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Growing your own fruit and vegetables is one of the best things in the world. It is very good for your health and also brings happiness to you. To be a successful fruit-and-vegetable grower, check out these tips: A family affair Get all family members to take part in growing. Children will learn where food comes from, and they may like to have their own little field. Size doesn't matter You can work in any place you like, not just in a common vegetable garden. Grow fruit and vegetables in a window box, or use your flowerbed to grow vegetables and beautiful flowers together. *The natural way If you want to grow foods organically, you can't use sprays that would harm children, pets and wildlife. You should work with nature rather than against it. Growing your own food doesn't take up too much time and costs little. A few seeds and some basic tools will be OK. Second-hand tools can often be both cheap and good to use. The author writes this passage to _ . Scott Langteau has this message for kids:spend less time playing video games. It's a message that many a mom and dad have tried to impress upon many a youngster (and some notsoyoungsters) who spend perhaps a bit too much time with game controllers in hand. But the 40yearold Langteau isn't a parent.He's a veteran of the video game industry--one who played producer on three "Medal of Honor" games and cofounded his own game development company. Langteau has just published a children's books called Sofa Boy,which tells the story of a kid who spends too much time sitting on the couch with controller clutched in hand and the rather terrible consequences that follow. It's a fairy tale plucked straight from Langteau's own experiences as a lad with a fondness for video games and his own bouts with a bit of game addiction.But first,Langteau would like to make one thing clear,"I'm not saying that you shouldn't play video games.I think video games are great.I think they do great things for kids."Instead,Langteau says his book is all about a little something called moderation . "It's about being well rounded," he says."Just like with anything else,we all need to make sure that there's a variety in what we do." Video gamers can be rather badtempered when it comes to accepting criticism about their favorite entertainment.And understandably so.After all,most people who go around talking about the dangers of playing video games tend to be outsiders--people who don't play video games and certainly don't understand that they can be a valuable and healthy form of entertainment. But Langteau and Sofa Boy seem to be in a unique position to deliver a message of gaming moderation that the young game masses might actually listen to.After all,this is a man who understands what it means to be a kid with a passion for games.His early experience has taught him a lesson. Scott Langteau published Sofa Boy to _ . From our smartphones to our latest weaponry, the technology that underpins modern life would be impossible without rare earth metals. The importance of rare earths has only grown as emerging markets increase their demand for technologies made with it, as does the renewable energy industry. The 17 metallic elements are common in the earth-s crust, but the technique used to extract and refine them is labor-intensive, environmentally hazardous and increasingly costly. Thomas Gradael, a professor of geology and geophysics at the Yale School of Forestry Environmental Studies, explains that thecriticality" of rare earths was only recently understood after China, which dominates the world-s supply of the minerals, cut exports by 40% in 2010, citing concerns over how polluting the rare earth industry was. Along with colleagues at Yale, Gradael decided to investigate the metals used in modern technologies to determine if there were viable substitutes."Twenty or thirty years ago electronics were being made with 11 different elements," explains Gradael. "Today's computers and smartphones use something like 63 different elements." Their findings showed that there were no "readily apparent" substitutes for a metal that would not compromise on quality or performance. However increased mining for these scarce resources can have some nasty side effects for the environment. China, which has intensively mined for rare earths with little regulation, allowing it to dominate the global industry since 1990, has acknowledged the incredible environmental harm caused by the process. "Excessive rare earth mining has resulted in landslides, clogged rivers, environmental pollution emergencies and even major accidents and disasters, causing great damage to people's safety and health and the ecological environment," read a white paper issued by the Chinese cabinet in June last year. Recycling metal has been advocated by some as a possible way of managing these precious resources-the European Parliament adopted a law curbing dumping of electric waste in 2012. But Gradael says that for rare earths, recycling will have little impact. Why does the author take China as an example in Para.4? My parents have always raised me to be very money-conscious, so I guess, in that sense, they are rather untraditional. Since I was a little girl, if I ever wanted to purchase anything, my parents would sternly remind me of the value of every cent, prompting me to spend my pocket money only when necessary. My mom actually came up with a system that we strictly abide by in regards to money-spending. She gives me a certain amount of allowance every month, and whenever I buy anything with my accumulated money, I keep track of my receipts and record it in a little notebook, essentially a tiny version of my mom's own accounting booklet. Being in control of my own money has really taught me to be careful in how I spend my money, giving me a sense of responsibility and ownership over it. As for earning money, aside from my allowance, my parents never really encouraged me to go out and find a job at typical American occupation locales , such as restaurants or clothing stores. Instead, they would prefer that I spend my time focusing on my schoolwork, which I guess is where my parents become more traditional. Yet I still earn money here and there in little jobs, such as teaching students at my school, and of course, writing for the paper. Though I have several friends already working, I am pretty happy with my current situation. I am able to focus on my studies, all the while earning quite a bit of money, and also learning monetary skills that are _ to survival in the real world, and for that I am grateful. What happened when the author bought anything with her accumulated money? Several interesting American museums tell about health subjects. One is the Doctor Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry. It is at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. That is where the first college in the world to train dentists began. The museum tells about the history of the medical treatment of teeth. Visitors can see some frightening _ that once were used to remove infected teeth. They also can see sets of teeth made of animal bone. They were made for a famous American -- the first President, George Washington. Most people do not consider a visit to the dentist their idea of a good time. However, the director of the museum says he wanted to make the museum a fun place to visit. He says he also wants to teach visitors about the importance of taking care of their teeth. Another museum collects _ that help people hear. The Kenneth W. Berger Hearing Aid Museum is at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. The museum has more than three-thousand hearing aids from around the world. They include old and strange devices. Some hearing aids were made to look like other objects. That is because in the past many people did not want anyone to know they were wearing a hearing aid. It is common for people to think it uneasy to pay a visit to _ .
Some businesses offer customers the option to pay for merchandise using their fingerprints as identification. Which of the following would most benefit customers that use this new technology? Answer: protection of private information Earthquakes can be very scary . But you need to keep your mind stable in order to make sure you are safe. Be calm and try not to run here and there. If you manage to come out of your house, go to an open space like a garden or a park where you will be a lot safer. If you live quite some floors above in your building, try to find a place near a bulky object such as a bed. Curl up and sit on the floor and make sure you are not near a window, fireplace, gas stove and so on. Remember don't use lifts or escalators. Some people say you should stand on a doorway. That is not true. If the doorway jambs are weak, they might fall on you. Also if people want to pass through that door, you may stop them. Leave all doorways free. Another important thing to keep in mind is that you mustn't climb down the stairs during an Earthquake. If the tremors stop, after a few seconds, just climb down the stairs as quickly as you can and move out of the building, but don't run. Earthquakes usually destroy gas pipes and electrical wires. Turn off the main gas. And don't light candles or lighters and create an even bigger disaster. If you're driving and feel a shake, stop your car at the side of the road and get out. Make sure you are not on a bridge. Bridges and overhead roads have the biggest danger of falling. Which of the following is NOT true, when an earthquake suddenly happens? Answer: Curling up may be very dangerous. Located along California's San Andreas Fault, the city of San Francisco is likely to take precautions(,) in the event of the next big earthquake. According to aNew York Timesreport, emergency planners in San Francisco are not only thinking of human evacuation(,) plans in the event of an earthquake, but also of how to care for pets during a natural disaster. Ideally, the planners will be able to train pet-disaster responders who work to evacuate dogs, cats and other household pets from the disaster site to one of the 125 temporary animal shelters that will be set up or, if the pet is injured, it will be brought to an emergency animal medical unit where there will be people on hand to tend to the pet's injury. The city's "no-pets-left-behind" policy results from the great number of pet deaths during the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. As emergency responders arrived to rescue people isolated in their homes during Katrina, hurricane victims were told that they could not take their pets along with them when evacuating; thus, many pet owners were forced to make the heart-breaking decision to save themselves while leaving their pets behind to perhaps meet their deaths. Since then, the U.S. has passed the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006, allocating federal funds for animal disaster planning projects. Yet, not all counties are as progressive as San Francisco has been in the effort to protect pets in the event of a natural disaster. Pets are after all, a large part of San Francisco's population -- overnumbering the number of school age children in the city. Over the last three years, San Francisco has received $350,000 in federal funds _ to animal disaster preparedness efforts in order to protect animals in the case of a disaster such as an earthquake. The city is still working on obtaining $300,000 to pay for an emergency animal unit. Until then, animal lovers in San Francisco will continue to work to ensure that pets are never an afterthought when it comes to rescues during earthquakes or other life threatening situations. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage? Answer: All the countries are in the effort to protect pets in a natural disaster. If a reptile were taken to the iceland it would Answer: die I was born an albino in Pennsylvania in 1945.No one in my family had ever known what an albino was and what it meant to be an albino. My family and friends treated me as everybody else.That was just about the best thing they could have done.It helped me believe in myself, so when troubles came along, I could deal with them. Like most albinos, I had the terrible eyesight, but the fact that I could hardly see didn't bother me that much .Kids would make fun of me, calling me"Whitey". People looked at me when I held the books right at the tip of my nose so that I could see it well enough.Even when I was eight, movie-theater workers started asking me to pay full prices because I"looked older".The worst thing for me was that because my eyesight was so bad, I couldn't play sports very well.I didn't give up trying, though.And I studied harder.Finally, I got better at school and loved it.When I got to university, I was double majoring , going to summer school and busying myself with every activity I could find.I had learned to be proud of being an albino.I did my best to make"albino"a good word.And I decided to make my living with my eyes--and in sports. I couldn't see very well to play sports, but with a good education and a drive to do it, I could make a living in the area I loved.I've done it now for more than thirty years in video, and now in cyberspace .People make jokes about how I'm the only"blind editor"they know, but the jokes are of goodwill and some of them are signs of respect . I was just a proud albino kid from the country of Pennsylvania.I now realize that being born an albino helped me to overcome difficulties, have confidence, and be proud of my personal achievement . Which is one of the signs of being an albino? Answer: He can't see clearly
The summer sun is out, and we're beginning to feel the heat. Before you go outside to have fun, make sure you put on the right things! Do you know what kind of clothes can make you look hot and keep you cool? Here are some ideas for clothes to help you look great. Fun colors and cartoons are back from the 1980s this year; the dirty look is out. People will be looking for fresh bright colors this summer. Girls in pink look cute and sweet. And green makes everyone look more lively. Some of the best colours are cotton candy pink and lime green. These soft colours go well with jeans or just about anything else. As soon as you put on one of these colours, you'll feel like a star! Some girls like something more interesting than all solid colours. For them, there are lots of floral patterns to choose from in shirts, dresses or skirts. A floral shirt looks nice with a light-coloured solid skirt or trousers. Of course, jeans are _ for boys. If you get too hot, try something lighter, like khaki cargo pants. They'll have enough pockets to keep everything you need for studying, playing and keeping cool! Army green is all the rage this year. This passage mainly tells us _ . 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." This article mainly tells about the story of _ . One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town announcing that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole town. A large crowd gathered, and they all thought it was perfect. There was not a flaw in it. Suddenly, an old man said, "Your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine." The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart. It was full of scars . The young man laughed. "Comparing your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars." "Yes," said the old man, "You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love. I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart that fits into the empty place in my heart. Though it has some scars, I cherish . Because they remind me of the love we shared. Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his or her heart to me. These are the empty gouges . Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for those people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?" The young man ripped a piece out of his perfect heart and offered it to the old man. The old man placed it in his heart, then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the _ in the young man's heart. The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man's heart flowed into his. They embraced and walked away side by side. ,. The scares can _ . How do you get across a river? A bridge is the best way. In some places, there are no bridges. People use the ferry . A ferry is a boat that takes people and cars across the river. Both ends of a ferry look the same. The ferry never has to turn around. It docks at one side of the river. People and cars get on. At the other side, the ferry docks again. The people and cars get off. Other cars and people get on. And then the ferry goes back across the river. In many places, bridges are now taking the place of ferries. In 1964, the longest bridge in the world was built in New York over Now York Bay . It is called the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. This bridge has two roads, one over the other. Each road is wide enough for six lanes of traffic. _ can cross rivers by ferry. Goats are amazing animals. They can survive just about anywhere. Altogether there are nine species of goats in the world. Goats have more uses than you could ever imagine. Goat's meat can be eaten and goat's milk is becoming popular as a healthy choice to drink milk. Goat's milk is easier to take in than cow's milk and it is called universal milk as it can be used to bottle-feed most animals. In nutrition, it is also good. Goat's skins are still used today to make gloves and other items of clothing. The initial reasons for domesticating goats were to get goat's hair, meat and milk. Goat's skins were used up until the Middle Ages for making bottles to hold water and wine for people who were traveling or camping. Just like sheep, goats are considered to be the first domesticated animal. The domestication process began over 10,000 years ago in a North Iranian town. A lot of people keep goats as pets nowadays. Goats are easily trained and you can teach them to pull carts and walk on ropes. Goats are also known for escaping their pens . If you have unsecured fencing, your goats will be interested in it and test it out and soon you will know where the openings are. Goats are also widely known for their ability to climb trees, although the tree generally has to be at a slight angle . If goats are raised correctly and trained from an early age, they never develop any bad habits. Goats will attack each other. However, if they're corrected from an early age they never attack humans or other animals. The passage is written mainly _ .
Russian girls think he is the ideal boyfriend. Thousands of Japanese teenagers applied for just a few minutes to practice judo with him. His cool image is on the front pages of newspapers and magazines. Do you know who he is ? Yeah, he's Vladimir Putin who was named "Person of the Year of 2008" by Time. Putin was born in Leningrad in 1952. He entered Leningrad State University's law department in 1970. When he became President of Russia in 2000, he found the country in great difficulty. In his 8 years as president, he guided his nation through a remarkable transformation .Russia's economy had grown a lot. Under his strong leadership, Russia was at the _ of world power again. Putin came to like judo and spy novels when he was a young boy. He relaxes by listening to classical music. Yesterday is his favorite Beatles' song. He has a happy family. He is married to Lyudmila Alexandrovna Putina, with daughters, Yekaterina and Maria. ,. According to the passage, what may Putin do in his spare time to relax himself? Use your American Express Card to enjoy one-day privileges at four ofprefix = st1 /America's greatest museums. Note the participating museums, and their exciting special exhibitions that you will not want to miss, listed below. Boston Isabella StewartGardnerMuseum Chairs February 11-May 8, 2005 Italian furniture expert Fausto Calderai and Indian photographer Dayanita Singh present an exhibition of chairs from the museum's collection and "chair photographs" from around the world presented in a Venetian-style hall housing world-famous masterpieces. For more information: www.gardnermuseum.org New York The NoguchiMuseum Noguchi and Graham December 1, 2004--May 1, 2005 Noguchi's long-term collaboration with dancer Martha Graham is regarded by many as a high pointin the history of both modern dance and art. The exhibition highlights nine of the sets created through this collaboration. For more information: www.noguchi.org Philadelphia Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts In full View: American Painting(1720--2005) January 11--April 10, 2005 Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy has been home to America's artists for 200 years. The Academy collects and exhibits the works of famous American artists, and is well-known for training fine artists. 2005 at the Academy begins with the largest exhibition of Academy's distinguished American collection in the institution's history. For more information: www.pafa.org Seattle Seattle Museum of Glass Murano: Glass from the Olnick Spanu Collection Through November 7, 2004 This exhibition includes over 200 pieces of beautiful glass from Murano, the island of glassblowers near Venice,Italy. Watch live glass-blowing shows in the How Shop and see other modern glass exhibitions. For more information: www.museumofglass.org Which of the following websites offers information about the furniture show? Hello, I'm Simon. I wear a blue and yellow T-shirt for the show. I borrow the T-shirt from my cousin Jack. Hello, I'm Sandy. I wear a pair of long red boots, a red blouse and a black skirt for the show. They are the clothes from the 1990s. And I borrow the boots from my mother. Hello, I'm Daniel. I wear a purple scarf, a purple shirt, and white trousers today. They are my father's. They are smart. Hello, I'm Amy. I don't like the clothes today. The black trousers and the white blouse don't match very much. But my grandmother likes them very much. They are from the 1970s! I want to have a pair of white boots and a pink one-piece dress. Maybe that will be popular in the 2010s. Who wears a T-shirt today? You get all sorts of demands, and the mark of a good hotel is to supply whatever is asked for without sounding surprised. If a guest asks for rubbers gloves, you don't ask why. You say, "No problem. What color1 do you want?" There have been some demands which, much as I would have liked to fill, I couldn't. A Japanese businessman, for example, thought the manager of a hotel was like his girlfriend so he asked me to marry him to the woman he loved. There was one time, however, _ . A young man thought that if he asked his girlfriend to marry him at the Ritz she would say yes. He asked us to put the ring in a cake, and she accepted. Top hotels are used more and more to impress. They are used for doing business. If you've got something to sell, take your clients to the best hotel where the surroundings are quite helpful. A friend of mine working at Savoy Hotel tells the story about a man who gave him 5 pounds to say "Good morning, Mr. Smith saying, "I do wish they would leave me alone at this place." According to Julian Payne, the most powerful people in any hotel are the porters, who carry bags for hotel guests. "Porters can do almost anything. They can get you tables at the best restaurants or tickets for a popular concert. Don't ask me how they do it or what their deal is because I don't know. Most of them have been there for years. They know more about the history of the hotel and the guests than anyone else. They are invaluable. A head porter will come in even on his day off so he can say hello to someone he remembers visiting the hotel years ago." When guests ask for something strange, the manager of a good hotel would think _ . A mouse looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package; what food might it contain? He was astonished to discover that it was a mouse trap! Running to the farmyard, the mouse shouted, warning everyone, "There is a mouse trap in the house, there is a mouse trap in the house." The chicken, with her head high, glared at the mouse and said, "Shut up. Little Ugly. This is a great concern to you, but it has nothing to do with me; I can't be troubled by it. The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mouse trap in the house." "I am so sorry, Mr. Mouse," said the pig sympathetically, "but there is nothing I can do about it but pray; you are always in my prayers." The mouse turned to the cow, who relied, " A mouse trap, am I in great danger, huh?" Now the mouse had to face the farmer's mouse trap alone. The very night a sound was heard through the house, like that of a mouse trap catching its . The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a big poisonous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever. It is said that drinking fresh chicken soup will help treat fever, so the farmer took his sharp knife to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. His wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer killed the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well, in fact, she died, and so many people came for her funeral. The farmer had the cow killed to provide for all of them to eat. So next time when someone is facing a problem, don't say that it has nothing to do with you. Remember: when the least of us is threatened, we all might be at risk. What can we learn from the story?
The average British 22 year-old has more than 1,000 online friends on sites like Facebook, compared to those in their fifties who have fewer than 20, according to a new study. The "Facebookgeneration gap" has been highlighted in a new piece of research which shows that the average 22 year-old claims to have 1,000 or more friends on sites like Facebook. People in their twenties have more than 50 times as many digital friends as those who are over 50 years old, despite the popularity of sites like Facebook with the older generations, says a study conducted by consumer research group Intersperience. The news comes during the same week Facebook's second-in command, Sheryl Sandberg, is visiting the UK to deliver a speech at the London School of Economics. Facebook's chief operating officer is going to speak about how the social web has transformed people's friendships and relationships. The survey found that there was a clear link between people's age and the number of online friends they have.The researchers found that those aged 13 to 16, have an average of 450 friends on social networks, with girls having slightly more friends that boys.People in their thirties tend to have between 100 and 200 friends, while those in their forties have between 50 and 100. However, those using sites such as Facebook over the age of 50, tended to have 20 or less friends.The oldest person surveyed was 70 years old. Paul Hudson, Intersperience's chief executive, said: "Our research underlines fundamental changes taking place in British society as a result of finally entering the digital age.Half of the UK population are on Facebook now.In a social media context, a 'friend' means something different to a 20 year old than to a 50 year old." He added: "Social networking activity is just one example of how different groups are adapting to the digital age at different paces.In this case, age is the determining factor - however in other instances it is not." According to the passage, the following statements are True except _ . Since 1984, Philadelphia has been cleaning up its act. One by one, graffiti-covered walls are being changed into outdoor art. So far, more than 1,800 murals have been painted. Philadelphia now has more murals than any other American city. The walls that were once ugly with graffiti are now covered with beautiful pictures of historical heroes and modern art, thanks to the Mural Arts Program (MAP). Its work makes schools and public places attractive, and its citizens very proud. The program began as part of Philadelphia's Anti-Graffiti Network. Jane Golden is the MAP's artistic director. "When people ask me what our program is about," she says, "I answer them with one word: hope." Each year, the MAP offers youth art programs and workshops. Some one-time graffiti writers even help paint MAP murals. The MAP's work, says Golden, is all about developing a sense of community . When a neighborhood requests a mural, the MAP works with the people there to develop a message. Some messages have been "Safe Streets," "Love and Care," and "Peace Walk." The MAP receives up to 50 requests for murals each week. Last year, the workers painted 140 murals. "The making of a mural enters people's collective memory as an extraordinary, pleasant moment in neighborhood history" says Golden, who began as a muralist in Los Angeles. How does the MAP decide on the message for a mural? You've bought what you need. The grocery cashier asks, "Will that be paper or plastic? You reply "Plastic, please." This seems like a simple question and there are plenty of reasons we choose plastic: easier to carry, lighter than paper bags, possibly less damaging to the environment, less expensive to the shop owners, able to be used as trash bag, and so on. There are different opinions on plastic and paper. Now let's follow the travels of 3 plastic bags. It begins at the grocery store with the customer's choice. Plastic Bag 1: As the waste engineer come by and pick up the trash, the first plastic bag falls out. It sits on a small street for a couple of hours until a car comes along and takes it down to the road. Then a gust of wind blows it across the road, then another car, then another gust of wind finally makes its way to the beach. Water fills the plastic bag and makes it look like a jellyfish. A seal swims by, thinking it looks very interesting, and swallowed it. The plastic bag may stay in the seal's stomach for months, maybe years. You see, our lovely animals have been living thousands of years in a world where everything can be eaten. Plastic Bag 2: This bag does make its way to landfill . Before they have a chance to cover up the thousands of pounds of daily waste, a strong wind comes up and blows these plastic bags out of the landfill. Once the wind stops, workers will be sent to collect thousands of bags around. But they can't possibly get them all. So our little bag continues his adventure getting caught in trees, eaten by birds or making its way to our lakes or rivers. Plastic Bag 3: The last bag also blows away but is caught in a landfill where it sits for many years, as all the trash is wrapped in a big plastic bag, making natural degradation impossible. Although workers do much work to make sure water and air system won't be polluted, some do. Guess what, plastic bags are made from petrol, a harmful waste material, which in one way or another makes its way to the environment. Another problem with putting plastic bags in out trash is that our landfills for most cities may be filled in about 20 years. More importantly, since we are running out of land to build homes, you might have the pleasure of one day living on top of your plastic bags! One of the best suggestions is not to use a bag at all or bring your own cloth bags. If you must, please choose paper bags, which, though not suggested, can be eaten by animals. And there are more opportunities recycle paper bags. It does take a little extra effort. But please have a thought about the little seal next time you say, "Plastic please." The author describes the travel of Plastic Bag 1 to show _ . There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children something to do. In the ancient world, as is today, most boys played with some kinds of toys and most girls with another. In societies where social roles are rigidly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world. What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same. The changes have been mostly in terms of craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology. It is the universality of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and their persistence to the present that is amazing. In Egypt, America, China, Japan and among the Arctic people, generally the same kinds of toys appeared. Differences depended on local customs and way of life because toys imitate their surrounding. Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles. Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to technological leaps that characterize(...) inventions for adult use. The progress from the wheel to the cart to the automobile is a direct line of ways up. The progress from a rattle used by a baby in 3,000 BC to one used by an infant today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of the time and subject to the limitations of available materials. The reason why the toys most boys play with are different from those that girls play with is that _ . Which action illustrates a chemical change?
