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Pottery is the name given to all kinds of useful or artistic objects made from clay. Pottery can be plates or water pots or baskets. Pottery can be large or small, fancy or plain. Pottery is part of the large family of ceramics .Ceramics are synthetic materials. For example, bricks and tiles are both ceramics. How is pottery made? First, a potter takes some clay. Clay is a soft, red material from the earth. It looks a little like red dirt, but it's very different. Clay is thick and rich. Wet clay can be worked into any shape. When the clay dries, it will keep that shape. The potters takes some clay and pushes and squeezes it until it is soft and smooth. After that, the clay can be shaped into anything. There are several ways to shape clay. Sometimes potters use their hands. Sometimes they use a special wheel. They place the clay in the center of a round, flat wheel. The wheel moves very fast, and the potter shapes the clay. After the potter has shaped the clay, it can be decorated . Potters use glaze, which is a kind of paint, to decorate their work. Some glazes are very simple. Other glazes have beautiful colors and designs. The glaze is not just beautiful. It is also useful. The glaze makes the pottery smooth and waterproof. Potters also make some decorative lines and designs on the surface. After it is decorated, the clay must be baked, or fired, in a special oven. Baking the clay at very high temperature makes it hard and strong. Firing also makes the glaze stick to the pottery. When the firing is over, the potter carefully removes the pottery from the oven and lets it cool slowly. If it cools too quickly, it could crack and break. Since pottery is waterproof, it is very popular for dishes. You can find examples of pottery in almost any home. But pottery can also be found in museums. Some pieces of pottery are valuable and beautiful pieces of art. It is possible that ceramics are materials of _ . earth Today is Friday. Peter has six classes today. He goes to school at 7:30 a.m. At 8:00 a.m., he begins his first class. The first class is English. At 9:00 a.m., he has math. Peter likes math because it's interesting. At 10:00 a.m. she has a biology class. Peter thinks it's very boring. Then at 11:00 a.m., he has a history class. That's his favorite subject. He can learn a lot about the past from history. Peter has lunch at school at about 12:00. Then he has a short _ . At 1:30 p.m., he has a music class. At 2:30 p.m., he has a P.E. class. Peter likes this afternoon, because music and P.E. are easy and interesting. School is over at 4:00 p.m. Peter is happy because he can go home and have a good time on Saturday and Sunday. ,. The second class is _ on Friday morning. math College is a lifetime investment -- the gift of a college education can open the door to a world of opportunity for your child or grandchild. Savings , even not so many at a time, can make a big difference. With the cost of a college education continuing to rise, the key is to start saving early and regularly. By saving a set amount at set times, your money can grow as your child does. According to the College Board, the average cost for four-year public colleges has increased by nearly 51% over the last 10 years and these costs will almost certainly continue to rise. Saving for college can help with the increasing cost of a college education and help you be well prepared when your child is ready for college. Saving for your child's college education is an investment in their future. The savings you make today will pay off in increased earnings in the future. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, college graduates earn an average of $1 million more than high school graduates during their careers. The value of your investment in a college education will continue to grow for a lifetime. Set your college saving goals realistically. You may not be able to save enough for all four years' fees, but you could save enough to give your child the right start. More and more families depend on student loans to pay for college. By saving for college, families will have less burden of paying off loans and help their children leave school without worrying about paying off loans. Savings for college education _ . will increase in the value in the future Skin-diving is a new sport today. This sport takes you into a wonderful new world . It is like a visit to the moon! When you are under water, it is easy for you to climb big rocks , because you are no longer heavy . Here, under water, everything is blue and green. During the day ,there is enough light .When fish swim nearby , you can catch them with your hands . When you have tanks of air on your back, you can stay in keep water for a long time. But you must be careful when you dive in deep water. To catch fish is one of the most interesting parts of this sport. Besides ,there are many other uses of skin-diving. You can clean ships without taking them out of the water. You can also get many things from the deep sea. ,. You can climb big rocks easily under water because _ . you are not as heavy as on the land During the 20th century there has been a great change in the lives of women.A woman marrying at the end of the 19th century probably has been in her middle 20's and would be likely to have seven or eight children.By the time the youngest was 15,the mother would have been in her early 50's and would expect to live a further 20 years,during which chance and health made it hard for her to get paid work. Today women marry younger and have fewer children.Usually a woman's youngest child will be 15 when she is 45 and she can be expected to live another 35 years and is likely to get paid work until 60. This important change in women's life has only recently begun to have its full effect on women's economic position.Even a few years ago most girls left school and took a fulltime joB. However,when they married they usually left work at once and never returned to it.Today the school-leaving age is 16,many girls stay at school after that age,and though women marry younger,more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born.Many more return to work later.Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage,with the husband accepting a greater share of the duties of family life. One reason why a married woman of today may take a job is that _ . she is young when her children can look after themselves
I think that I am very lucky because I have a lot of friends. My best friend is Mai. She is 16 years old. She is 2 years older than me. We live in the same village. She is my neighbor and we are now classmates, so we have been friends for so long. Mai is tall and thin. With long black hair, she has got an oval face with big bright eyes, a high nose and a small mouth. Mai is very beautiful, especially when she smiles. She is always helpful, polite and honest . When her friends have difficulties, she always tries her best to help them. Although we have the same hobbies and interests, we have different personalities . I am sociable and enjoy telling jokes. My classmates think that I'm rather outgoing .Unlike me, Mai is quite serious and prefer quietness to noise.However, we can keep secrets together, so we are close friends. Mai is one of the best students in my class and she works hard. I like doing homework with her. She always tries her best to help me with my studies. I think as time goes by, our friendship will be deeper and deeper. The best title for this passage is" _ " A. How to Make Friends B. My Good Friend--Mai C. How to Help Others D. Some Advice on Friendship Answer: B. My Good Friend--Mai Which of these would help to prevent infections from occurring in small cuts and scrapes? A. apply a cold ice pack B. raise the injured area C. apply pressure to stop bleeding D. wash the area with warm, soapy water Answer: D. wash the area with warm, soapy water Many Americans go to work five days a week. American students go to school five days a week, too, so they usually have a two-day weekend. The weekend is Saturday and Sunday. At the weekend people spend their time in many different ways. Sometimes they go shopping. Sometimes they go for a drive. Sometimes they visit friends. Many families enjoy weekends together. Many American families do some sports at the weekend. For example , in summer, they enjoy swimming and biking. In autumn, they prefer playing volleyball and tennis. In winter, they go skating and skiing . In spring, they like sightseeing and hiking . How happy they are! Do you have an enjoyable weekend? What sports do many Americans do in summer? A. Swimming and biking. B. Playing volleyball and tennis. C. Skating and skiing. D. Sightseeing and hiking. Answer: A. Swimming and biking. With the World Cup always held in the European off-season in June and July, when the tiny nation of Qatar beat out USA Australia, Japan and South Korea, as the venue of the 2022 World Cup Soccer, there were gasps of surprise from the fans - it was not just because of the size of the competitors, but also the fact that Doha sees an average top temperature of 41 degrees Celsius in June and July with the possibility of top temperatures as high as 50degC. Since the World Cup cannot be moved to the 'cooler' season in January or to a neighboring country with milder weather, Qatar has to figure out a solution to make the game more comfortable. A team of engineering scientists from Qatar University (QU) have taken a more high-tech approach to solving the problem - they've reportedly developed a type of artificial "cloud" designed to float above the World Cup venues and provide fans and players with relief from the blazing sun. The artificial clouds system was invented by a team led by Dr Saul Abdul Ghani, Head of the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department at QU, who told Gulf News that the "clouds" would be made from a lightweight carbon structure carrying a giant envelope of material containing helium gas. The "cloud" would also feature solar panels on its upper surface to power engines that allow the cloud to be moved via remote control. While the country officials have promised to improve some of the issues with solar-powered stadiums capable of reducing the temperatures inside, to a comfortable 20degC, there is still concern of how the players will be able to function in the practice fields. The system would initially cost around US$500,000, with prices coming down with commercial scale production. However, since Qatar needs to find a solution, the money is probably to the issue. The bigger question is, will this team of scientists actually be able to conjure up something that they have promised? We will all find out in about eleven years! Which of the following is NOT promised for 2022 World Cup by Qatar? A. The tournament season. B. The tournament venues. C. The comfortable temperature for training grounds. D. The comfortable temperature for the matches. Answer: C. The comfortable temperature for training grounds. Study-abroad programs are a great way to learn about different cultures. Sometimes students don't have the money to join in these programs. That is why scholarships for study-abroad programs are starting to become popular. Study-abroad programs can often be quite expensive. Finding scholarships is not that difficult. Usually, you can just visit the study-abroad office at your educational institution or even the financial services office. They will have a large directory of available scholarships. If your school does not have these offices, you can just quickly have a look on the Internet and find a wide variety of scholarships you might qualify for. The credentials you need to be considered for a scholarship vary greatly. But, to be a candidate for any scholarship, you generally need to have good grades, be an outstanding person, and be able to take full advantage of the opportunities presented to you. You will be able to show why you are a good candidate through the application process. The application process for each scholarship varies, which usually includes submitting an academic record, an essay, and sometimes an interview. Usually, you will have to submit your academic records. The administrators of the scholarship will know that you take your academic studies seriously. Next you usually need to write an essay. This could be on a wide variety of subjects, but they usually focus on something related to 'why you should get this scholarship' to determine how much you want the scholarship and how good of a candidate you would be. After this, the final few applicants may be asked in for an interview to learn about you and why you would be a good recipient of the scholarship. If you satisfy all these requirements, there is a good chance you will get a scholarship. If you don't have enough money, don't give up but use plenty of scholarship opportunities for you! The main purpose of the passage is _ . A. to introduce the advantages of study-abroad programs B. to show us why scholarships for study-abroad programs are popular C. to suggest where one can find suitable study-abroad programs D. to provide tips on applying for scholarships for study-abroad programs Answer: D. to provide tips on applying for scholarships for study-abroad programs
The food we eat seems to have great effects on our health. Although science has made great steps in making food more fit to eat, it has, at the same time, made many foods unfit to eat. Some research has shown that perhaps eighty percent of all human illnesses are related to diet and forty percent of cancer is related to diet as well. Different cultures are subject to certain illnesses because of the food that is characteristic in these cultures. That food is related to illness is not a new discovery. In 1945, government researchers realized that nitrates and nitrites , commonly used to keep color in meats, and other food additives, caused cancer. Yet, these additives remain in our food, and it becomes more difficult all the time to know which things on the packaging labels of processed food are helpful or harmful. The additives which we eat are not all so direct. Farmers often give penicillin to cows and chick and because of this, penicillin has been found in the milk of treated cows. Sometimes similar drugs are given to animals not for medicinal purposes, but for financial reasons. The farmers are simply trying to fatten the animals in order to get a higher price on the market. Although the FDA has tried repeatedly to control these, the practices continue. What are nitrates used for? Can you swim? Do you like swimming? Well, how can you learn to swim? I think the best way is to go into the water and learn. I'm afraid you'll never learn to swim just by reading books about Swimming or looking at others swimming. It's the same with the English study. We must practice, practice and practice. Listening and speaking are very important for beginners. We can listen to English programs on radio. You may just understand a few words. It doesn't matter. Just be relaxed, try to catch every word. Somebody may be a good listener, but he is afraid to speak because he's afraid of making mistakes. You know we sometimes make mistakes when we speak Chinese. Don't be afraid. We must be brave. If you really want to learn English well, you must try to speak with everyone as long as he knows English. When there's nobody to talk with, you can talk to yourself in English. It's interesting and also a good way to practice your spoken English. Remember, the more you speak, the fewer mistakes you'll make. Reading and writing are more important for senior school students. First we must choose the books we're interested in. A lot of reading will improve your language sense. This is very important. It's easier said than done. Well, let's do more practice from now on. I'm sure you'll learn English well in this way. ,A, B, C, D,. (10) According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE? Let's face it -- you're going to get a lot of well-intentioned advice from friends, parents and grandparents about your sleep. Some of this advice is going to be just wrong. Myth 1: Sleeping late on the weekends will make up for lost sleep during the week. Fact: Getting less than the amount of sleep that you need night after night accumulates over time and starts to create a "sleep debt". And like all debts, eventually you need to pay the price. The problem with waiting until the weekend to meet sleep needs is that in the meantime, you are paying the price of being less alert, feeling more moody, thinking slower and having less stimulation. Myth 2: A boring teacher (or warm room, full stomach, etc.) can put teens to sleep. Fact: If you are getting enough sleep on a regular basis, there is no teacher, math book or reading assignment in the world boring enough to make you fall asleep in class. There are basically two things that make people sleepy -- not getting enough sleep and not getting good quality sleep. The environment kids are in, including the room temperature, light level and entertainment value, may unmask underlying sleepiness, but the environment does not cause it! So if you are dozing off in class, don't blame it on bad teaching. Myth 3: Teenagers can pull an all-nighter to study and still be ready for the big test in the morning. Fact: Teenagers are much better off studying less and getting a good night's sleep. Research clearly shows that the ability to concentrate and learn new information, as well as to work efficiently, declines sharply after being awake for 15-16 hours, and continues to bottom out the longer you stay up. Plus, if the big test is at 8:00 am, the problem gets even worse. That's because morning time typically represents a low energy point in the body's normal 24-hour circadian rhythm, especially in teenagers. According to the passage, a student who is in a sleep debt _ . It was four o'clock when we left Micatlan,and we traveled quickly until it became almost completely dark.It was our intention to return to our general quarters in Atlacomulco that night.We had a long journey ahead of us,especially because it had been decided there was no way we would try to cross the ravines again at night,since they were considered far too dangerous.Futhermore,an eclipse of the moon was expected,and,in fact,while we were crossing an open field,the moon appeared on the horizon,half in shadow,a rare and beautiful sight. After a few hours of riding,we suddenly realized that we had lost our way,and worse still,had no way of finding it again.Night had fallen and there was not a single hut in sight,only great plains and mountains and the lowing of distant bulls all around us.We continued on ahead,trusting in luck,though it was difficult to say where she had brought us.By good fortune,our advance riders ran into two Indians,a man and a boy,who agreed to guide us their village and no further. After an interminable and exhausting road,which we traveled at a brisk trot,the barking of several dogs announced an Indian village.In the dying light,we could just make out cane huts,firmly situated between the banana trees,with fenced gardens in front of each one.Our convoy stopped in front of one particular hut,a kind of inn or shop for alcohol,where a naked goblin-like figure,the ideal husband for a witch,was serving cheap brandy to the Indians,most of whom were already drunk. We dismounted and threw ourselves to the ground,too tired to even think.Someone found us,God knows how,a cup of dreadful hot chocolate.We began to realize that we were completely lost,and so it was agreed to give up our attempt to reach Atlacomulco that night.Instead,we should head for the village of "E1 Puente",where our guides know a Spanish family,made up of several unmarried brothers,who,without any doubt,would be delighted to offer us a safe refuge for the rest of the night.We remounted and began our journey,a little restored after the pause in our journey and the dreadful hot chocolate. When we traveled at night _ . The high cost of living in Sydney causes city parents to worry more about their children. New research by the Financial Services Council (FSC)shows that 75% of metropolitan mums and dads say their ability to earn is important to the well-being of their kids, Tet a greater proportion of Sydney parents think children suffer emotionally by having two full-time working parents .AS a result 46%of Sydneysiders feel their Kids could be happier , against 38%of both Melbourne and regional New South Wales mums and dads. The FSC research ,which interviewed 1200 parents across the country ,also shows 66% of Sydneysiders believe the happiness of their children would be greatly affected if they or their partner couldn't work. The FSC undertook the survey as part of its Lifewise campaign ,to encourage Australians to protect themselves against financial hardship. Chairman of the Lifewise campaign John Crosswell said:"The research findings quite clearly highlight that Sydney parents prioritise their ability to earn money and yet because they are so busy doing so, it seems that their ability to spend time with their family is affected .Sydney parents are dedicated to earning money but as a consequence, perhaps they don't have the time to enjoy spending it with their family." In sydney ,the top factor for creating an ideal childhood is financial security ,at 92%.Fewer parents rate having a tigh-knit family(89%)or living near friends and family (85%)as important. David and Ari Dearnley ,of North Manly ,said money pressure was hard to avoid in Sydney ,They both work and said family finances would be severely hard if one of them couldn't But only Mrs Dearnly has income-protection insurance, "I think that I don't really need it yet",Mr Dearnly ,37, said. "I think he's mad",Mrs Dearnly ,also 27 ,said,"If David couldn't work it would have a huge impact on our lifestyle." "Looks like I'll be getting _ tomorrow,"Mr Dearnly responded. What is the main idea of the passage?
When my parents were alive, they weren't well off financially. Yet they helped their two older daughters time after time. My sisters paid Mom and Dad back part of the time, but when Daddy passed away, his cash journal showed debts due from several of his children. I was not among them. I seldom borrowed money and when I did, at the beginning I set a repayment plan and stuck to it. It was a matter of pride for me. When you think that I was raised in the same household with my brothers and sisters and had the same parents, it is hard to figure out why I was the only one who couldn't stand to owe them -- or anyone -- money. Maybe it's because I watched my parents struggle to help my older sisters out when they were in financial difficulties themselves. Maybe it's because of that reason, I was just too proud to depend on anyone else. These days, I am the one of those other people turn to for help when they need it. Just as I can't stand to owe other people, I can't stand to say no to anyone who presents a credible case of need. So I am what is called an"enabler". Being an enabler is an insidious disorder. It starts simply enough when you help someone with an extraordinary expense created by an unusual event. Then when people find out you will provide aid, they ask you more and more and you -- being a nice person -- just keep giving. It's a hard cycle to break and I personally have no clue how to escape. I'm not angry. I'm not holding a grudge. I don't try to tell my children or my sisters how to run their lives because they ask me for money. Yet I would be so proud of all of them if they were to make more of an effort to handle things themselves, perhaps by doing some financial planning -- like planning not to spend money they don't have! And I don't see why they can't do this. After all, I'm not lassoing them and forcing them to take my money. I'm just not good at saying"no". So I ask you, what can I do when so many people around me have no shame in owing others money? On the other hand, I am doing them a greatdisserviceby my"kindness". I remember as a child how my father always said these two things,"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again,"and"I can't get stuck in the fence. I'll try to pull it down."As an enabler, I have prevented my children from learning to keep trying instead of turning to me for help. Yes, they could change their ways and learn to get along on their own, but why would they do that? Who among us would choose to be out of a car because we can't afford to fix it when Mom will supply the money to get it fixed? Yes, I am an enabler; and I am wronging my children by enabling them to be less than self-sufficient. I have known this for a long time but I still can't say no. Why couldn't the author stand to owe her parents' money? A She thought it would be embarrassing to seek help from the old. B She wanted to show she was more successful than her sisters. C She didn't establish a good relationship with her parents. D She couldn't bear her parents' difficult state in finance. Answer: D There are many commonly held beliefs about eyeglasses and eyesight that are not proved facts. For example, some people believe that wearing glasses too soon weaken the eyes. But there is nothing to show that the structure of eyes is changed by wearing galsses at a young age. Wearing the wrong galsses, however, can prove harmful. Studies show that only children can develop loss of sihgt if they have the wrong glasses. We have all heard some of the common myths about how eyesight get bad. Too little light makes the eyes work harder, so they do get tired and strained . Eyestrain also resulsts from reading a lot, reading in bed, and watching too much television. But, although eyestrain may cause some pain or headaches, it does not harm eyesight all the time. Another myth about eyes is that they can be replaced from one person to another . It is quite difficult to connect aneyeball to a new brain.And it is impossible to replace a whole eyeball to a new person. Only certain parts of the eye can be replaced now. But if we keep clearing up the myths and learning more about the eyes, some day it may be possible to replace a full eyeball. One cause of eyestrain mentioned in the passage is _ . . A wearing eyeglasses too long B going to the cinemas C reading a lot D not visiting your eye doctor Answer: C More students than ever before are taking a gap-year before going to university.It used to be called the "year off" between school and university.The gap-year phenomenon originated with the months left over to Oxbridge applicants between entrance exams in November and the start of the next academic year. This year, 25,310 students who have accepted places in higher education institutions have put off their entry until next year, according to statistics on university entrance provided by University and College Admissions Serbice(UCAS). That is a record 14.7% increase in the number of students taking a gap year. Tony Higgins from UCAS said that the statistics are good news for everyone in higher education. "Students who take a well-planned year out are more likely to be stisfied with, and complete, their chosen course. Students who take a gap year are often more mature and responsible," he said. But not everyone is happy. Owain James, the president of the National Union of Students(NUS), argued that the increase is evidence of student hadship - young people are being forced into earning money before finishing their education. "New students are now aware that they are likely to leave university up to PS15,000 in debt. It is not surprising that more and More students are taking a gap year to earn money to support their study for the degree.NUS statistics show that over 40% of students are forced to work during term time and the figure increases to 90% during vacation periods,"he said. What would most students do on their vacation according to NUS statistics? A Make plans for the new term. B Attend additional courses. C Earn money for their education. D Prepaer for their graduate studies. Answer: C As I stood outside with my two dogs yesterday , it was so cold that my nose and face felt frozen ( ). Of course, that doesn't matter to Ricky and Lucy. They have a habit that they must find a place to fight with each other no matter how cold or hot it is. As cold as it was, I was excited thinking about how wonderful this special cold really was. Then the sun broke through the clouds and memories of summer's really hot days came through my mind. I could remember standing in heat of the afternoon, with sweat pouring down my head and the hot, burning sun against my face. I told myself then and there that in the cold of the winter I would wish I had this heat. Because of the special cold, I enjoy the heat more. So I realized that without the extremes in my life, I would never _ the days When things just right. without the extremes, life would be boring. For example, heath problems remind us that we need to pay more attention to how we live. Now, I want to start finding a reason to be happy, even if it's simply the fact that I'm still alive in the world. ,. What is the best title for this passage? A Memories of summer's hot days B Follow the habit C Two extremes in life D Weather information Answer: C In the human body, which system functions primarily to defend the body against disease? A digestive B immune C nervous D respiratory Answer: B
Peanuts to This 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 slaved over,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 peanut 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, _ 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 justified,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 option to skip the sixth grade.Justice is sweet! (2012*,B) Why was the author confused about the task? A. He was unfamiliar with American history. B. He followed the advice and flipped a coin. C. He forgot his teacher's instruction. D. He was new at the school. Answer: A A few years ago, Paul Gerner began to gather a group of architects in Las Vegas to ask them what it would take to design a public school that used 50 percent less energy, cost much less to build and obviously improved student learning. "I think half of them fell off their chairs," Gerner says. Gerner manages school facilities for Clark County, Nevada, a district roughly the size of Massachusetts. By 2018, 143,000 additional students will enter the already crowded public-education system. Gerner needs 73 new schools to house them. Four architecture teams have nearly finished designing primary school prototypes ; they plan to construct their schools starting in 2009. The district will then assess how well the schools perform, and three winners will copy those designs in 50 to 70 new buildings. Green schools are appearing all over, but in Clark County, which stands out for its vastness, such aggressive targets are difficult because design requirements like more natural light for students go against the realities of a desert climate. "One of the biggest challenges is getting the right site orientation ," Mark. McGinty, a director at SH Architecture, says. His firm recently completed a high school in Las Vegas. "You have the same building, same set of windows, but if its orientation is incorrect and it faces the sun, it will be really expensive to cool." Surprisingly, the man responsible for one of re most progressive green-design competitions has doubts about ideas of eco-friendly buildings. "I don't believe in the new green religion," Gerner says. "Some of the building technologies that you get are impractical. I'm interested in those that work." But he wouldn't mind if some green features inspire students. He says he hopes to set up green energy systems that allow them to learn about the process of harvesting wind and solar power. "You never know what's going to start the interest of a child to study math and science," he says. How did the architects react to Gerner's design requirements? A. They lost balance in excitement. B. they showed strong disbelief. C. they expressed little interest. D. they burst into cheers. Answer: B COLUMBUS, Ohio--The heart operation taking place in the pale-green operating room at the Ohio State University Medical Center was unusual. The patient, a 62-year-old man, was made to sleep, tied with blue drapes and lying face up on a narrow table. But no one was touching him. Instead, the operation was being performed by a robot, whose three metal arms went through pencil-sized holes in the man's chest. At the ends of the robot's arms were tiny metal fingers, with turning wrists, which held a tiny instrument, a light and a camera. The robot's arms and fingers were controlled by Dr. Randall K. Wolf, sitting at a computer in a corner of the operating room about 20 feet away. This sort of operation, heart surgeons say, is the start of what may be the biggest change in their profession since heart bypass surgery began nearly 30 years ago. "The reason we make cuts is that we have big hands," said Dr. Wolf, the director of the surgery at Ohio State. The robot's _ fingers, no longer than a nail on the small finger, at the end of the long sticks could work better. Eventually, surgeons believe, most heart surgery will be done by robots whose arms are put in through pencil-sized holes punched in patients' chests. Instead of directly staring into a patient's body, surgeons will view magnified images of the operation on computer screens. In theory, the doctor would not have to be in the same room, or even the same country, as the patient. The main idea of this passage is that heart surgery by robots _ . A. is quicker than surgery done by doctors B. may replace surgery done by doctors C. is a new and risky procedure D. was developed at Ohio State University Answer: B When light enters the eye through the pupil the light falls on the what? A. brain B. optic disk C. retina diagram D. nose Answer: B The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo teacher, Mr. Tanaka. The boy was doing well, but his teacher had taught him only one move in three months of training. "Mr. Tanaka," the boy finally asked, "shouldn't I be learning more moves?" "This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know," his teacher replied. Several months later, Mr. Tanaka took the boy to his first tournament . The boy won his first three matches, using his one move to win. The boy was now in the finals, and was amazed by his own success. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. The referee wanted to stop the match. "No," the teacher insisted, "let him continue." Soon, his opponent lowered his guard. At that moment the boy used his move to pin him. The boy won the match and became the champion. On the way home, the boy and his teacher reviewed every match. Then the boy asked what was really in his mind. "Mr. Tanaka, how did I win the tournament with only one move?" "You won for two reasons," his teacher answered. "First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only defense for that move is for your opponent to catch your left arm." The boy's biggest weakness had become his biggest strength . What can you infer from the passage? A. The boy wasn't doing well at first. B. Mr. Tanaka is a good teacher because he knows his student's strength and weakness. C. The referee believed the boy would win. D. The boy had predicted that he would win. Answer: B
In 1901, H. G. Wells, an English writer, wrote a book describing a trip to the moon. When the explorers landed on the moon, they discovered that the moon was full of underground cities. They showed their surprise to the "moon people" they met. In turn, the "moon people" showed their surprise. "Why," they asked, "are you traveling to outer space when you don't even use your inner space?" H. G. Wells could only imagine travel to the moon. In 1969, human beings did land on the moon. People today know that there are no underground cities on the moon. However, the question that the "moon people" asked is still an interesting one. A growing number of scientists are seriously thinking about _ . Underground systems are already in place. Many cities have underground car parks. In some cities, such as Tokyo, Seoul and Montreal, there are large underground shopping areas. The "Channel", a tunnel connecting England and France, is now completed. But what about underground cities? Japan's Taisei Corporation is designing a network of underground systems, called "Alice Cities". The designers imagine using surface space for public parks and using underground space for flats, offices, shopping, and so on. A solar dome would cover the whole city. Supporters of underground development say that building down rather than building up is a good way to use the earth's space. The space, they say, can be used for farms, parks, gardens and wilderness. H. G. Well's "moon people" would agree. Would you? What kind of underground system are already here with us? Answer: Many of us feel uneasy when someone stands too close to us, talks to us too loudly or makes eye contact with us for too long. But have you ever wondered why those things make you uncomfortable? It's all about personal peace, which means not only an imaginary space around the body, but also the space around all the senses. People feel that their space is being violated when they meet with an unwelcome sound, smell or look. This is probably why a man on a crowded bus shouting into his mobile phone or a woman next to you putting on strong perfume makes you feel angry. Whether people have had a stronger wish to protect their personal space in recent times is hard to say. Yet studies of airlines show that people have a strong desire to have space to themselves. In a survey by Trip Advisor, a travel website, people said that if they had to pay more for some extra service, they would rather have larger seats than extra food. Although people may need their personal space, some hardly realize it. For example, people on a bus who hold newspapers in front of their faces to read in fact keep a distance from strangers. Go and watch a library table. You will notice that one of the corner seats will usually be taken first, because they are the farthest way. What if someone sits opposite to you? Maybe you will pile up books as if to make a wall. Preference for personal space are different from culture to culture. Scientists have found that Americans generally prefer more personal space than people from other cultures. In Latin cultures, however, people are more comfortable standing close to each other. What can we know from the survey by TripAdvisor? Answer: I was in a shopping mall, so I decided to go and get a cup of coffee. As I was making my way to the coffee shop, I noticed an old gentleman poorly dressed sitting near the shop. I knew from the first sight that he needed help. He had a little lunch in front of him and was enjoying it. It was clear that he had a problem with his right eye. I then joined the line and waited to be served. Then it happened. One of the most beautiful gestures I had ever seen in my life. There was a young man in front of me in the line who was also waiting to be served. The next thing I knew was that the young man handed the waitress 20 dollars and requested a glass of juice as a favor . The waitress looked at the young man a little perplexed, not fully understanding the request. That was when the young man asked her to give the juice to the old gentleman eating his lunch outside, as well as the change from the 20 dollars. The young man also told her that he would be watching every second so that she would be completely safe. Then there was a wonderful exchange between the waitress and the old man. I only wished I could take a photo of the smiles on both of their faces. As I was considering this event later, I wondered why the young man didn't perform this act of kindness himself. Maybe he was hoping that this act of kindness might inspire others to do something for this old man as well. What's the main idea of the passage? Answer: March is a month of fun-filled activities for the entire family! When you want some family fun activities for March, consider these ideas centered on some of the events and holidays happening in this month. Dr. Seuss's Birthday March 2ndis Dr. Seuss's birthday and kids and adults of all ages can celebrate with books, games and more to honor this famous author of kids' books. Take some time in March to read your favorite books with your children or to read some you have never read before. Spring Break Spring Break can be the perfect time for families while the children are out of school. There are many places for families during this time period. For example, you might consider a trip to a local theme park or a national park. They often run junior camps and other activities during Spring Break that you can enjoy as a family. St. Patrick's Day St. Patrick's Day is on March 17thand you don't have to be Irish to enjoy this holiday. This is a great time to get all the family together to enjoy quality time together. You can also take this time to explore the holiday, its history and what it means. You can also start or continue with your own St. Patrick's Day traditions that your family can continue year after year. Seasonal Arts and Crafts Arts and crafts can be a fun family activity all year round. So if you're looking to spend this fun time together in March, you can look for some seasonal arts and crafts ideas. You can do early preparation for Easter, spring plants and pictures, sun catchers for hanging in the windows or other seasonal related ideas. This is also a great time to consider planting a flower garden or working on outdoor craft projects. Who is the text written for? Answer: Little Tom likes cartoons very much .When the cartoons begin on TV, he does nothing until they' re over. Sometimes he'd rather wait for a long time and go to bed late. In the morning his mother has to wake him up, or he will be late for school. Yesterday Tom heard there would be an interesting cartoon today. This morning, as soon as he got up, he turned the television, but didn't receive the programme. He had to have breakfast and then went to school. After school he ran home while his mother was cooking supper in the kitchen . He hurried to the sitting room and turned on the television again, but he couldn't find the cartoon. He rushed into the kitchen and asked his mother to help. "It's only five now," said the woman. "Your programme will be after supper." "Well, let's have supper right now!" Tom _ ,so he turned on the television after getting up this morning . 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. When did the terrible earthquake hit Sichuan Province? A On May 12th B In May 12th C On May 13th D In May 13th Answer: A. On May 12th This year some twenty-three hundred teenagers (young people aged from 13 to 19) from all over the world will spend about ten months in US homes. They will attend US schools, meet US teenagers, and form impressions of the real America. At the same time, about thirteen hundred American teenagers 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. Schools were 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. Fred and Mike agreed that _ . A American food tastes better than German food. B Americans and Germans were both friendly C German schools were harder than American schools D There were more cars on the streets in America Answer: C. German schools were harder than American schools China Earthquake Leaves 5,000 Homeless Beijing--An earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale left 5,000 people homeless, killed at least one person and injured 39 others in southwest China on Thursday, with more accidents expected. By late Thursday, 4,900 people were declared homeless after the quake destroyed their homes in a mountainous area lying on the border between Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. The dawn quake left one dead and 39 injured, destroyed 268 houses and damaged 1,132 other buildings so seriously that they were considered uninhabitable . Another 2,400 houses suffered less serious damage. The center of the earthquake was near the scenic Lugu Lake, a tourist place, where the local school was badly damaged. In the beginning people thought that the economic losses would add up to about 180 million yuan (22 million dollars). Governments in Yanyuan and the neighboring Yunnan country of Ninglang have joined forces in the rescue efforts and tents, clothes and medicine are badly in need of for the earthquake victims. The mountainous place, heavy rain and several aftershocks all prevented rescue efforts on Thursday. The rain could cause more badly damaged homes to fall down. More dead and injured are expected" as rescuers have yet to reach many faraway areas". It is very hard for rescue workers because most houses are scattered around the mountains, which are inhabited by Yi and other ethnic minority groups . The quake hit the area at 5:10 a.m. Beijing time (2,110 Wednesday GMT).Earthquakes regularly affect _ , with two quakes measuring 5.0 and 6.2 on the Richter scale killing at least three people and injuring more than 1,500 in Ninglang in November 1998. The area is about 100 kilometers from the historic Yunnan town of Lijiang, which was struck in 1996 by an earthquake that killed more than 250 people and injured 14,000. (Reports from China Daily,May 25,2001) The two counties here refers to _ . A Yunnan and Sichuan B Yanyuan and Ninglang C Yanyuan and Yunnan D Yunnan and Ninglang Answer: C. Yanyuan and Yunnan Tom was taken to the police station and put in a room with another thief, an older man. The man looked at Tom and said, "Why have they brought you here, boy?" "I stole a small radio one day after lessons," Tom said. The man laughed rudely at him, "you should steal something which is worth a lot if you want to be a thief. You ought to steal something really expensive, so that your name is put in the newspaper. Go and steal a lot of money from a bank next time!" Tom thought for a few seconds and then said, "I can't do that!" "Why can't you?" said the older man. "Are you afraid?" "No," said Tom, "I'm not afraid at all, but the banks are all closed at three o'clock, and my lessons don't finish until four." Why did the older thief laugh rudely at Tom ? A Because Tom lied to him B Because Tom was only a student. C Because he didn't think a small radio was worth stealing D Because he thought Tom was too young to be a thief. Answer: C. Because he didn't think a small radio was worth stealing Three Boys and a Dad Brad closed the door slowly as Sue left home to visit her mother.Expecting a whole day to relax,he was thinking whether to read the newspaper or watch his favourite TV talk show on his first day off in months."This will be like a walk in the park,"he'd told his wife."I'll look after the kids,and you can go visit your mom." Things started well,but just after eight o'clock,his three little "good kids"--Mike,Randy,and Alex--came down the stairs in their night clothes and shouted "breakfast,daddy."When food had not appeared within thirty seconds,Randy began using his spoon on Alex's head as if it were a drum.Alex started to shout loudly in time to the beat .Mike chanted "Where's my toast,where's my toast" in the background.Brad realised his newspaper would have to wait for a few seconds. Life became worse after breakfast.Mike wore Randy's underwear on his head.Randy locked himself in the bathroom,while Alex shouted again because he was going to wet his pants.Nobody could find clean socks,although they were before their very eyes.Someone named "Not Me" had spilled a whole glass of orange juice into the basket of clean clothes.Brad knew the talk show had already started. By ten o'clock,things were out of control.Alex was wondering why the fish in the jar refused his bread and butter.Mike was trying to show off his talent by decorating the kitchen wall with his colour pencils.Randy,thankfully,appeared to be reading quietly in the family room,but closer examination showed that he was eating apple jam straight from the bottle with his hands.Brad realised that the talk show was over and reading would be impossible. At exactly 11:17,Brad called the daycare centre ."I suddenly have to go into work and my wife's away.Can I bring the boys over in a few minutes?"The answer was obviously "yes" because Brad was smiling.(2012*,B) Which of the following did Randy do? A Drawing on the wall. B Eating apple jam. C Feeding the fish. D Reading in a room. Answer: B. Eating apple jam.
During the day we work and play, and at night we sleep. Our bodies rest while we are sleeping. In the morning we are ready to work and play again. When we are asleep, our bodies grow most. When children feel tired and angry, they usually need more sleep. We can get our lessons better, and we feel better, too, when we have enough sleep. Boys and girls, eight or nine years old, need ten hours of sleep every night. Our bodies need plenty of air when we sleep. If we do not get enough fresh air we wake up feeling tired. While in bed we must not cover our heads. If we do, our lungs will not get enough fresh air. If we open our windows at night we can have plenty of fresh air. Cool air is better than warm air. Boys and girls must get plenty of sleep if they want to grow and be strong. What often makes us feel tired in the morning? A. Too much air. B. Not enough fresh air. C. Too much cold air. D. Too much sleep. Answer: B. Not enough fresh air. Ever wonder why sometimes a hug is all you need ? You can't explain it , but there's just something comforting about being in your wife's arms after a rough day or giving mom a hug after a long time apart . A new study says the warm feeling in a hug is more than just skin deep . Researchers from the University of California , Berkeley believe that this loving feeling could have anti-aging benefits . Oxytocin , sometimes referred to as the " love hormone " or the " trust hormone , " is responsible for those indescribable feelings we get when we're bonding with a lover or a loved one . Levels of the hormone drop as we age , and evidence suggests that could be a contributing factor to the _ of our bodies as we age . Muscle loss in particular is one of the major side effects of aging , with our bodies losing up to 5 percent of our muscle mass each decade past our 30s . In the study , published in the journal Nature Communications , researchers injected oxytocin into older mice with muscle damage . The older mice had lower levels of the homeone than younger mice initially . But after nine days , the older mice who were given the hormone healed better than those who did not . In fact , their ability to repair muscle damage was up to 80 percent that of the younger mice . The results were not only fast-acting , but provide hope for future uses of the hormone in a variety of anti-aging capacities . " This is good because it demonstrates that extra oxytocin improves aged tissue stem cells without making muscle stem cells divide uncontrollably , " study co-author Wendy Cousins said in a statement . Previous uses of anti-aging molecules have also been associated with higher cancer risk , but researchers are hopeful that oxytocin can be useful in humans without this risk . In the future , researchers of Berkeley say oxytocin could be used to fight other age-related health issues by improving bone health and even being used as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy . Now go out and give someone a hug . What can be a suitable title for the passage ? A. When Do We Need A Hug ? B. A New Anti-aging Product C. Hugs Having Healing Power D. How Can We Grow Muscles ? Answer: C. Hugs Having Healing Power Shoppers throughout the West, wary of a double-dip recession , are still _ . However, Chinese consumers are opening their wallets--big time. According to McKinsey, shop sales in China have grown by 25 percent annually from 2007 to 2009. Consumer confidence is now at its highest point since 2007 and female shoppers are leading the way. Chinese women saved just 24 percent of their income, compared with 55 percent in 2006, according to a recent study in Women of China Magazine. What's more, three quarters of Chinese women say that they're the ones who control the family purse strings .That means the nation's 650 million women are an "emerging powerhouse within the powerhouse" of China. In the 1950s women contributed just 20 percent of household income. That rose to about 40 percent in the 1990s and then reached 50 percent last year. In a recent study of Chinese consumer behavior, McKinsey found that women tend to shop more frequently than men, and spend more on personal-care products and food. Men, by contrast, tend to spend more of their income on gadgets , drinks and alcohol, dining out, and socializing. They also tend to save for the bigger-ticket items, like cars and houses. Chinese women make up an ever-growing small part of the market--up from 20 percent a decade ago to 50 percent last year. It's estimated that in the next five years women will account for 55 percent of the $9 billion market. "The future is female," concludes a January HSBC report on luxury goods in China. The Chinese Market Research Group recently found that women younger than 35 are the most optimistic segment in China. A very large 80 percent of the 3,500 women surveyed saying they'll spend more in the second half of 2010 than they did in the first half. With trends like these, Chinese women may bring new meaning to the term "the power of the purse." Which of the following might be the best title of the passage? A. Chinese Men Go Socializing B. Chinese Women Go shopping C. The Future Is Female D. The Purse Is Powerful Answer: B. Chinese Women Go shopping The supermarket of the past is racing toward a high tech future. And clever marketers are starting with their youngest customers. Publix Supermarkets in the prefix = st1 /U.S.city of Atlanta,Georgiahave begun testing TV Karts for little kids. Moms can shop in peace while their kids ride along watching their favorite TV shows. Marketers say the TV Karts bring about income by keeping children entertained so parents can shop longer. If the TV screen is not enough to hold a child's attention, parents can drop them off at a play center at Wegman' s supermarket in Virginia. There is adult care so parents can scan the grocery aisles without having to rush. And there are high tech toys for grown - ups, too. This computerized tablet is called the "Shopping Buddy". The small computer keeps a running tab of every item in the shopping cart. Customers can e - mail their grocery list and the device will let them know if any of the items are on sale. It also shows the location of the products. Stop and shop marketing manager Mike Grimes says the device can even take a deli order from customers on the other side of the store and let them know when it's ready for pick up. "The shopping buddy has two primary benefits to shoppers. The first - saving money, extra savings. The other thing it saves is time." If you really want to save time, "Veggie Vision", a computerized scale and camera, identifies various fruits and vegetables and automatically prices them for you. And when it's time to pay, a finger may be all you need. It takes just a few seconds for a machine to identify your unique fingerprint and debit your account. Two thousand stores in the U.S. now have the "Pay by Touch" biometric technology. Customers sign up by providing a bank account number and a fingerprint. Some European stores are testing tiny radio transmitters on their goods. The wireless devices can tell if a product is nearing its expiration date or needs to be restocked. And someday, as an I. B. M. commercial shows us, those transmitters will mean you may not even need your fingerprint to make a purchase. The main purpose of the passage is to introduce_. A. some high supermarket technologies B. the future supermarket C. a special way of payment D. the past supermarket Answer: A. some high supermarket technologies My aunt Edith was a widow of 50,working as a secretary,when doctors discovered she had got what was then thought to be a very serious heart illness. Aunt Edith didn't accept defeat easily. She began studying medical reports in library and found an article in a magazine about a well-known heart doctor,Dr.Michael Debakey,of Houston,Texas. He had saved the life of someone with the same illness. The article said Dr Debakey's fees were very high;Aunt Edith couldn't possibly pay them. But could he tell her of someone whose fee she could pay? So Aunt Edith wrote to him. She simply listed her reasons for wanting to live:her three children,who would be on their own in three or four years and among them a little girl who always dreamed of traveling and seeing the world. There wasn't a word of self-pity-only warmth and humor and the joy of living. She mailed the letter,not really expecting an answer. A few days later,my doorbell rang. Aunt Edith didn't wait to come in;she stood in the hall and read aloud: Your beautiful letter moved me very deeply. If you can come to Houston,there will be no charge for either the hospital or the operation. Signed:Michael Debakey That was seven years ago. Since then,Aunt Edith has been around the world. Her three children are happily married. For her age,she is one of the youngest,most alive people I know. Aunt Edith didn't accept defeat easily means that _ . A. she was very beautiful B. she was very strong C. she was very brave D. she was very warm hearted Answer: C. she was very brave
Switzerland is the best place to be born in the world in 2013,and the US is just 16th. A new study made by the Economist Intelligence Unit says American babies will have a dimmer future than those born in Hong Kong,Ireland and even Canada. The EIU,a sister company of The Economist,tried to measure how well countries will provide the best opportunities for a healthy,safe and prosperous life in years to come. People born in Switzerland will tend to be the happiest and have the best quality of life in terms of wealth,health and trust in public institutions,according to the analysis. The Scandinavian countries of Norway,Sweden and Denmark also all make the top five in a'quality-of-lif e'index where it is best to be born next year. One of the most important factors is being rich,but other factors come into play including crime,trust in public institutions and the health of family life. In total,the index takes into account 11 factors. These include fixed factors such as geography,others that change slowly over time such as demography social and cultural characteristics, and the state of the world economy. The index also looks at income per head in 2030,which is roughly when children born in 2013 will reach adulthood. Small economies take up the top 10 countries,with Australia coming second and New Zealand and the Netherlands not too far behind. Half of the top 10 countries are European,but only one,the Netherlands,is from the eurozone. The crisis-ridden south of Europe,including Greece,Portugal and Spain,falls behind despite the advantage of a favourable climate. Interestingly,the largest European economies-Germany,France and Britain-do not do particularly well. Nigeria has the unenviable title of being the worst country for a baby to enter the world in 2013. The factors of telling the best place to be born don't include _ . There are several stages in the way that water cycles, and all are accurate aside from Some people think that they will get ill if they use their brains too much. It is not true. Through many researches, scientists show us that the more you use your brains, the better they will be, and the wiser you will become. Of course, if you want to keep your mind clear and be energetic , you must take a proper rest and study properly. To the teenagers, using their brains in the morning is good for their health. There are many ways to rest. One is a peaceful rest. Sleep is a peaceful rest. Another is an active rest. For example, take a walk outdoors, do morning exercises every day. To change the way of the brains'activities is also a good way to rest. In everyday life, to eat some eggs, meat, fresh vegetable and fruit is also good for the brains. Wish you a wise man and a happy life. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A person has sand in their shoe from the beach, and they dump the sand out at their doorstep many miles away. The sand could end up back on that beach if Welcome to FrightCatalog.com! We have the widest selection of outfits you'll need to make your holiday one to remember. Regardless of age, men's, women's and kids' outfits are always fun to wear. The outfits give you a chance to live a life outside of your own for one whole night. At FrightCatalog.com, there are countless adult outfits and kids' disguises for you to choose from. If you are looking for something frightening or scary, we have it. If you are looking for something cute or funny, we also have it. If you want to combine the two, go ahead, we have that, too. Our passion makes it impossible not to collect the best products, which is why we have made it our goal to collect so many outfits. Before you buy, ask yourself a couple of questions. First, do you want a full-body outfit, or a multi-pieced one? Full-body ones can be more detailed, but a multi-pieced outfit will not get as hot inside, which can be either good or bad. Next, are you going with a group? There is nothing more impressive than seeing a group of people dressed in theme. Lastly, do you have a favorite movie? We have plenty of movie disguises for you to choose from, like Star Trek, Alice in Wonderland or Wizard of Oz. With a selection as large as ours, even your dog can enjoy this especially hallow night. You can turn your friend into Spider-Man, superman and countless other choices. If you already have your outfit picked out for yourself, search for a dog outfit that will match your own. For example, you could be the robber and your dog could be the policeman, or go for a Batman and Robin combination. Whatever you do, let your dog have some fun, too. Our outfits let you have your October 31st experience, so you get the most out of this frighteningly entertaining night of tricks and treats. Take your time and find the one that catches your attention. What does the word "outfit" mean in the passage?
When kids at Archisha Singh's school in Loudoun County have a birthday, no parents buy them birthday cakes. Some schools are worried that children might become fat or eat unhealthy food, so they have banned cupcakes altogether. What do kids do? Birthday kids can donate a book. The headmaster of their school will then read it to their class. The headmaster also hands out birthday certificates , special pencils, and makes sure the kids' names are read out in the school's morning news. Parents can send stickers , pencils and other things to students. None of the things can be food. If a child donates jump ropes or other sports equipment, that child may get his or her name on a certificate. It will then be displayed at school. Archisha really misses cupcakes, especially those her mother used to make for her kindergarten class, but her school's way is fun, too. "I like both ways," she said. The headmaster says it's important that the school should be not only teaching, but offering healthy choices to kids. "There is a better life without cupcakes. If you eat a cupcake, then it's gone in two seconds, but a book lasts a lifetime. The sports equipment lasts, and the kids can use it day after day." The headmaster thinks the school should _ . Answer: U.S. Bottled Water Sales Are Booming Again Despite Opposition Despite organized anti-bottled-water campaigns across the country and a noisy debate about bottled water's environmental impact, Americans are buying more bottled water than ever. Why do so many people seem to think they should have any input on what other American's choose to buy or do? If they want to buy bottled water, let them. If they want to eat fast food, let them. If they want to smoke pot, let them. -- Barackalypse People just get tired of paying for others' bad behavior. If many people eat excessive fast food, you pay higher insurance premiums. If many people frequently buy bottled water, your trash bills go up and landfills fill up quickly.www.zxxk.com It's about personal responsibility, which really should be a cornerstone of libertarianism. -- Bdbr So? This is the price you pay to live in a free society. You want to control the life of another just so you can save a few bucks? What would you say when someone do the same to you? -- Norman619 Defend selfish pricks all you like; I'm just glad there are still people who still believe personal responsibility is a good and decent thing. We make your life cheaper and less bothersome. -- Yoyo What a waste of money! It's fine when you're on the road and you need a cold drink, but people who buy cases of bottled water for home are completely crazy. -- Agmlauncher I wish we all can find a way to improve things and benefit from this. The environment needs a lot of help but businesses will always work on what people would need and demand. Is this part of the balance? Hope we can find better ways. -- Skipweis Who would agree with Barackalypse on this matter? Answer: The painter Georgia O'keeffe was born in Wisconsin in 1887 and grew up on her family's farm. At seventeen she decided she wanted to be an artist and left the farm for schools in Chicago and New York, but she never lost her bond with the land. Like most painters, O'Keeffe painted the things that were most important to her, and nearly all her works are simplified portrayals of nature. O'Keeffe became famous when her paintings were discovered and exhibited in New York by the photographer Levered Stieglitz, whom she married in 1924. During a visit to New York in 1929, O'Keeffe was so moved by the bleak landscape and broad skies of the Western desert that she began to paint its images. Cows' skulls and other bleached bones found in the desert figured prominently in her paintings. When her husband died in 1946, she moved to New Mexico permanently and used the horizon lines of the desert, colorful flowers, rocks, barren hills, and the sky as subjects for her paintings. Although O'Keeffe painted her best known works in the 1920's, 1930's and 1940's, she continued to produce tributes(, ) to the Western desert until her death in 1986. O'Keeffe is widely considered to have been a pioneering American modernist painter. While most early modern American artists were strongly influenced by European art, O'Keeffe's position was more independent. She established her own vision and preferred to view her painting as a private endeavor. Almost from the beginning, her work was more indentifiably American than that of her contemporaries in its simplified and idealized treatment of color, light, space, and natural forms. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an influence on O'Keeffe's paintings ? Answer: "Ordinary" was the worst word my mother could find for anything. Whenever she took me out for shopping, I found she wouldn't take any notice of the shop assistants when they suggested that some dresses were popular. She would say, "We're not interested in that. Haven't you got anything a little unusual?" And then the assistants would bring out all the strange colours no one else would buy. And later she and I would argue because I wanted to be ordinary but my mother wanted to be unusual. "I can't stand that hairdo ," she said to me when I was in a boy hairstyle, " _ 's so terribly ordinary... Not ugly, not unsuitable. But ordinary ..." "Couldn't you please wear something else?" I asked one day when she was dressing for Parents' Day in tight trousers and a bright pink sweater. "What't wrong with it!" "It's just that I wish you'd wear something ordinary." I said, "People won't laugh at." She looked at me angrily, "Are you ashamed of your mother? If you are, Mary, I feel sorry for you." Why did Mary ask her mother to change her clothes on Parents' Day? Answer: Chinese high school students have the longest study hours compared to their peers in Japan , the US and South Korea. A survey conducted by the four countries said. The survey, released by the China Youth and Children Research Center on Monday, was jointly conducted with instructions in the four countries in September-October of 2008. It covers nearly 4,000 students in senior schools and vocational high schools in the four countries. About 78.3 percent of Chinese students said they spend more than eight hours at school and 56.7 percent said they study at least two more hours each day at home .by contrast, only 24.7 percent of their peers in the US , 20.5percent in Japan and 15.4 in Korea study more than two hour s after school. Around 60 percent of all students surveyed said their burden for studies was the heaviest. However the Japanese felt their burden was the worst with respondents reaching 79.2 percent Among the five biggest headaches for young people in the four countries were: 0ver-sheduling ranked first, followed by a boring leisure life, unsatisfied appearance, little time for exercise and making friends, and no spare money "Moderate study pressure can better drive students to develop, however, too much will press their development space, and can even cause harm to their physical and psychological health" the survey said "Balancing their studies and all round development is a very important task" it said. Which of the following is not true about the survey? Answer:
A TV series in England,Away from it all,has surprised everyone by becoming a success with young people across the country. Its success is surprising because the series is about the relaxing lifestyles of people who live in the country. There is none of the action that we usually see on TV today. There are also no stressful moments, busy offices or crowded cities. Away from it all is set in the peaceful English countryside and tells simple stories about people's kindness. The director of the TV series says that its success is a sign of teenagers suffering from stress. They say that watching Away from it all helps teenagers forget about the pressures of exams and homework, and the troubles that fill the world today. They also say that it's a good sign of today's young people turning to happier TV series as it shows they want a happier and healthier world. Although the series' success might have a good side, many teachers and parents are worried, however. They say that some of their students and children spend more time before TV and are using Away from it all as an excuse for not finishing homework. Some children have even refused to learn for exams because they say that they can only get personal happiness by avoiding stressful situations. And what do the experts say? Paula Ray, a doctor of education, says that TV can influence children's lifestyles. But she says that if a child reacts strongly, it' s likely that there are other reasons for his change in behaviour. She says that there is nothing wrong with watching Away from it all but suggests that parents should let their children know TV is not the same as real life. The success of the series shows that young people would like _ . There are many theories about how drama came into being in ancient Greece. The one most widely accepted today is based on the assumption that drama developed gradually from ceremonies. The argument for this view goes as follows. In the beginning, human beings viewed the natural forces of the world as unpredictable, and they sought through various means to control these unknown powers. Those measures which appeared to bring the desired results were then kept and repeated until they hardened into fixed ceremonies. Eventually stories arose which explained the mysteries of the ceremonies. As time passed, some of them were abandoned, but the stories, later called myths , provided materials for art and drama Those who believe that drama came out of ceremonies also argue that those ceremonies contained the seed of theater because music, dance, and masks were almost always used. In addition, there were performers, and, since considerable importance was attached to avoiding mistakes in the rules of ceremonies, religious leaders usually assumed that task. Wearing masks, they often impersonated other people, animals, or supernatural beings, and performed the desired effect by gestures -- success in hunt or battle, the coming rain, the revival of the Sun -- as an actor might. Eventually such dramatic representations were separated from religious activities. Another theory finds out the theater came from the human Interest in storytelling. According to this view, tales (about the hunt, war, or other events) are gradually formed, at first through the use of impersonation, action, and dialogue by a speaker and then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person A closely related theory about drama _ those dances that are primarily rhythmical and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds. Which of the following is Not true according to the passage? Your children's children will probably never see a live Beaver dams can cause floods. This statement shows how Expressing emotions is important rather than hiding them or keeping them inside. Everyone feels negative emotions such as anger and needs to deal with them. But there are healthy ways to express anger and ways to control it. Shouting bad words at someone will hurt the other person or make them angry too. If you feel angry, it is best to think before you speak. Some people in the UK use the expression "take a deep breath and count to 10", meaning take a pause, breathe deeply and let yourself calm down instead of getting angry. Another expression people use to say they are controlling their anger is "biting their lip". This means not letting the bad words come out of their mouth. If you cannot think of anything but bad words, it is probably best to "bite your lip." But sometimes letting all your anger out can be cathartic , as long as you do it at the right place and time. If you have just had a bad day, you could go into a room by yourself and scream or yell very loudly. Or if you want to hit someone or smash something, you could hit a pillow instead. Then after you let your frustration out this way, you'll be able to deal with your problems more calmly. If you do lose your temper with someone and swear at them, though, you need to apologize. One way to do this is to say "pardon my French". This expression has been used for many years as an apology for bad language. Then you can calmly explain what made you upset. How does this passage view expressing emotions?
Bright, Spacious Room Spacious, single furnished room in owner- occupied home is available now, for one and a half years. Ground floor flat. Five-minute walk to the town center and local bus services. Well-equipped shared kitchen, including washing machine. Shared shower& toilet. Large rooms, with high ceilings, a warm and pleasant home. Responsible for own food & cooking, washing, telephone, insurance, etc. No smoking or pets. Not suitable for children. WiFi available locally. Call Jenna on 85756624 if you are interested. One Bedroom Newly Refurbished Flat in Burnage A fantastic one-bedroom flat in the heart of Burnage is available for however long you want. The property has just been refurbished to a high standard. Situated above the pharmacy on Burnage Lane the property boasts a kitchen, large lounge, separate shower and toilet, and bedroom with in- built wardrobes. A must-see! Call Daniel on 70554323 at the weekend. Two Bedrooms Left in Four-bed House Share A great four- bedroom property in the heart of Fallowfield. Two Bedrooms left in a mixed student house. The property has a dining area, toilet, lounge and one bedroom on the ground floor, followed by three bedrooms on the first floor with an extra toilet. Very close to the main bus stop & local amenities : supermarket, Lloyds pharmacy and local launderette. Two minutes' walking distance to the centre of Fallowfield. The property is available from the 1 of July 2012 to 30 June 2013. Half rent for July/ Aug. We are a private landlord; so there are no agency fees! Jack welcomes you to call. Phone:22604322. Board and Lodgings Close to Boston, Lincolnshire We have a double room available on a board and lodgings basis from 1 of June, 2012 to 1 of May, 2013. Within a comfortable, peaceful farmhouse, set in lovely gardens and beautiful countryside. Share a bathroom with one other person only. Room has own TV with Freeview and access to wireless broadband,. Use of the garden and rest of the house. On the bus route to Boston and Horncastle. Free car parking space. All meals, bills, etc. included. Can cater for a variety of special dietary needs if required, Please call Alice at the weekend or after 7p.m. On workdays. Phone:42556755. What does Jack provide, according to the advertisement? The year was 1932. Amelia Earhart was flying alone from North America to England in a small single--engine airplane. At midnight, several hours after she had left Newfoundland, she ran into bad weather. To make things worse, her altimeter failed.(The altimeter shows the height of the plane above the ground.) At night and in a storm, a pilot is in great difficulty without an altimeter. At times, her plane nearly plunged into the Atlantic Ocean. Just before daylight, there was further trouble. Amelia noticed flames coming from the engine. Would she be able to reach land? There was nothing to do except to keep going and to hope. Amelia Earhart did reach Ireland, and for the courage she had shown, she was warmly welcomed in England and the rest of Europe. When she returned to the United States, she was honored by President Hoover at a special dinner in the White House. From that time on, Amelia Earhart became famous. What was so important about her flight? Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly the Atlantic Ocean alone, and she set a record of fourteen hours and fifty-six minutes. Amelia's flight was important because _ . Except for the sun, the moon looks like the biggest object in the sky. Actually it is one of the smallest, and only looks big because it is so near to us. Its diameter is only 2,160 miles (3,389 km), or a little more than a quarter of the diameter of the earth. Once a month, or more exactly, once every 29.5 days, at the time we call "full moon," its whole _ looks bright. At other times only part of it appears bright, and we always find that this is the part which faces towards the sun, while the part racing away from the sun appears dark. People could make their pictures better if they kept this in mind -- only those parts of the moon which are lighted up by the sun are bright. This shows that the moon gives no light of its own. It only throws back the light of the sun, like a huge mirror hung in the sky. Yet the dark part of the moon's surface is not ly black; generally it is just light enough for us to be able to see its outline, so that we speak of seeing "the old moon in the new moon's arms." The light by which we see the old moon does not come from the sun, but from the earth. We know well how the surface of the sea or of snow, or even of a wet road, may throw back uncomfortably much of the sun's light onto our faces. In the same way the surface of the whole earth throws back enough of the sun's light on to the face of the moon for us to be able to see the parts of it which would otherwise be dark. Which of the following is true according to the text ? A cactus stood all alone in the desert, wondering why it was stuck in the middle of nowhere."I do nothing but stand here all day," it sighed."What use am I? I'm the ugliest plant in the desert.My spines are thick and prickly , my leaves are rubbery and tough, I can't offer shade or juicy fruit to any passing traveler.I don't see that I'm any use at all." All it did was stand in the sun day after day, growing taller and fatter.Its spines grew longer and its leaves tougher...It truly was strange-looking. "I wish I could do something useful," it sighed.By day, hawks circled high overhead."What can I do with my life?" the cactus called.Whether they heard or not, the hawks sailed away.At night, the moon floated into the sky and cast its pale glow on the desert floor."What good can 1 do with my life?" the cactus Called: The moon only stared coldly as it goes on its way.A lizard crawled by, leaving a little trail in the sand with its tail."What worthy thing can I do?" the cactus called."You?" the lizard laughed, pausing a moment."Worthy deed? Why, you can't do anything! The hawks circle ways overhead, tracing delicate patterns for us all to admire.The moon hangs high like a lantern at night, so we can see our way home.Even I, the lowly lizard can decorate the sands with these beautiful brush-drawings as I pull my tail along.But you do nothing but get uglier every day." And so it went on year after year.At last the cactus grew old, and it knew its time was short."Oh, God" it cried out, "I've wondered so long, and I've tried so hard.Forgive me if I've failed to find something worthy to do." But just then the cactus felt a strange stirring and unfolding.At its very tip, like a sudden crown, a glorious flower suddenly opened in bloom. Never had the desert known such a blossom.Its fragrance perfumed the air far and wide and brought happiness to all passing by. The butterflies paused to admire its beauty, and even the moon smiled when it rose to find such a treasure.The cactus heard a voice."You have waited long," the God said."the heart that seeks to do good reflects My glory, and will always bring something worthwhile to the world, something in which all can rejoice --even if for only a moment." What attitude should lonely ordinary people have in our life? When Luke went to university he thought he would be on a new journey in life and getting his own place. In the UK, it's common to fly the nest at a fairly young age. Many choose a flat-share; others make plans to get on the property ladder. But the current economic situation forced Luke back to his mum's house at the age of 27. And he's not alone: a quarter of young adults in the UK now live with their parents. The Office for National Statistics said more than 3.3 million adults between the ages of 20 and 34 were living with their parents in 2013. Lack of jobs and the high cost of renting accommodation made Luke change his plans. He's upset. "There's something very difficult about being an adult living in an environment where you're still a child," he says. "It limits me socially; sometimes I feel it limits me professionally." Indeed, many young people have no choice but to stay at "the hotel of Mum and Dad". Krissy had to return home after a year away and now lives in rather terrible conditions, sharing the family's three-bedroom house with her sisters. She says _ when it's time to use the bathroom in the morning. Of course, living with your parents is not unusual in some countries. Economic conditions, culture, or family traditions mean many young people stay at home until they get married. Even then, it can be too expensive to rent or buy a house and the married couples continue to live at one of their parents' homes. But some parents seem to enjoy having their kids back at home. Janice's daughters are part of what's being called "the boomerang generation". She says, "I get to share their lives with them, and I've got to know them all as adults. We have the sort of conversations that good friends do." So for some it's a win-win situation -- spending time with your families, and saving money. We can learn from the passage that.
