Making healthy choices can be difficult when we're constantly bombarded with products that are hazardous to our health, but it's not impossible. With education and some motivation, we all have the ability to make lasting changes for the better. If you're an overweight smoker worried about gaining weight due to quitting, take heart. It's never too late to change your course and even reverse damage to some extent. According to the author, it is _ to get rid of smoking. difficult but worthwhile

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