Question: When my mother was alive, she used to tell me again and again about the value of just being nice. "Never underestimate the power of a smile," she would say. I fear she would be very disappointed looking at the world today. A lot of people don't smile and when it comes to service today, they're just not nice. Now don't give me wrong, not all service workers but a good many. I was on the phone the other day with a computer help desk. First a man, then later a woman, who couldn't have been ruder. And this to a customer, who didn't know his way around a PC. But no matter, I could tell they thought I was a bother, The woman, in fact, seemed to be chewing gum as she unemotionally clicked off a series of commands for me to perform. The next day I heard from a friend of mine who got a performance review without his boss once looking up at him. Not once. You see it everywhere. Gone are the days when people cared about you. It's a sign of the time, I suspect. But that makes me sad -- for them and for us all. People who aren't happy, who don't smile, who don't kid, who don't joke or make light of even bad situations, make for an even worse situation. And it spreads like a cancer. Someone's rude to you, you're rude to them and to the next fellow you meet, and on and on. Smiles are contagious but so annoyances. The boss who can't be bothered with his workers. The celebrity who can't be bothered with her annoying fans. You know, my mom used to judge presidential candidates by how they smiled. I would say, "But mom, you don't know if that smile is real." "Oh, yes I do," she would tell me. "I can feel it." It's in their eyes, she would say. And it's in their smile. The rest just kind of falls into place. When someone is rude to you, you're advised to _ . A. be rude to the next person B. be nice to the people you meet C. become one just like him or her D. make for a worse situation Answer: B. be nice to the people you meet Question: If you are above the age of 40 then there are chances you would not know much about Snap Music. But if that is the case, then ask your daughter or son, and perhaps, they'd even perform it for you. Indeed, Snap Music is one of the cool hip hop rap styles that support hip hop music. In simple words, Snap Music is the music to which you "snap your fingers and move with the rhythm. This may seem ly easy, but sure enough, it has its share of uniqueness which makes it stand apart. The theoretical and technical characteristics of Snap Music are slow-paced beats, regular and timed snapping of fingers, which created pleasing rhythms. Often as rappers rap, they get the audience clapping or snapping along with them. Snap Music was from Atlanta. It gradually made its way to the other parts of America. It is generally believed that Snap was inspired by Crunk Music and it is Atlanta's Crunk style. But they are quite different. While Crunk has high energy, Snap has an unhurried feel to it . An occasional whistle or a polyrhythmic combination can he heard; this is done to improve the feeling of the music. It is also said that the music was made for the club-crowd and at first was meant for dance lovers; but as the form developed, it turned out to be rather slow. There is a wide audience for this type of music. Here , this type of hip hop music is often simple with not much depth or story. But then again, how many rap songs have depths and story these days? So , if you are a teenager or a young adult, you might just enjoy the change that Snap offers. The text is written to _ . A. advise people to enjoy Snap Music B. explain why people like Snap Music C. teach teenagers to perform Snap Music D. give a brief introduction to Snap Music Answer: D. give a brief introduction to Snap Music Question: When using more than the recommended amounts of pesticide on farmland, yards, and gardens, what is most likely to occur? A. Higher levels of pesticide may be less effective. B. The pesticides may break down quickly. C. Water supplies can be contaminated by pesticide runoff. D. The pesticide will increase the plant production. Answer: C. Water supplies can be contaminated by pesticide runoff. Question: Speak confidently and think logically. Year 13 schoolboy Arunabh Prakash can't agree more. Anmabh is one of the five students that will represent New Zealand at the 26th World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC) to be held in Thailand from August 5 to l5 this year. "You've got to be persuasive, regardless of the fact that you believe in a topic or not," says the 17-year-old. "There are a lot of speakers who are eloquent but find it difficult to think logically and then there are those who have a good argument but can't deliver." Endurance is another quality he says one must have in the heated arena of expressing opinions and ideas. "There are times when you have to debate for five hours at a go and are completely exhausted. It's quite intense. You must have the energy to debate for long hours," says Arunabh, who began debating in year 10. The WSDC is a debating competition in the world for high school students from different countries. It involves four prepared debates and four impromptu debates -- debates without specific preparations. To gain selection for the national team for the global final, Arunabh had to compete with regional teams. Despite the mounting pressure, he says he was confident of winning. "We didn't loose a debate in the first two days. And we had a very strong team. We were confident of our ability to win," he says. According to Arunabh, what are important in debating? A. Eloquence and logic thinking. B. Confidence and dreams. C. Endurance and experience. D. Talent and teamwork. Answer: A. Eloquence and logic thinking. Question: Both children and grown-ups look forward to New Year vacation since it is that time of the year to pack up and set out on a trip with family and friends. New Year's Eve is the perfect time to travel and have holiday. Gone are the days when you had to depend on word of mouth to learn about vacation destinations. With the development of technology and the increase in the number of travel agencies, you can use all the information for the place you want to visit. However, New Year being peak season, planning well in advance will be a wise thing to do. New Year cruises have been gaining popularity over the past few years, with the number of people booking for the first class increasing every year. Sailing to island destinations is a new experience for many who consider it a romantic way of celebrating the New Year. Warmer island destinations like the Hawaiian Islands are hot favorites with all their unique traditions and customs, fruits and food to delight in. Cruise lines provide a wide range of choices about the destinations and travel packages for you to choose from. There are special packages offered for families with children that include many activities and games. There are packages offered for young people which involve a dance party followed by a New Year party. There are even special cruises for newly married couples or people who are in love and wish to spend their New Year's Eve in a comfortable and romantic destination. Some people would also like to take this opportunity to spend some time alone and get beauty treatments done. On the other hand, there are other people who visit the unfortunate, old and poor people and orphans and try to make them happy. Planning ahead will make your New Year vacation better as you won't have to bother about booking tickets, hotels and making transfer arrangements at the last minute. People like to choose cruises . A. because it is more economical and practical B. because it is well fit for the people in love C. because it is a new attempt for them D. because it is a dream for them to stay on islands Answer: C. because it is a new attempt for them
Question: HONG KONG -- Hong Kong Disneyland is too crowded, a senior Chinese tourism official said today, hinting that another Disney Park is necessary to accommodate demand from China's huge population. The comments by Shao Qiwei, director of China's State Administration of Tourism, came a day after Shanghai's mayor Han Zheng said the city was preparing to build China's second Disney theme park. "China has a very large population. We now have 1.3 billion people. The market is very large. As far as I know, Hong Kong Disneyland is now very crowded," said Shao, whose comments were broadcast on Hong Kong's Cable TV. The Hong Kong theme park, which opened in September, was widely criticized in January when it turned away hundreds of Lunar New Year holiday makers from mainland China because the park was full. Chaos erupted when angry crowds tried to force their way into the park. The embarrassing incident prompted a public apology from Hong Kong Disneyland Managing Director Bill Ernest and a dressing down from Hong Kong's leader Donald Tsang. Authorities are carefully studying the issue of overcrowding in preparation for the possible building of the Disney park in Shanghai, Shao said. The official Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday that no agreement has been reached on the park in Shanghai, quoting senior vice president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Leslie Goodman. Hong Kong Disneyland is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the local government, which shouldered the bulk of the park's construction fees. The building of a Disney park in Shanghai _ . A. has been agreed to by The Walt Disney Co. B. is financed The Walt Disney Co. C. will be in the charge of the Shanghai government D. remains to be discussed with The Walt Disney Co. Answer: D. remains to be discussed with The Walt Disney Co. Question: Besides the pain, what bothered Yang Zhihong the most during an operation were the female nurses in the operation room. "It couldn't be more embarrassing," said the 23-year-old senior student from Beijing Foreign Studies University, who underwent an operation at Peking University Third Hospital in March, for reasons of hygiene. "I just felt uneasy with women around me and my pants off, even if they're there to help with my operation." That wasn't the first time Yang thought there should be more male nurses in the hospital. "For a physical examination on private parts, it would be better to be helped by nurses of the same gender," he added. While their numbers have increased in recent years, male nurses still only account for less than 1% of all nurses in China, according to the Ministry of Health. In the United States and many European countries, the percentage of male nurses is around 10%, Beijing Peking University First Hospital head nurse Deng Jun said during a forum focusing on male nurses. "We need to come up with more male nurses to meet the deficiency for male nurses in China," he said. "The lack of male nurses is mainly due to the misconception that a nursing job is a disgraceful job requiring no technical skills with a comparatively poor salary," Deng said. "People hold the belief that men are too clumsy to clean a patient's body or take care of the sick. However, male nurses possess some unique features." In some high-pressure and fast-paced working environments, such as operating rooms or emergency rooms, male nurses definitely have an advantage as well, Deng said. "It's difficult for a female nurse to turn over a paralyzed patient by herself in an intensive care unit. And during natural disasters, earthquakes for example, male nurses also play a vital role in rescuing victims and providing healthcare in a dangerous environment." Men make up only 1,900 of the 69,000 registered nurses in the capital, and they mainly work in the departments that are "labor-demanding", according to the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau. "I've seen so many male nurses quit or resign in the past few years," he said. "With a basic salary of around 1,500 yuan, most male nurses simply find themselves cornered." "Many students even reject their identity as a male nurse, out of the long-existing discrimination," Zhao said. "But nursing truly needs the male because of their rational thinking, physical strength and calmness in face of emergency and disasters." Nothing will change "until the public changes its attitude and nurses' pay is raised", he said. According to the passage, Yang Zhihong _ . A. felt embarrassed to talk with women in hospital B. felt disappointed about the female nurses' work C. felt it embarrassing to have such an operation D. felt shy to be served by female nurses during the operation Answer: D. felt shy to be served by female nurses during the operation Question: Ever tried taking smart drugs to perform better in exams? They certainly work. Before last summer's exam, a few of my mates, merely out of curiosity, took a considerable amount of Modafinil, a drug normally used for narcolepsy . Guess what? While I was feeling sleepy, bored by revision, my mates were more focused. Modafinil is a smart drug that gives a user a feeling of staying awake for hours. It also sharpens the mind, improves memory and helps problem-solving. But it does more than just keeping you awake. It disturbs your mental system, making you desperate to do what you are doing. You just don't want to do anything else but revise all the time non-stop. A recent study discovers that healthy people use smart drugs, like Modafinil, to get down to and complete tasks they have been putting off, because these tasks seem more enjoyable when taking these drugs. This might sound like what a stressed student desires. However, the pills have a range of side-effects. "At present no evidence shows that these drugs are safe in healthy people," as a medical expert puts it, "Ordering online, though easy, is a dangerous way to obtain drugs. You never know what you're actually purchasing. " In my experience, Modafinil changes people's behaviour too. Over those weeks my friends became different people--in turn aggressive, cold. Even eating became "a waste of time" and so did conversation. A BBC survey found that of those who had tried smart drugs before, 92% would do so again. My friends say they'd happily do so without considering the practice a form of cheating. I admit I was curious--but not enough to try it. Seeing the strange behaviour of other users, I feel a little bit upset and scary. Modafinil may promise to change your grades, but it might also change the way you act. Don't say you haven't been warned! Which statement about Modafinil is wrong? A. Modafinil sharpens the mind and helps problem-solving. B. Modafinil more than just keeps you awake. C. Modafinil has a range of side effects. D. Modafinil is safe in healthy people. Answer: D. Modafinil is safe in healthy people. Question: Mrs. Amatuli was my teacher in the fourth grade. One day at lunch time, I was getting ready to eat my same old tuna fish sandwich and suddenly Mrs. Amatuli asked me if she could buy my sandwich from me. She explained that I could use the money to buy a hot lunch from the cafeteria. I was thrilled. I never bought my lunch at the cafeteria. It was too expensive for my family, and we always carried our lunch and brought the bah back home to use again the next day. My sandwiches were either bologna or tuna fish. It rarely varied beyond that. You can understand my delight when I had the opportunity to buy a hot lunch. When we finished lunch that day, Mrs. Amatuli took me aside and said she wanted to explain why she had bought my sandwich. Oh, I couldn't wait to get home and tell my Mama that form now on I wanted tuna fish on Fridays. After my Mama understood why, she gladly fixed tuna fish for me on Friday. She even fixed it on brown bread because she knew Mrs. Amatuli liked brown bread. From then on every Friday I cold get in line with the rest of the kids for a hot lunch. I didn't care how many of the ids complained about cafeteria food--it tasted _ to me! I realize now that Mrs. Amatuli could have fixed herself a tuna sandwich of Friday. But she bought my sandwich because she saw a little girll who was thrilled over the simple act of having a hot lunch. I will never forget her for her compassion and generosity. After lunch that day, Mrs. Amatuli explained _ . A. she was Catholic B. Catholic ate meat on Fridays C. Catholic ate fish on Fridays D. she liked brown bread Answer: C. Catholic ate fish on Fridays Question: Lion was the King of the Jungle . One day, Giraffe told Lion, "Rabbit says he is the new King of the Jungle." "What?" Lion was very angry. He went to meet Rabbit. The other animals followed him to see what he would do. "Rabbit," said Lion, "Why do you say that you are the new King of the Jungle?" "Oh, but it's true," said Rabbit. "I'm faster and cleverer than you. We can have a competition ." "All right," said Lion. Rabbit took Lion to a deep ravine . He said, "If I fly down to the ravine faster than you, I am faster and cleverer than you. So I go, or you will go first?" "Of course I will go first," said Lion, "I am the King of the Jungle!" He then threw himself into the deep ravine. Rabbit smiled and said to the other animals. "I am your new king now. I am faster and cleverer than Lion." The other animals didn't understand. "Lion was stupid! Anyone will die after jumping into the ravine!" According to the passage, what happened to Lion at last? A. He won the competition. B. He was still the King. C. He died. D. He ran away. Answer: C. He died.
Killer bees started in Brazil in 1957. A scientist in Sao Paulo wanted bees to make more honey. So he put forty-six African bees with some Brazilian bees. _ . But the new bees were a mistake. They did not want to make more honey. They wanted to attack. Then, by accident, twenty-six African bees escaped and bred with the Brazilian bees outside. Scientists could not control the problem. The bees spread. They went from Brazil to Venezuela. Then they went to Central America. Now they are in North America. They travel about 390 miles a year. Each group of bees, or colony , grows four times a year. This means one million new colonies every five years. Why are people afraid of killer bees? People are afraid for two reasons. First, the bees sting (, ) many more times than a normal bee. Killer bees can sting sixty times a minute non-stop for two hours. Second, killer bees attack in groups. Four hundred bee stings can kill a person. Already several hundred people are dead. Now killer bees are in Texas. In a few years they will spread all over the United States. People can do nothing but wait. Killer bees can sting _ . One summer morning a tiger is walking near a lake. He wants to eat something. He is very hungry. In the lake, a duck is swimming ."That is my breakfast," thinks the tiger. "Good morning, Mr. Duck!" says the tiger. "Go away, you bad tiger!" says the duck. "I want to tell you something about your friend, Miss Chicken. If you don't come, I'll go. Good bye. Mr. Duck." "Wait a minute," says the duck. "Tell me!" The tiger looks around ,"I don't want other animals to know it. Come up to me," says the tiger. Then Mr. Duck swims to the tiger. As soon as(............) he gets to the bank ,the tiger gets it and eats it up. He laughs best that laughs last.. The tiger wants to find _ . Nobody likes an old poop . Developing a sense of humor is part of becoming a mature, emotionally healthy individual. Laughter is good for the soul, builds friendships and relieves stress. It serves as the glue for social situations and as an ice-breaker for sadness and boredom. If you've ever been told to "lighten up" or "chill out", you should save the blue attitude for serious situations and develop your sense of humor. Forgive the accidental. A sudden fall is humorous not because we like to see people fall, but because it surprises. From a spilled water glass in a meeting to Aunt Rae's teeth coming off in the Thanksgiving turkey, the embarrassment of accidents can be relieved by humor and a helping hand. After making sure that nobody's hurt, forgive accidents with a chuckle rather than a scolding. Look for the unexpected. The kid who used to look at you with his eyes closed during a test had the idea. Parents who serve green eggs and ham to their children on graduation day get the idea. Unexpected actions lighten an atmosphere and relax people. Learn to laugh with your kids. Most of what children say and do is funny. Help them learn that accidents are sometimes funny and sometimes occasions for joining in and helping another human being. By sharing laughs and attempting to explain humor, you develop your sense of humor, as well as help kids develop their own sense of humor. In the author's opinion, if your mother serves green eggs and hum to you on your graduation day, she is _ . I took my 9-year-old daughter,Suzan and 5-year-old son,Robbie to the shopping centre.As we got there,we saw a big sign that said,"Petting Zoo".The kids jumped up and asked,"Daddy,can we go?" Both my wife and I were out of work.However,I said,"Sure",giving them a quarter each. They went away, leaving only fifty cents left in my pocket. A petting zoo is made up of a hundred of little baby animals of all kinds.Kids pay their money and stay in the enclosure pleased with the little animals while their parents shop. A few minutes later,I saw Suzan walking along behind me.I was surprised and asked what was wrong. She said sadly,"Well,Daddy,a ticket for Petting Zoo costs fifty cents.So I gave Robbie my quarter." Then she said _ I ever heard.She repeated the family motto ,which is "Love is Action!" I knew clearly no one loves little animals more than Suzan. She had watched both my wife and me do and say "Love is Action!" for years,and now she had put it into her lifestyle.It had become part of her,because she knew the whole family motto.It's not only "Love is Action";it's "Love is SACRIFICAL Action!" Love always pays a price. I was moved.We went back to the Petting Zoo.Suzan stood with her hands and chin resting on the fence and just watched Robbie go crazy petting and feeding the animals.I had fifty cents burning a hole in my pocket. I put my hand into my pocket and took out the money.Sure,I must do that ! Which of the following best describes Suzan? Little stream ran down from a high mountain through many villages and forests. Then it reached a desert. "I went through so many difficulties.I should have no problem crossing the desert," she thought. As she started, she found herself slowly disappearing into the sand. After many tries, she still failed. "Maybe I can't reach the ocean," she said sadly to herself. At this time, a deep voice said, "If a breeze can cross the desert,so can a river." It was the voice of the desert. But the little stream answered, "That's because a breeze can fly, but I cannot." "That's because you _ what you are. Let yourself evaporate into the breeze, and it can take you across," said the desert. "Give up what I am now? No!No!" The little stream could not accept this idea. "The breeze can carry the vapor across the desert and let it leave as rain. The rain will form a river again," said the desert. "And whether you're a river or vapor, your nature never changes." Hearing this,the little stream went into the open arms of breeze. It carried her to the next stage of her life. The course of our lives is like the experience of the little stream. If you want to go through difficulties in your life to head for success, you should also change the way you are sometimes. Who encouraged the little stream when she felt sad?