Question: Christmas in Australia is often very hot. Whereas the northern hemisphere is in the middle of winter, Australians are baking in summer heat. It is not unusual to have Christmas Day well into the mid 30 degrees Celsius, or near 100 degrees Fahrenheit. A traditional meal includes a turkey dinner, with ham, and pork. A flaming Christmas plum pudding is added for dessert. In the Australian gold rushes, Christmas puddings often contained a gold nugget. Today a small favor is baked inside. Whoever finds this knows s/he will enjoy good luck. Another treat is Mince Pies. Some Australians and particularly tourists often have their Christmas dinner at midday on a local beach, Bondi Beach in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs attracts thousands of people on Christmas Day. Other families enjoy their day by having a picnic. If they are at home, the day is punctuated by swimming in a pool, playing Cricket out the backyard, and other outdoor activities. The warm weather allows Australians to enjoy a tradition which started in 1937. Carols by Candlelight is held every year on Christmas Eve, where tens of thousands of people gather in the city of Melbourne to sing their favorite Christmas songs. The evening is lit by as many candles singing under a clean cut night sky. The sky with its Southern Cross stars is like a mirror. Sydney and the other capital cities also enjoy Carols in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Australians surround themselves with Christmas Bush, a native plant which has little red flowered leaves. Which of the following statements is Not true according to the passage? A. Tourists like to have Christmas dinner on a beach B. People play outdoor activities at home after picnic. C. Carols by Candlelight is held every year on Christmas Eve D. Sydney enjoys Carols in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Answer: B Question: A thief entered the bedroom of the 30th President of the United States, who met him and helped him escape punishment. The event happened in the early morning hours in one of the first days when Calvin Coolidge came into power, late in August, 1923.He and his family were living in the same third-floor suite at the Willard Hotel in Washington that they had occupied several years before.The former President's wife was still living in the White House. Coolidge awoke to see a stranger go through his clothes, remove a wallet and a watch chain. Coolidge spoke, "I wish you wouldn't take that." The thief, gaining his voice, said, "Why?" "I don't mean the watch and chain, only the charm .Take it near the window and read what is impressed on its back, " the President said. The thief read, "Presented to Calvin Coolidge." "Are you President Coolidge ? " he asked. The President answered, "Yes, and the House of Representatives gave me that watch charm.I'm fond of it.It would do you no good.You want money.Let's talk this over." Holding up the wallet, the young man said in a low voice, "I'll take this and leave everything else." Coolidge, knowing there was $80 in it, persuaded the young man to sit down and talk.He told the President he and his college roommate had overspent during their holiday and did not have enough money to pay their hotel bill. Coolidge added up the roommate and two rail tickets back to the college.Then he counted out $32 said it was a loan . He then told the young man, "There is a guard in the corridor." The young man nodded and left through the same window as he had entered. Why did Calvin Coolidge live at the Willard Hotel in those days? A. Because the former President was still living in the White House. B. Because the former First Lady hadn't left the White House. C. Because the First Lady liked to live there. D. Because he liked there. Answer: B Question: You may complain that there are too many tests on the way to college entrance, but an increasing number of students want to take one more. That is the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT, an American test for students who intend to apply for college admission. Chen Huanlu, aged 18, from Shandong Province took part in the SAT subject tests (SAT 2) in Hong Kong on June 2. She has also been scheduled to take the SAT reasoning test (SAT 1) in October. "I hope to study environmental engineering at an American university, where I may have more opportunities to get cutting-edge knowledge in this area," said Chen. However, not all SAT test takers want to apply to American universities. "I wanted to see how I would do when faced with plenty of stress and also to evaluate my scholastic level by an American standard. The SATs made my school life more diverse," said Senior 2 student Zhou Yuxiang from Sichuan Province. Zhou, aged 17, a top student in his school, was inspired by some of his friends. They have taken this test and been admitted to American universities, including Harvard and Yale. Last winter vacation he took a 20-day SAT course at Chengdu New Oriental School. "As I prepared for the test in the following months, I was forced to balance my everyday schedule better. Fortunately I was optimistic enough to have undergone the most difficult time," he said. In May and June, Zhou flew alone to Hong Kong to sit for the SAT1 and SAT2. "They are both the standards which have been set for us to reach. What we should do more sensibly is to try harder to prepare for them. Survival of the fittest is true both in America and in China. That is something I have learnt beyond the SAT itself," he said. The SAT is a test designed mainly for _ . A. Chinese students who want to go to college in America B. American students who intend to apply for college admission in China C. students who plan to apply for American universities D. students who want to learn about the survival of the fittest Answer: C Question: You may have known several kinds of police --- traffic police, fire police and street police. But have you ever heard of energy-saving policeman? A group of 22 energy-saving policemen went to work last week in Beijing. They go around the city to see the use of energy in hotels, office buildings, shopping centers and other public places. One of their aims is to make sure that these places have set their air conditioning no cooler than 26degC. They also set up a special phone line so that people can tell them which buildings fail to follow the rule. "If everyone sets their air conditioning at 26degC, Beijing will save 400 million kilowatthour of electricity in one summer. That's one-third of all the usages of the city in the season," said a TV advertisement. Other Chinese cities, like Wuhan in Hubei Province and Yangzhou in Jiansu Province, are going to follow Beijing's steps in setting up a similar police team. As one of the fastest developing countries, China is using a lot of energy. This has a great effect on the country's environment and limited energy. From 1986 to 2005, the country experienced 20 warm winters continuously . Numbers show that Chinese cities have to spend billions of yuan solving environmental problems every year. At the beginning of this month, China made its first action plan to fight pollution. It aims to reduce energy usage by 20% and increase renewable energy up to 10% from 7% by 2010. To introduce the public to a green life, last week Beijing held a show on energy-saving technology and productions. Environment-friendly machines, such as a vending machine that helps collect used bottles, have attracted lots of attention. "We want to tell people that there are certain ways to protect the environment. Each of us can find effective ways to do it on our daily lives," said Liu Qianguang, an environmental engineer in Beijing. Beijing uses _ million kilowatt-hour electricity in summer. A. 1200. B. 800. C. 400. D. 133. Answer: A Question: Land Art, sometimes referred to as Earth Art or Earthworks, is a form of art which involves using physical landscapes to create art, taking art out of the museum and into the outside world. Modern Land Art movement really got going in the 1960s when American artists began creating Land Art on a large scale. Today, works of modern Land Art can be seen all over the world, sometimes right alongside much older pieces of Land Art created by people who lived thousands of years ago. Land Art, which is not necessarily unchangeable, can take a number of forms. For examples, in 1970 Robert Smithson created the Spiral Jetty , made of a collection of stones and mud, in the Great Salt Lake. The American artist made a large jetty in a spiral shape which sticks out into the waters of the lake. Reshaping the landscape is a common characteristic of Land Art, which can be created by moving parts around. People can also add things to the environment to create Land Art, like salt, which is added to the Spiral Jetty. It is possible to use plants. In all cases, Land Art is immovable. Land Art is designed to gradually form, change, and eventually decay . That's one of the biggest differences between Land Art and most of the art one sees in the museums. Some works of art can exist only for a few hours or days. Others are exposed to rain and wind so that they develop and decay over time, which is part of the attractiveness in the eyes of the artists. One of the unique characteristics of Land Art lies in _ . A. it shows the extreme beauty of nature B. it develops and decays gradually over time C. it combines the landscapes around completely D. it offers the artists a chance to get close to nature Answer: B
My name is Lisa.I have a bird.She is white.So I call her Xiaobai.Xiaobai is only two years old.She's not big.But she is beautiful and clever.She can speak. One day I go shopping with my sister Gina and Xiaobai.At Green Clothes Store Gina sees a red skirt and says, "Look! Lisa! That red skirt is very beautiful." Xiaobai answers her instead of me, "No.I think you look nice in that green skirt." Gina says, "OK.I listen to you." Then she asks the shop assistant, "How much is the green one?" The shop assistant looks at Xiaobai, opens her mouth but says nothing.At last she says to Gina, "I never see a bird that can speak these words.It's great! You can take this green skirt.Oh, you don't need to pay for it." Gina is very happy.She asks me and my bird to have a big lunch in Leo's Restaurant and then we go home. Gina and Lisa go shopping _ . A. in the morning B. in the afternoon C. in the evening D. all day Answer: A Marie Claire Magazine is one of the top women's health, beauty and fashion magazines in the world It has over 14 million readers all over the world.Maire Magazine is published in 32 countries including France, the Untied States ,Australia, China, the United Kingdom, Russia ,Spain Italy and many other nations. Marie Claire Magazine has stood by its motto"More than a Pretty Face" since Jean Prouvost created it in France in1937. It was soon released every Wednesday and was an immediate success. Unfortunately, because of World War n, it stopped printing in 1940. But it b began in again in 1954 as a monthly publication instead of a weekly one. The magazine has provided women throughout the world with information on health ,struggles and life stories of women. The magazine also focuses on current affairs all women would be interested in .It also has a part that specifically answers readers' questions. The magazine discusses all of the latest and hottest things in clothing and accessories .It also provides its readers with shopping information to help find the best deals for the latest fashions. The cover of Marie Claire Magazine has been graced by many famous faces ,Although it is aimed at women, it broke new ground in 2003. The US publication featured a manTom Cruise on its cover for the first time.Marie Claire Magazine has continued to be a pioneer in the magazine industry. What do we know about Marie Claire Magazine? A. It is a local European magazine. B. It never refers to hot social problems. C. It contains beautiful pictures and useful articles. D. It has more readers than any other magazine of the same kind Answer: C What is the highest temperature that water can reach in a pot on a stove? A. 50°C B. 90°C C. 100°C D. 212°C Answer: C Famous centenarians still active in arts, science are in no mood to retire."Those who stand still, die," is one of Oliveira's favorite phrases.He knows from experience what it means, as the Portuguese film director has reached the age of 102 and is still active in his profession.Every year, Oliveira shoots a film and is currently working on his next project."You have to work, work, work in order to forget that death is not far away," he said.When asked about his age, Oliveira said with some humility: "It's down to mother nature.It gave to me what it took from others." Being both mentally and physically fit in old age is partly a matter of luck, but it also has something to do with character.Not every white-haired person is wise and social skills, openness and the ability to train the brain are essential for senior citizens. Along with the architect Oscar Niemeyer (103), Nobel laureate Montalcini (101) and director Kurt Maetzig (100), Oliveira is one of those people of whom it would be very wrong to think as members of a listless elderly generation. Another master in his profession is the architect Oscar Niemeyer.The 103-year-old Brazilian is best known for his futuristic-looking buildings in Brasilia, but he also speaks out on behalf of the poor."The role of the architect is to struggle for a better world where we can develop a form of architecture that serves everyone and not just a privileged few," said Niemeyer recently.He spends almost every day working in his office in Copacabana, and even when he falls ill he keeps working on ideas: After a gallbladder operation he composed a samba tune in the clinic. Another man who could sing a song about age is 107-year-old Heesters.The Dutch-born opera singer spent most of his life performing in Germany, where he still works.Recently Heesters said: "I want to be at least 108-years-old." He also plans to keep performing." _ " Heesters has not given up trying to add to his tally of awards and is looking for a "good stage role". Italian scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini, who is 101-year-old and is still active in medical science, has described the force that keeps driving her on: "Progress is created through imperfection." In 1986 she and her lab colleague were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work on nerve growth factor.She's convinced that humans grow on challenges. With so many brilliant examples given, we can see clearly that age is no barrier to some high achievers. In the writer's opinion, the architect Oscar Niemeyer is not _ . A. sympathy B. pessimistic C. positive D. diligent Answer: B Children, especially boys, tend to idealise their fathers when they are young.Every little boy wants to grow up to be just like his father, and every little girl thinks her father is the smartest man on the earth. It's not very easy to be a good father, but it's not that difficult either. Children will truly enjoy spending time with their fathers, not just when they are kids, but even when they are adults. Not all children communicate well with their fathers. Communication is often left to mothers, while fathers dispense advice as and when necessary. Don't expect all conversations to centre around the dinner table. Go to your children's bedrooms and talk to them about school, their teachers or their friends. Remember that the conversation cannot be one-sided. When your children open up to you, you also need to open up to them. If your children come home from school feeling upset, go up to them and ask them what is the matter. And if it is something which seems to you to be a silly reason to be upset, don't voice your opinion. It may be silly to you, but to your children it is important enough. So don't wave the topic away by telling them not to bother about such stupid things. Simply discussing their problems with them will help them feel better. Don't shy away from having discussions about your teenage children's love lives. Generally speaking, your children are definitely not going to discuss _ details with you. Try to let them know that you are relaxed about topics on love. Tell your children how you met your wife. It is perfectly normal for children to go through feelings for the opposite sex as they grow up, and by keeping the topic closed for discussion, you are only shutting them off from discussing their feelings with you. All they will do is turn to their friends. To children their fathers are usually very _ . A. important B. great C. serious D. strong Answer: B
Question: Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mum, you must come and see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Lake Arrowhead. "I will go next Tuesday," I promised, a little unwillingly, on her third call. The next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and so I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house and hugged and greeted my grandchildren, I said, "Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! Theroad is invisible in the cloud and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and thesechildren that I want to see!" My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this weather all the time, Mum. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience." After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand-lettered sign that read "Daffodil Garden"?We got out of the car and each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, we turned a comer of the path, and I looked up amazed. Before me lay the most beautiful sight. Flows of flowers of different colors seemed poured down the peak and slopes. There were five acres of flowers! A seas of daffodil! It was like a fairyland all beyond description. "But who has done this?" I asked Carolyn. "It's just one woman," Carolyn answered. That's her home, "Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house that looked small and modest in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house. On the patio , we saw a poster." Answers to the Questions I KnowYou Are Asking" was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs " it read. The second answer was, "One at a time,by one woman." The third answer was, "Began in 1958." I thought of this woman whom I Had never met, who, more than fifty years before, had begun-one bulb at a time-to bring the beauty and joy to the mountain top. Just planting one bulb at a time, year after year, had changed the world where she lived and created something of magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small amounts of daily effort, we too can accomplish great things. Everyone can do something to change the world. The writer wasn't going to see the daffodils at first because _ . A. she cared more about the children B. they were on a remote mountain top C. the weather was not good enough D. it was not easy for her to drive there Answer: D Question: Pablo Picasso, born in Spain in 1881, was one of the most famous artists of the 20th century. Picasso began painting when he was a small child and took advanced art courses when he was only fifteen. Between 1904 and 1947 Picasso lived in Paris. In 1947 he moved to Riviera, in the south of France. Many people thought Picasso's works were strange and unpleasant. Still,he had a great influence on artists in every country. Today, Picasso is regarded as a genius , and his paintings are in the museums all over the world. In 1912, Picasso actually invented a new type of art. He painted a picture,then he _ bits of paper and something else on the picture. This picture of art is called collage . Picasso was not only a painter, he was also a sculptor and a designer of scenery for plays. There are even some photographs of " light paintings " that he created. These paintings were produced by moving a light pencil, or a small flashlight in the air. Although the images could be seen only briefly by anyone watching them happen, the camera was able to catch the images as they occurred. By the time he died in France in April of 1973 , he had created a staggering 22,000 works of art. When Picasso was asked how someone could become an artist, he would reply, If you want to draw, you must shut your eyes and sing. According to the text, which of the statements is right? A. Even Picasso was a great artist, he was not clever at all when he was young. B. Picasso didn't leave Paris until he was 23 years old. C. People didn't like Picasso's works at first. D. Picasso was only good at collage. Answer: C Question: On one of her trips to New York several years ago, Eudora Welty decided to take a couple of New York friends out to dinner. They settled in at a comfortable East Side cafe and within minutes, another customer was approaching their table. "Hey, aren't you from Mississippi?" the elegant, white-haired writer remembered being asked by the stranger. "I'm from Mississippi too." Without a second thought, the woman joined the Welty party. When her dinner partner showed up, she also pulled up a chair. "They began telling me all the news of Mississippi," Welty said. "I didn't know what my New York friends were thinking." Taxis on a rainy New York night are rarer than sunshine. By the time the group got up to leave, it was pouring outside. Welty's new friends immediately sent a waiter to find a cab. Heading back downtown toward her hotel, her big-city friends were amazed at the turn of events that had changed their Big Apple dinner into a Mississippi. "My friends said: 'Now we believe your stories,'" Welty added. "And I said: 'Now you know. These are the people that make me write _ .'" Sitting on a sofa in her room, Welty, a slim figure in a simple gray dress, looked pleased with this explanation. "I don't make them up," she said of the characters in her fiction these last 50 or so years. "I don't have to." Beauticians, bartenders, piano players and people with purple hats, Welty's people come from afternoons spent visiting with old friends, from walks through the streets of her native Jackson, Miss., from conversations overheard on a bus. It annoys Welty that, at 78, her left ear has now given out. Sometimes, sitting on a bus or a train, she hears only a fragment of a particularly interesting story. What can we learn about the characters in Welty's fiction? A. They live in big cities. B. They are mostly women. C. They come from real life. D. They are pleasure seekers. Answer: C Question: Many years ago, I went through a tough time. One afternoon, I picked my girls up. It was late when we returned home. I went to unlock the door and found my key wouldn't go in. I kept trying while my daughter went to get a flashlight. When she returned with it we found somehow the lock had been "stuffed" with sunflower seed shells. Thinking that one of the neighborhood children had been up to no good, I really didn't give it much consideration. I found all windows were locked up tight. So I returned to the back door. Oh my God, I will never forget the shock of that moment. The house was empty! Other than a few things remaining on the back porch, everything was gone! Then I heard a car pull into the driveway and found two policemen walking up. They inquired why I had broken into the house. They then asked me for proof that I lived at that address, so I asked them to wait a minute while I went to get my rent receipt and identification from inside the house. I explained the matter to them and showed them the door lock. I could tell from their actions and tone of voice that they thought I was breaking into an empty house for somewhere to sleep. I asked a neighbor for the phone number of house owner and the officer made a call. The owner was quite shocked to hear my story. She said that my roommate had been going through an eviction process with the court when I moved in with her and had lost the case. She had been ordered to move by 10 am on that date. The court order had been issued the same day I had paid her 1/2 of the rent and a deposit of $300,000. The owner was very kind and understanding but there was nothing she could do. The house had been rented already and the people were to move in the following weekend. The officers let me go and I went to gather my girls into the car. They were both exhausted and old. Also very frightened, because they thought their mamma was going to jail. I had to pull over because the tears took control. I couldn't believe it! Everything we owned was gone, I had used up all our money moving in and paying my "friend" our share of costs. I knew very few people in town, as we had just moved there recently. I went to sit back in the car with the girls, I talked to the girls, explaining our situation to them so that they wouldn't be afraid. During this time there was a "street person" with a bag, looking in the garbage for cans, bottles, and anything that might bring him some cash. But I didn't pay much attention to him. I decided to get the girls something to eat for breakfast. We grabbed some bread, and chips and returned for a "picnic". When we got there, I noticed that the man was not alone. He was with a small group of others like him and they were passing a hat amongst themselves. I was busy setting up our little "picnic" when I heard a voice saying, "MaAm, please excuse... but...well...I overheard the situation you are in, and well... I and the fellows took up a collection for you and your little girls. It's not very much, but maybe it'll help a little." I looked up at this man---dirty, needing a shave ----and saw the face of an angel. I started crying. The man tried to hand me $30. I folded his hand back over the money and just hugged him as tight as I could. I told him, "Thank you for your more than generous offer, but we are going to be just fine." He didn't believe me at first, but I convinced him that it was okay. Later that afternoon I went to the market and bought the making for a barbecue and off to that little park. It didn't take us very long to find those gentlemen and invite them to join us for lunch. I had a wonderful afternoon that day, sitting there with those old guys, singing songs. They had some of the most entertaining stories and they shared the dreams they once had. They shared themselves... from the heart. How did the writer come into the house? A. She came in with the help of the policemen. B. She came in by breaking the glass. C. She came in with the help of a flashlight. D. She came in from the back door. Answer: B Question: Parenting the adolescent does take a different approach than parenting younger kids. Looking back it seemed ly easy. They were born itty-bitty so you could take control - usually to keep them safe from harm, to teach right from wrong and begin to equip them with problem solving and relationship skills. But hey, remember when they were about two or three years old and they began to toddle off and test your limits? This was normal child development and you soon trusted that your child wouldn't touch the stove, muck about in the flowerpots or bite the cat. Adolescence is kind of similar in process to the two or three year old testing their limits. In adolescence though the test is more towards social limits: who they can go out with, when, where and for how long. Unlike the young child though, adolescence is nerve-wracking because now they are truly out of sight, the stakes are higher and your didn't raise your kid for 13 years plus to see them get into trouble now. Also unlike the young child, your teen is no longer itty-bitty and you can't simply tell them what to do. Parenting the adolescent requires extreme trust, patience and letting them take responsibility for decisions even when the consequences are not favorable. They do need to learn what the mantle of responsibility means during adolescence so that as adults they are suitably equipped to then carry on responsibly. No practice - no mastery. Taking responsibility takes practice and opportunity. Difficult as _ may seem, the parenting style has to shift from being the boss to being a consultant. Now, no one is saying here that there aren't any rules, but they are more flexible and more subject to negotiation. When you were the boss, you simply told your young child what to do and you expected them to follow your wishes. Now as a consultant you are more in an advisory position and must rely on the judgment of your teen to choose correctly. Who are the intended readers of the passage? A. Adolescents. B. Parents . C. Educators D. .Bosses Answer: B
Question: Dick is seven years old, and his sister May is five. One day, their mother takes them to their aunt' s house to play and she goes to the town to buy some new clothes. The children play for an hour, then at half past four their aunt takes Dick into the kitchen. She gives him a nice cake and a knife and says to him, "Now here is a knife, Dick. Cut this cake in half and give one of the pieces to your sister, but remember to do it like a gentleman ." "Like a gentleman?" Dick asks. "How do gentlemen do it?" "They always give the bigger piece to the other person," answers his aunt. "Oh," says Dick. He thinks about this for a few seconds . Then he takes the cake to his sister and says to her, "Cut this cake in half, May." Who wants Dick to cut the cake? A. A gentleman B. His aunt C. His uncle D. His mother Answer: B. His aunt Question: Are the Super Girls super enough to make it into China's most authoritative dictionary? The editors of Cihai are working on a new edition, and they say they haven't decided yet. "The editing preparation of the 2009 edition of the dictionary has just started," an editor of Cihaisaid. "Which new words will be added, and which old ones will be deleted, remains unknown." The TV programme that brought the Super Girls into the public eye has certainly had an influence on Chinese society since its _ in 2004. The editor said the new edition will include terms such as "Shenzhou VI," the name of China's second manned spacecraft, and Ba Jin, a late master of contemporary Chinese literature. The argument began earlier this week, when media reported that Cihai, as a dictionary that prides itself on its educational and historical value, would not include terms such as "Super Girl." An official said that some online words were popular, but Cihaipreferred words of both popularity and stability and those that can withstand the test of time and usage. A reporter from China Economic News said: "We all agree on the great contribution of Ba Jin, but who can look down on the social influence of the Super Girl?" A Professor told China Daily: "Of course 'Super Girls' should be edited intoCihai. If some strange words can be in there, why not 'Super Girls'? Even though it may die out after a few years just as, say, 'Shenzhou VI' will be replaced by 'Shenzhou IX' one day." Cihai records new words reflecting the latest developments in the social and natural sciences, including biology, electronics, computer science and economics. Which of the following people has a clear opinion on whether "Super Girls" should be edited into Cihai? A. The editor. B. The official. C. The reporter. D. The professor. Answer: D. The professor. Question: Now, are you changing your living habits to have a l _ life? Here are some strategies for you. Strategy One Each week, choose one day when you don't eat meat. Meat takes up lots of energy because it takes a long time to produce. And animals must be fed on farmed plants, which could be used to feed many more people. Strategy Two Only buy the amount of food you need. When you buy food, go local rather than imported , and get fresh vegetables instead of frozen. Strategy Three Make sure you keep the things such as paper and plastic bottles separate so that they can be recycled. There are places where you can recycle batteries. Make sure you find them. Strategy Four Take showers rather than baths and reduce your shower time by two minutes. This will save water and give you an extra two minutes in bed. Strategy Five Buses and trains are better than cars, but walking or cycling is better still. It's also better for your health and cheaper. It can even be quicker than sitting in a car at rush hours in a busy city. For long distances, coaches are better than trains. Strategy Six Try to buy good, long-lasting products even though they may cost a little more. A small screen TV is better than a big screen. Keep your electronic products one year longer than you would usually have. According to the passage, which of the following is WRONG? A. When we produce the meat, we need to take up lots of energy. B. Taking showers in less time will help for saving the water. C. When you go for a long-distance trip, you'd better drive your own car. D. Buying the long-lasting products is a good idea to have a low carbon life. Answer: C. When you go for a long-distance trip, you'd better drive your own car. Question: My best friends are John and Ann. We do many things together. John lives near my house and we are in the same class. He's fifteen years old and he's tall and thin. He's got blond hair and blue eyes. He's polite and very clever. He's very good at math and he helps me with my homework sometimes. He usually wears jeans and a T-shirt but in the photo he's wearing black trousers and a yellow T-shirt. We also play basketball at a nearby park together and sometimes we play video games at my home. Our friend Ann doesn't go to our school. She's short and thin, with straight brown hair and brown eyes. She's a little bit shy. We all have Kung Fu lesson every Tuesday and Friday afternoon. We love it. Ann is really good at Kung Fu. We call her the" Kung Fu Kid". She sometimes plays basketball with us, too. In the picture she is wearing a dress, T-shirt and a baseball cap. The three of us have great fun together, Who is good at math? A. Tom. B. Ann. C. John. D. Both Tom and Ann Answer: C. John. Question: An example of tool use is A. mankind's closes relative using a stick to get ants out of a hole B. a person throwing a hammer into a pool C. a bird building a nest D. someone looking at screwdrivers in a store Answer: A. mankind's closes relative using a stick to get ants out of a hole
Here's a hotel worth writing something about: a company in Poland plans to build tourist accommodation under the sea. The structure can be dragged to a suitable location and placed on supports on the sea bed. The 'Water Discus' will be made up of an underwater disc containing 22 bedrooms with sea views, connected by lift and stairs to a disc above the surface containing other hotel facilities. Project manager Robert Bursiewicz says: "Nowadays it's possible to build submarines (') which go deeper than 500m below the sea surface, so building an underwater hotel is not a problem. " In fact, they don't plan to have the hotel very deep. Water acts like a filter for sunlight, and below 15m most colors, apart from blue, are washed out. And we all want to see colorful marine life, don't we? But this isn't the first hotel to offer underwater views from the bedrooms. The two-bedroom Jules' Undersea Lodge, off the coast of Florida, has been taking in guests 10m beneath the surface since 1986. The company that operates the hotel also runs a diving course for beginners to help get guests down and into the hotel. It is accessible only through an opening at the bottom. And you'll find all the usual facilities in the room, according to Teresa McKirma, Jules's chief financial officer. It has a television, air conditioning and Wi-Fi. But for the staff, simple things like cleaning and making beds can be challenging, since the lodge is in sea water. "It actually takes quite a lot of work to get anything down there," she says. "We have to put everything in waterproof boxes and attach weights to them to counter their buoyancy . " The hotel has suitably sized waterproof boxes so that pizzas can be delivered by divers to guests who order them for their evening meal. And after a meal, if you can't sleep because of the excitement of the experience, you don't have to count sheep. You'll fall asleep quicker if you count fish. According to Teresa McKirma, _ . A. entertainment is impossible in the hotel B. the staff's work is difficult to finish C. it's easy to get things down there D. the built hotel is badly equipped Answer: B This animal evolved to reproduce using protective containers instead of live little entities: A. rhino B. hamster C. platypus D. mongoose Answer: C Protein is used by the human body to A. build strong bones. B. absorb vitamins. C. repair cells. D. provide fiber. Answer: C Giant redwood trees change energy from one form to another. How is energy changed by the trees? A. They change chemical energy into kinetic energy. B. They change solar energy into chemical energy. C. They change wind energy into heat energy. D. They change mechanical energy into solar energy. Answer: B Basic Study Manual (Hardcover): $37.50...... Here are the answers to the questions most often asked by students. 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 advice on how 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 can regain their liking for study. 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: how to use a dictionary. Written for children 8 to 12-year-old, this fully illustrated book will teach your children: How to find words in a dictionary The different ways that words are used How to use a dictionary to correctly pronounce words At last, you'll just pay 50% for these books before May 1, 2007. (260 words) The four books can mostly satisfy_. A. teachers B. children C. adults D. parents Answer: B
He was 11 years old and went fishing every chance he got from the dock at his family's cabin on an island in the middle of a New Hampshire lake. On the day before the bass season opened, he and his father were fishing early in the evening, catching sunfish and perch with worms. Then he tied on a small silver lure and practiced casting. The lure struck the water and caused colored ripples in the sunset, then silver ripples as the moon rose over the lake. When his peapole doubled over, he knew something huge was on the other end. His father watched with admiration as the boy skillfully worked the fish alongside the dock. Finally, he very gingerly lifted the exhausted fish from the water. It was the largest one he had ever seen, but it was a bass. The boy and his father looked at the handsome fish, gills playing back and forth in the moonlight. The father lit a match and looked at his watch. It was 10 P.M.-- two hours before the season opened. He looked at the fish, then at the boy. "You'll have to put it back, son," he said. "Dad!" cried the boy. "There will be other fish," said his father. "Not as big as this one," cried the boy. He looked around the lake. No other fishermen or boats were anywhere around in the moonlight. He looked again at his father. Even though no one had seen them, nor could anyone ever know what time he caught the fish, the boy could tell by the clarity of his father's voice that the decision was not negotiable . He slowly worked the hook out of the lip of the huge bass and lowered it into the black water. The creature swished its powerful body and disappeared. The boy suspected that he would never again see such a great fish. That was 34 years ago. Today, the boy is a successful architect in New York City. His father's cabin is still there on the island in the middle of the lake. He takes his own son and daughters fishing from the same dock. And he was right. He has never again caught such a magnificent fish as the one he landed that night long ago. But he does see that same fish-again and again-every time he comes up against a question of ethics . When does the architect (the father's son) think of that perch put back? A. When he takes his own and son and daughters fishing from the same dock. B. When he builds many famous buildings. C. When he pays a visit to his old father. D. When he faces some problems about ethics. Answer: D Children always did not do what their parents wanted them to do. They did the things in their own ways. But they always made their parents very happy. Old Mr. Brown had a little son named Tom. He was ten years old. He was very happy when his father wanted him to buy something for him. One day at five o'clock in the afternoon, Mr. Brown gave him two pounds and let him buy some stamps in the post office. Tom was very excited, because for a long time he did not have so much money. Mr. Brown told him clearly where the post office was. He expected(,) that he would come back in twenty minutes. But nearly two hours passed, Tom did not return. Mr. Brown was surprised . "He lost his way?" he thought to himself. At seven in the evening, Tom came back with a box. He was very tired. When he saw his father, he said, happily, "Daddy, I ran out all of your money to buy a box of chocolates. It was very sweet , but didn't you think a box of chocolates was quite heavy for a little boy?" Which of the following is TRUE? A. The post office was very far from Mr. Brown's house. B. Tom spent all the money. C. Tom often went to the post office to buy stamps. D. Tom's father was very angry when Tom got home. Answer: B Tu Youyou, an 84-year-old female scientist, became the first Chinese to win a Nobel Prize in science on Oct 5. Before that, she ever won the 2011 Lasker Award for finding out artemisinin (Qinghaosu), which saved millions of lives. She was grateful for the Lasker prize, but said, "It is just a scientist' duty. I will go on fighting for the health of all humans." Tu kept her work in the 1960s and 1970s. In that age, Malaria could took away people's health. Scientists all over the world had already tried over 240, 000 times but failed. Tu Youyou, a member of the Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, began to study Chinese herbs. Before 2011, people didn't know Tu very much. Many friends played jokes with her "the Professor of Three None's" : no degree , no study experience abroad, not a member of any Chinese national colleges. But she is hard-working. She read a lot of traditional Chinese medicine books and did a lot of researches on the disease. In February, 2012, Tu was named National Outstanding Females (One of the Ten) Tu is now a model of Chinese medical workers. From Tu Youyou's story, we know that she is a _ woman. A. friendly B. kind C. clever D. hard-working Answer: D Submitting Assignment Online In order to upload an assignment (work given to students) to the system properly, you must save the assignment using one of the following applications: Microsoft Word, Corel WordPerfect, or Microsoft Excel. After you complete an assignment, it is important to save your work. This ensures that assignment being uploaded to the system is the most updated version. Your word processing program may attempt to save the assignment to a folder on your computer. We recommend creating a new folder, named after your course, in a location that is easy to remember, such as "My Documents." File Name Requirements Select a file name for the assignment that is easy to remember. The file name must NOT contain spaces. Any spaces used in the file name will prevent the file from uploading to the system. File names using the extensions .rtf, .html, .zip, .jpg, or .exe are NOT allowed. Assignment Upload Procedure Make sure you save the assignment using one of the applications previously identified and ensure that it meets the file name requirements described above. When the file is ready to upload, follow these steps: 1. Sign in the system. 2. Enter your address information and click the CONTINUE button. You will be routed to the "Directions" screen. 3. Review the directions and click the CONTINUE button. You will be routed to the "Special Assignment Upload" screen. 4. Click the SEARCH button. The "Choose File" pop-up window appears. 5. Find the location on your computer where you saved your assignment, and select the file. After you have selected the file, click the UPLOAD button to upload your assignment to the system. Assignment Submission Dates Assignments must be submitted by midnight on the specified due date. Submit your assignment on time so that it reaches the system on or before the due date. No late assignments will be accepted or marked. Assignments delivered after the due date will not be assessed and will be failed. Please manage your time carefully as family and work demands will not be accepted as excuses for late or non-submissions. Tutors and administrators do not have the authority to grant extensions. Students are advised to save an assignment to a specific folder in order to _ . A. sign in the system B. remember where the document is C. choose the appropriate application D. remember the document name quickly Answer: B Why are seals able to live off the coast of Antarctica while frogs, snakes, and panthers are not? A. Seals can swim. B. Seals are predators. C. Seals have fur and blubber. D. Seals are warm-blooded animals. Answer: C
I was very disappointed not to be able to go to the jazz concert last Friday. The announcement in the paper said that you could buy tickets at the theatre box office in Richland Hills any day between 10:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Since I work from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the only time I could go to the theatre was during my 45-minute lunch break. Unluckily, the theatre is on the other side of the town, and the bus service between my office and Richland Hills is not very good. But if you are lucky, you can make the round trip in 45 minutes. Last Monday, I stood at the bus stop for 15 minutes waiting for a bus. By the time I saw one come around the corner, there was not enough time left to make the trip. So I gave up and went back to the office. The same thing happened on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday. On Thursday, my luck changed. I got on a bus right away and arrived at the theatre in exactly 20 minutes. When I got there, however, I found a long line of people at the box office. I heard one man say he had been waiting in line for over an hour. Realizing I would not have enough time to wait in line, I caught the next bus and went back across the town. By Friday, I realized that my only hope was to make the trip by taxi. It was expensive, but I felt it would be worth to hear the concert. The trip by taxi only took 10 minutes, but it felt like an hour to me. When I got to the theatre, I was _ to see that nobody was waiting in line. The reason, I quickly discovered, was that they had already sold out all the tickets. The writer could go and buy the ticket _ . only during lunch time Now we're always hearing about road accident, and when we're in a car we try to drive carefully, but how many of us take the same degree of care in our homes? Any large hospital will tell you the number of the accidents that happen in the home is almost the same as those on the road. One of the commonest and most dangerous causes of home accidents is wrong and careless use of electrical equipment. People will continue to use a loose plug or pull out a plug without first turning off the power. In spite of warnings, one will carry an electric heater into the bathroom when he is going to have a bath. Sometimes one forgets to cut off the power before mending a lamp or something else. All this will cause accidents. So the rule about anything that work by electricity is:Switch off before you touch anything and don't pretend you know when you actually don't. If you've got children in the house, it's always best to keep medicines of any kind out of their reach. Otherwise, they may be taken for candies or a new kind of drink. When there are older people living with you, you have to take particular care in a number of ways in order to make them safe and happy. Fire, of course, is always a risk. So, remember not to dry clothes in front of fires, or leave stoves in the middle of rooms where they can easily be knocked over. And don't forget to keep the children away from fire. Smoking, too, may cause fire. So you'd better give it up. Safety first may mean a little more time and care, but it may save you a lot of trouble. According to the writer, we try to drive carefully in a car while _ . We don't pay enough attention to home accidents Every year several thousand people die in the car accidents in Great Britain. And between one and two hundred thousand people are hurt. There are rules to make the roads safe, but people do not always obey the rules. They are careless. If everybody obeys the rules, the road will be much safer. How can we make the roads safer? Remember this rule. In Great Britain traffic keeps to the left. Cars, buses and bikes must all keep to the left side of the road. In most other countries traffic keeps to the right. Before crossing the road, we should stop and look at both ways. Look right and left. Then, if you are sure that the road is clear, it is safe to cross the road. If you see small children or very old people, help them to cross the road. We must teach our children to cross the road safely. We must always give them a good example. Small children must not play in the street. The road is clear means that _ . there is no car or bus running Students who date in middle school have significantly worse study skills. They are four times more likely to drop out of school and report twice as much alcohol and tobacco use as their single classmates, according to new research from the University of Georgia. "Romantic relationships are a trademark of adolescence, but very few studies have examined how adolescents differ in the development of these relationships," said Pamela Orpinas, study author and professor in the College of Public Health and head of the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior.[: _ Z _ X _ X _ K] Orpinas followed a group of 624 students over a seven-year period from 6th to 12th grade. Each year, the group of students completed a survey indicating whether they had dated and reported the frequency of different behaviors, including the use of drugs and alcohol. Their teachers completed questionnaires about the students' academic efforts. He found some students never or hardly ever reported dating from middle to high school, and these students had consistently the best study skills according to their teachers. Other students dated infrequently in middle school but increased the frequency of dating in high school. "At all points in time, teachers rated the students who reported the lowest frequency of dating as having the best study skills and the students with the highest dating as having the worst study skills," according to the journal article. Study skills refer to behaviors that lead to academic success such as doing work for extra credit being well organized, finishing homework, working hard and reading assigned chapters. "Dating a classmate may have the same emotional complications of dating a co-worker," Orpinas said, "When the couple break up, they have to continue to see each other in class and perhaps witness the ex-partner dating someone else. It is reasonable to think this could be linked to depression and divert attention from studying." "Dating should not be considered a ceremony of growth in middle school," Orpinas concluded. When doing his study, Orpinas _ . found that the students' study skills have connection with their frequency of dating A lab technician places a colony of bacterial cells in a nutrient-rich growth medium. Which event is the technician most likely to observe with a microscope? cell division
London used to be "foggy" for the same reason that cities like Beijing or Chongqing are "foggy" today. The "fog" was in fact smog, a mixture of smoke and fog. In other words, it was made by air pollution. In London, some of this pollution came from factories, but much of it came from the coal that people burnt in their houses to keep warm during the winter. By the 1950s, London's smog problem had become so bad that the government decided to do something to clean the air. A new law was made and nobody could burn coal in any British city. Within a few years, the air became much cleaner. There were no more " _ ". Many Chinese cities now face the same sort of problem with air pollution that London faced 40 or 50 years ago. However, this problem is more difficult for Chinese cities to solve. One reason is that more of the pollution comes from the factories, rather than from coal burnt in people's houses. If these factories were closed, this would harm the economy and lots of people would lose their jobs. Another reason is that changing from coal to cleaner fuel , like gas, is quite expensive. However, the air in many Chinese cities is becoming cleaner and cleaner, as the government and people pay more and more attention to cutting down pollution. As a result, there are fewer "pea-soupers" in Beijing than there used to be. Which sentence is NOT true? Answer: About 21,000 young people in 17 American states do not attend classes in school buildings. Instead, they receive their elementary and high school education by working at home on computers.The Center for Education Reform says the United States has 67 public "cyberschools."and that is about twice as many as two years ago. The money for students to attend a cyberschool comes from the governments of the states where they live. Some educators say cyberschools receive money that should support traditional public schools. They also say it is difficult to know if students are learning well. Other educators praise this new form of education for letting students work at their own speed. These people say cyberschools help students who were unhappy or unsuccessful in traditional schools. They say learning at home by computer ends long bus rides for children who live far from school. Whatever the judgement of cyberschools,they are getting more and more popular. For example, a new cyberschool called Commonwealth Connections Academy will take in students this fall. It will serve children in the state of Pennsylvania from ages five through thirteen. Children get free equipment for their online education. This includes a computer,a printer,books and technical services. Parents and students talk with teachers by telephone or by sending emails through their computers when necessary. Students at cyberschools usually do not know one another. But 56 such students who finished studies at Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School recently met for the first time. They were guests of honor at their graduation. We can infer that the author of the text is . Answer: This is a story told or read to children of young ages.The heroine , Cinderella, treated cruelly by her stepmother and her two ugly stepsisters, is helpless until the right magic comes along.She meets her prince and they live together happily. Just a sweet, pretty tale? Not in the view of Ellen Macintosh, who has written much about fairy tales.Ellen' s main concern is with what the story implies. "Instead of standing up to her cruel stepmother and stepsisters, Cinderella just waits for a fairy godmother to appear and solve her problem.But wouldn't you want a daughter of yours to show more spirit?" The story is long lasting, whatever its shortcomings, and it does' t take much to see its influence on a number of recent Hollywood productions.In these versions for the silver screen, the Cinderella character no longer has to clean the house and has no sisters to make her life terrible, though she keeps the way of not showing much courage.The character of the rich and handsome stranger, however, is kept, and in some cases really is a prince.The role of the fairy godmother is often played by luck; we live in a civilized age when even very young children might reject the idea of fairies.In the majority of film versions, the heroine has a profession and is even permitted to continue working after marrying her prince this is the twenty first century, after all. Doesn't the success of these films indicate that the story has relevance to children even today?" Yes,, admits Ellen, who sees its message as being rooted in a fundamental childhood desire for love and attention." Most children experience a sense of inner loneliness as they are growing up and empathize with (...)the character who faces some sort of challenge.This can be seen in the original story of Cinderella, where the fairy godmother tells the heroine that she must learn to be gracious and confident if she is to go to the ball.She has to grow spiritually, and by maturing, she becomes attractive to the prince, thus ensuring that the ending of the story will be happy." "In the later versions, thus element is missing," says Ellen, " and the theme of the story is simply that a girl' s role in life is to be more beautiful than other girls so that she can carry off the prize: the handsome prince.Is this really what we want girls to grow up believing?" What is the purpose of the passage? Answer: A jobless man wanted very much to have the position of "office boy" at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test. "You have passed the test," he said. "Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the form to fill in and the date when you may start." The man replied, "But I don't have a computer, neither an e-mail." "I'm sorry," said the HR manager. "If you don't have an e-mail, that means you are not living. And anyone who isn't living cannot have the job." The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do with only $10 in his pocket. He thought and thought. Then he went to the supermarket and bought 10 kilos of tomatoes. He sold the tomatoes from door to door. In less than two hours, he had 20 dollars. He repeated the operation three times, and started to go early every day, and returned home late. Shortly, he bought a cart , then a truck, then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles . Five years later, the man was one of the biggest food retailers in the US. One day, one of his friends asked him for his e-mail. He said, "I haven't got one." His friend couldn't believe his ears. "Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?" The man thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft!" ,. The man didn't get the job because he _ . Answer: One day, I had a bad toothache. I couldn't eat anything. So I went to see the dentist. " What's wrong with your teeth? " asked the dentist. " I have a toothache. " I told him. " Let me see your teeth ...... Um, there's a hole in one of the teeth. Do you eat a lot of sweet food? " The dentist asked me. " Yes, I do. I often eat ice cream, biscuits, chocolate and I often drink cola and milk with sugar, " I told him. " All these are bad for your teeth. You must eat less sweet food and brush your teeth at least twice every day. Now let me fill your bad tooth. " Which of the following is true ? Answer:
Among all the fast growing science and technology, the research of human genes , or biological engineering as people call it, is drawing more and more attention now. Sometimes it is a hot topic discussed by people. The greatest thing that gene technology can do is to cure serious diseases that doctors at present can almost do nothing with, such as cancer and heart disease. Every year, millions of people are murdered by _ s. And to date, doctors have not found an effective way to cure them. But if the gene technology is applied , not only these two diseases can be cured completely, bringing happiness and more living days to the patients, but also the great amount of money people spend on curing their diseases can be saved, therefore it benefits the economy as well. In addition, human life span can be prolonged. Gene technology can help people to give birth to more healthy and clever children. Some families, with the English imperial family being a good example, have hereditary diseases. This means their children will for sure have the family disease, which is a great trouble for these families. In the past, doctors could do nothing about hereditary diseases. But gene technology can solve this problem perfectly. The scientists just need to find the wrong gene and correct it and a healthy child will be born. Some people are worrying that the gene research can be used to manufacture (produce) human beings in large quantities. In the past few years, scientists have succeeded in cloning a sheep; therefore these people predict that human babies would soon be cloned. But I believe cloned babies will not come out in large quantities, for most couples in the world can have babies in very normal way. Of course, the governments must take care to control gene technology. Which of the following worries people by using this technology? A. Scientists have already successfully cloned sheep. B. Most couple will normally give birth to babies. C. A good number of babies will be cloned D. The government will take action to control it. Answer: C In the 1950s,a family who owned a farm near Beulah,Michigan kept a bull chained to an elm .The bull paced around the tree,dragging the heavy iron chain,which led to a groove in the bark.The groove deepened over the years,though for whatever reason,it did not kill the tree. After some years,the family took their bull away.They cut the chain,leaving the loop around the tree and one link hanging down. Then one year,agricultural disaster struck Michigan in the form of Dutch Elm Disease.All of the elms lining the road leading to the farm became infected and died.Everyone thought that the old elm would be next. The farm's owners considered doing the safe thing:pulling it out and cutting it up into firewood before it died.But they simply could not bring themselves to do it.It was as if the old tree had become a family friend.So they decided to _ . Amazingly,the tree did not die.Nobody could understand why it was the only elm that was still standing in the country! Plant pathologists from Michigan State University came out to observe the tree.They observed the scar left by the iron chain,now almost completely covered by bark.The plant experts decided that it was the chain that saved the elm's life.They reasoned that the tree must have absorbed so much iron from the chain that it became immune to the fungus . It's said that what doesn't kill you will make you stronger.Or,as Ernest Hemimgway put it,"Life breaks us all,but afterwards,many of us are strongest at the broken places." From the passage we can learn that the old elm was saved by _ . A. the groove in the bark B. the fungus in the tree C. the iron remaining in it D. its own immune system Answer: C Your House Will Take Care of You In Old Age Have you ever thought what your life would be like in old age? Everyone talks about the "aging" society with large numbers of elderly people needing home care. Now German researchers have set up a "smart"house, programmed to help the elderly live at home with dignity. Scientists at Germany's Fraunhofer Institute say the house combines existing technology with future-oriented technology. For example, the "smart"bathroom has a touch screen mirror that can remind people to take their medicine, wash their hands or brush their teeth. The hardware behind Fraunhofer's electronic bathroom is not new, and the software runs on a regular personal computer. When the medicine cabinet is opened, a display in the middle of the mirror tells the person how many pills to take. The mirror is linked to a care provider, who can remotely check whether a patient at home is actually taking medicine and brushing his or her teeth. As many elderly people have arthritic conditions that make it difficult to operate water taps, the mirror also has displays that turn the water tap on or off or control the water temperature. The bathroom is only the start. Kitchens, bedrooms and all other parts of the intelligent"home will become "user-friendly"to meet all kinds of individual needs. Sensors in doors, toilets, taps, light switches and carpets detect every activity and record them electronically. Doctors or care staff can see from the computer records what personal hygiene tasks have been completed, how often the elderly person visits the bathroom or uses the toilet. In case of an emergency, the computer automatically alerts the chosen contact person or calls the care center. The smart bathroom has a touch screen mirror _ . A. that can remind people to do many things B. which is linked to a nursing house C. behind which is a medicine cabinet D. that can help the elderly brush their teeth Answer: A Thirteen can be a challenging age. Not only did I have to adapt to my changing body, I also had to deal with my parents' bitter divorce, a new family and the upsetting move from my country home to a crowded town. When we moved, my beloved companion, a small brown pony had to be sold. I was heartbroken and terribly lonely. I couldn't eat or sleep and cried all the time. Finally, realizing how much I missed my pony, my father bought me another horse, Cowboy. Cowboy was without doubt the ugliest horse in the world. But I didn't care. I loved him beyond all reasons. I joined a riding club. When Cowboy and I entered the events where the horse was judged by appearance, we were quickly "shown the gate". I knew nothing could turn Cowboy into a beauty. My only chance to compete would be in the timed speed events. I chose the jumping race. For the whole next month we practiced running and jumping for hours in the hot sun and then I would walk Cowboy home, totally exhausted. All of our hard work didn't make me feel confident by the time the show came. One girl named Becky rode a big brown horse in the race events. She always won the blue ribbons. I sat at the gate and sweated all out while I watched Becky and her horse charge through the court and finish in first place. My turn finally came. At the signal, we dashed toward the first fence, jumped over it without trouble and raced on to the next one. Cowboy then flew over the second, third and fourth fences like a bird and I turned him toward the finish line. No cheers filled the air. The end of our run was met with surprised silence. Cowboy and I had beaten Becky and her fancy horse by two seconds. I gained much more than a blue ribbon that day. At thirteen, I realized that no matter what the odds, I'd always come out a winner if I wanted something badly enough to work for it. I can be the owner of my fate. The audience fell into silence at the end of the run probably because _ . A. they didn't expect Cowboy would win the event B. they were unhappy that Becky was beaten in the event C. they didn't like cowboy, for it was too ugly D. they never saw a horse running as fast as Cowboy Answer: A If you walk around any large city, you'll find a coffee shop on every corner. Many shops offer comfortable sofas, large screen televisions and sometimes even live music. More and more teenagers are hanging out there. My pre-teen has already done so after school once a month, but she always orders fruit juice. I think she would drink coffee sooner or later, so I started doing some research online. I found that coffee in moderation could be safe, but one thing that was constant online was the chance of becoming addicted to coffee. Coffee is one step up from soda but still not as dangerous as energy drinks or alcohol. Still, any addiction is hard to break, so I needed to come up with a plan that would protect my child. Coffee shops offer a safe place for teenagers to hang out. As like anything else you let your children do, you need to set limits. Drinking coffee while socializing once or twice a week won't cause a severe caffeine addiction. However, you should avoid allowing a cup of coffee every morning and ensure they get adequate sleep each night, which will make them less likely to feel the need to drink coffee. As parents, we have responsibility to set a good example. If you're addicted to caffeine, it's time to start monitoring your intake. If you drink much water and keep healthier drink options in your fridge and at your dinner table, your teenager will follow you. I drink much water and so do both my children. _ As a mother, I'm ready to allow my child to try coffee and we'll talk about it and discuss the pros and cons of consuming this. I feel open communication is vital in helping them make good decisions. Although the decision to drink coffee doesn't pose the same dangers as underage drinking, it still deserves a thoughtful conversation. According to the passage, if teenagers have enough sleep, they _ A. won't ache for coffee that much B. won't hang out in coffee shops C. won't drink coffee forever D. will drink water instead of coffee Answer: A
Question: The organization representing British universities has expressed concern about the potential effect of tuition fees after figures showed a drop of more than 6% in student applications with less than a month to go before the deadline for 2013 applications. Data from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) showed there were 265,784 university applications by UK-based candiates up to 17 Decemeber, 6.3% down on the parallel period in the admissions cycle the year before. While this is less than the 8.4% year-on-uear fall seen in earlier Ucas figures, released in mid-November, the coming January deadline makes it ever more likely that the total 2013 applicant figure will see a second sizeable fall following the introduction of annual fees of up to PS9,000. Nicola Dandridge, the chairman of Universities UK, said : "However, we must be concerned about any drops in the numbers applying to university and in particular, we must look closely at how the increase in graduate contributions in England may be affecting the decisions of promising students. However ,the December figures show a drop in numbers across the UK, suggesting that it is not only a question of tuition fees in England putting off from applying." A report of the Uncas figures to mid-December shows a 6.5% fall for applicants in England and 11.7% for those in Wales, with smaller drops of 3.9% for Scotland and 0.5% for Nortern Ireland. Scotiish students at home insitiutions pay on fees, while those from Nothern Ireland have fees capped to PS3,575 for Northern Irish universities. Dandridge added: "No one should be put off applying to university because of worries about finance." "It is important that no one is put off applying to university because they do not have information about the student support available to them. Most new students don't need to pay directly. There will be more financial support for those from poorer families and everyone will make lower loan repayments thatn they do now once they are in well paid jobs." Compared with the previous year, the fall in student applications is _ . A. 3.9% B. 6% C. 6.3% D. 8.4% Answer: C Question: Your house may have an effect on your figure. experts say the way you design your home could play a role in whether you pack on the pounds or keep them off. you can make your environment work for you instead of against you. Here are some ways to turn your home into part of your diet plan. Open the curtains and turn up the lights. dark environments are more likely to encourage overeating, for people are often less self-conscious when they're in poorly lit places - and so more likely to eat lots of food. If your home doesn't have enough window light, get more lamps and flood the place with brightness. Mind the colors. Research suggests warm colors fuel our appetites. In one study, people who ate meals in a blue room consumed 33 percent less than those in a yellow or red room. Warm colors like yellow make food appear more appetizing, while cold colors make us less hungry. So when it's time to repaint, go blue. Don't forget the clock - or the radio. People who eat slowly tend to consume about 70 fewer calories per meal than those who rush through their meals. Begin keeping track of the time, and try to make dinner last at 30 minutes. And while you're at it, actually sit down to eat. If you need some help slowing down, turning on relaxing music. It makes you less likely to rush through a meal. Downsize the dishes. Big serving bowls and plants can easily makes us fat. We eat about 22 percent more when using a 12-inch plate instead of a 10-inch plate. When we choose a large spoon over a smaller one, total intake jumps by 14 percent. And we'll pour about 30 percent more liquid into a short, wide glass than a tall, skinny glass. A home environment in blue can help people _ . A. digest food better B. reduce food intake C. burn more calories D. regain their appetites Answer: B Question: The TV shows a baby's pram rolling off a train platform as the mother makes a mad rush to save her son, but she is too late and it falls onto the rails in front of an incoming train. This heart-stopping scene happened yesterday at Ashburton station in Melbourne, Australia. But the story has a happy ending: the six-month-old baby survived with just a cut on his forehead, although the pram was dragged about 35 metres by the braking train. The nurse Jon Wright said the boy just "needed a feed and a sleep" and didn't need to stay in hospital. "Luckily, he was strapped into his pram at the time, which probably saved his life. I think the child is extremely lucky, " Wright told theHerald Sunnewspaper after the baby was taken to hospital with minor injuries. Fortunately the train was already slowing down to stop at the station so it stopped quickly when the driver put on the brakes as soon as he saw the pram fall in front of him. Rail firm Connex is to look into how the pram rolled off the platform. The accident came one day after Connex started a child safety awareness activity warning parents to keep babies strapped into their prams at all times while on platforms. The accident happened at the same time as the "balloon boy "story in the US, in which a six-year-old Colorado boy was reported to be trapped in a flyaway balloon. However, he was later found hiding in the family's garage. Many people believe that it had all been a publicity _ by the parents. No such doubts surround the baby on the train platform. In the accident, the baby _ . A. almost fell onto the rails B. needed to stay in hospital C. was badly injured by the train D. was pulled a long distance in the pram by the train Answer: D Question: The first summer job is often a signal that you are on your way to adulthood, and it is also a method for earning money to pay for what you dream of. It is never too early to start considering the future. Now, here are some good choices for you! Retail Sales Retail offers plenty of opportunity for teens who are looking for a job. This type of work can pay from $10 to $15 an hour depending on the duty you are expected to take on. It can also be great for teens who are friendly and enjoy talking to other people. For more information, call us at 111-222-3333. Food Service A job in the food service industry is a natural fit for sociable teens who enjoy communicating with public. It allows employees to work as part of a team while learning about following instructions. It also comes with the opportunity to earn between $8 and $10 per hour. Just call 111-222-3533 for more information. Babysitter This job requires someone who is highly responsible. Though it pays generally between $6 and $8 hourly, it also requires a lot of patience. This is a great choice for teens who wish to make a career in teaching, child care, social work or any other field that makes use of social skills or requires interaction with kids. Got a question? Just call 111-222-3336. Housekeeping This type of work can bring in about $5 an hour and it will allow teens to learn responsibility and develop their organizational skills. The summer sees _ in the tourism industry, so hotels are often looking for more housekeeping staff, and parks often need more people to assist with keeping public areas clean and organized as well. Telephone: 111-222-3330. The text is mainly written for teens who _ . A. are faced with communication problems B. want a part-time job in the summer C. dream of becoming a housekeeper D. plan to start their own business Answer: B Question: The thing is,my luck's always been ruineD. Just look at my name: Jean.Not Jean Marie,or Jeanine,or Jeanette,or even Jeanne.Just Jean.Did you know in France,they name boys Jean? It's French for John.And okay,I don't live in France.But still,I'm basically a girl named John.If I lived in France,anyway. This is the kind of luck I've had since before Mom even filled out my birth certificate.So it wasn't any big surprise to me when the cab driver didn't help me with my suitcase.I'd already had to tolerate arriving at the airport to find no one there to greet me,and then got no answer to my many phone calls,asking where my aunt and uncle were.Did they not want me after all? Had they changed their minds? Had they heard about my bad luck--all the way from Iowa--and decided they didn't want any of it to _ them? So when the cab driver,instead of getting out and helping me with my bags,just pushed a little button so that the trunk popped open a few inches,it wasn't the worst thing that had ever happened to me.It wasn't even the worst thing that had happened to me that day. According to my mom,most brownstones in New York City were originally single-family homes when they were built way back in the 1800s.But now they've been divided up into apartments,so that there's one--or sometimes even two or more families--per floor. Not Mom's sister Evelyn's brownstone,though.Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Ted Gardiner own all four floors of their brownstone.That's practically one floor per person,since Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Ted only have three kids,my cousins Tory,Teddy,and Alice. Back home,we just have two floors,but there are seven people living on them.And only one bathroom.Not that I'm complaining.Still,ever since my sister Courtney discovered blow-outs,it's been pretty frightful at home. But as tall as my aunt and uncle's house was,it was really narrow--just three windows across.Still,it was a very pretty townhouse,painted gray.The door was a bright,cheerful yellow.There were yellow flower boxes along the base of each window,flower boxes from which bright red--and obviously newly planted,since it was only the middle of April,and not quite warm enough for them. It was nice to know that,even in a sophisticated city like New York,people still realized how homey and welcoming a box of flowers could be.The sight of those flowers cheered me up a little. Like maybe Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Ted just forgot I was arriving today,and hadn't deliberately failed to meet me at the airport because they'd changed their minds about letting me come to stay. Like everything was going to be all right,after all. Yeah.With my luck,probably not. I started up the steps to the front door of 326 East Sixty-Ninth Street,then realized I couldn't make it with both bags and my violin.Leaving one bag on the sidewalk,I dragged the other up the steps with me.Maybe I took the steps a little too fast,since I nearly tripped and fell flat on my face on the sidewalk.I managed to catch myself at the last moment by grabbing some of the fence the gardeners had put up... Why did the author go to New York? A. She intended to go sightseeing there. B. She meant to stay with her aunt's family. C. She was homeless and adopted by her aunt. D. She wanted to try her luck and find a job there. Answer: B
A Trap Mr. Smith left his car outside his apartment one night as usual, but when he came down the next morning to go to his office, he discovered that the car wasn't there. He called the police and told them what had happened, and they said that they would try to find the car. When Mr. Smith came home from his office that evening, the car was back again in its usual place in front of his house. He examined it carefully to see whether it had been damaged, and found two theater tickets on one of the seats and a letter which said, "We're very sorry. We took your car because of an emergency." Mr. and Mrs. Smith went to the theater with the two tickets the next night and enjoyed themselves very much. When they got home, they found that thieves had taken almost everything they had had in their apartment. What did Mr. Smith find on one of the seats in his car? Answer: Some tickets. When someone told 85-year-old Johnny Long that he was called a living legend, he replied, "I don't know about that, but I'm living, and that's important." Starting in 1949 as a high school band director and later as director of the Troy University band, Johnny Long became known as one of the most inspirational band directors in America. More than three hundred of his students went on to become band directors them-selves. "I have been a band director for more than 60 years and all I know about the word band is that you spell it F-U-N," Long said. "And if you change that, it's over." Long retired 14 years ago to spend more time with his wife Mary Lynn. But his passion for bands never went away. He dreamed of forming a top-notch community band in Troy. But Troy is a small town -- with not a ton of top-notch talent. "I didn't think it would work, I really didn't," Long said. Fortunately, there was one thing Johnny hadn't considered: the devotion of his former students. Now, once a week during the concert season, they drive in from all over the south and across the decades. 65-year-old Bobby Johnson was in Long's first college class. He lives in Atlanta and drives 3 hours to practice. Johnson said he does it because Long's "such a unique character and I just admire him so much." Many people do it for the same reason. "He's the single biggest influence on my career." "He was a father figure to me. He's just a genuine person." Long said he wanted to be remembered as a teacher. "I think 'teacher' is the greatest word in the English language, next to 'mother'." What's the main idea of the text? Answer: 85-year-old band director still inspires others. NEW YORK-Workers in New York City and nearby towns raced to fix damaged power grids and traffic systems after "superstorm" Sandy left a strip of destruction across 15 US states and cut power to more than 8 million people. "In 108 years, our employees have never faced a challenge like the one that faces us now," said Joseph Lhota, chairman of MTA, which operates New York City's subway system that has been suspended due to historic flooding in some tunnels. Partial subway service was restarted on Thursday. "All of us at the MTA are committed to restoring the system as quickly as we can to help bring New York back to normal." Much of the lower half of Manhattan is still without power. Thousands of homes and small businesses may have to put up with darkness at least until this weekend. Nearby areas are struggling to recover from flooding and damages after Hurricane Sandy struck the US East Coast and made a landfall at New Jersey Monday evening. At least 115 people have died from Sandy in the United States since Monday, including 39 from New York City, police said. In New Jersey, the death toll had reached 13 as search and rescue teams gained access to stricken areas. As Sandy faded further inland, bus and bridge services in New York City were restarted late Tuesday, but road blocking was ubiquitous in Manhattan because of a loss of subway service across NYC. The UN Headquarters in New York, located along the East River, were closed for three days due to the storm and suffered damage from high winds and flooding. It reopened on Thursday. With superstorm Sandy fading, Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney Thursday were back on the campaign trail, trying to make up for the lost time as they dashed towards the finish line. The two candidates were making closing arguments before Americans head to polling stations across the country next Tuesday in the question, "Where will the voters go to cast their ballots --particularly for parts of New York City and New Jersey where hundreds of thousands of people remained without power?" Local election boards are assessing their polling sites to decide which ones would be up and running by Tuesday's election while utility companies hope to get the electricity back on time for Election Day. According to the passage, the superstorm Sandy _ . Answer: has been the worst ever since 108 years ago a desert environment has low Answer: wet sky falling It was 3:12 a.m. when nine-year-old Glenn Kreamer awoke to the smell of burning. Except for the crackling of flames somewhere below there was not a sound in the two-storey house at Baldwin, Long Island. With his father away on night duty at a local factory, Glenn was worried about the safety of his mother, his sister Karen, 14 and his 12-year-old brother Todd. He ran downstairs through the smoke-filled house to push and pull at Karen and Todd until they sat up. Then he helped each one through the house to the safety of the garden. There, his sister and brother, taking short and quick breaths and coughing, collapsed on the lawn. The nine-year-old raced back into the house and upstairs to his mother's room. He found it impossible to wake her up. Mrs. Kreamer, a victim of the smoke, was unconscious, and there was nobody to help Glenn carry her to the garden. But the boy remained calm and , as a fireman said later, "acted with all the self-control of a trained adult." On the bedroom telephone, luckily still working, Glenn called his father and, leaving Mr. Kreamer to telephone the fire brigade and ambulance service, got on with the task of saving his mother. First he filled a bucket with water from the bathroom and threw water over his mother and her bed. Then, with a wet cloth around his head he went back to the garden. He could hear the fire engine coming up, but how would the firemen find his mother in the smoke-filled house where flames had almost swallowed up the ground floor? Grasping firmly a ball of string from the garage, Glenn raced back into the house and dashed upstairs to his mother's room. Tying one end of the string to her hand, he ran back, laying out the string as he went, through the hall and back out into the garden. Minutes later he was telling fire chief John Coughlan: "The string will lead you to my mother." Mrs. Kreamer was carried to safety as the flames were breaking through her bedroom floor. What did Glenn do to protect himself? Answer: He put a wet cloth around his head.