Question: China's Winter Olympians have been welcomed home as national heroes from Vancouver, Canada. The country enjoyed its best Winter Games results, collecting 11 medals in Vancouver--including 5 gold medals. With flowers and national flags in hands, many people waited at Beijing Airport for hours. Every member was received by a crowd of family members and friends. Hundreds of workers and fans welcomed the athletes and coaches back with color balloons and ribbons. Wang Meng who won three gold medals in Vancouver Winter Olympics said, "We have shown the Olympic spirit and our Chinese sports spirit at the Vancouver Olympics. We Chinese athletes didn't fear to meet the strong opponents and had good team work." ,. China's Winter Olympic delegation won _ medals in Vancouver. A. eleven B. sixteen C. five D. six Answer: A Question: When did you see a polar bear ? On a trip to a zoo, perhaps ? If you had attended a winter activity in New York a few years ago, you would have seen a whole polar bear club. These "Polar Bears" are people who meet frequently in the winter to swim in freezing cold water. That day, the air temperature was 3 degrees. And the water temperature was a little higher. The members of the Polar Bear Club at Coney Island, New York are usually about the age of 60. Members must satisfy two requirements. First, they must get along well with everyone else in the group; this is very important because there are so many different kinds of people in the club. Polar Bears must also agree to swim outdoors at least twice a month from November through February. Doctors don't agree about the medical effects of cold-water swimming. Some are worried about the dangers of a condition in which the body's temperature drops so slow that finally the heart stops. Other doctors, however, point out that there is more danger of a heart attack during summer swimming because the difference between the air temperature and the water tempreature is much greater in summer than in winter. The Polar Bears themselves are satisfied with the benefits of cold-water swimming. They say that their favorite form of exercise is very good for the circulatory system because it forces the blood to move fast to keep the body warm. Cold-water swimmers usually turn bright red after a few minutes in the water. A person who turns blue probably has a very poor circulatory system and could not try cold-water swimming. The main benefits of cold-water swimming are probably mental. The Polar Bears love to swim all the year round; they find it fun and relaxing. As one 70-year-old woman says, "When I go into the water, I pour my troubles into the ocean and let them float away." Doctors _ . A. have different ideas about the medical effects of cold-water swimming B. believe swimming is helpful both in summer and in winter C. enourage people to take part in cold-water swimming D. point out the possible danger of blood illness during cold-water swimming Answer: A Question: Mrs. Black and her daughter Jane are in a store. (: Clerk ) Clerk:Can I help you? Mrs. Black: I want a sweater for my daughter. Clerk: What color does she like? Mrs. Black (to Jane): What color do you like, dear? Jane: I like yellow. Clerk: Do you like this one? Jane: Yes, it's really beautiful. How much is it? Clerk: 80 dollars. Mrs. Black: It's too expensive . Clerk: Look at this blue one. It's only 30 dollars. Mrs. Black: I think the blue one is nice , too. Jane: But, Mom, I don't like blue. Mrs. Black: OK, we'll take the yellow one. Jane: Thank you, Mom. Clerk: Here you are. Mrs. Black: Thanks. Clerk: You're welcome. What color does Jane like? A. White. B. Yellow. C. Blue. D. Black. Answer: B Question: Tokyo: The world's oldest man, retired Japanese silkworm breeder Yukichi Chuganji, died in his home at the age of 114, on Monday. Family members found him dead on his mattress. Born on March 23, 1889, Chuganji worked as a silkworm breeder and bank employee after leaving school. He also served as a community welfare officer. He had been in god health, talking daily with his family members. Washington: Every American dislikes people who talk on cell phones while driving, even those who do that kind of act. In the State of New Jersey, 84 percent of 968 cell phone owners said in recent telephone survey that they would support a state ban on the use of cell phones while driving. However, 42 percent of cell phone owners also said they used the devices "very often" or "sometimes" while driving. Although most agree that the banning is good, only 38 percent believed such a ban would be easy to enforce . New York: A woman in the US who was being attacked by a dog said she was saved from further harm when her 13-year-old daughter distracted the dog by screaming "You want a piece of me?" and kicked it repeatedly in the head. Jane Howell said she and her daughter, Elizabeth, were taking a walk around the neighborhood on Saturday evening when they came across he big dog, unchained. The woman in the US _ . A. was not harmed by the dog B. raised the dog, which attacked her later C. was protected from being seriously hurt by her daughter D. had escaped when her daughter was kicking the dog Answer: C Question: Think of some of your favorite singers. When you listen, they can make you happy or sad, peaceful or angry. They can make you relax or want to get up and dance. Gifted singers have the power to affect us in many ways -- emotionally, physically and mentally. But becoming a great singer isn't as easy as listening to one. It takes practice, devotion and strong lungs! Just ask the well-known American opera star Carol Vaness. At the Metropolitan Opera in prefix = st1 /New York Citywhere she often sings, Carol's voice must be loud enough to be heard by four thousand people. It must reach every person in the theater, without a microphone, even when she's singing softly. The reason Carol can project her voice that far is the way she breathes. "When you breathe, it's like a swimmer taking a deep breath before going underwater," Carol explains. "You have to take a lot of air into your lungs." According to Carol, the main difference between pop singing and opera is "how you breathe, how much air you take in, and how you control it coming out. Regular singing is more like speaking, and it's a lot softer. When I sing for children, they're often surprised by how the vibrations strike their ears -- like waves on a beach, " Carol says. "In opera, the air doesn't just go out of your mouth -- it vibrates in your chest, the way a guitar vibrates when it's played. " Ever since she started piano lessons at the age of ten, Carol has loved music. As she got older, she decided to become a music teacher. When she went to college, she took singing lessons as part of her studies. Her voice teacher discovered that nineteen-year-old Carol had an exceptionally beautiful soprano voice - the highest singing voice for women. Carol decided to make opera her goal, not only because she loved to sing but also because she loved the drama. Opera is a play in which the characters sing the words instead of speaking them. The stories of opera can be tragic or comical. They can be personal stories about two people falling in love or grand stories about kings and queens who lived long ago. As the characters in an opera sing, the emotions expressed by words and music come to life. Today, Carol performs throughout the United Statesand Europe and she has song for almost twenty years. But she has never forgotten where she started singing in the first palace. "Put your heart into your singing and enjoy it," says Carol, "because singing is a great joy. That's why I sing. In fact, that's why everybody sings. " According to the passage, the Metropolitan Opera in New York City _ . A. is a five-story building B. can seat 4,000 people C. has no microphone in it D. can project the singer's voice Answer: B
According to a survey, only 4% of the people in the world are left-handed. Why? One theory centers on the two halves of the brain. For example, the left half and the right half, each of which functions differently. Medical science believes that the left half of the brain dominates over the right half. The foundation of this theory is the fact that nerves from the brain cross over at neck-level to the opposite side of the body, and nerves from the other side of the brain reciprocate . The end result is that the opposite sides of the body are controlled by the opposite sides of the brain. The dominant left half of the brain, which kindly supplies the right half of the body, theoretically makes it more skillful in reading, writing, speaking, and working, and makes most people right-handed. Lefties, however, whose right half of the brain dominates, work best with the left side of their bodies. Theory number two focuses on the _ nature of the body. Examples of the asymmetry, which flows from head to toe, are that the right side of our faces differs slightly from the left, that our legs differ in strength, or that our feet vary in size. One aspect of this asymmetry is that for most people the right hand is stronger than the left. There is no doubt that all exist in a "right-handed society", which produces most basics, including scissors, doorknobs, locks, screwdrivers, automobiles, buttons on clothing, and musical instruments for the 96%. Left-handed people make up for the unfairness by being members of an elite society, which includes many of the greatest geniuses, including Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Which of the words or phrases is closest in meaning to the word "asymmetrical"? A valuable B not typical C not balanced D negative Answer: C. not balanced Camilla Broomstick, a missing Camden -area woman, was reported found inside her damaged Chevrolet Malibu Sunday afternoon in a County near Camden New Jersey, at the bottom of an embankment off a highway, according to authorities. Her car, turned upside down, was spotted by a passer-by who had stopped to view scenery and noticed something shining and what looked like a body, authorities said. When emergency responders arrived, they found Broomstick alive inside her severely damaged car. The vehicle rested upside down after flying 120 feet off the highway and rolling an additional 200 feet into an aspen woods. "The crash alone would have killed her," New Jersey State Trooper Dean Enoch said. "It's surprising that she survived the crash at all, and then to be down there for that amount of days without food or water." Earlier Monday, the family released a statement at the hospital thanking emergency responders who rushed Broomstick to the hospital and to the man who found her and notified authorities. "We sincerely appreciate all the thoughts, prayers and kind gestures from the community during such a hard time for our family," the statement read. "While we're hopeful of her prognosis , Camilla was seriously injured and with multiple internal and external injuries. Later this afternoon Camilla will be undergoing surgery here to amputate both of her feet. Doctors were not able to save her feet due to the serious injuries. Camilla is in critical but stable condition at this time and has a very long road ahead." In the statement, family members mentioned reports that Broomstick wrote a request for help on an umbrella she pushed out the car window. "We cannot comment on that right now because we have not seen the umbrella," the statement said. Family members also asked that the public respect their privacy. Who found the severely damaged car? A The authorities. B A passer-by. C Emergency responders. D Her families. Answer: B. A passer-by. 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 five past eight." he said. Then he went to sleep again. But soon he was waken up again because a second person was knocking at the window."Excuse me, what time is it now?"he asked. The driver looked at his watch again, and told him it was half past eight. In this way, the driver thought he couldn't 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." The driver wrote a short note and stuck it on the window because _ . A he didn't know the time. B he didn't want anybody to trouble him. C he wanted somebody to wake him up. D he wanted somebody to tell him the time. Answer: B. he didn't want anybody to trouble him. Human interaction with the environment has led to increasing amounts of acid rain. Which population have humans adversely affected the most by contributing to the production of acid rain? A frogs in a pond ecosystem B fish in an ocean ecosystem C bears in a tundra ecosystem D lions in a grassland ecosystem Answer: A. frogs in a pond ecosystem If the only sports you do are dancing your fingers across your keyboard, you could be in serious danger of more than just becoming overweight and out of shape. Do you often feel sleepy, like something is weighing down on your head? Do you feel forgetful? Do you sometimes feel uncomfortable up and down your neck and lower back, and you can't explain why? Do you get sick often? It could be radiation from your computer causing it. If you spend three hours or more a day in front of a computer (and at this point, who doesn't?), you are more easily harmed by the _ . We have got so used to using computers that we often neglect to think of them as dangerous sources of harmful radiation. A safe amount of radiation is 25 V/m (Volts/meter). Do you want to guess how much our personal computers give off? Keyboard: 1000 V/m Mouse: 450 V/m Monitor: 218V/m CPU: 170V/m Notebook computers: 2,500 V/m Ways of Protect Yourself from Harmful Computer Radiation 1. Decorate your desk with cactus plants, they take in radiation. 2. Drink two to three cups of green tea a day and eat an orange daily. The vitamins in tea leaves and oranges protect us from radiation and keep our eyes healthy as well. 3. Use a screen filter for your monitor. 4. Avoid having metal objects nearby on your desk. 5. Put the back of the computer to the wall. Most of the radiation comes off the back. 6. Keep your monitor at least 50cm away from your face. 7. Keep your computer rooms ventilated . 8. Eat healthily-----especially fruits and vegetables. 9. Don't fall asleep on your computer. Turn it off if you have to rest nearby. The ways above are useful, why not have a try at once? Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? A Cactus plants take in harmful radiation. B Eating healthily helps you stay well. C You should fall asleep at your computer daily. D A well ventilated room is good prevention. Answer: C. You should fall asleep at your computer daily.
Astronauts aboard the space station celebrated a space first on Wednesday by drinking water that had been recycled from their urine , sweat and water got from air. They said "cheers," clicked drinking bags and toasted NASA workers on the ground. The urine recycling system is needed for astronaut stations on the moon and Mars. It also will have NASA money because it won't have to ship up as much water to the station by space shuttles or cargo rockets. Besides, it's important as the space station is about to expand from three people living on board to six. The recycling system had been brought up to the space station last November by space shuttles Endeavour, but it couldn't be used until samples were tested back on earth. So when it came time to actually drink up, NASA made a big deal of it. The three-man crew stood holding their drinks and congratulated engineers in two NASA centres that worked on the system. "This is something that had been the stuff of science fiction," American astronaut Michael Barratt said before taking a small mouthful. "The taste is worth trying." The new system takes the combined urine of the crew from the toilet, moves it to a big tank, where the water is boiled off, and the vapor is collected. The rest of the urine is thrown away. Then the water vapor is mixed with water from air, and then it goes through filters . When six crew members are aboard it can make about six gallons from urine in about six hours. "Some people may find the idea of drinking recycled urine distasteful, but it is also done on earth, but with a lot longer time between urine and the tap," said Marybeth Edeen, the space station's national lab manager. The technology NASA developed for this system has already been used for quick water purification after the 2004 Asian tsunami. From Para. 5 we can know _ . Summer Term in the School of Life will start on Friday 25 January 2015, in Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia and will become the first international school to open its doors. To make everyday life rich, the writer Alain de Botton has worked hard at getting the best ideas and the School of Life is his brainchild . Since it began in London in 2009, more than 50,000 people have taken part in its programs and its new way of life-long learning is now well-known all over the world. Summer Term in the School of Life is a 10-week project offering a selection of the UK's most popular programs, led by Australia's thinkers. "We are very excited to start the School of Life in Australia. We can't wait to start receiving our first guests ," says Alain de Botton. Summer Term will include different classes, workshops and other special events held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 25January and 31 March. The conversation Cafe onsite will serve up a daily conversation menu, light food and of course, delicious coffee. "There has been a growing need among Australians to deal with the problems in life like love, creativity, work, money, nature and death. The School of Life Australia will provide a space for us to explore these subjects," says Sara Tiefebtun, Project Director of the School of Life Australia. Program details for the School of Life Australia's Summer Term will be announced in December 2013. For more information sign up to our mailing list at: Updates will also be shared regularly on Twitter and Facebook . Which of the following would be the best title of the passage? If the eyes are the romantic's window into the soul, _ In a study published last month in the journal Science, Peter Ungar of the University of Arkansas and his partner, Matt Sponheimer of the University of Colorado, US, examined the teeth of our early human ancestors to find out what they were really eating. They already knew that different foods cause different marks on teeth. Some cause scratches, while others cause pits .The carbon left on teeth by different foods is also different. Tropical grasses, for example, leave one kind of carbon, but trees leave another kind because they photosynthesized ( ) differently. Traditionally, scientists had looked at the size and shape of teeth and skulls ( ) to figure out what early humans ate. Big flat teeth were taken to be signs that they ate nuts and seeds, while hard and sharp teeth seemed good for cutting meat and leaves. But this was proven wrong. The best example was the Paranthropus , one of our close cousins, some of which lived in eastern Africa. Scientists used to believe Paranthropus ate nuts and seeds because they had big crests on their skulls, suggesting they had large chewing muscles and big teeth. If this had been true, their teeth should have been covered with pits like the surface of the moon. They would also have had a particular type of carbon on their teeth that typically comes from tree products, such as nuts and seeds. However, when the two scientists studied the Paranthroupus, it turned out to have none of these characteristics. The teeth had a different kind of carbon, and were covered with scratches, not pits. This suggests they probably ate grass, not nuts and fruit stones. It was the exact opposite of what people had expected to find. Carbon "foodprints" give us a completely new and different insight into what different species ate and the different environments they lived in. If a certain species had the kind of carbon on its teeth that came from grasses, it probably lived in a tropical grassland, for example. The example of the Paranthropus was mentioned in the article in order to _ . One day,when 12-year-old Sean Redden went to a popular chat room on the Internet, he saw the name of someone he'd never seen there before, Susan Hicks. Her message was " Would someone help me? I can't breathe. Help me! I can't feel my left side." At first, Sean thought it was a bad joke and he told his mother Sharon Redden. But she asked, " It's not just some game, is it? The message was not a joke. " Susan Hicks" was actually 20-year-old Taija Laitinen, a student working late at night at a college library near Helsinki, Finland---almost 7,000 miles away from Sean's home in Texas. While searching the Internet, she began to feel terrible pain all through her body. The library was empty and the nearest phone was outside in the hallway. She couldn't move that far because any movement caused the pain to get worse. Then as the pain became worse, she began typing her message for help in the chat room. "I don't think it's a joke, mom," Sean said. He typed, " Where are you? The letters appeared, "Finland." Sean and Sharon couldn't believe it. Not knowing what else to do, Sharon called the local police and explained the situation to officer Amy Schmidt. Schmidt told Sharon to try to get the sick girl's phone number and address. Meanwhile, the Texas police called the international telephone operator and asked to be connected to the proper agency in Finland. The Texas police explained the situation and gave Susan's address to the Finnish operator. When Sean heard that, he typed, "Help is on the way." In the few minutes, the library door opened. Doctors and three policemen ran in. Taija turned once more to the computer, " They are here. Thanks. Bye-bye." What was the problem with the person who asked for help? In my second year of high school, the class was scheduled to run the mile. when the coach yelled, "Ready. Set. Go!", I rushed out like an airplane, faster than anyone else for the first 20 feet. I made up my mind to finish first. As we came around the first of four laps, there were students all over the track . By the end of the second lap, many of the students had already stopped. They had given up and were on the ground breathing heavily. As I started the third lap, only a few of my classmates were on the track. By the time I hit the fourth lap, I was alone. Then it hit me that nobody had given up. Instead, everyone had already finished. As I ran that last lap, I cried. And 12 minutes, 42 seconds after starting, I crossed the finishing line. I fell to the ground. I was very upset. Suddenly my coach ran up to me and picked me up, yelling, "You did it. Mark! You finished, son. You finished" He looked at me straight in the eyes, waving a piece of paper in his hand. It was my goal ( ) for the day which I had forgotten. I had given it to him before class. He read it aloud to everyone. It simply said, "I, Mark Brown, will finish the mile run tomorrow, come what may." My heart lifted. My tears went away, and I had a smile on my face as if I had eaten a banana. My classmates clapped. It was then I realized winning isn't always finishing first. Sometimes winning is just finishing. It took Mark _ to run the mile.
In Colombia , there are some unwritten rules that people are used to , These rules are not officially established , but people do respect them . For example , on a bus , a person keeps a distance from another person , and people don't like to touch each other . Many people come to work late because they prefer to wait for another bus if the first one is too crowded . They don't want to have to stand too close to another person , or maybe they are afraid of starting a conversation . A friend of mine in Colombia once said his mom got angry because he came home late , so he asked her , " Mom , what do you think of most people arriving at their jobs so late ? " That gave her the answer to her question since everyone knows no one wants to get on a bus that is too crowded . His mother realized at that moment that customs have a big influence on a person's life . Sometimes , people don't like to make any kind of conversation or make eye contact with others . For example , when they are in line at a bank , they prefer to look up or down rather than look at other people . Moreover , people usually look down when they are in an elevator . Not only on a bus , in line at a bank , and in an elevator do people usually avoid talking to other people , but also in the streets when they are walking , they prefer to look down and to avoid contact with others . What would be the best title for the text ? Answer: Special Customs in Colombia Career success could be predicted as early as kindergarten, according to a 20-year study recently published in the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers from Pennsylvania State University and Duke University tracked more than 700 children from across the US between kindergarten and age 25 and found a significant correlation between their social skills as kindergartners and their success as adults two decades later. In 1991, teachers assessed how the kindergartners interacted with each other socially using a range of criteria like whether they cooperate with their peers without prompting , if they're helpful to others, whether they're good at understanding feelings, and if they can solve problems on their own. Researchers then kept track of whether the students went on to graduate high school on time, get a college degree, and find and keep a full-time job by 25. They also monitored the participants' involvement with crime, drug abuse, public assistance, and mental health issues. The results showed that socially competent children were far more likely to earn a college degree and have a full-time job by 25 than those with limited social skills. Those with limited social skills also had a higher chance of getting arrested, binge drinking, and applying for public housing. "This study shows that helping children develop social and emotional skills is one of the most important things we can do to prepare them for a healthy future," said Kristin Schubert, program director at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which funded the research, in a release. "From an early age, these skills can determine whether a child goes to college or prison, and whether they end up employed or addicted." The good news, according to Damon Jones, lead author of the study, is that intervention at a young age can help improve social and emotional skills. "This research by itself doesn't prove that higher social competence can lead to better outcomes later on," he said. "But when combined with other research, it is clear that helping children develop these skills increases their chances of success in school, work, and life." What has the 20-year study found? Answer: Social skills play a key role in children's development. By 2050, a completely new type of human evolve as a result of extremely new technology, behavior, and natural selection. This is according to Cadell Last, a researcher at the Global Brain Institute, who claims mankind is undergoing a major "evolutionary transition". In less than four decades, Mr. Last claims we will live longer, have children in old age and rely on artificial intelligence to do ordinary and boring tasks. This shift is so significant, he claims, it is comparable to the change from monkeys to apes, and apes to humans. "Your 80 or 100 is going to be so radically different than your grandparents," Mr. Last says, who believes we will spend much of our time living in virtual reality. Some evolutionary scientists believe this age could be as high as 120 by 2050. Mr. Last claims humans will also demonstrate _ , according to a report by Christina Sterbenz inBusiness Insider. This refers to something known as life history theory which attempts to explain how natural selection shapes key events in a creature's life, such as reproduction. It suggests that as brain sizes increase, organisms need more energy and time to reach their full potential, and so reproduce less. Instead of living fast and dying younger, Mr. Last believes humans will live slow and die old. "Global society at the moment is a complete mess," he told MailOnline. "But in crisis there is opportunity, and in apocalypse there can be transformation. So I think the next system humanity creates will be far more sophisticated, fair, and abundant than our current civilization." "I think our next system will be as different from the modern world, as our contemporary world is from the medieval world. The biological clock isn't going to be around forever," he added, and said that people could pause it for some time using future technology. The change is already happening. Today, the average age at which a woman in Britain has her first baby has been rising steadily stands at 29. 8. In the US, just one percent of first children were born to women over the age of 35 in 1970. By 2012, that figure rose to 15 percent. "As countries become socio-economically advanced, more and more people, especially women have the option to engage in cultural reproduction," Mr. Last added. And as well as having more child-free years to enjoy leisure time, he believes artificial intelligence will make up the need for low-skill jobs. We may also spend a large amount of time living in virtual reality. "I'm not quite sure most people have really absorbed the implications of this possibility," Mr. Last said. His views are detailed in a paper, titled "Human Evolution, Life History Theory, and the End of Biological Reproduction" published Current Aging Science. In the next system Mr. Last explained we can infer that _ . Answer: women are engaged in careers or hobbies instead of giving birth to babies Looking through a magazine in a waiting room recently, I came across an article with the title "My top five most precious possessions".It was just a few lines of text with pictures, but it caught my imagination. It's interesting how inanimate objects can take on such significance and become woven into a person's, and sometimes a whole family's life history. Anyway, the article had me considering what my most precious possessions are. It was difficult to choose only five, but here are mine: An old cardboard box filled with my children's baby photos. A yellow pocketsized birthday book of special things (poems, pictures of flowers and trees, etc) given to me by my dad when I was probably about seven or eight years old. A 21st Birthday card from my mum. In it she's written her congratulations, her love, and her hopes for my future. She died not long after, when I was in my early twenties. A few ancient but very beautiful botany books that were once my great grandmother's. She was a botanist in a time when it was ly unusual for women to be qualified in this field and I think she was probably a remarkable and very interesting woman. I'd like to have known her. A brooch left to me by my muchloved grandmother. It was given to my great grandmother (her mother) by my great grandfather on his return from World War I. It is not worth anything in terms of money. However, it not only stands for a link between four generations of women, but it is also a reminder of one young man's return from World War I. How about you? I'd love to hear what you feel are your most precious possessions. In the writer's opinion, something that is thought to be the most precious should be able to _ . Answer: change a person's and even the whole family's life history There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner. As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse ,he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck in the head and killed it. He was shocked! In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood, only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes". But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen. "Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes. Every time Grandma asked Sally to do some housework, she will repeat the same story. After several days of Johnny doing both his work and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma gave him a hug and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you. " In our daily life, whatever we do, God is always standing at the window and he sees the whole thing. He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you. The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, he not only forgives you, but also he forgets. What did Sally mean by saying "Remember the duck" in Para 3? Answer: She reminded his brother of his slingshot.
My first full-time job after high school was selling vacation packages via the telephone for a well-known company. One day, I was put through to a man who sounded a bit out of breath. I started with my normal pitch , expecting to hear the normal reply --"I don't want any." Instead, he spoke in a faint, weak voice and told me how he wished to take a vacation I was offering, but he couldn't because he was dying of illness. He explained how he was lacking in oxygen then, and it took almost all his energy to answer the call. He asked if I smoked, which I did, and begged me to stop. He told me smoking was what was killing him. He told me to spend every day with my loved ones, and tell them how much I love them. At this point, I couldn't control myself. We ended the call, but I held on my phone to prevent another call coming in so I could _ I wrote down his name and address, and sent him a card appreciating his advice and praying for him and his family. Shortly after, I received a letter from Frank, along with a picture of him and his wife. We continued to write back and forth over the next few months, and became very fond of each other. He was old enough to be my grandfather, and in many ways, I felt as if he was. About a year later I received a letter from his wife. When I started to read, tears came to my eyes. She told me how Frank's battle with the disease had finally come to an end, and he passed away shortly before the Christmas. She wanted to thank me for the letters to Frank, and explained how Frank touched many lives over the years. At his funeral, to show just that, they read the 1st letter I had written to Frank to show how he affected a 19-year-old he'd never met. At Frank's funeral the author's 1st letter to Frank was read in order to _ . Answer: indicate that Frank touched many people's hearts When I was seven years old my mom was diagnosed with cancer. For this type of cancer the survival rate was low. My family was extremely upset and shocked. I was too young to understand. I had no idea that everyday with my mom had to be the absolute best because we didn't know if it would be our last. I didn't understand why everyone was suddenly taking time out of their busy lives to come over and sit on our couch. The doctors told us my mom might survive with surgery . But it could also kill her. She agreed to have it. The surgery was scheduled for the day after the Columbus Day. The day before the surgery I had off from school, and my mom planned the best day of my life. The day began with her waking me up saying, "Kate, I have a surprise for you. Come see." The surprise was a doll I had wanted for the longest time. Throughout the day, she told me everything that she thought I would need to know to grow up and be a good person; she told me to be the best I could be and that I would always make her proud. The day was filled with laughter. For the first time in a long time I could see she was happy. Really happy. The day passed and the next day, it was time for the surgery. There were no tears; I think I understood that I could lose my mom, because they did tell me she could die. We waited all day for news from the doctor. Everyone jumped when a door opened or anyone walked into the waiting room. Finally the doctor came in, and the news was what we had prayed for. I will never forget that day together, and how her illness pulled our family closer. I understand now how lucky we were. I truly appreciate life and honor my mom for being so strong. It can be inferred that the author's mother _ . Answer: tried to show her love to her daughter before the operation Be positive about school! Don`t say things are difficult or boring. Be interested in school life and your school subjects. Join lots of activities. Be quick to put your hand up. Go round the school with a big smile. Expect to work. School is not a holiday camp. If you are not working, you are not learning, and you are wasting your time at school. Teachers cannot make everything enjoyable. Keep fit. If you do not eat a good breakfast, you will be thinking about food in class. If you go to bed late and do not have enough sleep, you will be sleepy in class. Play some sports to keep your body strong. Don`t be too disappointed if things sometimes go badly. Everyone _ some tests, lose some matches and has bad days. Friends are not always perfect, and they sometimes say and do unpleasant things. Don`t let small problems seem very big and important. Talk about problems. Sometimes they are only the result of misunderstanding. Don`t be too embarrassed to ask for help. You are young. No one thinks you can do everything. What is not mentioned in the passage? Answer: camp "A good book for children should simply be a good book in its own right" says Mollie Hunter. Born and brought up near Edinburgh,Mollie has devoted her talents to writing primarily for young people. She firmly believes that there is and should always be a wider audience for any good book whatever its main market is. In Mollie's opinion it is necessary to make full use of language and she enjoys telling a story,which is what every writer should be doing. "If you aren't telling a story, you're a very dead writer indeed." She says. With the chief function of a writer being to entertain,Mollie is indeed an entertainer. "I have this great love of not only the meaning of language but of the music of language," she says. "This love goes back to early childhood. I had a school teacher who used to ask us what we would like to be when we grew up and,because my family always had dogs,and I was very good at handling them,I said I wanted to work with dogs,and the teacher always said 'Nonsense,Mollie;dear,you'll be a writer.' So finally I thought that this woman must have something,since she was a good teacher and I decided when I was nine that I would be a writer." This childhood intention is described in her novel,A Sound of Chariots,which although written in the third person is clearly autobiographical and gives a picture both of Mollie's ambition and her struggle towards its achievement. Thoughts of her childhood inevitably brought thoughts of the time when her home was still a village with buttercup meadows and strawberry fields--sadly now covered with modern houses. "I was once taken back to see it and I felt that somebody had lain dirty hands all over my childhood. I'll never go back,"she said "Never. When I set one of my books in Scotland" she said "I can recall my romantic feelings as a child playing in those fields,or watching the village blacksmith at work. And that's important because children now know so much so early that romance can't exist for them, as it did for us." What do we learn about Mollie Hunter as a young child? Answer: She didn't expect to become a writer. All of the following contain chloroplasts but this Answer: sea anemones
Dear Mary, I am not happy these days. I am new in this class, you know, but I don' t have any friends here. I always have to keep quiet and put my heart into my study. I thought things would be fine. It's very hard for me to be happy and sometimes I get lost in thought. So I can't follow the teacher. I know it is not right like this, but I can't control myself in class. Then my study is bad now. Some students make fun of me. I feel hurt , but I don't show my anger. In fact, I have to hide my unhappiness. I feel terrible. Dear Mary, I really don't know what to do now, Can you help me? Yours, Jane ,A, B, C, D,, . What does Jane do when her classmates make fun of her? A She tells her teacher about it. B She fights with them. C She feels hurt. D She hides her unhappiness. Answer: D. She hides her unhappiness. Every day my husband parked his car in the same open-air car park in Zimbabwe. On this particular day, he had been running to his car with a pile of office papers under his arm. As he opened the car door, he suddenly lost control of his body. He felt a stabbing pain in his arm, and became totally breathless and lost consciousness. As he fell down, half in, half out of the car, his last thought was "what a way to die". A young woman getting into her own car in the deserted car park noticed what was going on and at once ran to my husband's aid, trying to bring his life back. Realizing time was important, she tried to move my husband to her car, calling the guard at the gate. Fearing an ambulance would take too long to arrive, she felt it better to get to the hospital as quickly as she could. She raced through traffic lights sounding her car's horn and rushed into the hospital, calling out, "I have an unknown man here who I think is having a heart attack. Having realized he was in capable hands, the woman returned to the car park, found his keys on the ground, collected his papers and piled them in the car. Having seen my husband come out of a certain building each day, the security guard thought he knew where he worked. The young woman managed to locate his colleagues and they in turn contacted my niece, who waited for me to return home so she could break the news to me. After careful tests it turned out that my husband's disease had nothing to do with heart. We were naturally eager to find the kind stranger who had come to his aid. After some weeks we discovered where the young woman worked. She was overjoyed when my husband walked into her office with a huge bouquet of flowers. She said she required no thanks, and preferred to remain anonymous . We now live in a different country, but each Christmas my husband remembers her act of kindness and sends a gift. We regard every day of his life as a bonus, all thanks to this kind stranger. From the passage, we can infer that _ . A a heart attack hit the writer's husband suddenly B there were few people in the park that day C the young woman was at a loss at first D the woman was fined for breaking the traffic lights Answer: B. there were few people in the park that day Most people regard zoos as safe places for animals, where struggles such as difficulty finding food and avoiding predators don't exist. Without such problems, animals in zoos should live to a ripe old age. But that may not be true for the largest land animals on Earth. Scientists have known that elephants in zoos often develop diseases, joint problems and behavior changes. Sometimes, they even become unable to have babies. To learn more about how captivity affects elephants, a team of international scientists led by Mason, a biologist, compared the life spans of female elephants born in zoos with female elephants living outdoors in the wild. Zoos keep detailed records of all the animals in their care, documenting factors such as birth dates, illnesses, weight and death. These records made it possible for the researchers to analyze 40 years of data on 800 elephants in zoos. The team found that female elephants born in zoos lived an average of 16.9 years. Their wild counterparts who died of natural causes lived an average of 56 years----more than three times as long. Scientists don't yet know for sure why wild elephants seem to live so much better than their zoo-raised counterparts. Mason thinks stress and obesity may be to blame. Zoo elephants don't get the same kind of exercise as they do in the wild, and most are very fat. Elephant social lives are also much different in zoos than in the wild, where they live in large groups. Another finding from the study showed that elephants born in zoos were more likely to die earlier than elephants captured in the wild and brought to zoos. Mason suggests stress in the mothers in zoos might cause them to have babies that are less likely to survive. The study raises some questions about acquiring more elephants to keep in zoos. While some threatened and endangered species living in zoos reproduce successfully and keep healthy populations, that doesn't appear to be the case with elephants. Which of the following can be the best title? A Comparison between two species of elephants B Longer lives for wild elephants C Female elephants suffer from poor health. D Longer lives for zoo animals. Answer: B. Longer lives for wild elephants Reading is the key to success in all school subjects. With a bit of creativity, you can help your child enjoy reading more, and encourage him to do more! Buy or borrow a lot of "fun" books. Choose books that are slightly below his level of reading ability. Don't forget what your child likes to do when choosing books for him. Don't comment about the books. Simply leave the books lying on the table where your child is sure to see them. Computer games are not as harmful as most parents usually think them to be. Instead, you should take advantage of your child's love of computer games to purchase those that require a lot of reading and avoid those that are simply computerized video games. Buy your child a bedside reading lamp, or a tiny book light. Tell him that from now on, he must be in bed by a specific time (say 8:30) and that he can either sleep or read. Most kids will do anything else rather than go to sleep, so there's a chance you'll create a new bedtime reading habit. Many children will read when they are sitting alone having a snack, or when they have a few minutes of unplanned free time. Put a box of books and magazines near the kitchen table so that reading material is accessible. Often, once children learn to read independently, parents stop reading to them. This change of routine causes great sadness to a child who has come to love falling asleep as you read. Even a teenager will enjoy being read to if you pick books that interest him. Select books together, and make sure they're ones you enjoy as well, so your enjoyment will come through as you read to them. What attitude do most parents hold towards children playing computer games? A Supportive. B Negative. C Neutral. D Doubtful. Answer: B. Negative. Global warming happens when greenhouse gases trap heat and light from the sun in the earth's atmosphere, which increases the temperature. This is like when heat is trapped in a car. On a hot day, the car gets hotter when it is out in the parking lot. This is because the heat and light from the sun can get into the car, by going through the windows,but it can't get back out. This is what the greenhouse effect does to the earth .The heat and light can get through the atmosphere, but it can't get out As a result,the temperature rises. Sometimes the temperature can change in a way that helps us. The greenhouse effect makes the earth appropriate for people to live on Without _ ,the earth would be freezing,or it would be burning hot. It would be freezing at night because we would not get the sun's heat and light .During the day, especially during the summer, it would be burning because the sun would be up with no atmosphere to filter it,so people,plants,and animals would be exposed to all the light and heat. Although the greenhouse effect makes the earth able to have people living on it,if there gets to be too many gases,the each can get unusually warmer, and many plants,animals.and people will die. Plants would die because they would not be able to take the heat .This would cause us to have less food to eat, and it would also limit the food that animals have. With less food for the animals that we need to survive we would even have less food. Gradually, people,plants,and animals would all die of hunger. People are doing many things to try to stop global warming .One thing is carpooling--driving with someone to a place that you are both going to. Another thing is being more careful about leaving electrical devices turned on. Now, more people are even riding buses or bikes to lower the amount of greenhouse gases in the air .Although adults do many things to help stop global warming, kids call do just as much. What is the effect of atmosphere? A IT only traps the heat of the sun. B It does great harm to humans. C It makes the earth neither to hot nor too cold. D It prevents all the light from the sun shining on the earth. Answer: C. It makes the earth neither to hot nor too cold.
Question: Steven Jobs was born on February 24,1955,in San Francisco,California,and was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs.In 1961 the family moved to Mountain View, California.At that time people started to refer to the area as "Silicon Valley". As a child, Jobs preferred doing things by himself, not interested in team sports or other group activities.He enrolled in the HewlettPackard Explorer Club. There he saw his first computer at the age of twelve. He was very impressed, and knew right away that he wanted to work with computers. At that time almost all computers were so large that one could fill a room, and so costly that individuals could not afford to buy them.Advances in electronics, however, meant that the parts of a computer were getting smaller and the power of the computer was increasing. By 1980 the personal computer era was well underway.Apple was continually forced to improve its products to remain ahead, as more competitors entered the marketplace. Apple introduced the Apple III, but the new model suffered technical and marketing problems.It was removed from the market. Early in 1983 Jobs unveiled the Lisa.It did not sell well,however, because it was more expensive than personal computers sold by competitors.Apple's biggest competitor was International Business Machines (IBM). By 1983 it was estimated that Apple had lost half of its market share ( part of an industry's sales that a specific company has) to IBM. In 1984 Apple introduced a revolutionary new model, the Macintosh.The Macintosh did not sell well to businesses,however.It lacked features other personal computers had, such as a corresponding high quality printer. The failure of the Macintosh signaled the beginning of Jobs's downfall at Apple. Late in 1988 the NeXT computer was introduced, aimed at the educational market.The product was very userfriendly,and had a fast processing speed, excellent graphics displays,and an outstanding sound system.Despite the warm reception,however, the NeXT machine never caught on. It was too costly, had a blackandwhite screen, and could not be linked to other computers or run common software. One of the reasons why the NeXT computer didn't become popular is that _ . A. few people could afford it B. it was not fast enough C. it was not easy to use D. it lacked super sound system Answer: A Question: The holidays are coming up, and if you are looking for some great things to do with your kids to celebrate the season, look no further. The more you let them in on the holiday planning fun, the more exciting it will be for them, and the more pride they can take in a successful holiday. There is a tendency to exclude kids from the holiday preparations for many reasons: we want everything to be perfect or maybe we don't trust that they'll do it right. However, involving kids in holiday preparations can be good for them, as well as fun for you. Kid-created decorations are often the best part of any holiday table. People always love the handmade decorations the best, because they are truly made with love, and they're usually the most fun. Find small things your kids can do, like creating centerpieces or paper rings, and direct their creations. Be sure to put these things out where people can see them when they come over, because there's nothing worse than creating something you're proud of and having it hidden. Let them show your guests what they've made and talk about it. They'll be happy to do so! What is a better way to get into the spirit of the season than to go shopping? Kids love to pick out gifts for others. Let them choose whatever they think the person they're buying for would like. This will help them to be proud of their gifts, as well as try to budget according to the amount of money you have given them. You can also let them pack their own gifts. Give them options of gift bags or packing paper and watch them go to town. It may not be perfect, but it will be precious, for sure. Kids love to cook. They love to get their hands dirty and create fun meals with the help of their parents. They also feel a sense of pride in the food items they create, and they love it when people eat what they make and talk about how delicious it is. Allowing your kids into the kitchen can help them learn cooking and baking, and can also give them ownership of the holiday meal. Of course, you'll have to help them along the way, but taking that time can really make a kid's day. Holiday crafts are the best. Creating centerpieces and ornaments is fun, but you can also look to nature for inspiration. Leaf collages or prints are a fun way to capture the fall. Jack-o'-lanterns are an excellent way to celebrate Halloween, and there is endless inspiration to take from the first snowflakes that fall in winter. Your imagination is the key! What is the purpose of the passage? A. To introduce some perfect holiday activities. B. To recommend some fun holiday ideas to parents. C. To tell people how to make preparations for holidays. D. To inform readers of some kid-friendly holiday ideas. Answer: D Question: Christmas Eve means a warm get-together with friends, a candlelight dinner, or perhaps a celebration at a pub for students. But, for Cai Yingjie, the night has a different meaning: helping beggars and the homeless(people without homes). Cai, who is a student in journalism at Tsinghua, could be found at Beijing's Wudaokou Light Railway Station that special evening. When she saw an old beggar, she took the cold, rough hands of the woman with her warm, clean hands, and gave the woman some warm bread and helped her put on a pair of new gloves. The woman was surprised for a few seconds, then burst into tears, saying "for the first time I feel respected". Cai said, "A beggar's life is very hard. That's why I want to help them." Cai was one of 14 Tsinghua students spending Christmas Eve among the poor. They walked in the cold wind along the streets from 4 to 7 pm on Friday, visiting 15 beggars in Beijing's Haidian District. They brought bread and gloves with them, and stopped to greet beggars and offer them some of the warm food. Each beggar greeted them with a look of surprise. "I know the activity can't help much, but it's meant to show our respect and care for beggars and the homeless who have been _ for so long," said Sun, head of the group. "And Christmas is a good time for that." What does the beggar mean by saying "for the first time I feel respected"? A. The beggar has been waiting for Cai for long. B. The beggar hasn't been shown care for so long. C. The beggar has been respecting Cai for a long time. D. This is the first time the beggar has seen Tsinghua students. Answer: B Question: Standing in front of the "Chilkoot Trailhead" sign for 15 minutes, I didn't take one step. I was afraid of bears. That's what was keeping me from walking the trail alone. I had hiked through black-bear country back home in Colorado, but now I was in Alaska, home to the fierce brown grizzly bear. Fortunately, a friendly couple arrived and asked me to take their picture. We started talking and soon were walking the trail together. I was relieved. Ron and Carol were from Alaska and they taught me how to stay safe in bear country. I had finally started my hike along the famous Chilkoot Trail, where more than 115 years ago, thousands of gold miners had walked. I was writing a book about the Klondike Gold Rush, and I wanted to follow in the footsteps of the miners to know what it was really like. Ron, Carol, and I walked through the forest. As I was looking around at the beautiful scenery in the forest, I tripped over a big tree root and injured my ankle . Fortunately, my ankle felt better in the morning, and we followed the trail. We went to bed early that night because the following day would be the toughest hike of all. At dawn, we started hiking up the steep , green valley. Icy glaciers covered the mountains above. Soon we were as high as the clouds and could see only 20 feet in front of us. Finally, we reached the top of the Chilkoot pass and saw a Canadian flag moving in the heavy wind. Hours later, we arrived at our campground. The following morning, my ankle was feeling fine, and my fear of bears had mostly disappeared. I said good-bye to Ron and Carol and walked alone for the next two days. Without seeing any bears the entire trip, I finally arrived at Bennett Lake. I rode the old train down to the town of Skagway and checked into my hotel. While relaxing in my comfortable bed in the hotel, I thought of the miners from the Klondike Gold Rush. When the miners reached Bennett Lake, they had to cut down trees, build boats, and travel 500 miles down dangerous rivers and lakes. Then, when they finally reached the goldfields, they had to start digging. Why did the author stand in front of the "Chilkoot Trailhead" sign for 15 minutes? A. To wait for Ron and Carol. B. Because he felt nervous. C. Because he met a black bear. D. To take photos of the beautiful scenery. Answer: B Question: Few people realize that there is a big difference between formal English and informal English. Formal English is used for most writing, and often in public speaking and formal meetings. It pays close attention to grammar rules, because if we use proper grammar, our meaning is often more _ . Also, on important occasions, we do not want to appear uneducated or to offend others, so we are very careful about how we speak. Informal English is used in speaking or writing to our friends and family. It often does not pay such close attention to grammar rules, because when we speak or write to them, we want our words to flow quickly. Also, with our friends and family, we are usually not so worried about appearing uneducated or about offending them by how we write or speak. A big difference between formal and informal English is the use of contractions. A contraction is where we make a word shorter or where we put two words together and take away some of the letters. For example, instead of saying "do not", many people say "don't". Using contractions in our speech is fine because it sounds natural, especially when we speak to our friends. In formal writing, however, contractions are usually avoided because people might think that you have made a mistake, or that you do not know proper grammar. In the same way we might make words shorter, in informal English we often make sentences shorter as well. For example, if someone asks you your name, you will likely answer with one word: your first name. However, in formal English we usually use complete sentences. For example, we might write "My name is John". In most speaking, we may not need to use every word in a sentence because the person we are speaking to will probably still understand us. In most writing, however, every word in a sentence must be written out in order to make sure that we can be understood. Contractions are best used when we are _ . A. speaking at a formal meeting B. speaking in public C. speaking to our friends D. writing an application letter Answer: C