Question: In which object does chemical energy most likely transform into electrical energy? A. a candle B. a mirror C. a flashlight D. a television Answer: C Question: If you'd like to go sightseeing, the following World Heritage Sites may be your best choices. Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area The Jiuzhaigou Valley, which lies in the northern part of Sichuan Province, reaches a height of more than 4,800 meters, with a series of different forest ecosystems . There you can enjoy watching excellent waterfalls. Some 140 kinds of birds also live in the valley, as well as a number of endangered plants and animals, including the giant panda. For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/637. Khami Ruins National Monument The city of Khami, which developed after the capital of Great Zimbabwe had been given up in the mid-16th century, is of great archaeological interest. The discovery of objects from Europe and China shows that Khami was a major centre for trade over a long period of time. For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/365. Henderson Island Henderson Island, which lies in the eastern South Pacific, is one of the few atolls in the world whose ecology has not been touched by human beings. It is especially famous for the ten plants and four land birds that can only be seen on the island. For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/487. The Old City of Jerusalem As a holy city for three different religions in the Middle East, Jerusalem has always been of great religious importance. It was given a World Heritage Status in 1981 and placed on the "List of World Heritage in Danger" the following year. For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/148. If you are interested in religion, you should visit _ . A. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/148 B. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/365 C. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/487 D. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/637 Answer: A Question: "Good Time" is a program on ABC Radio. Jim Green is an announcer for the program. Most of the girls and boys like the program. They also like Jim Green. Some of them often make phone calls to him and thank him for his work. There are lots of letters to him every day, too. Jim Green gets up at 6:00 every morning. He has bread and a glass of milk for breakfast. He leaves home at 6:30 and gets to his office at 7:15. The program begins at 7:30. He plays the new records of the pop songs and modern music for his listeners. At 8:00, it's time for the news. Jim finishes work at 10:30. He goes home in his car. He reads newspapers and listens to music after supper in the evening. He thinks Announcers' job is very interesting and helpful. How does he go home every day? A. By bike B. By bus C. By car D. On foot Answer: C Question: The predictability of our death rates is something that has long puzzled social scientists. After all, there is no natural reason why 2,500 people should accidentally shoot themselves each year or why 7,000 should drown or 55,000 die in their cars. No one establishes a quota for each type of death. It just happens that they follow a consistent pattern year after year. A few years ago a Canadian psychologist named Gerald Wilde became interested in this phenomenon. He noticed that mortality rates for violent and accidental deaths throughout the Western world have remained strangely static throughout the whole of the century, despite all the technological advances and increases in safety standards that have happened in that time. Wilde developed an interesting theory called "risk homeostasis". According to this theory, people naturally live with a certain level of risk. When something is made safer, people will get around the measure in some way to get back to the original level of danger. If, for instance, they are required to wear seat belts, they will feel safer and thus will drive a little faster and a little more recklessly, thereby statistically canceling out the benefits that the seat belt offers. Other studies have shown that where a crossing is made safer, the accident rate invariably falls there but rises elsewhere along the same stretch of road as if making up for the drop. It appears, then, that we have an inborn need for danger. In all events, it is becoming clearer and clearer to scientists that the factors influencing our lifespan are far more subtle and complex than had been previously thought. It now appears that if you wish to live a long life, it isn't simply a matter of paying attention to certain precautions such as eating the right foods, not smoking, and driving with care. You must also have the right attitude. Scientists at the Duke University Medical Center made a 15-year study of 500 persons personalities and found, somewhat to their surprise, that people with a suspicious or mistrustful nature die prematurely far more often than people with a sunny disposition. Looking on the bright side, it seems, can add years to your life span. Which of the following may contribute to a longer life span? A. Showing adequate trust instead of suspicion of others B. Eating the food low in fat and driving with great care C. Cultivating an optimistic personality and never losing heart D. Looking on the bright side and developing a balanced level of risk Answer: C Question: Tom Brennan was working in a Philadelphia office building when he noticed a black bag. The bag contained a book. This chance discovery ended a 12-day search by the Library Company of Philadelphia for a historical treasure - a 120-page diary kept 190 years ago by Deborah Logan, "a woman who knew everybody in her day," James Green, the librarian told the magazine American Libraries. Most of the diary is a record of big events in Philadelphia. It also includes a description of British soldiers burning Washington, D.C. in the war of 1812. She describes President James Madison on horseback as "perfectly shaking with fear" during the troubled days. George Washington, she writes, mistook her for the wife of a French man, and praised her excellent English. The adventure of the lost book began September 4 when Cory Luxmoore arrived from England to deliver the diary of his ancestor to the Library Company, which he and his wife considered to be the best home for the diary. Green told American Libraries he had the diary in his possession "about five minutes" when Luxmoore took it back because he had promised to show it to one other person. On returning to his hotel after showing the precious book to Green, Luxmoore was shocked to realize that he had left it in the taxi. Without any delay, Green began calling every taxi company in the city, with no luck. "I've felt sick since then," Luxmoore told reporters. According to Green, no one has yet learned how the diary came to the office building. Tom Brennan received a reward of $ 1,000, Philadelphia gained another treasure for its history, and Luxmoore told reporters, "It's wonderful news. I'm on high." Philadelphia is thought to be the best home for the diary because _ . A. it was written in Philadelphia B. it tells stories about Philadelphia C. people on the city are interested in old things D. the British and the Americans once fought in Philadelphia Answer: B
Question: A week ago, I had the great pleasure of reading an e-book, By Rich Ezzo.It took only about an hour to read. When I first received a copy, I thought it was a Get Rich Quick type of publication.Nothing is wrong with Get Rich Quick, but my mind just doesn't chase after dreams of wealth.I think that if God ever wants me to be rich, he knows where to find my purse. When I began reading I was overjoyed to find that Rich Ezzo isn't money hungry either.He, too, is hungry far more important than money. Since I love this e-book so much, why wait a week to write the review? Simple.I wanted to see if the effect it had on me was a keeper.After reading the last word of the e-book, I totally agreed with the subtitle which promised to forever change the way we thought about money.I had so many thoughts running around my mind that I had to install a stoplight to stop some while others made their way into the picture, then I yielded them as a few ones arrived in town. . It has been a week and the effect is the same.I truly do look at money differently and have even done a few things differently this week.This is an e-book you'll want to read, I promise.I often recommend books to my daughter, and this is one that I didn't just "suggest"---I left it open at the bottom of the computer and told each one, "Read it, you'll love it." I would never point someone in a direction I wouldn't go myself.I urge you to visit the author's website, , and to download the e-book.You won't regret it. The author didn't write the review as soon as he finished reading the book because _ . A. he was too excited to write anything B. he was not sure whether he did well C. he had to wait for Rich Ezzo's permission D. he wondered if the book would have long influence on him Answer: D Question: Once the 2008 Olympic Games finishes, the drums and trumpets of the competitions would also stop. But would the city remain as lively as it would be after this world event? Investment sustainability and high demand are two highly invaluable economic concepts that can be looked at in order to ensure post-Olympics flourish, or perhaps, an even better future for Beijingers. Naturally, an economic downturn occurs in an Olympic host city once the major event finishes. Renmin University Professor Jin Yuanpu noted that a global event like this would put Beijing into a position of large importance in the international stage. But after this event, who would use the heavily-funded equipment and public and private investments left in the city? Various economists argued that a meltdown is highly unlikely. Jonathan Anderson, UBS Asia economist, suggested that the negative effects of the end of Beijing Olympics 2008 on the entire country aren't important compared to previous host cities. China is such a huge economy that the conclusion of the Olympics games is the same as an ant-bite on a dragon. But what about post-Olympics Beijing? Retired Headmaster of Peking University, Li Yining, noted that a long-term civil demand growth and a popular desire by companies to adopt careful financial management decisions can lead to continued investment growth. Even though demand in some departments of the economy would drop in the short-run, creativity, practicality and innovation would be the key factors that would continually enhance the city's image and flourish long after the Olympics in the city has ended. So what's next for Beijing after the Olympics? Well, it's business as usual... Why did Jonathan Anderson believe that the negative effects of the end of Beijing Olympics 2008 on the entire country aren't important? A. The negative effects are small. B. The Chinese government has many measures to take. C. The Chinese economy has developed at a certain level so that the negative effects can't affect it too much. D. Jonathan Anderson liked China very much so he didn't want China to go worse. Answer: C Question: When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings. Week by week her list grew: I was very thin, I wasn't a good student, I talked too much, I was too proud, and so on. I tried to hear all this as long as I could. At last, I became very angry. I ran to my father with tears in my eyes. He listened to me quietly, then he asked. "Are the things she says true or not? Janet, didn't you ever wonder what you're really like ? Well, you now have that girl's opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said." I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn't change (like being very thin), but a good number I could--and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I go to fairly clear picture of myself. I brought the list back to Daddy. He refused to take it."That's just for you," he said."You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just close your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you'll find it will be of help to you. Our world is full of people who think they know your duty. Don't shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know is the right thing to do." Daddy's advice has returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I've never had a better piece of advice. Why did her father listen to her quietly? A. Because he believed that what her daughter's "enemy" said was mostly true. B. Because he had been so angry with his daughter's shortcomings that he wanted to show this by keeping silent for a while. C. Because he knew that his daughter would not listen to him at that moment. D. Because he wasn't quite sure which girl was telling the truth. Answer: A Question: Which of the following is likely to reject nutrients from food? A. bamboo B. a human C. a lion D. a horse Answer: A Question: At a party for coworkers at Defendant's home, Victim accused Defendant of making advances toward his wife. Victim and his wife left the party. The next day at work, Defendant saw Victim and struck him on the head with a softdrink bottle. Victim fell into a coma and died two weeks after the incident. This jurisdiction defines aggravated assault as an assault with any weapon or dangerous implement and punishes it as a felony. It defines murder as the unlawful killing of a person with malice aforethought or in the course of an independent felony. Defendant may be found guilty of murder A. only if the jury finds that Defendant intended to kill Victim. B. only if the jury finds that Defendant did not act in a rage provoked by Victim's accusations. C. if the jury finds that Defendant intended either to kill or to inflict serious bodily harm. D. if the jury finds that the killing occurred in the course of an aggravated assault. Answer: C
It was time for Jill to make her famous apple pie, out of the yellow apples that grew on her land. It was not time to pick the red cherries, or the orange oranges or even the green lettuce, but their nice colors made Jill happy. She would eat some of the pies, and give the rest of them away to her friends and family. She went out to her back yard where the apple trees were, and started picking. A few hours later, she had enough to make dozens of pies. She walked into the kitchen with her apples, and was all ready to start baking when she saw she was all out of flour. She would have to go to the store to get some, since you can't make a pie without flour. While she was at the store, she would also buy some cheese, bread, and milk. She did not need these to make pie, but she did need them to make her dinner. At the store Jill ran into her friends Bob and Steve and George, and told them she would make them all pies. After she had finished her shopping, Jill went to the library to get some books, to the car wash to wash her car, and to her mother's house to say hello. She went home after, and made her yummy pies. Where was the last place Jill went before going home? Answer: Her mother's house These are Cara and Ben. They are twins . They are twelve. This is their bedroom. It's a nice room. There are two beds in the room. The yellow bed is Cara's and that green one is Ben's. The twins have one desk and two chairs. The chairs look the same. Cara's sweater is on his bed. Ben's coat is on his chair. Their clock, books and pencil-boxes are on the desk. Their schoolbags are behind the chairs. Which is right ? Answer: They live in the same room The small number of newborn babies, which has been caused by high prices and the changing social situation of women, is one of the most serious problems in Asia. When people talk about it, you can hear a word invented in Japan. which means Double Income Kids . In many major Asian cities like Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo, the cost of a ****** is extremely high. A young couple who want to buy their own house may have to pay about $3000,000 (though prices have fallen). For a flat with one bedrooms, one dining-room, a kitchen, and a bathroom, the couple will pay about $900 a month. What's more, if they want to have a child, the child's education is very expensive. For example, most kindergarten charges are at least $5.000 a year. In such a situation, it's difficult to afford children. The number of married women who want to continue working because they enjoy their jobs. However, if they want to have children, they immediately have serious problems. Though most companies allow women to leave their jobs for a short time to have a baby, they expect women with babies to give up their jobs. In short, if they want to bring up children properly, both parents have to work, but it is hard for mothers to work. Indeed, women who want to contimue working have to choose between having children or keeping their jobs. In a word, Asian governments must take steps to improve the present situation as soon as possible. What is the main problem being discussed in the passage? Answer: The small number of newborn babies. Walt Disney is credited for creating such wonderful things as Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse. However, he cannot take the credit for creating other well-loved characters, such as Cinderella and Snow White. _ are almost automatically associated with Disney because Disney turned old fables into cartoon movies. The original Cinderella varies very much from the Disney version we know today. It started off with the girl mourning her mother's death and going to her tomb three times a day. In addition, there were only birds that helped Cinderella; there was no such thing as a fairy godmother or helpful mice, nor was there mention of a horse and carriage. The stepsisters were cruel: they always threw Cinderella's food into the ashes of the fire and made her sleep on the ashes on the floor, hence her name. In the original story, the king's ball actually lasted for three days. With the help of the birds, the girl, beautifully dressed, danced with the prince on all three nights and the prince fell in love with her. However, she broke away from him to rush back home each night. On the last night, the prince placed soothing sticky on the stairs; as Cinderella made her escape, a shoe got stuck on it. Here now is where the story becomes unpleasant: when the prince went to the house looking for the girl whose foot fit the shoe, the wicked stepmother told one of her two daughters to cut off her big toe to fit into the shoe. The daughter did as told. So the prince took her away to be his bride. But when they passed the tomb of Cinderella's mother, the birds called out to the prince, "Turn and peep, there's blood in the shoe; the shoe is too small, the true bride waits for you." ZXXK Realizing he had been tricked, the prince returned the daughter to her mother. The other then had to cut off part of her heel in order to fit into the shoe, with the same result. Only Cinderella's foot fit perfectly and so the prince chose to marry her. The story ends with the wedding day: as Cinderella's two stepsisters followed her, pretending to be devoted to her so that they could enjoy the king's riches, two birds flew by and plucked out their eyes. Because of their wickedness and falsehood, they had to spend the rest of their days blind. The original Cinderella is so different from the Disney version. Thank goodness Disney made such changes; it indeed was a wise move. How did Cinderella get her name? Answer: It came from the word "ash". Many presidents have exhibited senses of humor throughout our nation's history. None, however, is any better known for his humour than Lincoln. No matter the situation, it always reminded him of a story, and more often than not, the story was amusing. It seemed that his passion for humor appeared early in life and his humor never seemed to fade, even under the most difficult situations. Following are some favorite Lincoln stories. All are fun to read. Abe Needs His Hair Combed President Lincoln had the ability to laugh at himself and he greatly enjoyed telling stories in which he was the object of the joke. He especially liked this one: when I was nominated at Chicago, I had never before sat for a photograph. One fellow thought that many people might like to see what I looked like, so he immediately bought the camera and began selling photographs of me all over the country. I happened to be in Springfield when I heard a boy selling them on the streets. "Here's your likeness of "Abe" Lincoln!",he shouted to Lincoln. "Only two shillifigs!He'll look a lot better once he gets his hair combed!" Nobody Ever Died in Here! A man was complaining to the President that a friend of his had been driven away from New Orleans because he was a Union supporter. When the man asked to see the paper by which he was driven away, he was simply told that the Confederate Government would do nothing illegal, and so they had issued no papers. They were simply hoping to make him go on his own free will. Naturally, that reminded Lincoln of a story, and he remarked that he had known of a hotel keeper in St. Louis who boasted that nobody ever died in his hotel. "Of course," Lincoln said with a twinkle in his eye, "anytime a guest appeared to be in danger of dying he was carried out to die outside." Let the Elephant Run Assistant Secretary of War Charles A. Dana had learned that a man named Jacob Thompson, who had been causing the government many problems, was about to escape to Liverpool. Dana approached Lincoln with the news. Lincoln asked Dana what Secretary of War Edwin Stanton thought about it. Dana answered, "He thinks we should arrest him." Lincoln replied, "I disagree. If you have an elephant on your hands that wants to run away, you'd better let him run." In the second story, Lincoln compared the hotel keeper to _ Answer: the Confederate Government
Question: When you hear Westerners say " Drop in anytime" or "Come and see me soon" , you should realize that it doesn't mean you are welcome to come over to their house anytime. It's wise to telephone before visiting someone. Never accept an invitation unless you really plan to go. You may refuse by saying, "Thank you for inviting me, but I may not be able to come." If you are unable to come after accepting the invitation, be sure to tell those who invite you in advance that you will not be there. When you have accepted the invitation to a party or a dinner, it is polite to bring small gifts with you, such as bottles of drink, flowers and chocolate. Sometimes Westerners may take you out to dinner in a restaurant and it does not necessarily mean that he is going to pay the bill at the end of the meal. He might want you to " _ ", which means each person pays his own bill. If a westerner invites you to go to his house, _ A. you may refuse if you don't plan to go. B. you have to accept the invitation even you don't want to go. C. you can't accept the invitation. D. and you accept the invitation, you must go. Answer: A. you may refuse if you don't plan to go. Question: Yesterday my son, daughter and I went to the grocery store. In front of us in line was a little girl with her mother. The little girl was asking her mother for a box of Smarties. The polite way she was asking almost broke the mother's heart, "I'm sorry, Honey, but we have no money to buy it." My son was watching that dialogue. By the way, he had been raking leaves our garden to raise himself some money to buy a bike. As he watched the mother and daughter leave the store, he ran to the candy counter and bought a box of Smarties with the money . He turned to look at me and I just nodded. He ran out after the little girl and her mother and he gave them the box. He came back and told me what he told them. "Every kid should have a pack of Smarties because they can make you smart." I was so excited that I bought a pack of Smarties for my son. I told him that I was proud of him, and that was for his act of generosity because he gave his own Smarties to others. Quickly, he replied, "But you do nice things for people and you never get anything for it."I explained, "When you do something nice for someone, you shouldn't expect to get anything. When you get something you should be very thankful." The writer still bought the pack of Smarties to _ . A. praise her son's good deed. B. give it to the little girl some day C. have them with her husband. D. give it to other children. Answer: A. praise her son's good deed. Question: Human beings have always been fascinated by twins. Romulus and Remus, Jacob and Esau, Mary-Kate and Ashley. As children, many of us imagine having a twin: a permanent playmate, a partner in trouble, someone who'd love us unconditionally. Somewhere out there is someone who is exactly like us! What would it feel like to look into a face exactly like our own? And what if she suddenly appears in my life? That's essentially what happened to Brooklyn writer Paula Bernstein. I'd known Paula slightly for years; she wrote a lovely essay for Redbook many years ago refuting the persistent belief that all adoptees want to search for their birth parents. Her adoptive family was her family, she wrote; her adoptive mother was her mother. But then, out of the blue, an adoption agency called her and told her about the identical twin sister she didn't know she had. Her sister, Elyse Schein, wanted to meet her. I met them for coffee at Cafe Mogador, three years after their first meeting. Now 38, they have different haircuts, have made different choices in hair color1, do their makeup differently. But they clearly look alike, with thick hair, upturned noses. They quickly discovered they had the same childhood habit of sucking their middle fingers, the same adult habit of forgetfully typing their thoughts on an invisible keyboard while thinking. Both edited their high school newspapers and studied film in college. Paula wrote film criticism; Elyse became a filmmaker. They both collected Alice in Wonderland dolls and kept them in the boxes. They're now regulars at Cafe Mogador. The women's journey from strangers to sisters has clearly been rocky. But as they got to know each other, and struggled to piece together their history, their search united them. "For me, the search began when I reached the age when my adoptive mother died," Elyse said. "I realized that my birth mother could be dead. Time was passing. I was ready to solve the mystery that had shadowed my life." Elyse had always felt a part of her was missing. "I'd felt so different from my adoptive family." she said. Paula was raised in a more typical Jewish intellectual family, and was at first a little threatened by Elyse's appearance in her life. "My first response was both fear and excitement. The moment we met, I felt I was meeting my long-lost best friend. I could tell her anything. And then as that first excitement wore off, I thought, oh my God, I've committed to a long-term relationship with a stranger. I wished we hadn't been separated, but also that I hadn't been contacted. What would it mean to be in each other's lives?" Which of the following can we infer is the least common names of twins according to the passage? A. Romulus and Remus. B. Jacob and Esau. C. Mary-Kate and Ashley. D. Paula and Elyse. Answer: D. Paula and Elyse. Question: If you think you're too shy and want to be a little bit brave, try the following: You can make it. Tell people you're shy. There's no need to hide it. When they get to know you're a shy kid, they'll understand you better. This also helps you feel more relaxed in talks. Try to smile more. When you smile, people think you're friendly and easy to talk to. Remember that other people have feelings too and most people will stay away from an angry-looking face. Learn to be a good talker. If you find it hard to start talks, say something nice about people around you. Think about how great you feel when someone says something nice to you. Doesn't it make you want to keep talking to that person? Get your attention elsewhere . Think more about ways to enjoy parties or games. Don't waste time worrying about your look or whether people like you or not. Take one small step at a time. Each time when you say "Hi" or smile at someone, say to yourself "You did it". Keep trying and one day you'll never feel shy when you talk about yourself. What is the best title for this passage? A. Change your life very day B. Keep up your mind till the end C. Keep trying to say something nice D. How to make you not be shy Answer: D. How to make you not be shy Question: It was hard being the younger of two sisters. I got all the hand-me-downs . I never got to do anything first and my teachers always said, "Oh, you're Jenny's little sister." "No, I am Lauren!" I never liked being the younger. Jenny and I got along with a few fights here and there. Then a few years ago, Jenny and I were in a car accident. She was okay, but I had a large scar on my face. I was very sad. Jenny told me I shouldn't worry about the scar. One day we were riding home from school on the bus. A boy named Jordan made fun of me about my scar. This went on for about a month. Finally I broke down and told Jenny about him. She was angry. When Jordan made fun of me the next time, Jenny stood up, walked to where he was sitting and said something into his ear. I didn't know exactly what she said, but Jordan never said a single word to me again. So, even though getting all of the hand-me-downs might not be the best, I was very happy to have a big sister like Jenny. When anyone asks now, I will tell them, "Yes, I'm Jenny's little sister." ,. What's the best title for the passage? A. Lauren's sister B. Lauren and Jenny C. My sister and I D. I'm Jenny's sister Answer: D. I'm Jenny's sister
Dear Mr Han, I just turned 12 years old, but I am very thin and not as tall as my classmates. My brother is 20 and is very tall. My father is also very tall. I eat lots of vegetables every day. I like eating fruit, but I don't like eating meat. I sleep for eight hours a day. I want to be tall. I am taking medicine. I think that medicine can make me grow tall. My head teacher tells me that you are a great Chinese doctor. Can I grow tall? Do I need to take the medicine? Yours, Jack Dear Jack, I think that you can grow tall, because your father and brother are both very tall. You are still growing. As for the medicine, you should stop taking it. It is not good for your health. You should eat more meat. I am happy that you like eating vegetables and fruit. A balanced diet is very important for your health --and it can make you grow tall. Yours, Mr Han ,. Mr Han is a _ . A. teacher B. doctor C. student D. reporter Answer: B Finally, I entered the institution. Because of my careful savings, I did not have to work during the school year. Then, summer came and it was time to work harder than ever. I continued working as a waitress at night, instructed tennis camps several mornings a week and worked as a secretary for a few hours in the afternoons. It was an exhausting summer and made me anxious to return to my ly easy life at college. During my second and third years of undergraduate schooling, I decided to work about five hours per week in the campus admissions office answering phones. This provided a little spending money and kept me from emptying my savings. The overall situation looked hopeful as I approached my senior year as long as I could make as much money as I had the previous summer. I wanted to go to Israel to study for 3 weeks, but I hesitated in making this decision because it would cost me $1,600 more to get the credits in Israel. About two weeks later my Mom called to tell me that I had $1,600 in the bank that I had forgotten about. One of my concerns about this trip was not only the cost, but the loss of time to make money: however, I made as much that summer in the ten weeks when I was at home as I had made during the fourteen weeks when I was at home the summer before. The way everything worked together to make this trip practical was one of the most exciting things that have ever happened to me. This experience has shaped me in many important ways. The first things that I learned was the importance of a strong work ethic. Working long hours did a lot to mold my character and helped me learn the value of a dollar. It also made me learn how to find creative solutions to difficult dilemmas. Whenever I am frustrated or afraid of the future, I can remember my $64,268 miracle. According to the passage, we can infer the writer _ . A. made $ 650 by taking a class in community college B. spent a relaxing summer holiday in the first year C. did a lot of work every year in the institution D. succeeded in going to Israel to study Answer: D According to the Ministry of Health, 260 million Chinese people have chronic diseases, and 85 percent of all deaths in China are caused by such diseases. Among them, cardiovascular disease has bothered more people than any other kind of chronic disease. According to the WHO(World Health Organization), salt consumption , one of the key causes of high blood pressure that can lead to cardiovascular disease, is much higher in China than in other countries. Douglas Bettcher, the director of the WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative, says, "The average Chinese person consumes about 12 to 14 grams (of salt) per day, while the suggestion of the WHO is consumption of less than 5 grams per day. High salt consumption is a major cause of cardiovascular disease and high pressure in China. Changing the way that food is prepared could reduce salt consumption in China. Another major risk factor in China is smoking. Dr Michael O'Leary, a representative of the WHO, says, "We know already that one million deaths in China are related to smoking, This is an enormous number. It means that we are seeing nearly 3000 deaths a day in China, or two deaths every minute, related to smoking. According to O'Leary, about 26 percent of men who die from smoking-related diseases in China die before the age of 60. People who can still contribute a great deal, in other words, are dying too young. China has tried to ban smoking , but more efforts are needed. More than half of chronic diseases are preventable by changing lifestyles and reducing risks. The four key risk factors are: smoking, diets high in fats, salt and sugar, environments that prevent physical activities, and alcohol consumption. These are the areas on which efforts to make changes need to concentrate. Which of the following is more in China than in other countries? A. The amount of salt consumed B. The number of deaths caused by high blood pressure. C. The number of people with cardiovascular disease. D. The number of people with high blood pressure. Answer: A Marvin Minsky is often called the Father of Artificial Intelligence. His work helped inspire the creation of the personal computer and the Internet. Artificial Intelligence Before Minsky, computers were more like calculators, performing math operations at speeds much faster than humans. Minsky was the first to say that computers can one day be as intelligent as human beings. He was so convinced about this, that in 1959, he and his friend John McCarthy invented the term "Artificial Intelligence" at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Minsky wrote a book called Perceptrons, describing a particular type of "artificial neural network". Neural networks have made a comeback in a new field of Computer Science called Deep Learning. Deep Learning is used to recognize things and people in pictures (as seen in Facebook and Google Photos), language translation( try Google Translate sometimes), and so on. Robotics, Microscopes and Virtual Reality How many of you have done Robotics at school and loved it? You have Minsky to thank again, for his work on Robotics. One of his biggest inventions was the confocal scanning microscope, an instrument that is still widely used today in medical and scientific research. Minsky was really futuristic. He created one of the first head-mounted graphics displays , which gave rise to the exciting area of Virtual Reality. This year, Facebook is releasing Oculus, a virtual reality headset, which you can use to play games with your friends in a 3-D environment. Minsky's major prediction that computers will one day become as intelligent as humans is now called the Theory of Singularity. Which of the following statements is TRUE? A. Minsky himself invented the term "Artificial Intelligence" in MIT. B. Minsky transformed computer into a machine more intelligent than human beings. C. Apart from Information Technology, Minsky's invention is also used in medical field. D. Minsky invented a headset, with which players can play games in a 3-D environment. Answer: C Growing in Philadelphia, Lieberman started cooking with his stay-at-home dad when he was seven. His food-loving family had two kitchens, and quickly learned what was the best way to bake his cakes. Lieberman improved his kitchen skills greatly during a year abroad before college, learning from a cook in Italy and studying local specialties in Germany, Spain and France. At Yale, he was known for throwing dinner parties, single-handedly frying and baking while mixing drinks for dozens of friends. Just for fun, he and some friends decided to tape a show named Campus Cuisineabout his cooking. Lieberman was a real college student showing his classmates how to do things like make drinks out of dining-hall fruit. That helped the show become very popular among the students. They would stop Lieberman after classes to ask for his advice on cooking. Tapes of the show were passed around, with which his name went beyond the school and finally to the Food Network. Food Network producer Flay hopes the young cook will find a place on the network television. He says Lieberman's _ is key."Food TV isn't about food anymore,"says Flay."It's about your personality and finding a way to keep people's eyeballs on your show." But Lieberman isn't putting all his eggs in one basket. After taping the first season of the new show, Lieberman was back in his own small kitchen preparing sandwiches. An airline company was looking for someone to come up with a tasteful, inexpensive and easy-to-make menu to serve on its flights. Lieberman got the job. The Food Network got to know Lieberman _ . A. at one of his parties B. from his teachers C. through his taped show D. on a television program Answer: C
At last, the mid-term exams are over. You've done the hard work, but you can't relax. You have to prepare for the next exams. Do you hate exams? If you do, you are not alone. Students in other countries hate them as well. Luckily for them, British students have fewer exams than Chinese students. And they only have them once a year. Every summer they take a test in each subject. Each test lasts about an hour. These exams _ , even if a student does really badly they still progress to the next grade. When the results come out, they are then placed in an end-of-year report. The report is sent to the child's parents. It describes how the student studied at school. This report is private, so only the teacher, the student and his or her parents see it. This means that the students don't know how other students scored in the test. Some students choose to tell each other, but others keep it secret. Parents' meetings are held twice a year, at the end of winter term and then at the end of the summer term. Children go along with their parents to meet their teachers privately and discuss their performance at school. Which of the following is NOT true for British students? They like to tell each other their scores We all know that it is possible for ordinary people to make their homes on the equator ( ), although often they may feel uncomfortably hot there. Millions do it. But as for the North Pole ---- we know that it is not only a dangerously cold place, but that people like you and we would find it quite impossible to live there. At the present time only the scientists and explorers can do so, and they use special equipment. Men had been traveling across and around the equator on wheels, on their feet or in ships for thousands of years; but only a few men, with great difficulty and in very recent time, have ever crossed the ice to the North Pole. So it may surprise you to learn that, when traveling by air, it is really safer to fly over the North Pole than over the equator. Of course, this is not true about landings in the polar region (which passenger aeroplanes do not make). But the weather, if we are flying at a height of 5,000 meters above the Pole , is a delight. At 4,000 meters and more above the earth you can always be sure that you will not see a cloud in the sky as far as the eye can reach. In the tropics , on the other hand, you are not certain to keep clear of ( ) bad weather even at such heights as 18,000 or 20,000 meters . Aeroplanes can't climb as high or as quickly in cold air as in warm. Nor can clouds. In practice, this is an advantage to the aeroplane, which is already at a good height when it reaches the polar region and so it does not need to climb, while at the same time cold air keeps the clouds down low. It is a delight to fly a height of 5,000 meters above the Pole because _ there. planes are clear of bad weather Years ago I worked at a factory in a small county.Every day I got up very early and often did much extra work at night.I was so tired and exhausted.My whole life was hopeless.Then one day I read the following article from a magazine: "A woman went to live with her husband in camp on the Mojave Desert during the war.She simply hated the place:the heat was almost _ ,125 degree in the shade,the wind blew incessantly,and there was sand--sand everywhere.Finally,in desperation she wrote her parents in Ohio that she couldn't stand it another minute and was coming home. Quickly came the reply by airmail from her father--just two lines: 'Two men looked out from prison bars.One saw the mud,and the other saw stars.' The daughter did some real thinking,not only with the intellect but also with her heart.She decided to stick to her post. She made friends with the natives,learned to love the country,and eventually wrote a book about it. The desert hadn't changed,but her attitude had.Because she listened with her heart to the words her father sent,a whole new world opened up to her." A change of attitude could change everything. After reading the article,I was deep in thought ... After she received her father's reply,the woman _ . decided to stay there The Lunar New Year, which starts in late January this year, is the most important festival for Chinese people as most of them drop any business at hand to go back to their hometown to see their families. It is a tradition that has been cherished since ancient times, but as social mobility increases in modern times, the road to family reunions has become very uneasy. It is not the higher travel costs, nor the expected big spending on gifts and other festival items, but the train ticket that has driven many travelers mad. I've heard some colleagues complain that they have tried every means to secure a train ticket, only to find it a mission impossible. Some of them have turned to the latest software to aid online booking; others have sought help from friends to increase the possibility of successful booking. No doubt chunyun, the Spring Festival travel season, is the largest-scale annual human migration in the world. Last year, 220 million passengers traveled by train during the Spring Festival season, which usually lasts 40 days. It is a huge jump from 10 years ago, when the number was 128 million. With the big sudden increase in demand, the railway company has increased investment in railway construction; still, it cannot bridge the supply gap, leading to fierce public complaints and criticism. Admittedly, it is almost impossible for the railway company to suddenly improve its capacity to meet the explosive demand during the Spring Festival holiday. Moreover, any temporary increase in capacity would become unnecessary after the holiday and mean great commercial losses during the off season. What the company can reasonably do is gradually improve its capacity while focusing on better distribution of its existing resources during the special peak season. At any rate, however, the problem cannot be solved overnight. Which word can be used to best describe the way to solve the problem only by increasing capacity? Impractical The best way of learning a language is using it. The best way of learning English is talking in English as much as possible. Sometimes you'll get your words mixed up and people will not understand you. Sometimes people will say things too quickly and you can't understand them. But if you keep your sense of humor , you can always have a good laugh at your mistakes you make. Don't be unhappy if people seem to be laughing at your mistakes. It's better for people to laugh at your mistakes than to be angry with you, because they don't understand what you are saying. The most important things for learning English is: "Don't be afraid of making mistakes because everyone makes mistakes ." When you make a mistake, you should _ . keep your sense of humor
The choice to adopt and hold gratefulness is the one that is different from those who suffer misfortune and those who enjoy a full life. My mother died when I was 24. It was a very difficult time in my life -- everything seemed to fall apart. I lost my job, and then my _ were turned off. I had to take cold showers for six months. A neighbor who knew about my situation came to my house and made me an offer. I took care of her children as a job, and I no longer went hungry. I was surprised that someone would trust me -- a young woman -- with her children. And it was with the very confidence that before long I began taking care of other people's children, too. I have since moved 300 miles fromprefix = st1 /Boise,Idaho. For more than 23 years I have made every effort to reach out to all the kind-hearted people who helped me when I was down and out. Without their trust, I don't know what I would have done. I am very involved in my community and volunteer at the local food bank, and I help out whenever I can. I'd like to owe what I am to whoever has offered me generosity. If you are grateful for what you already have, the world will work together to give you more to be grateful for. Otherwise, the world will give you more to complain about. Moreover, the true master learns to be grateful, in advance, for the things that are desired, because, being grateful in advance for some attainment or accomplishment does two very important things: one...it tricks your subconscious into believing that the goal is certain and two...it convinces other people, with whom you must interact to achieve your desires, that you know what you are about, that you are a winner, not a whiner . The writer was grateful mainly for _ . others' trust There are four hats. They are red, yellow, green and white. They are Mike's, Bill's, Tom's and John's. Tom's hat is not yellow, green or red. John's hat is not green. And Mike's hat is not yellow or green. What color are their hats? ,. Is the yellow hat John's or Tom's? It's John's. "Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity," said the American talk show host Oprah Winfrey. I've never watched her show, but when a self-made billionaire gives life advice it's probably worth listening to. Her point is that blind luck is very rare. You may have to be lucky to find a good job these days but that does not mean you should sit at home waiting for the opportunity to come to you. If you're a Chinese, you may already be familiar with the tale of a farmer waiting by a tree stump for a rabbit to run out and break its neck. A book by the UK psychologist Richard Wiseman, called The Luck Factor, argues we can all make ourselves luckier. It's not about going to a temple to burn some incense hopes that the gods will give you good fortune; it's practical advice you can follow each day. Wiseman conducted an experiment as part of his studies. First he divided volunteers into two groups; those who said they were lucky in life and those who said they were not. He gave everyone a newspaper and asked them to look through it to count how many photographs it had inside. On average, the unlucky people took about two minutes to count the photographs while the lucky people took just seconds. Why? On the second page of the newspaper, a command, "Stop counting. There are 43 photographs in this newspaper," was written in big letters. The unlucky people mostly did not spot the message. It's easy to compare this situation to a young person looking for jobs in a local paper. They might search so hard for one type of position that they miss an even better opportunity. People who are "lucky", in fact, keep an open mind and don't go through the same routine every day. I first came to China in 2002 when it was considered a rather strange thing to do. Like many foreigners, my plan was to teach English for one year. Seven years later, and still here, I've had many great opportunities such as writing for newspapers and magazines. I did not dream these would have been possible. I've also never been sick, had an accident, got into a fight or had problems with the police. Coincidence? After reading about Professor Wiseman's studies I think not. As Wiseman advises, I usually trust my own judgment. Your friends and parents may give you advice based on rational thinking, but it's important to consider how you feel about each choice you make. Your feeling acts as a warning for a potential problem. Finally, try to turn bad luck into good. Even if you do fall down and break a leg, the time spent at home can be used wisely to study English. Which of the following proverbs most agrees with the writer's point? Make the best of a bad job. Rose is an American school girl. She is now in Beijing with her parents. It's Sunday morning. Rose gets up early in the morning. After breakfast her parents take her to the zoo. They go to see the pandas and other animals. The pandas live only in China. There are not any pandas in America. So they like the pandas best. Outside the zoo gate there is a picture. It's a picture of a panda with "Welcome". In the zoo, Rose sees not only pandas but also many other animals. A panda is round and fat. It looks like a ball. It always moves slowly like a ball rolling . There are also elephants. The elephant is the biggest animal on land. There are many monkeys on the hill. Some of them are sitting in the trees. Some are picking nuts. And the others are running or climbing up the trees. Rose and her parents have a good time in the zoo. They like pandas best because _ . the pandas live only in China The hallways cast shadows since the only light available was from open windows and doorways. The lights are turned off to save money on the electricity bill. The rooms, borrowed rooms, were not like being in hospitals. There were no color1s on the walls, or framed pictures for us to be distracted by. There were no magazines to look at, or pens to write with. There were no plants, or matching chairs, or paper spread over the examining tables. By the second day of a medical mission hosted by PAMS (Peruvian American Medical Society) in Abancay, Peru, it was easy to start adapting and taking advantage of what we did have inside the hospital. I learned to reuse a brown paper bag in order to transport items the entire week. I hid my mask, hat and shoe covers whenever I needed to leave the surgery floor to be sure they were available again. The one towel was creatively folded so that we could keep using it. By the third day, I realized how wasteful I was the first day. I had thrown away a rubber band that had held a pile of envelopes, a used water bottle, and worst of all: we had used two gloves instead of one. The free medical care the local Indians were receiving today was a new experience for many of the people. PAMS is a nation-wide, non-profit organization that helps bring Peruvian and American doctors together to offer medical treatment and education to towns in Peru. Several other towns including Cusco, Lima, and Trujillo also benefit from these medical missions. All the volunteers donate their own time and services. The mission is organized for two weeks, once or twice a year. Volunteers are encouraged to stay as long as possible. Abancay is a beautiful town, 7,000 feet above sea level with a population of 80,000 people. This first week, there are 19 other people who volunteered to help those less fortunate. Many of the volunteers stayed in the same hotel together and many were paired up to have a roommate. On the first night, the mayor welcomed everyone as the high school children performed a dance of local custom. Work started at 8 a.m. the next morning. The first task to accomplish was setting up a room to be used as an office and pharmacy . Everything that was donated was set up on portable shelves that were put up for the occasion. We can guess that the author will, in the rest of the passage, write about _ . her work
Mary is an American schoolgirl. She is now in Beijing with her parents. She doesn't know Chinese, but she is trying to study and speak it. She often tries to speak Chinese to her Chinese friends. Sometimes they don't understand her, because she can't speak Chinese well. It's Saturday morning. Mary goes out. She is on her way to the park. She is going there to see a flower show . But she doesn't know how to get there. She asks a Chinese boy. The boy can't understand her. Then she takes out a pen and some paper. She draws flowers on it, gives the picture to the boy and says something about it. The boy smiles and then shows Mary the way to the park. Where is she going? Answer: To see some flowers. One of the keys to being successful is persistence .Once you have determined exactly what you want to achieve, you must take active action in order to succeed. One of the things you'll notice on your journey towards your goal are roadblocks. That is, you will come across obstacles to discourage your progress. Actually, they are a part of life. Everyone would have every success they ever wanted if there were no obstacles. Your job is to be persistent and work through those obstacles. If you find little or no obstacles along the way, chances are that you are not really challenging yourself. And when you do reach your goal, you won't experience the feeling of "sweet success". Make your goal a challenging one! If you take the time to study any successful person, you will learn that the vast majority of them have had more "failures" than they have had "successes". This is because successful people are persistent; the more they stumble and fall, the more they get right back up and get going again. On the other hand, people that don't get back up and try again, never reach success. For example, Walt Disney was turned down 302 times before he got financing for his dream of creating the "Happiest Place on Earth". Today, due to his persistence, millions of people have shared "the joy of Disney". Having known these facts, keep in mind that you must constantly reevaluate your circumstances and the approach you are using to reach your goal. There is no sense in being persistent at something that you are doing incorrectly! Sometimes you have to modify your approach along the way. Every time you do something you learn from it, and therefore find a better way to do it the next time. Today is the day to begin your journey, using consistency and persistency, towards tomorrow's successes! Which can be inferred from the text? Answer: Never giving up in face of failure may contribute to your success. Most musicians agree that the best violins were first made in prefix = st1 /Italy. They were made inCremona,Italy, about 200 years ago. These violins sound better than any others. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins. But they aren't the same. Musicians still prefer the old ones. No one really knows why these old Italian violins are so special, but many people think they have an answer. Some people think it is the age of the violins. They say that today's violins will also sound wonderful someday. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only those from Cremonaare special. So age cannot be the answer. There must be something different aboutCremonaor those Italian violin makers. Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. The wood of the violin is very important. It must be from certain kinds of trees. It must not be too young or too old. Perhaps the violin makers of Cremons knew something special about wood for violins. But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this was the secret of the Italians. Maybe they understood more than we do about how to cut the wood. Size and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists measured these old violins very carefully. They can make new ones that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old one. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. No one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish. So no one can make the same varnish today. There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. Their secret may be lost forever. Young musicians today hope this is not true. They need fine violins. But there aren't very many of the old violins left. Also, the old violins are very expensive. Recently, a famous old Italian violin was sold for about US $ 300,000! The best violins _ . Answer: were made in Italy 200 years ago According to the dictionary definition of "create ",ordinary people are creative every day. To create means " to bring into being, to cause to exist"-something each of us does daily. We are creative whenever we look at or think about something in a new way. First, this includes an awareness of our surroundings. It means using all of our senses to become aware of our world. This may be as simple as being aware of color and texture ,as well as taste, when we plan a meal. Above all, it is the ability to notice things that others might miss. A second part of creativity is an ability to see relationships among things. If we believe the expression,"There is nothing new under the sun," the creativity is remaking or recombining the old in new ways. For example, we might do this by finding a more effective way to study or a better way to arrange our furniture, or we might make a new combination of camera lenses and filters to create an unusual photograph. A third part of creativity is the courage and drive to make use of our new ideas, to ask for them to achieve some new results. To think up a new idea is one thing; to put the idea to work is another. These three parts of creativity are included in all the great works of geniuses, but they are also included in many of our day-to-day activities. Which of the following activities is NOT a creative one according to the passage? Answer: To buy some books from a bookstore. Australia is famous for its beautiful beaches. And Australian people love swimming and going to the beach. But it wasn't always that way. Different Climate, Different habits When Europeans first invaded Australia, the only people here who were good at swimming were the Aboriginal people. The Europeans came from climates where it was too cold to swim. Also some people worried that they would get sick if they wet their whole body. However the warm climate of Australia soon changed their attitude to swimming. At first, only men swam. They swam naked - there were no women to see them. Cover up! By the 1880's and 90's visiting the beach was very fashionable and a lot of people went there, especially in warm weather. They wore everyday street clothes - much more than people wear at the beach today. In those days, people believed they should cover most of their body so it would not be seen by the opposite sex. Special bathing costumes were designed for women. These costumes used a lot of cloth and were very heavy when wet, making it difficult to swim. Laws Made and Laws Changed The government decided to stop men swimming naked.It passed a law which forbade bathing between 6am and 7pm. Many people objected to this law and wrote letters to the government asking it to change the laws. In 1903, the laws changed; people could swim in the daytime, but they had to wear neck-to-knee costumes. The Shrinking Costume As time passed, swimming costumes became smaller and more convenient. At first men and women were covered from neck to knee. Then the arms became bare. Then more of the legs were uncovered.Each new change was regarded by many as shocking and rude and people wrote letters to the newspapers complaining about the new costumes. Nowadays some people go to special "nude beaches" to swim naked. However, most people cover their bodies more than they did ten years ago -- not because they think bare skin is shocking -- but to protect their skin from the harmful rays of the sun. According to the law just before1903, people must _ . Answer: not swim in the main daylight hours
For Robert Valderzak of Washington D.C.,Tuesday's earthquake was a miracle . Ever since he fell and got his skull broken on Father's Day,75-year-old Valderzak had suffered severe hearing loss. But after the 5.8 quake, he could hear everything. Valderzak was chatting with his daughter and three sons when the quake hit D.C.'s Veterans Affairs Hospital,where he is batting cancer. "It shook m terrible--right out of the bed," said Valderzak."But after that it stopped.And my son talked to me, and I could hear his voice." Tests confirmed Valdezak's significant hearing improvement.But his doctors think they have a medical explanation for the "miracle". "He.had conductive hearing loss,caused by a liquid in his middle ear, as well as loss due to nerve damage,"said Dr.Ross Fletcher,chief of staff at the VA Hospital. "A combustion of a drag he was taking and the earthquake event itself likely led to him losing the liquid and listening back his hearing." Dr.Jennifer Smullen of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary said the shaking itself might not have been enough to clear the fluid from Valderzak's inner ear. "But if somebody was suddenly surprised, and shouted out,sometimes that's enough to clear some fluid out from the ear drum."she Bald. Valderzak had adjusted to his hearing loss with the help of a special microphone and some training in _ .But the situation was far from satisfactory. "The devices helped,but by the time I got them all connected up,everyone had left and I was talking to myself,"he said,adding that lip reading meant he could only talk to one person at a time. But now he can talk to all four of his kids again. What happened to Valderzak in Tuesday's earthquake? Answer: He regained his hearing. Centuries ago, man discovered that removing moisture from food helps to store it, and that the easiest way to do this is to expose the food to sun and wind. In this way the North American Indians produce pemmican(dried meat ground into powder and made into cakes), the Scandinavians make stockfish and the Arabs dried dates. All foods include water--cabbage and other leaf vegetables contains as much as 93% water, potatoes and other root vegetables 80%, lean meat 75% and fish, anything from 80% to 60%, depending on how fatty it is. If this water is removed, the activity of the bacteria which cause food to go bad is checked. Fruit is sun-dried in Asia Minor, Greece, Spain and other Mediterranean countries, and also in California, South Africa and Australia. Various methods are used, but in general, the fruit is spread out on trays in drying yards in the hot sun. Nowadays most foods are dried mechanically. The method of such dehydration is to put food in chambers through which hot air is blown at temperatures of about 110degC at entry to about 43degC at exit. This is the usual method for drying such things as vegetables, minced meat, and fish. Dried foods take up less room and weigh less than the same food packed in cans or frozen, and they do not need to be stored in special conditions. For these reasons they are invaluable to the climbers, explorers and soldiers in battle, who have little storage space. They are also popular with housewives because it takes so little time to cook them. Usually it is just a case of replacing the dried-out moisture with boiling water. Today vegetables are most commonly dried _ Answer: in hot-air chambers An electrical circuit can be used to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen. In this process, electrical energy produces Answer: chemical changes. For some people, music is no fun at all. About 4% of the population is what scientists call "amusic". People who are amusic are born without the ability to enjoy musical notes. Amusic people often cannot tell the differences between two songs. As a result, songs sound like noise to an amusic. Many amuics compare the sound of music to pieces of metal hitting each other. Life can be hard for amusics. In fact, most people cannot begin to understand what it feels like to be an amusic. Just going to a restaurant or a shopping center can be uncomfortable or even painful. That is why many amusics have to stay away from places where there is music. However, this can result in social loneliness. "I used to hate parties," says Margaret, a seventy-year-old woman who only recently discovered that she was amusic. By studying people like Margaret, scientists are finally learning how to identify this unusual condition. Scientists say that the brains of amusics are different from those of people who can enjoy music. The difference is complex , and it is not connected with poor hearing. Amusics can understand other non-musical sounds well. They also have no problems understanding common speech. Scientists compare amusics to people who just can't see certain colors. Many amusics are happy when their condition is finally diagnosed . For years, Margaret felt embarrassed about her problem music. Now she knows that she is not alone. That makes it easier for her to explain. When people invite me to a concert, I just say "No, thanks. I'm amusic." says Margret. What is the main idea of the passage? Answer: Some people's inability to enjoy music. The end of summer doesn't necessarily mean the end of adventures. In the Midwest, it's easy to find fun every kid in the family will enjoy in autumn. Celebrate everything by picking apples At County Line Orchard in Hobart, Ind., hop a tractor to the orchards and fields to get apples right off the trees, and gather pumpkins and other fall harvests. TIP: Wear gym shoes that you don't mind getting muddy. Children two and under are free. Kick off the football season with a stadium tour You may not be able to get tickets to the big game, but most NFL teams offer stadium tours. Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisc., offers the popular Champion Stadium Tour. TIP: Children five and under are free. Gather around a toasty campfire On Saturdays in October, Starved Rock State Park in Oglesby, Ill., offers free campfire stories under the stars. Storytime begins at 7 p.m. and lasts about an hour. TIP: Campfires are free and open to the public. Celebrate the harvest at local fall festivals Scarecrow-loving families should visit Emma Krumbee's Scarecrow Festival in Belle Plaine, Minn. You and your family can walk down the Scarecrow Patch lined with about 100 handmade friendly scarecrows. TIP: This festival is ideal for kids nine and under. What should you do when traveling at County Line Orchard? Answer: Wear gym shoes.
A group of vertebrates has lungs, a body covered with scales, internal fertilization, and amniotic eggs. Which group of vertebrates does this describe? A amphibians B birds C mammals D reptiles Answer: D Women's fashions change more rapidly than men's. In the early 1990's, all women wore their skirts to the ankle. Today, some skirts are even longer than before, but some are very short. Women's shoes have also gone through all sorts of boots for women were very common at the beginning of this century. Then for years, they were not considered fashionable. Today, they're back again in all colours, lengths and materials. In fact, today's women can wear all types of clothes on almost any occasion. While all of these changes were taking place in women's fashions, men's clothing remained almost the same until a few years ago. And, in fact, most men are still dressed in the kinds of clothes they used to wear. When today's women go to the party, they wear _ . A skirts down to the ankle B red long boots C long skirts and short boots D any kinds of clothes they like Answer: D A popular saying goes, "Sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." However, that's not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn't matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves-the positive and negative effects are just as lasting. We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We're usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. But we really shouldn't be, because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit. This self-talk helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down. Beware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying, "Good job !" Often, words come out of our mouths without our thinking about the effects they will have; but we should be aware that our words cause certain responses to others. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner. Or we can use harsh, critical language, which will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive. Words possess power because of their lasting effects. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves:Is it true? Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn't pass this test, then it's better left unsaid. Words possess power both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal?The choice is ours. Why should we not feel embarrassed when talking to ourselves? A Almost everybody has the habit of talking to oneself. B Talking to ourselves is believed to be good for our health. C Talking to ourselves helps us to solve all the problems. D It does harm to have "self-talk" when we are alone. Answer: B Writer Jean Stafford scoffed, "Happy people don't need to have fun," but studies show that the absence of feeling bad isn't enough to make you feel good;you must try hard to find sources of feeling good. Research shows that regularly having fun is a key factor in having a happy life;people who have fun are 20 times more likely to feel happy. Recently, I noticed a pattern among activities that people find fun: _ . There's something about having a playful purpose,of trying to achieve something that makes an activity more fun. For example a friend told that she loved visiting flea markets and antique stores to look for old globes-not fancy ones,but cheap ones. She has a rule that she'll never pay more than$20. She's the kind of person who loves wandering around in those kinds of shops in any case,but having a mission makes it more fun, less aimless. For that matter,having a collection of any sort is a very popular way to have a mission. You get satisfaction whenever you find another piece of blue sea glass on the beach or another out-of-print book by Charlotte Yonge in an old bookstore. Taking photos is a common way to incorporate a mission into traveling. Not only does this help keep memories vivid, it also makes you more attuned to your environment while traveling. For example,during my most recent visit to New Haven,I had a lot more fun wandering around once I set myself the mission of taking tourist photos of my own romance. Why is this true? The First Splendid Truth holds that to be happier,you have to think about feeling good and feeling right,in an atmosphere of growth. The more I've thought about happiness,the more surprised I've been at the importance of the "atmosphere of growth." I think this is a huge engine of happiness, and when you have a mission, you create an atmosphere of growth whenever you pursue that mission. Have you found a way to have a mission? What is it and does it boost your happiness? . According to the author, happy people _ A don't need to have fun B don't have to be occupied with work C can have 20 times more fun than others D are always finding sources of feeling good Answer: D Music can be a great power to change people's lives. Regina del Carmen Sanchez, 14, always believes this. The girl from Kansas City, US, leads a hard life. She lives in a small house with her mom and grandparents. Her mom gets a very low pay. But it doesn't stop Sanchez's love of music. She wrote her first song Keep Your Head Up when she was 12. It described the bad situation at her home, but it also sent the message of hope: "My house is old and poor, but it beats being homeless... Love yourself and never give up. You'll see a better life if you keep your head up..." It took Sanchez several months to finish the song. Sometimes during a break in class, when lyrics came into her head, "I would have to write them down right then," she told the local newspaper The Kansas City Star. Jeremy Lillig was a spokesman for Bright Futures, a charity fund. When he saw the video of the song, he was _ He shared it through social media . The fund has provided money for poor students in Kansas City. Now Sanchez often plays the song in public. "I want to help people understand what is happening in the world in an easy way," she said. What's true about Keep Your Head Up? _ A It was written two years ago. B It showed a feeling of hopeless. C It described the good situation of a house. D It took Sanchez several weeks to write the song. Answer: A
Six chimps were introduced to a slot machine called the Chimp- O- Mat, which would give out one grape when a white coin was insert into the slot. When Dr Wolf showed a young chimp named Moos how he could win himself a grape by inserting a coin, Moos immediately picked up another coin, pushed it into the slot, then stuck out his paw and waited for a grape to drop out.. Besides white coins, the chimps were given yellow coins to insert into the slot, but nothing came out because they were worthless. The chimps soon learned this fact. When a handful of white and yellow coins were thrown into the cage housing, Bula, Bimba and Alpha, the three chimps rushed for the white coins and never touched the yellow ones. Now the chimps were madly in love with money. Would the six chimps value money enough to work for it? To find the answer, Dr Wolfe designed a work machine. The chimps were shown that when a large handle was lifted, they could pick one grape. When they had learned the skill of lifting the handle to get the grape, Dr Wolf made a change to the machines so that instead of the grape they would find a white coin. This coin would still buy them one grape at the Chimp- O- Mat. Thus the complexity of getting a grape was not only doubled, but also the money to buy the grape could be achieved only by honest work. The handle they had to lift to get the coin weighed eighty pounds. Great effort is needed for a young chimp to raise that weight, yet the formerly lazy chimps not only quickly mastered the new operation, but also showed great eagerness to work for money. The purpose of the Chimp- O- Mat experiment was to discover whether chimps would learn to _ . Answer: use coins Are you carrying too much on your back at school? I'm sure lots of children of your age will say "Yes". Not only the students in China have this problem, but children in the United States also have heavy school bags. Doctors are starting to worry about young students' back and neck because their school bags are too heavy for them. "It's hard for me to go upstairs with my heavy bag," said Rick Hammond, an ll-year-old student in the USA. Rick is among students who have school bags with two straps ,and many other students choose rolling bags. But even with rolling bags ,getting upstairs is still a problem for children .Doctors say students should carry no more than 10% to 15% of their own body weight . Scott Bautch, a back doctor, said children under Grade 4 should carry no more than 10% of their weight and older children shouldn't stay with over 15% , because their bodies are still growing. Teachers and parents should do some things to help children. And the best answer is to have less homework! From the passage we cam know that _ . Answer: both children in China and the USA carry too heavy school bags. A company which causes long lasting products will likely? Answer: Sell less Most people buy a lot of gifts just before Christmas. But some people think we buy too much. They have started a special day called Buy Nothing Day. They don t want anyone to go shopping on that day. Buy Nothing Day is on November 29th. It is 25 days before Christmas. At that time, we see ads in newspapers and on TV telling us to "buy,buy, buy!" The idea for Buy Nothing Day started in Vancouver, British Columbia. Now people all over the world celebrate Buy Nothing Day. In California, USA, parents and children get together to read stories, sing songs and paint pictures. The children talk about why they don t need many toys. Last year, in Manchester, England, people dressed up in costumes to tell people that we buy too much. In Albuquerque, New Mexico,high school students wanted to tell other students about Buy Nothing Day. They organized a dinner to give people information about Buy Nothing Day. They asked restaurants in the neighbours to donate the food. They put up posters and talked to other students about it. The dinner was a big success, many students liked the idea of this new tradition. This year, they want to have another dinner to tell more people about Buy Nothing Day. What's the best title for this passage? Answer: Buy Nothing Day Bali is a tiny island that is part of Indonesia today. It is a pretty island that has many mountains and a pleasant climate. For a long time, Bali was cut off from much of the world. The people of Bali were happy and had a peaceful life. They were not allowed to fight. At one time there had been terrible wars on Bali. Then the people decided it was wrong to fight or have wars. They made rules to keep apart those people who wanted to fight. Bali was divided into seven small kingdoms. The land around each kingdom was kept empty, and no one lived there. Since the kingdoms did not share the same borders , the people could not fight about them. On Bali, even children were not allowed to fight. If two children started a fight over a toy, someone separated them. When two boys argued, they would agree not to speak to each other. Sometimes they did not talk together for months; this gave the boys a chance to forget their anger. Families who were angry with each other also promised not to speak. Their promise was written down, and the whole village knew about it. If they broke their promise, they had to offer gifts to their gods. How did the people of Bali prevent fighting from breaking out? Answer: Land was kept empty around each kingdom and no one lived there.
Here's a new warning from health experts: sitting is deadly. Scientists are increasingly warning that sitting for long periods, even if you exercise regularly, could be bad for your health. And it doesn't matter where the sitting takes place--in the office, at school, in the car or before a computer or TV. Just the overall number of hours it takes matters. Several studies suggest people who spend most of their days sitting are more likely to be fat, have a heart attack or even die. While health officials have issued guidelines advising on the least amounts of physical activities, they haven't suggested people try to limit how much time they spend in a seated position. "After four hours of sitting, the body starts to send harmful signals," said Ekblom-Bak of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences. She explained that genes controlling the amount of glucose and fat in the body start to shut down. Even for people who exercise, spending long periods of time sitting at a desk is still harmful. Tim Armstrong, a physical activity expert at the World Health Organization, said people who exercise every day but still spend a lot of time sitting might get more benefits if that exercise were spread across the day, rather than in a single hour. Still in a study that tracked more than 17,000 Canadians for about a dozen years, researchers found people who sat more had a higher death risk, whether they exercised or not. Experts said more research is needed to figure out just how much sitting is dangerous, and what might be possible to _ those effects. People should keep exercising because that has a lot of benefits," Ekblom-Bak said. "And when they're in the office, they should try to interrupt sitting as often as possible." In the opinion of Ekblom-Bak, when at work, you'd better have a rest by _ . A taking a walk around your office B chatting online or playing computer games C sending your friends emails D listening to music while sitting Answer: A Puerto Rico experienced many landslides due to Hurricane Maria in A 2017 B 2015 C 2012 D 2009 Answer: A As a volunteer, you will discover the unique opportunity of visiting the real world beyond the tourist window and became immersed in the culture you visit. For most travelers, this time spent working on meaningful projects, and getting to know the local area and its people, is often cited as their most memorable, enjoyable and fulfilling life experience. Who can volunteer? Kaya Volunteers are 18-80 years old people with an adventurous spirit. Whether you have time for a 2-week trip or a 6-month break, travelling on your own, with a group or with your family, or you are a student, taking a break from your job, or have even retired, they will find a project that can use your help. Countries where you can volunteer: Asia-Pacific (Australia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam.) Africa (Botswana,Ghana,Kenya,Mozambique,South Africa,Zambia,Zimbabwe) Latin America (Belize,Bolivia,Brazil,Costa Rica,Ecuador,Peru) What type of projects can you do? Kaya's Project advisors work with you to decide which project is best for you and what type of work you would like to do. you can work in the following fields: Environmental preservation- From the Ecuadorian rain forest to the jungles of Thailand, repair the damage done to some of the most beautiful and diverse places on earth. Work with children- They have over 40 projects working with children across the world in orphanages, schools and shelters for the abused, disabled and disadvantaged. Sports - Through sports, their projects that can provide opportunities for health education and the development of life skills, such as teamwork, communication, discipline and self- confidence. Education - From English teaching to education programs for special needs and minority groups, give greater opportunity to the disadvantaged through education. All projects include airport pick-ups and drop-offs, accommodation, orientation and 24-hour support. Many of their placements also include all meals and some language classes so that you can get even more involved. While doing the advertised voluntary work, a volunteer can _ . A pay a visit to his or her placement B receive some extra pay for his work C be free of charge while visiting around D get in touch with the local people Answer: A In his lowest days when few people bought his records, Taiwan singer Steve Chou lived alone in Canada and did little. One day, he passed by a local CD store and heard a song that greatly attracted him. "My heart tells me that music is the thing I truly want to do, not for fame or money," Chou said. That's how we luckily have such a music genius, who has since then composed lots of hits for the pop music charts . "Sometimes we need to get close to nature to look deeply into our souls and see what we really want to follow," he said. Recently he has made public his latest work Lovers Genesis. In this album he explores human relationships in the Internet age."Technology itself is a good thing, but it depends on how you're going to use it,"is Chou's advice to teenagers. Chou often gets his music ideas from trips. He has traveled to many places around the world and believes that learning a country's language is the fastest way of experiencing the culture behind it. Chou has worked hard on learning English to push forward his music career. He has flown to the UK to attend months-long English training schools three times. There he lives with local families and practices daily conversations. "So I could easily read the English instructions on recording machines and communicate with the local music producers," said Chou, "The music reviews of the US or British singers that I appreciate could help me learn and grow with them." What is Steve Chou like according to the passage? A Kind and helpful. B Proud and confident. C Active and hard-working. D Calm and disappointed. Answer: C We can see ads everywhere. Here are four ads. Please read them carefully. (1)WANTED Are you hard-working? Do you like to meet people? If your answer is "Yes", then we have a job for you as a waiter. Call AL Hotel at 8556779! (2)SUMMER JOB Do you like to talk with people? Do you like to write stories? If you want to work for our magazine as a _ , please call Karen at 85558366. (3)HELP WANTED Do you like babies? Can you look after one baby for two days? If you are sure to take good care of it, call us at 8766588. $80 or more. Today! Hurry! (4)CLEANER WANTED Can you make a large house clean and tidy? If you hope to get the job paid at $ 20 once, call us this evening 18:00~20:00. Tel: 8633800 If you would like to work as a waiter at a hotel, you can call at A 85558366 B 8556779 C 8766588 D 8633800 Answer: B
In our daily life now, you may often find some people like to do several things together at the same time. They may watch TV while playing cell phones, and they may work while chatting with their close friends. As a new research suggests, people who multitask all the time may be the worst at doing two things at once. The findings, based on performances and self-evaluations by about 300 college students, indicate that many people multitask not out of a desire to increase productivity, but because they are easily distracted and can't focus on one activity. And "those people turn out to be the worst at handling different things," said David Sandy, a psychologist at the University of Utah. Sandy and his colleagues gave the students a set of tests and asked them to report how often they multitasked, how good they thought they were at it, and how sensation-seeking or impulsive they were. They then evaluated the participants' multitasking ability with a tricky mental task that required the students to do simple mathematical calculations while remembering a set of letters. Not surprisingly, the scientists said, most people thought they were better than average at multitasking, and those who thought they were better at it were more likely to report using a cell phone while driving or viewing multiple kinds of media at once. But those who frequently deal with many things at the same time were found to perform the worst at the actual multitasking test. They also were more likely to admit to sensation-seeking and impulsive behavior, which connects with how easily people get bored and distracted. "People multitask not because it's going to lead to greater productivity, but because they're distractible, and they get sucked into things that are not as important," Sandy said. Adam, a researcher at the University of California, who was not a member of the research group, said one limitation of the study was that it couldn't find out whether people who start out less focused tend toward multitasking or whether people's recognizing and understanding abilities change as a result of multitasking. The findings do suggest, however, why the sensation-seekers who multitask the most may enjoy risky distracted driving. "People who are multitasking are generally less sensitive to risky situations," said Paul, another researcher not in the group. "This may partly explain why people go in for these situations even though they're dangerous. The research led by Sandy indicates that people who multitask _ . Answer: have the poorest results in doing various things at the same time Doctors, psychologists , economists and other experts have recently got together to find out what makes us happy and have come to surprising results. One of the main topics is how to measure happiness. Although some experts say that there are many ways to measure happiness, like recording a person's feelings, satisfaction in life or being healthy, others say that you can't really measure happiness, but you can see it. Money is really important in most people's lives. Once people have enough money to support their living, they pay more attention to other meaningful things. In many cases, friends and a close family are more important. Some people also need meaningful and creative work to find happiness. Studies find that there is a connection between happiness and health. Most of the time, people who are happier have better health. They work better and they are not as stressed as others. Besides, happier people may be able to live longer and enjoy their happiness. Studies also show that those who laugh a lot and those who are in good moods are also happier. Is there a way of achieving happiness? Some experts say that if people express their thanks, they can become happier. Joining pleasant conversations can also bring more satisfaction and happiness. Not surprisingly, people feel that a good relationship is important in being happy. Happiness is also _ . The results show that if you happen to have a member of your family or a friend near you who is happy, you'll happy, too. Some people will feel happy if they have _ work. Answer: meaningful and creative Last year I ruined my summer vacation by bringing along a modern convenience that was too convenient for my own good: the iPad. Instead of looking at nature, I checked my e-mail. Instead of paddling a small boat, I followed my Twitter feed . Instead of reading great novels, I stuck to reading four newspapers each morning. I was behaving as if I were still in the office. My body was on vacation, but my head wasn't. So this year I made up my mind to try something different: withdrawal from the Internet. I knew it wouldn't be easy, since I'm bad at self-control. But I was determined. I started by giving the iPad to my wife. The cellphone signal at our house was worse than in the past, making my attempts at cheating an experience in frustration . I was trapped, forced to go through with my plan. Largely cut off from e-mail, Twitter and my favorite newspaper websites, I had few ways to connect to the world except for the radio--and how much radio can one listen to, really? I had to do what I had planned to do all along: read books. This experience has had a happy ending. With determination and the strong support of my wife, I won in my vacation straggle against the Internet, realizing finally that it was I, not the iPad, that was the problem. I knew I had won when we passed a Starbucks and my wife asked if I wanted to stop to use the Wi-Fi. "I don't need it," I said. However, as we return to post-vacation life, a harder test begins: Can I continue when I'm back at work? There are times when the need to know what's being said right now is great. I have no intention of giving up my convenience completely. But I hope to resist the temptation to check my e-mail every five minutes, which leads to checking my Twitter feed and a website ortwo. I think a vacation is supposed to help you reset your brain to become more productive. Here I hope this one worked. What do we know about the author's last summer vacation? Answer: He hated himself for acting as if he were working on vacation. An allowance is an important tool for teaching kids how to budget, save and make their own decisions. Children remember and learn from mistakes when their own dollars are lost or spent foolishly. How large an allowance is appropriate? Experts say there is not right amount. Actual amounts differ from region to region, and from family to family. To set an appropriate allowance for your child, work up a weekly budget. Allow for entertainment expenditures such as movies and snacks. Next, include everyday expenses such as lunch money, bus fare, school supplies. "If you make the child responsible for these ' ills'," says Josephine Swanson, a consumer specialist, " he or she will learn to budget for necessary expenditures." Finally, add some extra money to make saving possible. If you can, keep your child's allowance in line with that of his friends. A child whose purchasing power falls away below his peers' can feel left out. It can be tough, but avoid excusing your children when they make a mistake with their allowance. When Brooke Stephens was ten and growing up in Jacksonville, her mother gave her $5 a week, $1.75 of which was for bus fare and lunch." If you lose your money," Brooke's mother told her, "you walk home." One week the girl spent all her allowance in a candy store, then she called home for a ride. " Mom made me walk home," recalls Stephens, now a financial planner in Brooklyn. " At first I was angry. But I finally realized that she was trying to teach me an important lesson. " Experts advise that an allowance should not be tied directly to a child's daily chores. Kids should help around the house not because they get paid for it but because they share responsibilities as members of a family. You might, however, pay a child for doing extra jobs at home, which can develop his or her initiative. It can be inferred from the passage that if a child is given an allowance, he or she may _ . Answer: feel responsible and careful about money Maybelle said she wouldn't be coming with me to the library. I asked why, and she said she could get all the short stories she wanted off the Internet. Saved walking all the way to the library, and putting up with my long chat on the way there, and on the way back. Maybelle is very direct like that, always has been. "But, Maybelle, we've been walking to the library every' Monday for the last fifty years!" She said," Why don't you get Internet'? We can send each other emails." So I had to get Internet. I called the local high school. They said they'd send me a good student to tell me all about computers and such. Evil thing, this Internet. Makes you lose old friends, forces you to learn new complex ideas, even if you're too old. But Maybelle said you have to be modern; otherwise, you're dead. The kid came the next day. Tall skinny black kid, by tile name of Arsenius, said his work would cost me. I said, "All right. As long as I get Internet." "You need a computer, then you need to get hooked up," he said. "Let's buy a computer and get hooked up, then." "How much you want to spend?" "Whatever it takes." "How many rams you want?" I wasn't going to show him my ignorance, so I said, "Whatever it takes." "Let's go to the mall. You got a car?" "In the garage." When I opened the garage door, he gasped. Daddy's car is still there, a'57 Chevy. I never drive it. Walk everywhere. I said," Let's walk. It's only a mile or so." He said," Let's drive, or you will faint on me in this heat." "Young man, I don't faint, never have. We're walking." "I get paid by the hour," he said. "Walking will cost you a lot more. Also, you feel like carrying a computer a mile or so?" Why does the writer want to have Internet at his place? Answer: Because of the pressure from people of his age.