Question: Chinese International School Application Form Before an applicant can be invited to take part in an assessment, an application form should be returned to the Admissions Office, and the application fee of HK$1,000 cannot be returned. For overseas applicants wishing to pay in currencies other than HK dollars, the fee is US$145. Checks are also good for payment to "Chinese International School". The application should include: * Applicant' academic report from the last school year. * A recent passport-sized photo (attached to the application form). [:,,] * A copy of the applicant's Hong Kong ID card or a passport showing a valid Hong Kong visa. * Only for applicants applying under a Corporate Nomination Right: A company letter confirming the nomination. Please note that the application fee is non-refundable. Applicants who would like to re-apply for another academic year are asked to submit a new application and application fee. Acceptance Applicants will be informed of their acceptance status in writing by postal mail. Initial offers for Reception will be sent out from late March once all assessments have been completed. Some applicants who have been assessed may be held on a reserve list. Acceptances may also be made on a conditional basis among the applicants on the reserve list. Applicants who have been assessed but who have not been admitted are welcome to reapply for the next academic year. Please note that such applicants will be asked to submit a new application and application fee. Confirmation of Acceptance and Enrollment Once an applicant has been admitted, the applicant family will be asked to confirm acceptance and hold the student's place with immediate payment of the required fees for the Nomination Right (HK$ 500), plus the sum of HK$ 7,500 as the first tuition payment.[:] In addition, enrollment will not be considered complete until the following have been received, normally one month before the start of the new school year: Physical examination results Tuition (first month) How will the applicants possibly be informed of the acceptance status? A. By fax. B. By e-mail. C. By regular mail D. By telephone. Answer: C Question: Here is a photo of my family. These are my parents, Jack Ken and Mary Ken. My father is a teacher and my mother is a nurse . This is my brother David and this is my sister Jane. And the little girl is me .I have a happy family. I love my family. I am a _ . A. boy B. girl C. son D. father Answer: B Question: As time goes by, sports have become more and more important in people's modern life. People take part in different kinds of sports, like football, basketball, table tennis, swimming and so on. Sports are popular all over the world. People also like watching sports matches . Sports stars are very popular with people, especially students. There are sports matches all over the world nearly every year, but the most important and famous is the Olympic Games. Every player wants to win the game. At that time all sports fans sit in front of TVs to watch games. Some even go to the stadium to watch. Why are sports so popular? Because sports can keep our body strong. Do you like playing sports? How often do you exercise? ,. People can _ . A. change sports rules B. take part in sports C. watch sports matches D. Both B and C Answer: D Question: It can't be truer that when in Rome do as the Romans do. So it's necessary for you to know what you can talk with the local people in France, Australia and Switzerland, and different customs of these countries. In France You'll find that conversations often turn into heated debates. Give opinions only on subjects that you are knowledgeable about. There is rarely a moment of silence, except when the topic under discussion has been exhausted, and nothing new has been introduced. Food, art, music and current events or history are welcome topics. French believe in freedom, and you can criticize anyone, but not Napoleon, who is a symbol of French spirit and never use the standard. U.S. conversation opener "What do you do". In Australia Australians tend to be enthusiastic debaters. A wide range of topics may be open to discussion, including religion and politics. The best policy, however, is to wait for Australian companions to bring up these two subjects; be prepared to hear their arguments. Sport is a common topic of conversation in Australia and Australians tend to use sporting comparisons. Australians like to criticize themselves, but they can't stand criticism from others. Don't talk big;instead Australians prefer to judge your competence and abilities through your actions. People who show off their education in conversation may be subject to teasing. In Switzerland The Swiss may seem cold. Once you get close to them, however, you'll find that they are honest, responsible people, who will be loyal to your interests. They are good listeners and will remember practically everything you say to them. Sometimes they will even go so far as to take notes while you speak. The Swiss are a very private people, so you should avoid asking personal questions. They can be rather serious, so it is advisable to avoid making jokes on them. We can infer from the passage that _ A. Australians don't like to show off their success before others. B. Australians like to criticize themselves and others. C. you can talk with French about anything even if you know little. D. you can criticize anyone in France because you have the right. Answer: A Question: Lin Dehua, boy, 13 School should make our lunchtime longer. Now, our lunchtime is short. Many of my classmates have some homework to do after lunch . But if they do not get a good rest, they won't have enough energy for the afternoon. So I would like to have some time to take a nap after lunch . That way we will learn well in the afternoon. Zhang Huilin, girl,13 Food in our dining hall is not nice at all. There is always pork, fish, and cabbages. The soup is always cold. I think we should have different kinds of food every day. And why can't we have hot soup every day ? I am _ what we eat ! Zheng Chuyu, boy,14 We want more time for sports activities. Students all need time for ball games. But there are only two hours for us to play ball games a week. I think school should be over before 4.30 p.m. every day and then we can go to the playground. I like badminton. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy ! What do many of Lin Dehua's classmates do after lunch ? A. They get a good rest. B. They get a nap. C. They chat with each other. D. They do their homework. Answer: D
Question: Do you like traditional Chinese paper-cutting? Ding Xiang, a student at Nongsishi Middle School in Xinjiang, is really good at it. At the eighth National Excellent Talents Competition last month in Beijing, the 15-year-old girl got the gold award for her paper-cutting skills. At the competition, Ding cut a piece: Millennium Dream . The piece has two papers. One shows an ancient cave painting and the other a Chinese-made spaceship. The two papers form a sharp contrast . Ding said she wanted to show three things with the piece: China's long history, China's rapid development, and her hope for the future of paper-cutting. This piece helped Ding walk away with the gold award. "I was very surprised to get the award." Ding said in an interview with Yili Daily, a Xingjiang newspaper. "I should thank paper-cutting for bringing me the award." All the hard work has paid off. In two years, Ding's skills have improved a lot, and she has the gold award to prove _ . Ding said she has learned a lot from paper-cutting. "I have learned to observe things carefully," Ding told Yili Daily. "I have become more confident, too. It is a great help in my studies. Also, I have learned a lot of history from the art." Which one is not true according to the passage? A. Ding does well in paper-cutting. B. Ding is talented in paper-cutting. C. Ding is tired of paper-cutting D. Ding works hard at paper-cutting. Answer: C. Ding is tired of paper-cutting Question: A back injury led Briton Rose Oliver to t'ai chi, which led her to her husband and then took both of them to China. But three years after moving to Shanghai to pursue their dream, Oliver's husband died, leaving her alone to follow their shared passion for t'ai chi. Twenty years ago, Oliver's back injury ruined her childhood dream of becoming a ballet dancer. But the injury did lead her to t'ai chi, a martial art typically practiced in slow motion. Her initial hope was to improve her health. She later married her instructor, Rey Nelson, and founded a school with him, teaching the martial art to more than 10, 000 students over eight years. The 49-year-old recalls the injury that left her bedridden for six months when she was 21 years old and with constant pain for decades. "I was active and could not bear resting in bed," she recalls."But the soft tissue injuries were hard to heal. I thought I had to find some way to recover my health." Oliver saw a poster for a t'ai chi class and decided to try the"mysterious exotic sport". She was struck by the beautiful movements and the"nice, patient instructor -- Nelson". The couple later opened a t'ai chi school in the United Kingdom that attracted thousands of people. But they found themselves in a bottleneck. "It was not enough for us to improve ourselves when we just learned from t'ai chi masters for two or four weeks a year,"she says. So the couple moved to Shanghai. They taught English in universities and happily learned t'ai chi under various masters. After years of practice, Oliver found her occasional backaches had disappeared. In 2003, her husband's death brought her much pain. She thought of giving up, but considering the career in which her husband took pride, she stuck to it. She says her t'ai chi"family"-- the masters and students -- also provided a great support network. Her then tutor was Dong Bing and Dong died in 2009 at the age of 88. She speaks of their first meeting:"I had been told that his skill was of a very high level and for some reason I had a mental image of a powerful, big man. But my fellow pointed to a small, thin old gentleman, sitting on the ground. "I felt amazed as I realized that this was the master himself, and then a sudden feeling of pleasure hit me. Of course this was exactly the kind of person who would be a t'ai chi master -- the last person you could imagine. "I learned attentively from him. He did not only teach me physically t'ai chi but also the philosophy of how to be a better person, how to keep going when you felt you were tired. "His idea is that one should not pursue wealth and fame but endeavor to be happy and share one's knowledge and wisdom with others." Following the master, Oliver learned to live a simple life -- one perhaps more traditional than many Chinese. She does t'ai chi in the morning and makes kung fu tea for guests. Ink-wash bamboo paintings hang on her apartment walls. Oliver spends her time outside t'ai chi teaching English and attending cultural exchange events. She founded the Double Dragon Alliance in 2005. The organization enables Chinese kung fu masters to teach martial arts to Westerners and organizes seminars and events for them to experience Chinese massage , acupuncture , traditional medicine, calligraphy and tea ceremonies. Because of her contribution to cultural exchange, Oliver was given the Shanghai Magnolia Award on Sept 30, 2013. The award, named after Shanghai's city flower, is given to foreigners who have made significant contributions to the city. Oliver and her husband came to China in . A. 2000 B. 2001 C. 2003 D. 2009 Answer: A. 2000 Question: In Britain, people usually begin their talks with weather. For example, they will say"It's a fine day, isn't it?""Do you think it will rain?" Many people believe that they are able to tell what the weather will be like. But they never agree with each other. One man may say, "How cloudy it is now! It's going to rain." Another man will say, "No, it's going to be fine later." People always hope the weather they want. For example, when a farmer needs water, he looks for something to tell him it's going to rain. When a man wants to travel, he is sure the weather will be fine quickly. Now almost everyone listens to the weather report. It doesn't always tell us the weather we want, it only tells us what the weather will be like. But sometimes it makes mistakes . ,. _ listen(s) to the weather report. A. All the people B. Everyone C. Each of the people D. Most people Answer: D. Most people Question: A crow is sitting in a big tree. She has a big piece of meat in her mouth, "My babies will have a nice breakfast," she thinks. An old fox is looking for his breakfast. He sees the crow and the meat, " How can I get that piece of meat? " he thinks. "Good morning, Mrs. Crow," says the fox. " How are you? " But the crow doesn't say a word. "You have very nice babies, Mrs. Crow," says the fox. " How are they? May I see them? " Still the crow doesn't say a word. "You are very beautiful, Mrs. Crow. And you have a beautiful voice, too," says the fox. " Would you like to sing a song for me? " Mrs. Crow thinks, "How nice Mr. Fox is! I must sing a song for him. " So she opens her mouth, at that time, Mrs. Crow drops the meat into the fox's mouth. The crow doesn't say a word to the fox because _ . A. she doesn't like the fox at all B. her babies are not well C. she has a beautiful voice D. she has a big piece of meat in her mouth Answer: D. she has a big piece of meat in her mouth Question: Peng Liyuan, China's first lady, who has accompanied her husband to the United States, is no stranger to being in the spotlight. She has been praised by both mainland and international media for her sense of fashion on earlier state visits. Following her arrival in the U.S., she is set for a much-anticipated fashion face-off with her fellow, U.S. first lady Michelle Obama later this week. Here we take a look at four key differences between the two fashion icons. 1 Backgrounds Peng Liyuan Peng, a Yuncheng county, Shandong native, joined the People's Liberation Army when she was 18. She was one of the first people on the mainland to obtain a master's degree in ethnic music at the China Conservatory of Music. Her vocal talents made her a superstar as an army soprano , and she has given many singing performances at home and abroad. Michelle Obama Michelle grew up with her older brother, Craig, in Chicago. Her father was a water plant operator, and her mother was a full-time housewife until her daughter went to high school. She went to state school, and later graduated from Princeton University with a bachelor's degree in sociology. She then attended Harvard Law School in 1988, where she earned a doctorate in law. 2 Professions Peng Liyuan Aside from being the first lady of China and a singer, Peng is also the president of the People's Liberation Army's Academy of Art College. She has since stepped down from public performances, but continues with her charity work. Michelle Obama After working as a lawyer, Michelle began to work in public service and was the associate dean at the University of Chicago. She then became vice-president for community and external affairs at the University of Chicago Medical Center before her husband's inauguration. 3 Campaigns Peng Liyuan The World Health Organization appointed Peng as a goodwill ambassador in its campaign against tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS in 2012. In 2014, UNESCO named her as a special envoy to promote education for girls and women. She has also joined Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, in promoting World No Tobacco Day. Michelle Obama Michelle launched the"Let's Move!"campaign in 2010 to fight against childhood obesity. She has raised awareness of the need for higher education, and also spoken about empowering young women worldwide through a government initiative called"Let Girls Learn". 4 Styles Peng Liyuan China's first lady tends to wear tailored clothing, with clean lines on formal occasions. Internet users have praised her"elegant ensemble"and graceful outfits. The 54-year-old supports home-grown Chinese designers, such as Ma Ke, one of the founders of EXCEPTION de Mixmind, a largely unknown fashion brand until she sparked global headlines by wearing a fancy black overcoat and handbag on her first trip with Xi to Moscow in 2013. Michelle Obama Michelle is more experimental with her style -- her clothes range from casual dresses to off-the-shoulder ball gowns, and tailored trouser suits. The 52-year-old wears clothing mostly made by American designers, which include more affordable fashion retailers, such as J. Crew and Target, and the famous designer Alexander McQueen. From their background, we know both Peng Liyuan and Michelle Obama . A. succeed with the help of their husband B. are busy with various political activities now C. make their achievements through their own efforts D. owe their success to their former famous universities Answer: C. make their achievements through their own efforts
Watching bison up close is fascinating, like watching a grass fire about to leap out of control. With their huge, wedge-shaped heads and silver-dollar-size brown eyes, the 2,000-pound animals are symbols of another place and time. More than 100 bison now roam the 30,000-acre American Prairie Reserve in eastern Montana -- the first time they've inhabited that region in a century. Direct descendants of the tens of millions of bison that once populated the Western plains, they represent an epic effort: to restore a piece of America's prairie to the national grandeur that Lewis and Clark extolled two centuries ago. During that famous expedition across the Western states to the Pacific, the two explorers encountered so many bison that they had to wait hours for one herd to pass. In order to protect what's here and reintroduce long-gone wildlife (something the World Wildlife Fund is helping with), the American Prairie Foundation began purchasing land from local ranchers in 2004. It now owns 30,000 acres and has grazing privileges on another 57,000. Its goal over the next 25 years is to assemble three million acres, the largest area of land devoted to wildlife management in the continental United States. Already, herds of elk, deer, and pronghorn antelope roam the grasslands, where visitors can camp, hike, and bike. Cottonwoods and willows are thriving along streams, creating habitats for bobcats, beavers, and other animals. Not everyone shares APF's vision. Some residents of Phillips County (pop. 3,904) worry that the area could become a prairie Disneyland, overcrowded with tourists. But the biggest obstacle is the ranchers themselves, whose cattle compete with prairie dogs and bison for grass and space. "People like me have no intention of selling their ranches," says Dale Veseth, who heads the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance of 35 families in Phillips County and whose family has been ranching here since 1886. "They've been a labor of love through the generations." Instead, he wants APF to pay or ranchers to raise bison. This would be far less costly for the foundation, he argues, than buying the land directly. What measures have been taken to protect the wildlife by APF? They have bought large land from farmers for bison to live on. By today's standards, my mobile phone is pretty rubbish. It's a Nokia 1616. If that doesn't mean much to you ( it's not the kind of phone you see advertised on television) ,all you need to know is that it's a small, not very heavy device with which you can send and receive telephone calls and text messages. It also has a very handy torch on the top for when you can't find your keys, or when you drop something on the floor in the cinema. Apart from that, my phone doesn't do much. Well, it has an alarm, and it probably has a calculator and things like that, but it's nothing compared to a smartphone. Why would I want one of those? I have often been told that the big advantage of having a smartphone is that " you can do everything with them!" But when was the last time you saw someone doing "everything" with a smartphone? Okay, so they may have an endless list of functions, but generally they are used for checking social networking sites, playing games, and receiving and replying to emails. I'm happy just doing all of those things at home on my laptop. As far as I can tell, the best thing about having a smartphone is that you can be connected to the internet all the time. Don't get me wrong, I love the internet, but I just don't see the point of constantly being online. I can't remember the last time I received a Facebook update which was so urgent that I had to read it as soon as it appeared, and I can't imagine ever having a job which was so important that I would need to read work-related emails immediately. I would think that if someone needed me urgently, they would just ring me rather than send an email. And my trusty Nokia can manage that. One of the most peculiar effects of the smartphone is, in my opinion, the newly-found addiction to maps and navigation systems. Is there anything more boring than knowing exactly where you are all of the time? How do you get to know an area if you don't get lost there a few times? And if you are dependent on online maps, what happens to those great places you find just by chance? You can't exactly find out from google maps the journey from "here" to "that hidden cafe with the tasty-looking cakes", or to "that pond next to the church which looks really pretty in the evening sun. " It is, of course, true that we all occasionally need to be pointed in the right direction, but I find that there are often real life humans you can ask. There are many benefits of having a very basic mobile phone, like the face that it cost me about twenty pounds, and that I don't have to worry too much about it being stolen. But the main benefit has to be the fact that it provides me with the world's greatest excuse for my bad habits. Whether it's turning up late to events, or getting lost on a trip, or missing buses or trains, or forgetting about an appointment at work. I'm pretty sure I'm covered with the following explanation "I'm really sorry, but I don't have a smartphone." The writer's purpose for writing this article is to _ .:] explain why he doesn't want a smartphone Deciding which English-speaking country to study in wasn't difficult for Ann; She had always wanted to visit America. "I wanted to study in an English-language country and I always wanted to visit America because it always seemed to me a very beautiful and friendly country." Ann is more than happy with the quality of the education she is receiving in America, particularly with the subjects and strong academic support." I am very happy with the quality of education I am receiving. All my subjects are useful and connected. I am happy with help I receive from the lecturers and tutors." Also of particular satisfaction for Ann is the practical element of her American course. "I find it very important and useful. The theory is a good thing to know but nothing gives you more skills and knowledge than practical work." Where her future employment is concerned, Ann is very confident her American qualification will be of great help. " _ " Ann is also really enjoying life in America; She is making friends and taking time out to enjoy herself. "People are very friendly and helpful. University is a good place to find new friends from America and from overseas. It is a friendly environment with lots of things to do, not only studying. And of course there are the beaches, not to mention the beautiful weather." Why did Ann decide to study in America? She has dreamed of studying here for long. Traveling to every part of the world gets easier, but how well do we know and understand each other. Here's a simple test. Imagine you are planning to hold a meeting at four o'clock. What time should you expect your foreign business friends to arrive? If they are Germans, they'll arrive on time. If they are Americans, they'll probably be 15 minutes early. If they are Englishmen, they'll be 15 minutes late, and you should allow up to an hour for the Italians. The British seemed to think since the English language was widely used in the world, people would always understand what they do. However, they found they were completely wrong. For example, the British are happy to have a business lunch and discuss business matters and have a drink during the meal. The Japanese prefer not to work while eating. Lunch is a time for them to relax and get to know each other and they don't drink at lunchtime. The Germans like to talk business before dinner. The French like to eat first and talk afterwards. They have to be well fed and watered before they discuss anything. What do the Germans prefer when they go to a meeting? They prefer to be on time. Thanksgiving Day is an American national holiday. It usually lasts four days. Americans celebrate it on the fourth Thursday of November each year. It's a time for people to give thanks to God, and it's also a time for family members to get together. Thanksgiving Day is like a warm family meeting. On the Eve of Thanksgiving, members of the family will drive and even fly home. The next day, they sit around the table, enjoying a traditional dinner together. Turkey ,sweet potatoes and a pudding are always ready for the Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving Day is also a day for students to give thanks to parents and teachers who give them help and who love them very much. Thanksgiving Day is on _ every year. the fourth Thursday of November
We spoke to three students from around the world about different national holidays.There are different customs for each festival. Tan Xiaodong,15,Hong Kong,China "It'll soon be Chinese New Year.Before it,we'll clean the house and decorate it for good luck.Every shop is going to close for a few days and we'll go out a lot to celebrate in the streets.We might go and see the lion and dragon dances in the city center.I love this festival." Wendy,16,Sydney,Australia "Australia Day is on 26th January and it's an important holiday here.We always have a Monday off,so we celebrate for three days.My parents and I go to the countryside for a picnic and friends always come over.Many people go to beach parties or street parties and there's lots of music and dancing.What fun!" Amy,14,New York,the USA "The first Thanksgiving Day was hundreds of years ago when Europeans who came to America thanked God for his help.It's still a very important day for families to be together.This year we're going to visit my grandparents and we'll eat a delicious meal of turkey.Thanksgiving Day is on the fourth Thursday in November every year." What do you think a turkey is in this passage? A. A country. B. A festival. C. A bird. D. A kind of drink. Answer: C. A bird. Student Membership-----Cambridge Arts Cinema Cambridge Arts Cinema is one of the art houses in Britain and home of the internationally celebrated Cambridge Film Festival. Since 1947 generations of students have discovered the wealth of world cinema. Now you too can make most of it and save money. At the Arts you can... * choose from up to 40 films a month * see up to 8 premieres each month * catch screenings when you like--we open early and close late * increase your knowledge of film with our special events--each year we run seasons on various types of films and directors * meet the filmmakers What _ you _ get _ as _ a _ member: * invitation to a preview screening * PS1 off the standard prices(PS4.50/PS3.50)for any screening including special events * your own copy of each cinema programme mailed free of charge * a card with your own membership number * 50% off membership to the Cambridge Darkroom Gallery So what are you waiting for?Just fill in the form and return it either in person or by post to: Box Office Cambridge Arts Cinema 8 Market Passage Cambridge CN2 3PF It costs PS15 to join and your card can be used from 1st October 2011 to 30th June 2012. Cinema Information:01223 572929 (24hr) Box Office:01223 50444448. If you're a member of Cambridge Arts Cinema,you will enjoy free _ . A. Darkroom Gallery shows B. mailed programmes C. special film events D. film shows Answer: B. mailed programmes Chicken feathers are useful, and not just to a chicken. Some go into pillows, coats and other products. But countless chicken feathers go to waste. In the United States, billions of chickens are produced yearly. Most of their feathers are thrown away. But instead of being buried in land, some feathers could find a future in plastics . One of the products they have developed is a flowerpot . It may look like other flowerpots. But the container breaks down in the earth within one to five years. And as it _ , it naturally becomes nutrient in the soil. The environmentally friendly flowerpot is the work of two researchers. Walter Schmidt is with the Agricultural Research Service, part of the United States Agriculture Department. Masud Huda is with the Horticultural Research Institute, a private organization . Walter Schmidt has been working to find uses for chicken feathers since the 1990s. Progress in 2002 showed that plastic made from feathers could be formed like other plastics. He says feathers are much stronger and last longer than another plant material. "Feathers are stronger. By design, feathers are also more durable . And the other part about it is if feathers were twice as heavy, or half as strong, then birds couldn't fly." He points out that traditional flowerpots made from other plastics can last much longer. But he wonders if there is really a need. He says most flowerpots are never re-used. "Why would you want a plastic that you use for a year to last for two hundred years? It makes no sense. You want to match the product with the use." said Walter Schmidt. Walter Schmidt and Masud Huda are now adding another chicken product to their flowerpots -- chicken waste. The waste will add more nutrients to the soil as the pot breaks down. The scientists say they hope their flowerpot will be on the market in a year or two. What's the advantage of the flowerpots? A. They won't last long. B. They can't break C. They are environmentally friendly D. They can be reused Answer: C. They are environmentally friendly Here are my three photos. This is my friend,Wu Huan.She is a good girl.She is 11 years old.She is in Chongqing with her family.She likes vegetables and chicken.She doesn't like ice cream or strawberries. This is me.My name is Chen Ming. I am 12 years old.I am a middle school student in Suzhou.I like eating fruit and vegetables. But I don't like eggs or carrots. This is my friend,too.His name is Doudou. He is in Suzhou with me. He likes bones( ). He doesn't like vegetables .He likes playing with balls. He is a nice dog! : Which is the best title( ) of the text? A. My family and I B. My family C. My dog and I D. My three photos Answer: D. My three photos My dream ended when I was born. Although I never knew it then, I just held on to something that would never come to pass. Dreams really do exist. But in the morning when you wake up, they are remembered just as a dream. That is what happened to me. I always had the dream to dance like a beautiful ballerina turning around and around and hearing people applaud for me. When I was young, I would turn around and around in the fields of wildflowers that grew in my backyard. Reality woke me up when I heard someone saying, "I don't know why you bother trying to dance. Ballerinas are pretty and slender girls. Besides, you don't have the talent to even be a ballerina." I remember how those words hurt every feeling in my body. I fell to the ground and wept for hours. I enjoyed hanging out by the water. I would sit there for hours and stare at my reflection . There I was, looking nothing like a pretty ballerina dancer. Reflections don't lie. Once the waves would come, my reflection was washed away just like my dream to dance. www.ks5u.com As I grew older, I began to realize that the reason my dream was even born was because it was something that was inside of me. The dream I had was never nurtured and cared for, so it slowly died. It's not that I wanted it to die, but I allowed it to die the day I started listening to the words, "You can't do it." When I finally woke up from many years of dreaming, I realized that you can't only settle for dancing in the wildflowers, you have to move on to the platform. From the passage, it can be inferred that _ . A. the author was once a pretty and slender girl with wonderful dream. B. we should dare to give up our dream facing much pressure and difficulty C. the author never realized her dream because she didn't carry it out once. D. the author got her dream from others' remarks. Answer: C. the author never realized her dream because she didn't carry it out once.