Which metric unit is used to describe an object's length? A gram (g) B milliliter (mL) C centimeter (cm) D degree Celsius (°C) Answer: C. centimeter (cm) There are many expressions with heart.One of them is "lose your heart to someone".When that happens,you have fallen in love.But if the person who "won your heart" does not love you,then you are sure to have a "broken heart".In your sadness,you think that the person you loved is "hard-hearted",and in fact,has a "heart of stone". You may decide to "pour out your heart" to a friend.Telling someone about your personal problems can often make you feel better. If your friend does not seem to understand how painful your broken heart is,you may ask her to "have a heart".You are asking your friend to show some sympathy for your situation.Your friend "has her heart in the right place" if she says she is sorry for how you feel. If your friend says,"My heart bleeds for you",she means the opposite.She is a cold--hearted person who does not really care about your situation. When you are feeling afraid,"your heart is in your mouth".You might say,for example,that your heart was in your mouth when you asked a bank to lend you some money to pay for a new house. If that bank says no to you,do not "lose heart".Be "strong-hearted".Sit down with the banker and have a "heart to heart" talk.Be open and honest about your situation.The bank may have a "change of heart" and agree to lend you the money.Then you could stop worrying and "put your heart at rest". Which expression can best describe the feeling when a student has to see his headmaster? A A broken heart. B Lose one's heart. C Heart in one's mouth. D Have a heart. Answer: C. Heart in one's mouth. Xiang Xiaowen is a student who survived the earthquake in China's Sichuan Province. Like thousands of others, she is now living in a tent in the hard-hitting city of Mianyang. We are now sleeping in a tent city. The earthquake happened last Monday and our rooms in school were destroyed. There are four tent cities. Everybody is sleeping under tents. The tents are so wet and we feel so cold. Many students feel uncomfortable but we must live in the tent. Although there are many difficulties after the earthquake, we will do our best to solve them. Yesterday it rained all day. Today the weather is better. There are no dining halls and supermarkets, so we must cook for ourselves. We have got some food and vegetables to eat. After the earthquake, many students and I together cleaned all the rubble from our classroom and our dorms. Many of the rooms were destroyed and there was a lot of rubble which we had to clear. Some students are helping at hospital. Many people are homeless and many are dead. We carried the injured to hospital. There were no buses so we walked to hospital. Many people tried their best to make sure people could live. With the injured, we first let them calm down and then we took them to hospital. Today, I think people have enough food and drinking water. I think things will be better now. From the passage, we can learn that Xiang _ . A is sleeping under tents B has returned to school to study C stays in a tent doing nothing D has joined in the rescue team Answer: D. has joined in the rescue team In London, everyone is busy in the early morning. Some are running to the stations, buses and cars. Some are stopping only to drink a cup of coffee. They usually have no time for breakfast. At about eight thirty, one after another, the shops open for business .Taxis and buses are running in the streets. People work busily all day. At six o'clock in the evening, people go home quickly from work. Most of the shops closed , but some are still open. Many people work at night in a big city. In newspaper offices, reporters work hard. Doctors and nurses work in the hospital. Taxis and buses take people around the city all night. Some people are going to the movies. Some people are going to watch the plays. You can hear people talking, laughing and singing. You can listen to music, too. Every night, there are many people on the sidewalks . Some stop to look at shop windows, but they never buy clothes. Others are waiting for buses and taxis. Day and night you can find people working and playing in London. A big city never sleeps. In this passage, people can take the buses and taxis to another place _ . A only in the day B in the evening C day and night D on weekdays Answer: C. day and night In most parts of the world, many students help their school make less pollution. They join in "environment clubs". In an environment club, people work together to make our environment clean. Here are things students often do: Turn off the water! Do you know that some toilets can waste twenty to forty tons of water an hour? In a year, that would fill a small water! In environment clubs, students mend those broken toilets. No-car day. On a no-car day, nobody comes to school in a car-not the students and not the teachers. Cars give pollution to our air, so remember: walk, jump, bike or run. Use your legs! It's lots of fun! No-garbage lunches. How much do you throw away after lunch? Environment clubs ask students to bring their lunches in bags that can be used again. Every week they will choose the classes that make the least garbage and report them to the whole school. We love our environment! Let's work together to make it clean! The write wrote the passage to tell students to _ . A join in clubs B help teachers C make less pollution D clean schools Answer: C. make less pollution
Which likely changed the remains of prehistoric living things into natural gas? Answer: One in 400 children in the United States has diabetes . And the most difficult thing for the young diabetic patients is that many of them don't have a clear idea when they need to take insulin(a drug used in treating diabetes).The parents of one Long Island boy found the perfect solution--Hero, a specially trained dog that can discover when a diabetic is in trouble and find help. Johnny Pion, eight years old, is a poor kid that was told he was a diabetic in 2008. He can't do without insulin. His blood-sugar levels should be closely checked. He even can't go out to play without his mom or dad fearing he might need help. With Hero in her new home, Johnny's parents may worry a little less. They received the news about Hero on the newspaper. The dog cost around $20,000. With the help of friends and family, the Pions brought Hero home from Warren Retrievers in Virginia. Mary Campbell. Hero's trainer, said the dog could discover the slightest changes in blood sugar by her sense of smell."Humans have 5 million smell receptors ; dogs have 5 billion smell receptors,"she said. When the dog discovers something's wrong, she'll rub her head against Johnny's legs. If he doesn't answer her, Hero knows to look for Johnny's mom and dad. Hero even could ring up 911. On their first night, Johnny's was comfortably sleeping in his own bed with Hero and not with his parents for the first time. Night time is very important because blood sugar goes unchecked while sleeping. Now Hero is a round-the-clock nurse. Young people with diabetes have difficulty _ . Answer: People should be warned against using mobile phones outdoors in stormy weather because they may"be struck by lightning",according to doctors. Three experts have described how a teenage girl was struck by lightning while using her phone in a large London park.The girl,aged 15,recovered,but a year later was still wheelchair-bound and found to be suffering complex physical and emotional problems. The girl also had a perforate eardrum on the side where she had been holding the mobile phone.She was having general recovery in Northwick Park Hospital,Middlesex. Swinda Esprit,a senior house officer, said that while the brain and muscle damage was similar to that of many lightning victims--who can experience heart attacks on being struck--the ear problems were not. She said that the damages were particularly relevant for people who might be involved in less serious lightning incidents,who might otherwise recover, but would never get their full hearing back if struck while on the phone. "We were shocked by the damage,which is why we wanted to draw attention to it,"Dr Esprit said."A year on and she still was suffering these difficult hearing." They added that three other cases had been reported in newspapers in China,South Korea,and Malaysia.In the Malaysian case,a sales executive was killed by lightning while talking on his phone during a thunderstorm near Kuala Lumpur. "All these events resulted in death,"the doctors wrote."This rare phenomenon is a public health issue,and education is necessary to stress the risk." The Australian Lightning Protection Standard recommends that metallic objects,including cordless or mobile phones,should not be carried outdoors during thunderstorms.However, "the United States National Weather Service says on its website that both are safe to use "because there is no direct path between you and the lightening". Paul Taylor, of "the Met Office'',said the ear injuries were a consequence of mobile phones being metal,and not related to radio waves. Mr. Taylor said that mobile phones should be treated as another piece of metal,similar to carrying coins or wearing rings,and people need to be warned against the possible danger. Why did doctors stress the risk about using phones outside in lightening? Answer: My friend, Victor, is a zoo keeper in the National Zoo. His work is very interesting but it is hard. Sometimes it is dangerous, too. Every morning the zoo keepers have to get up at five to prepare the food for the animals. Each kind of animal is given special food. For example, the lions must be given meat; the deer must be given grass and leaves; and the parrots must be given fruit and nuts. Sometimes some animals won't let the others eat their food. If this happens, each of them must be fed separately . Every morning each cage must be washed by the zoo keepers. This can be dangerous, especially with lions and tigers. To make the work easier, the animals are locked in the sleeping compartments while the cages are being washed. When the animals are sick, the zoo keepers must look after them. Each sick animal is kept in a separate cage and given medicine. Sometimes they must be given injections. It is not easy to inject a sick lion! All the keepers live near the zoo. Each of them has a small house. There he lives with his family. They do not have holidays on Sundays and public holidays. Instead, each of them has a day off during the week. Each keeper has a holiday on a different day from that of the other keepers. The most important job of the keepers is to look after the safety of the visitors. People must be prevented from doing dangerous things. Many people have been injured because they did careless things, like putting their hands into the lion's cage. ,. When an animal is sick, it must be _ . Answer: Below are the top four supermarket chains in the world in 2012 and the reasons behind their success. Tesco Headquartered in Chestnut, United Kingdom , this global grocery store is one of the largest supermarket chains in terms of revenues and profits. If was founded in 1919 by Jack Cohen. Tesco stores can be found across all continents. Even though it was set up only for food and beverages, Tesco has drastically branched out , not only in geographical terms, but also in terms of products. Which now include electronics , clothing, health care, home improvement and even financial services. Safeway Founded in the year 1915 by a young M. B, Skaggs. Safeway developed from just a small grocery store on the fundamentals of providing value to customers and narrow profit margins. The success story of Skaggs becomes more evident when , by the end of the year 1926,he had opened almost 428 stores across ten states. Almost two years later, Safeway was listed at the New York Stock Exchange . At present, there are more than fifteen hundred Safeway stores across US and Canada. The Kroger Company Founded at Cincinnati, Ohio, US in 1883 by Mr. Bernard Kroger, the Kroger Company is now one of the largest supermarket chains not only in the US. but across the world . Over the last couple of decades, the Kroger Company has vastly expanded by acquiring popular brand names, including those of Owen's Market. Its stores are largely spread out across Middle. Western and Central United States. Reve-Gruppe Reve - Gruppe was founded in 1927 and is presently headquartered at Cologne, Germany . This supermarket chain is easily counted among the top supermarket chains of the world . Its vast line of products includes grocery, home improvement, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, optical as well as clothing . Its stores can be found in as many as fourteen European countries, providing employment to more than 325,000 people. Which of the following is TRUE? Answer:
My daughter recently asked me what a Travel Agency does. There is one located on our street and it has just been completely rebuilt. I told her that they helped people book their trips and vacations. "Why haven't we ever been in there?" she wanted to know. "Because we do everything ourselves online these days" I explained. "But why do it yourself if other people want to do it for you?" she wondered out loud. The answer is that the travel agency makes a little bit of money on each ticket you book through them. If you book your ticket yourself, online, you save that money. Saving money sounds great except that when you think about it you typically spend three evenings comparing prices to end up saving $30 on a $300 trip. All those $30 discounts add up of course so I guess we should be happy with that. Still, how bad is it really to pay someone $30 and trust them to buy you something decent? Wouldn't you say your free evenings are worth more than $10 a piece? Consider books for a moment. Buying your book at Amazon saves you maybe 30% to 40% on each book. Add to that the convenience of shopping from home and getting the package delivered to your home address. So far so good. Unfortunately that does mean you spend way too much time browsing Amazon. com while you could do something fun instead. Like maybe reading an actual book? Then the package arrives and you aren't home and end up having to pick it up at the local post- office. All in all I wonder how much time I end up investing in the whole process. Time sounds free, but to most of us, it is more valuable than money. The Internet Economy promised to get rid of the middle-men and we loved it. Somehow, I'm starting to get the feeling that we ourselves ended up doing the work of that middle-men we were so eager to get rid of. In any project you can always pick two of these: fast, cheap or good. We seem to have focused a lot on 'cheap' and 'good' but the extra time we need to invest to keep it 'fast' comes out of our own pockets. You can always make more money but you can never make more time. What's the best title for the passage? Answer: The hidden cost of the Internet Economy. As one of the most well-known of the fantasy languages invented for science fiction film, television and book, and developed by J.R.R. Tolkien himself, Elvish is made up with several thousand words and different sentence structures. Constructed languages like Elvish are real languages, made up of thousands of words created by fantasy writers, linguists and fans, with real language rules. While a widespread vocabulary is advantageous to a constructed language, there is a key differentiator we can see between just a lot of words and real language: Grammar. Grammar is what makes constructed languages like Elvish learnable by everyday superfans. Superfans of The Lord of the Rings have built websites and created dictionaries, apps and translators, to teach Elvish. They have also created online clubs where fans can discuss and even create new words based on the already existing vocabulary, and continue to study the language. So what does it take to be a master of Elvish? In learning Elvish, there are a couple of grammatical rules similar to those of the English language. For example, in order to make a verb past tense in English, you have to add an -ed, making wash, washed. Similarly in Elvish, in order to change the word for wash, which is allu, to the past tense then you have to add an -ne to the word. So washed is then translated to allune in past tense. Nouns in Elvish are different in the way that the noun changes depending on how it's used in a sentence, just like in Latin or Russian. For example, the word head in Elvish is CAS. However, if you duck your head, then the word changes to CARA. When mentioning something in your head, then it changes to CASSE. Tolkien's attention to detail in creating the fantasy world used in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, complete with multiple functioning invented languages, has attracted readers and movie viewers these years. Elvish is only one of the many magical languages developed by J.R.R. Tolkien. Creating language for fantasy has proven to add to viewers and readers experiences. By transplanting their imagination to a new world, fans are able to learn the new language and speak Elvish with each other, much like their favorite characters. For the fans of The Lord of the Rings, _ . Answer: Elvish adds to the novel's attractiveness You and your friends are settling into your seats. The new Spider- Man movie is about to start and you've got the snacks: soda and popcorn. Food is part of what makes the movie fun. Just as the lights go out, you catch a slight smell of ...tuna fish?! You turn your head, searching for the source. Then you spot him: A couple rows back, some guy is enjoying a tuna fish sandwich. How's he get that in here? You wonder. Then you remember how much you paid for your snacks. What invites the unwelcome outside food is probably the price. Why pay $5 for a bag of M&Ms when you can get them for a dollar at the corner store? Earlier this year, a Michigan man decided to fight for his right to snack. Joshua Thompson is suing his local theatre after it banned outside food. He argues the ban breaks a Michigan law that prevents business from charging extremely high prices. However, most legal experts believe Thompson has little chance of winning his case though he does have a point: 85 percents out of every dollar of treats a movie theatre sells is pure profit . The truth is that movie theatres are more in the snack business than the movie business. A huge part of the ticket income goes to the Hollywood studio. This makes sense, since the studio have to pay the costs of movie production and advertising. But that often doesn't leave much cash for the theater, which also has its own running costs. If customers stopped buying food, owners would have to raise ticket prices even higher. Of course, there's another reason to think twice before bringing food into the movies: It's against the rules. Breaking those rules can be unpleasant consequences, too. Some theatres will kick you out if they catch you. Even without the threat of punishment, we should follow rules all the time-----out of respect. Here's a good idea: Eat before the movie. What is the topic of the text? Answer: Movie theatres' ban on outside food Perhaps the most famous theory, the study of body movement, was suggested by Professor Ray Birdwhistell. He believes that physical appearance is often culturally programmed. In other words, we learn our looks ---- we are not born with them. A baby has generally informed face features. A baby, according to Birdwhistell, learns where to set the eyebrows by looking at those around-family and friends. This helps explain why the people of some areas of the United States look so much alike, new Englanders or Southerners have certain common face features that cannot be explained by genetics . The exact shape of the mouth is not set at birth, it is learned after. In fact, the final mouth shape is not formed until well after new teeth are set. For many, this can be well into grown-ups. A husband and wife together for a long time often come to look alike. We learn our looks from those around us. This is perhaps why in a single country area people smile more than those in other areas. In the United States, for example, the South is the part of the country where the people smile most frequently. In New England they smile less, and in the western part of New York State still less. Many southerners find cities such as New York cold and unfriendly, partly because people on Madison Avenue smile less than people on Peachtree Street in Atlanta, Georgia. People in largely populated areas also smile and greet each other in public less than people in small towns do. According to the passage, the final mouth shape is formed _ . Answer: sometime after new teeth are set Mrs. White comes from America. She is an English teacher in No. 12 High School of Guangzhou. She speaks Chinese a little and often has Chinese classes. She likes here very much. She often says the Chinese people are very nice. She is Lucy and Lily's mom. Lucy and Lily live in America with their dad, Mr. White. They are students. They have some Chinese pen pals. ,. Where does Mrs. White live? Answer: In China.
If someone asks you, "What do you usually do with your QQ?'' You may say, "I just chat ." Niu Lianzhong teaches PE in a middle school and he sets up a QQ group. However, his purpose is not to chat or show himself. He doesn't want to do anything for fun, either. He just wants more people to know the QQ group. He hopes to help others and now he saves more than 400 people's lives. We all know there are four blood types-A, B, AB, and O. But in fact, a few people's blood types are very special . Niu is just one of them. Since he sets up his QQ group, more than 100 special-blooded people in China join in it. Now, when a patient or a hospital needs some special blood, they just call Niu for help. And Niu contacts his members of the QQ group quickly. Till now, he has donated his blood for about 20 times. Niu hopes that more people will join his group to help others. Why does he set up the QQ group? A. To chat. B. To make friends. C. To help others. D. To show himself. Answer: C Advertising is a form of communication that typically attempts to persuade potential customers to purchase or to consume more of a particular brand of product or service. Many advertisements are designed to produce increased consumption of those products and services through the creation and reinforcement of "brand image" and "brand loyalty". For these purposes, advertisements sometimes fixes their persuasive message with fact-based information. Every major medium is used to deliver these messages, including television, radio, cinema, magazines, newspapers, video games, the Internet and billboards. Advertising is often placed by an advertising agency on behalf of a company or other organization. Organizations that frequently spend large sums of money on advertising that sells what is not, strictly speaking, a product or service include political parties, interest groups, religious organizations, and military recruiters. Non-profit organizations are not typical advertising customers, and may rely on free modes of persuasion, such as public service announcements. Advertising spending has increased greatly in recent years. In 2006, spending on advertising has been estimated at $155 billion in the United States and $385 billion worldwide , and the latter to be over $500 billion by 2010. While advertising can be seen as necessary for economic growth, it is not without social costs. Unsolicited commercial email and other forms of spam have become so widespread as to have become a major trouble to users of these services, as well as being a financial burden on internet service providers. Advertising is increasingly invading public spaces, such as schools, which some critics argue is a form of child exploitation . Which of the following slogans is different from the other three according the passage? A. The taste is great. B. One World, One Dream C. Mosquito Bye Bye Bye D. Things go better with Coca-Cola Answer: B We spend a quarter of our lives asleep. Sleep is necessary for the body to rest, yet our brains continue to process information. Studies have shown that students are more successful when they sleep after studying-instead of pulling all-nighters-because the brain reviews information learned. Similarly, dreaming is an opportunity to work out emotional problems and form thoughts and memories. About 25 percent of the time spent sleeping is spent in rapid eye movement, or REM, sleep. This type of sleep is known for when dreams occur, but it also helps energize the brain and body. Researchers have found two important factors regarding humans and sleep: basicsleep need and sleep debt. Basic sleep need is the amount of sleep we need to have regularly to perform at our best. Sleep debt is the loss of sleep. A few studies say that most adults function best with a basic sleep need of seven to eight hours a night. The problem is that sleep debt also factors in, just because that you meet your basic sleep needs a few nights of the week doesn't mean it cancels out the effects of one night's sleep debt. Of course, everyone is different and some people require more or less sleep than the standard basic sleep need. But the real problem lies in what lack of sleep does over the long period to people who either does not meet his or her body's needs or for one reason or another doesn't get enough regular sleep. It is more possible for these people to have motor vehicle accidents, weight gain and risk for heart disease or diabetes and may be at increased risk for psychological conditions such as depression or drug abuse. Sleeping too long also can be associated with depression and poor health. Most peoplespent around _ of the sleeping time in REM sleep? A. One third of the time B. More than half of the time C. One fourth of the time D. More than 5 hours every day Answer: C Product Description Life Without Limits helps you clarify what you want in every area of your life. By using Bassett's powerful techniques you will change; therefore your life will change. You control your life. And only you can take steps to change it. Life Without Limits helps you take back your power. Life Without Limits helps you to achieve satisfaction and fulfillment personally, professionally, and financially. Once you have defined what success means for you, you will clarify your dreams and start pursuing them. Product Details Published in: 2001-12 Released on: 2001-12-24 Original language: English Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.7 x 8 inches Binding: Paperback 304 pages About the Author Lucinda Bassett is the founder and CEO of one of the most successful self-help companies in the country, the Midwest Center for Stress and Anxiety, Inc. Author of the national bestseller From Panic to Power, Lucinda Bassett produces and hosts the award-winning infomercial, Attacking Anxiety. She has shared her techniques with such clients as McDonalds, Chrysler, and AT&T. She has appeared on numerous talk shows, including Operah and The View, and been featured in Family Circle, Reader's Digest, and many more. Customer Reviews This book has helped me to gain hope and courage to cope with all my fears and worries. Lucinda writes with such a great understanding and sympathy. She herself had problems with panic and worry. Her positive thinking tips are easy to follow. I don't get lost in a lot of mental problems. It's as if she were holding your hand, sitting right beside you, cheering you on! I believe I can do anything I set my mind to after reading this book. However, there are some other readers holding the contrary views. Lucinda Bassett works as all the following except _ . A. hostess B. teacher C. writer D. businesswoman Answer: B What would you think if you went back to school on Monday and there were no desks or chairs in your classroom? That's what some fourth-and-fifth-graders at a school in Minnesota discovered earlier this year when they took part in a research project to see if changing their classrooms would make them more active. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic were concerned about reports that as many as half of American kids could be seriously overweight - or obese - by the year 2014. So they set up a different kind of classroom, which you might see in the future. Instead of desks, the Elton Hills Elementary students had adjustable work stations where they could stand, kneel on mats or sit on big exercise balls. Students were given laptops and iPods that allowed them to move and learn at the same time. Sensors were attached to the kids' legs to calculate how many calories students burned in their new set-up. Their typical school day was probably not anything like yours. One group of students downloaded an audio file of their teacher reading a book; they listened to it while walking for exercise. Another group took a spelling test by listening to their iPods. Some students liked the freedom, but others missed the traditional classroom. "I don't like standing up," Mariah Matrious said. "My legs get tired, and I like sitting down. " So, did the experiment work? Researchers still are studying the data, but early results indicate that the kids did move around more in the new classroom. "It showed us that, given the opportunity to move, kids will move," said researcher Lorraine Lanningham-Foster. That's important because studies have shown that even simple movement - climbing stairs instead of taking an elevator , for example, or washing dishes by hand instead of loading the dishwasher - can be as important as formal exercise when it comes to controlling one's weight. The school in Minnesota carried out the research _ . A. to punish the badly performed students B. to prevent children from being too fat C. to spare a lot of money for the state D. to meet the needs of different children Answer: B
Question: A pet with flippers is sometimes kept in a A. folding metal crate with door B. cushioned pad with round opening C. bean-shaped container with fake tree D. cage with wheel and tubes Answer: C. bean-shaped container with fake tree Question: I was in a rush as always, but this time it was for an important date I just couldn' t be late for! I found myself at a checkout counter behind an elderly woman seemingly in no hurry as she paid for her groceries. A PhD student with not a lot of money, I had hurried into the store to pick up some flowers. I was in a huge rush, thinking of my upcoming evening. I did not want to be late for this date. We were in Boston, a place not always known for small conversation between strangers. The woman stopped unloading her basket and looked up at me. She smiled. It was a nice smile --warm and reassuring -- and I returned her _ by smiling back. "Must be a special lady, whoever it is that will be getting those beautiful flowers," she said. "Yes, she' s special," I said, and then to my embarrassment, the words kept coming out. "It' s only our second date,but somehow I am just having the feeling she's 'the one' ,"Jokingly, I added, "The only problem is that I can' t figure out why she' d want to date a guy like me." "Well, I think she's very lucky to have a boyfriend who brings her such lovely flowers and who is obviously in love with her," the woman said. "My husband used to bring me flowers every week -- even when times were tough and we didn' t have much money. Those were incredible days; he was very romantic and -- of course -- I miss him since he' s passed away." I paid for my flowers as she was gathering up her groceries. There was no doubt in my mind as I walked up to her. I touched her on the shoulder and said, "You were right, you know. These flowers are indeed for a very special lady." I handed her the flowers and thanked her for such a nice conversation. It took her a moment to realize that I was giving her the flowers I had just purchased."You have a wonderful evening," I said. I left her with a big smile and my heart warmed as I saw her smelling the beautiful flowers. I remember being slightly late for my date that night and telling my girlfriend the above story. A couple of years later,when I finally worked up the courage to ask her to marry me,she told me that this story had helped to _ it for her -- that was the night that I won her heart. Why did the writer give his flowers to the elderly lady? A. She told him a nice story. B. She allowed him to pay first. C. She gave him encouragement. D. She liked flowers very much. Answer: C. She gave him encouragement. Question: Think back to this time last year. What was on your mind? Most likely, you were thinking about finals or the holidays, although in this city I've noticed that thinking about the holiday is a fancy way of saying how much stuff will I get. Now reflect on your thoughts for this holiday season. Most people are still thinking about the holidays, but I say that with a grain of salt. Everybody with a functioning brain and the ability to communicate knows that this holioday season comes with a pretty large price tag: the debt of all the hardships, both domestic and foreign, that we've faced over the past 12months. Let's face it: some of us will get everything we want over the holidays. But there are others whose parents have lost their jobs or who have lost jobs themselves because of the current economic situation. As much as we try to ignore it, there is still economic unrest in the blue and gold suburb. In this situation, we have three options. One: We ignore the situation, like we seem to do for every bad thing that happens around us, because by God, it's the American Way! Two: We recognize that our economy is shot, feel bad about it and spend our time wishing for the good old days. Three: We recognize that our economy is shot, but instead of moping, reflect on every good thing that we have going for us. Now, which option sounds best to you? I spent a week this summer working in and around New York City with the city's homeless population. Or so I thought. Although a lot of the people I served were in fact homeless, a significant number of them had a job or a home or both. The truth of the importance of this situation is that they and thousands of others across the country can't afford even the most basic things of life, even while working two jobs. Yet no one that I met complained about their hardships. Instead, they took whatever I happened to give them(which was, more often than enough, not enough) and were genuinely grateful for what they had. Wrap your heads around that statement for a second. These people worked their butts off to stay alive with minimal results, yet were overjoyed by a flimsy paper plate with donated green beans on it. Although I am ashamed to admit it( both as a girthy figure and an affluent citizen), I have taken for granted most of my meals, let alone green beans, and I know for a fact that I am not alone. 66. The author wrote the article mainly to advise people _ . A. to be thankful in time of hardship. B. to spend their holidays in a wise way C. to think little about their holidays D. to help the country to sail through the crisis Answer: A. to be thankful in time of hardship. Question: On the bus, on the subway, every head is lowered to a cell phone, iPad, or other digital device. But does this mean more and more people are getting into reading the digital way? According to the National Reading Survey, before the 17thWorld Reading Day on April 23, only 1.2 percent of Chinese people said they read a lot. But 38.6 percent said they read on digital devices like cell phone and e-books. This is a 17.7 percent increase from 2010. Many experts are talking about a trend toward fragmented reading --reading many short messages or items on a digital device like a cell phone instead of one long text in a book. Zhao jianmin, a professor at Shanghai University, said fragmented reading was part of modern life. "The fast _ of life leaves many people no time to sit and read a whole book," he said. "So making use of fragmented time to read is sure to be a trend" Fragmented reading has its advantages. People can enjoy large amounts of information, knowledge and entertainment in a short time. Digital reading is faster than traditional deep reading. However, some experts fear the trend of digital reading will lead people to read in a simple way. Xu Guosheng, at a Chinese Academy of Press and Publication, says fragmented reading makes it harder for people to think more about what they read. He also warned fragmented reading could make people lazy about remembering facts because they know they can always just search for answers online. "Fragmented reading is sometimes good, but don't let it take all your time," suggested Tian Zhilng, an editor. He said it was important to read quality books in a deeper way, and we should read for knowledge, for practical use and for pleasure. He suggested people choose easy books first, then move onto more difficult ones. What can we learn from the article? A. Chinese people read in a simple way these days. B. Students should read more to get high marks. C. Reading on a digital device is harmful to health. D. People's reading habits are changing. Answer: D. People's reading habits are changing. Question: Ecoworld Discovery Centre The future is here at Ecoworld Discovery Centre! Class for children! Hands-on games, challenging and fun! Discover the environmental world in an exciting and educational way. Special activities for different ages. Organic gardens! Find out how to protect the environment in your own back garden! Learn practical and exciting tips to follow at home. Find out what live under the grass and in the trees! Wind turbine tower! Climb the 500 steps to the top of the 85-metre wind turbine tower and see the amazing view of Carlstown and the river beyond. For a little more charge, go on a special tour of the machine room(children under 12 not allowed without an adult). Gift shop and restaurant! Amazing gifts for all the family, each one specially chosen by our team of eco experts! The restaurant has a great choice of food and drinks, with a wide selection of vegetarian dishes available. There is access for wheelchair users to both the gift shop and the restaurant, and large print food menus for visitors with poor eyesight. Picnic area and free parking every day. KIDS-Special meals at reduced prices! Opening time: April 1st--- September 30th. Monday-Friday 10 am-6pm, Weekends 10am-7pm. October 1st---March 31st. Monday-Friday 10am-2pm, Weekends 10am-4pm. Tel: 01882-7092, Fax:01882-7093 Where can you see the view of Carlstown? A. Outside the restaurant. B. On the wind turbine tower. C. Near the picnic area. D. In the organic garden. Answer: B. On the wind turbine tower.
Levi Strauss, who was born in 1830 and went to the USA at the age of 17, sat in the saloon and drank his beer slowly. He began to think. Business was not good. Nobody wanted to buy anything. He thought about the canvas and the pots and pans on the wagon. Then he remembered the hole in Hank's trousers. Suddenly, he had an idea -- "pants", he jumped up and shouted, "Everyone needs pants." He hurried to a tailor and gave him all his canvas. "I want you to make pants with this canvas," he said. "Can you do that?" "Yes, of course," said the tailor, "What name is it?" "Strauss, Levi Strauss." It was the beginning of jeans. Now more than a hundred years later, people wear jeans all over the world and everyone knows the name of Levi Strauss. In the 1860s, farmers, rail-road workers, cowboys and miners helped to develop the new land. Life was hard. They worked for long hours in all kinds of weather. They wore trousers made by Levi Strauss. They were the first people to wear jeans in America. Jeans first came to Europe with the American soldiers during World War II. Soon, workers in Europe were wearing them. Workers liked them: they were cheap, hardwearing and practical. They were not popular with young people generally until the late 1950s and early 1960s. It came suddenly. It started in America and it crossed the Atlantic quickly. It was a new kind of music, a new kind of dance. Rock' n Roll. The king of Rock' n Roll was Elvis Presley. Teenagers loved him. At home he wore a T shirt, an old leather jacket and blue jeans, so more and more teenagers began to wear jeans. They liked them tight. Jeans became popular among the teenagers because _ . A. they were cheap, hardwearing and practical B. they liked them tight C. their idol liked wearing them D. they came out like a new kind of music or dance Answer: C. their idol liked wearing them One day, Mr. Smith went to a dinner party. He was wearing very old clothes. He came into the room. But people in the room didn't look at him. They didn't ask him to sit at the table. He wasn't happy. But he said nothing. Mr. Smith went home quickly and put on his best clothes. He went back to the party. Everyone in the room stood up and looked at him. They gave him good food to eat. Mr. Smith took off his coat, and put it on the food and said, "Eat, coat!" The other people were surprised and asked, "What are you doing? Why do you do that?" Mr. Smith answered, "I am asking my coat to eat food. When I wore old clothes, you didn't look at me. You didn't ask me to sit down. Now I am wearing these nice clothes. And you give me good food. Now I see, you give the food to my coat, not to me." When he came into the room, the people didn't look at him. _ Why? A. Because the people didn't ask him to come. B. Because Mr. Smith wore old clothes. C. Because Mr. Smith didn't say hello to them first. D. Because it was night, they didn't see him. Answer: B. Because Mr. Smith wore old clothes. Within IOC, Samaranch was a man much admired and sometimes loved, the Spanish who made the organization into one that is rich and so powerful. No one doubted Samaranch's ability to make something impossible come true. In 1981 he ensured that Seoul was elected to be the host of the 1988 Olympics. Remember, that was a time when the two Koreas were at war with each other. And because Samaranch helped swing Spanish votes across to London, rather than to Paris, London was made host for the 2012. To China and the Chinese people, Samaranch was considered a great friend. Thanks to his efforts during his last term as IOC president, Beijing and China won the Olympics for the first time. Samaranch led the IOC from 1980 to 2001. Certainly, throughout his IOC presidential term, he had a soft spot for Moscow, for it was there that he was elected president of the IOC in 1980, and it was there that he managed to reach his final wishes as IOC president. Very early on in that 2001 Moscow session he wanted the Belgian surgeon, Jacques Rogge, a newcomer to the Olympic Movement, to replace him as president, for China to host the 2008 Olympic Games and for his son, Juan Antonio Samaranch junior, to become an IOC member. He got all three wishes. Samaranch's death came three months before his 90th birthday on April 21st, 2010. Samaranch was born _ . A. in June, 1921 B. in July, 1921 C. in July, 1920 D. in June, 1920 Answer: C. in July, 1920 Still seeking a destination for your weekend break? There are some places which are probably a mere walk away from your college. King's Art Centre A day at the Centre could mean a visit to an exhibition of the work of one of the most interesting contemporary artists on show anywhere. This weekend tees the opening of an exhibition of four local artists. You could attend a class teaching you how to 'learn from the masters' or get more creative with paint ---- free of charge. The Centre also runs two life drawing classes for which there is a small fee. The Botanic Garden The Garden has over 8,000 plant species; it holds the research and teaching collection of living plants for Cambridge University. The multi-branchedTorch Aloe here is impressive. The African plant produces red flowers above blue-green leaves, and is not one to miss. Get to the display house to seeDionaea muscipula, a plant more commonly known as the Venus Flytrap that feeds on insects and other small animals. The Garden is also a place for wildlife-enthusiasts. Look for grass snakes in the lake. A snake called 'Hissing Sid' is regularly seen lying in the heat of the warm sun. Byron's Pool Many stories surround Lord Byron's time as a student of Cambridge University, Arriving in 1805, he wrote a letter complaining that it was a place of "mess and drunkenness". However, it seems as though Byron did manage to pass the time pleasantly enough. I'm not just talking about the pet bear he kept in his roans. He spent a great deal of time walking in the village. It is also said that on occasion Byron swam naked by moonlight in the lake, which is now known as Byron's Pool. A couple of miles past Grantchester in the south Cambridgeshire countryside, the pool is surrounded by beautiful circular paths around the fields. The cries of invisible birds make the trip a lovely experience and on the way home you can drop into the village for afternoon tea. If you don't trust me, then perhaps you'll take it from Virginia Woolf- ----over a century after Byron, she reportedly took a trip to swim in the same pool. As mentioned in the passage, there is a small charge for _ . A. attending the masters' class B. working with local artists C. learning life drawing D. seeing an exhibition Answer: C. learning life drawing Which is likeliest to metamorphose? A. a live insect B. a human C. a plant D. a dead butterfly Answer: A. a live insect
Question: Computer programmer David Jones earns $35.000 a year designing new computer games. yet he cannot find a bank ready to let him have a credit card Instead he has been told to wait another two years until he is 18. The 16-year-old works for a small firm in Liverpool where the problem of most young people of his age is finding a job David's firm releases two new games for the fast growing computer market each month But David's biggest headache is what to do with his money. Even though he earns a lot he cannot drive a car take out a mortgage ,or get credit cards David got his job with the Liverpool-based company four months ago ,a year after leaving school with six O-levels and working for a time in a computer shop. "I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs" he said David spends some of his money on records and clothes and gives his mother 50 pounds a week But most of his spare time is spent working. "Unfortunately, computing was not part of our studies at school " he said "But I had been studying it in books and magazines for four years in my spare time I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school Most people in this business are fairly young, anyway" David added :"I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement is a possibility You never know when the market might disappear." In what way is David different from people of his age? A. He often goes out with friends B. He lives with his mother C. He has a handsome income D. He graduated with six O-levels Answer: C Question: 56yearold becomes 1st woman to swim Atlantic (AP)-Jennifer Figge pressed her toes into the Caribbean sand, excited and exhausted as she touched land this week for the first time in almost a month. Reaching a beach in Trinidad, she became the first woman on record to swim across the Atlantic Ocean--a dream she'd had since the early 1960s,when a stormy transAtlantic flight got her thinking she could wear a life vest and swim the rest of the way if needed. The 56yearold left the Cape Verde Islands off Africa's western coast on Jan.12,2009, swimming 19 out of 25 days battling waves of up to 30 feet.The distance from Cape Verde to Trinidad is about 700 miles.Crewmembers are still computing exactly how many miles she swam. The original plan was for her to swim to the Bahamas--a distance of about 2,100 miles--but inclement weather forced her to change her plans and she arrived at Trinidad on Feb.5.She now plans to swim from Trinidad to the British Virgin Islands,ending her voyage at the Bitter End Yacht Club in late February. Her journey came a decade after French swimmer Benoit Lecomte made the first known solo transAtlantic swim,covering nearly 4,000 miles from Massachusetts to France in 73 days.No woman on record had made the crossing. Figge wore a red cap and wet suit,with her only goodluck charm underneath:an old,red shirt to guard against chafing ,signed by friends,relatives and her father,who recently died.The other cherished possession she kept onboard was a picture of Gertrude Ederle,an American who became the first woman to swim across the English Channel."We have a few things in common,"Figge said,"She wore a red hat and she was of German descent .We both talked to the sea,and neither one of us wanted to get out." When did Jennifer Figge want to swim across the Atlantic Ocean? A. After she reached a beach in Trinidad. B. After she pressed her toes into the Caribbean sand. C. After her stormy transAtlantic flight in the early 1960s. D. After her graduation from a university. Answer: C Question: Mike comes from the USA. He is twelve years old. His father,Mr. Brown,works in a big factory in Beijing. His mother,Mrs. Brown,teaches English in No.10 Middle School in Beijing. Mike has a sister. Her name is Kate. She is eight years old. It is Sunday today. Mike's family are all at home. Mr. Brown is reading newspapers in a chair. Mrs. Brown isn't reading newspapers. She is in the garden. She is watering the flowers. Where is Mike?He is cleaning his new bike in front of the house.Is Kate with him?No,she isn't. She is in the study. She is playing with her toys. How many people are there in Mike's family? A. Three. B. Four. C. Five. D. Six. Answer: B Question: Where is the best place to shoot animals? A. national park B. sky C. forest D. sea Answer: C Question: Which of these is an example of liquid water? A. Frost B. Ice C. Rain D. Steam Answer: C
What is one way to change water from a liquid to a solid? prefix = st1 /NEW YORK--So we're going away on weekends and sticking close to home. But are we traveling with the kids? Here's how the down economy is changing the way we travel. SECONDARY CITIES Some smaller cities are stealing the glory . Fort Myers,Fla.experienced double digit growth in January 2009 over January 2008, based on American Express Travel bookings. Cities like Portland,Ore.are also becoming popular destinations, with Travelocity data showing an increase of 38% over last year. EvenPhiladelphia's star is rising, said Travelocity senior editor Shaw Brown. Brown said it's hard to explain exactly the reason for the _ : it could be a decrease in airfare or hotel prices or excellent marketing. Hotel rates inFort Myersare down about 10%. But hotel rates inPortlandare up, she said. She thinksPhiladelphia's higher popularity is due to good marketing, a decrease in airfare of 16% compared to the overall 8% decrease for domestic flights and more interest in historic destinations in general. FAMILY TRAVEL Rather than take a two-week vacation to Europe, families are going to national parks. David Mandt, spokesman for the Association of Amusement Parks, is cautiously optimistic about the summer season. He said even when gas was $4 a gallon in 2008, people continued to visit theme parks--they simply selected parks closer to their homes. While for years, park operators have used special offers, promotions and discounts to encourage families to visit at a specific time, the deals may be easier to find this year, especially when it comes to packages that include accommodations. Universal Orlando Resort has a deal allowing families to book a three-night package and receive two additional nights free. Packages include accommodations at a hotel near Universal and unlimited theme park admission to both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. What is the best title for the news report? _ Pingyao is one of China's three protected ancient cities (the other two are Xi'an and Jingzhou). Lying in the middle of Shanxi Province, 90 kilometers south of Taiyuan, Pingyao ancient city used to be about two hours' drive from the capital of Shanxi Province, but now the distance is only one hour and ten minutes' drive after the highway was built. With a history of over 2,700 years, the ancient city stands out as one of the best protected of all the walled cities in China. On December 3rd, 1997, UNESCO added Pingyao to the World Heritage List as a world's culture heritage. According to the UNESCO World Heritage Commission ,the Pingyao ancient city is a wonderful example of the Chinese Han cities during the Ming and Qing dynasties. All the features of the Pingyao ancient city have been protected, and it shows an outstanding Chinese historical development including its culture, society, economy and religion . ,A, B, C, D,. (10) How many preserved ancient cities are there in China? A lady named Mary from California flew to Japan, in her favourite jeans and a casual jacket, to give her first speech. Fourteen hours later, four perfectly dressed Japanese gentlemen greeted her at the airport. Smiling and bowing low, they handed her their business cards. With her bag in one hand, Mary took their cards with the other. She thanked them, glanced briefly at the cards, and put them into her jeans pocket quickly. When the five of them arrived at the hotel, they invited Mary to tea in the lobby . While sipping tea, the gentlemen presented her with a small gift which she eagerly opened. She was thrilled with the gift and shouted excitedly, "Oh, it's beautiful!" At this point, the four Japanese gentlemen stood up and, bowing only very slightly, said "Sayonara" and left immediately. Poor Mary was left astonished. What did she do wrong? Everything! Her jeans were the first _ . Even if you're coming off a bicycle in Japan, you do not meet clients casually dressed. The second mistake was Mary's handling of their business cards rudely. In Japan, the business card is one of the most important communicative tools. It is always presented and accepted respectfully with both hands. However, Mary put their cards away much too quickly. In Japan, people use business cards as a conversation starter. You chat about each other's cards and work and do not put theirs away until they gently and respectfully place yours in safe keeping. Putting it carelessly into her jeans pocket was the ultimate disrespect. Then, the fourth horror of horrors was that Mary should not have opened the gift in front of her clients. In a land where saving face is critical, it would be embarrassing to discover the gift they gave was not as nice as the one they received. What is worse, Mary hadn't even given them a gift! The third mistake Mary made was that she _ . join us together and set us apart. Today, our society has a terrible lack of values. Here are some social values that everyone needs. Respect Respect means to respect others in everyday life. Even if you are against a person, it is important to have respect. It is this respect that makes us human. Without this respect, we become animals. We need to respect our friends for our friendships. We even need to respect our enemies, because they help us to grow up and be stronger. Respect is one of the crucial values in a relationship. Love Love is everything. With love in our hearts, we feel no need to hurt another. With love in our hearts, we will pay more attention to the similarities in opinions rather than the disagreement. If we want others to be good to us, we need to be good to them. After all, we give love to get love, right? Loyalty People often forget the meaning and importance of loyalty . Loyalty is necessary for people to believe in each other. In no matter what kind of relationship, we need to believe in each other so that we can work together towards the same goal. Honesty Honesty is to show other people who we really are. Honesty helps us do better, because it makes us realize our problems and find ways to solve them. It is this honesty, that will make others help you out, not because you need it. But, because they have problems too, which you can help out with. This honesty will help us follow the other values in society and, truly, "heal the world"! The best title of the passage can be " _ ".
Reading for pleasure is the easiest way to become a better reader in English. It is also the most important way. Some students say they don't want to read for pleasure. They say they want to use their time to learn the rules of the language and new words. They say that pleasure reading is too busy. Many experts say pleasure reading is very important for learning English. Dr Stephen Krashen, a famous expert on learning languages, says that pleasure reading helps you learn many important things about English. Students learn more grammar and more words when they read for pleasure. They also learn more about good writing. Dr Krashen tells us that pleasure reading helps each student in a different way. Each student needs to learn something different. Pleasure reading makes it possible for each student to learn what he or she needs. Reading for pleasure is not the same as studying. When you read for pleasure, you choose your own books, and you don't have to remember everything. There are no tests on your pleasure reading books. Pleasure reading will help you: learn how English speakers use English read faster in English find examples of good writing in English learn new words *learn about the culture of English speakers Many experts say students learn more _ when they read for pleasure. Answer: Jack gets to the bus station very early. The bus for Beijing is leaving at twelve. He sees many people at the station. Some are waiting in line, and others are walking around. Jack looks around but there is no room for him to sit in. He walks into a restaurant. He looks up at the clock there. It's only 11:30. Then he finds a seat and sits down. At that time, Tom, one of his friends, comes in and sits in front of him. They talk and drink. After a while, Jack looks up at the clock again. "Oh, my God. It's still 11:30. The clock doesn't work at all." Jack becomes very sad because he misses the bus. Jack is going to _ by bus. Answer: Did you know that vegetables can grow in the climates they are not used to? Cool climate vegetables like asparagus are now able to be grown in places as hot as Hawaii. In Hawaii, marine engineers have been able to actually let you believe such vegetables that they are living in cooler climates. In that way they grow faster and taste better. What these engineers have been using is very simply cold sea water. How did they use it? They place pipes in the soil and cold water flowing through them cools the earth. This causes plant growth and enables gardeners in tropical climates to grow crops from cooler climates. Also some of these pipes are exposed to the air and they make the air "wet" and thus water the gardens. What especially makes people happy about this process is that nothing to the natural conditions is being used. Another new use for cold ocean water is to cool buildings. Engineers believe that for example the entire west coast of the prefix = st1 /United Statescould be air-conditioned using seawater. Sea water mentioned in the passage is mainly used to _ . Answer: Over the years, many cities and states have tried to put a tax on sugary drinks. Last week, Berkeley, California succeeded. The city in northern California will charge a penny-per-ounce tax on most sugary drinks. The tax is expected to raise more than $1 million every year to fight against obesity . Makers of sugary drinks are against the tax. They say picking out one product will not solve the obesity problem in America. They also argue that a tax is an attack on personal freedom. "Families should be able to make the choice for their kids without the government stepping in," said Chris Gindlesperger, a spokesperson for the American Beverage Association . Gindlesperger says that the fight against obesity is more successful when the government partners with industry. He shows how the beverage industry worked with President Bill Clinton's administration is the 1990s. They introduced water, milk, and fruit juice into a large number of schools, which took the place of sugary drinks. More recently, the beverage industry listened to First Lady Michelle Obama's suggestion that labels on sugary drinks be clearer. Containers of up to 20 ounces will show the total calories on the front. Some people say a tax is a _ way to help reduce obesity in the U.S. "There is clear evidence that taxes result in less consumption of sugary drinks," says Dr. Rachel Johnson, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. She points to Mexico as an example. The country put up a tax on sugary drinks in January, and sales have already dropped by 10%. What's more, sales of healthier drinks have increased. Bottled water sales are up by 13%. Milk sales are up by 7%. Another purpose of the tax is to raise money to fight childhood obesity. Money will be used to build playgrounds, create educational materials, and increase the sales of the healthier foods. "We've already helped reduce obesity to some degree," says Dr. Johnson. "I'm confident that we're going to see even bigger progress soon." What is the purpose of this text? Answer: In China, if you are not married by the time you are 30, you are _ trouble: social blame and pressure from family and friends can get you down. And if you are a woman, it's even worse. Many young people get married simply to get other people off their backs . This is a serious compromise. One ends up not marrying the ideal partner. There are, however, a few young people who refuse to compromise: if they can't find a good marriage partner, they say, they would rather not marry at all. 34-year-old Kate is a university lecturer in English. She said she would not describe herself as celibatarian but simply a woman who hasn't come across the right man yet. She has sharp comments for the way in which the old generation looks at marriage. "Many people think marriage is a duty---to your parents, family and society. Nobody cares if your marriage is happy or not, she said, I think this is very wrong and I intend to live and act according to my own will." Happily for her, her parents are open-minded and not lay stress on her. But the same does not apply to her friends. They are constantly trying to get her together with some young man or another. She always refuses politely. The main idea of this passage is that _ . Answer:
In the United States, 30 percent of the adult population has a "weight problem.". To many people, the cause is clear: We eat too much. But scientific evidence does little to support this idea. Going back to the America of 1910, we find that people were slimmer than today, yet they ate more food. In those days people worked harder physically, walked more, used machines much less, and didn't watch television. Several modern studies, moreover, have shown that fatter people don't eat more on average than thinner people. In fact, some investigations (researches), such as a 1970 study of 3,545 London office workers, report that, on balance, fat people eat less than slimmer people. Studies show that slim people are more active than fat people. A study by a research group at Stanford University School of Medicine found the following interesting facts. The more the men ran, the greater loss of body fat. The more they ran, the greater their increase in food intake . Thus those who ran the most ate the most, yet lost greatest amount of body fat. Based on the statistics given in the article, suppose there are 500 adult Americans, about how many of them will have weight problems? Answer: 150 What is the nature of the scientific attitude, the attitude of the man or woman who studies and applies physics, biology, chemistry, geology, engineering, medicine or any other science? We all know that science plays an important role in our societies. However, many people believe that our progress depends on two different aspects of science. The first aspect is the application of the machines, products and systems of knowledge that scientists and technologists develop. The second is the application of the special methods of thought and action that scientists use in their work. What are these special methods of thinking and acting? First of all, it seems that a successful scientist is curious - he wants to find out how and why the universe works. He usually pays attention to problems which he notices have no satisfying explanation, and looks for relationships even if the data available seem to be unconnected. Moreover, he thinks he can improve the existing conditions and enjoys trying to solve the problems which this involves. He is a good observer, accurate, patient and objective and uses the facts he observes to the fullest. For example, trained observers obtain a very large amount of information about a star mainly from the accurate analysis of the simple lines that appear in a spectrum . He does not accept statements which are not based on the most complete evidence available. He rejects authority as the only basis for truth. Scientists always check statements and make experiments carefully and objectively. Furthermore, he does not readily accept his own idea, since he knows that man is the least reliable of scientific instruments and that a number of factors tend to disturb objective investigation. Lastly, he is full of imagination since he often has to look for relationships in data which are not only complex but also frequently incomplete. Furthermore, he needs imagination if he wants to guess how processes work and how events take place. These seem to be some of the ways in which a successful scientist or technologist thinks and acts. Which word can be used to describe the data that a good scientist uses? Answer: complicated Real policemen, both in Britain and the United States, hardly recognize any similarity between their lives and what they see on TV -- if they ever get home in time. There are similarities, of course, but the cops (policemen) don't think much of them. The first difference is that a policeman's real life revolves round (......) the law. Most of his training is in criminal law. He has to know exactly what actions are crimes and what evidence can be used to prove them in court. He has to know nearly as much law as a professional lawyer, and what is more, he has to apply it on his feet, in the dark and rain, running down an alley after someone he wants to talk to. Little of his time is spent in chatting to charming ladies or in dramatic confrontations with desperate criminals. He will spend most of his working life typing millions of words on thousands of forms about hundreds of sad, unimportant people who are guilty -- or not -- of stupid crimes of little importance. Most television crime drama is about finding the criminal: as soon as he's arrested, the story is over. In real life, finding criminals is seldom much of a problem. Except in very serious cases like murders and terrorist attacks-- where failure to produce results reflects on the standing of the police -- little effort is spent on searching. The police have detailed machinery which eventually shows up most wanted men. Having made an arrest, a detective really starts to work. He has to prove his case in court and to do that he often has to gather a lot of different evidence. Much of this has to be given by people who don't want to get involved in a court case. So, as well as being overworked, a detective has to be out at all hours of the day and night interviewing his witnesses and persuading them, usually against their own best interests, to help him. A third big difference between the drama detective and the real detective is that the real detective lives in an unpleasant moral twilight . Detectives tend to have two opposing pressures: first, as members of a police force they always have to behave with legality; secondly, as expensive public servants they have to get results. They can hardly ever do both. Most of the time, some of them have to break the rules in small ways. If the detective has to deceive the world, the world often deceives him. Hardly anyone he meets tells him the truth. And this separation the detective feels between himself and the rest of the world is deepened by the simplemindedness -- as he sees it -- of citizens, social workers, doctors, law-makers, and judges, who, instead of putting a complete end to crime punish the criminals less strictly in the hope that this will make them reform. The result, detectives feel, is that nine-tenths of their work is re-catching people who should have stayed behind bars. This makes them rather cynical . The everyday life of a policeman or detective is _ . Answer: devoted mostly to regular matters Anne LaBastille was born in New York City and grew up in New Jersey. Her first experience with the wilderness was in the Adirondacks in the northeast of New York, where she worked at a summer resort to earn money for college tuition by caring for the horses, giving riding lessons, and working as a waitress. And she had many chances to begin her adventure in the Adirondack wilderness. Anne returned to school in the fall, but she continued to spend as much time as she could in the Adirondacks. She grew to love her time alone in the mountains. Anne graduated from college with a bachelor's degree in conservation of natural resources and began working for the National Audubon Society in Florida as a wildlife tour leader. Although Anne took great pleasure in showing people the animals living in the Florida Keys and the Everglades National Park, she longed for the mountains in the northern parts of New York. Finally she decided to build a cabin near Black Bear Lake. Over the years, however, more and more tourists began hiking near her cabin. As a result, Anne decided to build another cabin deeper in the woods at Lily Pad Lake. Anne lived in the woods for most of her life. She enjoyed living alone in the woods, and her life was far too busy for her to be lonely. When she was not writing books, she wrote articles for National Geographic, Reader's Digest, and other magazines. In her later years, Anne conducted research in Guatemala on an endangered bird called the grebe. She also lectured nationwide about ecology. Besides, Anne worked with a number of organizations dedicated to conservation. As a respected guide, author, and conservationist, Anne not only loved the land but also had found a way to become part of it. Anne built her cabin at Lily Pad Lake in order to _ . Answer: get away from increasing numbers of tourists Technology is making life easier for some dairy farmers.They use robotic systems to milk their cows.Cows are trained to follow a series of paths that lead to milking stations.Only one cow at a time can enter a station. Once inside,the cow is rewarded with food.As the cow eats,a robotic arm cleans and connects the animal to the milking machine.A few minutes later,milking is complete.The gate is opened,the cow is released and the next cow enters. The robotic systems are designed to operate 24 hours a day.The cows get to decide when they want to be milked.Cows are milked an average of about three times a day.Some are milked four to six times a day. The cows wear collars around their necks that identify them to the system.A computer keeps records on their eating and milking.A cow is released from the station if the computer decides it should not be milked. The automated system also measures the temperature and color of freshly produced milk.Milk is thrown away if it does not pass the tests. Professor Plaut believes the systems will appeal especially to the next generation of farmers.She means young people who are more interested in technology and less interested in working all the time on the farm.Still,she says the price of robotic milking systems will continue to limit their use. Doug and Tina Suhr have more than 100 cows on their family farm.Last year it became the fourth farm in southeast Minnesota to get a robotic milking system.A recent story in a local agricultural newspaper said the first robot cost 175 000 dollars.The second cost 150 000. Doug told AgriNews that wages that would have been paid for one employee in five years will pay for one robot.He says the increase in milk production reaches a high of more than six kilograms per cow per day. Why is the robotic system not popular now? Answer: Because people can't afford to buy it.
A young man once went to town and bought himself a pair of trousers. When he got home, he found that they were about two inches longer. He went to the kitchen, there his mother and two sisters were doing housework. He said to them, "The new trousers are too long. Could one of you help me to shorter them by two inches?" But they were too busy. They said nothing and were still working. After his mother finished washing all plates, she shortened the trousers by two inches. Then one of his sisters remember his trousers and shortened them by two inches. When the other sister came back home from cinema, she also remembered the new trousers. "I nearly forgot that." She thought. Then she shortened them by two inches. They said nothing because _ . Answer: they had no time to help him The easy way out isn't always easiest. I learned that lesson when I decided to treat Doug, my husband of one month, to a special meal. I glanced through my cookbook and chose a menu which included homemade bread. Knowing the bread would take time, I started on it as soon as Doug left for work. As I was not experienced in cooking, I thought if a dozen was good, two dozen would be better, so I doubled everything. As Dong loved oranges, I also opened a can of orange and poured it all into the bowl. Soon there was a sticky dough covered with ugly yellowish marks. realizing I had been defeated, I put the dough in the rubbish bin outside so I wouldn't have to face Doug laughing at my work, I went on preparing the rest of the meal, and, when Doug got home , we sat down to Cornish chicken with rice . He tried to enjoy the meal but seemed disturbed. Twice he got up and went outside, saying he thought he heard a noise. The third time he left, I went to the windows to see what he was doing. Looking out, I saw Doug standing about three feet from the rubbish bin, holding the lid up with a stick and looking into the container. When I came out of the house, he dropped the stick and explained that there was something alive in out rubbish bin . Picking up the stick again, he held the lid up enough for me to see. I felt cold. But I stepped closer and looked harder. Without doubt it was my work. The hot sun had caused the dough to double in size and the fermenting yeast made the surface shake and sigh as though it were breathing. I had to admit what the 'living thing 'was and why it was there. I don't know who was more embarrassed by the whole thing Doug or me. What made the dough in the rubbish bin? Answer: The rising and falling movement. A new Barbie doll was presented at a toy fair in Germany.It has been modelled after the German Chief Minister Angela Merkel as part of 50th birthday celebrations for the popular toy.It wears a hairstyle and a dark coat like Merkel wears. Lim Ding Wen, a nine-year-old pupil in Singapore, wrote some programs for Apple's popular iPhone.His painting program named "Doodle Kids" has been downloaded over 40,000 times in two weeks. Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama answered questions from some pupils in Washington.During his surprise visit, Obama told the children, "We are just tired of being in the White House" On February 5, China declared a top level emergency in the drought-hit provinces.The drought, which has rarely been seen in prefix = st1 /China's history, has left many people without proper drinking water and is affecting large amounts of crops. Big flames burned entire towns in southeastern Australia and some locals in their cars, making it the country's deadliest fire disaster.Officials believed arson, which means criminal act of setting fire to possessions in order to cause destruction, may be behind some of the fires. At the beginning of February, snow storms paralyzed(...) parts of London, costing businesses millions of pounds.The snow storms are the worst Britainhas seen in 18 years. The best title of the passage should be _ . Answer: Brief News Farmers can produce more by planting several different crops in the same field.But their success depends on which crops they plant together and how they mix them in the filed.In the past, the only way the farmers could learn which crops grow best together is to plant them and wait for the results.Now, however, a computer can give them answers.A new computer program written by Dr John Vanderwell of Michigan University can tell a farmer which plants grow well together and which do not.It can tell him how to plant the different crops; if he should plant each in a separate row, or mix the crops in the same row.It can tell the farmer how changes in planting each of the crops will affect the production of all of them.And it can tell him which plants can help reduce losses from diseases. Which of the following is NOT true? Answer: With the help of computers farmers don't have to do a lot of work. A food additive is any substance that is added to food. Many people are put off by the idea of "chemicals in food." The truth is that all food is made up of chemicals. Natural substances like milk, as well as man-made ones like drinks on sale in the market, can be described by chemical formulas. Some chemical substances are indeed harmful, but a person who refused to consume any chemicals would find nothing to eat. The things we eat can be divided into natural and man-made substances. Some people feel that only natural foods are healthy and that all man-made ingredients are to be avoided. But many natural chemicals, found in plants and animals, are harmful when eaten, and some laboratory-made substances increase the nutritional value of food. Other chemicals have natural and man-made forms that are exactly alike: vitamin C is vitamin C, whether it comes from a test tube or from an orange. Like "chemical", "man-made" doesn't necessarily mean "not fit to eat". Food additives are used for many reasons. We add sugar and salt and other things to foods we prepare at home to make them taste better. Food producers have developed a range of additives that stabilize, thicken, harden, keep wet, keep firm, or improve the appearance of their products. Additives can make food more convenient or nutritious, give it a longer shelf life, and make it more attractive to the consumer, thus increasing the sales and profits of the producers. Food additives are presently the centre of a storm of serious argument. Food producers have been known to use additives that have not been proved safe; some substances in common use have been proved unsafe and have been taken off the market. Many people feel there's a risk of eating food to which anything has been added. But food additives are now regulated by the FDA of the federal government, and new additives will go through strict testing before they can be placed on the market. For most people, the chances of developing serious side effects from the long-term use of presently approved food additives are very small. We can infer from the regulation to the food additives by the FDA that _ . Answer: food additives will be used in a safer and more scientific way
This Thursday, across the USA, kids are skipping school and going to work with their parents. They'll be making copies, sending faxes and sweeping floors. This is because April 28 is Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day all over the USA. This holiday shows kids what it means to be a grown-up in the working world. I still remember when this day started, I was very happy. Not only did I have the chance to miss school, but I also got to sit in my dad's taxi all day long and we would go to a restaurant for lunch. But after only 20 minutes of driving around the city, I was very bored. couldn't read my book in the car as I would get carsick and my dad didn't like to turn on the radio. I got hot and uncomfortable. People wouldn't get into his taxi because they thought he already had a passenger-me, so nothing happened. It seemed years before we went out for lunch. I actually started to miss school. While the point of the day is to give kids a chance to experience real-life jobs and give them an idea of the possibilities for their futures, I got something completely different from the day. I learned to appreciate school. Where else do you get to play with your friends, do science experiments, read great books and write stories all in one day? Just as you'll have to learn to love your job later in life, learn to love school now. If you don't already, try spending the day at work with your dad. Which of the following is NOT the purpose of 'Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day'? Answer: 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. On Sundays you should visit River City Marketplace at _ . Answer: "Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity," said the American talk show host Oprah Winfrey. I've never watched her show, but when a self-made billionaire gives life advice it's probably worth listening to. Her point is that blind luck is very rare. You may have to be lucky to find a good job these days but that does not mean you should sit at home waiting for the opportunity to come to you. If you're a Chinese, you may already be familiar with the tale of a farmer waiting by a tree stump for a rabbit to run out and break its neck. A book by the UK psychologist Richard Wiseman, called The Luck Factor, argues we can all make ourselves luckier. It's not about going to a temple to burn some incense hopes that the gods will give you good fortune; it's practical advice you can follow each day. Wiseman conducted an experiment as part of his studies. First he divided volunteers into two groups; those who said they were lucky in life and those who said they were not. He gave everyone a newspaper and asked them to look through it to count how many photographs it had inside. On average, the unlucky people took about two minutes to count the photographs while the lucky people took just seconds. Why? On the second page of the newspaper, a command, "Stop counting. There are 43 photographs in this newspaper," was written in big letters. The unlucky people mostly did not spot the message. It's easy to compare this situation to a young person looking for jobs in a local paper. They might search so hard for one type of position that they miss an even better opportunity. People who are "lucky", in fact, keep an open mind and don't go through the same routine every day. I first came to China in 2002 when it was considered a rather strange thing to do. Like many foreigners, my plan was to teach English for one year. Seven years later, and still here, I've had many great opportunities such as writing for newspapers and magazines. I did not dream these would have been possible. I've also never been sick, had an accident, got into a fight or had problems with the police. Coincidence? After reading about Professor Wiseman's studies I think not. As Wiseman advises, I usually trust my own judgment. Your friends and parents may give you advice based on rational thinking, but it's important to consider how you feel about each choice you make. Your feeling acts as a warning for a potential problem. Finally, try to turn bad luck into good. Even if you do fall down and break a leg, the time spent at home can be used wisely to study English. The writer quoted the Chinese tale of a farmer in order to show _ . Answer: You either have it, or you don't -- a sense of direction, that is.But why is it that some people could find their way across the Sahara without a map, while others can lose themselves in the next street? Scientists say we're all born with a sense of direction, but it is not properly understood how it works.One theory is that people with a good sense of direction have simply worked harder at developing it.Research being carried out at Liverpool University supports this idea and suggests that if we don't use it, we 1ose it. "Children as young as seven have the ability to find their way around, '' says Jim Martland, research director of the project."However, if they are not allowed out alone or are taken everywhere by car, they never develop the skills.'' Jim Martland also emphasizes that young people should be taught certain skills to improve their sense of direction.He makes the following suggestions: 1.If you are using a map, turn it so it relates to the way you are facing. 2.If you leave your bike in a strange place, put it near something like a big stone or a tree--something easy to recognize.Note landmarks on the route as you go away from your bike.When you return, go back along the same route. 3.Simplify the way for finding your direction by using lines such as streets in a town, streams, or walls in the countryside to guide you.Count your steps so that you know how far you have gone and note any landmarks such as tower blocks or hills which can help to find out where yon are. Now you will never get lost again! If you leave your bike in a strange place, you should _ . Answer: Can software bring dead tongues back to life? Probably yes. A computer algorithm works almost as well as a trained linguist in reconstructing how dead " _ " would have sounded, says a new study. "Our computer system is doing a basic job right now," says Alex Bouchard-Cote, an assistant professor in the department of statistics at the University of British Columbia and lead author of the paper describing the algorithm. But the program does a good enough job that it may be able to give linguists a head start, the statistician added. For centuries, scholars have reconstructed languages by hand: looking at the same word in two or more languages and making educated guesses about what that word's "ancestor" may have sounded like. For example, the Spanish word for man ("hombre") and the French word for man ("homme") developed from the Latin word "homo." The way linguists compare words from descendant languages to reconstruct the parent language is called, appropriately, the comparative method. The early 19th-century linguist Franz Bopp was the first to compare Greek, Latin and Sanskrit using this method. Jacob Grimm, one of the Brothers Grimm of fairy tale fame, used the comparative method to show how Germanic languages developed from a common ancestor. The difference between that and Bouchard-Cote's program, the statistician says, "is we do it on a larger scale." As a proof of concept, Bouchard-Cote fed words from 637 Austronesian languages (spoken in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and more) into the new algorithm, and the system came up with a list of what the ancestor words of all those languages would have sounded like. In more than 85 percent of cases, the automated reconstruction came within one character of the ancestor word commonly accepted as true by linguists. The algorithm won't replace trained human linguists, but could speed up language analysis. Using a computer to do large-scale reconstruction offers another advantage. Bouchard-Cote says, "With big data sets, you can really start finding regularities ... You might find that certain sounds are more likely to change than others." So Bouchard-Cote's team tested the "functional load hypothesis ," which says that sounds that are more important for two clearly different words are less likely to change over time. A formal test of this hypothesis in 1967 looked at four languages; Bouchard-Cote's algorithm looked at 637. "The revealed pattern would not be obvious if we had not been able to reconstruct large numbers of protolanguages," Bouchard-Cote and his coauthors write in the new study. In addition to simply helping linguists understand how people spoke in the past, studying ancient languages can perhaps answer historical questions. For example, Bouchard-Cote says, "Say people are interested in finding out when Europe was settled. If you can figure out if the language of the settling population had a word for wheel, then you can get some idea of the order in which things occurred, because you would have some records that show you when the wheel was invented." According to Bouchard-Cote, reconstructing the dead "protolanguages" might _ . Answer:
Sales of crime novel The Cuckoo's Calling have rocketed since its author Robert Galbraith was unmasked as JK Rowling, according to The Bookseller. It said 17,662 hardback copies were sold between 14 and 20 July, up from just 43 copies the previous week, according to Nielsen BookScan data. The Cuckoo's Calling was the week's bestselling hardback novel, despite some booksellers running out of stock. The Harry Potter author was identified in a newspaper article last week. On a website Rowling said 8,500 English language copies had been sold in all forms, including e-books, before her unmasking. The author added that she had received two offers from television production companies. "The situation was becoming increasingly complicated, largely because Robert was doing rather better than we had expected him to," she said. "But we all still hoped to keep the secret a little longer. Robert's success during his first three months as a published writer (discounting sales made after I was found out) actually compares favourably with JK Rowling's success over the similar period of her career." However, the Bookseller reported the hardback had sold fewer than 500 copies in its three-month period on sale before the Sunday Times' expose. The recent sales were not enough to send The Cuckoo's Calling to the top spot in the official UK top 50, instead landing it in third place. The Rowling revelation coincided with the paperback release of The Casual Vacancy -- her first official post-Potter work--which sold 19,548 copies in the same week, making the book number two in the sales chart. Neither title managed to draw John Grisham's The Racketeer from the top of the chart, which shifted 24,222 copies -- a 19% drop on the previous week. Elsewhere on the Robert Galbraith website, Rowling has revealed the reason she chose her pen name. She said she picked Robert because US senator Robert F Kennedy was her "hero" and she had never used the name in one of her earlier books. "I can only hope all the real Robert Galbraiths out there will be as forgiving as the real Harry Potters have been," she wrote. A follow-up to The Cuckoo's Calling has been finished and should be published next year, the author added. What can we know about the sale of The Cuckoo's Calling? A. The English edition sells better than other editions. B. The sales have come across decline in recent weeks. C. The sale is beyond satisfaction before J.K. Rowling unmasked. D. Book sellers can't cover any expense for the running out of the stock. Answer: C. The sale is beyond satisfaction before J.K. Rowling unmasked. Hello, I'm Allan Peterson. I'm an English boy. But I am in China. I have a good friend. Let me tell you something about him. His name is Li Ming. He is a student. He is in class Two, Grade One, No.5 middle school. We are classmates. Li Ming is 14 years old. He likes basketball and English. We often play basketball after school. What does Li Ming do after school? A. He goes home. B. He has dinner. C. He plays basketball. D. He reads English. Answer: C. He plays basketball. Ice wedging can be explained by pointing to A. roads in wintery areas need constant fixing after winter B. houses are falling down soon C. some trees split after they start to grow tall D. ice is cold enough to kill Answer: A. roads in wintery areas need constant fixing after winter Perhaps you think you could easily add to your happiness with more money. Strange as it may seem, if you're unsatisfied, the issue is not a lack of means to meet your desires but a lack of desires--not that you cannot satisfy your tastes but that you don't have enough tastes. Real riches consist of well-developed and hearty capacities to enjoy life. Most people are already swamped with things. They eat, wear, go and talk too much. _ Your house of life ought to be a mansion , a royal palace. Every new taste, every additional interest, every fresh enthusiasm adds a room. Here are several rooms your house of life should have. Art should be a desire for you to develop simply because the world is full of beautiful things. If you only understood how to enjoy them and feed your spirit on them, they would make you as happy as to find plenty of ham and eggs when you're hungry. Literature, classic literature, is a beautiful, richly furnished room where you might find many an hour of rest and refreshment. To gain that love would go toward making you a rich person, for a rich person is not someone who has a library but who likes a library. Music like Mozart's and Bach's shouldn't be absent. Real riches are of the spirit. And when you've brought that spirit up to where classical music feeds it and makes you a little drunk, you have increased your thrills and bettered them. And life is a matter of thrills. Sports, without which you remain poor, mean a lot in life. No matter who you are, you would be more human, and your house of life would be better supported against the had days, if you could, and did, play a bit. Whatever rooms you might add to your house of life, the secret of enjoying life is to keep adding. It can be learned from the passage that _ . A. more money brings more happiness B. art is needed to make your house beautiful C. literature can enrich your spiritual life D. sports contribute mainly to your physical fitness Answer: C. literature can enrich your spiritual life One day, Allan and his friend Henry went swimming in a river. It was very hot. How happy they were in the river! After they got out of the water, they played games in the sun for a while. On their way back, Henry saw some flowers. He liked flowers very much and ran into the green field to look at them. Now Allan was walking by himself. Then he heard Henry calling out, "A snake ! Help!..." "What's wrong with you?" asked Allan. "A snake bit me in the leg. Come here!" Allan ran over and saw a small red wound on Henry' s leg. "The snake was in the grass. I didn't see it." "Sit down quickly"! Allan told Henry. Allan put his mouth at the little red wound and began to suck at it. In this way he saved Henry's life. "Oh, Allan, it's very kind of you to help me." "That's all right. We are friends and we must always help each other." Henry and Allan are _ . A. workers B. good friends C. brothers D. farmers Answer: B. good friends
For many people of Norway ,skiing is the best way to have fun in winter. Almost everyone can ski. Children learn to ski after they learn to walk. Long long ago in Norway ,there were no buses, trains or cars. People had to find a way to walk over the deep snow. Skis were the right answer! Although they love winter, the people of Norway are also happy to see summer come. They enjoy the out-door activities at any time of the year. In summer they swim and sunbathe near the beach. Some people go hiking and go mountain climbing. Sail-boating is also very popular during the warm sunny summer months. The Norwegians , like people everywhere, find many in-door ways to have a good time. During the long winter they also enjoy movies. They like to read books from the libraries in all seasons . Family life is very important to the people of Norway. In winter, _ is the most popular sport for Norwegians to have a good time. Answer: skiing. Everybody needs water. Everything needs water. We use water to wash the bowls , clothes and ourselves. We use water to plant trees, flowers and crops . Where does all water come from? It comes from clouds. Some of rain goes into the ground. Many people get it under the ground. Some rain water goes into the hills. It runs into lakes and rivers. Many people get it there. ,. All water comes from _ . Answer: clouds Rabbits are easy to raise. They are clean and quiet. They don't need a lot of room. And it costs a small amount of money to feed them, but you can get a big return. One male and two females will produce as many as fifty more rabbits in a year. That is enough to provide enough meat for a family. Rabbit meat is high in protein and low in fat. You don't have to be a farmer to raise rabbits. You can raise them in the city. Rabbit houses are easy to make with wood and wire. They don't have to be very big. But each rabbit must have its own little room in the house. This is very important. Each room should be about 75 centimeters wide, 60 centimeters high and one meter deep. Fencing is used for the sides and floor of the rabbit house. The holes in the wire fencing should be about one centimeter square. Waste from the animals will drop through the holes. This keeps the rabbit house clean and dry. Rabbits need a lot of fresh air and sunlight. Cover the sides of the rabbit house only to protect it from rain. Rabbits eat mostly grass and leaves. Hang feeding containers on the outside of the house to let the rabbits eat whenever they want. They simply pull the grass and leaves through the holes in the fence. Each room should have fresh water. The water containers should be heavy so the rabbit cannot turn them over. Or you can tie the containers to the fence. One month after mating , female rabbits give birth to about eight babies. In two months, a baby rabbit should weigh about two kilograms. This is big enough to make a meal for a small family. Rabbits are also valuable for their fur. It takes time, skill and money to prepare the fur and skin for use. If you have only a few rabbits, it probably would be best to let a tanner prepare the fur for you. Skill is also needed to remove the fur from the rabbit. _ . Many people enjoy keeping rabbits as friendly pets. And rabbit waste makes an excellent fertilizer . It can be mixed directly into the soil to improve the growth of vegetables, trees, and flowering plants. The text is written mainly _ . Answer: to tell readers how to raise rabbits Museum Visit and Discovery Space When you visit the museum in the Sciencenter, your class can also have a visit to Discovery Space. It is hosted by a Sciencenter educator. Discovery Space provides school-age kids with a place to explore the world of science the way they like. Students will have self-directed independent learning experiences as they try to find the truth about science through activities, games and experiments. A Sciencenter educator can help you find the discovery boxes that are suitable for your school subjects and class interests. Ticket price The Sciencenter welcomes your school group and is pleased to offer discounted tickets to schools for field trips of 10 or more students. For groups smaller than 10, there is no discount. September 1 - February 28: come early and SAVE! Museum Visit Plus Discovery Space: $3.50 per student March 1 - August 31 Museum Visit Plus Discovery Space: $4.50 per student Duration Discovery Space reservations last about 30 minutes. Sciencerter educators will divide large groups into small ones. Each group has 20 persons at most. Please Note Individual Sciencenter memberships are not to be used by school groups for the purpose of cutting school field trip costs. Questions and Reservations For more information or reservations, contact Shannon McSurely, Educator Program Manager, at 607-272-0666 ext. 23 or smcsurely@sciencenter.org. In Discovery Space, students can _ . Answer: study science in a free way Some people are lucky enough to be born with a good sense of direction and even if they have only visited a place once, they will be able to find it again years later. I am one of those unfortunate people who have poor sense of direction and I may have visited a place time after time but I still get lost on my way there. When I was young I was so shy that I never dared ask complete strangers the way and so I used to wander round in circles and hope that by some chance I would get to the spot I was heading for. I am no longer too shy to ask people for direction, but I often receive replies that puzzle me. Often people do not like to admit that they didn't know their hometown and will insist on telling you the way, even if they do not know it; others, who are anxious to prove that they know their hometown very well, will give you a long list of directions which you can not possibly hope to remember, and still others do not seem to be able to tell between their left and their right and you find in the end that you are going in the opposite direction to that in which you should be going. If anyone ever asks me the way to somewhere, I always tell them I am a stranger to the town in order to avoid giving them wrong direction but even this can have embarrassing results. Once I was on my way to work when I was stopped by a man who asked me if I would direct him the way to the Sunlight Building. I gave my usual reply, but I had not walked on a few steps when I realized that he had asked for directions to my office building. However, at this point, I decide it was too late to turn back and search for him out of the crowd behind me as I was going to meet with someone at the office and I did not want to keep him waiting. Imagine my embarrassment when my secretary showed in the very man who had asked for directions of my office and his astonishment when he recognized me as the person he had asked. Why did the writer consider himself to be an unlucky dog? Answer: Because of his poor sense of direction.