Question: Dear Maya Shao-ming, To me, June 6, 1990 is a special day. My long-awaited dream came true the minute your father cried, "A girl!" You are more than just a second child, more than just a girl to match our boy. You, little daughter, are the link to our female line, the legacy of another woman's pain and sacrifice 31 years ago. Let me tell you about your Chinese grandmother. Somewhere in Hong Kong, in the late fifties, a young waitress found herself pregnant by a cook, probably a co-worker at her restaurant. She carried the baby to term, suffered to give it birth, and kept the little girl for the first three months of her life. I like to think that my mother--your grandmother--loved me and fought to raise me on her own, but that the daily struggle was too hard. Worn down by the demands of the new baby and perhaps the constant threat of starvation, she made the painful decision to give away her girl so that both of us might have a chance for a better life. More likely, I was dropped at the orphanage (M JLR) steps or somewhere else. I will probably never know the truth. Having a baby in her unmarried state would have brought shame on the family in China, so she probably kept my existence a secret. Once I was out of her life, it was as if I had never been born. And so you and your brother and I are the missing leaves on a family tree. Do they ever wonder if we exist? Before I was two, I was adopted by an Anglo couple. Fed three square meals a day, I grew like a wild weed and grasped all the opportunities they had to offer--books, music, education, church life and community activities. In a family of blue-eyed blonds, though, _ . Whether from jealousy or fear of someone who looked so different, my older brothers sometimes teased me about my unpleasing skin, or made fun of my clumsy walk. Moody and impatient, burdened by fears that none of us realized resulted from my early years of need, I was not an easy child to love. My mother and I conflicted countless times over the years, but gradually came to see one another as real human beings with faults and talents, and as women of strength in our own right. Lacking a mirror image in the mother who raised me, I had to seek my identity as a woman on my own. The Asian American community has helped me regain my double identity. But part of me will always be missing: my beginnings, my personal history, all the delicate details that give a person her origin. Nevertheless, someone gave me a lucky name "Siu Wai." "Siu" means "little," and "Wai means "clever." Therefore, my baby name was "Clever little one." Who chose those words? Who cared enough to note my arrival in the world? I lost my Chinese name for 18 years. It was Americanized for convenience to "Sue." But like an ill-fitting coat, it made me uncomfortable. I hated the name. But even more, I hated being Chinese. It took many years to become proud of my Asian origin and work up the courage to take back my birth-name. That, plus a little knowledge of classroom Cantonese, is all the Chinese culture I have to offer you. Not white, certainly, but not really Asian, I try to pave the way between the two worlds and bridge the gap for you. Your name, "Shao-ming," is very much like mine--"Shao" means "little." And "ming" is "bright," as in a shining sun or moon. Whose lives will you brighten, little Maya? Your past is more complete than mine, and each day I cradle you in your babyhood, generously giving you the loving care I lacked for my first two years. When I pat you, I comfort the lost baby inside me who still cries for her mother. Sweet Maya, it doesn't matter what you "become" later on. You have already fulfilled my wildest dreams. I love you, Mommy Why is June 6. 1990 a special day for Mommy? A. Her dream of being a mother came true. B. She found her origin from her Chinese mother. C. She wrote the letter to her daughter. D. Her female line was well linked. Answer: D Question: If you're a male and you're reading this, congratulations! You're a survivor. According to statistics,you're more than twice as likely to die of skin cancer than a woman,and nine times more likely to die of AIDS. Assuming you make it to the end of your natural term,about 78 years for men in Australia,you'll die on average five years before a woman. There're many reasons for this--typically,men take more risks than women and are more likely to drink and smoke but perhaps more importantly, men don't go to the doctor. "Men aren't seeing doctors as often as they should," says Dr. Gullotta."This is particularly so for the over-40s, when diseases tend to strike. According to a recent survey, 95%of women aged between 15 and early 49s see a doctor once a year, compared to 70%of men in the same age group. "A lot of men think they're unbeatable,"Gullotta says."They only come in when a friend drops dead on the golf course and they think, Geez, if it could happen to him ..." Then there's the ostrich approach."Some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know," says Dr. Ross Cartmill. "Most men get their cars serviced more regularly than they service their bodies," Cartmill says. He believes most diseases that commonly affect men could be addressed by preventive check-ups. "Prevention is cheaper in the long run than having to treat the diseases.Besides, the final cost is far greater,it's called premature death." What does Dr.Ross Cartmill mean by"the ostrich approach"(in Para 5)? A. A casual attitude towards one's health conditions. B. A new treatment for certain psychological problems. C. Refusal to get medical treatment for fear of the pain involved. D. Unwillingness to find out about one's disease because of fear. Answer: D Question: If you want to stay young,sit down and have a good think. This is the research finding of a team of Japanese doctors, who say that most of our brains are not getting enough exercise, and as a result,we are ageing unnecessarily soon. Professor Taijiu Matsuzawa wanted to find out why otherwise healthy farmers in northern prefix = st1 /Japanappeared to be losing their ability to think and reason at a ly early age, and how the process of ageing could be slowed down. With a team of partners at Tokyo National University,he set about studying the brain volumes of a thousand people of different ages and various jobs. Computer technology enabled the researchers to get exact measurement of the volume of the front and side sections of the brain,which relate to intellect and feelings,and determine the human character. The back section of the brain,which controls functions like eating or breathing,does not connect with age. One can continue living without intellectual or feeling abilities. Contraction of front and side parts - as cells die off - was observed in some subjects in their thirties, but it was still not obvious in some sixty and seventy year olds. Matsuzawa concluded from his tests that there is a simple cure for the contraction normally connected with age using the brain. The findings show in general conditions that contraction of the brain begins soon among people in the country than in the town. Those are at least at risk,says Matsuzawa,who are lawyers,followed by university professors and doctors. White collar workers doing regular work in government offices are, however,as likely to have shrink as the farm workers,bus drivers and shop assistants. Matsuzawa's findings show that thinking can prevent the brain from shrinking. Blood must flow through a circle properly in the head to supply the fresh oxygen the brain cells need. "The best way to keep good blood movement is through using the brain,"he says. " Think hard and engage in conversation. Don't depend on pocket calculators. " The team of doctors wanted to find out _ . A. how to make people live longer B. why certain people age sooner than others C. how people stay young D. which people are most intelligent Answer: B Question: I was stopped at a red light only a mile or so from my goal of my brother's house. We were planning to drive down together to North Carolina to be with my father who was badly ill. As I waited at the stop light experiencing this forced slowdown, I noticed Sharper's Florist over to the left. It was the same place where I had experienced many things-- floods of memories went through my mind as the light seemed a blessing. I noticed the wine store straight ahead where my father and I had been many times before, picking out the beer of the week. We both liked German beer. The light finally became green and I made my left turn and drove through the poor section of our hometown. I remembered how each thanksgiving my family would be together. I also remembered how my father would take some time out of each thanksgiving to make sure there was no one hungry in the neighborhoods surrounding where we lived. I can remember as a young boy going with him to deliver some food. I was scared. I had never been into this part of town this deeply before. My father seemed unfazed by this and went about his business. The people we went to seemed to know him and gratefully accepted what he came to offer. My father seemed able to give away the food in a way that honored those he was giving to. This was not an _ act. He would stop at each place and talk a little, which I can remember totally pissing me off (...). I wanted to get the hell out of there. My father wanted to be sure everyone had food. If there were people he found who didn't have food, he would take the time to go back and get more. That's the kind of man he was. When the father was ill, he _ . A. lived in North Carolina B. gave away food to the poor C. came to help the poor in his hometown D. stayed at the home of the author's brother Answer: A Question: A balance is used to measure the what of a substance? A. depth B. height C. tall D. heaviness Answer: D
Question: Encouragement and praise can come in many forms, and some ways are better for child development than others. Researchers at the University of Chicago who studied mother-child interactions found that the type of praise children receive affects their attitudes towards challenges later in life. Specifically, praise that focused on their behavior and the choices that kids made helped them deal with difficult experiences better five years later, compared with praise that focused more on the child himself, like "You're a good boy." The study, which appears in the journal Child Development, is the first major study of praise and child development done outside of a lab setting. "It's exciting to see _ play out in the real world," said Elizabeth Gunderson who led the study. "Praising the efforts, actions and work of kids is going to be more beneficial in their long-term persistence and desire to be challenged and work hard in the future." Such "process praise" includes comments such as "You worked really hard", which emphasize a child's actions. "Person praise" includes comments like "You're so smart", which focus on a child's personal qualities. These distinctions aren't new in the field of psychology, but exactly how they affect children's development over the years hasn't always been clear. As part of the study, the researchers visited the homes of more than 50 kids between the ages of 1 and 3, and filmed their daily interactions with their parents during 90-minute sessions. Five years later, the researchers followed up with the families, measuring the children's attitudes towards challenges and problem solving. The children who grew up with more process praise were more open to challenges. Though person praise didn't seem to have any negative effect on the children, the study suggests that process praise teaches children that their talents and abilities can be developed and improved, while person praise sends the message that their abilities are fixed and therefore not easily changed. Which of the following belongs to "progress praise"? A. You did a good job! B. What an adorable boy! C. You're a real gentleman! D. We are so proud of you! Answer: A. You did a good job! Question: A woman was in a hurry to go to the airport. She told the cab driver to drive quickly. She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she was not aware they were going by a different route. Suddenly, a man got inside the cab. He took her handbag where she had placed her visa, passport, and all her money for the trip. The driver, who was _ the robber, left her in the middle of that dark street. She cursed the world for being so mean to her, and thought how unlucky she was in that situation. That very same night, she heard some shocking news.Tears flowed down her face.Flight 230,which was the plane that she was supposed to have boarded, had crashed.If she had not lost her precious belongings, she could have lost something far more important--her life. Sometimes bad things really happen.We lose money, fail our exams, or are rejected by others.There are times when nothing seems to go our way. So what should we do about it? Should we be disappointed? The answer is a resounding "No!" We must get rid of all these frustrations and start all over again in the consistent faith that we will get what we deserve. Don't waste your time and energy on things that can't be changed.Continuous worrying will only affect your health and you'll be doing much more damage than what was previously done. What if it was the other way round? What if we never ran out of good luck? There was a man who won the lottery.He thought he was the luckiest person in the world.He became greedy and wasted all his money on everything he could get his hands on. One day, he made it to the front page of the newspaper again.But this time, it was a different story.He had been killed because of his riches. If you attain good luck, you can never be too secure about it.Hope for protection and guidance.Life is so unpredictable.You never know what will happen next. Live one day at a time.we sometimes subject ourselves to unnecessary emotional trouble.We ask ourselves: "What if I don't get this done in time?" or "What if my family leaves me and I've got no one else to turn to?" Live for the moment.Do what must be done for the present and the future will turn out just fine. Believe me.And believe in yourself.As Captain Planet always says: "The power is yours!" According to the author, which of the following is the right attitude to adopt towards life? A. Don't waste your time and energy because time is limited. B. There's no need to worry or get frustrated.Just believe in yourself. C. Even when everything seems to be going well, we should keep fully alert. D. Worrying about what you don't have means you miss out on opportunities for other things. Answer: B. There's no need to worry or get frustrated.Just believe in yourself. Question: A baby horse will inherit all of these traits from its parents except A. height. B. weight. C. coat color. D. preferred food. Answer: D. preferred food. Question: CO2 is released into the air when sugar eaters A. sigh B. touch C. think D. consider Answer: A. sigh Question: The most important use of drifting bottles is to find ocean currents. When the position and direction of currents are known, ships can use the forward movement of a current or stay away from currents that would carry them off their course. Benjamin Franklin was one of the first to use bottles in the study of currents. He wondered why British mall ships needed a week or two longer than U.S. ships needed in order to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Franklin thought the Gulf Stream might explain this difference. Franklin talked with captains of U.S. ships. He found that they knew each turn of the Gulf Stream. They used the current in every possible way. From his talks with the captains. Franklin made his first map of the Gulf Stream. Then he checked his map by using sealed bottles. The map that he finally made is still used, with only a few changes, today. What led Franklin to talk with U.S. captains? A. U.S. ships were longer than British ones. B. British ships could sail the Atlantic faster than U.S. ones. C. U.S captains knew more about maps. D. U.S. ships could sail the Atlantic faster than U.S. ones. Answer: D. U.S. ships could sail the Atlantic faster than U.S. ones.
I am a middle school student. I like fashionable clothes. I like wearing a scarf . I like red shirts and I have curly hair. They all look cool. My parents and teachers sometimes ask me not to do so, but I don't mind. These are my own( )things. Don't you think so? ---------Sally My uncle is 40 years old He works for a magazine . He writes articles for children. He visits many places and talks with many children. He thinks children should not watch TV too much and some TV shows are not good for them. --------Barry I study in a middle school. I have many rules at school. I can't be late for school,l have to wear a school uniform at school. I can't eat or sing in the classroom. Miss Yang,our English teacher,is very strict with us. ---------- Mona ,. _ writes articles for kids. A Barry's uncle B Barry C Sally D Miss Yang Answer: A Base your answers on the information below. One hot, summer day it rained very heavily. After the rain, a plastic pan on a picnic table had 2 cm of rainwater in it. Four hours later, all the rainwater in the pan was gone. Which process caused the rainwater in the pan to disappear as it sat outside in the hot air? A condensation B evaporation C precipitation D erosion Answer: B On June 26, 2000, two scientists, called Francis Collins and Craig Venter, told the world that they could read the whole "map" of the human body: DNA. DNA is something that everybody has, and it tells the body what to do. DNA is the reason that we look like our mother and father, because we get some of their DNA to make our own. People have been trying to understand the human body for a long time. In 1860, Gregor Mendel discovered a special reason why we look the same as other people in our family. It is because of small things named "genes" in our body. In 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick made another discovery and found out that those small parts are real messages written in the DNA with a special language. In 1961, Marshall Nirenberg and Johann Matthaci found a message in DNA showing how DNA tells the cell to build its parts. Scientists have now found all the words in the DNA map, but we still do not understand what they all do. By understanding what just one "word" means, we can help save more people from several illnesses. Most people hope that this will help make better medicine and help sick people. Other people worry that when people begin to know more words and find out lots of other information, we might use it in a wrong way, just to make people more attractive, or stop sick people from getting jobs. Man would have to meet a lot of trouble if DNA technic wasn't limited in use. What can we do if we understand some " words" of the language inside the body A Make people get new jobs. B Make medicine for illnesses. C Make maps of human. D Make people less attractive. Answer: B Have you ever thought of such questions as "Why do I have to study math?"or "I am not interested in history at all. My dream is to be an actor. Should I give history up?" Maybe you are right. After you leave school, it's not necessary for you to understand everything. But please remember that at school,besides getting knowledge, you should pay attention to some other important things. First, try to find what you are most interested in. At school, you study many subjects. Try to find what you like and what you don't like. This may be helpful to you in the future. Second, maybe you don't like math and you want to drop it. But the logical thinking ability from math can help you solve some problems.At school, you should practice your brain by thinking. Third, you should believe in yourself. Maybe you learn French at school, but you don't need to speak French at all.But learning French can prove that you have the ability of learning languages. Suppose you go to France one day and find a good job well. At school I learned French well, and now I must be able to learn German. But if you have no confidence, what will happen? Try to challenge yourself as often as possible. I think many of us like playing computer games. When we fail in a game, we always want to try it again. Why? Because it is hard for us to get the highest mark. If we want to challenge ourselves, we must face more difficult things and make greater progress. Which of the following is TRUE? A You will use everything you learn at school in your future job. B It's not necessary to know what you like at school. C Everything you learn at school has an influence on you. D Logical thinking ability is the most important ability. Answer: C It's really a tough job for automakers doing marketing and sales in China, where competition is acute and customers have little loyalty. They have tried a range of tricks in recent years. But there should be a moral bottom line. Unfortunately, a Buick dealership used the tragedy of a two-month-old infant to advertise its cars last week on Weibo - Micro blog. And Hyundai Motor followed suit. On March 4, an SUV was stolen with the infant left inside alone in the northeastern city of Changchun. The news spread widely on Weibo after the baby's father called the local police and radio station for help. The next day it was revealed that the infant was choked to death and buried in snow by the thief. The online community expressed its deeply felt sympathy and condolences. The Buick dealership posted a photo of the baby and two of its cars on its official Weibo account to advertise its GPS system that can locate the stolen car. "A few thoughts on the Changchun stolen car and baby incident: when buying a car it's entirely OK to choose a brand with advanced technology," said the post. Though the post was made before tragic fate of the infant was known, the action generated a storm of outrage on Weibo. Some online commentators said it is "marketing at the cost of lives" and "extremely _ ." Worse was the post on Hyundai's official Weibo account that advertised the anti - theft system on its new SUV Santa Fe, an entry made after the child was known to have died. The action also enraged micro bloggers. Both posts were soon deleted. The Buick dealership made an apology on Weibo to the family of the victim and the public. But screenshots saved by users continued to be posted and the negative impact on both brands persists. The two brands probably didn't expect such a firestorm of fury from the Internet community, but they really made a big mistake sinking below the moral bottom line. They certainly ruined their own brand images. The Chinese have the same proverb as the English language - a little leak will sink a great ship. It takes decades to build the great ship of a respectable brand but it can take just a moment of negligence to make it fail completely. For those in corporate marketing, two lessons should be learned: first, be careful in the era of social media when one wrong can be easily magnified and have disastrous impacts in just a few clicks. Second and more importantly, think with your brain and heart. Never break the moral bonds of respect for human life and sympathy for our fellow man. Who is to blame for the tragedy of Changchun infant according to the passage? A The baby's father B Buick and Hyundai dealership C Weibo D Not clear Answer: D
In most developed countries the government provides free education for children because it realizes that educated citizens are useful to the country in their later life. Most countries also have private education. This means that parents can pay to send their children to certain schools. People who agree with this system say that it gives parents a larger choice of schools. Other people think that private schools give the children who go to them an unfair advantage over other children. At the age of three, many children go to nursery school. Two or three years later, they enter a primary school. At the age of 11 they go to a secondary school. Then they may have a chance .of continuing their studies at a university or college. Universities and colleges are places where some young people go to continue their education after leaving school. Most university students study one main subject, though they may also study a number of others. Teaching is usually by lectures, or by discussions between a lecturer and students. Most students stay at university for three or four years. At the end of that, they take an examination. If they pass, they receive their Bachelor's degree, usually a BA, which is short for Bachelor of Arts, or a BS for Bachelor of Science. Some students study for several more years in order to get higher degree, such as a MA or a PhD Most university courses don't train students to do a certain job. Colleges, on the other hand, usually teach skills which enable students to follow a career , such as clothing design, or business studies. Why do most developed countries provide free education to children? A. Because the children don't have money to go to school. B. Because the government want their citizens to be useful to the country. C. Because education doesn't cost the country too much money. D. Because there are not enough private schools. Answer: B. Because the government want their citizens to be useful to the country. Here are many kinds of vacations. People can go traveling abroad or spend their holidays at the seaside. One kind of vacation is camping. Many Americans enjoy going camping because it is good for them. Each summer millions of Americans drive to the countryside where they find places to camp. There are a lot of national parks in the USA and these national parks mostly stand on the mountains. They are people's favorite camping places. Campers are free from the busy life in the noisy and crowded city. They throw themselves into the arms of Mother Nature. They enjoy the fresh air, lakes and forests in these parks. Hiking, swimming and fishing are the main kinds of exercise. They can see different sorts of animals and plants there. Some campers have trailers which they pull behind their cars to the camping places. Trailers are like small houses on wheels, having many of the things that people use in their homes, such as electricity, hot water, kitchen tools and things like that. But most campers don't have trailers. Tent campers lead a very simple but healthy life. Camping is a pleasant sports activity. After living a while in the open, campers become as fresh as paintings. They feel relaxed. According to the passage, what do many Americans get from camping? A. Health and happiness. B. A strong body. C. Convenience. D. A simple life. Answer: A. Health and happiness. Reading Oliver James'Affluenza, I thought about what often happens at home. My 12-year-old daughter is in tears."I have so take a test tomorrow. I don't understand any of it," she cries out. After shouting and shutting her door, she calms down enough to go through her notes. The following dry I ask her how the test went and the just says "OK,I got a nine". "Wow. well done!" I say, before she finishes with "But I never get a ten!" According to James, this _ with getting top marks has been a bad development, which encourages people to think of education in terms of work and money. To test this, I asked my daughter why she was so worried about her tests. She looked at me as if I was thick. "Well, if I don't get good grades, I won't be able to afford nice things like a car and stuff." I was quite surprised, because I don't consider myself a pushy parent. But James suggests and it leaves students feeling failures even if they are very bright. He points to the Danish system of education as a better model. Creating happy citizens who have good social skills is seen as more important than high achievements at school or the needs of business. For me, I cannot remember the last time I had to work out the area of a circle, recite a Shakespeare poem or grammar rules, yet I have lived a happy life. What I really needed to learn at school was how to make polite conversations, or how to avoid getting into debt or how to develop good personality. This is in fact similar to what Oliver James really has in mind. And he is looking for schools where students are encouraged to find and follow their own interests, something more like Tongjon. Tongjon has been developed in some Korean private schools. It is quite different from the more rigid system of learning things by heart that is used in Korea, and indeed in many other school systems around the world. As the Russian poet Pushkin said," Inspiration is needed in geometry just as much as in poetry ",and inspiration does not come from endlessly revising for tests or getting worried about them . What can we infer from the passage? A. Social skills are as important as high grades. B. Interest in grades can shake self-confidence. C. The writer regrets not having studied hard at school. D. Danish educational system is for very smart students. Answer: B. Interest in grades can shake self-confidence. Cars!!! Holidays! Thousands of prizes! Hurry! Free with every packet of splash! Your personal lucky number! Will be among the 500,000 winners! Use splash for the softest...quickest... whitest wash! Don't delay... buy a packet today! Splash is _ . A. a certain kind of material used for washing in high quality. B. something like a machine used to wash clothes. C. the softest, quickest, and whitest car to drive. D. one of thousands of prizes for players to win. Answer: A. a certain kind of material used for washing in high quality. There was a pilot and four people in a small plane.Suddenly there was something wrong with the machine while it was flying in the air. The smoke was everywhere in the plane.The pilot told the people there were only four parachutes .They all became worried and started to make excuses . "I must go and mend the machine,"said the pilot , taking one of the parachutes.There was nothing he could do so he jumped out. The first person stood up. "I'm a doctor,"he said. "I help people live longer and I save lives"He also took a parachute and jumped out. The next person said , "I must have a parachute.I'm a very clever person.I have to attend an important sports match.I know I'll win the game because I'll be the cleverest person there."He picked up a pack and jumped out. Two men were left--- an old businessman and a young mountain climber .By this time the plane was going down fast.The businessman said, "Young man,I'm old but you're still young ,You take the last parachute."The yougng mountain climber smiled , "Don't worry."he said, "We can both jump to safety because there are still two parachutes.Just now the clever person jumped out with my backpack." All the people became worried because _ . A. they couldn't find the parachutes. B. they were afraid the plane would be broken and knew there were not enough parachutes for each person. C. there was too much smoke and they couldn't jump out from the plane. D. they saw the pilot jump out first. Answer: B. they were afraid the plane would be broken and knew there were not enough parachutes for each person.
Today, I felt terrible. My head was full of problems, burdens and confusion. I decided to take a walk even though I didn't know where I would go. The most extraordinary thing happened when I was on this walk. I saw an old man sitting on a chair. He was a seller of second-hand shoes. I thought he looked at least seventy years old. He seemed so tired and nobody was buying his shoes. I wanted to give him something but I had not brought anything with me. Then, a little girl came toward him. I heard the child say, "Grandfather, may I polish your shoes?" That old man took pity on her and he gave her a shoe to polish. The girl said, "I polish the shoe because I need money to buy my brother a new school uniform." I heard this and tears came to my eyes. The old man answered, "Oh, little girl. Just stop doing this. Come with me and I will buy you a school uniform." Then they walked to a market and I followed them behind. There he bought her a school uniform. The girl said, "Thank you so much for doing this. May God bless you." Then she left, leaving the old man smiling. He walked away from the market, but I stopped him. I whispered in his ear, "You are a hero! Thank you for your kindness!" As I walked away, I glanced back and I could see him still smiling. My own sadness disappeared and was chased away by the light of this kind act. I began realizing that I have a lot to be thankful for. I hope, some day, I can show my appreciation of what I have by following the example of the old man who only had a little, but shared it beautifully with someone who had nothing. By sharing the story, the author wants to convey a message that _ . a kind act can cheer us up The surface gravity of Pluto is the weakest of the nine planets because Pluto has the smallest mass. 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. _ are worried about the effects of the series. Teachers and parents. 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." From the passage we know Smarties are _ . a kind of candy Which of the following creatures would eat dandelions? meadow voles
A compass Answer: A loaf of bread is baking in a pan in a 350° F oven. What would cause a burn to a hand the quickest because of its low specific heat? Answer: In a food pyramid, which best explains why the number of organisms decreases from one trophic level to the next? Answer: Many people cannot start their day without first having a cup of coffee or tea.These drinks help them think clearly and feel more awake.This is because of caffeine,which helps to give a jump start to the nervous system.Now,a report says it may also boost long-term memory. Mike Yassa is a neurobiology professor.He and other researchers wanted to know if caffeine could improve a person's memory.He explains,"After you learn anything,it takes some time for that memory to strengthen.And over the first 24 hours is actually where most of the forgetting happens.So that is where we wanted to intervene with caffeine and see if we can help reduce this forgetting." They took 160 caffeine-free people and showed them pictures of everyday objects. These people were asked if the objects could be found inside the house, or outdoors.Then some of the subjects were given a caffeine pill.The others were given a placebo--a pill containing nothing. 24 hours later,the subjects were shown the exact same images from the day before.They were also shown images with slight differences,and some completely new images. Both groups correctly identified the exact same and completely new pictures.But those who took the caffeine pill were better at spottingthe pictures that were slightly different. Professor Yassa says their answers helped to show the effects of caffeine on memory. And we find that if they are on caffeine they are much more likely to make the right decision." The amount of caffeine the researchers used in the study was similar to one cup of strong coffee.The researchers did not see any improvement to memory from smaller doses of caffeine or when it was given an hour before viewing the images. What is the focus of the text? Answer: Job Interviews You have the education and the work experience; now all you need is the job. Most people spend more time getting ready for an evening out than they do preparing for a job interview. There are several things you can do to have a successful job interview. Here are some of them: 1. Know about the company where you are trying to get a job. Find out what the company does and who their competitors are. 2. Know yourself. Most interviewers will ask a question related to your strengths and weaknesses. Before the interview, examine the job you are applying for and determine the top skills needed for that position. For instance, if you are applying for a job as a telephone operator, it's more important that you have strong communication skills than that you are tidy. 3. Have proof. It's easy to say you have good organization skills. But if you can tell the interviewer about a time you organized an event, it makes the claim much more solid. 4. Prepare questions to ask about the company and the job. An interview is a stressful event. When you are under pressure, it can be difficult to think straight. Preparing before the interview will make it easier to give answers to those tough questions. But you can't think of every question they might ask. So relax and be confident. Remember, first impressions are lasting. Which of the following is TRUE? Answer:
Question: Wolves kill many elk every year and often attack old, sick, and injured members of a herd. Which of the following best describes the role of the wolves in the wolf-elk relationship? A. competitor B. host C. parasite D. predator Answer: D Question: Born in 1982 in Australia, Nick came into the world with neither arms nor legs. Through his childhood Nick dealt with the challenges of studies as well as sadness as he was questioned why he was different from all the other kids. But soon he realized that even with them, he was still unlike his classmates. As Nick grew up he learnt to do more and more things on his own. He adapted to his situation and found ways to finish tasks that most people could only do by using their arms. As time went by Nick began to _ his situation and achieve greater things. In grade seven Nick was elected captain of his school and worked on various fund-raising events for local charities. After school Nick went on with further study and get a double bachelor degree . By the age of 19 Nick started to fulfil his dream of being able to encourage other people through motivational speaking and telling his story. Nick believes that there is a purpose in each of the struggles we meet in our lives and that our attitude towards those struggles can be the single most effective factor in overcoming them. At 25 years old he moved to California, USA, where he is the president of an international organization.Since his first motivational speaking when he was 19, Nick has traveled around the world,sharing his story with millions of people. .At the age of seven, Nick`s hope was that _ . A. he could get high marks B. he was the same as other kids C. he could become famous speaker D. he was liked by his classmates Answer: B Question: A side effect of having a Husky as a pet is that when she sheds A. the dog enjoys being washed out B. washing all the fur is easy C. it takes hours to vacuum all of the fur D. the fur is still attached to the skin Answer: C Question: Jaguar was very rare. It was said that there less than 20 jaguars in the world, one of which was living in the national zoo of Peru. In order to help this jaguar, Peruvians set up a zoo for it, where there were sheep and deer for the jaguar to eat. However, strange enough, no one had ever seen the jaguar hunt the deer and sheep. What they could see was its lying in its cave, sleeping and eating the meat provided by the zoo keepers. At first, people thought that the jaguar felt too lonely, so they found a female tiger to accompany it. However, it did not make too much sense. The jaguar just sometimes went out of its cave with its "girlfriend" for a while before it came back to its house again' It is normal for the jaguar to be lazy here. Tiger is the king of forest but you simply put some small animals around him. That is why the jaguar shows no interest in going out' a visitor said. So people put five wolves into the jaguar's zoo. Since then, the jaguar did not go back to its cave any more . It either stands on top of the hill yelling or runs up and down the hill without sleeping all day long . Actually, one creature without any _ is a lifeless creature. If a man lives without rivals, he is likely to be satisfied with the present and will not fight for the better. He will hold back before all difficulties . Hard environment tends to make successful people . Therefore, we need some rivals to push us to go ahead in all difficulties and competitions in our lives. Due to our rivals, we can bring out our potential to the best. Due to our rivals, we will continuously improve our abilities when competing with them! What is the main idea of the passage? A. How Jaguars can be protected. B. Family plays an important part. C. Enemies can inspire us to succeed. D. jaguars like to stay with wolves. Answer: C Question: A bargain is something offered at a low and advantageous price. A more recent definition is: a bargain is a dirty trick to force money out of the pockets of silly and innocent people. The cost of producing a new - for example - toothpaste would make 80p the proper price for it, so we will market it at PS1.20. It is not a bad toothpaste, and as people like to try new things it will sell well to start with; but the attraction of _ soon fades, so sales will fall. When that happens we will reduce the price to PS1.15. And we will turn it into a bargain by printing 5p OFF all over it. Sometimes it is not 5p OFF but 1p OFF. What breathtaking rudeness to advertise 1p OFF your soap or washing powder or whatever! Even the poorest old-age pensioner ought to regard this as an insult , but he doesn't. A bargain must not be missed. People say one has to have washing powder (or whatever) and one might as well buy it a penny cheaper. The real danger starts when unnecessary things become 'bargains'. Many people just cannot resist bargains. Provided they think they are getting a bargain they will buy clothes they will never wear or furniture they have no space for. Once I heard of a man who bought an electric saw as a bargain and cut off two of his fingers the next day. But he had no regrets: the saw had been truly cheap. Quite a few people actually believe that they make money on such bargains. A lady once told me: "I've had a lucky day today. I bought a dress for PS120, reduced from PS400; and I bought a beautiful Persian carpet for PS600, reduced from PS900." It will never occur to her that she has actually wasted PS720. She feels as though she had made PS580. She also feels, I am sure, that if she had more time for shopping, she could make a living out of it. Some people buy in large quantities because it is cheaper. Once a couple bought enough sugar for their lifetime and the lifetime of their children and grandchildren. They thought it a bargain not to be missed. When the sugar arrived they didn't know where to store it - until they realized that their toilet was a very spacious one. So that was where they piled up their sugar. Not only did their guests feel rather strange whenever they were offered sugar to put into their coffee, but the toilet became extremely sticky. To offer bargains is a commercial trick to make the poor poorer. When greedy fools fall for this trick, it serves them right. Which statement will the author probably agree with? A. Bargains are things people don't really need. B. Bargains are often real cheap products. C. Bargains help people make a living. D. Bargains play tricks on people. Answer: D
William James, the great psychologist , said that most men are "old fogies at twenty-five". He was right. Most men at twenty-five are satisfied with their jobs. They have closed their minds to all new ideas; they have stopped to grow. The minute a man stops to grow -no matter what his years -that minute he begins to be old. On the other hand, the really great man never grows old. Goethe passed away at eighty-three, and finished his only a few years earlier; Gladstone took up a new language when he was seventy. Laplace, the astronomer, was still at work when death caught up with him at seventy-eight. He died crying, "What we know is nothing; what we do not know is immense (extremely large)." And there you have the real answer to the question, "When is a man old?" Laplace at seventy-eight died young. He was still unsatisfied, still sure that he had a lot to learn. As long as a man can keep himself in that attitude of mind, as long as he can look back on every year and say, "I grew", he is still young. The minute he ceases (stops) to grow, the minute he says to himself, "I know all that I need to know," -that day youth stops. He may be twenty-five or seventy-five; it makes no difference. On that day he begins to be old. According to William James, _ . Answer: A friend of mine, in response to a conversation we were having about the injustices of life, asked me the question: "Who said life was going to be fair, or that it was even meant to be fair?" Her question was a good one. It reminded me of something I was taught as a youngster-life isn't fair. One of the mistakes many of us make is that we feel sorry for ourselves or for others, thinking that life should be fair or that someday it will be. It's not and it won't. One of the nice things about accepting the fact that life isn't fair is that it keeps us from feeling sorry for ourselves by encouraging us to do the very best we can with what we have. Accepting this fact also keeps us from feeling sorry for others because we are reminded that everyone is dealt a different hand; everyone has unique strengths and problems in the process of growing up, facing the reality and making decisions, and everyone has those times that they feel wounded or unfairly treated. The fact that life isn't fair doesn't mean we shouldn't do everything in our power to improve our own lives or the world as a whole. On the contrary, it suggests that we should. When we don't recognize or admit life isn't fair, we tend to feel pity for others and for ourselves, a self-defeating emotion that does nothing except make everyone feel worse. When we do recognize life isn't fair, however, we feel sympathy for others and for ourselves. And sympathy is a heartfelt emotion that delivers loving kindness to everyone it touches. The next time you find yourself thinking about the injustices of the world, try reminding yourself of _ . You may be surprised that it can push you out of self-pity and into helpful action. From the passage, we can learn that the author's attitude to life is _ . Answer: Do you like Sun Wukong? He is one of the most popular novel characters in Chinese history. Both young children and adults love him so much. In our mind, he is a great hero in the Chinese novel Journey to the West(<<>> ). In the novel, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng beat demons and protect Tang Seng when they travel to the Western Paradise . Sun Wukong was born from a stone. He can change himself into a tree, a bird, or and animal. With one somersault , he can travel 108,000li. Sun Wukong is clever, brave and always makes fun magic tricks. Chinese people love him very much. Sun Wukong is also popular in other countries. Many western children love him and learn kung fu because of him. To them, he is a super hero, just like Superman and Spiderman. Where was Sun Wukong born? Answer: Dear Bridge of Hope supporters, July 2010 was a productive month for the teachers at BOH. Marilyn traveled to Liberia and helped Kathleen Ngenda with her teacher training program on Basic Adult Literacy. During the eight-day training, she helped the teachers learn to pronounce, spell and write correctly. They are currently working on personal sets of cards and lists so that they can teach this concept to students in the fall. Kathleen plans on two trips back to the school to monitor teachers in their teaching. Marilyn found a very dedicated and enthusiastic group of elementary teachers who are focused on bettering themselves as educators. BOHUSA will offer financial support for their further educational studies this fall. Our goal is to have all staff be certified by the end of 2013. The Liberian government recommends a C-certificate for teachers of elementary students, which can be obtained in one year of education classes (taken on Saturdays). There is a great need to add seventh and eighth grade classrooms and a library. There is actually no room, however, and so we need to add a second floor. Currently the ground floor houses the church and the school uses this space for daily services. The first floor would give space for three more classrooms, in addition to a large reading room and computer labs. About $40,000 to 50,000 is required to meet the educational needs. If you would like to contribute to this building project, please make out your check to: Bridge of Hope 12002 Arnold Rd. Orrville, Ohio 44667 Bridge of Hope Foundation is a non-profit organization. You do not have to pay tax on your contributions. The purpose of the letter is to _ . Answer: Which part of a plant is most responsible for using energy from the Sun to produce food for the plant? Answer:
Question: Put 2 February in your diary! It is World Wetlands Day! It marks the date that the Convention on Wetlands was signed in1971.This special day was first celebrated in 1997 and it is celebrated every year. The celebration is a call for action. It is a way to show people how important and useful the wetlands are for people. On World Wetlands Day, people around the world take part in many wetlands activities. People take trips to the local wetlands. There are talks about how important the wetlands are. People get together to clean up their local wetlands Children draw pictures to advertise the day. People also compete in boat races. The World Wetlands Day is important! If there are no wetlands, there will be no water for anyone in the future. Wetlands help protect nature and resources like fresh water. Already, more than 10000 million people in the world do not have fresh water. Many people do not know how important the wetlands are. They can understand why an elephant or a tiger is important because they are big, beautiful animals. It is much harder for them to understand how important the animals in the wetlands are. These small animals, such as frogs and snails, play a very important part in keeping the balance of nature. All plants and animals are part of the food chain .If the small wetlands animals die, some animals in the food chain will have nothing to eat. They will also die. People need the wetlands to keep the balance of nature in the world. If we do not protect nature today,it will be gone tomorrow. Which of the following might be the best title of the article? A. Wetlands Are Important B. Small Animals Are Also Important C. World Wetlands Day D. Food Chain Answer: A Question: Nectar is a sweet liquid that some flowering plants produce. A hummingbird drinks nectar from a flower. When a hummingbird drinks nectar, pollen from the flower sticks to the hummingbird's beak. The picture shows a hummingbird drinking nectar from a flower. Which statement explains the role of a hummingbird in the life cycle of a flowering plant? A. A hummingbird carries food to the plant. B. A hummingbird helps the plant reproduce. C. A hummingbird protects the plant from predators. D. A hummingbird makes the flowers produce nectar. Answer: B Question: People tend to become more personal and hide less of themselves when using email.Researchers from Open University in Britain have found in a recent study that there are good reasons for this. The team of researchers asked 83 pairs of students, all strangers to each other, to solve a problem.They had to discuss this question: If only five people in the world could be saved from a world disaster, who should they be? The pairs of students had to talk over the problem either face to face or by computers.Dr.Johnson said, "They told their partners four times as much about themselves when they talked over the Internet as when they talked face to face.When the computers were fitted with cameras so that students could see each other, this limited the personal side of the conversation." Generally the information was not extremely personal.It was mainly about things such as where they went to school, or where they used to live.But some students discussed their love stories, and personal childhood experiences. Dr.Johnson believes that emailing encourages people to focus on themselves.And when they do this, they become more open , especially if there are no cameras."If you cannot see the other person, it becomes easier to talk about yourself.This is because you are not thinking what the other person is thinking of you.So emailing has become the modern way of talking." said Dr.Johnson.However, this style of talking is not entirely new."In the 19th century people started to use the 'telegraph' to communicate.Now the same kind of thing has happened and people ended up speaking more freely." Dr.Johnson thinks that e-mailers need to know about these effects of emailing, especially when they start work in a company."If you don't know about it, you could find yourself saying more about yourself than you wanted to ." In the writer's opinion, one should _ . A. focus on oneself when emailing B. talk more freely in email than usual C. discuss any subject that one wants to D. consider how one uses email at work Answer: D Question: Levi Strauss was born in Bavaria in Europe in 1829. He to the United States of America when he was seventeen years old. His brothers sold cloth, and he worked for them even though he could not speak English very well. At this time many people were moving to California because gold was discovered there. Strauss went to look for gold, too. Strauss took a lot of cloth with him to San Francisco. He thought that he could make tents out of the cloth and sell them to people working in the gold fields. But when he got there, he saw that people had a greater need for clothes than tents. Clothes did not last very long in the gold fields. At first Strauss made pants out of . They were very strong ---- much stronger than other pants. Soon everyone was wearing them , so he decided only to make pants. He opened a small store and made a lot of money from selling pants. After a while, Strauss found a material even stronger than canvas. It came from a town in France called Nimes. The French called the material serge de Nimes, which means "cloth from Nimes". The Americans called it denim. Strauss also bought some cloth from Genoa, a town in Italy. To Americans this name sounds like "jeans", so they called his pants jeans. The cloth that Strauss used was always blue, so people also called his pants blue jeans and blue denims. Other people called them Levi's. Levi Strauss jeans are some of the best-selling jeans in the world today. They last a long time and are very comfortable. 58. The name "jeans" was first used by _ . A. Bavarians B. Americans C. Italians D. Frenchmen Answer: B Question: Despite great affection for their parents,many Chinese people remain "too shy" to express love for them,according to an online survey. The poll of around 6,000 people,conducted by Beijing--based recruitment website Zhaopin.com,was conducted as the nation gears up (......)for Mother's Day on Sunday. Although 74.6 percent of participants said they knew their mothers' birthday,only 25.5 percent would like to actually tell her "I love you". "This figure suggests mothers occupy an important place in most participants' mind. Yet,many people still find it 'embarrassing' to express their affection," the survey's organizer said. As to the form of celebration on Mother's Day,67 percent of participants said they would prepare some gifts,with 70 percent saying that they would spend no more than 500 yuan (74 US dollars),while 51 percent said they planned to phone their mother because they would either be too busy at work or be away from home. "I do love my mother deeply but I have never said 'I love you' that often. It just feels quite weird for me to say it to her in person,"said Stella Wang,a 27yearold office worker,noting that she prefers to express her feelings in writing on birthday or Christmas cards. "I have to say that it's difficult for me to express my love for my mother. I think if I did say it out loud,it might confuse her," said Liang Hao,a 32yearold engineer. "Very few Chinese,at least those I know,are used to saying 'I love you',they may never even say it once," said Mike Denver,an American working in Shanghai as an English teacher. Hu Shoujun,a sociology professor from Shanghai's Fudan University said,"The personality of the Chinese people is generally quiet,reserved and serious. For Chinese,it's unnecessary and even regarded as 'odd' to display their affection for s and friends." The cause of conducting the poll is to _ . A. find out how the Chinese will express their love to parents B. make preparations for Mother's Day C. survey how many people will say "I love you" to their parents D. survey what the Chinese will do on Mother's Day Answer: A