People in different countries have different ways of doing things. Something that is polite in one country may be quite impolite in another. In Britain, you mustn't lift your bowl to your mouth when you are having some soup. But it's different in China. And in Japan you even needn't worry about making a noise when you have it. It shows that you are enjoying it. Making a noise is considered as bad manners (,) in Britain. If you are a visitor in Mongolia, what manners do they wish you to have? They wish you to give a loud "burp" after you finish eating. Burping shows that you like the food. In Britain, you should try not to put your hands on the table when you're having a meal. In Mexico, however, they hope you keep the hands on the table during a meal. But Arabians consider you must be very careful with your hands. You mustn't eat with your left hand. Arabians consider it very bad manners eating with left hands. So, what should you do if you are on a visit in another country? Well, you can ask the local people to help you or just watch carefully and follow them if you are on a visit in another country. In Mongolia, burping after eating shows that _ . Answer: you like the food NASA has opened the door to the next generation of space discovery by announcing great plans for a base for humans to live on the surface of the moon forever. The project to build a base on the moon will begin soon after 2020, with astronauts living there within four years. The project comes after several excellent scientists and environmentalists asked humans to look beyond Earth to ensure the survival of the species . Eventually, the moon will be a base for humans to explore the solar system and one day land on Mars. NASA began planning for the first moon landing since 1972 when George Bush, the US president, announced his new plan for space exploration four years ago. NASA has already talked about the design of the Orion spacecraft that will replace the old space shuttle fleet in 2010. The plan for the moon base, however, is the first detailed explanation of how NASA intends to prepare for the first manned exploration of deep space and a possible Mars mission within 30 years. Scientists also believe that the south pole on the moon contain rich natural gases such as the rare helium-3 that could be used as fuel for the generation of nuclear power. Besides, teams of astronauts living there for six months at a time would mine for hydrogen and oxygen to make water and possibly rocket fuel. In the future, when people fly to the moon, they will probably not bring with them too much _ Answer: water Seventeen-year-old Randy Waldron, Jr., was shocked when he applied for his first credit card and was denied. He was even more shocked by the reason: He failed to repay thousands of dollars in debt. Waldron's identity had been stolen by his father, who left when Randy was learning to walk. From 1982 to 1999, Randy Waldron, Sr., used his son's Social Security number to obtain credit from various merchants and lenders, then racked up tens of thousands of dollars in debts. He declared bankruptcy in his son's name, which resulted in default judgments against the younger Waldron. It has taken Randy Jr., now a 24-year-old flight attendant, years to untangle the mess. Waldron isn't alone. Identity theft is this country's fastest-growing crime -- and, increasingly, ID thieves are targeting children. Their clean credit and absence of criminal histories make them ideal victims. Linda Foley, co-executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center inprefix = st1 /San Diego, estimates that at least 400,000 children had their identities stolen in 2005, more than double the number in 2003. Waldron's case is typical: The resource center estimates that two-thirds of child ID thefts are committed by family members. Some dishonest persons use children's names and Social Security numbers to ring up massive debts; others use children's identities in place of their own when caught committing other crimes; still others sell identification information on the black market to illegal immigrants, fellow criminals or even terrorists. The theft brings its victims enormous financial and emotional trauma, in part because the identity abuse often goes undetected for years. Dealing with child identity theft after it happens is extremely difficult. Laws in many states are insufficient to handle the crime's complexity, and financial institutions are often less than helpful. Randy Waldron, Jr., has worked tirelessly for eight years to straighten out his credit record, and he continues to deal with the fallout. "It's been a very long and arduous battle," he says. "Recovering my identity was really the hardest part. I think a lot of victims assume the problem will go away." Which of the following is the best title of the passage? Answer: Child Identity Theft Carrots are grown all over the world. They are easy to plant and easy to _ . They have a good taste. When people think about carrots, they usually think they are a kind of long, thin, orange-colored vegetable. In fact, carrots are in many different sizes and shapes. And not all carrots are orange. Carrots should be grown in a field that does not have water for a long time. The earth also should not be too hard. To prepare your carrot garden, dig up the earth and turn it over . Weather, soil condition , and time affect the taste of carrots. Warm days and cool nights are the best time to grow great delicious carrots. The best way to decide if a carrot is ready to be harvested is by its color. Usually, the brighter the color is, the better the taste is. Most people do not know that carrots can be grown during the winter months. If the winter is not cold enough to freeze the ground, you can grow carrots the same way as you do during the summer months. Carrots are prepared and eaten in many different ways. They are cut into thin pieces and cooked with other vegetables or meat. Or, they are washed, and eaten just as they come out of the ground. Which of the following is Not true? Answer: Everyone knows that carrots can be grown during the winter months. A used book or nearly-new kitchen gadget may not be at the top of every Christmas wish list, but hard economic times coupled with a new green awareness are changing attitudes about gift-giving in France. French holiday shoppers are choosing larger numbers for "green" gifting this Christmas, studies show. About 30 percent of French consumers will give second-hand items as gifts to stretch out their tight budgets but also to do their little bit for recycling, according to a study by international consulting firm Deloitte. The survey of Christmas consumer behaviors in 18 European countries found the French were more than twice as likely as other Europeans to give second-hand items. Websites promoting re-gifting and green gifting are popular in France, with many reporting a rise in business. "Concerns about the ecology and the economy have come together and we are now seeing people who accept the types of gifts that were not appreciated just a short time ago," said Sebastien Ravut, who runs a website promoting eco-friendly consumerism. His site lists shops in France that offer fair trade products, bio-friendly goods and recycled items. Over the Christmas holidays, the number of visits to the site has doubled from last year, reaching 60,000 a month. A study by online survey firm Vivodi for PriceMinister showed eight out of 10 people would be happy to receive a used item as a gift and that younger consumers were more open to the idea. But Gilles Goldenberg, author of the Deloitte study, said that environmental concerns are not why customers buy used goods. "The number one concern is getting the lowest possible price," said Goldenberg. "Eco-friendly products are drawing a lot of interest, but not if that means paying more." Theatre tickets and other low-carbon gifts are fashionable, and eco-friendly websites are also encouraging gift givers to offer time and services instead of stuff. "The order of the day is to spend less time shopping and more time connecting" over the holidays, said Florence de Monclin from the Nicolas Helot foundation for Nature and Humanity. We can judge from the Deloitte study that _ . Answer: over a quarter of the French give second-hand Christmas gifts
There is a forgotten player in the global efforts to limit C02 emissions:the consumer. Households consume one--third of the final energy used in the European Union and produce around two--thirds of city waste.Moreover,food,housing,and private transport account for almost 80%of environmental pressures.So consumers can make a real difference when it comes to fighting climate change. Several factors can direct consumers towards more environmentally--friendly behavior. To achieve this,we need clear and simple information to guide consumption decisions. Indeed.Two thirds of consumers find it difficult to understand which products are better for the environment when shopping. With 58% of Europeans believing that many companies pretend to be green in order to charge higher prices, industry has a long way to go in helping consumers feet confident when making green choices.They should give consumers more information about the carbon footprint of their products,and promote more sustainable behavior among their customers. To be sure, companies are increasingly creating product labels that help consumers make responsible choices--for instance, reminding users of products made from materials that are recycled,renewable, and/or less carbon--intensive. Even so,only,20% of Europeans believe that companies are doing enough to promote environmentally friendly options. In times of crisis, consumers prefer high-quality products that will last long and won't go out of style.Durable products might sometimes cost more, but they don't need to be replaced as frequently. In this way,companies that create durable or recyclable products enable consumers to think differently about their purchases, which can help users behave more responsibly, and thus may help end our "throw-way" culture. However, it is not enough to inform consumers of the environmental features of products. We also need to provide consumers with guidance to establish a practical lifestyle model to follow. This cannot be brought about by regulations alone, but by good business communities that would create a loyal group of "sustainable consumers". The author advises companies to _ in the time of crisis. A. reduce the cost of production B. throw away old models C. replace their products frequently D. make more durable products Answer: D Tu Youyou, the 85-year-old Chinese pharmacologist ,received the Nobel Prize for medicine in Stockholm on December 10,2015. Tu is the first Chinese Nobel winner in physiology or medicine. Also, in 2011, she became the first Chinese person to receive the US-based Lasker Award for clinical medicine. Based on a fourth-century Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) text, together with her team, she managed to get artemisinin from sweet wormwood through trial and error and developed an important drug that has significantly reduced death rates among patients suffering from _ . Tu delivered a speech titled Artemisinin is a Gift from TCM to the World. She has urged more research into the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine and called for joint efforts worldwide to fight against malaria and develop more potential uses for TCM, which she called a "great treasure" with thousands of years' history and empirical knowledge. She said that by combining TCM with modem scientific technologies, "more potential can be discovered in searching for new drugs " . According to the WHO, more than 240 million people in sub-Saharan Africa have benefited from artemisinin, and more than l. 5 million lives are estimated to have been saved since 2000 thanks to the drug. Apart from its contribution to the global fight against malaria, TCM played a vital role in the deadly outbreak of SARS across China in 2003. Besides treating viruses, TCM has been most effective in diagnosing diseases, cultivating fitness, treating difficult multisource illnesses, and using nonmedical methods such as acupuncture and breathing exercises. However, TCM, which is based on a set of beliefs about human biology, is seldom understood or accepted by the West. Tu's success will bring more recognition and respect for TCM, experts say. The Western world should learn to appreciate the value of the treasures of TCM, which will lead to more basic scientific research into ancient TCM texts and ways to explore research findings worldwide. In this passage the author mentions _ prize( s) that Tu Youyou received. A. one B. two C. three D. four Answer: B How old is "old"? The answer has changed over the years.Two hundred years ago, you were old at 35.At the beginning of the 20th century, the average life span was 45.In 1950,70-year-olds were really old.Today, a healthy 70-year-old person is still thought young. So, how old is old? The answer is one you've heard many times, from all kinds of people."You are as old(or young) as you feel." Your age simply tells you how many years you have lived.Your body tells you how well you've lived. "Nobody grows old by living a number of years," wrote a writer."People grow old when they don't have their ideals ." People should not have the wrong ideals about aging.Sometimes, old minds can be as bright as young minds.Alice Brophy once said, "It makes me happy who people say.You look young for your age." What does that mean? You know you can die old at 30 (30) and live young at 80. The passage is mainly about _ . A. the average life span B. aging C. the 20th century D. older people and young people Answer: B The Couch Surfing network is an online community stretching across the globe with over one and a half million members. The basic concept is to provide a platform for travelers to contact people who are willing to put them up free of charge. Travelers connect with potential hosts online and, if they like each other, exchange details to make farther arrangements. Basil is one traveler from Switzerland who is currently couch surfing with a Chinese host in Beijing. "I thought staying in hostel is nice but you mostly meet foreigners and speak English. If you use Couch Surfing you have chance to meet people living here and really get a chance to know the life of the place you visit. " Basil was speaking during a regular meeting of Beijing network of Couch Surfing with a membership of almost 2,000. Although some people may have concerns about meeting complete strangers and giving them full access to your house, Beijing group member Fred Sharp from California says that the Couch Surfing community is one that generally attracts trustworthy people. "I have never had a problem with guests. I'd say that this Couch Surfing community worldwide is a fairly trustworthy community like I say, always be cautious, make sure that you read everyone's profile that you're considering hosting, and if it doesn't feel right just say' no', it's OK. " Originally launched in the US as a non-profit organization in 2004, Couch Surfing is growing fast across the world. China is no exception with around 30,000 members and hundreds more signing up each week. One of them is Beijing resident Hai Yan who joined in November 2009. She says the first time she hosted a guest was a very positive experience. "My first guest was from Italy. He was very kind and helpful. He bought me a present from Italy, a handbag. It's a famous brand!" As the organization grows from strength to strength, hotel owners across the world will be watching very closely and possibly thinking twice about raising their prices too high. We can infer from the passage that _ . A. Couch Surfing has a long history B. Hai Yan is satisfied with her host C. Couch Surfing is getting popular in China D. Basil works at the Beijing Network Answer: C Students often complain their teachers give them too much homework . Now , two reports show that in America this is not true . The Brookings report shows that most students do less than one hour of homework . The Rand report shows that only 10% of high school students spend more than two hours a night on homework . The Brookings report also talks about a study from 1995 . American students do almost the least homework among twenty countries . Students in France , Italy and South Africa spend more than two hours on homework . The Rand report says there was only one time when homework greatly increased in America .During the early 1960s , Americans were not happy when the former Soviet Union became the first country to reach space . People thought it was necessary to improve education . Parents want their children to have time for sports , music lessons and other things after school. some experts say schools need to give useful homework . Some experts think _ . A. students don't work hard enough B. students should not do any homework C. homework is welcome if it is useful D. it isn't necessary for students to do homework Answer: C
China Daily Oct.11,2008-TheMinistry Of Health has called for more awareness from the public on the mental health of the young as part of efforts to mark World Mental Health Day which fell on Friday. More than 15 percent of Chinese youths have been found with mental problems and about 30 million young people under 17 are suffering from depression,the Shanghai-based Wenhui Daily reported.The World Health Organization estimates that before 2020,the rate of children with mental problems will increase to 50 percent ,and mental problem will become a major factor behind deaths and illness in the young worldwide. Dang Xianhong,the spokesperson for the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau,said rapid social change is one of the reasons behind the rising number of youngsters with psychological problems.If these mental dispenses are not addressed on time, science of crimes,drug-taking and other dangerous behaviors are expected to rise.Experts said mental diseases could be caused by many factors,such as the inability to handle interpersonal relations well, unstable emotions and pressures from an overload of studies.A number of experts have also said the one child policy is another reason leading to poor mental health in the young.Children are said to be too "spoiled" and "selfish" in a one child family. It's reported that schools in many cities are rolling out measures to help students maintain their mental well-being.Yin Jingmiao, a teacher of the Beijing No,105 Middle School,told China Daily that the school invites psychologists to provide counseling to students three times a month."Students can be arranged to have 40-minute counseling sessions." Yin said."The school also gives lectures on mental health to senior grade students before they take the national college entrance exams to help ease any anxiety arising from the tests." Why is Beijing No. 105 Middle School mentioned in the passage? Answer: When times get tough, we all look for ways to cut back. When we're hungry, we eat at home instead of going out. We take buses instead of taxis. And we wear our old designer jeans just a few months longer. With college expenses at all-time highs, high school students are eager to do anything to cut the cost of a university education. One cost-cutting proposal is to allow college students to get a bachelor's degree in three years instead of four. Educational institutions have been actively exploring ways to make the learning process more efficient. But there's a question: Would the quality of undergraduate education suffer? Few US universities have formally approved a "three-year degree" model. I doubt that mainstream North American colleges will carry out a three-year curriculum any time soon. For one thing, most universities already allow highly qualified students to graduate early by testing out of certain classes and obtaining a number of college credits. In addition, at famous universities, the committee who determine which courses are required and which courses are electives are unlikely to suddenly "throw out" one quarter of the required credits. Professors will resist "diluting " the quality of the education they offer. In my opinion, a quality four-year education is always superior to a quality three-year education. A college education requires sufficient time for a student to become skilled in their major and do coursework in fields outside their major. It is not a good idea to water down education, any more than it's not a good idea to water down medicine. If we want to help students find their way through university, we should help them understand early on what knowledge and skills they need to have upon graduation. We should allow students to test out of as many courses as possible. We should give them a chance to earn money as interns in meaningful part-time jobs that relate to their university studies, such as the five-year co-op program at Northeastern University. ks5uks5u Which of the following can be the best title? Answer: Once a boy went to a palace to ask a wise man what the secret of happiness is. After talking with the boy, the wise man asked the boy to look around the palace and return in two hours. "And , I want to ask you to do something,"said the wise man ."As you look around, carry this spoon with you without making the oil spill ." The boy began walking up and down the stairs of the palace, and he kept his eyes on the spoon all the time. After two hours, he returned. "Well," asked the wise man, "what did you see in my palace?" The boy said that he had seen nothing. "Then go back and enjoy my wonderful world," said the wise man. The boy picked up the spoon and began to look around the palace again. This time, he saw many beautiful things in the palace. When he returned, the wise man asked, "but where are the drops of oil I give you?" The boy saw that the oil was gone. "There is only one piece of advice I can give you," said the wise man. "The secret of happiness is to see all wonders of the world and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon." ,A, B, C, D,, . The boy visited the wise man for _ . Answer: Many people may think that animals in the zoo are happy, free and lucky, but most of them are sad. Do you know why? Animals like tigers, lions, and bears usually live in forests or mountains. They run, jump, play with their children and catch small animals for food. But now they have to stay in cages ,small rooms in the zoo. They don't have to find food by themselves because the zoo keepers feed them. They do nothing but eat, walk and sleep every day. Their life in the zoo is quite different from that in the forest because they are not free. Maybe they miss their mothers and their friends, in fact, they feel lonely. Which is wrong according to 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 passage mainly tells us _ . Answer:
Question: Apollo 11, carrying Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins, was launched on 16 July, 1969. Five days later they stepped down onto the moon. Neil Armstrong On the way there: Of all the wonderful views we had, the most impressive to me was on the way to the Moon when we flew through its shadow. We were still thousands of miles away, but close enough so that the Moon almost filled our window. The moon appeared blue-grey. It seemed almost as if it were showing us its roundness, its similarity in shape to our Earth, in a sort of welcome. I was sure it would be a hospitable host. It had been waiting for its first visitors for a long time. After touch down: The sky is black, you know. It's a very dark sky, but it still seemed more like daylight than darkness as we looked out the window. It's a very strange thing but the surface looked very warm and inviting. It seemed to be tan . It's hard to explain that, because later when I held the material in my hand, it wasn't tan at all. It was black, grey and so on. Edwin Aldrin On the Moon: The blue color of my boots has completely disappeared now into this soil--still don't know what color to describe this other than grayish cocoa. Back on board: The moon was a very natural and pleasant environment in which to work. On the Moon, in one-sixth gravity, you have a strong feeling of being somewhere. As we did our experiments, some objects we threw away would go in a slow, lazy manner. What impressed Neil Armstrong most? A. The moon filling their window. B. Seeing the shape of the moon C. Flying through the shadow of the moon. D. The five--day flight to the moon. Answer: C Question: Absorbing sunlight causes objects to what? A. cool B. chill C. freeze D. blaze up Answer: D Question: Commencement is a time for idealism. But economic reality is cruel everywhere; especially for new graduate. They have been told repeatedly that a college degree is an open sesame to the global economy. But that's not necessarily so, according to new research by two economists at he Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Frank Levy and Peter Temin. It is true that people with college degrees make more money than people without degrees. The gap has narrowed somewhat in recent years, which is disturbing. But the earning power of college graduates still far outpaces that of less-educated workers. The bad news, though, is that a college degree does not ensure a bigger share of the economics pie for many graduates. In recent decades Mr. Levy and Mr. Temin show, only college-educated women have seen their income grow in line with economy wide gains in productivity. The earnings of male college graduates have failed to keep pace with productivity gains. Instead, a huge share of productivity growth, which expands the nation's income, is going to Americans on the top of the income scale. In 2005, the latest year with available data, the top of 1 percent of Americans---whose average annual income was $ 1.1 million--- took in 21.8 percent of the nation's income, their largest share since 1929. Administration officials, and other politicians and economists, often, believe that income inequality, reflects an education gap. But Mr. Levy and Mr. Temin show that in the case of men, the average bachelor's degree is not enough to catch the rising tide of the global economy. They argue that the real reason that inequality is worsening is the lack of strong policies that broadly distribute economic gains. In the past, for example, a more progressive income tax and unions promote equality. Positive measures have been _ and new ones have not yet emerged, making the income gap even greater. Mr. Levy and Mr. Temin conclude that only a new government policy can restore general prosperity. That's a challenge to the nation's leader and today's graduates. America needs them to contribute to the development of the nation in global economy. From the passage, some economists believe that the worsening income inequality is caused by _ . A. lower college degree of college graduates B. lack of proper governmental policies C. gender discrimination D. underdevelopment of economy and productivity. Answer: B Question: If an object is attracted to a magnet, the object is most likely made of A. wood B. plastic C. cardboard D. metal Answer: D Question: My name is Mimi. I'm black and white. I like sitting on the chair in the sun in winter. Do you know my favorite food? It is fish. I don't like apples. I can climb trees. I can sing " Miao, miao". What am I? Can you guess? What color is Mimi? A. Black. B. White. C. Black and white. D. Red Answer: C
Look at the photo. The two girls have big blue eyes and long brown hair. They are ten. They are in the same class. The one in a yellow skirt is Lily. The other one in an orange skirt is Lucy. Bob is their brother . He is in a blue cap. He is a high school student. Their dad is Mr. White. He is in a brown coat. Their mom is Mrs. White. She is in black shoes. Look!Lucy and Lily are in the green car. . _ is in the green car. A Bob B Lily's dad C Lucy's mom D Lucy Answer: D Hydro-King, Inc., a high-volume pleasure boat retailer, entered into a written contract with Zuma, signed by both parties, to sell Zuma a power boat for $12,000. The manufacturer's price of the boat delivered to Hydro-King was $9,500. As the contract provided, Zuma paid Hydro-King $4,000 in advance and promised to pay the full balance upon delivery of the boat. The contract contained no provision for liquidated damages. Prior to the agreed delivery date, Zuma notified Hydro-King that he would be financially unable to conclude the purchase; and Hydro-King thereupon resold the same boat that Zuma had ordered to a third person for $12,000 cash. If Zuma sues Hydro-King for restitution of the $4,000 advance payment, which of the following should the court decide? A Zuma's claim should be denied, because, as the party in default, he is deemed to have lost any right to restitution of a benefit conferred on Hydro-King. B Zuma's claim should be denied, because, but for his repudiation, Hydro-King would have made a profit on two boat sales instead of one. C Zuma's claim should be upheld in the amount of $4,000 minus the amount of Hydro-King's lost profit under its contract with Zuma. D Zuma's claims should be upheld in the amount of $3,500 ($4,000 minus $500 as statutory damages under the UCC) Answer: C Millions of young people are writing blogs . Millions of others are reading them. The word "blog" is a short way of saying Web log. Many popular Web sites now offer free, easy ways to create personal Web pages and fill them with writings and pictures. Web sites called "Face book" and "My Space" are some of the most popular blog sites for young people. Blogs offer young people a place to show their writings and feelings. They can also be helpful to connect young people with others. But blogs can become dangerous when they are read on the Internet by millions of people all over the world. Recent studies show that young people often tell their names, age and where they live on the Internet. That may not be safe for them. This personal information puts them in danger when found out by dangerous people who want to hurt them. Students can also get into trouble when they put information about others on their blogs. As a result, many schools don't allow using blogging web sites on school computers. Many schools have also begun teaching parents about the web sites. Parents should know what their children are doing online and should read their blogs to make sure they are not giving out personal information. One way to keep away from these problems is to use programs so that blogs can be read by "friends only." people can read the website only if they know a secret word chosen by the blogger. Blogs may be dangerous because _ . A they get in the way of studies B they are not allowed for school students C surfing the Internet is bad for eyes D personal information can be found in blogs easily Answer: D If waste is to be avoided, then a box should be A left outside B burned quickly C thrown away D filled repeatedly Answer: D If you are interested to find a part-time job or learn something different during your spare time, you can have a look at the following jobs offered by the DC Public Library. Teens of Distinction Program The DC Public Library offers part-time jobs for teens through the Teens of Distinction Program. Teens work 10-12 hours per week all year long, helping the library with important tasks and projects. The Teens of Distinction Program is now hiring! To apply, you have to: * be a DC resident * have and maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average * be 16 to 18 years old * be able to work 10-12 hours per week * be able to work for DCPL for at least 9 months Oh, and of course you have to impress us with your wonderful personality! Teen Volunteer Opportunities If you want to earn community service hours for school, Youth202 is a good choice. Youth202 is a radio program created by youth and for youth. You can learn radio production skills, interview people around you, and help keep other teens to learn news, events, and anything else you think is important. Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) Every summer, teens can work here to help library customers organize books and learn lots of new skills, such as program planning, writing and media production. On Friday, January 25 at 12:15 pm, the application for the 2014 SYEP will be open to teens between the ages of 14 and 21. Applications will be processed on a firstcome, firstserved basis. Space is limited this year, so teens are encouraged to apply early, and remember not to miss the deadline, Saturday, February 16. The aim of text is to _ . A introduce the DC Public Library B describe the job of library workers C offer teenager part-time jobs in the DC Public Library D teach how to apply for part-time jobs Answer: C
Driving speeds have largely stabilized, and nowadays, safety concerns are important and reducing road accidents to minimum is a must. So, automakers are focused on safety systems more than ever before. Given the emphasis on improving safety, it's possible that well-known phrases such as "live fast and die young" may lose their meaning as innovative new devices are built into cars and trucks and other things that go. Many of the new safety systems that are being added to high-end vehicles are computer-assisted technologies that transfer some of the vehicle's operations to the vehicle itself, rather than relying only on the driver's decision-making skills. For example, predictive brake assist is an in-vehicle feature that prepares the vehicle for braking when its built-in sensors detect a potential object ahead. The predictive brake assist basically places the vehicle's braking system on alert, which helps the system to slow down the car in as little time and as short a distance as possible. Other in-vehicle sensors will detect moving and still objects and will even distinguish the objects based on simple patterns, such as other vehicles vs. a person. What's more, built-in "active systems", i.e., predictive precollision systems, will provide drivers with advance detection of potential contact between vehicles. These systems compute the movement of the objects and detect possible dangerous intersections . What technological developments have enabled innovations like predictive precollision systems? Essentially, these so-called active systems are the result of vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. These communication links allow highways to provide a vehicle's owners with services such as renting a movie during the trip, as well as reduce reaction delays when medical care is needed due to a crash. Despite these new technologies, drivers cannot take safety for granted. Until all vehicles are fully automated, it is the drivers themselves who are responsible for operating their vehicles and obeying traffic laws designed to keep roadways secure. So, keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the steering wheel . We can conclude that the new technology will _ . 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! Which of the following is true? In the UK. Saturday evenings have always been a popular time for families to watch television together. One of the most popular programme _ is the talent show, partly because people of all ages are interested in it. Early shows, like Opportunity Knocks (1965-1978), required people to vote for their favorite acts and performers, although in those days voting was done by postcard instead of by telephone, text, or over the Internet. Today, the success of television talent shows has reached a new level. Here are Ihe UK's top three TV talent shows: The X Factor In this wonderful singing competition, performers have to face a celebrity judge panel before the public vote. Many excellent singers became popular because of it. The show is now made all over the world, from China to Colombia. Strictly Come Dancing--The programme is so fantastic that it attracts many celebrities. They team up with professional dancers and come to the dance floor to win the title of Strictly Come Dancing Champion. Britain's Got Talent -- In this modern-day version of Opportunity Knocks, the public can go and choose from many kinds of acts, from dancing dogs to ice skating. The prize is to perform for the Queen in the Royal Variety of Performance. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? Museums in Texas Depot Museum And Children's Discovery Center The museum is in the depot's waiting room and office. The warehouse is a hands-on learning center. See the 1908 "Arnold Outhouse", log cabin, doctor's office, dogtrot cabin, oil derrick, cotton gin, print shop, and syrup mill. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sat. Admission charge. Address: 514 N. High St. in the restored 1901 Missouri Pacific Railroad depot, Henderson Phone: 903/657-4303 Tex-Ark Antique Auto Museum It is designed to preserve, collect, operate and interpret a collection of autos and auto transportation equipment. Library and archive collection available. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. and 1-5 p.m. Sun. Admission charge. Address: 217 Laurel St., Texarkana Phone: 903/938-9201 Jefferson Historical Society Museum Find four floors of documents and antiques, including mementos of pioneer days, early steamboat commerce and antebellum society. See paintings and sculpture from the D.D. Feldman collection. It also has an outstanding doll collection. Open 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily. Admission charge. Address: Old Federal Building, Austin and Market streets, Jefferson Phone: 903/665-2775 The Woodlands Children's Museum The museum provides hands-on, interactive exhibits designed to immerse children and adults in play that stimulates curiosity and provides opportunities for learning in a nurturing environment. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat. and noon-5 p.m. Sun.[:##] Admission charge. Address: 4775 W. Panther Creek Drive, the Woodlands Phone: 281/465-0955 If you are free on Sunday afternoons, you may visit the following museums except _ . The following is the information about plays which will be on these days. Big and Little It is a play written by Botho Strauss and directed by Laurence Strangio, featuring (......) second-year Performing Arts students. It is about a lonely woman living in a big city. From the play, we can learn how to get along well with our friends, our family, our lovers, ... and with ourselves. A dreamlike journey in search of identity ... When:15-17 March, 7:30 pm Where: Drama Theatre, Centre for the Performing Arts, Building 68, Clayton campus Tickets: Adults $10, Concessions $5 You can get the tickets at the door. Love Play It is written by Moira Buffini and directed by Trent Baker, featuring Performing Arts students. First-year Performing Arts students present Love Play. It follows a series of unexpected meetings that have taken place in the same place in London across 2,000 years, through the centuries from the Romans to the Elizabethans to the present day. Love Play is a comedy that challenges the reasons and ways we want love. When:17-19 April, 8 pm Where: Drama Theatre, Centre for the Performing Arts, Building 68, Clayton campus Tickets: Adults $10, Concessions $5 You can get the tickets at the door. Smashed It is a play written by Lally Katz and directed by Suzanne Chaundy, featuring second-year Performing Arts students. Smashed is about friendship, time travel and death. Writing for TheAge, Helen Thomson calls the play "a wonderful memory of childhood on the edge of adulthood."Smashedp raises invention, imagination and girl power. When: 24-26 April, 8 pm Where: Drama Theatre, Centre for the Performing Arts, Building 68, Clayton campus Tickets: Adults $10, Concessions $5 You can get the tickets at the door. We can know from the passage that Moira Buffini _ .
Some people think that they will get ill if they use their brains too much. It is not true. Through many researches, scientists show us that the more you use your brains, the better they will be, and the wiser you will become. Of course, if you want to keep your mind clear and be energetic , you must take a proper rest and study properly. To the teenagers, using their brains in the morning is good for their health. There are many ways to rest. One is a peaceful rest. Sleep is a peaceful rest. Another is an active rest. For example, take a walk outdoors, do morning exercises every day. To change the way of the brains'activities is also a good way to rest. In everyday life, to eat some eggs, meat, fresh vegetable and fruit is also good for the brains. Wish you a wise man and a happy life. If _ ,your mind will be clean? A. You go swimming in a lake B. You are active in learning C. You have a good rest and study properly. D. You can sing a song Answer: C If you had a chance to prepare dinner for your mother, would you choose to make it right now or some day in the future? Watch the video Paradise Dinner by Liu Xiaoyu, a junior at[Hebei Institute of Communications, and you will find a right answer. Recently the six-minute film Paradise Dinner won a great success on the Internet. It told the story of a son who made a big lunch for his mother, but he can only send the dinner to paradise, because his mother has been dead. "If you do not show your _ to your mother right now, you might never have the opportunity in the future, because your mother is growing older and older day by day-this is the main theme of my film, " said the 21-year-old Liu. Liu conceived the story for Paradise Dinner over his 2010 summer vacation. One day during that holiday, Liu found his parents were not young any more. " So I decided to write a story for Paradise Dinner to call for all people, especially young people, to show more filial piety to their parents," he said. With the help of his teachers and his schoolmates, he found actors, Zhang who played the mother and Yuan Zhen who played the son. At last he finished the film. Many Web users said they liked the film very much and most of them cried like Liu's parents when they watched it. The writer wrote this article to _ . A. encourage p.eople to care more about their parents B. introduce a short video C. think highly of the talent of Liu Xiaoyu D. show the kind heart of most people Answer: A I received a call today asking if I would be willing to bring food to a family in need. The mother was having a major operation and would be lying down for several weeks. Of course, I responded with an immediate "Yes!". As I planned the meal in my head, I reflected on how many times over the years I had been asked to prepare food. I have done so countless times with a very open heart. But the truly amazing thing is that I have received double over the course of my life. When my mother passed away, our house was filled with fresh dinners for weeks. A woman from the church of our community stopped by each evening with some food. The gift of food was her small way of trying to ease our pain. Later in my life, when I was on bed rest during my pregnancy with twins, women of the church again stepped in to help. They arranged babysitting for my twoyearold daughter, and brought lovely dinners to our house. Even when I was put in the hospital, my husband would bring cooked meals to my hospital room. How we relied on these dinners to feed my tired husband and young daughter. Food is all about comfort. It feeds our bodies, but it can also feed our souls. When you hear people talking about their favourite holidays, it usually includes their feelings connected with sharing food. I know that I will have many more opportunities in my lifetime to prepare food for others. It is truly a gift I want to prepare and deliver to someone in need. Which of the following is TRUE about the author? A. Her mother died when she was in hospital. B. She didn't get enough food during her pregnancy. C. She received food as well as comfort in her hard times. D. She thinks offering food is the best way to show love. Answer: C High school graduation--the bittersweet feelings are as much a part of me now as they were twenty-one years ago. As graduation day approached, excitement increased. Being out of high school meant I was finally coming of age. Soon I would be on my own, making my own decisions, doing what I wanted without someone looking over my shoulder and it meant going to school with boys--a welcome change coming from an all-girl high school. There was never any question in my mind that I would go to a college away from home. My mother's idea, on the other hand, was just the opposite. Trying her best not to force her preferences on me, she would subtly ask whether I had considered particular schools--all of which happened to be located in or near my hometown of Chicago. Once it was established that, as long as the expenses would not be too heavy a burden on the family budget, I would be going away anyway, my family's perspective changed. Their concern shifted from whether I was going away to how far. The schools I was considering on the East Coast suddenly looked much more attractive than those in California. But which college I would attend was just one of what seemed like a never-ending list of unknowns: What would college be like? Would I be unbearably lonely not knowing anyone else who was going to the same school? Would the other students like me? Would I make friends easily? Would I miss my family so much that I wouldn't be able to stand it? And what about the work--would I be able to keep up? (Being an A student in high school seemed to offer little assurance I would be able to survive college.) What if the college I selected turned out to be a horrible mistake? Would I be able to transfer to another school? Then panic set in. My feelings took a 180-degree turn. I really didn't want to leave high school at all, and it was questionable whether I wanted to grow up after all. It had been nice being respected as a senior by the underclass students for the past year; I didn't enjoy the idea of being on the bottom rung of the ladder again. Despite months of expectation, nothing could have prepared me for the impact of the actual day. As the familiar melody of "Pomp and Circumstance" echoed in the background, I looked around at the other figures in white caps and gowns as we seriously lined into the hall. Tears welled up uncontrollably in my eyes, and I was consumed by a rush of sadness. As if in a daze , I rose from my seat when I heard my name called and slowly crossed the stage to receive my diploma. As I reached out my hand, I knew that I was reaching not just for a piece of paper but for a brand-new life. Exciting as the future of a new life seemed, it wasn't easy saying good-bye to the old one--the familiar faces, the familiar routine. I would even miss that chemistry class I wasn't particularly fond of and the long travel each day between home and school that I hated. Good or bad, it was what I knew. That September, I was fortunate to attend a wonderful university in Providence, Rhode Island. I needn't have worried about liking it. My years there turned out to be some of the best years of my life. And as for friends, some of the friendships I formed there I still treasure today. Years later, financial difficulties forced my high school to close its doors for good. Although going back is impossible, it's comforting to know I can revisit my special memories any time. The author's mother _ . A. did not care very much which college her daughter went to B. was greatly disappointed at her decision to go to a college on the East Coast C. willingly allowed her to go to a college of her own choice D. wished that she would study at a college or university close to home Answer: D Some people learn a second language easily. Other people have trouble learning a new language. How can you help yourself learn a new language,such as English? There are several ways to make learning English a little easier and more interesting. The first step is to feel confident about learning English. If you believe that you can learn,you will learn. Be patient. You do not have to understand everything all at once. It is natural to make mistakes when you learn something new. We can learn from our mistakes. The second step is to practice your English. For example,write a journal every day. You will get used to writing in English,and you will feel comfortable expressing your ideas in English. After several weeks,you will see that your writing is improving. Besides,you must speak English every day. You can practice with your classmates outside class. You will all make mistakes,but gradually you will become comfortable communicating in English. The third step is to keep a record of your language learning. You can write this in your journal. After each class,think about what you did. Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher explained? Perhaps the lesson was difficult,but you tried to understand it. Write these achievements in your journal. You must be positive about learning English and believe that you can do it. It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements. You will enjoy learning English,and you will have more confidence in yourself. Which is NOT helpful for you to enjoy learning English? A. To communicate in English. B. To worry about making mistakes. C. To think about what has been done after classes. D. To make a record of your achievements. Answer: B
An experimental treatment that causes AIDS patients to develop a dangerously high fever has shown promise as a way of prolonging and improving the patients' life.Called the Biologic-HT System, the new treatment lets doctors extract the blood of a patient and heat it before circulating it back into the body. The heated blood causes the patient's body temperature to rise above 42 degrees Celsius. In people with AIDS, that increase in temperature kills some heat-sensitive HIV, the virus, most doctors say, causes AIDS. Heating the blood of AIDS patients has been tried before, say doctors. But during previous attempts, the treatment induced deadly chemical changes in the blood. The Biologic-HT System prevents those changes from happening, allowing the heat to kill viruses with few ill side effects. The new heat treatment cannot be considered a cure for Aids, says president of the company that makes the system. He says the treatment doesn't kill all traces of the virus. However, it kills enough virus particles to give a patient's immune system a reprieve in its deadly duel with HIV. Tests of the Biologic-HT treatment began on 36 patients earlier this year. The treatment takes about four hours, and the patient normally feels well enough to leave the hospital or clinic the following morning. So far, the patients who have had the treatment say they feel better and have developed no new opportunistic infections--disease that strike people with damaged immune systems. The patients also have experienced about a 50 percent increase in the number of T cells in their bodies. T cells are key disease-fighting cells of the immune system and the main target of HIV. The result of the experiment seems to be _ . A disappointing B incomplete C successful D surprising Answer: C Nicky Haywood, from Nottingham, was found guilty of travelling on an East Midlands train from Nottingham to Newstead without a ticket. The 27-year-old, who did not appear for his hearing at Nottingham Magistrates Court , is now being made to pay the price --- which is almost 200 times the original price ---- for the 20 minute journey. According to the Nottingham Post, Magistrates have ordered Haywood to pay a $ 220 fine, $ 302 in costs, a $ 22 government surcharge and the $ 2.80 fare. Senior conductor, Yvonne Clay was working on the day of the incident, according to the Nottingham Post. The newspaper reported that she said Haywood had got on the train without a ticket, though he had the chance to buy one from both vending machines and booking offices on the platform. She said:"He offered a Solo Electron card but we could not take that on the train. I informed him with a notice to pay. He gave his name and address and had 21 days to pay the fare." Even though he was given three weeks to pay the $ 2.80, a payment from Haywood was not received. Which of the following can best describe Nicky Haywood? A Well-educated B Responsible C Dishonest D Mean Answer: C Greenwich is on the River, five miles from the middle of London, and its history is two thousand years old. The first English people were fishermen there, and they named the place Greenwich, meaning "green village". Later the English kings and queens lived at Greenwich in their beautiful places. The name of the earliest palace was Placentia. Henry VIII lived there. He knew that England must be strong at sea. So he started two big ship-yards at Greenwich. But trouble was coming to Greenwich. In 1649, a war started in England and for eleven years there was no king. The men who had worked for him at Placentia decided to live the place themselves. They sold all its beautiful things. Finally, the war ended and King Charles II came back. But Placentia was falling down. So King Charles built a new and bigger palace, which is now open to the public. At this time, Charles was worried about losing so many of its ships at sea: their sailors did not know how to tell exactly where they were. So in 1675, Charles made John Flamsteed, the first astronomer in England, try to find the answer. Flamsteed worked in a new building on the high ground in Greenwich Park. From it with a telescope which he made himself, Flamsteed could look all round the sky. And he did, night after night, for twenty years. Carrying on Flamsteed's work a hundred years later, an astronomer called Harrison finally made a clock which told the time at sea, and helped sailors to know where they were. You can see Harrison's clock, still working, in Greenwich's museum of the sea. Because of Flamsteed's work, every country in the world now tells its time by Greenwich Time. Who made the first clock which could tell the time at sea? A Harrison B Flamsteed C Henry D Charles Answer: A Dear Lucy, In your last letter, your asked me how to love to your parents. Here is my advice. Make a picture for them. Whether with pencils or paints, it will be a treasure to them forever. Write a letter to them. Take your time to put your thoughts in _ . keep your room clean! Though it's a kind of the chore, it shows mom and dad that care. Cook them a dinner! It can be some rice , some cheese or some hot dogs; it can give them a break. tell them that you love them very often. Your love can make them feel warm and proud. Never tell a lie to them. Probably the biggest way to show them you love them is, never to lie. This shows them that you not only love them, but also believe in and respect them. Create time to be with them. Watch a film with your mom once in a while, or go to a sports match with your dad once in a while just to show them how much you care and want to close with them. If you do something wrong, apologize and explain it! They will know you are sorry. You could do something for them to show you want to make it up to them. Just saying sorry can really show how much you love them. Yours , Agony Aunt Watching a film with your mom can _ A show you want to be close with her B make her feel proud C cost her a lot of money D make both of you healthy Answer: A If a bear has thick legs fur, then A her mom was very old B his hair is blonde C her arms are wide D his ancestors had the same Answer: D
Question: Look ! What's this in English? Ah, it's a photo. Who's that in the photo? It's Li Yan. Li Yan is my good friend. She is a beautiful girl. Who's that? The boy in black? It's Jim. He is an English boy. He is very cool . He is my friend, too. We are all in the same school. I like Jim and Li Yan. What's this? It's _ . A. a school B. a friend C. a photo D. an English friend Answer: C. a photo Question: Dear editor, I am writing to ask what has happened to our young people.They are not as polite or hard-working as my generation(I will give you two examples. Last Friday, I got on the underground at 9:15 a.m. It was very crowded so there was no free seat.There were some boys sitting on the seats near me.I didn't know why they were not at school.They were talking and laughing loudly. It was difficult for me to read my newspaper with all the noise.At the next stop, a pregnant woman and her daughter got on with lots of shopping bags.I expected the boys to let them sit down.They saw the woman but they did nothing.I had to ask them to give the woman and her daughter seats. They did so but gave me a rude look. Last Saturday, I had dinner with my friend's family.I was glad to see his children, who I hadn't seen for ten years.During the dinner, I started talking about world politics with the children.It soon became clear that they didn't know much about it.They couldn't tell me the name of the King of Spain or President of Italy.All they knew about was the Internet or which singers were the most beautiful.In my days, students knew the kings, the queens and the presidents of every country in Europe. I worry about the future of Germany.How could these young people become good workers and parents? They sit around McDonald's after school instead of going to the library like I did at their age.Maybe they have too much money.Perhaps some readers can give us some ideas about what to do with this "lost generation". Yours sincerely, Frantz Vogts. Mr. Vogts writes this letter to the editor to _ . A. show how rude the boys were B. express his worry about his friend's children's future C. show how lazy young people nowadays are D. complain the way some young people acted Answer: D. complain the way some young people acted Question: In the past 300 years, more than 130 species of animals have become _ . One of these extinct species is the passenger pigeon . At one time there were millions of these birds in North America, but now there are none. The last one died in the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914. Another extinct animal is the cape lion . The animal has been extinct since 1860. What cause animals to become extinct? Too much hunting is one cause; pollution is another. Governments around the world have begun to protect wild animals in danger. In the United States, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for endangered animals. It has listed nearly 200 species of endangered animals in North America. Three are _ species of wild animals in danger listed by the US Fish and Wildlife. A. less than 130 B. about 200 C. over 300 D. nearly 300 Answer: B. about 200 Question: Protecting Copyright Having finished her homework, Ma Li wants some music. As usual, she starts her computer and goes to Baidu.com to download music files. But this time she is surprised when an announcement about protecting songs' copyright bursts onto the screen. The age of free music and movie downloads may have come to an end as Web companies like Baidu are accused of pirating copyright. Lawsuits have been filed against four websites offering free downloads. In September 2005, a Beijing court ordered Baidu to pay recording company Shanghai Push compensation for their losses. Baidu was also told to block the links to the pirated music on the website. This caused a heated discussion on Interact file sharing. "Baidu's defeat in the lawsuit shows it is not right to get copyrighted songs without paying. Down loaders may face lawsuits or fines," said an official. Like many teens, Huang Ruoru, an 18-year-old girl from Puning in Guangdong Province, doesn't think that getting music from websites is wrong. She always shares her favourite songs downloaded from Baidu with her friends. When told about the lawsuit, she began to feel a little guilty about obtaining others' work without paying. However, other teenagers have different ideas. Wang Yafei, a Senior 2 girl from Jinan, Shandong Province pointed out that file sharing is a good way to promote pop singers. "If I download a song and really like it, I will buy the CD," she said. "So what the recording companies really should concentrate on is improving their music, rather than file-sharers." It can be inferred from the text that _ . A. Web companies are still ignoring the copyright laws. B. Teenagers haven't got money to buy CDs. C. Teenagers are probably still downloading free music. D. Teenagers prefer CDs with copyright to pirated music. Answer: C. Teenagers are probably still downloading free music. Question: Hello, everyone! My name is Bob. I have a good friend. His name is Bill. He is a dog. I like him very much. Every morning Bill runs with me, and we play in the park every afternoon. Bill is very fat . He likes eating beef hamburgers for breakfast. For dinner, he likes fish. Bill likes red. He has two red hats. Look! They are on my bed. But Bill is lost now. Please help me. My telephone number is 3123216. Many thanks! Bill _ every morning. A. runs with Bob B. plays with hats C. eats hamburgers D. watches TV Answer: A. runs with Bob
Which kind of rock is produced by deposition and cementation? In recent years, our parenting culture began to send the message that competence was important for building self-confidence. However, that same parenting culture made a big mistake by telling parents they should tell their children how competent they were. Children can't be convinced that they are competent. Only your children can build their sense of competence. However, you can do several things to encourage them to develop their own competence. First, you can give them opportunities to gain a sense of competence. You should allow your children to "get their hands dirty" in the daily life and find out what they are capable of. These daily experiences allow your children to develop specific competencies that will be helpful to them as they grow up. Also, the more individual competencies children develop, the more they will view themselves as globally competent people. Second, you can be sure that they gain the most value from their experiences. You can direct their focus to the competences that enabled those successes rather than some generic praise of the accomplishment itself. And you can also praise their accomplishments. A great difficulty for parents is allowing their children to be wrong or do something poorly in the mistaken belief that these experiences will hurt their sense of competence. In fact, whether they do it well isn't important because success isn't really the goal. Instead, the goal is their willingness to keep trying. Another mistake that parents make is that, after being unsuccessful when their children first try something, they try to correct them so they will succeed the next time they try. That's not to say that you can't lend a hand when they are struggling. But let them take the lead; if they really want your help, they'll ask for it. In which section of a newspaper can you find this passage? Most teens I meet these days lack basic social courtesy when dealing with people. My own son, who basically grew up with his grandmother, the original manners expert, has perfect table manners. This is partly because he was exposed to manners at a very young age. However, when we eat at home, he would not practice manners. So I asked him why. He said, "I behave the way I am supposed to behave when I'm out, but when I am at home I want to be comfortable." That's when I realized that most parents, myself included, do teach their children the proper way to behave outside the home, but they are also brought up to believe that at home, anything goes. My answer to him was "good behavior has nothing to do with where you are or whom you are with". Then he answered, "But I behave properly when I'm with others so that they think better of me ." And that is when I realized that I was doing things all wrong. I explained to him that it had nothing to do with what people think. This confused him even more. So I went on to explain that behavior, whether in your everyday interaction with people or at the dining table at home, is an expression of who you are. Well, at the age of 13, he got it. So basically, what I am saying is that teaching your children manners comes with the underlying lesson that it is not about what to do or not to do, but rather , who they are. This way it is not mechanical : it comes from within. Teach your teens or children the basic courtesy of greeting their friends' parents and introducing themselves when they go to someone's home. Teach teenage boys to open the door of a car, or any door for that matter, for any girl, whether they are their girlfriends or not. This includes holding elevator doors or letting women step out of the elevator first. Just remember that teenage boys who practice good manners and courtesy grow up to become men who respect people in general. Why did "my son" behave differently at home and out of home? Have you got teenage children between 12 and 17?Will they jump at the idea to go to South Africa too? Well, let me help you here. I will give you some great ideas about what teenagers can do in Cape Town and give you reasons why a stay in Cape Town will be cool for them too. You will read where to find really interesting activities and how much money you will have to pay for them and also how your children can gain as many great experiences as possible when holidaying or even living in Cape Town. Mad about Football -- not only for Soccer Fans Where: Cape Town Stadium ,15 min from Cape Town's central business district (CBD). The new visitor center offers several tours. How much does it cost? R45.6 for adults or kids over 12, R17.1 for kids up to 12 and R11.4 per student for school groups. The Biodiversity Garden next to the stadium is interesting as well and can be added into tour at an additional cost. Theme Park with more than 23 rides and roller coasters Where: Ratanga Junction, Century City, 20 min north of Cape Town CBD. Costs: R75 for kids under 1.3m and R152 for kids over 1.3m or adults, open only on school holidays and public holidays. Sandboarding anyone Where: Atlantis, 45 min north of Cape Town CBD. Costs: R595 for a half day of fun in the sand. Ice skating Where: Grand West Casino Complex, Goodwood, 20 min east of Cape Town CBD Costs:R35 (including skates) Enjoy mini golf Where: Several places around Cape Town CBD. Muizenberg Beach Promenade, Green Point Promenade, Durbanville Vodacom Golf Driving Range or try Cave Golf at the V&A Waterfront next to Scratch Patch. Costs:R8. Go bowling Where: Several places aroun Cape Town CBD. Costs: R25. *How about climbing walls Where:Observatory, 20 min south of Cape Towm CBD. Costs: R50. Which of the following activities costs least? Astronomers say they are on the point of finding planets like Earth orbiting other stars, which is a key step in determining if we are alone in the universe. A top NASA official and other leading scientists say that within four or five years they should discover the first Earth-like planet where life could develop, or may have already. A planet close to the size of Earth could even be found sometime this year. At the annual American Astronomical Society conference this week, each discovery involving so-called "exoplanets" --those outside our solar system -- pointed to the same conclusion:Quiet planets like Earth where life could develop probably are plentiful. NASA's Dew Kepler telescope and a lot of new research from the suddenly hot and competitive exoplanet field caused noticeable buzz at the meeting.Scientists are talking about being at "an incredible special place in history" and closer to answering the question. "Are we alone? For the first time, there's an optimism that sometime in our lifetimes we're going to _ that," said Simon Worden,an astronomer who heads NASA's Ames Research Center. "If I were a betting man, which I am, I would bet we're not alone." "These are big questions that reflect upon the meaning of the human race in the universe," the director of the Vatican Observatory, the Rev. Jose Funes, said Wednesday in an interview at this week's conference. Worden told The Associated Press: "I would certainly expect in the next four or five years we'd have an Earth-sized planet in the habitable zone." What's an exoplanet?
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that processed meat may be carcipogenic . Do you still dare eat cancer-linked processed meat ? Here are some comments on the website. Bill (Australia) I'd rather live a short, pleasant life than a long, unhappy one, denying myself tasty food just because some experts say it's not healthy. We should all enjoy the one life we have ---if I had listened to every piece of health advice I would never go anywhere, eat anything or enjoy life in any way. So, I won't change my habit. I am going to have bacon sandwich, glass of wine, burger, can of coke whenever I fell like it. Tim (America) Is meat really as bad as smoking: I don't think so. According to the WHO 34,000 people die worldwide per year because they eat processed meat. In 2012, 8.2 million people died of cancer worldwide. That means if you eat a lot of processed meat you have a chance of being among the 0.41 percent of people dying of cancer because of processed meat. I'll take the chance. Helen (Switzerland) The WHO doesn't say that just one bite of meat causes cancer, it is rather saying that people should vary their diet. People who eat more meat often have other unhealthy habits. They usually eat fewer fruits and vegetables and they also often exercise less. Van (China) Perhaps this report will make people consider becoming vegetarians ( ). So for your health, the environment and future generations, it is not difficult; it just needs a change of attitude. There is a vast variety of other delicious food available to enjoy. What may be Helen a response to WHO's warning ? A. Caring little about it. B. Eating whatever she likes. C. Varying the diet and doing exercise. D. Taking a diet without meat. Answer: C. Varying the diet and doing exercise. As the basic building materials of communication, words communicate meaning, but as we have seen, the meanings of words are very much influenced by culture. Meaning is in the person, not in the word, as each person is the product of a particular culture which passes on shared and appropriate meanings. Thus, if we want to learn to communicate well in a foreign language, we must understand the culture that gives that language meaning, Culture gives meaning and provides the context for communication, and the ability to communicate allows us to act out our cultural values and to share our language and our culture. But our own native language and culture are so much a part of us that we take them for granted. When we travel to another country, it's as if we carry along with our passports. We view the new environment using our own culture as the standard, and although not purposely, our ways of thinking and acting often get in the way of our understanding other languages and cultures. The ability and willingness to change lenses when we look at a different culture is both the cure and the prevention for such cultural blindness. Studying a new language provides us the opportunities to practise changing lenses when we also learn the context or the culture to which _ belongs. What can we learn from this passage? A. You have to forget your culture to prevent cultural blindness. B. The meanings of words are not very important in language learning. C. Culture is a must for learners of foreign languages. D. One has to live in the country to learn its language well. Answer: C. Culture is a must for learners of foreign languages. Teachers spend countless years trying to make history come alive for their students. But, prefix = st1 /USDirector Shawn Levy attempts to do this on film in the recently released Night at the Museum. The film is adapted from Milan Trenc's book of the same name. It brings to life a world where dinosaurs wander the earth, a former president rides again, warlike early Asians return, and cowboys and Roman soldiers seek to bring back their old goals. The familiar comedy star Ben Stiller acts as a luckless dreamer named Larry Daley. He takes a position as night watchman at the New York Museum of Natural History. On Larry's first night, he's left alone by the three aging guards he's replacing. They fail to inform him of the museum's rather unusual nightlife. Soon Larry finds himself chased down the hallways by the very lively skeleton of a dinosaur, in the middle of a confrontation with Asian warriors. He is caught in a territorial battle between a cowboy and a Roman general and meets face-to-face with former USpresident Teddy Roosevelt, played by Robin Williams. They are each from an exhibit that has come to life through the magic of a priceless Egyptian tablet. While the film fails to develop very much in some areas (for example, Larry's troubled relationship with a son), it does have enough special effects, and jokes to engage the audience. Bottom Line: Definitely not Oscar-worthy, but a great way to relax during a holiday. We can infer that Night at the Museum _ . A. is a good time-killer during a holiday B. will surely win an Oscar C. is not a good film at all D. will be popular among students Answer: A. is a good time-killer during a holiday Once there was a huge apple tree.A little boy loved to come and play around it every day.He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by---the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day.One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad."Come and play with me, " the tree asked the boy."I'm no longer a kid.I wouldn't play around the tree any more." the boy replied."I want toys.I need money to buy them." "Sorry, I don't have money.But you can pick all my apples and sell them.So, you will have money." The boy picked all the apples on the tree and left happily.The boy never came back after he picked the apples. One day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited, "Come and play with me, " the tree said."I don't have time to play.I have to work for my family.We need a house for shelter.Can you help? " "Sorry, I don't have a house.But you can cut off my branches to build your house." So the boy cut all the branches off the tree and left happily.The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy never came back since then.The tree was again lonely and sad. One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was pleased."Come and play with me! " the tree said."I am sad and getting old.I want to go sailing to relax myself.Can you give me a boat? " "Use my trunk to build your boat.You can sail far away and be happy." So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat.He went sailing and never showed up for a long time. Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years."Sorry, my boy.But I don't have anything for you any more.The only thing left is my dying root, " the tree said with tears 1 "Good! Old tree root is the best place to lean on and rest.Come and sit down with me and rest." The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears 2 The boy picked all the apples on the tree because _ . A. he wanted to eat them B. he needed money to buy toys C. he liked the tree without apples D. he wanted to share them with friends Answer: B. he needed money to buy toys In a generous display of maturity and sympathy, one Jewish boy made his first deed as a man in his faith a great act of charity. Joshua Neidorf, a 13-year-old boy from Los Angeles, donated most of his birthday money to Operation Mend, a program that reconstructs the faces of severely burned U. S. veterans . The young man decided to donate his money after getting to know Army Sgt. Louis Dahlman, who was undergoing a series of reconstruction surgeries at UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles) thanks to Operation Mend. The Neidorfs had signed up to be Dahlman's "buddy family", spending time with him whenever he visited Los Angeles for a surgery. "I just love knowing that it's going somewhere...to help the people who save our lives and keep us safe every day," said Neidorf. His mother added, "It makes me feel like our world is going in a good direction with this next generation." In all, Neidorf gave $13,000 to Operation Mend. He also encouraged his friends to donate to the cause. He is the organization's youngest donor so far. Operation Mend is a privately funded program that works in partnership with the UCLA Medical Center. Ron Katz, a board member at the hospital, started the program in 2006 after seeing a TV programme about Aaron Mankin, a veteran who had gone through dozens of surgeries after a fight in Iraq which completely burned off his face. Mankin ended up being Operation Mend's first patient, starting the first of 20 reconstructive facial surgeries at UCLA in Sept. 2007. In a 2011 interview, Katz shared how his experience of helping Mankin made him realize the need to establish a more permanent program. "My wife and I soon realized that there were dozens of Aarons out there," Katz said. "They deserve the best that we offer them." Neidorf decided to help veterans because _ . A. he benefited from Operation Mend B. he was afraid of burned faces C. he thought they deserved help D. he didn't know how to spend money Answer: C. he thought they deserved help
I was being interviewed by a senior manager for a major insurance company. I told him honestly why I wanted the job----I needed to keep my family in Boston. My wife recently died of a heart attack. A job in Boston would help me reduce some of the extreme trauma and pain of the loss for my 16-year-old daughter. It was important for me to keep her in her high school. I could still hardly talk about the loss of my wife. Bruce, the interviewer, was politely empathetic, but he didn't probe any further. He admitted my loss and with great respect, moved on to another subject. After the next round of the interview, Bruce took me to lunch with another person. Then he asked me to take a walk with him. He told me that he, too, had lost his wife. And, like me, he had also been married 20 years and had three children. In his sharing, I realized that he had experienced the same pain as I had -----a pain that was almost impossible to explain to someone who had not lost a beloved one. He offered his business card and home phone number and suggested that, if I need help or just want someone to talk to, I should feel free to give him a call. Whether I got the job or not, he wanted me to know that he was there if I ever needed help. When he had no idea if we would ever see each other again, he helped our family deal with one of the greatest losses. He turned the normally cold business interview into a caring support for another person in need. The writer took part in the interview because _ . A. hehad lost his job and wanted to find a new one. B. he had to support his family in Boston. C. his wife had recently died of a heart attack. D. his daughter needed money for schooling. Answer: B. he had to support his family in Boston. A few years ago I was shopping with a friend and his 12-year-old daughter in downtown San Francisco.A street musician,whom my friend happened to know from his own musician day,was playing the saxophone on a street corner.His name was Clifford,and he had attracted a large crowd with his performance.After he finished,my friend introduced him to me and his daughter.Clifford asked her if she played any instrument.When she replied that she was taking trumpet lessons and played in her junior high school band,he said,"That's fine,little lady.Learn your instrument well and you can play anything."Somehow these simple yet wise words struck me as suitable not only for a trumpet player but also for a reader.If you learn to read well,you can read anything you want--not just newspapers and magazines,but more difficult material like philosophy,film criticism,military history--whatever interests you as your confidence grows.You would not be limited in any way.If you have the vocabulary -or at least a good dictionary near at hand--you can pick up a book,concentrate on it, and make sense of the writer's words. In the United States,reading instruction often ends at elementary school,so students sometimes have difficulty as they progress through school.They must take their assignments,armed only with their elementary,school reading skills.The result,too often,is frustration and loss of confidence.And the assigned reading in your college courses will be even greater than they were in high school.Developing Reading Skills is designed to accomplish several tasks:to show you the skills that will enable you to read with greater comprehension,to help you deal with reading assignment with confidence,and to teach you to become an active reader. With good reading skills,you can _ . A. understand anything you read without difficulty B. work out the writer's meaning if only you concentrate on the book C. understand what you read with the help of a good dictionary D. Concentrate on whatever you read Answer: B. work out the writer's meaning if only you concentrate on the book An innate instinct could be A. Learning how to drive a car B. a dog drooling when it sees food C. Learning a new language D. Learning how to do a cartwheel Answer: B. a dog drooling when it sees food A driver stopped his car on a street side to have a rest. As he lay down in the seat and closed his eyes, a person came up and knocked at the window to ask the time. The driver opened his eyes and looked at his watch: "It's 8:05," he said. Then he went to sleep again. But soon he was waken up again because a second person was knocking at the window. "Sir, do you know the time?" he asked. The driver looked at his watch again, and told him it was half past eight. In this way, the driver thought he could not have a good rest, so he wrote a short note and stuck it on the window for all to see. It said, "I don't know the time." Again, he lay down in the seat for his sleep. A few minutes later, a third person came and began to knock at the window, "Hey, sir," he said. "It's a quarter to nine." ,. Why did the driver write a note and stick it on the window? A. Because he didn't want anybody to trouble him. B. Because he didn't know the time. C. Because he needed somebody to wake him up. D. Because he wanted somebody to tell him the time. Answer: A. Because he didn't want anybody to trouble him. Every night, N-Dia Layne would set the alarm clock on her mother's cellphone for 4:45a.m. If the two of them were not on the subway platform at 103rdStreet and Broadway by 6:20 a. m., there was no way N-Dia would be on time for school. Even so, N-Dia was often late. By the end of October, she was just one lateness away from the six allowed a student for the entire term. Ms. Layne and N-Dia, 9, live at the Regent Family Residence for the Homeless. They moved here last summer from their original family shelter in Brownsville, Brooklyin. On a recent schoolday, N-Dia waited on the subway station at East 103rdStreet. N-Dia and her mother boarded the No. 1 train, and then changed to the No. 3 at 96thStreet. After 96thStreet, N-Dia napped on her mother's shoulder when Ms. Layne was listening to music. N-Dia often does her homework on the ride home. A few stops before Sutter Avenue, where N-Dia's school is, Ms. Layne woke her up. Then she hurried her daughter to school before the first bell. "It's unfair, and it makes me feel upset," N-Dia said. "I don't want her to grow up and have to go through what I went through," said Ms. Layne, who transferred to different schools many times. "It affected my grade greatly." In N-Dia's case, the efforts to keep her at her charter school, which received a C on its last city progress report, failed. It was agreed that N-Dia should attend school closer to the shelter. " I cried during the meeting," Ms. Layne said. "I really wanted to keep her in that school where she had some type of stability." The author mentioned one of N-Dia's journeys to school to prove _ . A. N-Dia doesn't feel lonely on her way to school B. N-Dia knows how to make good use of time C. N-Dia is eager to receive education D. N-Dia suffers a lot in going to school Answer: D. N-Dia suffers a lot in going to school
Authorities in Shanghai said Thursday night that another person has died from H7N9 bird flu, bringing the death toll to five around the country. The city has reported six infections to date, and four have died, said the Shanghai Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission. Of the rest two, there was a four-year-old, the agency said. The baby was recovering from mild illness, it added. The person died at Huashan Hospital on Wednesday and was _ infected with the H7N9 bird flu on Thursday. Also on Thursday, the commission reported the city's third death from the H7N9 bird flu. The case involved a 48-year-old man surnamed Chu, a poultry transporter from Rugao in neighboring Jiangsu Province. He developed symptoms of cough on March 28. After having a fever on Monday, he went to a private clinic for treatment. The man then sought help in the Tongji Hospital in Shanghai in the early hours of Wednesday after his condition worsened. Chu died three hours after being admitted to the hospital. He was confirmed infected with the H7N9 virus on Thursday. Eight people who had close contact with him have shown no abnormal symptoms. So far, China has confirmed 14 H7N9 cases -- six in Shanghai, four in Jiangsu, three in Zhejiang and one in Anhui, in the first known human infections of the lesser-known type of bird flu. Of all, four died in Shanghai and one died in Zhejiang. China's Ministry of Agriculture said Thursday the H7N9 avian flu virus has been detected from pigeon samples collected at a marketplace in Songjiang District of Shanghai. After gene sequence analysis, the national avian flu reference laboratory concluded that the H7N9 virus found on pigeons was highly congenetic with those found on persons infected with H7N9 virus. China's health authorities have promised transparency and cooperation to the World Health Organization in regards to human infections of the new type of bird flu. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that no human-to-human transmission of H7N9 has been discovered. What does the news report mainly about? A. How many people died of H7N9 bird flu B. How the development of the H7N9 bird flu vaccine is going on C. What measures the government has taken to stop the spreading of H7N9 D. The new outbreak of the H7N9 bird flu Answer: D At one time no one could travel on an English road faster than four miles an hour. That was the law until 1896. A man had to walk in front of a car which could not go faster than the man. At night the man had to carry a red lamp. Once Charles Rolls brought a car from France to England, but he wanted to drive faster than four miles an hour. In order to have no trouble with the police, he had a talk with some of the police officers, who ordered their policemen to look the other way when the car came along the road. This was a good plan in the country, but not so easy to follow in the busy streets of London. One night Rolls and some friends started from London on their journey to Cambridge. One of the men walked in front with the red lamp, but he walked as fast as he could. The police became very interested in walls and shop-fronts when they heard the car and not one of them saw it. They reached a hill, but what a waste of time it was to drive down the hill at four miles an hour! Rolls was getting ready to jump into the car, but then he noticed a policeman who was not looking the other way. The slow car reached him. "Good evening," said the policeman, looking at the car. "Good evening," said Rolls, holding the lamp. "One of these horseless things," said the policeman, looking at it with interest. "Yes," said Rolls, and waited. "I've often wanted a ride in one, but of course policemen can't buy things like that." He turned and looked hopefully in Rolls's face. "Jump in," said Rolls. "Thanks," said the policeman, and did so. "Now," he said, sitting down, "You can let it go just as you like down this hill. There isn't another policeman on this road for a mile and a half." The policemen were told "to look the other way" so that _ . A. they could watch the car coming from the other direction B. Rolls's car could go faster than four miles an hour C. they could make sure no one was in the way D. the car would not hit them on the road Answer: B I still remember the day when my mom said, "Let's get you some new clothes." You can imagine that to any little girl that would mean the world, but to me it meant the universe, because we were not very rich. After she said that, all I could think about was what kinds of clothes I would choose. To my surprise, my mom allowed me to pick out three dresses: a pink one, a blue one and a yellow one. The yellow one was my favorite. I had a best friend named Seema, whose family was even poorer than ours. We played and studied together, and spent the best days of our childhood laughing at the silly stories we made up. I was excited to show her my three beautiful new dresses. She loved them all and was happy for me, but tearfully explained to me that her father could only afford to buy her clothes for her birthday. I felt sorry, and then did something that surprised even myself: I asked her to pick out one of my dresses for herself. To my disappointment, she picked up my favorite--the yellow one. Please remember, I was only seven years. My heart almost popped out of my chest. But as she held it against her body, and I saw how brightly she smiled, I stopped feeling any hurt. I told her it looked lovely on her. I'll always remember Seema's smile, and how at that moment nothing mattered more. When you value your friendships, nothing else matters! We're still best friends today. The author let Seema pick out one of her dresses because she wanted to _ . A. show her pity for Seema's family B. show off her family's wealth C. make Seema become her best friend D. exchange it with Seema's dress Answer: A A new study done by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) shows that it doesn't make much of a difference that parents reward their children with cash for their better marks. Many parents have offered cash to their children in the hope that it would improve marks and possibly raise their children's interest in achieving higher marks. The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Toronto (UT) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to learn more about the potential for financial encouragement as motivation for improved marks, involved first and second year students receiving financial aid in 2008-2009 at the University of Toronto Scarborough. The top students participating in the study who said they were "very concerned" about having enough money to complete their degrees were to receive $100 for getting a grade of 70 per cent for each one-semester course, plus $20 for every percentage point beyond that.It was imaginable that a student could earn as much as $700 for achieving 100 percent in a course. Harvey Weingarten, president and CEO of HEQCO said, "In its efforts to help disadvantaged students by exploring the idea of paying them to attend school, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is asking the same question many other districts are asking about how to improve student participation and performance.Our study and others to date indicate that has little effect if any in those situations where it has been tested." The authors of the study suggest that ineffective study habits may be a barrier to academic achievement and that the real problem may be more a lack of academic preparation than a lack of effort or motivation.They note that the availability of peer advising does not appear to have helped greatly.They conclude that other potential avenues to improving performance, or other approaches of teaching, are needed at the high school and postsecondary levels. The real problem with student participation and performance is most probably a lack of _ . A. academic preparation B. effort or motivation C. teaching methods D. peer advising Answer: A When you have a cold, you must be unhappy because your body becomes hot, and there are pains all over. You don't want to work, you stay in bed, feeling terrible. What makes you ill? It's _ . Germs are everywhere. They are very small and you can't find them with your eyes but you can see them with a microscope . They are very small and there could be hundreds of them in or on a very small thing. Germs are always found in dirty water. When you look at dirty water under the microscope, you can see them in it. Germs are found not only in water. They are also found in air and dust . If you cut your finger , and if some of the dust goes into the finger, it will become big and red, and you will have much pain in it. Sometimes germs will go into your body and you will have pain everywhere. The writer talks about _ . A. how to keep dirty water clean B. how to look after your fingers C. how to find germs in the dirty water D. what can make you ill Answer: D
It was Saturday and it was nice outside. I did not have school and my mom did not have work. When I woke up we ate breakfast and got ready for the day. My mom started to clean up the house so I went up to my room to play with my toys. My mom came upstairs and told me, "If you clean up your room there is a great surprise in it for you." I was very excited about what the surprise was but not very excited to clean my room. My mom left and closed the door. I looked around and saw how messy my room was. And I really did not want to clean it. So what I did was pick up all my stuff in my room and put it all in my closet. It did not take me very long so I hung out in my room for a little bit longer before heading downstairs to the basement to tell my mom I was ready for my surprise. She came upstairs to see how I did and immediately saw what I did. She was not happy about it. She said, "You either do it right, or Ill do it right and you won't get a surprise." That was enough to make me clean my room right. Finally, my mom told me the surprise when I was all finished. She told me we were going out to the park! But by the time we got there, I could only play for a little bit before it started getting dark. I wished I would have cleaned my room right the first time so I had more time at the park. why was his mom upset? A. his room was messy B. it was nice outside C. it was snowing D. because he did not clean his room right Answer: D. because he did not clean his room right The following safety risks may result in serious injury or death to the user of the MINI Cooper S: This product contains small parts that are for adult assembly only. Keep small children away when assembling. Remove all protective materials before assembly. Be sure to remove all packaging materials and parts from underneath the car body. Battery posts contain lead known to the state of California to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Never open the battery. Body parts such as hands, legs, hair and clothing can get caught in moving parts. Never place a body part near a moving part or wear loose clothing while using the vehicle. Always wear shoes when using the vehicle. Using the vehicle near streets, motor vehicles, drop-offs such as steps, water (swimming pools) or other bodies of water, hills, wet areas, in alleys, at night or in the dark could result in an unexpected accident. Instead, use the vehicle on the highway. Always use the vehicle in a safe, secure environment. Using the vehicle in unsafe conditions such as snow, rain, loose dirt, mud, or sand may result in unexpected action, for example tip over. Using the vehicle in an unsafe manner. Examples include but are not limited to: Pulling the vehicle with another vehicle or similar device Allowing more than two riders Pushing the user from the back Traveling at an unsafe speed Always use common sense and safe practices when using the vehicle. Store the vehicle indoors or cover it to protect it from weather. Water will damage the motor, electric system, and battery. Where can you probably find the text? A. An official report. B. A popular magazine. C. A physics textbook. D. A product handbook. Answer: D. A product handbook. Yesterday my son, daughter and I went to the grocery store. In front of us in line was a little girl with her mother. The little girl was asking her mother for a box of Smarties. The polite way she was asking almost broke the mother's heart, "I'm sorry, Honey, but we have no money to buy it." My son was watching that dialogue. By the way, he had been raking leaves our garden to raise himself some money to buy a bike. As he watched the mother and daughter leave the store, he ran to the candy counter and bought a box of Smarties with the money . He turned to look at me and I just nodded. He ran out after the little girl and her mother and he gave them the box. He came back and told me what he told them. "Every kid should have a pack of Smarties because they can make you smart." I was so excited that I bought a pack of Smarties for my son. I told him that I was proud of him, and that was for his act of generosity because he gave his own Smarties to others. Quickly, he replied, "But you do nice things for people and you never get anything for it."I explained, "When you do something nice for someone, you shouldn't expect to get anything. When you get something you should be very thankful." The writer was _ to see her son buy a pack of Smarties for the little girl. A. sad B. excited C. angry D. proud Answer: D. proud In Britain, when people meet each other for the first time, they talk about things like family, work, school,or sports. They ask question like "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" "Where do you work?" "What school do you go to?" and "Do you like sports?" They also ask questions like "Where do you come from?" and "Where do you live?" These are polite questions. They are not personal or private. But some things are personal or private, and questions about them are not polite. People don't ask questions about a person's salary . They don't ask how much or someone is paid for something. It is not OK to ask people questions about politics, party or religion unless you know them very well. People don 't ask unmarried people "Why are you single?" and they don't ask a married couple with no children "Why don't you have any children?" The British usually don't ask questions about a person's _ . A. interest B. work C. religion D. family Answer: C. religion One fine day, an old couple around the age of 70, walks into a lawyer's office. Apparently, they are there to file a divorce. Lawyer was very puzzled, after having a chat with them, he got their story. This couple had been quarreling all their 40 years of marriage nothing ever seems to go right. They hang on because of their children, afraid that it might affect their up-bringing. Now, all their children have already grown up, have their own family, there's nothing else the old couple have to worry about, all they wanted is to lead their own life free from all these years of unhappiness from their marriage, so both agree on a divorce. While they were signing the papers, the wife told the husband. "I really love you, but I really can't carry on anymore, I'm sorry." "It's OK, I understand." said the husband. Little did she know that, over the years, the husband has been trying all ways to please her, little did she know that drumsticks were the husband's favorite. Little did he know that she never thought he understands her at all, little did he know that she hates drumsticks even though all he wants is the best for her. That night, both of them couldn't sleep, toss and turn, toss and turn. After hours, the old man couldn't take it anymore, he knows that he still loves her, and he can't carry on life without her, he wants her back, he wants to tell her, he is sorry, he wants to tell her, "I love you." He picked up the phone, started dialing her number. Ringing never stops. He never stops dialing. On the other side, she was sad, she couldn't understand how come after all these years, he still doesn't understand her at all, she loves him a lot, but she just can't take it any more. Phone's ringing, she refuses to answer knowing that it's him. "I want to keep it this way, if not I will lose face. "She thought. Phone is still ringing. She has decided to pull out the cord. Little did she remember, he had heart problems. The next day, she received news that he had passed away. She rushed down to his apartment, saw his body, lying on the couch still holding on to the phone. He had a heart attack when he was still trying to get through her phone line. Why didn't they file a divorce before they were at the age of 70? A. Because they were loving each other then. B. Because they had no time to lawyer's office. C. Because they wanted to make their divorce open. D. Because they didn't wish to affect their children's up-bringing. Answer: D. Because they didn't wish to affect their children's up-bringing.
After giving a talk at a high school, I was asked to pay a visit to a special student. An illness had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me. I was told it would mean a great deal to him, so I agreed. During the nine-mile drive to his home, I found out something about Matthew. He had muscular dystrophy . When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to five, and then they were told he would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal power lifter, and I knew about overcoming obstacles and going for my dreams. I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he complain or ask, "Why me?" He spoke about winning and succeeding and going for his dreams. Obviously, he knew what he was talking about. He didn't mention that his classmates had made fun of him because he was different. He just talked about his hopes for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weights with me. When we had finished talking, I went to my briefcase and pulled out the first gold medal I had won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about success and overcoming obstacles than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it off and handed it back to me. He said, "You are a champion. You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you." Last summer I received a letter from Matthew's parents telling me that Matthew had passed away. They wanted me to have a letter he had written to me a few days before: Matthew didn't accept the author's medal because _ . Answer: Dean was prosecuted in federal court for making threats against the President of the United States. Dean was a voluntary patient in a private psychiatric hospital and told a nurse, shortly before the President came to town, that Dean planned to shoot the President. The nurse reported the threat to FBI agents. Dean's motion to prevent the nurse from testifying is likely to be Answer: In 1989 an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened America, killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes. A father rushed to the school where his son was supposed to be, only to discover that the building was as flat as a pancake. After the shock, he remembered the promise he had made to his son: "No matter what happened, I'll always be there for you!" And tears began to fill his eyes. As he looked at the pile of ruins that once was the school, it looked hopeless, but he kept remembering his promise to his son. Remembering his son's classroom would be in the back right corner of the building, he rushed there and started digging. Other parents tried to pull him off the ruins, saying: "It's too late! _ 're all dead! You can't help!" He replied, "Are you going to help me now?" The fire chief showed up and tried to pull him off the school's ruins saying, "Fires are breaking out, explosions are happening everywhere. You're in danger. We'll take care of it. Go home." This loving, caring American father asked, "Are you going to help me now?" The police came and said, "You're, anxious and it's over. Go home. We'll handle it!" He replied, "Are you going to help me now?" No one helped. Courageously he went on alone. He dug for eight hours...12 hours...24 hours...36 hours...then, in the 38th hour, he heard his son's voice. He screamed his son's name, "ARMAND!" He heard back, "Dad! It's me, Dad! You promised no matter what happened, you would always be there for me! You did it, Dad!" "What's going on in there? How is it?" the father asked. "There are 14 of us left out of 33, Dad. " "Come out, boy!" "No, Dad! Let the other kids out first, because I know you'll get me! No matter what happens, I know you'll always be there for me!" Which of the following best describes the son? Answer: It was nearly dark. The sun was dropping down the mountains far away. Little Tom came back home with tears in his eyes. "What's the matter, Tom? How's your trip?" his mother asked with a big smile. "I failed. The mountain is so high and full of big or small stones on the way. I still go ahead. But I was tired and it was so late that I had to come back." Tom cried. "It doesn't matter. You are only 14 years old after all. You will have another chance ." his mother said. "But, standing at the top of the mountain is my dream!" Tom said. His father came over and asked, "Did you see the green trees on your way to the mountain?" "Sure, and there are a lot of beautiful flowers by the side of the road." Tom replied. "Did you hear the birds singing?" his father asked. "There are many kinds of birds singing in the trees, and the sound was very sweet." Tom said. "Did you feel the beauty of nature?" his father asked. "Yes, the blue sky, the white clouds, the green trees and the colorful flowers made a nice picture." Tom answered. "That's enough!" his father smiled and said, "Please remember, son. For often, achieving what you expect is not the most important thing. Although you didn't reach the top of the mountain, you got a lot on the way." It is true that not every goal will be achieved, not every job will end up with a success, and not every dream will come true. The most beautiful scenery is on the way. Tom saw a lot of things on the way to the mountain except _ . Answer: A skill, or learned characteristic is Answer:
"Eat your breakfast. It's the most important meal of the day!" Why are parents always saying that? Well, a person is like a car. After a long night of sleeping, there is no fuel in your fuel tank . Breakfast is like the fuel. It makes you work or walk on the road. What should you eat? Any breakfast is better than no breakfast, but try not to have hamburgers or dessert all the time. They don't have the necessary nutrients . And if you have a hamburger for breakfast, you won't feel full for long. Try to eat all kinds of foods like grains, fruit, vegetables and drink some milk. Oh, try to eat more apples because an apple a day can help to keep the doctor away. The writer thinks breakfast is like the _ Answer: Seventy years ago I was quite a small little girl, the baby of the family, with an older brother and sister. My father was very ill at the time, and my mother took in sewing of any kind so we could live. She would sew far into the night with nothing but dim gas mantles and an old treadle sewing machine. She never complained even when the fire would be low and the food very scarce. She would sew until the early hours of morning. Things were very bad that particular winter. Then a letter came from where her sewing machine was purchased, stating that they would have to pick up her machine the next day unless payments were brought up to date. I remember when she read the letter I became frightened; I could picture us starving to death and all sorts of things that could come to a child's mind. My mother did not appear to be worried, however, and seemed to be quite calm about the matter. I, on the other hand, cried myself to sleep, wondering what would become of our family. Mother said God would not fail her, that he never had. I couldn't see how God was going to help us keep this old sewing machine. The day the men were to come for our only means of support, there was a knock at the kitchen door. I was frightened as a child would be, for I was sure it was those dreaded men. Instead, a nicely dressed man stood at our door with a darling baby in his arms. He asked my mother if she was Mrs. Hill. When she said she was, he said, "I'm in trouble this morning and you have been recommended by the druggist and grocer down the street as an honest and wonderful woman. My wife was rushed to the hospital this morning, and since we have no relatives here, and I must open my dentist office, I have nowhere to leave my baby. Could you possibly take care of her for a few days?" He continued, "I will pay you in advance." With this he took out ten dollars and gave it to my mother. Mother said, "Yes, yes, I will be glad to do so," and took the baby from his arms. When the man left, Mother turned to me with tears streaming down a face that looked as though a light was shining on it. She said, "I knew God would never let them take away my machine." What does mother mean by saying "I knew God would never let them take away my machine.?" Answer: Be sure to book a table if the restaurant you choose is an expensive or a popular one. You will feel embarrassed to show up without booking and having to wait for a table, leaving very bad impression on your friend, especially your girl friend. Also, be sure to check to see if you need to be properly dressed and tell your friend ahead of time what to wear. When your food arrives, proper dining manners make you eat at a right pace so that you have time to talk. A good measure of how fast you should eat is to count 10 seconds between each mouthful and it's bad manners if you eat too fast and then spend the rest of the time watching your friend eat. Don't make noise when having soup and chewing, or chew with your mouth open. Your napkin should be placed on your lap at all times. Don't put it in any other place. If you have to get up, place it neatly on your seat. When eating, put your fork straight in your mouth. Don't place your fork in the side of your mouth as it increases the chances of dropping your food, which could be very embarrassing. If you get food stuck in your mouth, don't pick it out with your fingers or fork at the table. Excuse yourself and go to the restroom and get it out with a toothpick. When dining, keep your eyes on your friend at all times and try to smile between mouthfuls. Sometimes, you should make an effort to show some interest and ask questions like, "How do you like the beef?" If she needs, you are the one who is supposed to flag down the waiter by a gentle wave of the hand until someone notices you. The passage is mainly about _ . Answer: Which situation is an example of an inherited trait? Answer: You go to a store. You see many new things. You know about them before you get to the store. How do you know? You saw these things on TV. You learned about them through advertising. People have been advertising for thousands of years. Long ago, men called "criers" walked up and down the street. They shouted about things that were being sold. Later, people met at one place. This place was a market. Some people came to sell. Other people came to buy. But only those people who were at the market knew what was being sold. When people learned about printing, things changed. Soon there were newspapers. Many people read the newspapers. They saw many ads in the papers. Later, more people saw and listened to the ads on TV. Are the people who sell to us "criers"? Later people could find the ads _ . Answer:
It is not unusual to see your desk-mate yawn as he complains that he didn't have a good sleep the night before. Many teens don't get enough sleep because they have too much homework, which keeps them up at night. Some teens cannot sleep at night even when they want to. Studies show that during your teenage years, the body's biological clock is reset, telling you to sleep later at night and wake up later in the morning. But changes in the body clock aren't the only reason teens lose sleep. Lots of people have insomnia . The most common cause of insomnia is stress. But all sorts of things can lead to insomnia. These include physical discomfort, emotional troubles and even sleeping environment. It's common for everyone to have insomnia from time to time. But if it lasts for a month or more go and see a doctor. Some people have a condition that causes stomach acid to move backward towards the chest. This produces the uncomfortable, burning feeling called heartburn. So even if the person doesn't notice the feelings of heartburn because he is sleeping, he may feel tired the next day. Most teens have nightmares sometimes. But, if they are frequent, a person's sleep pattern can be seriously affected. The most common cause of nightmares is emotional problems, such as stress or anxiety. If you have them a lot, it's a good idea to talk to a doctor. Doctors encourage teens to make lifestyle changes to develop good sleeping habits. You probably know that coffee can keep you awake, but did you know that playing video games or watching TV does the same? Which way can help to get rid of insomnia? A Drinking some coffee before going to bed. B Playing video game or watching TV from time to time. C Turning to a doctor for help. D Eating much medicine for insomnia. Answer: C An 18-year-old student was struggling to pay his fees. Not knowing where to get the money, he and a friend decided to host a musical concert to raise money for their education. They went to the great pianist Paderewski. His manager demanded $2,000 for the piano recital . A deal was made and the boys began to work to make the concert a success. The big day arrived. But unfortunately, they hadn't managed to sell enough tickets. The total collection was only $1,600. Disappointed, they went to Paderewski and gave him the entire $1,600, and promised to pay him the rest $400 back as soon as possible. "No," said Paderewski. "Keep the money you need for your fees. And just give me whatever is left." The boys were surprised, and very thankful. Paderewski later became the Prime Minister of Poland, and he was a great leader. When the World War broke out, more than l.5 million people went hungry, but there was no food to feed them. Paderewski turned to the US Food and Relief Administration for help. The head there was a man called Herbert Hoover -- who later became the US President. Hoover agreed to help and quickly shipped tons of food to Poland. Paderewski decided to go across to thank Hoover himself. When Paderewski began to thank Hoover for his kindness, Hoover quickly stopped him and said, "You shouldn't be thanking me, Mr. Prime Minister. You may not remember this, but several years ago, you helped two young students go through college. I was one of them." What can we learn about Herbert Hoover? A He was one of the American presidents. B He didn't finish his college education. C He was very rich when he was young. D He was one of Paderewski's students. Answer: A Football T-shirts are more commonly connected with boys than girls. This can often cause a problem when you want to find a cool shirt for a girl. That is not to say that there are no cool shirts out there for girls to wear. The problem is that they are often harder to find than the ones for boys. You can get custom shirt printed for girls from a number of custom print stores. Of course you have to make sure that they are legally allowed to use the logos and colours of the team you want to support. You can also go through official channels to get the shirt you want. The official channels will generally be the large sportswear stores or the official stores of the teams. These stores will be able to use the colours of the teams and even put the name of the person who the shirt is for on it. If you do not feel like you have to try the T-shirts on, then an online store may be your best choice. The reason for this is that you can visit various stores and find the best ones. If you want to see what the T-shirt looks like in real life, then going to a store is the best choice. Large sportswear stores often have football shirts. These are the best places to go if you do not live close to an official store. And these stores usually have lower prices than the official stores. What kind of readers is this passage for? A Football players. B Clothes store owners. C Female football fans. D Physical education teacher Answer: C When 19-year-old Sophia Giorgi said she was thinking of volunteering to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation ,nobody understood what she was talking about. But Sophia knew just how important Make - A -Wish could be because this special organization had helped to make a dream come true for one her best friends. We were interested in finding out more, so we went along to meet Sophia listen to what she had to say. Sophia told us that Make - A -Wish is a worldwide organization that started in the United States in 1980. " It's a charity that helps children who have got very serious illnesses. Make - A -Wish help children feel happy even though they are sick, by making their wishes and dreams come true, " Sophia explained. We asked Sophia how Make - A -Wish had first started. She said it had all begun with a very sick young boy called Chris, who had been dreaming for a long time of becoming a policeman. Sophia said lots of people had wanted to find a way to make Chris's dream come true ----so, with everybody's help, Chris, only seven years old at the time, had been a "policeman" for a day. " when people saw how delighted Chris was when his dream came true, they decided to try and help other sick children too , and that was the beginning of Make - A -Wish, " explained Sophia. Sophia also told us the Foundation tries to give children and their families a special, happy time. A Make-A-Wish volunteer visits the families and asks the children what they would wish for if they could have anything in the world. Sophia said the volunteers were important because they were the ones who helped to make the wishes come true. They do this either by providing things that are necessary, or by raising money or helping out in whatever way they can. According to Sophia, Make-A-Wish _ A is an international charity B was understood by nobody at first C raises money for very poor families D started by drawing the interest of the public Answer: A The forces that make Japan one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries could become part of its long-term energy solution. Water from deep below the ground at Japan's tens of thousands of hot springs could be used to produce electricity. Although Japanese high-tech companies are leaders in geothermal technology and export it, its use is limited in the nation. "Japan should no doubt make use of its resources of geothermal energy," said Yoshiyasu Takefuji, a leading researcher of thermal-electric power production. The disastrous earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 caused a reaction against atomic power, which previously made up 30 percent of Japan's energy needs, and increased interest in alternative energies, which account for only 8 percent. Artist Yoko Ono has called on Japan to explore its natural energy, following the example of Iceland which uses renewable energy for more than 80 percent of its needs. For now, geothermal energy makes up less than 1 percent of the energy needs in Japan, which has for decades relied heavily on fossil fuels and atomic power. The biggest problem to geothermal energy is the high initial cost of the exploration and constructing the factories.Another problem is that Japan's potentially best sites are already being developed for tourism or are located within national parks where construction is forbidden. "We can't even dig 10cm inside national parks." said Shigeto Yamada of Fuji Electric, adding that regulations protecting nature would need to be relaxed for geothermal energy to grow. Researcher Hideaki Matsui said, "Producing electricity using hot springs is a decades-long project.We also have to think about what to do for now as energy supplies will decline in the short term." The Earth Policy Institute in Washington, US, believed Japan could produce 80,000 megawatts and meet more than half its electricity needs with geothermal technology. Japanese giants such as Toshiba are already global leaders in geothermal technology, with a 70 percent market share.In 2010, Fuji Electric built the world's largest geothermal factory in New Zealand. What percentage of Japan's energy needs is geothermal energy? A About 8%. B Below 1%. C Around 30%. D Over 80%. Answer: B
Question: The opera house in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is one of the most beautiful in the United States. It is small and open, with one roof over the stage where singers perform and another roof over part of the audience. This opera house in the mountain is one of the best in the country, which may seem surprising because performances are only given during seven weeks in summer, and because Santa Fe is a very small city. One reason why the Santa Fe Opera is so good is that it attracts many excellent young singers .They all hope to sing in famous opera houses like Metropolitan in New York someday. And they work hard to become well-known during the summer. The musicians and directors are experts who come from the best orchestras and operas in the country during their vacations. They enjoy working there because they like to live in Santa Fe, which is near both the mountains and the desert. It is very beautiful there in summer. The state government of New Mexico advertises the Santa Fe Opera in newspapers all over the country, and a great many tourists come to New Mexico because of the opera ,Still ,most of the audience does come from Santa Fe and other nearby cities. And all the seats in the theater are sold for every show. There is only one thing that some people do not like about the Santa Fe Opera, and that is the cold weather .Because the theater is open, performances cannot start before it gets dark at nine o'clock in the evening, and then the mountain air becomes very cool. Sometimes people complain about the cold air ,but because the opera is good , these people come back again wearing warm coats. Young singers come to perform in Santa Fe Opera because _ . A. the music quality is high B. they enjoy the climate there C. they want to be famous D. they like the scenery there Answer: C. they want to be famous Question: In Britain, children go to school from Monday to Friday. School usually starts nine o'clock in the morning and finishes at about three o'clock in the afternoon. Most schools ask their students to wear a school uniform. School always starts with registration. What is registration? Every child going to school each morning and afternoon is recorded in a special book. The teacher reads out each child's name in turn. On hearing his/her name, the child makes a reply and the teacher writes in the book. From the book, you can see whether the child is in school or not. At 9:10, children go to the meeting place. There they sing songs, listen to a story and pray . The first lesson begins at 9:20. They have break time from 10:20 to 10:35. During break time, the children have a snack and play games outdoors. After that, they go back in for another lesson until lunch at 12:00. Afternoon lessons begin at 1:10 and end at 3:15, and children go home. They don't have a break in the afternoon. Which of the following is true? A. In Britain, most students live at school at night. B. Students in Britain mustn't call their teacher's names. C. Students in Britain go to school before nine every morning. D. Students in Britain have a long break between the afternoon lessons. Answer: D. Students in Britain have a long break between the afternoon lessons. Question: Competition. It's a simple word, yet a very complex word that covers many angles when it comes to how gasoline prices are determined. It seems so easy to explain, but don't let that trick you--it's incredibly difficult to explain and adequately understand. Say you're on a Sunday afternoon drive, and notice a gas station near you charging $3.50. Down the road a few miles, that price could easily be 10 or more cents higher or lower. The question is "how" or "why" is that? Think of it this way. Are you more likely to get a better deal on a car if there are two similar car dealers next to each other? Perhaps, because the dealers are too close. Say there is a third similar car dealer miles away. Is he going to be at the same level of competition and sell his cars for the same price as the two dealers next to each other? Likely not. He may charge more or less. Maybe people don't know there are two other dealers down the road. Maybe the dealer is almost outside of the city and the land value isn't as high, so his taxes aren't as high. These situations do take place at gas stations. And more factors can impact what a station will charge. Timing can greatly impact what price a station charges as well! Many motorists fail to realize that the price a station pays for gasoline changes daily. If one station gets lucky and buys gas on Monday and the cost goes up Tuesday, the station that bought on Monday doesn't necessarily have to raise prices like the station that bought on Tuesday. Maybe the station that got caught buying for a higher price on Tuesday will pass that higher cost on by raising its gas price. Perhaps the difference is what brand the station is---branded stations usually pay a slightly higher cost for their gasoline. In return for paying a higher cost, those stations are guaranteed first supply in case of emergency situations. Independent stations don't pay as much, but aren't guaranteed supply. While competition sounds easy to understand, there are always a large number of factors that could influence what one station charges. Keep in mind how many variables there are next time you fill up. The gas prices of a station always change partly because _ . A. a gas station always wants to charge more B. the gasoline is in great demand C. the cost of the gas the station buys varies daily D. gas is in greater need on Monday Answer: C. the cost of the gas the station buys varies daily Question: Time: July 16-20 Location: Norman Park Conference Center Price: 500 Students who have completed the 5th, 6th or 7th grade and meet our requirements can take part in this exciting project. Children will spend 5 days in the Center joining in various activities. Our theme for this camp is "Teamwork". The title speaks to our goal: We want this trip to help our students improve their sense of cooperation. What to do: Step one: Form work Click on the link to print out the necessary forms: Propel Missions Camp Forms Complete the forms, printing clearly. Turn in your forms along with a copy of your insurance card to the office during business hours. Member form This form must be signed and notarized . * Your form may be notarized at the office during normal office hours, at the Children's reception desk before and after service times, or by a lawyer of your choosing. Special needs form (If needed) Special needs form should be filled out only if there is a particular need (as described in the form) of which we and the camp should know. Roommate form This form will help us place your child in a room with the partners he or she prefers. We will provide a list of students attending at your request to help your child make his or her choices. Step two: Read Click on the link and read carefully the Parent Information Packet provided by the camp: Propel Missions Camp Forms (Parents) How to get in touch If interested, get in touch with Pastor Scott at scott. Morrison@fbcvidalia.org or call the office at (912)537-4169. It can be learnt from the passage that _ . A. there are only indoor activities for all campers B. the camp will give an insurance card to every child C. the aim of the camp is to improve the kids' independence D. there are two ways for you to get in touch with the camp Answer: D. there are two ways for you to get in touch with the camp Question: A calf that dies will eventually A. disintegrate B. fall C. starve D. wrinkle Answer: A. disintegrate
Are you looking for some new and exciting places to take your kids to? Try some of these places: Visit art museums. They offer a variety of activities to excite your kids' interest. Many offer workshops for making hand-made pieces, traveling exhibits, book signings by children' s favorite writers, and even musical performances and other arts. Head to a natural history museum. This is where kids can discover the past from dinosaur models to rock collections and pictures of stars in the sky. Also, ask what kind of workshops and educational programs are prepared for kids and any special events that are coming up. Go to a Youtheater. Look for one in your area offering plays for child and family visitors. Pre-show play shops are conducted by area artists and educators where kids can discover the secret about performing arts. Puppet making and stage make-up are just a couple of the special offerings you might find. Try hands-on science. Visit one of the many hands-on science museums around the country. These science play-lands are great fun for kids and grown-ups alike. They'll keep your child mentally and physically active the whole day through while pushing buttons, experimenting, and building. When everyone is tired, enjoy a fun family science show, commonly found in these museums. X Where does this text probably come from? .A museum guide It's lunch time. You're hungry and want to get your favorite meal in the restaurant, but there are a lot of people waiting at the door. Don't worry-in cyberworld, )you can get your meal just on the Internet. "Shopping has never been so easy. With just a single click on your mouse, anything that you ordered online can be taken to your door quickly," said Bian Jing, a twenty-year-old girl. "I don't want to spend too much time shopping, so I like doing shopping online better than in a usual store," said a boy from a middle school. "It's easy to find the things you want online." If the shoppers buy something online, they can find lower prices and wider choices of things. But many teachers and parents are worried that shopping online is becoming too popular. "It's not a good way for middle school students to spend their money," said a teacher. "I don't want them to shop online." "It's also dangerous to lose money at online stores, because some of them just want to cheat shoppers," another teacher said. Most parents are not willing to pay the money their children spend on the Internet. The main idea of the passage is _ . different opinions about shopping online 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 . 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 be 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 right food, therefore, has become an area of study in modem life. Certain animals change their choice of food when _ . the season changes Compulsive shoppers may have a new psychological excuse to blame for their wild shopping. Psychologists at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand are studying the "shop-till-you-drop" habit as a behavioral disorder similar to compulsive eating. Compulsive shoppers frequently buy more than they can afford or more than they need, and it causes them distress . "It becomes a problem when you are out of control," psychology lecturer Neville Blampied said. "When you are feeling bad and blue, what do you do? Some people eat chocolate cake and ice cream. Some people take the credit card and go out to the shop." Bank managers understand the problem because they have to deal with people who have to be persuaded to stop using their cards drawing money. Compulsive shopping was first discovered in 1915, although it was then known as monomania. Few studies have been done on the problem. An advertisement in a Christchurch paper, calling for people to take part in an experimental treatment program designed by Mr. Wilson, attracted 10 replies. But the problem, said Mr. Wilson, is "clearly not rare". He thinks that compulsive shopping should be treated with drugs. "As psychologists we are interested in non-drug treatments for behavioral difficulties," Mr. Wilson said. Compulsive eaters or shoppers get a kick from their habit. "Both activities provide an immediate kind of kick and you feel a bit better," he said. "You have long-term problems, but human beings are extremely good at not seeing long-term problems and are very sensitive to short-term benefits," he said. The aim of the treatment was to help people find better ways of managing their emotions. The program, consisting of 10 one-hour weekly lessons and two follow-up treatments, is loosely based on teaching stress management. "You often have to start to get people to correctly recognize their emotions. Not being able to know what you really feel weakens your ability to solve the problems connected with what's making you feel that way," Mr. Wilson said. When the writer says that compulsive shoppers get a kick from their habit, he means that they _ . have a feeling of excitement after shopping Where do you like to live? For this question, different people have different answers. Some people like to live in a city because there are many shops and supermarkets. They think it is convenient to buy things. But some people think it is good to live in a quiet town because they don't like the dirty air in the big city. They dislike pollution in the city. Today, some people like travelling, so they would like to buy house cars. House car is both a house and a car. You can't buy it with a little money. There is a driving area in the car. You can do lots of things in the car. There is a bed and a lamp in the bedroom. You can make dinner in the kitchen. You can also find a fridge and a sink in it. You can listen to music and watch TV in the sitting room. If you are tired, you can have a shower or a bath in the bathroom. You can do most things you want to do. Life is travelling. Do you want to live in this kind of car? Why do some people like to live in the city? Because it is interesting to live there.
To prevent diabetes you will get a real jolt ( shock ) when you follow the prescription offered up in the "Journal of the American Medical Association." This 'prestigious' organization reported on separate studies of coffee drinkers in Sweden and Finland. Whiz-bang medical researchers discovered that women could decrease their risk of diabetes by 29 percent when they followed a regimen of drinking three to four cups of coffee a day. The ladies who had the courage to drink 10 or more cups of coffee a day progressed even better. They reduced their risk of diabetes by 79 percent. The men participating in the studies also reduced their risk, but not to the extent as did the women. When men drank three to four cups a day, they reduced their risk of diabetes by 27 percent. The men who drank 10 or more cups of java per day reduced their risk by 55 percent. These results confirm a January report by the equally 'prestigious' Harvard School of Public Health. That report concluded that drinking six 8-ounce cups of coffee a day could reduce diabetes risk in men by about 50 percent and in women by 30 percent. If the numbers have any connection to reality, the more coffee you drink, the better off you are. And that is the rub. The numbers have nothing to do with reality, nothing to do with the truth. Here in America the rate of adult-onset diabetes, or Type 2 diabetes, is growing increasingly. Nowadays it typically shows up in middle-age populations, but the disease is on the rise among ever-younger age groups. Do not step up your coffee consumption in the belief it will help you prevent diabetes. This disease has ly nothing to do with a lack of coffee drinking. Science and truth are not synonymous. Medical scientists do not deal with truth. The medical scientists who monkey around with coffee drinking merely play with limited and approximate descriptions of reality. In this case, extremely limited and hardly approximate. If you are serious about preventing diabetes, you have to look at the differences between the people of the past who did not get diabetes and the people of today who get diabetes. _ involves more than merely harping on the fact the younger generation is becoming more overweight and less active. We have plenty of newly discovered diabetics who are active and on the thin side---and they drink lots of coffee. The primary difference between the people of the past who did not get sick and die like we do, and the present lot who become diabetics, is poor nutritional status. The diabetic-in-process has an inadequate intake of nutrients and/or excessive intake of nutrient-poor foods. Conversely , his/her healthy ancestors had a nutrient-rich diet. The nutrient-rich diet of the past contained, minimally, four times the amount of minerals, and ten times the amount of fat-soluble vitamins found in the American diet of the late 1930's and early 1940's. Folks who learn where health comes from and practice prevention won't become diabetic, and will not need the medical community dosing them with coffee, or any other magic bullet. Which of the following statement is Not true according to the passage? The men participating in the studies reduced their risk to the same extent as the women did. Children who spend more time reading with their parents have a greater chance of becoming better readers than those who don't. With help from their parents, children can learn techniques to improve their reading skills. "A lot of parents think after their child learns to read, they should stop reading to them," Donna George said. "They are sadly mistaken." George offers her services to parents at the Title I Learning Centers. She said reading aloud to children may be the most valuable thing parents can do. "It is better for children to hear things at a higher level than where they are," George said. "Parents are their child's first teacher." Parents help their children build listening, phonics , comprehension and vocabulary skills when they read aloud to them. Before parents can identify reading problems, they should escape the enemy----television and limit the time their children spend watching television. George suggested not allowing kids to have a TV in their bedrooms, setting a schedule of when kids can watch or keeping a list of how many programs children watch. Louise Joiners said while her 14-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son enjoy reading, the television sometimes becomes a _ . So she tries to build the situation by suggesting books the entire family will enjoy reading together, like the Harry Potter series. Parents who do not read themselves should not depend on their children being enthusiastic about it. If parents would read to their children at least 15 minutes every day, children would not have so many problems in school. It is the parents' job to help build that desire in their children, and of course to know what kind of books to read is also important. Which one would be the best title for the passage? How Parents Make Their Child a Better Reader. From James Dean to Growing Pains, Hollywood has long had a love affair with the relationship between teens and their parents. As the fascination with this relationship attests, parents play a crucial role in the development of their children's personalities. Teenagers learn by closely observing what people around them do. Parents are literally their first teachers and serve as role models. From hygiene to habits, from time management to personal manner, parents form the foundation of their children's characteristics. These tiny individual factors on our everyday behavior collectively constitute who we are. A second influence occurs at the spiritual level. Parental treatment of children is reflected in children's relationship with others. For example, my dad was quite angry with my study habits a few years back and lost his temper.I clearly remember that I too would easily lose my cool and shout at people, often saying things I later regretted, in those difficult days. Parents of my fellow classmates often tend to be anxious about the studies of their children, which can lead to a lack of confidence in their children. If we are boats weathering a storm as we navigate toward maturity, then parents should be our captains. It is as easy to lead us to shipwreck as is to take us ashore safely. To be fair, the guidance and influence of our parents are not the sole factors in molding us. There are numerous examples of teens forging their own paths and becoming something of which their parents never dreamed. Even so, parents must be a fundamental force that positively influences their children. At their best, they can help to solve teenage problems with a respect for their children's thoughts. If parents are worried about the studies of their children, their children will _ . lack self-confidence What kind of substance will get less warm when it touches a cold object? fresh baked poptart Allen : I've never been a big fan of the bears ,especially the vacation show .On my last trip to Disneyland (1999) we passed it by ,because we didn't want to spend the time on something we didn't really enjoy. If we'd known it would be closed by our next visit, I'm sure we would have watched it one more time. I was just making the point that it wasn't until Disney announced the closing that this feeling suddenly sprang up for the Country Bear show at Disneyland. But I think the idea of keeping some attractions open forever regardless of the number of visitors it gets is a mistake .We all have great memories of the Bears ,but clearly very few kids today (or I should say families today) are making those same memories from this show . That may be a sad fact ,but it's a fact. For whatever reason, the show doesn't pull in the numbers. Isn't it right to use the Country Bear space to bring in a more popular attraction so that more kids today can make those magic memories of an attraction THEY like? Otherwise aren't we just telling kids today that they "have to" make great memories of the Bears ,when it's obvious that the kids themselves are not enjoying the Bears like we did? Roger: I am very disappointed that they have decided to retire the Country Bear Playhouse. I remember going to the show as a child ,and still enjoyed it as a teenager, and now young adult .It is true that there aren't a lot of shows left at DL and with this one closing even less .Being at DL does require a lot of walking ,and it is nice to have a few attractions that are a place to sit and enjoy a good show. I understand that DL has to develop ,but there has to be some history to the Disneyland that Walt Disney first designed .There should be some parts of DL that just never go away ,and this is one of them . By the time I have children it looks like there won't be any attractions that I can say I went to as a child at the rate they are going. Now the Bears are leaving .What I want to say is : stop trying to compete with everyone! DL is the best ,because of attractions like the Country Bears. If DL insists on destroying all of its magic to make way for the latest ,well ,then it might as well be just another theme park. Allen spoke mainly to get his point across that_. the long-time attraction ought to make way for a future attraction
A student is watching a local television weather report for Gloucester, Massachusetts. Which of the following is most likely included in this weather report? A the speed of currents in a river B the amount of moisture in the air C the depth of currents in the ocean D the level of moisture in the ground Answer: B Computer programmer David Jones earned PS35,000 a year designing new computer games, yet he cannot find a bank prepared to let him have a check card, he has been told to wait another two years until he is 18. He works for a small firm in Liverpool, where most young people of his age are finding jobs. David's biggest headache is what to do with his money. Though he has high payment, he cannot drive a car, or get credit card . David got his job four months ago, a year after leaving school with six O-levels and working for a time in a computer shop. "I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs," he said. "I suppose PS35,000 sounds a lot but I hope it will come to more than that this year." He spends some of his money on records and clothes, and gives his mother PS20 a week as he lives with his parents. But most of his spare time is spent working. "Unfortunately, computing was not part of our studies at school, " he said. "But I had been studying it in books and magazines for four years in my spare time. I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school. Most people in this business are fairly young, anyway. I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement is a possibility. You never know when the market might disappear." Why is David so different from other young people of his age? A He earns an extremely high payment B He has got a job. C He lives at home with his parents. D He does not go out much. Answer: A "Hi, Jenny!" "Hi, Brian! What class do you have next?" "I have art next," says Brian. "It's my favourite. I draw six pictures every week." "You are a good painter ," says Jenny. "I see some of your pictures. They are beautiful. I like art too, but I am not good at it. I am not going to be a painter when I am older!" "I tell you, Jenny," says Brian. "Art is interesting for everyone. You don't need to be good at it." "You are right, Brian," says Jenny. "And I like our art teacher. He teaches us a lot. I am much better at art this year. "Yes. Mr. Smith is good. He looks like a great painter too, with his long hair and big beard ." "When do you have art lesson, Jenny?" asks Brian. Jenny looks at her timetable. "I have art tomorrow morning," she says. "What class are you going to now?" asks Brian. "I'm going to music class. It's one of my favourites! We are learning a new song this week. I love to sing. What's the time, please?" Brian looks at his watch. "Oh, no! It's 2:13! There are only two minutes!" "Hurry, Brian!" says Jenny. "We don't want to be late for class! See you later." "Okay. I am going to art class. See you after school!" What time is Jenny's music class going to start? A Tomorrow morning. B Tomorrow afternoon. C 2:13. D 2:15. Answer: D Water evaporates and falls back to Earth as rain or snow. What is the primary energy source that drives this cycle? A The wind B The Sun C Air pressure D Ocean currents Answer: B A MENTORING program is giving life changing opportunities to Banbury youth. Young Inspirations was founded two years ago to provide mentoring sessions for students and unemployed young adults aged 11 to 21. Alex Goldberg, the program's founder, said; "We set up Young Inspirations because we wanted to give young people experiences which will potentially be life changing and broaden their outlook. "We try to create work experience opportunities that will really make a difference to our youth. For example, we've secured internships with world-famous firms such as Honda. "At a time of funding cutbacks where schools are finding it more and more difficult to offer this kind of mentoring, it is extremely important that these opportunities are available both to help youth with their school work and grades and to give them opportunities which may help shape their futures. " Kieran Hepburn, 14, is one of a group of Banbury youth who has benefited from the program so far. In October the Banbury School pupil was accompanied by Young Inspirations staff to Paris where he was an observer at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) International Youth Forum . The event was held for young people from around the world, to seek their views on how the future of youth and education should look. Kieran joined several hundred observers mostly in their 20s and was the only UK school pupil to attend the event. Kieran thinks the trip was a life changing experience. " Before we left I didn't quite know what to make of it but when we got there we didn't stop, it was amazing," he said, " We went to three or four hours of debates each day and then did something cultural each afternoon. " The main theme of the forum was how youth can drive change in political and public life. It dealt with issues such as drug abuse, violence and unemployment. Kieran said: " It has really helped me to improve my confidence and social skills as well as my school grades and I was voted most improved pupil at school in August. " The Young Inspirations mentoring sessions take place each Friday in Banbury. For details visit www.younginspirations.com. According to Alex Goldberg, it is difficult for schools to offer the mentoring due to _ . A the lack of support from firms B the cultural differences C the effect of unemployment D the shortage of money Answer: D
In October 2010, I left my hometown and family in Virginia and moved to Iowa so I could be coached by Liang Chow. I'd been dreaming of an Olympic gold medal since I was eight -- but gradually, that dream seemed like a million miles away. On January 2, 2012, while Mom was visiting me in Iowa, I told her, "I don't like gymnastics anymore. I want to try dancing, or become a singer. I can get a job in Virginia. I just want to come home." Mom's eyes narrowed and her expression turned to stone. "You're breaking my heart, Brie," she said. "You've been doing gymnastics for ten years, and now you want to quit? Have you lost your mind?" I hadn't lost my mind, but I had lost my fire. It's an entirely different thing to push toward that dream when you feel alone. "I'm not trying to break your heart, Mom," I said. "I just don't want to do it anymore." "I know you miss home. But you've signed a contract that says you will represent your country to the best of your ability. You've got a responsibility to your teammates. And now you just want to walk away? I will not let you be dishonorable. If you don't like gymnastics, then at the very least, you will finish the season." The next afternoon as I dragged myself into Chow's gym, I thought of the efforts Mom had made in order to pay for my training. I thought of my two sisters: Arielle, who gave up ballroom dancing, and Joyelle, who stopped ice skating so that our single mom could afford to keep me in gymnastics. For now, here's what you need to know: Exactly 210 days before I ever attempted my first vault in the London Summer Olympics, my leap of faith came this close to ending in a crash of disaster. The author wanted to give up gymnastics because _ . Answer: The day after news broke of a possible revolution in physics ----particles moving faster than light ?a scientist leading the European experiment that made the discovery calmly explained it to a standing-room- only crowd at CERN. The physicist, Dario Auterio, did not try to explain what the results might mean for the laws of physics, let alone the broader world.After an hour of technical talk, he simply said, "Therefore, we present to you today this difference, this unusualness." But what unusualness it may be.From 2009 through 2011, the massive OPERA detector buried in a mountain in Gran Sasso, Italy, recorded subatomic particles called neutrinos ( ) arriving faster than light can move in an empty space.The neutrinos generated at CERN are hardly detectably early.If confirmed, the finding would throw more than a century of physics into disorder. "If it's correct, it's _ ." said Rob Plunkett, a scientist at Fermilab, the Department of Energy physics laboratory in Illinois."We'd be looking at a whole new set of rules" for how the universe works.Those rules would bend, or possibly break, Albert Einstein's special theory of relativity, published in 1905.Basical at the time, the theory tied together space and time, matter and energy, and set a hard limit for the speed of light, later measured to be about 186, 000 miles per second. No experiment in 106 years had broken that speed limit.Physicists expect strict study to follow, which OPERA and CERN scientists welcomed. Fermilab operates a similar experiment, called MINOS, that shoots neutrinos from Illinois to an underground detector in Minnesota.In 2007, MINOS discovered a just detectable amount of faster than-light neutrinos, but the permissible difference of error was too big to "mention" , Plunkett said. Fermilab scientists will reanalyze their data, which will take six to eight months.In 2013, the MINOS detector, now offline, will restart after an upgrade.It could then offer confirmation of the results. Why are the European scientists not sure about the results of the experiment? Answer: Athens 2004 Paralympics: Biggest and Best Ever The Paralympics are the games for sports men and women with a disability. They were the idea of Doctor Ludwig Guttman, a doctor working at Stoke Mandeville hospital in the UK. This famous hospital looks after people who can no longer walk, or cannot move at all. After the Second World War, in 1945, the hospital was full of badly injured soldiers. To give them hope, Dr Guttman started the Paralympics in 1948. They were held at the same time as the London Olympics; doctors gave out the prizes and nurses were employed as referees . The first official Paralympics took place in Rome in 1960, with 400 athletes from 23 countries competing. By 2004 they had become ten times bigger: nearly 4,000 athletes from 140 countries competed in 19 different sports. The youngest competitor was the 11-year-old swimmer Xu Qingqing from China, the oldest, 66-year-old David Williams, a sailor from Canada. The games were a great success for China, the oldest, 66-year-old David Williams, a sailor from Canada. The games were a great success for China, which won 141 medals, 63 of them gold. Britain came second with 94 medals, 35 of them gold. China's disabled dance team closed the games with a wonderful dance performance. The games were also a success for the organizers. Ever since the failure of the Paralympics in Atlanta, USA, in 1996, the organizers have been nervous of empty seats. But in Australia in 2000, the Paralympics were shown every day on TV and a million tickets were sold. Fifty thousand Australian schoolchildren were in the stadiums for the Sydney Paralympics, shouting and cheering. However pleased they were by the crowds, some of the competitors found this quite difficult. One blind runner said that for the first 800 meters of the 10,000 meter race he could not hear where the other runners were because of the noise. Whatever his feelings about it, he still won a gold; and in Athens 2004 the crowds were even bigger and noisier. When the British team got back to London after the games of 2004, more crowds came to welcome them home. Slowly, the Paralympic athletes are becoming as popular and as famous as the Olympic stars. The first ever Paralympics were held in _ . Answer: When Geoff Marcy was 14, his parents bought him a telescope. Every night, he would go onto the roof outside his window to see the wonders of the sky. "What excited me most was whether there were planets in other solar systems where life might exist," he says. "I decided to try to find planets orbiting other stars like our Sun." And he did. "My fellow researcher, Paul Butler, and I found our first planet in 1995," Dr. Marcy says. "We worked for ten years without finding anything! _ and our patience paid off." Since then, the two scientists have discovered 65 of the more than 100 planets found orbiting other stars. Dr. Marcy and Dr. Butler also spotted the first "family" of three planets. In June 2002 they announced another discovery: a Jupiter-like planet orbiting star 55Cancri. At first, the two researchers found only planets that orbit close to stars. Recently, the scientists found planets farther out. The planet orbiting 55Cancri is a major breakthrough: it is the first sighting of a large gas planet about same distance from the star as Jupiter is from the Sun. Why is this important ? Scientists think that life on Earth may exist because of two special features in our solar system. The first is Jupiter. "Because it's so big, Jupiter pulls comets and asteroids , or they all come and hit the Earth." Dr. Marcy explains. "Without Jupiter , life on Earth would likely have been destroyed." A second feature is that Earth is a rocky planet where liquid water, which is necessary for life , can exist. Unlike gas planets, rocky planets like Earth have surfaces where water can gather in pools and seas, which may support life. A huge space exists between the Jupiter-like planet and two other planets that lie close to 55Cancri. Is there an Earth-like planet in the space, too small for us to notice? If so, says Dr. Marcy, "We would have two striking similarities to our solar system: a Jupiter-like planet and an Earth-like planet. And there may be life!" Which of the following is true of the recent discovery? Answer: An experiment is being conducted to determine the air quality inside a building. In order to come to a conclusion, scientists must gather data. Which of the following would be an excellent source of data from which to draw a conclusion? Answer:
Once upon a time, an old woman had two large water pots. Each hung on the end of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect, From the river to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. And the other pot was always full. The perfect pot took pride in its talent. But the poor cracked pot felt sad for its own disadvantage. One day by the river the cracked pot said to the woman, "I feel bad about myself, because the crack in me causes water to come out all the way back to your house." The old woman smiled and said, "Why are there flowers on your side of the road, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your crack. So I planted flowers on your side of the road, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my house, There would not be this beauty without you. Each of us has our own cracks. But the cracks make our lives so interesting and beautiful." So, to all the cracked pot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the road! Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. The woman preferred the perfect pot to the cracked pot. B. The cracked pot felt more talented than the perfect pot. C. There were beautiful flowers on both sides of the road. D. The old woman decorated her house with some flowers. Answer: D Picture a typical MBA lecture theatre twenty years ago. In it the majority of students will have conformed to the standard model of the time: male, middle class and Western. Walk into a class today, however, and you'll get a completely different impression. For a start, you will now see plenty more women--the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, for example, boasts that 40% of its new enrolment is female. You will also see a wide range of ethnic groups and nationals of practically every country. It might be tempting, therefore, to think that the old barriers have been broken down and equal opportunity achieved. But, increasingly, this apparent diversity is becoming a mask for a new type of conformity. Behind the differences in sex, skin tones and mother tongues, there are common attitudes, expectations and ambitions which risk creating a set of clones among the business leaders of the future. Diversity, it seems, has not helped to address fundamental weaknesses in business leadership. So what can be done to create more effective managers of the commercial world? According to Valerie Gauthier, associate dean at HEC Paris, the key lies in the process by which MBA programmes recruit their students. At the moment candidates are selected on a fairly narrow set of criteria such as prior academic and career performance, and analytical and problem solving abilities. This is then coupled to a school's picture of what a diverse class should look like, with the result that passport, ethnic origin and sex can all become influencing factors. But schools rarely dig down to find out what really makes an applicant succeed, to create a class which also contains diversity of attitude and approach--arguably the only diversity that, in a business context, really matters. Professor Gauthier believes schools should not just be selecting candidates from traditional sectors such as banking, consultancy and industry. They should also be seeking individuals who have backgrounds in areas such as political science, the creative arts, history or philosophy, which will allow them to put business decisions into a wider context. Indeed, there does seem to be a demand for the more rounded leaders such diversity might create. A study by Mannaz, a leadership development company, suggests that, while the bully-boy chief executive of old may not have been eradicated completely, there is a definite shift in emphasis towards less tough styles of management--at least in America and Europe. Perhaps most significant, according to Mannaz, is the increasing interest large companies have in more collaborative management models, such as those prevalent in Scandinavia, which seek to integrate the hard and soft aspects of leadership and encourage delegated responsibility and accountability. What does Mannaz say about the current management style? A. It is eradicating the tough aspects of management. B. It encourages male and female executives to work side by side. C. It adopts the bully-boy chief executive model. D. It is shifting towards more collaborative models. Answer: D A person puts a potato in some embers on the edge of a campfire and the potato gets hot. The embers are A. good for food B. a cool source C. meant to sleep D. a exothermic reaction Answer: D Singapore is a beautiful and clean country. It welcomes visitors and tourists. When you come to visit Singapore, please keep the laws of this country. Here is something that you must remember. SMOKING: Cigarette smoking is a danger to health. It's not allowed in lifts, cinemas, theatres, all government offices and on buses. If you break it, you will have to pay a fine of up to Singapore $500. LITTER: Singapore is the Garden City of Asia----clean and green. Dropping litter in public places is not allowed. You can be fined up to Singapore $500 for dropping litter----even if it is only a piece of waste paper or a cigarette end. LONG HAIR: Men visitors should not have longer hair than the top of their shirt collars . Long-haired men will be served last of all visitors in government offices. JAYWALKING: You must always use the zebra crossing. You can be fined Singapore $50 for crossing the streets less than 50 metres from a zebra crossing, These laws are also for children who are old enough to be in the street by themselves. In Singapore, these laws are for _ . A. only visitors B. only children C. only men D. all the citizens, including visitors Answer: D The lunar face appears to change 52 times A. a millennium B. a month C. a day D. annually Answer: D
Have you ever wanted to stop eating something sweet but you just couldn't ? Is the first thing you do when you get home from school to look in the biscuit tin ? Can you eat a huge bar of chocolate all by yourself ? Can you say "no" to sweets at parties ? If you can't , then there is a reason...perhaps you're sugar addict ! Does that sound funny ? Well, doctors say that people who eat sweets regularly can easily become addicted to sugar .What's more, most sugar addicts don't even realize that they're addicted! Sugar addiction is serious because it can really _ your health .Doctors say that we should eat food which is healthy such as fresh fruits and vegetables, and that we shouldn't eat a lot of sugar ,fat or fast food .But sugar addicts can't follow this advice.They know they must stop eating sweet food, but they can't .So what can you do if you think you're addicted to the taste of sugar ?Well, here is some advice: Eat some fresh fruits when you really want something sweet to eat . Cut down on sweet food slowly. Don't try to stop eating it all at once. You have to tell your parents, If they know, they will help you. Who can become addicted to sugar easily? Answer: People who eat sweet regularly. I'm flying high today after hearing the news that Bamboo People is a top ten book on the Best Fiction for Young Adults 2011 list from the American Library Association. Here are the top ten titles with annotations by YALSA librarians: Bacigalupi, Paolo. Ship Breaker. Little, Brown, and Co. Nailer is a light crew cleaner tearing up old hulks of ships, living day to day, until a rich girl and her gleaming ship run ashore in a storm on the beach and his life gets more dangerous. Donnelley, Jennifer. Revolution. Random House Children's Books/Delacorte. Haunted by the death of her brother, Andi is taken to Paris by her separated father where an encounter with a mysterious diary may bring her back from the edge. Marchetta, Melina. Finnikin of the Rock. Candlewick. Finnikin and his fellow exiles from Lumatere wish to return to their cursed homeland. Finnikin must go on an epic journey with a dumb beginner named Evanjalin to return home. Matson, Morgan. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour. Simon & Schuster. Amy and Roger must both learn to deal with loss while on a road trip across the country which doesn't go as expected. McBride, Lish. Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. Macmillan Children's Book Group/Henry Holt. When Sam discovers he is a necromancer he must learn to control his power in order to defeat a powerful and corrupt opponent and save his friends. Mulligan, Andy. Trash. David Fickling Books. Three garbage-picker boys find an item of great value to a corrupt politician on their rounds, setting off a tense hunt to see who will win. Perkins, Mitali. Bamboo People. Chiko, a Burmese soldier and Tu Reh, a Kerenni refugee meet on opposite sides of war and each must learn what it means to be a man of his people. Reinhardt, Dana. The Things a Brother Knows. Random House Children's Books/Wendy Lamb. Boaz is back and cheered as the hometown hero, but he is not at all the same. Can his younger brother Levi help him truly make his way home? Saenz, Benjamin. Last Night I Sang to the Monster. Cinco Puntos Press, 2009. Weeks in therapy go by and 18-year-old Zach is still unable to remember the monstrous events that left him alone and haunted by nightmares. Sedgwick, Marcus. Revolver. Roaring Brook Press. Sig is alone with his father's body when the lawless man his father had managed to escape appears out of the icy wilderness Which of the following books may not be classified as a thriller one? Answer: Bamboo People Oil is a source of a material used for an object with Answer: wheels A person may celebrate an equinox Answer: biannually If You Decide to Go to the Moon By Faith Mcnulty, Steven Kellogg(illustrator)---This book is written in the second person and tells you the most important information you need to know if you go to the moon. I especially appreciate the information on how to get home. You know, just in case... Discover Space By Cynthia Pratt Nicolson, Bill Slavin---Like its companion book in this series, Discover the Planets, this delightful book provides a fun and educational look at the "final frontier". This book should surely be added to your young reader's library. This Rocket By Paul Collicutt---Here's an excellent book dealing with rockets from where they came from to where they are going. The illustrations will capture younger readers while older kids will enjoy the story. Voyage to the Planet and Beyond By Tim Haines, Christopher Riley---Published to accompany the Discovery television series of the same title, this book is about space travel (based on the experiences of real astronauts) to tell the imagined story of a 6-year space mission. Your future astronaut will get a joy from following the adventures in this book. Space (Our Planet) By Eduardo Banqureri---From the origin of the universe to the international space station, this book gives readers an up-close look at planet Earth and its solar system. Add this one to your space library, in the solar system section. The Planets By Gall Gibbons (illustrator)---This is an excellent kids book that discusses the movements, location, and characteristics of the known planets of our solar system. If you want to enjoy something interesting in space you'd better read _ . Answer: Discover Space
Question: Characters: Evan, Mrs. Bordoni, Mr. Cortez, Rita. Marco. Tom Setting: An elementary school Mrs. Bordoni: (Stands at the school gate) Good morning! You need to go straight to your classrooms, children. (A shy boy walks up, with a red face.) What is your name? Evan: (Looking at the ground) My name is Evan. Mrs. Bordoni: Welcome to Northside. I'm the principal , Mrs. Bordoni. Evan: (Looks surprised) Oh! Good morning. Mrs. Bordoni: I know you are new to our school, but you will like it here. I will take you to your classroom. Evan: I didn't want to move... and leave my friends. Mrs. Bordoni: You will have friends here. You'll see. Mrs. Bordoni: Here's your room, 106. Mr. Cortez: Welcome to our class! I'm Mr. Cortez. Evan: (The class looks at him. He speaks softly.) Hello. Mr. Cortez: We are talking about a story we just read. Who can tell Evan what it was about? Rita: This family moves to a new state. Their story is both funny and sad. Evan: (Cheering up) Did they like the new place? Marco: Not at first. But they made lots of new friends. Mr. Cortez: What happened to make them change their minds? Tom: The girl from next door said she needed help. When they got to her house, a sign said, "Welcome". Marco: It was a surprise party for them. The whole family was laughing. Mr. Cortez: The neighbors made the family feel welcome. Mrs. Bordoni: (Stands in the doorway) Evan, it's time for lunch. (They enter the lunchroom. A sign says, "Welcome Evan".) It is hard to change schools and leave old friends. Now, we are your friends. Evan: (Smiles) I can't believe you did this for me. Who is Rita in the play? A. The principal. B. The teacher. C. Evan's new classmate. D. Evan's old friend. Answer: C Question: If a business wants to sell its products internationally, it had better do some market research first. This is a lesson that some large American corporations have learned the hard way. What's in the name? Sometimes the problem is the name. When General Motors introduced its Chevy Nova into Latin America, it overlooked the fact that Nova in Spanish means "It doesn't go". Sure enough, the Chevy Nova never went anywhere in Latin America. Translation problems Sometimes it is the slogan that doesn't work. No company knows this better than Pepsi-Cola, with its "Come alive with Pepsi!" campaign. The campaign was so successful in the United States , Pepsi translated its slogan literally for its international campaign. As it turned out , the translations weren't quite right. Pepsi was begging Germans to "Come out of the grave " and telling the Chinese that "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave." A picture's worth a thousand words Other times, the problem involves packaging . A picture of a smiling baby has helped sell countless jars of Gerber baby food. When Gerber started selling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as in the US, with the smiling baby on the label. Later they learned that in African countries, the picture on the jar shows what the jar has in it, for many people there can't read. Twist of fate Even the culture and religious factors and pure coincidence can be involved. Thorn McAn shoes have a Thorn McAn "signature" inside. To people in Bangladesh, which is a Muslim country, this signature looked like Arabic script for the word Allah. In that country, feet are considered unclean, and Muslims felt the company was offending God's name by having people walk on it. What was "Gerber's problem"? A. A translation problem B. Cultural factor C. Religious factor D. The picture on the jar Answer: D Question: I am truly saddened about what is going on in my school district, especially in the school where I am currently working. Why are so many students not doing well? Why is there such a huge achievement gap between urban and suburban students? Just this week, in my school the seventh grade team leader called a meeting to discuss academic detention . The purpose of the detention is to allow students who are doing poorly a second chance to redo the work. Now if a st udent did not understand an assignment, I have no trouble allowing that student to redo a test or give some extra credit work, but if a student did poorly because he/she opted not to do the work out of sheer laziness, that student should not be given a second chance. And parents should be responsible for their children. That is another reason why there is such a huge achievement gap. All children should be monitored at home in order to achieve great success in school. Perhaps it might be a great idea for urban school districts to offer free classes to parents on how to help their students at home. Of course this idea is far-fetched(,), after all we do not want to offend the parents. What we will do instead is to spend a large amount of money on teacher training because if the kids are not doing well it must be the fault of the teacher. That kind of mindset, if allowed to continue will be a perfect recipe for greater achievement gaps. I started working at my current school in August and I have been in the teaching field for 25 years. What I believe is that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make that horse drink. You can't force kids to change bad habits overnight, nor can we afford to lower standards just so a kid can pass a class. The seventh grade team leader in the author's school called a meeting to _ . A. analyse the reason for the huge achievement gap between students B. find out who is to blame for the huge achievement gap between students C. talk about giving students who are doing poorly a second chance to redo the work D. discuss how to narrow the huge achievement gap between students Answer: C Question: More than a third of the babies born this year could receive a 100th birthday message from whoever happens to be on the throne in the second decade of the 22nd century, according to figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It forecasts that 35% of the 826,000 people born in 2012 will live to become _ . But a long life is not unalloyed good news. David Sinclair, head of policy and research at the International Longevity Centre UK, warned that for many the future may mean social isolation as they live longer than friends and members of their families. "It is of course good news that so many more people are living longer," he said, "but there is a big 'but1. We will be older, but in worse health, and at high risk of living alone. The other problem is that we are very poor at forward planning. We deal with the problems that are under our noses, but even problems two or three years away seem quite distant enough to put off.When you're talking about forecasts for a time half a century away and more, I see no evidence that we are putting in place the measures to deal with it." This year there will be 14,500 centenarians in the UK, a number which is expected to increase to 110,000 in 2035. Women have higher life expectancies than men at every age: the likelihood of a girl born this year reaching her century is estimated to be 39%; for boys the figure is 32%. The estimated number of female centenarians has risen from 500 in 1961 to more than 10,000 in 2010,a figure which is projected to reach 71,000 by 2035 and 276,000 by 2060. Men are also living far longer, although their numbers are far fewer. There were an estimated 92 male centenarians in 1961 and just below 2,000 in 2010. From what David Sinclair said, we can learn _ . A. he doesn't believe so many people are living longer B. the older we are, the more likely we are to live alone and in poor health C. the people who are good at forward planning are likely to live longer D. too distant planning is not always necessary for most of us Answer: B Question: Teenager Jake Deham was skiing with his family in the US when he fell over and lost one of his skis. His family didn't know that he had a problem. They kept on skiing. When they got to the foot of the mountain, there was no sign of Jake. Jake couldn't find his ski anywhere. In the end, he decided to take off his other ski and walk down the mountain. But he couldn't work out the right way to go. It was now getting dark and he was a long way from any place of safety. He knew that he might die that night in the cold temperatures. But Jake kept calm. At home, Jake watched a lot of programmes about living in difficult situations. He remembered the advice from these programmes and knew that he should build a hole in the snow. He made a hole so the wind couldn't blow into it. Outside his hole, the temperature fell to a dangerous -15degC that night, but inside it Jake was safe from the cold. After the long evening passed, Jake began to think his way out. He had to get down the mountain. The TV programmes always said, "If you are lost, you should find someone else's tracks through the snow and follow them." "I wanted to live my life." remembered Jake, "So I got up and I found some ski tracks and I followed those." He walked and walked and finally saw lights... His mum was very happy when she heard her son was saved. Amazingly, Jake didn't even have to go to hospital. He got through the terrible experience without any injuries. So, the next time someone says that watching TV is a waste of time, think of Jake. Sometimes TV can save your life! . What was the most important decision Jake made for his safety? A. To go skiing with his family in the US. B. To search for the ski that he had lost in the snow. C. To take off his other ski and walk down the mountain. D. To build a hole in the snow to keep himself warm. Answer: D
When we talked about the upcoming start of school, Seth hadn`t expressed anything but excitement. So when the sunny and promising "big day" arrived, he was ready. He was armed with a cool haircut, wearing his prized shoes, and was ready for the action. Ten minutes before the bus was to arrive, he asked me to take him in my car. I complained about it being at the last minute. I said "no" at first. He begged me again and I finally agreed. In the car , I secretly had a look at him through the rearivew mirror . He looked sad. "What is the matter, honey?" "I am nervous. I don`t know if I will be able to learn everything in the first grade. What if I can`t pay attention in class?" My heart melted. I remembered being nervous on the first day of school and I thought I was the only student who felt that way. I was a nervous kid full of self-doubt. Seth behaved much better than I did. We walked into his school together. He remembered where his new classroom was and recognized his teacher from the ice cream social party they had the day before. He sat down at his desk and chatted with a few of his classmates. He took a few photos of them (with a camera phone because I didn`t allow him to bring the real camera) and then he said in a very serious manner, "Mom, you can go home now. I`ll be OK." And so he was. Seth asked his mother to take him to school probably because _ . Answer: A Gold Cup for an Orange There is a poor man. He has an orange tree. On the tree, there are many fine oranges. One of them is very, very big. It is as big as a football. Nobody sees so big an orange. The poor man is very happy. He takes it to the king . The King is so pleased that he gives the man a lot of money for it. When a rich man hears of it, he says to himself, "It's only an orange. Why does the king give so much money for it? I'll take my gold cup to the king. He'll give me more money". The next day when the king receives the gold cup, he says to the rich man, "what a beautiful cup! I'll show you something wonderful, please take this great orange away. The king receives the orange and the gold cup _ Answer: Today is Sunday, so Peter doesn't go out. He asks his parents about the traditional Chinese clothes. Mother tells him that Qipao is the traditional dress of China. Qipao is usually made of silk. Sometimes Qipao is made of cotton. Many women in the West like it very much too. Father say all the VIPs in important meetings like wearing Tang suit . People look smart in the traditional Chinese clothes. Many young people find it cool to wear the clothes in their own styles. Peter's cousin says the modern clothes are better. Finally, they think the fashion should be comfortable first. How do the VIPs in important meetings wear clothes? Answer: In far northern prefix = st1 /Mongolia, the living of the smallest ethnic group in the country--the Tsaatan community depends on a kind of animal reindeer. An American named Morgan Keay visited the Tsaatan community when she was studying in Mongoliain 2002. Local leaders told her that the animals were not healthy and the number of reindeer was. getting too small to support the community. Back in the United States, Morgan Keay and a friend who had also studied inMongoliastarted an organization. They named it Itgel the Mongolian word for "hope". The Itgel Foundation has helped bring foreign scientists to Mongoliato research and treat reindeer diseases. They also helped Tsaatan workers build a community and visitor center. The building includes guest rooms for tourists. The Tsaatan not only work as guides, they now provide services for travelers. The community works in partnership with international tour operators, who had formerly been in control of the services. People in the community designed the center, which they also own and manage. Before the visitor center was built, families earned an average of 100 dollars a year. Now Morgan Keay says the average is 3 to 4 times that. Money also goes into a community account. Four years ago the Tsaatan had fewer than 500 reindeer. Now the herd has already reached 900. Morgan Keay says the Tsaatan are becoming economically independent for the first time. The Mongolian government is now considering a development plan written by the community that deals with education, health, the environment and economics. The writer mainly intends to convey the message that Answer: A recent experiment held in Japan shows that it is almost impossible for people to walk exactly straight for 60 metres. Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology found 20 healthy men and asked them to walk as straight as possible to a target 60 metres away at normal speed. Each man had to walk on white paper fixed flat to the floor wearing wet colored socks. The footprints revealed that all walked in a winding rather than a straight line. Researchers found that people readjust the direction of walking every few seconds. The amount of the winding differed from _ to subject. This suggests that none of us can walk in a strictly straight line. We walk in a winding way mainly because of a slight structural or functional imbalance of our limbs . Although we may start walking in a straight line, several steps afterwards we have changed direction. Eyesight helps us to correct the direction of walking and leads us to the target. Your ears also help you walk. After turning around a lot with your eyes closed, you can hardly stand still, let alone walk straight. It's all because your ears help you balance. Inside your inner ear there is a structure which contains liquids. On the sides of the organ are many tiny hair-like structures that move around as the liquid flows. When you spin the liquid inside also spins. The difference is that when you stop, the liquid continues to spin for a while. Dizziness is the result of these nerves in your ear. When you open your eyes, although your eyesight tells you to walk in a straight line, your brain will trust your ears more, thus you walk in a curved line. The experiment held in Japan proved that _ . Answer:
Kitty is a little black-and-brown Australian dog. It's not a particularly bright dog. While Dad can make my sister and me afraid just by the tone of his voice, I have never heard him raise his voice at Kitty. In fact, one look from Kitty at the biscuit tin is enough to send my dad flying to get him a snack. Whenever we protest about the unfair treatment, Dad has a sorry smile on his face. It's become a long-standing family joke that Kitty is the closest thing to a son Dad will ever have. Then, five years ago, our lives were turned upside down when Dad suffered two major strokes within a month. For four long months, mentally he was non-responsive. We had to take turns standing by his bedside to protect him. We were exhausted after every "shift" but grateful that he was still alive. As the months went by, I couldn't help but talk about Kitty constantly, often hoping that Dad could show some awareness of what I said. Then one day, without even realizing it, I blurted out , "Is Kitty a tiger?" Dad began to smile. It was the first sign in four months that Dad had showed any awareness of what I said. Seeing this, the whole family felt a huge weight lift from our shoulders. Over the next nine months, Dad had to learn all the basic things we take for granted. Dad, who was an independent man with a successful career before all this happened, found it increasingly frustrating . The only thing that ever brought a smile to his face was talk of Kitty. When we massaged Dad's arms and legs to prevent his muscles from weakening, I would always say: "Now all you need is Kitty to give you a 'lick-lick' foot massage!" No matter how many times I repeated this comment, the whole family would laugh. During the next nine months, Dad _ . felt discouraged while learning the basic things David Brown and Anne are two patients in the Adult Day Care Program at Mercy Hospitals. David Brown is seventy-two years old. He's friendly and likes to talk. He lives with his wife in the city. But David is becoming forgetful. His wife says, "He'll heat up some soup, then forget to turn off the gas." She is sixty-one and still works. She is worried about leaving her husband alone. Anne is eighty and lives with her 60-year-old daughter. Her daughter says that she needs a rest. "Mom follows me everywhere. She follows me when I read newspapers. I need a rest and she does, too." And so, several times a week, David and Anne's families take them to the Adult Day Care Center. Many hospitals have this program. Patients come to the Center for a full or half day, from one to five days a week. All the patients live with their families and most are old people. Mrs. Carol Johnson is the director of the Center. She says, "We are offering both the patients and their families a service of great value. Patients have the chance to get out of their houses. Husbands, wives or grown children can work or have a rest. Most important of all, families are able to stay together." What happens to Anne's family? Her daughter is very tired because Anne always follows her. A creature that can move through liquid easily due to flippers is penguins This year marks the 100thanniversary of Leo Tolstoy's death. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest novelists of all time. Much of the West is marking the anniversary with new translations of the author's works, including War and Peace. Movies are being released, including a black-and-white documentary and a feature film. In short, everyone is celebrating. Everyone, that is, except for people in Tolstoy's home country, Russia. The English newspaper the Guardian reports that the Russian government has scheduled nothing for November, the official anniversary of Tolstoy's death. The quiet is amazing, considering the importance of this man's contribution to global culture. "Across the whole world there is a huge Tolstoy boom ," Andrei Deryabin, co-producer of a new film about the author's final days titled The Last Station, told the Guardian. "He's esteemed everywhere apart from here in Russia." Experts explain the government's silence in various ways. Some refer to Tolstoy's disagreement with state-backed religion. Tolstoy's Christian views often _ those of the Roman Catholic church. His great grandson, Vladimir Ilyich Tolstoy, thinks Russia's cool attitude has more to do with history and the author's positive worldview. After all, the last century was a difficult one of the country's people. The darker writings of Fyodor Dostoevsky, he says, better fit the national character. Tolstoy hopes that as Russians grow more optimistic they will rediscover one of their own national treasures. "Tolstoy gives positive answers to the questions mankind is asking," he told the Guardian. " In this sense he gives more hope. I hope the 21stcentury is Tolstoyan." According to Vladimir Ilyich Tolstoy, the Russian government didn't arrange activities to celebrate the anniversary _ . because of his values and historical factor I stood outside New York's Madison Square Garden and just stared, almost speechless. I was a farm boy from County Kilkenny, a child who some thought would never walk, let alone go as far as I had in the world. From the day I was born, there was a problem. The doctors at the Dublin hospital told my parents I had phocomelia, a _ that affected both legs below the knee, which were outward and shorter than normal and each foot had just three toes. Life was tough. I couldn't stand, much less walk. I rarely, left the farmhouse---and then only in someone's arms. Mam bundled me up whenever she took me to town, no matter the season. "The world will see him when he can walk," she told Dad. "And he will walk." Mam devoted herself to helping me. She tried everything to get me on my feet. When I was three, she and Dad took me to a clinic in Dublin. A few weeks later we returned to Dublin with my artificial limbs . Back home I practiced walking with my new limbs. "There's nothing anyone can do but you can't," Mam said. "You and I are going to walk through town." The next day Mam dressed me in my finest clothes. She wore a summer dress and fixed her hair and makeup. Dad drove us to the church. We stepped out of the car. Mam took my hand. "Hold your head up high, now, Ronan," she said. We walked 300 meters to the post office. It was the farthest I'd walked, and I was sweating from the effort. Then we left the post office and continued down the street, Mam's eyes shining with a mother's pride. That night, back on our farm, I lay exhausted on my bed. It meant nothing, though, compared to what I'd done on my walk. Then I began to pursue my dream of singing. And at every step Mam's words came back to me--Ronan, you can do anything anyone else can do--and the faith she had in God, who would help me do it. I've sung from the grandest stages in Europe, to music played by the world's finest musicians. That night, I stood at the Madison Square Garden, with Mam's words chiming in my ears. Then I began singing. I couldn't feel the pulse of the music in my feet, but I felt it deep in my heart, the same place where Mam's promise lived. According to the writer, what mattered most in his success? His mother's promise.
Sleet is made of what? A. wind B. icing C. hard h2o D. frosting Answer: C A study of a million UK women, published today in The Lancet, has shown that happiness itself has no direct effect on mortality, and that the widespread but mistaken belief that unhappiness and stress directly cause ill health came from studies that had simply confused cause and effect. Life-threatening poor health can cause unhappiness, and for this reason unhappiness is associated with increased mortality. In addition, smokers tend to be unhappier than non-smokers. However, after taking account of previous ill health, smoking, and other lifestyle and socio-economic factors, the investigators found that unhappiness itself was no longer associated with increased mortality. The lead author, Dr Bette Liu, now at the University of New South Wales, Australia said: "Illness makes you unhappy, but unhappiness itself doesn't make you ill. We found no direct effect of unhappiness or stress on mortality, even in a ten-year study of a million women." As in other studies, unhappiness was associated with deprivation, smoking, lack of exercise, and not living with a partner. The strongest associations, however, were that the women who were already in poor health tended to say that they were unhappy, stressed, not in control, and not relaxed. The main analyses included 700 000 women, average age 59 years, and over the next 10 years these women were followed by electronic record linkage for mortality, during which time 30 000 of the women died. After allowing for any differences already present in health and lifestyle, the overall death rate among those who were unhappy was the same as the death rate among those who were generally happy. The study is so large that it rules out unhappiness being a direct cause of any material increase in overall mortality in women. This was true for overall mortality, for cancer mortality, and for heart disease mortality, and it was true for stress as well as for unhappiness. It's wrongly believed that _ . A. unhappiness itself is not associated with increased mortality B. there is no direct link between unhappiness and mortality C. ill health directly causes unhappiness and stress D. ill health directly results from unhappiness and stress Answer: D What makes a boarding school different from a normal school? The answer is simple: when in a boarding school you stay there instead of going home. This is something everyone knows. But what not everyone knows is that when you are in a boarding school, you make a lot of friends. You live together with your friends for a few years, which makes the friendship even more _ . You are a lot closer to your teachers and other workers in your school. It most feels like you are in one big happy family. If boarding students have any problems, they can always go to one of the teachers or one of the workers, and they will be glad to be able to help. Life in a girl boarding school or a boy boarding school differs a lot from life in a mixed one. Studies have shown that the social life and academic results from students in a single sex boarding school are much better than those of a mixed one. One of the reasons for this is that with less pressure in the classes, the children can concentrate much better when they are in separated classes. Life in boarding schools for troubled teens differs from that of all the other boarding schools. Life in these schools is often much stricter because of the rules the students have to obey. These schools have strict rules to teach troubled teens respect. Although some boarding schools have some different rules and different ways of teaching, life in schools is almost the same. Students attend classes, eat together, and sleep in dorms where they normally have to share their room with some other students. Attending a boarding school is a great experience and the values you learn there will help you in the rest of your life. According to the author, what makes a boarding school life so different? A. The friendship there and having to stay in school. B. The feeling of living in a big family. C. Sleeping habits formed in school. D. The need to share rooms with others. Answer: A It's the worst event in human being's nautical history , six times more deadly than the Titanic . When the German cruise ship Wilhelm Gustloff was hit by torpedoes fired from a Russian submarine in the final winter of World War II , more than 10,000 people - mostly women , children and old people fleeing the final Red Army push into Nazi Germany - were packed aboard . An ice storm had turned the decks into frozen sheets that sent hundreds of families sliding into the sea as the ship tilted and began to go down . Others desperately tried to put lifeboats down . Some who succeeded fought off those in the water who had the strength to try to claw their way aboard . Most people froze immediately . " I'll never forget the screams , " says Christa Ntitzmann , 87 , one of the 1,200 survivors . She recalls watching the ship , brightly lit , slipping into its dark grave-and into seeming nothingness , rarely mentioned for more than half a century . Now Germany's Nobel Prize-winning author Gtinter Grass has revived the memory of the 9,000 dead , including more than 4,000 children-with his latest novel Crab Walk , published last month . The book ,which will be out in English next year , doesn't dwell on the sinking : its heroine is a pregnant young woman who survives the catastrophe only to say later : " Nobody wanted to hear about it , not here in the West ( of Germany ) and not at all in the East . " The reason was obvious . As Grass put in a recent interview with the weekly Die Woche : " Because the crimes we Germans are responsible for were and are so dominant , we didn't have the energy left to tell of our own sufferings . " The long silence about the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff was probably unavoidable - and necessary . By unreservedly owning up to their country's monstrous crimes in the Second World War , Germans have managed to win acceptance abroad , _ the neo-Nazis at home and make peace with their neighbors . Today's unified Germany is more prosperous and stable than at any time in its long , troubled history . For that , a half century of willful forgetting about painful memories like the German Titanic was perhaps a reasonable price to pay . But even the most politically correct Germans believe that they've now earned the right to discuss the full historical record . Not to equate German suffering with that of its victims , but simply to acknowledge a terrible tragedy . How does Gunter Grass revive the memory of the Wilhelm Gustloff tragedy ? A. By presenting the horrible scene of the torpedo attack . B. By describing the ship's sinking in great detail . C. By giving an interview to the weekly Die Woche . D. By illustrating the survival of a young pregnant woman . Answer: D I happened to think about IQ and EQ on my way home this afternoon. So, I'd like to try to say something about them. Due to the nation's family planning policy, usually a couple only has a kid. Young father and mother pay much attention to the smooth and healthy growing of their baby even when it is still in its mother's womb . So, traditionally speaking, most of the kids have quite higher IQ. The difference of IQ between kids are quite limited. As EQ is concerned, I think the later experience of a kid in the society (home, schools, companies etc.) is of vital importance to shape his or her character. Even two kids have similar IQ, there could be a larger gap between their EQs if they have varied life experience. What kind of people could be more possible to succeed? No doubt, the type of people with quite good combination of IQ and EQ! In my opinion, higher EQ at least includes the following aspects: 1. The ability to stand difficulty and setbacks; 2. Being optimistic towards any uncertainty ahead and having confidence to overcome difficulties facing him or her; 3. With rich inside world to feel others' blue moods and know how to help them solve their problems; 4. Skillful in communicating with _ When I observe colleagues and friends around, I do get my view. Even, I could predict that those people who could perfectly combine their IQs and EQs will be the winners in the society! Those talented graduates from famous colleges and universities couldn't achieve a lot if they don't know how to get along well with their colleagues! Individualism is far away from success in the integrated world. Team work needs cooperation consciousness which is an important element of EQ. To be honest, I still have a long way to go to improve my EQ to perfect myself! How about you? Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a high EQ? A. Getting on well with other people. B. Being able to overcome difficulties. C. Graduating from a good university. D. Taking positive attitudes towards whatever happens. Answer: C
Question: Thousands of teenagers will be able to transfer to a new wave of "studio schools" at the age of 14 to improve their chances of finding a job in UK. A dozen new-style schools are designed to act as a bridge to the workplace and cut the number of NEETs--young people not in education, employment or training. Under plans, schools will operate longer days and work outside standard academic terms. Each pupil will be expected to spend between four hours and two days a week on work placements with businesses linked to the school and teenagers will be assigned a personal coach to act as an academic "line manager". The reforms are put forward due to the fears that too many teenagers are now finishing full-time education lacking the skills needed to succeed in the workplace. According to a recent report, more than two-thirds of employers believe school and college leavers lack important "employability skills" such as customer awareness, while 55 per cent say they are unable to manage their time or daily tasks. And the number of NEETs has hit a record high, with almost one-in-five young people being left without a job or training place. The Department for Education will announce the establishment of 12 studio schools -- meeting the need of around 3,600 teenagers -- in areas such as Liverpool, Stevenage, Stoke-on-Trent and Fulham, west London. Each one, opening in 2012, will be linked to a series of local employers. Under plans, pupils will be able to transfer out of ordinary schools to attend them between the age of 14 and 19. The Government said all subjects would be taught "through projects, often designed with employers" -- with disciplines such as science being linked directly to local engineering firms or hospitals. Schools will operate a longer day to give pupils a better understanding of the demands of the workplace. Along with their studies, pupils will carry out work placements for four hours a week, rising to two days a week of paid work for those aged 16 to 19. They will also get the chance to take professional qualifications linked directly to the needs of local employers. According to the passage, the NEETs are referred to those who _ . A. often miss classes from school B. refuse to take any kind of part-time jobs after school C. depend on their parents to find jobs after they graduate D. have no jobs without accepting education and work training Answer: D Question: Wang Tao is a little boy. He often goes for a walk with his father. He likes water very much and he wants to swim like a fish in the water. One Sunday morning, Wang Tao went to a park with his father. There is a big swimming pool in the park. Wang Tao asked his father to take him to the pool. "Why do you want to go there?" asked his father. "I want to learn swimming," said Wang Tao. "And you can teach me." "Oh, sorry. I can't swim," said his father. "You can't swim? Li Qiang's father swims very well. Why can't you swim?" "His father likes eating fish, so he can swim like a fish," said the father. "Oh, I see," said Wang Tao. "But you like eating chicken very much. Can you lay eggs ?" . Wang Tao wants to _ in the water. A. live B. swim C. play D. fly Answer: B Question: "People should have one meat-free day a week if they want to make a personal and effective sacrifice that would help deal with climate change," the world's leading authority on global warming has told The Observer. Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said that people should then go on to reduce their meat consumption even further. Pachauri, who was re-elected the panel's chairman for a second six-year term last week, said diet change was important because of the huge greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental problems associated with raising cattle and other animals. "It was relatively easy to change eating habits compared to changing means of transport," he said. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation has estimated that meat production accounts for nearly a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. These are produced during the production. For example, ruminants , particularly cows, give off a gas called methane, which is 23 times more effective as a global warming agent than CO2. Pachauri can expect some opposite responses from the food industry to his advice, though last night he was given unexpected support by Masterchef presenter and restaurateur John Torode. "I have a little bit and enjoy it," said Torode. "Too much for any person is bad. But there's a bigger issue here: where the meat comes from. If we all bought British and stopped buying imported food, we'd save a huge amount of carbon emissions." Professor Robert Watson, the chief scientific adviser for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, said government could help educate people about the benefits of eating less meat, but it should not regulate. "Eating less meat would help, there's no question about that," Watson said. However, Chris Lamb, head of marketing for pig industry group BPEX, said the meat industry had been unfairly targeted and was working hard to find out which activities had the biggest environmental impact and reduce them. "Some ideas were contradictory," he said. "For example, one solution to emissions from cattle and other animals was to keep them indoors, but this would damage animal welfare. Climate change is a very young science and our view is there are a lot of simple solutions being proposed." It is implied in the passage that _ . A. we should try to keep away from cattle B. ruminants should not be left outdoors C. the meat industry will soon close down D. we must do our duty to save the earth Answer: D Question: Economists have studied how markets work for a long time.Generally,they work well.But markets do not always perform as expected.Jean Tirole of France won the Nobel Prize in Economics for studying why markets are imperfect,or inefficient,and what governments can do to regulate them. The Nobel prize committee announced the $1.1 million prize in Stockholm to Jean Tirole.Itcalled Mr.Tirole"one of the most influential economists of our time".The organization said he had done important research in a number of areas.But it said,"most of all he has clarified how to understand and regulate industries with only a few powerful firms." Mr.Tiro1e works at the Toulouse School of Economics in Toulouse,France.He is 61 years old.For about 30 years,Mr.Tirole has researched periods when markets failed,that is,when they did not provide good results in price and competition.He looked at how a small number of large companies,or even a single company,can strongly influence industries. Banking and telecommunications were among the industries he studied. The Nobel committee said that unregulated markets often produce socially _ results. They can result in higher prices or companies that use their market position to block others* The committee said it chose Mr.Timle because he thought about how best to regulate markets.For example,Tore Ellingsen,Chairman of the committee that awards the economics prize,says Mr*Tirole showed the need to develop better rules for the banking industry.This became urgent after the world financial crisis of 2008--2009. The economics Drize is called the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alflred Nobel.Alfred Nobel did not establish the prize.It was first presented in 1969. We can learn from the passage that _ . A. Jean Tirole's research made the markets imperfect or inefficient B. banking and telecommunications are strongly influential industries C. the world financial crisis of 2008--2009 regulated the markets D. Alfred Nobel was unwilling to establish economics prize Answer: B Question: A student is standing on a skateboard that is not moving. The total mass of the student and the skateboard is 50 kilograms. The student throws a ball with a mass of 2 kilograms forward at 5 m/s. Assuming the skateboard wheels are frictionless, how will the student and the skateboard move? A. forward at 0.4 m/s B. forward at 5 m/s C. backward at 0.2 m/s D. backward at 5 m/s Answer: D
People in the United States honor their parents with two special days:Mother's Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father's Day, on the third Sunday in June. These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care. These two days make us think about the changing roles of mothers and fathers. More mothers now work outside the home. More fathers must help with child care. These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother's Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery .On these days families get together at home, as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues for Father's Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories. Another tradition is to give cards and gifts. Children make them in school. Many people make their own presents. These are valued more than the ones bought in stores. It is not the value of the gift that is important, but it is "the thought that counts". Greeting card stores, florists, candy makers, bakeries, telephone companies, and other stores do a lot of business during these holidays. What do you know from the passage? A Mother's Day and Father's Day are both in May. B Fewer women worked outside the home in the past. C Not all the children respect their parents D Fathers are not as important as mothers at home. Answer: B Dear Anne, I like your column very much. I met a girl four years ago at a gym. She was the one who originally approached me and we became good friends. Then one day, she made me really angry, so angry that I just left and we never saw each other again. Looking back, I really regret ending things that way. It was a cowardly act on my part, but I had a terrible temper at that time and let the smallest thing get to me. Recently, I've started thinking about her again and I looked up her e-mail address. I thought about writing to say "Hi" and apologize for what I did but I'm not sure. She could still be angry with me, or maybe she has forgotten me. I feel very lonely and I want to see her again. What should I do? Tom Dear Tom, She may still be angry with you, and she may have forgotten the friendship between you, but that doesn't mean she doesn't deserve an apology. Tom, how many of us have wished for the day that someone who treated us badly saw the light and finally owned up? But we rarely get that kind of expected result. So sure, e-mail her and say "Hi". Tell her you have been thinking about her and just want to apologize for getting angry and being a coward by walking out on her. But you should remember if she thinks you're apologizing just because you are lonely, she might dismiss your sincerity. Therefore, don't mention that. If she wants to see you again, she'll make sure that happens. Even if she doesn't want to be your friend, I can assure you, she'll appreciate the gesture. And it might make you think twice next time you get angry. Anne In the letter, Anne is probably _ . A Tom's friend B Tom's teacher C a woman reporter D a columnist Answer: D I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch in San Isidro. He lets me use his house to hold events to raise money for youth at risk programs. The last time I was there he greeted me by saying, "I want to tell you why I let you use my house. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of a poor horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, farm to farm, training horses. As a result, the boy's high school was continually interrupted . One day in the last year of high school, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to do when he grew up. "He wrote a seven-page paper about his goal of owning a horse ranch in great detail. He put a great deal of his heart into the project and even drew a detailed floor plan for the dream ranch. Then the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. But he got a low mark with a note that read, 'See me after class.' "The boy went to see the teacher after class and asked, 'Why did I receive a low mark?'" "The teacher said, 'This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from a poor family. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. There's no way you could ever do it.' Then the teacher added, 'If you will rewrite this paper, I will reconsider your mark.' "The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, 'Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.' "Finally, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He wrote, 'You can keep the low mark and I'll keep my dream.'" The teacher thought Monty Roberts's dream was _ . A strange B great C pleasant D impossible Answer: D We often praise the world of science. It explains the world and makes our lives easier with technology. One of the most exciting fields in science is artificial intelligence ( AI). This is an area where scientists are working on making machines that think like humans. However, Professor Stephen Hawking, a well-known British scientist, is not for _ kind of technology. "The development of artificial intelligence could spell the end of human". He said so just after using the machine made for him. As Hawking has a serious illness called ALS, he needs an AI computer to communicate. The computer learns how Hawking thinks and suggests the words he may want to use next. This kind of AI is very useful, but Hawking fears the possibility of making machines that can be smarter than humans. And it's easy to imagine how terrible things may be. We can see on TV some big killer machines that are far cleverer than us. "Humans can't compete because of their slow biological evolution " said Hawking. But no everyone holds the same idea towards AI technology. "I believe we can make good use of the technology for a long time. It will help us to solve many problems in the future." said Rollo Carpenter, CEO of Cleverbot in the UK. In which way do you think AI is heading? Should we be hopeful or fearful? Which of the following is TRUE? A Hawking's AI computer fully knows what he thinks about. B The AI technology is cleverer than humans now. C Hawking is a famous British scientist and against human intelligence. D Hawking thinks humans might die out because of the development of AI. Answer: D No matter how old your kids are, you can take steps to improve a healthy diet and to encourage good eating habits. Tip One: Family Meals Family meals are nice for both parents and kids. Children like to guess what they are going to have and parents get the chance to introduce new foods to children. Parents can also use the mealtime as a chance to talk with their kids about their life. Tip Two: Healthy Snacks Kids, especially younger ones, will eat mostly what can get at home. That's why it's important to have enough healthy snacks, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, yogurt and whole-grain biscuits. Tip Three: Being a Good Example The best way for you to encourage healthy eating is to eat well yourself. Kids will follow the lead of the adults they see every day. By eating fruits and vegetables and avoiding fast food and sweet drinks, you are sending the right message. Tip Four: No Shouts about Food Parents might find themselves shouting at children to get them to have healthy foods in front them. This in fact can make children dislike what they are asked to eat. You need to work a bit on different cooking methods . Tip Five: Get Kids Included Most Kids will enjoy making the decision about food. Talk to them about making choices and planning a healthy meal. It can help them to make good decisions on their own about the foods they want to eat. ,,A, B, C, D,. (2,10) What's the author's attitude toward snacks? A Snacks shouldn't be eaten. B Healthy snacks can be accepted . C Kids can only have snacks at home. D It's not necessary to have snacks at home. Answer: B
Have you ever been to the beautiful country of Holland and its capital Amsterdam? Anyone who has traveled to Amsterdam would probably agree on one thing: Amsterdam's story is a tale of two cities -- one during the day and a completely different one at night. During the day, the largest city in the Netherlands sits quietly on the Amstel River.You can rent a bicycle, visit the Van Gogh or Anne Frank museum, or take a water taxi.But when the sun goes down, the partying begins.In the big clubs and in coffee shops, tourists gather to hang out, talk politics and smoke. Several areas of the city clearly show the two worlds that rule Amsterdam.And they're all within a short cab ride of each other.For example, Dam Square attracts daytime sightseers to its festivals, open markets, concerts and other events.Several beautiful and very popular hotels can be found there.And there's the Royal Palace and the Magna Plaza shopping mall. But at night party-seekers come to the square.Hip hop or funk music is heard there..So if you come, be ready to dance.The clubs don't shut down until 4 am. And while you're there, check out the various inexpensive ways to tour the city.Don't worry about getting lost.Although Dutch is the official language, most people in Amsterdam speak English and are happy to help you with directions.And you'll notice that half the people in the streets are on bicycles they rent. Amsterdam also has a well-planned canal system.For about 10 dollars, you can use the canal bus or a water taxi to cruise the "Venice of the North". The city has a historic past.One impressive place to visit is the Anne Frank House on Nine Streets.It was there that the young Jewish girl wrote her famous diary during World War II.Visitors can view Anne's original diary and climb behind the bookcase to the room where she and her family hid from the Nazis for two years. What means of transport is not available to visitors in Amsterdam? Answer: My name is Mary. This is my family. These are my parents. Their names are Bill and Grace Brown.Those are my grandparents.Their names are Henry and Linda Brown.This is my uncle.His name is John.That boy is my brother. His name is Tony. This is Susan.She is my uncle's daughter. Grace is Susan's _ . Answer: Face masks are commonly used in ceremonies and performances. They not only hide the real face of the mask wearer but they often evoke powerful emotions in the audience--danger, fear, sadness, joy. You might think, because so many things vary cross-culturally, that the ways in which emotions are displayed and recognized in the face vary too. Apparently they do not. Recent research on masks from different cultures supports the conclusion that masks, like faces, tend to represent certain emotions in the same ways. We now have some evidence that the symbolism used in masks is often universal. The research on masks builds on work done by anthropologists, who used photographs of individuals experiencing various emotions. These photographs were shown to members of different cultural groups who were asked to identify the emotions displayed in the photographs. Emotions were identified correctly by most viewers, whatever the viewer's native culture. Coding schemes were developed to enable researchers to compare the detailed facial positions of individual portions of die face (eyebrows, mouth, etc.) for different emotions. What exactly do we do when we scowl? We contract the eyebrows and lower the corners of the mouth; in geometric terms, we make angles and diagonals on our faces. When we smile, we raise the corners of the mouth; we make it curved. Psychologist Joel Arnoff and his colleagues compared two types of wooden face masks from many different societies--masks described as threatening versus masks associated with nonthreatening functions. As suspected, the two sets of masks had significant differences in certain facial elements. The threatening masks had eyebrows and eyes facing inward and downward and a downward-facing mouth. In more abstract or geometrical terms, threatening features generally tend to be angular or diagonal and nonthreatening features tend to be curved or rounded, a face with a pointed beard is threatening; _ is not. The theory is that humans express and recognize basic emotions in uniform ways because all human faces are quite similar, skeletally and muscularly. What does the author mean by stating, "the symbolism used in masks is often universal"? Answer: If' you are finding it tough to land a job, try expanding your job-hunting plan to include thefollowing strategies: Set your target While you should always keep your opinions open to compromise, you should also be sure to target exactly what you want in a job. A specific job hunt will be more efficient than a random one . Schedule abundant interviews Use every possible method to get interviews-answering ads, using search firms, contacting companies directly, surfing the Web, and networking. Even if a job is not perfect for you, every interview can make you learn from it. Follow up Even if someone does not hire you, write them a thank-you note for the interview. Then. some weeks later, send another brief letter to explain that you still have not found the perfect position and that you will be available to interview again if the original position you applied for-or any other position, for that matter-is open. Do this with every position you interview for, and you may just catch a break. Make it your full-time job You can't find a job by looking infrequently. You have to make time for it. If you're unemployed and looking for a job, devote as much time as you would to a full-time job. If you have a job while you're looking, figure out an organized schedule to maximize your searching time. Network vertically In the research phase of your job hunt, talk to people who are on a level above you in your desired industry. They'll have some insights that people at your own level won't have, and will be in a good position to hire you or recommend you to be hired. Keep your spirits up Looking for a job is one of the toughest things you will ever have to do. Maintain your confidence, stay persistent, and think positively, and eventually you will get a job that suits you. As indicated in the passage, in order to get a suitable job, you should _ . Answer: Animals seem to have the sense to eat when they are hungry and they do not eat more than their bodies need. It has been demonstrated that rats will, when given a choice over a period of time, prefer water with vitamins to water without vitamins even though there is no difference in taste or smell between the two water bottles. When a fragrant flavor was added to the vitamin-enriched water, the rats did seem to prefer it and kept drinking it ,even after the vitamins were switched to the clear water. In time, however, they broke _ and went back to where the necessary vitamins were. In a classic experiment, babies of 6 to 12 months old were placed in a cafeteria feeding arrangement, with a wide selection of baby food before them. They were given whatever food they pointed to or appeared interested in. We are told that at first they showed some unusual eating patterns, but that over a period of time they managed to select well-balanced diet. So, in selecting food, rats and babies do seem to know and act on what's best for them. Apparently, there is a kind of "body wisdom", which humans soon lose. Most of us do not eat as wisely as we could. Many of our food preferences are culturally determined and influenced by long-established habits. Some people eat fox, dog and blackbirds, while we eat cows and pigs. So what people eat and how much they eat seems to be greatly influenced by what is going on around them. The author implied in the passage that most of us _ . Answer:
Most parents and teachers would get angry when they hear that teenagers listen to their iPods while preparing for exams. But pupils who listen to music when doing their homework may be, in fact, working hard. Thirty three schools have downloaded specially written pop and rock songs for their 10,000 pupils who are studying for GCSE . The professionally recorded music, based on texts in English literature, teaches teenagers about themes in the GCSE curriculum . Two young men set up "Revise", the company that produced the songs, and worked with teachers to make sure the lyrics reflected the curriculum. Some of the songs were written by Geraint Brown, a director, and they are performed by professional singers and musicians. Songs for the GCSE science and maths lessons are also being developed in 36 schools. They have also started using the program, called, "LearnThruMusic". Dave Matthews, the head of Hawthorn High School in the South Wales valleys, said the program aimed at helping teenagers who are unwilling to study. He said, "There are lots of pupils who don't have a high level of home support. It's almost cool to say you have no need to find a support and we have got to change that. With this, they don't have to be sitting at their desk at home. They can be outside, walking around or even listening to it on the bus, which is very convenient for them." Everyone has a phone, MP3 or CD player, and they're more likely to listen to these than pick up a book. "I think everyone would agree that music had an important influence on us when growing up. Both boys and girls are very good at remembering the words and dancing to the music in the charts. There's no one thing that will successfully engage (...) every child, and some of them will make little or no use of this. But the fact that they don't have to do any extra work makes this a very good deal for a kid," Dave Matthews added. Which of the following can be inferred in the passage? A The program is not expected to have equal effect on every student. B Some students used the song as an excuse for not reading textbooks. C It's more difficult to create songs for science and maths lessons. D Students involved in the program needn't go to school every day. Answer: A. The program is not expected to have equal effect on every student. The sun was just coming up when I headed out to work last May at 6 a.m. Not quite dark but dark enough to need my headlights. I turned onto one of the lonely rural country roads. Maybe it was because I was listening to the radio, maybe it was because I was already thinking about some projects at work, that I didn't spot the dark object on the road until I was too late. I ran over it and felt the back left tire pull, and then sink. I stopped and got out of the car. No mystery here---- my back left tyre was cut like a loaf of bread. Back 50 yards was a piece of sharp iron I had run over. I had never changed a tyre. I looked up the road. Not a car in either direction. The nearest service station was miles away. I threw up my hands. Then I remembered---- my cell phone! I powered it up before realizing, I didn't know who to call. Wouldn't you know it, I spotted a car coming from the opposite direction. The driver slowed as he approached. I guessed he could see I was in trouble. He stopped his car, got out and immediately saw the trouble. "Madam, would you like me to change that tyre for you?" he asked. The man couldn't have been more friendly. I was frightened out there and he put me completely at ease. "There," he said, after putting on the spare, "you are all set to go." "Good thing for me that you were driving this way," I told him, as I climbed back into my car. "Funny you should say that," he said. "Just like you, I was heading to work, but my job is in the opposite direction. I made a wrong turn at some point. I don't know what I was thinking." What did the man do when he saw the writer? A He stopped and laughed at her. B He walked over to frighten her. C He helped her without hesitation. D He drove away in the opposite direction. Answer: C. He helped her without hesitation. The date was like any other day in his life. After school, Michael walked past the shop on the street corner. He stopped to look at the front row of shoes, and he felt sorry for himself. He really wanted to have them for his birthday. He sadly walked away and thought of what to tell his mother. He knew she would give him anything he liked if she could. But he also knew very well she had little money. He decided not to go home immediately, as he looked worried and his mother would notice it. So he went to the park and there he sat on the grass. Then he saw a boy in a wheelchair. He noticed that the boy moved the wheels with his hands. Michael looked at him carefully and was surprised to see the boy had no feet. He looked down at his own feet. "It is much better to be without shoes than without feet," he thought. There was no reason for him to feel so sorry and sad. He went away and smiled, thinking he was luckier in life. Why did Michael decide not to go home immediately? A Because it was still early B Because he didn't want to give his mother any trouble. C Because he wanted to go to the park to have a rest. D Because his mother was not at home yet at that time. Answer: B. Because he didn't want to give his mother any trouble. Nowadays, lots of students in Shenzhen complain that they have too much homework. Because of this, they feel unhappy about learning at school. According to a survey, a pupil has to spend two hours finishing the homework every day. It usually takes three hours for a middle school student and four hours for a high school student to finish the homework every day. Students in Grade Nine often do their homework until midnight. And all of them have to get up at as early as six o'clock the next morning. Mr. Li, a doctor in a hospital, told me yesterday, "Half of the students in Shenzhen are sub-healthy . The lack of sleep makes them tired and their health is becoming poorer and poorer." Many parents worry about _ . Mr. Li said _ of the students in Shenzhen were sub-healthy. A all B half C few D none Answer: B. half Workers who commute by car, bus or train to the office are more likely to suffer from stress and exhaustion, according to a study. Scientists studied 12,000 employees aged between 18 and 65.They found that those who traveled to work by car or public transport reported higher levels of stress and tiredness compared to active commuters who traveled by foot or bicycle. The negative health of public transport users increased with journey time. It is now expected that the study, from Lund University in Sweden, will encourage further investigation into the health effects of commuting and the best forms of transportation. Researcher Erik Hansson said:"Generally car and public transport users suffered more everyday stress, poorer sleep quality, exhaustion and felt that they struggled with their health compared to the active commuters." According to the Office for National Statistics, the average Briton commutes 54 minutes every day. But now the scientists claim that the advantages of daily travel, such as higher pay or housing conditions, need to be weighed against the negative health effects. Income, family background and environmental factors are other things that need to be considered. It may also have a cost effect on industry. According to a Absence and Workplace Health Survey, the U.K. economy lost 190 million working days to absence last year, with each employee taking an average of 6.5 days off sick, costing employers US$27 billion. Hansson added that findings would help to reconsider the balance between economic needs, health, and the costs of working days lost. However, researchers stress that the findings, published in the journal BMC Public Health, do not prove that commuting causes ill health and further research is needed. The purpose of this writing is to _ . A present the result of a study B .help people with stress and tiredness C .show the hidden weakness of public transport D advise people not to go to work by commuting Answer: A. present the result of a study
Bob is six years old.He is old enough to go to school. On the first day,his teacher taught him three words,"I,you,he".Then the teacher said,"I am your teacher.You are my student.He is your student. He is your classmate."When school was over,Bob went home. His mother asked him,"What has your teacher taught you today?"Bob said with a smile,"Listen,Mum and Dad,I am your teacher.You are my student.He is your classmate."His mother said,"No,dear.You're wrong."Then she said,"I am your mother.You're my son.He's your father."The next day,Bob's teacher asked Bob to make sentences with "I,you and he". Bob stood up and said,"I'm your mother.You're my son.He is your father."All the students in Bob's class laughed. What do you think of the boy? A He is not clever. B He is helpful. C He is polite. D He is kind. Answer: A Are you carrying too much on your back at school? I'm sure lots of children of your age will say "Yes". Not only the students in China have this problem, but children in the United States also have heavy school bags. Doctors are starting to worry about young students' back and neck because their school bags are too heavy for them. "It's hard for me to go upstairs with my heavy bag," said Rick Hammond, an ll-year-old student in the USA. Rick is among students who have school bags with two straps ,and many other students choose rolling bags. But even with rolling bags ,getting upstairs is still a problem for children .Doctors say students should carry no more than 10% to 15% of their own body weight . Scott Bautch, a back doctor, said children under Grade 4 should carry no more than 10% of their weight and older children shouldn't stay with over 15% , because their bodies are still growing. Teachers and parents should do some things to help children. And the best answer is to have less homework! Some students think the best answer to this problem is that _ . A they should have a little homework to do after they get home B their teachers had getter not ask them to do any homework C they should only take home the books they will read that night. D They should use thin books instead of thick ones. Answer: A A villa designed to resist earthquakes with "self-healing" cracks in its walls, thanks to nanotechnology applications with self-healing polymers , is to be built on a Greek mountainside. The villa's walls will include special particles that turn into a liquid when squeezed under pressure, flow into cracks, and then harden to form a solid material. The NanoManufacturing Institute (NMI), based in Leeds University, will play a key role in an EU project to construct the home by December 2010. The project, called "Intelligent Safe and Secure Buildings" (ISSB) is funded under the EU's Sixth Framework program. This potentially life-saving scheme is led by German building manufacturer Knauf. The villa will be built in Amphilochia, in western Greece, where Knauf currently runs a manufacturing plant. If the experiment is successful, more tremor-resistant homes could be built in earthquake zones across the globe. NMI chief executive Professor Terry Wilkins said, "What we're trying to achieve here is very exciting. We're looking to use polymers in much tougher situations than ever before on a larger scale." Monitors contained in the villa's walls will be able to collect vast amounts of data about the building over time. Wireless sensors will record any stresses and vibrations, as well as temperature, humidity and gas levels. The walls are to be built from new load-bearing steel frames and high-strength gypsum board. Prof Wilkins said, "If there are any problems, the intelligent sensor network will be able to alert residents immediately so they have time to escape. If whole groups of houses are so constructed, we could use a larger network of sensors to get even more information. If the house falls down, we have got hand-held devices that can be used over the ruins to pick out where the embedded sensors are hidden to get some information about how the villa collapsed. Also, we can get information about anyone who may be around, so it potentially becomes a tool for rescue." The aim of the passage is to _ . A report a piece of interesting news B promote tremor-resistant homes C inform us of the nanotechnology development D tell us something about a tremor-resistant home Answer: D Honesty is the best policy, as the English saying goes. Unfortunately, honesty often leaves us when no one is watching, British psychologists reported last week. Researchers at UK's Newcastle University set up an experiment in their psychology department's coffee room. They set a kettle, with tea, coffee and milk on the counter and hung up a sign listing the price for drinks. People helping themselves to a cup of tea were supposed to put a few cents in the box nearby. The scientists hung a poster above the money box, and changed each week between pictures of gazing eyes and pictures of flowers. The researchers found that staff paid 2.76 times more for their drinks when the image of the eyes was hung. "We were shocked by the size of the effect," said Gilbert Roberts, one of the researchers. Eyes are known to be a powerful perceptual signal for humans, scientists say. "Even though the eyes were not real, they still seemed to make people behave more honestly," said Melissa Bateson, a behavioral biologist and leader of the study. Researchers believe the effect throws light on our evolutionary past. It may arise from behavioral characteristics that developed when early humans formed social groups to strengthen their chances of survival. For social groups to work, individuals had to co-operate, rather than act selfishly. "There's an argument that if nobody is watching us, it is in our interests to behave selfishly. But when we're being watched we should behave better. So people see us as co-operative and behave the same way towards us," Bateson said. The new finding indicates that people have a striking response to eyes. That might be because eyes and faces send a strong biological signal we have evolved to respond to, Bateson said. The finding could be put to practical use. For example, images of eyes could ensure ticket sales on public transport and improve surveillance systems to deter anti-social behavior. Which of the following English proverbs can be best used at the beginning of the passage? A Once a thief, always a thief B Lies have short legs C Honest is the best policy D An honest look covers many faults Answer: C Hank Viscardi was born without legs.He had not legs but stumps that could he fitted with a kind of special boots,People stared at him with cruel interest.Children laughed at him and called him'Ape Man' because his arms practically dragged on the ground. Hank went to school like other boys.His grades were good and he needed only eight years to finish his schooling instead of the usual twelve.After graduating from school,he worked his way through college. He swept floors,waited on table,or worked in one of the college offices.During all this busy life,he had been moving around on his stumps.But one day the doctor told him even the stumps were not going to last much longer.He would soon have to use a wheel chair. Hank felt himself got cold all over.However, the doctor said there was a chance that he could be fitted with artificiallegs .Finally a leg maker was found and the day came when Hank stood up before the mirror, for the first time he saw himself as he has always wanted to be-a full five feet eight inches tall.By this time he was already 26 years old. Hank had to learn to use his new legs.Again and again he marched the length of the room,and marched back again.There were times when he fell down on the floor, but he pulled himself up and went back to the endless marching.He went out on the street.He climbed stairs and learned to dance.He built a boat and learned to sail it. When World War II came,he talked the Red Cross into giving him a job. He took the regular training.He marched and drilled along with the other soldiers.Few knew that he was legless.This was the true story of Hank Viscardi,a man without legs. The writer suggests that Ha nk Viscardi A had no friends B never saw himself as difierent from others C was very shy D was too proud to accept help from others Answer: B
What must you do when you receive a present for your birthday? You have to sit down and write a thank-you note. The word "thanks" is very important. We have to use them very often. We say them when someone gives us drink, helps us to pick up things, hands us a letter or lends us a book. It is rude to ask someone to do something without saying "please". We have to use it when we ask for something, too. It may be a book or a pencil, more rice or help. We have to use "please" to make request pleasant. We have to learn to say "sorry", too. When we have hurt someone, we'll have to go up and say we're sorry. When we have forgotten something, we will say "sorry". We can make people forget wrong by saying it. These three words are simple but important. Our children must learn to use them. They are pleasing words to use in any language. When we have troubled someone, we will say "_". A thanks B sorry C please D hello Answer: B. sorry If your family is like many in the United States, keeping a lot of bottled water at home, it's easy to get a cold one right out of the fridge on your way to a soccer game or activity, right? But all those plastic bottles use a lot of fossil fuels and pollute the environment. In fact, Americans buy more bottled water than any other nation in the world, and add 29 billion water bottles a year to the problem. In order to make all these bottles, manufacturers use 17 million barrels of crude oil . That's enough oil to keep a million cars going for twelve months. So why don't more people drink water straight from the kitchen faucet? Some people drink bottled water because they think it is better for them than water out of the tap, but that's not true. In the US, local governments make sure water from the faucet is safe. People love the convenience of bottled water. But maybe if they realized the problems it causes, they would try drinking from a glass at home or carrying water in a refillable steel container instead of plastic. Unfortunately, for every six water bottles we use, only one makes it to the recycling bin. The rest are sent to landfills. Or, even worse, they end up as trash on the land and in rivers, lakes and the ocean. Plastic bottles take many hundreds of years to break down. Water is good for you, so keep drinking it. But think about how often you use water bottles, and see if you can make a change. And yes, you can make a difference. Remember this: recycling one plastic bottle can save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for six hours. No matter who you are, you can do something for the environment. Join us and protect the environment. According to the passage, why don't some people drink water straight from the kitchen faucet? A Because they think bottled water is healthier than water out of the tap. B Because local governments don't make sure that water from the faucet is safe. C Because bottled water is much cheaper than water out of the kitchen faucet. D Because water out of the kitchen faucet is not provided anywhere. Answer: A. Because they think bottled water is healthier than water out of the tap. The newspaper must provide for the reader the facts, pure, unprejudiced , objectively selected facts. But in these days the complex news it must provide more; it must supply explanation, the meaning of the facts. This is the most important assignment facing American journalism--to make clear to the reader the problems of the day, to make international news understandable as community news, to recognize that there is no longer any such thing(with the possible exception of society news)as "local" news, because any event in the international area has local reaction in the financial market, political circles, indeed, of our very way of life. There is in journalism a widespread view that when you consider giving an explanation, you are entering dangerous water, the swirling tides of opinion. This is nonsense. The opponents of explanation insist that the writer and the editor shall confine himself to the "facts". This insistence raises two questions; What are the facts? And are the bare facts enough? As for the first question, consider how a so-called "factual" story comes about. The reporter collects, say, fifty facts; out of these fifty, his space being necessarily restricted, he selects the ten that he considers most important. This is Judgment Number One. Then he or his editor decides which of these ten facts shall constitute the beginning of the article. (this is an important decision because many readers do not proceed beyond the first paragraph) This is Judgment Number Two. Then. The night editor decides whether the article shall be presented on page one, where it has a large influence, or on page twenty-four, where it has little. Judgment Number Three. Thus in the show of a so-called "factual" of "objective" story, at least three judgments are involved. And they are judgments mot at all unlike those involved in explanation, in which reporter and editor, calling upon their research resources , their general background, and their "news neutralism" , arrive at a conclusion as to the importance of the news. The two areas of judgment, presentation of the news and its explanation, are both objective rather than subjective processes--as objective, that is, as any human being can be. (Note in passing; even though complete objectivity can never be achieved, nevertheless the ideal must always be the light in the murky news channels) If an editor is intern on giving a prejudiced view of the news, he can do it in other ways and more effectively than by explanation. He can do it by the selection of those facts that support his particular viewpoint. Or he can do it by the play he gives a story promoting it to page one or putting it on page thirty. Readers are justified in thinking that the most important aspect of the news reported in the newspaper is that it should be . A explained in detail B edited properly C objectively reported D impartial Answer: C. objectively reported "How to Train Your Dragon" by British author Cressida Cowell is one of the best pieces of children's literature. A child can make a whole alternative universe with a vivid imagination and Toothless, the hero's hunting dragon, thus turning a rainy day into an adventure of a lifetime. However, if you have never read the book but instead choose to see the film version, you might think you were seeing a new-age war movie meant for adults rather than children. Let's look at "Where the Wild Things Are" for further discussion. The story centers around a lonely eight-year-old boy named Max, who sails away to an island. Creatures living there declare Max their king. What an amazing piece of children's literature! A treasure for every child's library. Yet, children were crying in the movie theatre. Owls were falling from the sky, chicken's arms were being torn off, and a child was running around a dark abandoned world fighting evil as the only human. It was almost as if Hollywood could not imagine children enjoying a movie for its basic literature content. Hollywood might be right. But more and more its audiences are complaining that there is an increased amount of violence in children's stories today than in the past. While there appears to be a trend in our society to make more violence more accessible to younger children, books and literature are generally an exception. I truly believe that children's literature has become more vivid, and more colorful. This is a great treasure for the children, and is certainly not violent. What has changed the children's stories of today is not the writers, but the film industry. In some way, children's literature is just being strangely twisted. I wonder how much influence the author have over this. According to the text, the author thinks that _ . A the film industry's treatment of children's literature is wrong B writers should provide more colorful works for children C there is an increase in violence in children's literature D children should read books rather than see films. Answer: A. the film industry's treatment of children's literature is wrong Beijing - "Ma", a Chinese character for horse, is the 13thmost common family name in China, shared by nearly 17 million people. That can cause no end of confusion when Mas get together, especially if those Mas also share the same given name, as many Chinese do. Ma Cheng's book-loving grandfather came up with an elegant solution to this common problem. Twenty-six years ago, when his granddaughter was born, he consulted his library of Chinese dictionaries and lighted upon a character pronounced "cheng". Cheng looks just like the character for horse, except that it is condensed and written three times in a row. The character is so rare that once people see it, Miss Ma said, they tend to remember both her and her name. That is one reason she likes it so much. Chinese parents' desire to give their children a spark of individuality is colliding with the Chinese government's desire for order. Seeking to modernize its vast database on China's 1.3 billion citizens, the government's Public Security Bureau has been replacing the handwritten identity card that every Chinese must carry with a computer-readable one, complete with color1 photos and microchips. The new cards are harder to forge and can be scanned at places like airports where security is a priority. The bureau's computers, however, are programmed to read only 32,252 of the roughly 55,000 Chinese characters according to a 2006 government report. The result is that Miss Ma and at least some of the 60 million other Chinese with _ characters in their names cannot get new cards -- unless they change their names to something more common. Moreover, the situation is about to get worse or, in the government's view, better. Since at least 2003, China has been working on a standardized list of characters for people to use in everyday life, including when naming children. The list will aim to control the use of obscure names. What can we know about Ma Cheng according to the passage? A She has got her new ID card. B She was named after her grandfather. C She is 26 years old now. D She wants to change her name. Answer: C. She is 26 years old now.
a toaster converts electricity into radiant waves for Answer: browning bagels During a lecture, a professor was talking about the potential that hydrogen has for exploding under certain conditions. Which was most likely the topic of the professor's lecture? Answer: Chemical Properties of Gases My grandmother was from a town in Michigan. Summer after summer, I enjoyed staying with my grandparents as a young child. I was from the city and loved the small town they lived in. People knew everyone, their kids, their pets, their ancestors. The bond with them continued to grow as I grew and they got older. Grandma was always using her hands for something exciting. She would make little sandwiches and we'd have tea parties. She'd make beautiful quilts for each one. I remember the small thimble she would use while doing her needle work. A few years ago, when Grandma left this earth, I bid farewell to a loving grandmother. How quickly our lives can change. We had just had tea together a couple of months earlier, on her 91st birthday. I missed her very much. On one particular birthday, when I was feeling a little low, something happened to make me feel like she was sharing that special day with me. I was arranging some colorful pillows that she had made, and suddenly I felt something inside one pillow. It was small and hard. I moved the object to a seam that I carefully opened, and to my delight out came a tiny silver thimble! How happy I was to find something that had been a part of her. Not realizing it had fallen off her finger, I pictured her sewing it in that little pillow that I just happened to place on my bedspread that day. I carefully laid the thimble alongside the others I've collected over the years, where I could continue to see the gift God chose to reveal to me. What a precious memory of a very special lady who somehow, I knew, was laughing in delight at sewing her thimble inside my pillow. I made some tea, using my best china, as Grandma always did, and enjoyed my tea and Grandma's thimble. What a wonderful birthday that was! It can be inferred from the passage that the silver thimble _ . Answer: was very precious to the author Wine drinkers tend to buy healthier food than beer drinkers, according to a Danish study published on Tuesday on the website of a weekly medical magazine. People who bought wine at the store were also more likely to buy fruit, vegetables, fish, lean meat and milk than beer buyers did, said the study. Beer buyers were more likely to buy frozen dinners, cold cuts, pork, sugary products, and soft drinks. The study was conducted by four researchers from the National Institute of Public Health over the course of six months. Alcohol researchers Erik Schulenburg and Marten Greenback and two other doctors collected 3.5 million receipts from 98 stores. The customers at the stores represented a large number of Danish people, they said. "Our results confirm international studies which show that wine drinkers tend to eat more fruit, vegetables and fish and rarely eat fats, compared to those who like other kinds of alcoholic drinks," they concluded. Wine buyers also tended to have higher education levels, higher earnings and be in better mental health, they added. Their interest in consumers' shopping bags followed a series of studies in the Danish media. The studies suggested that wine drinkers ran a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer than beer drinkers. The passage mainly tells us that wine drinkers _ . Answer: usually buy healthier food than beer drinkers A source of heat could be Answer: holding hands
American Girl It's packed with the things that matter most to girls: party plans, games, crafts and girl-to-girl advice. American Girlis an appealing, age-appropriate teen magazine that allows young girls to be themselves. The magazine features fun contests, puzzles, giggles, and more! Stories, creative games, cool contests and great sports tips for girls aged 7-11 are available in each issue ofAmerican Girl magazine. Issues per year: 6 Cover price: $ 27.95 Sale price: $22.95 Ladybug Beautiful, colorful, and delightful to read, each issue is filled with charming read-aloud stories, games for memory and skill building, songs, poems, and activities for beginning readers. Parents can visit our online Parents Companion that recommends additional activities, crafts, and books. Issues per year: 9 Cover price: $44.50 Sale price: $33.95 Cicada A monthly magazine for teenagers and young adults aged 14 and up. It offers high-quality fiction and poetry dealing with the issue of growing up, leaving the joys and pains of childhood behind, and becoming an adult. Cicadamagazine also encourages its teen readers to submit their own writing for publication. It's so inspiring and humorous that you will not be able to put it down. Issues per year: 6 Cover price: $51.00 Sale price: $33.95 Sorts Illustrated for Kids It covers sports kids like. Featuring interviews with sports heroes, entertaining comics, breathtaking action photos, tips from the pros , news items of recent notes, games, puzzles, cartoons, fiction, advice from athletes, etc.Sports Illustrated for Kidsis a magazine for children aged 8 and up. Issues per year: 12 Cover price: $47.88 Sale price: $ 24.95 Which of the four magazines is the most suitable for a 4-year-old child? A American Girl. B Ladybug. C Cicada. D Sports Illustrated for Kids. Answer: B. Ladybug. Asia is home to more than half of the world's population and three of the four most crowded countries are in Asia. China, India, and Indonesia alone have more than 2.5 billion people. Until recently, most Asian nations fell behind the western countries in many fields. Government reform , however, has led to important progress in each of these Asian countries. Across the area, education systems have been improved and economies have been growing. Most Asian countries now have a system of compulsory education. Many countries have recently allowed private universities to be built, which was not allowed before. There are more chances for students to go to university now. However, in Asia, there are still not enough chances for students to get higher education and many people prefer to go abroad for further study. As a result, India, China, South Korea, Japan and other Asian countries send thousands of students to study in the United States and Europe each year. Part of the people in Asian countries can speak English, and English has become the most important language for business across the area. The percentage is the largest in Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, SriLanka and South Korea. Many people in China, India and Malaysia can also speak English. Some countries have made English part of the primary and secondary education program. In some countries, children begin to study English even at the age of 4 or 5. Which of the following is NOT true? A There're more than 2.5 billion people in China, India and Indonesia. B The economies in Asian countries are becoming worse. C Education in Asia has had great changes. D In some Asian countries, English has become very important for business Answer: B. The economies in Asian countries are becoming worse. When looking back at the scary situation that happened to him on Saturday, Patrick Canney said he couldn't still believe that it was true. It was a situation that could have ended with a tragedy for Patrick, his father and his sister. But it didn't really happen thanks to Patrick. That morning, Patrick's father was driving down busy Interstate 95 in Peabody, Massachusetts. The car started going really slowly, which seized Patrick's attention. And then he realized that something was wrong. At that point, Patrick found his father was having a seizure . "It was really scary," he said. "It was unlike anything that had ever really happened to me." But Patrick didn't act scared. He took control of the situation and got behind the wheel of the SUV. He turned the key off and pulled the car over to the breakdown lane . He then stopped the SUV, grabbed a cell phone out of his dad's pocket and called 911 for help. Patrick's 9-year-old sister was in the SUV, too. He told his little sister not to worry about it. Then he opened the door and stood right next to the guard rail. Thanks to Patrick's description of their location during the 911 call, Massachusetts State Police were able to locate the Canneys within minutes -- and get them all to safety. "A 12-year-old boy's clear thinking and decisive action actually saved this family from a tragedy," said state police spokesman David. "That's Patrick. He is cool and _ . I couldn't imagine what would be the result if he were panicked ." Patrick's father was expected to recover fully from the seizure. And thanks to Patrick, all of the Canneys are still alive. "The word hero may be overused in our society," said David. "But Patrick is surely that -- and then some." As soon as he found his father had a seizure, Patrick _ . A told his sister not to worry B called the police for help at once C tried his best to save his father D managed to take control of the car Answer: D. managed to take control of the car Drawings of human colonies on other planets often picture the entire community under a glass or plastic bubble. The bubble is intended to create an atmosphere with adequate oxygen and other essential elements. But similar bubble-like structures have also been constructed on earth. One of the most famous, and controversial, is a site in the Arizona desert. Biosphere 2, as it is called, was built not far from Tucson in 1984 and is now run by Columbia University. This huge(7,200,000-cubic-foot)glass and steel construction contains several separate ecosystems, including a desert, a rain forest, and a 900,000-gallon "ocean." The climatic conditions-humidity, temperature, air quality-are regulated by sensors and can be adjusted as needed or desired. For example, a rainstorm can be created to increase the humidity. The adjustable features of Biosphere 2 make it an ideal location to perform experiments to help determine the effects of such climatic changes as global warming. The current conditions at Biosphere 2 are vastly different from those in 1993, when eight people who had moved into the environment with great fanfare two years earlier moved out in failure. Though promising to be self-sufficient , these "colonists" had so much trouble regulating the environment that they reportedly had food smuggled into them. Oxygen levels became dangerously low; most plants and animals died. In taking over the unsuccessful site, Columbia hopes to erase its notorious past by focusing on small research projects that gradually answer some of Biosphere 1's -- that is, Earth's most basic environment questions. The writer helps you understand what Biosphere 2 is like by _ . A comparing its features with those of an outer space biosphere B explaining the process by which it was constructed C referring to an interview with one of former inhabitants D describing its appearance and conditions Answer: D. describing its appearance and conditions Audrey Hepburn (*) was born on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. She really was blue-blood from the beginning with her father, a wealthy English banker, and her mother, a Dutch noblewoman. After her parents divorced, Audrey went to London with her mother where she went to a private girl school. Later, when her mother moved back to the Holland, she attended private schools as well. While taking a vacation with her mother in Arnhem, Holland, Hitler's army took over the town. It was here that she during the Nazi occupation. Audrey suffered from depression and poor nutrition. After the liberation, Audrey went to a ballet school in London on a scholarship and later began a modeling career. As a model, she was graceful and, it seemed, she had found her job suitable for her in life - until the film producers came calling. After being spotted modeling by a producer, she was signed to a bit part in the European film Nederlands in 7 lessen in 1948. Later, she had a speaking role in the 1951 film, Young Wives' Tale (1951) as Eve Lester. The part still wasn't much, so she headed to America to try her luck there. Audrey gained immediate prominence in the US with her role in Roman Holiday in 1953. This film turned out to be a splendid success as she won an Oscar as Best Actress. This gained her enormous popularity and more plum roles. One of the reasons for her popularity was the fact that she was self-like, unlike the sex-goddesses of the time. Roman Holiday was followed by another similarly wonderful performance in the 1957 classic Funny Face.In 1988, Audrey became a special ambassador to the United Nations fund helping children in Latin America and Africa, a position she retained until 1993.Her elegance and style will always be remembered in film history as evidenced by her being named in Empire magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time." Audrey went to America to look for a new chance because _ A in the European films there were only little roles for her to act B in the Americana there were many important film roles waiting for her to act C in the American there were many different jobs suitable to her D in the European films there were all roles she didn't like Answer: A. in the European films there were only little roles for her to act
There are many cars over there. Five of them are brown. Twelve of them are red. Three of them are yellow. Four green cars, eight blue cars, two orange cars and one white car are there, too. They are new. They are nice. Look, these aren't cars, they are buses. They are in different colors: ten red, eleven green, seventy yellow and nine blue. They are all old. They are big. All the cars and buses belong to Mr. Smith. All the cars are _ , but all the buses are _ new; old It was December 25, 1914, only 5 months into World War I. German, British, and French soldiers, already sick and tired of the senseless killing, disobeyed their superiors and started socialising with "the enemy" along two-thirds of the Western Front. German troops held up Christmas trees with signs, "Merry Christmas". Thousands of troops ran across the battlefields covered with dead bodies. They sang Christmas songs, exchanged photographs of loved ones back home, shared food and even played football. Soldiers hugged men they had been trying to kill a few short hours before. They agreed to warn each other if their officers forced them to fire their weapons, and to aim high. Fear ran through the military leaders on both sides. They felt that their power was being challenged: soldiers declaring their brotherhood with each other and refusing to fight. Generals declared this unexpected peacemaking illegal and said that participating soldiers would face a military court. Those found guilty would be imprisoned or even shot. By March 1915 the socialising movement had been destroyed and the killing machine was back in full operation. Over the next three years more than fifteen million people died in the war. Not many people have heard the story of the Christmas Truce . On Christmas Day, 1988, a local radio host in Boston played "Christmas in the Trenches", a song about the Christmas Truce, several times and was _ by his listeners' response. Thousands of people called in, praising the song, with many moved to tears by the amazing events it described. You can probably guess why the callers were in tears. The Christmas Truce story goes against most of what we have been taught about people. It lets us see the world as it can be and says, "This really happened once." It shows us the potential we have as humans, and contradicts all of those TV and newspaper stories that tell us how mean and heartless people are. It is like hearing that our deepest wishes really are true: the world really can be different. The author uses the story of the soldiers to imply that human beings _ . are basically caring and kindhearted Light travels at a speed which is about a million times faster than the speed of sound. In one second, light travels about 300,000km, but sound travels only 344m. You can get some idea of this difference by watching the start of a race. If you stand some distance away from the starter, you can see smoke come from his gun before the sound reaches your ears. This great speed of light produces some strange facts. Sunlight takes about 8 minutes to reach us. If you look at the light of the moon tonight, remember that the light rays left the moon 1.3 seconds before they reached you. The nearest star is so far away that the light which you can see from it tonight started to travel towards you four years ago at a speed of nearly 2 million km per minute. In some cases the light from one of tonight's stars started on its journey to you before you were born. Thus, if we want to be honest, we cannot say " The stars are shining tonight." We have to say, " The stars look pretty. They were shining four years ago but their light has only just reached Earth." If you stand 200 meters away from a man who is firing a gun to start a race, you will find out that _ . sound does not travel as fast as light. Food prices have risen sharply over the past few years. The good news is that the rate of increase has slowed. The bad news is that prices will not go down anytime soon. Also,the rate of global agricultural production is slowing. Yet it needs to increase 60% over the next 40 years to feed a growing world population. These are among the findings from the OECDFAO(the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development & the Food and Agriculture Organization)Agricultural Outlook 2012-2021. FAO DirectorGeneral Jose Graziano da Silva spoke at a news conference in Rome when the report was released. Mr.Da Silva said that,not surprisingly,the world's poorest people will feel the greatest effects of higher prices. "For the millions and millions of extremely poor people, the effects of high food prices are clear--they might have to change their diets,usually to ones with poorer nutrition quality, "he said. In middleincome countries, people are gaining weight as they eat fewer fruits and vegetables and more of the cheaper but less nutritious foods. The report also shows that farmers in poorer countries will be leading efforts to feed an expected 9,000,000,000 people by 2050.The outlook predicts that farmers in Latin America,the Caribbean and subSaharan Africa will drive agricultural production in the future. Angel Gurria,SecretaryGeneral of the OECD,said:"We can feed 9,000,000,000 people by 2050 on this planet. But we have to organize ourselves better." But there are plenty of challenges.Onefourth of all agricultural land is damaged. Many countries face water shortages .And experts believe climate change is driving increasingly unusual weather patterns. The report says farmers need to use more growing methods that can't cause damage to the environment.At the same time,it says governments should end economically harmful supports and spend more money to increase agricultural production.Mr.Gurria says rich and poor nations need to treat agriculture more like a business. "In many cases,agriculture is related in people's minds to the poorest. It's related to aid. It's related to very poor living conditions,etc. We have got to shake that image away,"he said. Why are people gaining weight in countries with average incomes? They eat less nutritious foods. My parents want to take me to visit Beijing this summer holiday. I want to plan a good trip. So I must learn something about Beijing on the Internet. Beijing is a beautiful city. Autumn is the best season. There are many places of interest in Beijing. We want to visit the Great Wall, the Palace Museum and the Summer Palace. Beijing Duck is very famous all over the world. I hope I could have a try. We can get to Beijing by train. I want to buy a gift for my good friend. I also want to send a postcard to my teacher. I think I will have a great holiday. Who plan to visit Beijing with the writer? His parents.
Question: Everyone talks about the greenhouse effect and how our Earth and its climate are being affected. We can do a science experiment designed by some kids to show this effect and what is happening to the Earth. First prepare the following items: 2 glass containers that need to be the same size and shape 1 gallon plastic bag 4 cups of very cold water Ice cubes Fill each container with two cups of cold water. Add the same amount of ice cubes to each container. Then put one of the containers in the plastic bag and close it tight. Put both containers in the sun together and keep them there for at least an hour. At the end of one hour remove the container from the plastic bag and immediately check the temperature of the water. After you record this, find out the temperature of the water that is not covered. When you place the containers in direct sunlight, the air inside the bag becomes very warm. The heat filters in but cannot escape so it stays in the closed plastic bag and increases the temperature. What if you leave that for two, three or four hours? Think about what is happening to the Earth. There are chemicals that are creating a type of plastic bag around the Earth. It causes our air to get warmer because of the heat from the sun being kept in this closed area. Think about your car in the hot summer. This is what happens when you leave your car outside all day. This greenhouse effect has caused your car to be so hot that you sometimes cannot even touch the steering wheel. This science project goes to show what affects our planet. If the story appears in a newspaper, the best title might be " _ ". A. An Interesting Experiment Done by Kids B. How to Protect Our Precious Planet C. Bring Home the Seriousness of Greenhouse Effect D. The Greenhouse Effect Has Been Proved by Kids Answer: C Question: If I wanted to get energy what could I do? A. Eat a cucumber B. Go running C. Eat dust D. Go swimming Answer: A Question: January 1 -- January 31 You are charming and intelligent.You are actually quite ambitious.You like to go to parties and chat with your friends.On the other hand, you are friendly, but you are also a very private person. February 1 -- February 28 You are determined and hard working.You are born under the sign of loyalty and evenness .You like parties and enjoy a lot of friends.On the other hand, you are quite famous for your courage.You really like to explore and you are an adventurer. March 1 -- March 31 You are very loyal, independent, and open-minded.You are a born leader, and when you set a goal, you go to it.You adore challenges and competitions.You are most likely to be the one who calls out, "Let's go!" you are always in a circle of friends.You love animals. _ April I--April 30 You are artistic, well-mannered, intelligent, and diplomatic.You are usually sweet and kind, of course.You are sometimes famous for your artistic sense and good taste.You love throwing grand parties.Vacations and routines are very important to you.You are also fairly popular. Mayl -- May 31 You are talented, sincere, and most of all, enthusiastic.You are the master of ceremonies. You shine in the crowd.When you walk into a room, heads turn, and you hear whispers and gasps.You have a strong will to defeat any challenge in your way.You have a hunger for fashion. June 1 -- June 30 You are very elegant, wise, and compassionate .You are very attractive and people are attracted to you.Your friends rely on you for advice.You will be someone like Jacqueline Onassis.You are also very lucky in many ways. Julyl -- July 31 You are mostly agreeable, energetic, and popular.You like to try new things wherever you go.You know how to dress and you always look your best.You are talented and you love sports. You are always one step ahead of anyone else.You adore freedom and independence. August 1 -- August 31 You are empathetic, easygoing, and compliant.You can get along with almost everyone. Many people admire you for your talent and creativity.On the other hand, you are sensitive and compassionate.You always like to dream.You enjoy peace and quiet at night. September 1 -- September 30 You are individualistic, sociable, and very entertaining.You are capable of anything.You have an excellent memory.You like long, friendly conversations with your closest friends.You turn boring things into the life of the party. October 1 -- October 31 You are thoughtful, intelligent, and the class comedian.You are also very popular, and nice around friends.You love to save the best for last.You are amusing and very fun to be around with.You love to spend hours each day reading and studying for final exams, when the school year has just started.You almost never turn on your friends. November 1 -- November 30 You are unselfish, knowledgeable, and friendly.You are loyal to your friends and family. You can see the difference between right and wrong.You are very honest and you speak out when you feel something has gone wrong.You are the person who likes trendy clothes. December 1 --December 31 You are smart, optimistic, and willing to help others.You are like a rare diamond.You are intentionally the nicest while you are with friends.You are also very affectionate.You are too good to be true.Your friends trust in you easily.You are also popular in the "Being Nice" way. People born in the months of _ are usually very fashionable. A. May, July and November B. May, July and October C. July, October, and November D. April, May and October Answer: A Question: The Most Unusual Jobs Pet Food Tester . Yes, it's a thing and yes it's totally gross . But Mark Gooley ---the owner of a pet food company, eats dog food for a living. He eats everything from doggie treats and chewy bones to liver mixture. Teddy Bear repair Engineer When your favorite toy loses an arm, or suffers a bad injury, it is upsetting. But now you can get help in the Build-A-Bear Workshops, the teddy bear repair engineers repair your favorite teddy bears and get them back to themselves. Water slide Tester Monday morning surely seems more enjoyable if you spend your working week slipping down water slides in a theme park, especially in summer. You might also spend your lunch break on a roller coaster, eating a hot dog for lunch. Working holiday, am I right? Paint Watcher You may have heard some people say they'd "rather watch paint dry" than do something they don't want to do. Well, if they really mean it, the chance is there---- studying the drying time and effects of paint as a full-time job for a paint company. What does a paint watcher do as a full-time job? A. He paints the wall. B. He repairs the water slide. C. He studies the effects of paint. D. He watches others repair the wall. Answer: C Question: Actually, long-distance bicycle camping is one of the happiest activities I have ever experienced. I generally sleep poorly at night, but in the woods on a tour, I sleep like a baby with the music of insects. In the morning, birds wake me up. I eat a snack before getting up, and then I quickly pack my sleeping bag, tent, and other things and get on the road. Usually I have less speed. Traveling by bike allows me to stop anywhere, such as lakes(especially places to swim), woods, and scenic spots . Somewhere near lunch, I find a small drugstore and buy some bread, sandwich materials, and fruit. In the afternoon, my speeds are higher, and I spend less time at stops. In the late afternoon, I start thinking about stopping. I finally find a place in the early evening, cook a simple meal, and rest and cool off. As it starts to get dark, I put up my tent, and fall asleep. There are exciting times and difficult times as well. Visiting strange or famous places are always exciting to me. I meet and talk with interesting people along the way. Enjoying beautiful scenes, meeting wild animals(usually at my camping site), and traveling up and down hills also make me cheerful. On the other hand, I may run into rainy or hot days, have to repair my bike, or just find myself in a bad state. The problems are easily dealt with. The pleasures remain in my mind for years. Where does the writer usually have a good sleep? A. In a hotel. B. At home. C. In the woods. D. In a drugstore. Answer: C
Sometimes people give us nicknames in order to be mean or make fun of us,which can really hurt. Four Eyes. Metal Mouth. Dumbo. Slow Poke. Crater Face. We've all heard kids calling nasty nicknames like these. Maybe you've even used similar nicknames on other kids,or been stuck with one yourself. A playground _ or cut usually disappears after a couple of days,but the pain and the anger coming from being called a cruel nickname can last a lot longer than that. If you've ever picked on another kid by making up or using a tease nickname,or if you've ever been on the receiving end of one,you know that names like Fatso,Smelly and Short Stuff can be very hurtful. Plus,they have a habit of sticking to us like glue ! People use negative nicknames as a way of keeping someone out of a group,of gaining power over someone,or of making themselves feel more important. You may know a kid in your class who always comes up with nicknames for the other kids. This student likes to feel cool by acting like the "official nicknamer ". This can give a student a feeling of power,but that power comes at the cost of making other kids feel bad. Kids who give others hurtful nicknames are often trying to cover up the fact that they really feel bad about themselves. Like other kinds of insults ,a cruel nickname can be used to make a kid feel being left out or angry. Sometimes they're even nastier than most ways of being mean,because they can be so hard to shake off. What is the best title for the passage? A Powerful nicknames B Hurtful nicknames C How to make fun of others? D How to give others a nickname? Answer: B. Hurtful nicknames To Jim, Hi, Jim. I'm a Chinese girl .My English name is Betty. I'm a student. I live in Nanjing with my parents. Nanjing is a big city in China. I like playing table tennis and running. I like listening to music, too . My favourite food is rice and fish. My dad is a doctor and my mum is a worker. To Betty, Hi, Betty. I'm a boy. My name is Jim Hand. I'm a student, too. I live in London with my parents and my sister. London is big , too. It's in England. My sister likes reading books, but I like watching TV. She can type and write Chinese. I can draw and sing very well. My parents are both teachers. Jim's mother is a _ . A worker B doctor C secretary D teacher Answer: D. teacher "Homestay is a form of study abroad program. It allows the visitor to rent a room from a local family to better understand the local lifestyle. It also helps to improve the visitor's language ability,"said a teacher during a school meeting last term. "Students who wish to learn more about foreign cultures or to get foreign experience should join this kind of holiday. I am sure you won't be disappointed ." After this special meeting,I always thought about this kind of holiday. Last month,I had a chance at last to go on such a holiday with some of my schoolmates and we went to London,a place where I had wanted to go since years ago. As we were still young,we had a group leader who planned things for us and looked after us. After we got to London,we went to stay with different families. I was lucky that my host family was a white couple who had a daughter about my age. They treated me as a daughter of their family during my stay there. They were interested in me and I learnt a lot of things from them,too. The holiday was filled with activities every day. After breakfast,a local teacher would come to take us in his car. Then we would have classes or go on a sightseeing trip to different places of interest like the Big Ben,the London Bridge,and the Buckingham Palace. We would go back to our own homes after the activities. The holiday was a valuable experience for me. I enjoyed every minute of it. Yet,time really flew fast. Three weeks later,we had to leave "home" for Hong Kong. In the "homestay" program,a visitor can _ . A learn more about holidays B understand his culture better C improve the language ability D take part in foreign meetings Answer: C. improve the language ability In the very early 1800's, a young boy about 14 years old named John lived in a orphanage in Old England along with several other children. Orphan meant unwanted and unloved. Christmas was the one day of the year when the children didn't work and received a gift, an orange. Usually they tried to taste and keep it for so long that it often went bad before they ever peeled it to enjoy the sweet juice. Many thoughts were expressed as Christmas time drew near. The children would say, "I will keep mine the longest." John usually slept with his next to his pillow. This year John was overjoyed by the Christmas season. He was becoming a man and stronger and soon he would be old enough to leave. He would save his orange until his birthday in July. Christmas day finally came. The children were so excited as they entered the big dinning hall. Immediately the master shouted, "John, leave the hall and there will be no orange for you this year." John's heart broke violently wide open. He turned and went quickly back to the cold room. Then he heard the door open and each of the children entered. Little Elizabeth with her hair falling over her shoulders, a smile on her face, and tears in her eyes held out a piece of rag to John. "Here John," she said, "this is for you." As he lifted back the edges of the rag he saw a big juicy orange all peeled and quartered and then he realized what they had done. John never forgot the sharing, love and personal sacrifice his friends had shown him that Christmas day. In memory of that day every year he would send oranges all over the world to children everywhere. According to the text, where did John's orange come from this year? A It was made up of what these children donated. B His master gave him a whole one again. C These children bought him one. D Little Elizabeth donated hers to John. Answer: A. It was made up of what these children donated. The First Day Seven year old Roberto grabbed his mother's hand as they entered the school. It was his first day at the new school and he was afraid. This school was bigger than the one he went to before, and there were so many kids everywhere. Still, Roberto wondered if he would make any friends here. He was always a little shy, and the few friends he had were now far away in another city. "Here we are," Roberto's mother said as she looked at a classroom door. "Room 118. This is your new classroom, Roberto. Let's go meet your new teacher." They entered the classroom and walked over to the teacher, who was writing on the blackboard. "Hello. I'm Mrs. Cruz," Roberto's mother said as she greeted the teacher with a smile. The teacher looked up and smiled at Mrs. Cruz and said, "I'm Miss Washington. It's nice to meet you Mrs. Cruz." Then she looked at Roberto and said, "Hello. And who is this nice young man?" "This is my son, Roberto. He started at this school today, and is in your class," Mrs. Cruz said as she smiled had put her hand on her son's head. "Well Roberto, class is about to begin and then you can meet all the nice children here," said Miss Washington. "Say goodbye to your mommy and then we can get started." Roberto gave his mother a big kiss and waved goodbye as she left the classroom. Then the teacher took him to his seat at his new desk. Everything went well on that first school day. Roberto made twelve new friends. He ate a good lunch had a banana and popcorn for snacks. Later that afternoon when school was finished, Roberto's mother came and took him home. He told her how much fun his new school was and how he wanted to go back tomorrow. What did Roberto do on his first school day? A He made new friends, ate a good lunch, and had some snacks. B He went to class in room 218. C He kissed his teacher goodbye. D He saw his friends far away in another city. Answer: A. He made new friends, ate a good lunch, and had some snacks.
Which force causes rocks to roll downhill? Answer: gravity I was puzzled! Why was this old woman making such a fuss about an old copse which was of no use to anybody? She had written letters to the local paper, even to a national, protesting about a projected by-pass to her village, and, looking at a map, the route was nowhere near where she lived and it wasn't as if the area was attractive. I was more than puzzled, I was curious. The enquiry into the route of the new by-pass to the village was due to take place shortly, and I wanted to know what it was that motivated her. So it was that I found myself knocking on a cottage door, being received by Mary Smith and then being taken for a walk to the woods. "I've always loved this place," she said, "it has a lot of memories for me, and for others. We all used it. They called it 'Lovers lane'. It's not much of a lane, and it doesn't go anywhere important, but that's why we all came here. To be away from people, to be by ourselves. " she added. It was indeed pleasant that day and the songs of many birds could be heard. Squirrels watched from the branches, quite bold in their movements, obviously few people passed this way and they had nothing to fear. I could imagine the noise of vehicles passing through these peaceful woods when the by-pass was built, so _ but as I hold strong opinions about the needs of the community over-riding the opinions of private individuals, I said nothing. The village was quite a dangerous place because of the traffic especially for old people and children, their safety was more important to me than an old woman's strange ideas. "Take this tree," she said pausing after a short while. "To you it is just that, a tree. Not unlike many others here." She gently touched the bark, "Look here, under this branch, what can you see?" "It looks as if someone has done a bit of carving with a knife." I said after a cursory inspection. "Yes, that's what it is!" she said softly. She went on, "He had a penknife with a spike for getting stones from a horse's hoof, and I helped him to carve them. We were very much in love, but he was going away, and could not tell me what he was involved in the army. I had guessed of course. It was the last evening we ever spent together, because he went away the next day, back to his Unit." Mary Smith was quiet for a while, then she sobbed. "His mother showed me the telegram. 'Sergeant R Holmes ...Killed in action in the invasion of France.'..." "I had hoped that you and Robin would one day get married." she said, "He was my only child, and I would have loved to be a Granny, they would have been such lovely babies'- she was like that! " "Two years later she too was dead. 'Pneumonia , following a chill on the chest' was what the doctor said, but I think it was an old fashioned broken heart. A child would have helped both of us." There was a further pause. Mary Smith gently caressed the wounded tree, just as she would have caressed him. "And now they want to take our tree away from me." Another quiet sob, then she turned to me. "I was young and pretty then, I could have had anybody, I wasn't always the old woman you see here now. I had everything I wanted in life, a lovely man, health and a future to look forward to." She paused again and looked around. The breeze gently moved through the leaves with a sighing sound. "There were others, of course, but no one can match my Robin!" she said strongly. "And now I have nothing - except the memories this tree holds. If only I could get my hands on that awful man who writes in the paper about the value of the road they are going to build where we are standing now, I would tell him. Has he never loved, has he never lived, does he not know anything about memories? We were not the only ones, you know, I still meet some who came here as Robin and I did. Yes, I would tell him!" I turned away, sick at heart. The "tree" probably stands for _ . Answer: her romance . A person loves spring, and it has just passed by. They will enjoy it again the next time Answer: most irises begins budding Jesse was a great teacher, tutor, mentor, and family member. He was a dedicated volunteer in the Peace Corps in Guinea, West Africa. He went to a place where he knew he could make a difference and wanted to help teach children who otherwise would not have a teacher. He made friends wherever he went and touched the hearts of many. Jesse was never one to go anywhere without making a good impression on everyone he met. His sudden death in a tragic car accident in Africa brought his family and friends together in a celebration of his life. They came from all over: Africa, Canada, the US. The church was filled with people who knew that Jesse had made a difference in their lives, in the lives of the children, and in the hearts of his loved ones. Jesse volunteered with the Peace Corps to help educate children in Guinea, Africa. Guinea is a very poor and complex country where tribalism is strong. Each tribe that Jesse worked with wanted him to commit to one or the other. Jesse would not surrender to tribalism when he took an African name, and he wanted a tribal last name. Each of the two tribes in which he taught insisted that he choose their name. He would not choose but married the tribes' two names into one. Jesse was a light to all who knew him. We will always remember the joy and love he brought to his work, to his family, his friends. The people who loved Jesse are planning to build a school in Guinea in his honor. So his work continues... Why were there so many people remembering Jesse? Answer: Because he was kind and helpful to people from heart. They said highly anxious rats which were kept had very low levels of a brain chemical called fibroblast growth factor 2 or FGF2, compared with rats that were more relaxed. But when they improved the anxious rats' living conditions -- giving them new toys to explore and a bigger cage to live in -- levels of this brain chemical increased and they became less anxious. "The levels of this brain chemical increased in response to the experiences that the rats were exposed to. It also decreased their anxiety". Javier Perez of the University of Michigan said in a telephone interview. "It made them behave the same way as the rats that were relaxed", he said. In a former study of people who were severely depressed before they died, the team found the gene that makes FGF2 was producing very low levels of the growth factor, which is known primarily for organizing the brain during development and repairing it after injury. Perez thinks the brain chemical may be a marker for genetic vulnerability to anxiety and depression. But it can also respond to changes in the environment in a positive way, possibly by preserving new brain cells. While both the calm and anxious rats produced the same number of new brain cells, these cells were less likely to survive in the high-anxiety rats, the team found. Giving the rats better living conditions or injecting them with FGF2 helped improve cell survival. "This discovery may pave the way for new, more specific treatments for anxiety that will not be based on sedation , but will instead fight the real cause of the disease," Dr. Pier Vincenzo Piazza from France said in a statement. Which of the following would be the most suitable title for the passage? Answer: Brain chemical may play key role in anxiety
Nowadays,much of the profit of a business--sometimes the whole of its success--depends upon the use of the odds and ends.The odds and ends are various small things,which are left over when the main things are produced.But they possess a real value of their own. If a business,big or small,looked down upon these odds and ends,it would mean a big difference in the amount of the benefit of the business.Take a meat factory for instance,there are countless odds and ends--bones and hair,which can be made into glue and rope to increase its profit greatly. Then,if we are college students,what about our odds and ends--the odd moments?Take time for example.Every one of us has the exact same amount of it.Everyone's success or failure depends on the use of their time.But everyone uses the time more or less in the same way.However,why many great men in science or art have made huge successes for themselves in the world?Because they have made best use of their odd moments.Thomas A.Edison,never allowed his odd moments to slip by.He thought,planned,and tried his inventions.He always worked twenty hours out of each twentyfour.His inventions made him famous all over the world,and provided valuable wealth for the human beings. So,remember this _ :busy people always find time for everything.However,people with great spare time find time for nothing.Is it very strange?Not at all!The question is how to gather up fragments of time and make full use of them.As many big businesses have found,the real profit is in using the odds and ends.We also must do in this way to make best use of our odd moments and manage to be successful in something we do. Why should the odds and ends be made full use of? Answer: Twenty-three-year old Rio Safiyanto sells face masks, or coverings, for about 30 cents each in central Jakarta, Indonesia. He makes enough money to buy a cell phone that permits him to visit websites. He says every average person has a cellphone. He likes having one because he can talk to his family when he is away from home. And, he is especially pleased that he can use it to listen to music. It is known as a feature phone . That is because it is cheaper and cannot perform as many actions as more advanced phones like the Apple iPhone. These devices make up the majority of cell phones sold around the world. They have proven more successful in places like Indonesia, where some smartphones cost 700 dollars or more. Although many lower-income users are new to smartphones, they are quickly learning to use the technology. Cell manufacturer Nokia offers a service called Life Tools. For a small monthly payment, the company sends text messages to farmers. The messages tell of weather conditions, crop prices, agricultural news and give other advice. Local businessman Aldi Haryopratomo has developed a way for small store owners to sell things like prepaid cellphone minutes and life insurance through text messages. Ruma is the company that developed the technology. The company is working on a system that will _ people about jobs in their area. At a recent digital technology show in Jakarta, banks offered no-interest financing for credit card purchases. Marina Luthfiani manages a mobile shop in the area. She said almost everyone can buy a smartphone because of competitive financing and credit choices. She says Indonesians like to buy the latest devices. A report last June by Semiocast, a French internet research company, said Jakarta was the world's top tweeting city, ahead of Tokyo and London. What is the main idea of the text? Answer: With more and more cars on the road, the traffic jam will happen. How do we see it and how can we solve the problem? We know that the traffic jam happens in many places, especially in big cities. What are reasons for the problem? On one hand, some people think that they should have a car when they have enough money, and then it's easy to go out and they can feel comfortable. On the other hand, a growing number of people hope to use their cars to show off . What's more, years of research has shown that one of other reasons for the traffic jam is the driving habit. For example, many young people enjoy driving very fast, so they can feel excited. At last, most of them hardly care about the speed rules. Many governments are working at how to make the traffic better. In my opinion, firstly, the government should educate those people who have cars or plan to buy cars. The governments must make them know that the traffic jam is very serious , and set up a much more perfect traffic system to solve the traffic pressure. Why is the traffic jam getting more and more serious? Answer: Who owns the large American companies that produce cars, washing machines, and television sets? They are owned by a large group of people called stockholders. A company must have money to build factories and to buy machinery. To get this money, it sells shares of stock . Each share of stock is a share in the ownership of the company. The person who buys a share of stock becomes a part owner of the company. He is called a stockholder. A company can have thousands of stockholders. Sometimes a very large company is owned by millions of stockholders. Few persons can afford to buy a whole company, but the average individual can become part owner of a business. He can save his dollars and buy a share of stock in a large company. A person does not have to be wealthy to be a stockholder. When a company makes money, each stockholder may receive a dividend check, which is his share of the profits . Parts of a company's profits are not paid out to the stockholders. This money is used by the company so it can grow larger. If the company does well, its shares of stock become more valuable. More than 20 million people own shares of stock in America's companies. By owning stock, they are helping America's businesses grow. They are also putting their money to work to earn more money. The story makes you think that _ . Answer: In whitetail deer, females seldom grow antlers. Which best explains why male whitetail deer grow antlers but females seldom grow antlers? Answer:
It is a bright morning in the Ethiopian countryside. Yohannes walks beside a pair of donkeys that are pulling a two-wheeled cart. They arrive at the agricultural town of Awassa where Yohannes opens the sides of the cart to display, not the usual vegetables or tools, but children's books. This is the Donkey Mobile Library, the first of its kind in Ethiopia and one of only a few in the world. Yohannes was born in Ethiopia, North Africa, but trained to be a librarian in the USA and returned to Ethiopia years ago. The cart is full of picture books donated by American libraries, teachers and school children. Yohannes arranges small painted benches in the shade of the trees, and suddenly Ethiopian children come shouting and racing down every road and path. It's mobile library day! They circle the bookshelves with great excitement. Until the Donkey Mobile Library began its regular two-monthly visits, many of these children had never seen a book. "Without books, education is very dull, like food without salt. You can survive but you can't really come alive," says Yohannes. "The ability to read is the basis for greater productivity, better health and longer life. Even though the children lack material goods, with books they can imagine a world of possibilities." Yohannes first worked in the children's section of the main library in America. Surrounded by books he had never seen before, he realized how joyful and imaginative children's literature is. He says, "I always thought of Ethiopia. But how could I bring children's books to my home country when it had almost no libraries to keep the books in?" He contacted Jane Kurtz, a writer born in America but brought up in Ethiopia, and together they created the Donkey Mobile Library. The children say that the Library has given them ideas about what they might do in the future. A child called Dareje wants to be a scientist and find a cure for life-threatening diseases. An eleven year-old girl, Fikerte, wants to do research about the moon and discover new facts about outer space. Tamrat, aged 10, comes every time. "What brings you back here time and time again?" the librarian asks him. "The stories," Tamrat replies instantly. Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from? The Los Angeles Zoo has many public programs that aim to teach the public about animals and natural protection. Safari shuttle While you're here, take the Safari shuttle for a quick trip from one end of the Zoo to the other. All day long, seven days a week (from 10 am to 5 pm), the Safari Shuttle picks up passengers, circles the Zoo, and returns to the main flamingo exhibit near the front entrance. You can get on and off the shuttle as often as you like. Food Safari Cafe (at the Zoo entrance) offers Starbucks coffee, fresh-baked cookies, and ice cream. Gorilla Grill is the spot for toasted food, kids' meals, snacks, and ice cream. La Casita serves a variety of Mexican food and refreshments . Silverback's Cafe offers sandwiches, salads, bread bowls, cold beer, and refreshments. Hour The Zoo is open from 10 am to 5 pm every day of the year except Christmas Day. Special summer long hours are until 6 pm. from July 1 to September 7. Please remember, the Zoo starts putting animals in for the night at 4 pm during regular hours, and at 5 pm. during summer hours. Admission Prices Adults (aged 13 and above): $ 9 Seniors (aged 62 and above): $ 6 Children (aged 2 to 12): $ 4 Children (under 2): free Items Not Allowed on Zoo Grounds Alcohol, Glass bottles, Pets, Bicycles, Skateboards, and In-line skate. If you are planning a picnic while visiting the Zoo, please do not bring any glass items or other things that are easy to break. Also for the safety of the animals, no plastic bags are allowed within the Zoo. When visiting the Los Angeles Zoo, people can _ . Millions of stars are travelling about in space. A few form groups which travel together, but most of them travel alone. And they travel through a universe which is so large that one star seldom comes near to another. For the most important part each star makes its journey in complete loneliness, like a ship on an empty ocean. The ship will be well over a million miles from its nearest neighbour. From this it is easy to understand why a star seldom finds another anywhere near it. We believe, however, that some two thousand million years ago, another star wandering through space, happened to come near our sun just as the sun and the moon raised its tides on the earth, so this star must have raised tides on the surface of the sun. But they were very different from the small tides that are raised in our oceans; A large tidal wave must have travelled over the surface of the sun, at last forming a mountain so high that we cannot imagine it. As the cause of the disturbance came nearer, so the mountain rose higher and higher. And before the star began to move away again, its tidal pull had become so powerful that this mountain was torn to pieces and thrown off small parts of itself into space. These small pieces have been going round the sun ever since. They are the planets. The expression "the cause of the disturbance" refers to _ . A gas is heated and its temperature increases. What happens to the gas molecules? Tom was not old, but he did not have much hair. His wife, Grace, had thick, beautiful, black hair. They had one daughter. Her name was Jane, and she was four and a half years old. There was a photo of her father in the living-room, and a few days ago, Jane looked at it for a long time and then said to her mother, "Mummy, why had Dad got very little hair? " Grace laughed and said, "He's got very little hair because he thinks a lot, Jane. He' s a clever man." Jane looked at her mother's thick, black hair for a few seconds , and then she asked, "Mum, why have you got a lot of hair? " Tom had _ hair.
Question: My parents divorced when I was 8 years old. Their marriage was a mistake of World War II. And about 50 years ago, I was the only child I knew who didn't have a father at home on Father's Day. Divorce was very uncommon back then. So when my friends were in town shopping for presents for their fathers, I decided since my mother was both Mother and Father, no one else was like her, who better deserved(be worth) a present on Father's Day than her? I bought her a little set of tools, just a few things, hammer, pliers and screwdriver and a box to put all these things in. I got some ideas from my grandfather and named it Mother's Tool Box. She was excited, more at the thought of being cared for on Father's Day than of the present. She always said she liked her Father's Day memories better than the Mother's Day ones. It made her feel special -- and she was. I have noticed in the past few years, greeting cards are even made for "Mother on Father's Day". Ever since then, my mother has got cards on Father's Day. By the way, she knew just how to use those tools and others she had ever used over the years. Mother was excited because _ . A. she was very interested in the tool box B. she was deeply loved by her child C. she saw the name on the tool box D. she knew how to use the things Answer: B Question: The principles about applying for jobs have altered greatly lately. In the past, people preferred a handwritten application letter. However, nowadays it is becoming more and more common to apply for a job through the Internet. You can find information on the Internet about how to apply for jobs. Information can be found about how to fulfill your application letter, the clothes that you should wear and how to carry out the interview itself. The importance of body language is often mentioned, but doesn't always get the attention it deserves. After all, before a word has even been spoken, your body language will have already given people their first impression of you. Additionally, your body language will also give out a lot more information. Based on your body language it can be seen if you are self-confident. It can also show if you are a busy or a quiet type and it helps give an impression of whether you are speaking truthfully or not. Body language can show how enthusiastic you are and if you are a nice person, someone who will take his work seriously, but also someone who has a sense of humor and can enjoy a joke from time to time. The members of the application committee will ask you questions, but your answers won't only be oral. The committee will not only pay attention to what you say, but also to how you say it! Body language will determine first if it "clicks", and sometimes all it takes is just a few seconds. Everybody uses body language, but it takes place mostly at a subconscious level. Using body language appropriately, you can definitely increase your chances of getting a job. What kind of people is the text mainly meant for? A. Interviewers B. Jobhunting people C. Employers D. Layoff workers Answer: B Question: friends come to visit us in the evening, they spend their time telling us they are in a hurry and looking at their watches. It isn't that our friends are all very busy, it is just that When we haven't got a television. People think that we are very strange. "But what do you do in the evening?",they are always asking. The answer is very simple. Both my wife and I have hobbies. We certainly don't spend our evenings staring at the walls. My wife enjoys cooking and painting and often attends evening classes in foreign languages. This is particularly useful as we often go abroad for our holidays. I collect stamps and I'm always busy with my collection. Both of us enjoy listening to the music and playing chess together. Sometimes there are power cuts and we have no electricity in the house. This does not worry us, we just light candles and carry on with what we were doing before. Our friends, however, are lost---no television!---So they don't know what to do. On such evenings our house is very full ---they all come to us. They all have a good time. Instead of sitting in silence in front of the television, everybody talks and plays games. At night when there is no electricity, the couple _ . A. have to stare at the walls B. can do nothing but sit in silence C. will have many visitors D. have to go out for candles Answer: C Question: Sophia Wu, 25, is a young Chinese woman who does business with her family in Santiago, Chile . On February 27, she experienced a night that she will never forget. "I was asleep and was woken up by powerful shaking at around 3:30 in the morning. My whole room was moving and I couldn't stand still. I wanted to run downstairs and go outside, but suddenly the wall got broken and the lights in the room went out. The room became so shaky that I couldn't move at all." That night an 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit Chile. Buildings and bridges fell down. Electricity and water services shut down. The Chilean Red Cross reported that about 500,000 homes were destroyed and more than 800 people died. The earthquake has been the fifth strongest since 1900. More than 90 aftershocks followed the earthquake. A tsunami was set off in the Pacific Ocean by the earthquake. Scientists say that there are about 500,000 earthquakes in the world each year. Of these, only 20% are felt, and 100 of them cause damage. So far, scientists haven't found a way to predict earthquakes. But you can learn to protect yourself during an earthquake. The most important thing to remember is to drop, cover and hold on. So remember to drop to the floor, get under something for cover and hold onto something strong during the shaking. ,. (10) Which is TRUE about the Chile Earthquake? A. It had no aftershocks. B. It destroyed five million homes. C. It caused a tsunami in the Pacific Ocean. D. It has been the fourth strongest earthquake since 1900. Answer: C Question: Perhaps you will visit New York one day. You might be a student there. Here is some advice. Get a good map of the city. It will also have subway and bus maps. Remember the directions--uptown, downtown, east and west. Feel the excitement of New York .Have fun! NEW YORK CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU Address:90 East 42nd Street,N.Y.100017 Telephone:6871300 TIMES SQUARE INFORMATION CENTER Address:43rd Street between Seventh Avenue and Broadway Telephone:5938983 TRAVELERS' AID SOCIETY Address:204 ast 39th Street,N.Y.10016(central office) Telephone:6790200 TRAVEL INFORMATION:NEW YORK SUBWAYS AND BUSES Telephone:3301234 OTHER TELEPHONE NUMBERS The weather:WE 61212.The time:ME 71212 Emergency (Police,Fire,or Ambulance):911 or "0" for operator A doctor:8971000 USEFUL BOOK Seeing New York; The official MTA Travel Guide,published by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. What would be the best title for the passage? A. Introductions and directions B. This is New York C. Information and advice D. Have fun here Answer: C
Alfred Carlton Gilbert(1884-1961) was a man of many ideas and talents. As a small boy, he kept trying new things. At age 12, he started a sports club for his friends and got their school to have a field day with active games and prizes. As he grew and practiced, Gilbert became skilled at pole vaulting , pull-ups, the long jump and football. Gilbert broke the world record for pull-ups in 1900 and the distance record for running long dive in 1902. And he won a gold medal in the pole vault at the Olympic Games in 1908. By that time, he had nearly finished medical studies. Choosing not to make medicine his career, Gilbert co-founded Mysto Manufacturing, a manufacturer of magic sets, in 1907. Gilbert had amused his friends and earned college money by doing magic tricks, so he knew what was needed. One day, Gilbert saw workers using steel girders to build towers for power lines. That gave him the idea for the Erector Set, a popular construction toy. In 1917, the Council of National Defense thought no toys should be produced for Christmas because the country was fighting in World War I. Gilbert and other men from the Toy Manufacturers of America went to Washington, with about 40 different toys. They had 15 minutes to speak. This meeting was at the end of a long, hard day. Gilbert told the government men at the meeting how toys helped children learn. His helpers brought out the toys. Soon, the tired government men were on the floor, playing with building sets, models of navy ships, and other toys. The time limit was forgotten; so was the Christmas toy ban . Gilbert spent the rest of his life improving erector sets. His company made and sold the sets, plus chemistry and other science sets and toy trains. He made items for homes, businesses, and the army. When he died in 1961, he had 150 patents for his many inventions. But his main joy was in helping children learn and have fun at the same time. According to the text, Gilbert was known as _ . Edward Sims was born in 1892. He was the fifth child and only son of Herbert and Dora Sims. Herbert was a blacksmith , and had a thriving trade making horseshoes. He was determined that his first-born son would follow him into the blacksmith. For this reason, Edward had to leave school at the age of 12,and worked with his father. However, Edward was _ a blacksmith. Although he has an athletic body, he didn't have strong arms like his father, and he felt dizzy in the heat of the smithy. When he tried to find alternative employment, he found it difficult because he had never learnt to read or write. One day, he went for an interview at a solictior's office. The job was a runner, taking documents from the office to other offices in the city. The solicitor was pleased to see that Edward was physically fit, but when he discovered that the young man couldn't read or write, he decided against employing him. "How can you deliver documents to other offices," he asked, "if you can't read the addresses on them?" Bitterly disappointed, Edward left the building and went to wait for a tram to take him back to the suburb where his father's smithy was. Next to the bus stop, a man was selling newspapers from a stand . "Excuse me, son?" he said. "Would you look after my stand for a moment?" For the next 20 minutes, Edward sold newspapers, lots of them. When the man came back, he was so delighted with his new assistant's honesty, that he offered him a job. Edward took it immediately. In the next few months, the two men progressed from working on newspaper stands to selling newspapers, tobacco,confectionery and other goods in a shop. Then they opened a second shop, and a third. Eventually, they had a chain of 25 shops in three cities. Edward became very rich, so he employed a tutor to teach him to read and write. The tutor was amazed at what Edward had achieved. "Imagine what you could do if you'd been able to read and write when you were younger!" he said. "Yes!" said Edward. "I could have run myself to exhaustion delivering documents for a solicitor!" Which of the following is NOT ture about Edward Sims? My Left Foot (1989) Imagine _ , unable to make any movements except to move your left foot. The main character in My Left Foot,based on the real story of cerebral palsy sufferer Christy Brown,can barely move his mouth to speak, but by controlling his left foot, he's able to express himself as an artist and poet. For his moving performance of Brown, Daniel Lewis won his first Academy Award for best actor. Shine (1996) Do you have a talent you're afraid to share with the world? David Helfgott seemed meant from childhood to be "one of the truly great pianists," but the pressures of performing (and pleasing his father) resulted in a complete breakdown. Ten years in a mental hospital didn't weaken Helfgott's musical gift: When he was rediscovered, he was playing concertos in a bar. Shine received seven Oscar nominations , and Geoffrey Rush won best actor for his performance of Helfgott. Life Is Beautiful (1997) Nothing's more powerful than the love between a parent and a child. In this heartbreaking Italian film, a father (Roberto Benigni) makes an unbelievable sacrifice for his 4-year-old son: trapped in a Nazi concentration camp in 1945, the Jewish man convinces his boy that they are playing a complicated game. He manages to spare him the horror of the terrible war, and even in his final moments of life, keeps his son smiling and hopeful. Benigni won the best actor Oscar. Stand and Deliver (1988) Few people can inspire us more than a good teacher. Jaime Escalante (Edward James Olmos got Oscar nomination for best actor) is a great one. Employed at a high school where kids are expected to fail, Escalante challenges his math students to struggle for better things, like getting good grades in the AP exam. Despite the obstacles in their lives, the classmates achieve their goals, thanks to Mr. Escalante's support. The real Jaime Escalante, the Best Teacher in America, says that Stand and Deliver is "90% truth, 10% drama." What do the four movies have in common? Jose Andre Montano Baina was born and raised in the town of Totora, Bolivia-not exactly the home of jazz.But now he is taking the Bolivian and the world music scene by storm.He has already performed in some of the country's top occasions including the Legislative Palace and alongside famous musicians like Bolivian rocker Glen Vargas-what's so great about that? How about the fact that Jose is just seven years old and, has no vision! The young musician began to show his extraordinary music talent at the age of four when he started playing the-drums with a high standard of ability and skills, which are usually played by artists three times .his age.After mastering them, he quickly moved on to the piano and by the age of five had formed a jazz band! And, while the young boy knows every jazz song in the book and can play them all with great ease and confidence, it is not the only kind of music he enjoys.This Bolivian prodigy has well-rounded musical taste and isn't limited to jazz.He also loves listening to blues, heavy metal, tango, bolero and anything in between! His extremely proud father is quick to admit that he has nothing to do with his son's unusual talent.In fact he didn't even know much about jazz until Jose started to play."I didn't know jazz before, he got me into it.It's as if he was born with a jazz chip inside him, 1 don't know how to explain how it came.about; it's like the jazz was already inside him." His father recalled. As for the young rising superstar, he leads a pretty normal life despite all the fame.Just like the rest of you, he goes to school, does homework and yes, has chores assigned to him as well! What might be the author's purpose m writing this text? "We don't have rush hours any more", said Mr. Charles Mac Lean, who runs the nation's busiest road. "We have rush periods, and they keep getting longer and longer." Mac Lean was describing prefix = st1 /Chicago's 235 miles of expressway. But the same might be said about almost any of the expressways that have become an important part of American city life--and about the heavy traffic that often blocks them. In Chicago, a computerized system has been developed that controls traffic on the city's seven expressways. Now one man--a controller--can follow the movement of Chicago's traffic by looking at a set of lights. The system uses electronic sensors that are built into each expressway, half a mile apart. Several times a second, the computer receives information from each sensor and translates it into green, yellow, or red lights on a map in the control room. A green light means the traffic is moving forty-five miles an hour, yellow means thirty to forty-five miles an hour and red means heavy traffic--cars standing still or moving less than thirty miles an hour. "See that red light near Austin Avenue?" the controller asked a visitor. "That's a repair truck fixing the road, and the traffic has to go around it". At the Roosevelt Roadentrance to the expressway, the light kept changing from green to red and back to green again. "A lot of trucks get on the expressway there," the controller explained. "They can't speed up as fast as cars." The sensors show immediately where an accident or a stopped car is blocking traffic, and a truck is sent by radio to clear the road. The system has lowered the number of accidents by 18 percent. There are now 1.4 deaths on Chicago's expressways for each one hundred million miles traveled, while in other parts of the country there are 2.6. Traffic experts say that the Chicagosystem is the "coming thing". Systems like Chicago's are already in use on some expressways in Los Angeles andHouston. "Chicago has taken the lead," saysNew York City's traffic director; and he adds, "We are far behind..." Which of the statements is true about the computerized system in Chicago?
Question: One Sunday evening, it was quite dark when old Stanley went for his walk. He was walking along the sidewalk, Suddenly, he saw a white car coming around the corner at high speed. It was going too fast and crashed into a red car in the street where he was walking. He rushed up to the cars to see if anyone was hurt and needed help. The two drivers were arguing. "You came around the corner too fast," one man said. "No!" said the driver of the white car, "That's not true! Your car was parked in a wrong place." Stanley listened to their argument and then said the white car driver was wrong to drive too fast. The driver of red car asked Stanley to prove he was right in court . Stanley gave the driver his name and telephone number. Next Thursday morning, Stanley was asked to go to the court. The lawyer for the driver of the white car asked him a lot of questions about what he had seen. Then he asked Stanley how old he was. "I'm eighty-two," answered Stanley. "Do you usually wear glasses ?" asked the lawyer. "Yes, I do," answered Stanley. "Were you wearing them on the night of the accident?" the lawyer asked. "No," replied Stanley. Then the lawyer said, "Why should the court believe you? You are eighty-two years old, you were not wearing your glasses, and it was dark. How far can you see in the dark?" Stanley thought about it for a minute. "Well," he said, "when it's dark, I can see the moon. How far is that?" We can learn from the story that _ . A. Stanley was a clever and humorous man B. Stanley wore glasses when the accident happened C. the lawyer thought that Stanley could see clearly D. Stanley was not able to see the moon Answer: A Question: Many hospitals have blood banks. In these banks, blood of all types is stored. When blood is needed, it is taken from the bank. Healthy people then give blood to the bank to replace the blood that is used. Blood can be kept in the fridge for about three weeks with a kind of chemical. When people lose much of their blood because of operations or accidents, they may need transfusions . Some people may need transfusions because of illness. Sometimes only a part of the blood is used for transfusions. Plasma , the liquid part of the blood , may be given alone. Transfusions of plasma are often given when people have been badly burned. When a person gets a transfusion, he gets blood of the same type as his. Or there may be a bad reaction . To make it safer, before a transfusion is given, the blood to be used must be tested with the blood of the person who is to receive it. This testing is called cross matching of the blood. Oswald Robertson, an American doctor, was the first one to give transfusions. He used blood that had been stored for some time to help wounded soldiers in 1918 in World War One. Blood banks get blood from _ . A. healthy people B. operations C. accidents D. transfusions Answer: A Question: When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings. Week by week her list grew: I was very thin, I wasn't a good student, I talked too much, I was too proud, and so on. I tried to hear all this as long as I could. At last, I became very angry. I ran to my father with tears in my eyes. He listened to me quietly, then he asked. "Are the things she says true or not? Janet, didn't you ever wonder what you're really like ? Well, you now have that girl's opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said." I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn't change (like being very thin), but a good number I could--and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I go to fairly clear picture of myself. I brought the list back to Daddy. He refused to take it."That's just for you," he said."You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just close your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you'll find it will be of help to you. Our world is full of people who think they know your duty. Don't shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know is the right thing to do." Daddy's advice has returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I've never had a better piece of advice. What did the father do after he had heard his daughter's complaint? A. He told her not to pay any attention to what her "enemy" had said. B. He criticized her and told her to overcome her shortcomings. C. He told her to write down all that her "enemy" had said about her and pay attention only to the things that were true. D. He refused to take the list and have a look at it. Answer: C Question: As the human population increases, more fossil fuels are being used. The burning of fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases. How might humans reduce greenhouse gases? A. Buy cars that use gasoline. B. Build power plants that use coal. C. Use renewable resources to generate power. D. Use nonrenewable resources to generate power. Answer: C Question: I was never neat, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her projects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both get tired of each other. War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, " take your shoes away! Why under my bed!" Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder. The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled under her covers, sobbing. Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart. Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn't notice Kate had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression one of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, "thanks." Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn't always agree, but we learned the key to living together; giving in, cleaning up and holding on. What made Kate so angry that evening? A. She got the news that her grandmother was ill. B. She couldn't find her shoes. C. She heard the author shouting loud. D. She saw the author's shoes under her bed. Answer: D
Question: Baby girls make their way directly for dolls as soon as they can crawl, while boys will head for the toy 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 infants aged nine months to 36 months. The babies were allowed to choose from seven toys. Some were stereotypically 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 (nine 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 color of a newborn baby." Baby boys and girls have different toy preferences probably because _ . A. baby boys are much more active B. baby girls like bright colors more C. their parents treat them differently D. there is a natural difference between them Answer: D. there is a natural difference between them 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 If you wanted to place an ad. , what number would you call? A. 800-0739 B. 800-1932 C. 800-5224 D. 800-0667 Answer: D. 800-0667 Question: December usually marks the start of humpback whale season in Hawaii. But experts say the animals have been slow to return. The giant whales are an iconic part of winter on the islands and a source of income for tour operators. But officials at the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary said they've been getting reports that the whales have been difficult to spot so far. "This isn't a concern. But it's of interest. One theory was that something like this happened as whales increased. It's a product of their success," said Ed Lyman. He is a Maui-based resource protection manager and response coordinator for the sanctuary. "What I'm seeing out there right now is what I expected a month ago," said Lyman. He said he was surprised by how few of the animals he saw while responding to a call about a distressed calf on Christmas Eve. "We've just seen a handful of whales." It will be a while before officials have hard numbers. That is because the annual whale counts don't take place until the last Saturday of January, February and March. This is according to former sanctuary co-manager Jeff Walters. "They don't necessarily show up in the same place at the same time every year," Walters said. More than 10,000 humpback whales make the winter journey from Alaska to the warm waters off Hawaii. There, they mate and give birth. Lyman said the whales' absence could just mean they're spending more time feeding in northern waters. That's possibly because of El Nino disruptions. Or it may be because their population has gone up. "With more animals, they're competing against each other for that food resource, and it takes huge energy reserves to make that long migration over 2,000 miles," he explained. Which isn't the reason why humpback whales are slow to return according to Lyman? A. The effect of El Nino is destructive. B. The number of them is increasing. C. They are busy reserving energy. D. They are largely hunted by humans. Answer: D. They are largely hunted by humans. Question: Everyone has a hobby. My hobby is keeping a diary in English.When I was nine years old, I began to have my hobby. At first it was hard for me, but now it is easy. I know it's helpful to learn English well. After school I often go to the school library to read English stories or articles. Sometimes my English teacher tells some interesting things to me. I collect information for my diary by doing these. After I finish my diary every day. I always try to correct mistakes with the help of the dictionary. Now my English is very good. I love my hobby. It helps me a lot to learn English well. _ it was not easy for me to keep a diary in English. A. Now B. Usually C. At last D. At first Answer: D. At first Question: DISNEY's theme park, its first on the Chinese mainland, Shanghai Disneyland, has already been completed, and will open its doors on June 16, 2016. "Six is a lucky number to Chinese people," the Walt Disney Company said. Shanghai Disneyland will host an opening celebration to welcome its first guests. At the opening, it will hold more Chinese-style activities instead of Western-style ones, because the host wants to show China's local traditional culture. "We have prepared a three-day celebration and are hiring more than 8,000 actors," Philippe Gas, Shanghai Disneyland's general manager, told Shanghai Television yesterday. So why has Disneyland been so popular? Well, it's described as "the Happiest Place on Earth" and "a place for the young and young at heart". Disney's storytelling in rides like roller coasters is a big reason for their parks' success. "We tell a story in everything we do," Pressler said. However, Disney's parks haven't always been popular everywhere. When Disneyland Paris opened in 1992, some French people felt that American culture was invading France. But still, the park stayed open and today it is a popular place for European visitors. Why did the company decide to open on the date of "June 16, 2016"? A. Because that day is quite close to the summer holiday. B. Because the opening celebration won't be ready until that day. C. Because the number SIX is considered to be "lucky" in China. D. Because Shanghai Disneyland won't be completed until that day. Answer: C. Because the number SIX is considered to be "lucky" in China.
A crow is about twenty inches long and black all over. Crows are dirty birds because they live on bad food. Crows eat a lot of waste food. In this way they are more useful to us than any birds. They clean up the dirty things in our streets. Crows are always hungry. They look for food all day, and in the evening you can see them in large numbers flying back to their nests in the trees. They sleep there at night. Crows are much noisier than other birds. Very often a large number of crows will get together on one house and talk. Sometimes they talk together, and sometimes they do it by turns like human beings . It is easy to tell from crow's sound if they are pleased or angry. Perhaps crows talk a lot because they are friendly birds. A pair of crows will live together all their lives, and if one of them dies, the other one becomes very sad and quiet for the rest of its life and some time later it dies too. Crows are more useful to us because they _ . Answer: When officials in Richmond, B. C., Canada, told Stephen Covey about plans to participate in local citizens in their fight against youth crime, the leadership consultant was doubtful. He was sure the city's problems would prove "too complex" for ordinary people to make a difference. But Covey forgot about the trim-tabbers-people who solve scaring problems through small acts. By arranging safe and fun places for youths to go, residents have lowered Richmond's under-18 crime rate 32% in the last year. Police in 53 countries are now studying the Richmond model. What impresses Covey is that the people in Richmond chose to do something rather than sit back and complain. And that, he says, is how everyday people can exhibit "everyday greatness". A man going through a painful divorce chose to look outside himself and found a meaningful project where he could make a difference. Working with local businesses, he launched a program that helps disabled soldiers. Muriel Thomas Summers, the principal of A. B. Combs Elementary School in Raleigh, North Carolina, told parents and teachers on the concept of "character" education, stressing that academic achievement can't be separated from principles of responsibility and purpose. In recent tests, 94% of her students performed at or above grade level, compared to 67% eight years ago. To Covey, these everyday people are models because they weren't afraid to take on scaring challenges. No matter how difficult it was, they chose to act. Stephen Covey was doubtful at first because he thought _ . Answer: John woke up. It was Tuesday, and he was at home. He was still sleepy, but his alarm clock was ringing and he knew he had to be on time for school. He wished it were Saturday or Sunday. He yawned, got out of bed, and put on his slippers. Then, he walked to the bathroom, where he brushed his teeth and washed his face. Still in his pajamas, he went down to the kitchen. His mother, Sylvia, greeted him with a glass of orange juice and a big bowl of cereal. He was still kind of sleepy, but he drank his juice and ate his cereal. When John was done with his breakfast, he went upstairs and got his school clothes on. Then it was time to catch the bus to school. John hated the bus, because he was quiet and the bus was always loud. Plus there was always some kid who thought it was funny to make gross jokes or say bad words. Today, John was ready for the bus. With the sandwich and potato chips in his lunchbox, he had some cake he had made yesterday. He had used salt to make the cake instead of sugar. He knew it tasted horrible, and he was going to give a piece of cake to the first person who was bad on the bus, and he didn't even care if he got in trouble. His friends Anne, Margaret, and Charlotte were in on it, too. He sat in the house, a little excited, eating an apple and waiting until it was time to leave the house. It was time! He put on his shoes and left. What day did John make the cake? Answer: The Luck of the Irish Look at a map of Britain, and the island on the left is Ireland. It's a small but beautiful country with a long tradition of folk music. Up until 10 years ago just about the only thing that Ireland was famous for was its specialty black beer. Now Ireland is famous around the world for its music with names like "Kenya","U2" ,"Van Morrison"and more recently "the Corers". "Boyzone",one of the world's top boy bands ,is from Ireland too.What's more,Boyzone member shane has twin sisters,Adele and Heavy,who are members of "B Witched" The "Boyzone"story is interesting because they were created in 1993 by Dublin nightclub owner John Reynolds.They advertised in newspapers to find members for the group and 300wannabe pop stars applied! Ronan,who was just 17 when he dropped out of school to make his bid for stardom,and shane,who had been working as trained mechanic in his father's garage when he left to join Boyzone,were both lucky enough to be chosen. The other members are shoe-shop attendant stephen lately,former mechanic Mike Graham and one-time clothes store assistant Keith Dully. Many people expect bands that have been created by the music industry to produce boring music which doesn't become popular. Even the boys themselves knew they the would not easily achieve international pop music success. Boyzone quickly proved that they were more than just pretty faces and have sold millions of records around the world.At the moment ,they are not big stars in America,but they say that will change,when they begin a tour of the United States. Ronan will shortly also start recording as a solo artist. That does not mean the band will spilt yet,but we can expect Boyzone to split sometime in the next 18 months or so.Ronan has also recently become involved as one of the managers of new Irish boy band "West Life" whose song "Swear It Again"has recently been Number 1 in the British charts. Acording to the passage, we know that _ . Answer: I'm Marie. I work in a nursing home and my job is to look after the old people. Alice is one of them. She's a very nice old woman. This year, Alice had a difficult time. She went to hospital twice. In November, I finally could get her back to her "home". Alice hoped that her daughter could come to visit her on Christmas Eve because she wanted to be with her family, like the old days. But her daughter was coming after Christmas, so she was very sad. I also felt sad because she would be alone on the holiday! On Christmas Eve, I took her to a candlelight service at church that night. I didn't take her to my church. I took her to the church in her old neighborhood. We got there early and I let her sit near the door, so people could see her when they came in. Soon some of her friends came to the church and they all talked to her and sat with her. Alice got a lot of love from her old and new friends there. She said she loved the gift like this. That night, I thought I got the best gift: the smile on Alice's face. . Marie spent the Christmas Eve _ . Answer:
House Rules 1. Please clean up before leaving. 2. Showers to be taken before 11 p. m. 3. No staying out 'after 10p. m. unless allowed by me. 4. You may have incoming calls on my mobile phone but no out going calls. 5. Bed time is 11 p. m. 6. Dinner is at 7p. m. unless noticed. . (If you don't have dinner, you must let us know before 6 p. m. ) 7. Keep noise to the least. 8. No smoking in the bedroom. CB4 1LT _ 112 Kendal Way Chesterton Cambridge _ My mobile number is 07870 347980 These rules are made for Answer: Bob Harris was a weatherman at a small television station. He worked for twenty years and during those twenty years, he felt that his life was boring. Every day, he studied the weather and tried to predict the next day's weather. Then, he stood in front of the camera and read his report. Some days it was cloudy, some days it was sunny; sometimes rainy, while sometimes snowy. The weather changed each day, but Bob still felt that his job was always the same. His boss often told him to be happier and smile more in front of the camera, but Bob rarely smiled. He thought that most people did not watch his weather report and his job did not matter much to anyone. One day, he arrived at work and began to study the weather as usual. He noticed that something was different that day. Everything he studied told him that there was going to be a very big storm very soon, though he was not completely sure. Suddenly, Bob felt excited. He ran to his boss's office and asked to do a special weather report. The boss agreed and Bob gave a special report that afternoon, warning people of the coming storm. Because of this report, many people were safe during the storm. Bob realized that his job was actually very important. How did Bob realize that his job was actually very important? 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 passage tells us that Sally Fields was _ . Answer: Tile Spring Festival is almost over,but the celebrations are continuing.The Chinese embassy in Sydney have devoted a day to celebrating the Spring Festival and Chinese culture. Tile carnival features a series of cultural performances and demonstrations,bringing the Spring Festival fun to Sydney.Over the past four years,the annual event has become popular not only with tile Chinese community but also with locals.And some have even set up their own stalls to allow more people to learn about China and the country's culture. This is my second time to have a stand here,but I've been here many times before."said Carole Kyle from Sydney.Carole has brought along some brochures about Project Hope which supports Chinese students who drop out of school due to poverty. China's Ambassador to Australia Ma Zhao xu hopes that this kind of event will facilitate a dialogue between people from the two countries. "In Chinese culture,we appreciate unity without uniformity,and harmony in diversity. Australian culture welcomes cultural diversity,so that is a good foundation for Sino-Australian relations,to further our understandings and strengthen our friendship."Ma said. Sydney's mayor Clover Moore was also present and echoed Ma's view. "In fact we have Chinese living in Australia since the middle of the 19th century,so it goes way back and there has been a strong link between China and Australia for many many years.We have a very ancient culture here,the aboriginal culture.You have a very ancient culture in China.We'd like to marry those two and celebrate them."Moore said. A centre about Chinese culture in Sydney is also set to have a test run in March,and will be the biggest of its kind in the Oceania region. According to the opinion of China's Ambassador Ma, _ . Answer: Dogs have an understanding of fair play and become angry if they feel that another dog is getting a better deal, a new study has found. The study looked at how dogs react when a companion is rewarded for the same trick in an unequal way. Friederike Range, a researcher at the University of Vienna in Austria, and her colleagues did a series of experiments with dogs who knew how to respond to the command "give the paw ". The dogs were normally happy to repeatedly give the paw, whether they got a reward or not. But that changed if they saw that another dog was being rewarded with a piece of food, while they received nothing. "We found that the dogs hesitated significantly longer when obeying the command to give the paw," the researchers write. The unrewarded dogs eventually stopped cooperating. Scientists have long known that humans pay close attention to inequity. But researchers always assumed that animals didn't share the trait. "The argument was that this is a uniquely human phenomenon," says Frans de Waal, a professor of psychology at Emory University in Atlanta. That changed in 2003 when he and a colleague did a study on monkeys. The monkeys had to hand a small rock to researchers to get a piece of cucumber in return. They were happy to do this. But if they saw that another monkey was getting a more delicious reward, a grape, for doing the same job, they would throw away the food and rock, and at some point just stopped performing. In that experiment, the monkeys considered the fairness of two different types of payment. But when Range and her colleagues did a similar study with their trained dogs, testing to see if dogs would become upset if they only got dark bread when other dogs received sausage, they found that as long as the dogs got some kind of food payment, even if it wasn't the most delicious kind, the animals would play along. The research by Frans De Waal in 2003 _ . Answer:
There are new and exciting ways to use the Internet to learn English while you are on - line. The Internet uses a lot of multimedia elements ,like words, sounds, pictures, animations and video. This is perfect for studying a language because you've got to see, hear, and repeat things as much as you like. Learning over the Internet is also funny because you can be a part of conversations happening all around the globe ! Special Internet sites are designed for people learning English, just like yourself. These sites use multimedia to help you learn and are a great way to meet other people around the world. This is Cyber English. On the Internet, English is the major language. As a result, it is now more important than ever to be able to understand English when you serve the web. It is not always easy,though. The English can be difficult or have a lot of cultural information that you have never seen ! One site for students studying English and their teachers is Englishtown. At http://www. english- town. com, you will find a community ( group) of people interested in learning English. There are several buildings in the virtual town where you can play games, chat with friends, ask and get answers about cultural questions, and find an international penfriend who shares your interests. There are extra resources to help you learn,such as multimedia CD - ROM and books for language learning and translation. You can also have daily and monthly English lessons delivered to your own e - mail address. There is even an on - line school where you can take English classes over Lhe Internet. Englishtown is the perfect place to prefect for a trip to England or the United States ! Would you like to become part of a virtual community of English sfH-aktrs : Surfing the web is not only funny but can also help improve your English ! Try out >ome of tlv, web sites listed below and see how students all over the world are learning English on line. Cyber English probably means" ". A. learning English on Internet B. teaching yourself English C. the history of English D. English broadcast on TV or over the radio Answer: A When we don't understand each other's language, we can talk with the help of signs. A Frenchman was once travelling in England. He could not speak English at all. One day he went into a restaurant and sat down at a table. When the waiter came, he opened his mouth, put his fingers in it, and took out again. He wanted to say . "Bring me something to eat." The waiter soon brought him a cup of tea. The man moved his head from side to side. The waiter understood him and took the tea away. In a moment he came with a cup of coffee. But the man again refused it. He shook his head whenever the waiter brought him something to drink, for drinks are not food. When the man was going away, another man came in. This man saw the waiter , and he put his hand on his stomach. That was enough. In a few minutes there was a large plate of meat and vegetables on the table in front of him. So you see, we cannot understand the language of signs as well as we can understand the language of words. According to the passage, when people do not understand each other's language, they can talk with the help of _ . A. a waiter B. a teacher C. an Englishman D. their hands, heads and other parts of their bodies. Answer: D A huge cloud of dust rose and an overpass disappeared. This was the scene in Zhuzhou,Hunan Province on May 17.Nine people were killed and 16 injured. Things were similar last year in the Sichuan earthquake. Thousands of people were buried in the ruins and lost their lives. What if we could have warned them? People are always _ to find a way of preventing buildings' collapse. Better materials and technology help,but they are not a solution. Just like humans,a building has its own life cycle from "birth" to "death".If we know when a building is going to collapse,we can repair it in advance or get out of it before it falls. Now,scientists at the University of Illinois have developed a material that turns red before it breaks. The invention could be used in things like climbing ropes or bridge supports. The research was led by Nancy Sottos,a professor at the university's Beckman Institute,and Douglas Davis,a graduate research assistant. The secret behind the colorchanging material is a type of molecule .A molecule is a group of atoms held together by chemical bonds. Imagine you and your friends standing in a circle,holding hands. Each person stands for one atom,your hands represent the bonds,and the entire circle represents a molecule. If one person lets go of his or her hands,the molecule changes color. The research team put the molecule into a soft material. When the researchers stretched the material,it turned bright red for a few seconds before it broke into two pieces. When they repeatedly stretched and relaxed the material,without breaking it,it only turned a little red. The major problem is that light can get rid of the red color. When the team shone bright light on the molecule,the broken bond was fixed,and the color disappeared. If the bright light keeps the red color from appearing,the material's warning system will be useless. Scientists still have a lot of work to do before the colorchanging molecules can be used outside the lab. Which of the following is a WRONG statement? A. Thousands of people died from the collapse of buildings in the Sichuan earthquake because they hadn't been warned. B. There is no building that will never collapse. C. A new material has been applied to buildings to warn people of collapse. D. A colorchanging material can turn red before it breaks. Answer: C A victim of climate change A polar bear's dead body found on the Arctic island of Svalbard, the northernmost part of Norway, has shocked experts who say climate change may be to blame for the death. The starved polar bear in Norway was said to be in good bones by the time a group of explorers came across its body in July. The bear is thought to have been heading north in a desperate search for sea ice that would allow it to hunt for seals."From his lying position in death, the bear appears to simply have starved to health in April when the Norwegian Polar Institute examined and labeled it. However, the animal was reduced to skin and bones and died where he dropped," polar bear expert Dr. Ian Stirling, a professor at the University of Alberta said, "He had external suggestion of any remaining fat, having been reduced to little more than skin and bone." Stirling believes the bear starved to death as a result of a lack of sea ice which the animals use as a platform for hunting seals. That may also explain why the 16-year-old male bear was found about 155 miles north of where it was seen in April. Arctic sea ice reached a record low in 2012, according to a report released this week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that pointed to continued signs of climate change. The International Union for Conservation of Nature currently classifies polar bears as _ e on its Red List of Threatened Species. Where does this text probably come from? A. A novel. B. A guidebook. C. A news report. D. An advertisement. Answer: C Today, we know that the role of vitamins and minerals goes way beyond the prevention of deficiency diseases to actually preventing cancer and heart disease, the most fearsome killers of our time. With this knowledge has come the widespread call for nutritional supplementation -- and a confusing group of vitamin, mineral, and supplements lining the supermarket shelves. Far from contributing to better health, however, nutritional supplements threaten to turn a scientific breakthrough into a nutritional disaster. _ of vitamins and minerals -- especially vitamins A, C, and E-- would have consumers believe that the little vitamin pill in the bottle is all they need for good health. Take your vitamins in the morning, and you're covered. It's okay to eat fast foods for the rest of the day or skip meals to achieve today's fashionably skinny look. But vitamins and minerals are only one part of the nutritional puzzle. A diet rich in fiber and balanced in carbohydrates and protein is essential for good health. You can't get these things from a nutritional supplement. The focus on vitamin and mineral supplements may actually be robbing us of the full nutrition we seek. And no supplement can compare to the quality of nutrition found in natural sources. For example, our bodies turn carotenes from plant foods into vitamin A. Many supplements contain a single carotene, but natural sources are rich in many different carotenes. Many supplements contain a form of vitamin E that is made from chemicals, when natural vitamin E is more readily absorbed and used by the body. And science is still discovering the wealth of nutrients in foods. You'd be hard-pressed to find a supplement as nutritionally comprehensive and powerful as a balanced diet. Even if you could, you'd pay much more than if you got the same nutritional value from natural sources. But perhaps the greatest danger presented by nutritional supplements comes from the very real risks presented by self-medication. Anyone can walk into the market and buy as many different supplements as desired. The reported benefits of high dosages of certain nutrients have led some people to believe that the more the better. Many take several vitamin and mineral supplements without regard to possible consequences. Surprising new research suggests that vitamin C pills may speed up hardening of the arteries, the underlying cause of heart attacks. Researchers said their findings support the recommendations of health organizations, which urge people to avoid high doses of supplements and to get their nutrients from food instead. As appealing as they're made to sound, nutritional supplements are _ . If you're looking for good health, don't look on the supplement shelves of your supermarket. Look in the produce section instead. What has given rise to the great need for nutritional supplements? A. The knowledge of deficiency diseases. B. The low prices of nutritional supplements. C. The frighteningly high death rate from cancer and heart disease. D. The information about the role of vitamins and minerals in health. Answer: D
"Long time no see" is a very interesting sentence. When I first read this sentence from an American friend's email, I laughed. I thought it was a perfect example of Chinglish. Obviously, it is a word-by-word literal translation of the Chinese greetings with a ruled English grammar and structure! Later on, my friend told me that it is a standard American greeting. I was too thrilled to believe her. Her words could not convince me at all. So I did a research on google.com. To my surprise, there are over 60 thousand web pages containing "Long time no see." This sentence has been widely used in emails, letters, newspapers, movies, books, or any other possible places. Though it is sort of informal, it is part of the language that Americans use daily. Ironically, if you type this phrase in Microsoft Word, the software will tell you that the grammar needs to be corrected. Nobody knows the origin of this Chinglish sentence. Some people believe that it came from Charlie Chan's movies. In the 1930s, Hollywood moviemakers successfully created a world wide famous Chinese detective named "Charlie Chan" on wide screens. Detective Chan likes to teach Americans some Chinese wisdom by quoting Confucius. "Long time no see" was his trademark. Soon after Charlie Chan, "Long time no see" became a popular phrase in the real world with thanks to the popularity of these movies. Some scholars refer to America as a huge pot of stew. All kinds of culture are mixed in the stew together, and they change the color and taste of each other. American Chinese, though a minority ethnic group in the United States, is also contributing some changes to the stew! Language is usually the first thing to be influenced in the mixed stew. You can have some other examples than adoptions from Chinese, such as pizza from Italian, susi from Japanese, and deja vu from French etc. There is a long list! Americans do not just simply borrow something from others. They will modify it and make it their own, so you would not be surprised to find a tofu and peanut butter hamburger in a restaurant, or to buy a bottle of iced Chinese green tea with honey in a grocery store. Since Americans appreciate Chinese culture more and more nowadays, I believe more Chinese words will become American English in the future. In this way the American stew keeps adding richness and flavor. The main idea of the passage is that _ . Answer: Senior First Aid Registration Details: PARASOL EMT Pty Limited (ABN 39 072 488 914) Recognition Period: 01/01/1997 to 30/03/2008 Purpose: The aim of this course is to develop a student's competence and confidence in providing emergency first aid. This includes calling for help, the ability to respond to first aid situations, decision-making, and basic life support functions. This course covers adult and child conditions. _ This course is suitable for anyone requiring a first aid certificate for the workplace, recreational purposes, sporting, or home use. Format : A mixture of theoretical and practical elements , with at least 50% of time spent on practical skills. Requirements: Be at least 14 years of age. Learning Objectives: * Apply Life Support Skills * Apply First Aid Management Skills for Burns * Demonstrate the identification and management of bleeding and wounds. * Describe the recognition and management of internal bleeding * Manage an Emergency (Basic) * Apply First Aid Management for bone and joint injuries * Manage Emergency Situations * Apply First Aid Management skills for bites, stings and poisoning. * Manage an acute illness * Describe the recognition and management of an eye injury * Describe the basic structure and function of the human body. * Apply First Aid Management skills for chest, abdominal and head injuries What is the main purpose of the advertisement? Answer: Jim and Tom were eating at a restaurant . On the table there was a cup of hot ( )mustard . Jim thought it was sweet and took a spoonful of it into his mouth. Tears ran down from his eyes. However, he wished Tom to do the same thing. So he said nothing. Tom saw Jim crying , and asked,"What for, my friend?" "I'm thinking of my father, he was hanged 20 years ago,Jim said.Soon after Tom took a spoonful of mustard and when tears began to run down from his eyes, Jim asked "Why are you crying, then?""I am thinking why you were not hanged 20 years ago." Where were Jim and Tom? Answer: I know my son seems very naughty. He cannot concentrate on reading, he makes silly mistakes in his homework or often fails his exams. Whenever such things happen, his teacher shouts,"Ask your parents to come here." And then I have to go with my tail between my legs to find out what's going on with my son and to listen to the teacher scold him. I really feel sorry for my son's mistakes and usually feel personally responsible. But I can't help feeling angry with him after a meeting with his teacher. Gradually, I have realized that anger will do him no good, and that actually he needs my help. On the other hand, I think that to educate our "little emperors ",there needs to be more understanding and cooperation between teachers and parents. In the writer's opinion _ will do good to the naughty child. Answer: Don't you think it interesting that there were strange coincidences in the deaths of President Kennedy and President Lincoln? For example, John Kennedy was elected president in 1960 while Abraham Lincoln in 1860, between which was a hundred years. Both men were killed from behind, on black Friday , and with their wives on the spot. The two men were born exactly one hundred years away, as were their murderers, Lee Oawald and John Booth. Perhaps the strangest coincidence is that President Kennedy's secretary , whose name was Lincoln, advised the president not to go to Dallas, where the president was shot. President Lincoln's secretary, named Kennedy, advised the president not to go to the Ford Theatre, where the president met his death. Which of the following statements is true? Answer:

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