The English writer Samuel Johnson famously said, "You find no man who is willing to leave London. No, sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford." More than two centuries have passed since Johnson's age, but his words still ring true. Here, you'll find the historic Tower of London and the Tate Modern both considered must-sees. Shakespeare's sonnets are still being uttered by actors. Londoners most certainly still look up to the royals, but they also rock out to Coldplay and Lily Allen. And while they still sip tea, they now drink Starbucks, too. How to Save Money in London Find the free attractions. Many of London's top things to do, including the National Gallery, Hyde Park and the Portobello Road Market, are absolutely free to enjoy. Ride the Tube. Taking taxis will add up quickly, so buy a pay-as-you-go Oyster Card and travel on London's underground system, nicknamed the "Tube". Dine smart. Corridors like Brick Lane offer fantastic cultural food for bargain prices; fish and chip shops are a cheap standby and takeaway food costs less than dine-in. London Culture & Customs London is one of the fashion capitals of the world, and its residents tend to reflect that. Practically, pack an umbrella for the rainy days and a scarf for the cold ones. As for tipping, restaurants and cafes will usually add a 10-to-15-percent service charge to the bill. If a service charge is not allotted , it's customary to tip the same (between 10 and 15 percent). If you're drinking at a pub or wine bar, tipping is flexible. And in a taxicab, tip the driver to the nearest pound or about 10 percent of the cost. London Dining London used to be highly criticized for its heavy and common menu items. Now, London is considered as one of the most gourmet cities in the world. And with its melting pot of cultures, it's not difficult to see why. London offers everything from modern British to Malaysian. For Indian food, we suggest visiting the curry houses on Brick Lane. If you want a real high tea experience, book reservations at the Ritz, at Fortnum & Mason, or at the Dorchester -- but be sure to dress the part. Pub culture is still alive and well, so if you have a _ for fried fish and salty chips (or French fries), you'll still find them here. And for a quick bite, exchange a few pounds for a kebab, a quick sandwich or some to go sushi, which can be found in restaurants throughout the city. In which column of a newspaper can we find the passage? Answer: When several people look at the same person, it is not unusual for each of them to see different things; when you are alone observing one behavior or a person at two different times, you may see different things. The followings are but some of the factors that lead to these varying perceptions(,): (1) Each person's perceptions of others are formed by his or her own cultural conditioning, education, and personal experiences. (2) Sometimes perceptions differ because of what we choose to observe and how we deal with what've observed. It is not necessarily true that person perception is based on observations of a particular person. Your observations may be totally controlled by what others have told you about this person; or you may focus primarily on the situation or role relationship. Most people do not use the same standard to measure their parents, their friends, and strangers. (3) Sometimes we see only what we want to see or don't see what may be obvious to others because of our own needs, desires, or temporary emotional states. This is a process known as selective perception. Selective perception is obviously more difficult when contradictory information is particularly obvious, but it can be done. We can ignore the _ ----"He's basically a good boy so what I saw was not shoplifting ." We can reduce the importance of the contradictory information ----"All kids get into mischief . Taking a book from a bookstore isn't such a big deal." We can change the meaning of the contradictory information--- "It wasn't shoplifting because he was going to pay for it later."... The worst thing in selective perception is that _ . Answer: One of the most difficulties in learning a language is learning the idiomatic phrases, slang and common usage of native speakers. These four books focus on giving students a hand when learning North American idiomatic language. Ya Gotta Know It by Hania Hassan It provides an excellent mixture of materials for classroom lessons and American slang reference. Its unique feature is that students are provided with ongoing context reminding learners of idioms learned while improving their understanding by using the same characters and a developing story line. Exercises provide a chance for students to practice in proper situations. Price: $11.66 ISBN: 9780074560167 Common American Phrases by Richard A. Spears It has a wide variety of resources on American English. It contains more than 2,000 phrases and idioms. Excellent for classroom use as this reference guide focuses on standard phrases that can be found in everyday standard usage. Price: $ 7.06 ISBN: 978007405607 American Idioms and Some Phrases Just for Fun by Edward Swick The book's strength is its translation of more formal English of a number of idioms. These phrases are then repeated in a number of different contexts giving students a good idea of common usage. There are also a number of exercises designed to help students put their newfound idiomatic understanding into use. Price: $ 5.49 ISBN: 9780764108075 American Slang by Robert L. Chapman It provides a guide for advanced level English students. This references guide to slang is best used by those interested in the very latest and up-to-date slang and slang you might hear in the laterst films from Hollywood. Price: $ 1.99 ISBN: 9780062731722 The purpose of writing the passage is _ . Answer: .British people are famous for drinking tea. But brother and sister, Sarah and Bobby Green, became young millionaires when they opened a chain of American-style coffee shops in the UK. Having the idea: It started when Sarah took a weekend trip to New York to visit her brother Bobby. One evening, in a Thai restaurant, Sarah told Bobby how much she wished she could buy American-style coffee in London. Bobby suggested they started their own coffee shop. Sarah fell in love with the idea. Doing the Research: Back in London, she spent a whole day on the London subway, getting off the train at different stations to taste the coffee. "It was terrible, and I knew there was a gap in the market." In 1995, they opened their first Coffee Republic shop in central London. Making it work: The first year was very difficult. British people were not used to the names of American coffees, like latte and macchiato. But being successful was their dream and they were not going to give up. Today, there are over 100 Coffee Republic shops all over the country and the company has PS30 million a year. Advice for others: Sarah has now written a best-selling book about their experience, calledAnyone Can Do It ! She hopes it will help other young people to start their own businesses. She says, "If you think you have the energy, then get out and follow your dream." What is the passage mainly about? Answer: More surprising,perhaps,than the present difficulties of traditional marriage is the fact that marriage itself is alive and thriving.As Skolnick notes,Americans are a marrying people: to Europeans,more of us marry and we marry at a younger age.Moreover, after a drop in the early l950s,the rate of marriage in the United States is now increasing.Even the divorce rate needs to be taken in this pro-marriage context:some 30 percent of divorced individuals remarry. Thus,marriage remains by far the preferred way of life for the vast majority of people in our society. What has changed more than marriage is the nuclear family.Twenty five years ago,the typical American family was made up of a husband,a wife,and two or three children. Now there are many marriages in which couples have decided not to have any children.And there are many marriages where at least some of the children are from the wife's former marriage,or the husband's,or both.Sometimes these children spend all of their time with one parent from the former marriage;sometimes they are shared between the two former spouses . Thus,one can find every type of family arrangement.There are marriages without children;Marriages with children from only the present marriage;Marriages with "full time" children from both the present and former marriages;Marriages with "full time" children from the present marriage and "part time",children from former marriages.There are stepfathers,stepmothers,half brothers, and half sisters.It is not all that unusual for a child to have four parents and eight grandparents! These are great changes from the traditional nuclear family.But even so,even in the midst of all this,there remains one constant:Most Americans spend most of their adult lives married. By calling American marrying people the author means that_. Answer:
Question: Top chefs aren't known for their friendly character. Assistants who overcook food by ten seconds usually struggle to get out of the kitchen alive. My father was a top chef. We'd had a stormy relationship for years, but I decided to follow in his footsteps anyway, and train as a chef. It was better than the dead-end I 'd reach with the job I'd been doing. After three years, I became head chef in a restaurant called The Tortoise. As the boss, I made important decision but if anything went wrong, I was the one who should take the responsibility. Experiencing the sweaty kitchens, I learned why my father was the way he was. When I began, _ ---I just wanted a regular job--but soon I realized my career was taking off. The rich and famous started to visit the restaurant and eventually came the time when I had to decide about my future: I could either open my own restaurant or go and work for one of the big ones. Then life made the decision for me. My father tried and I got his job. On my first day, I received an unfriendly welcome. No one would talk to me. What made it worse was that I was ill--I had a cold , and my hands were shaking as I went into the kitchen. I held my breath, stood up in front of everyone and said, My name is Leah Kleist. You all know my father. whether you loved him or hated him, I don't care. He is the past. Now let's get to work. And we did. Why did the author decide to work as a chef? A. It was his favorite B. It was a better job. C. He was forced to D. He lost his job. Answer: B. It was a better job. Question: Sarah has one piece of wood that is smooth and polished and another that is rough and unfinished. Which of the following is true? A. both pieces of wood will create the same amount of friction B. the unfinished wood will generate more heat than the other while rubbed over the floor C. the rough wood will more easily move when rubbed over the tile than the finished wood. D. the finished wood will generate more heat when it is rubbed back and forth over a tile floor. Answer: B. the unfinished wood will generate more heat than the other while rubbed over the floor Question: What particle always has a mass of one atomic mass unit (amu) and no charge? A. a neutron B. a proton C. an electron D. an atom Answer: A. a neutron Question: In a container, a mixture of water and salt is stirred so that the salt dissolves completely. Sand is added to this solution and allowed to settle to the bottom of the container. If the container is placed on a heat source and the liquid evaporates completely, what will be left in the container? A. Nothing will remain in the container. B. Only salt will remain in the container. C. Only sand will remain in the container. D. Salt and sand will both remain in the container. Answer: D. Salt and sand will both remain in the container. Question: There is a nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden, there is water between his feet and his pants are wet. He thinks his heart is going to stop. It's never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again . The boy puts his head down and prays, "Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! I'm dead meat ."He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered. As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and throws the bowl of water on the boy's legs. The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, "Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!" Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of _ , the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants are dried out. All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his goes to someone else - Susie. She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. You've done enough, you klutz!' Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, 'You did that on purpose, didn't you?' Susie whispers back, 'I wet my pants once too.' Susie throws water on the boy because she _ . A. intends to save the boy from trouble. B. likes playing tricks on her classmates C. is too careless with the goldfish bowl D. wants the teacher to know the truth Answer: A. intends to save the boy from trouble.
My father quit driving in 1927, when he was 25 years old.So my brother and I grew up in a household without a car.In 1951,when my brother turned 16, my parents bought a used 1950 Chevrolet from a friend.Since my parents didn't drive, it more or less became my brother's car. Having a car but not being able to drive didn't bother my father, but it didn't make sense to my mother.So in 1952, when she was 43 years old, she learned to drive.For the next 45 years or so, until she was 90, my mother was the driver in the family. After my father retired when he was 70, he almost always accompanied my mother whenever she drove anywhere, even if he had no reason to go along.One day my father said to me, "Do you want to know the secret of a long life?" "I guess so," I said, knowing it probably would be something bizarre . "No left turns." he said. "What?" I asked. "No left turns," he repeated."Think about it.Three rights are the same as a left and that's a lot safer.Several years ago, your mother and I read an article that said most accidents that old people are in happen when they turn left in front of oncoming traffic.As you get older, your eyesight worsens.So your mother and I decided never again to make a left turn." "You're kidding!" I said, and I turned to my mother for support."No." she said. "Your father is right.We make three rights.It works." But then she added: "Except when your father _ ." "Loses count?" I asked. "Yes," my father admitted, "that sometimes happens.But it's not a problem.You just make seven rights, and you're okay again." I couldn't resist."Do you ever go for 11 ?" I asked. "No," he said "If we miss it at seven, we just come home and call it a bad day. Besides, nothing in life is so important it can't be put off another day or another week." My mother was never in an accident all through her life. The mother decided to learn to drive because _ . Answer: Science. And technology students in China and the US have a1ong way to go before they call develop a deep understanding of scientific reasoning, researchers have found. As part of a research to compare science education in China and the US,LeiBao, a professor from the Department of Physics of the Ohio State University, gave 5,760;freshmen in three US and four Chinese universities two tests to evaluate content knowledge and another to assess scientific reasoning \|Though Chinese students did better than theirprefix = st1 /UScounterparts in the first two tests that Emphasized on learning facts, both groups "scored ly poorly" on the third test, designed to assess their ability on systematically explore a problem, the results showed. Lei Bao said that the finding challenges conventional wisdom,which holds that teaching science facts will improve students' reasoning ability."Our study shows that ,contrary to what many people would expect,even when students are thoroughly taught the facts,they don't necessarily develop the reasoning skills they need to succeed.''IBao said:'"Because students need both knowledge and reasoning, we need to explore teaching methods that target both." 'The current education systems and assessments of China and the US do not emphasize on deep understanding of scientific reasoning in the disciplines of science;technology, engineering and mathematics(STEM),the study concluded. Bao explained that reasoning is good skill for everyone to possess-not just scientists and engineers:The general public also need good reasoning skills in order to correctly interpret scientific findings and think rationally.STEM students need to _ scientific reasoning in order to handle open-ended real-world tasks in their future careers in science and engineering. How to boost scientific reasoning? The study suggests that educators must go beyond teaching science facts if they hope to boost students' reasoning ability.Bao points to inquiry-based leaning. where students work in groups,question teachers and design their own investigations.This teaching technique is growing in popularity worldwide. According to the research,we know that Answer: Beauty has always been regarded as something praiseworthy. Almost everyone thinks attractive people are happier and healthier,have better marriages and have more respectable occupations. Personal consultants give them better advice for finding jobs. Even judges are softer on attractive defendants .But in the executive circle,beauty can become a _ . While attractiveness is a positive factor for a man on his way up the executive ladder,it is harmful to a woman. Handsome male executives were thought as having more integrity than plainer men;effort and ability were thought to account for their success. Attractive female executives were considered to have less integrity than unattractive ones;their success was attributed not to ability but to factors such as luck. All unattractive women executives were thought to have more integrity and to be more capable than the attractive female executives. Interestingly,though,the rise of the unattractive overnight successes was attributed more to personal relationships and less to ability than that of attractive overnight successes. Why are attractive women not thought to be able?An attractive woman is thought to be more feminine and an attractive man more masculine than the less attractive ones. Thus,an attractive woman has an advantage in traditionally female jobs,but an attractive woman in a traditionally masculine position appears to lack the "masculine" qualities required. This is true even in politics. "When the only clue is how he or she looks,people treat men and women differently,"says Anne Bowman,who recently published a study on the effects of attractiveness on political candidates. She asked 125 undergraduate students to rank two groups of photographs,one of men and one of women,in order of attractiveness. The students were told the photographs were of candidates for political offices. They were asked to rank them again,in the order they would vote for them. The results showed that attractive males utterly defeated unattractive men,but the women who had been ranked most attractive invariably received the fewest votes. Bowman's experiment reveals that when it comes to politics,attractiveness _ . Answer: Memory, they say, is a matter of practice and exercise. If you have the wish and really make a self-effort, then you can quite easily improve your ability to remember things. But even if you are successful, there are times when your memory seems to play tricks on you. Sometimes you remember things that did not happen. One morning last week, for example, I got up and found that I had left the front door unlocked all night, yet I clearly remembered locking it carefully the night before. Memory "trick" works the other way as well. Once in a while you remember not doing something, and then find out that you did. One day last month, for example, I was sitting in a barber shop waiting for my turn to get a haircut, and suddenly I realized that I had got a haircut two days before at the barber shop across the street from my office. We always seem to find something funny in incidents caused by people's forgetfulness or absent-mindedness . Stories about absent-minded professors have been told for years, and we never got tired of hearing new ones. Unfortunately, however, absent-mindedness is not always funny. There are times when "trick" of our memory can cause us great trouble. (words: 169) Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: Henry Ford grew up on an un-electrified farm, and as a young man he followed Edison's career as the inventor became a national role model.Ford took a job at the Edison Illuminating Company working his way up to chief engineer. In 1896 Ford was thirty-three and, though still working for Edison Co.,he had created his first experimental automobile the Ford Quadricycle2 during his off-time. At an Edison company party in New York, Ford had his first chance to meet his hero Edison and was able to explain his new automobile to the great inventor. _ Young man, that's the thing! You have it! Your car is self-contained and carries its own power plant." Edison himself had been working on the idea, but had only been considering electricity as the power source, so the idea of a gas engine was a somewhat new one. The words comforted Ford greatly, who immediately set out building a second car which was to become the Model-T.6.The two men became f'ast friends and would go on camping trips together.When Edison later became limited to a wheelchair, Ford brought an extra one to his house so they could race.At the 50th anniversary of the invention of light-bulb, Ford honored Edison.When Edison spoke, he ended his speech directed at Ford:" As to Henry Ford, words fail to express my feelings.I can only say that he is my friend." Therefore it is no surprise that Ford wanted something to remember Edison by after he passed away in 1931. Once, Ford asked Thomas Edison's son Charles to sit by the dying inventor's bedside and hold a test tube next to his father's mouth to catch his final breath. Ford was a man with many strange behaviors( as was Edison)including some interest in reanimation and spiritualism and some say that he was attempting to catch Edison's soul as it escaped his body in hopes of later bringing the inventor back to life. The test tube itself didn't turn up until 1950 when it was listed in the Ford possessions after Clara Ford's passing away, and then lost again until 1978 when it was discovered in an exhibit Entitled "Henry Ford-A Personal History" in the Henry Ford Museum.It would then be discovered that the tube was labeled "Edison's Last Breath". There is a further mystery of this "last breath" test tube. It would seem as if Edison had quite a last breath indeed, as the Edison Estate holds a collection of 42 test tubes all supposedly containing Edison's last breath. Regardless of the excitement over the last breath, the test tube is quite touching in its meaning.Although both men were known for all sorts of poor behavior towards .their loved ones and mistreatment of employees, between them at least, there was clearly a deep respect and admiration. The passage can be sorted as a _ . Answer:
From Rome and Venice to the rolling hills of Tuscany and the charm of Milan, Italy is a bottomless well of attractions. It is a motherland of artists and scientists that changed the shape of the world. Here are some places you should see on your vacations to Italy. Valley of the Temples Welcome to Sicily and one of its most amazing attractions. The Valley of the Temples in Agrigento is an extensive archaeological site containing the well-preserved remains of various Doric temples dating from the 5thcentury B.C. In accord with standard criteria for both Greek and Roman temples, all structures face east so that the statue of the god housed inside will be illuminated by the rising sun. The site being located on a ridge overlooking the town, the term "valley" is obviously a misnomer ,but it quite captures the vastness of the place. Uffizi Gallery The reputation for being one of the finest universally acclaimed museums of all time comes courtesy of masters like Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo and Rubens. Their timeless works are proudly displayed on the top floor of the palace in Florence. Historic Centre of Siena Siena may not equal Florence in overall artistic achievement, but its charm makes it a place that no other can compare to. Centered on Piazza del Campo, the historic district is a container of 12th-century Gothic, and a mirror of the Middle Ages. Full of pearls of architecture and cultural highlights, the historic centre of Siena is an excellent trip back in time, ideally to be taken in summer. Grand Canal Taking the water bus along the Canal Grande is like going back through centuries of history. The famous Venetian waterway runs more than 3.5 km through all six districts of the historic center. The impressive Renaissance palaces rub shoulders with Gothic arches and marble mixes with gold. Numerous landmarks never cease to provoke admirable sighs on the way. The main purpose of the passage is _ . Answer: During the early years of American settlement, a new form of English was beginning to develop in the islands of the West Indies and the southern part of the mainland, spoken by the black population. The beginning of the seventeenth century saw the happening of the slave trade. Ships from Europe travelled to the West African coast, where they exchanged cheap goods for black slaves. The slaves were shipped in terrible conditions to the Caribbean islands and the American coast, where they were in turn exchanged for such products as sugar and molasses . The ships then returned to England, completing an "Atlantic triangle"of journeys, and the process began again. Britain and the United States had outlawed the slave trade by 1865, but by that time, nearly 200 years of trading had taken place. By the middle of the nineteenth century, there were over four million black slaves in America. The policy of the slave-traders was to bring people of different language backgrounds together in the ships, to make it difficult for groups to plan rebellion. The result was the growth of several pidgin forms of communication, and in particular a pidgin between the slaves and the sailors many of whom spoken English. Once arriving in the Caribbean, this pidgin English continued to act as a major means of communication between teh black population and the new landowners, and among the blacks themselves. Then, when children came to be born, the pidgin became their mother tongue, thus producing the first black Creole speech in the region. This Creole English rapidly came to be used throughout the cotton plantations , and in the coastal towns and islands. It can be inferred that the slaves in the same ship _ . Answer: The Original London Sightseeing Tour-Hop On Hop Off "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford. ----Dr Samuel Johnson 1709-1784." Duration: 24 hours pass Welcome to London and welcome to The Original Tour. Providing more than just a great way to travel around the capital, founded nearly 60 years ago at the time of The Festival of Britain, The Original Tour is now the largest and most popular sightseeing operator in the world. The Original Tour has become set up as the basic introduction to London. You are invited to experience all the magical sights and sounds of London in a comfortable and safe environment. There is a full commentary in English and a choice of six other languages on selected routes. Live English speaking guides appear on the yellow route service. Your tour tickets are completely unrestricted . Each route makes frequent stops-simply hop off where want to and return to the same stop to continue your tour. You can relax and enjoy the tour while your children (and everyone else's) are entertained and informed by the highly praised "Kids' Club" commentary and their free London activity packs. "Kids' Club" is featured on the red route service. Your ticket includes a free Thames River cruise .You can choose between a 24 hour river cruise hopper pass OR the 50-minute circular tour depending on the time you have available. The Original London Sightseeing Tour is_. Answer: All plant cells are capable of taking up water. Even dead ones do to a certain degree. Absorption of water by dead cell walls makes wood become larger. In common land plants, the living cells of roots take upmost of the water. Land plants without roots do exist, however. Those greenish-yellow lichens you see on rocks in the high mountains have no roots. Half a billion years ago, when water plants started to enter the land, the first land plants did not have roots. Even among the flowering plants, one finds rootless forms. These flowering plants are "the higher plants" because they evolved recently and are thus considered higher on the evolutionary scale . In the Peruvian desert, there grows one of these rootless higher plants, a bromeliad. It is a relative of the pineapple. Even if this plant had roots, they would be of no use, because where the plant grows, it never rains. The plant gets its water only from the dew it collects at night, when its leaves cool off. Such rootless plants, of course, can be moved with ease, but they will only grow when they are placed out in the open. If they are placed too near a house, the radiation from the heat of the house prevents the leaves from cooling and so prevents dew from forming, and the plant dies. In the southern United States and in Puerto Rico, one sees growing high above the streets on the insulation of electric wires. These plants get their water from rain, and the only soil they ever come in contact with is the dust that may blow on their leaves. The "bromeliad" is a plant that _ . Answer: London has a population of over 7,000,000. From about the year 1800 until World War II, London was the biggest city in the world. But now there are many cities which are much bigger than it. London is famous for many things. Tourists come from all over the world to visit its famous buildings and hear the famous clock, Big Ben. Like many big cities, London has problems with traffic and pollution which stop the city from developing. Over one million people a day use the London underground, but there are still too many cars on the streets. The air isn't clear, but it is anyhow cleaner than it was 100 years ago. For me, the best things about London are the parks. There are five in the city center. But my children's favorite place is Hamleys, the biggest toy shop in the world. How was the air in London 100 years ago? Answer:
Nearly 28% of college Students plan to seek employment using Linkedin, up from 5% last year, according to a survey out today from employee recognition provider i Love Rewards and career-services network Experience.Slightly more than 7% plan to use Facebook, up from 5%. No longer do students just wait for visiting campus recruiters to learn about job possibilities.Instead they're using digital tools to find their dream jobs, says I Love Rewards CEO Razor Suleman.Companies need to know their online image, then update anything that is outdated, inaccurate or not inleractive . 'The recruited have now become the recruiters," Suleman says."They are now going out and finding the companies they want to apply for." Students learn about employers by viewing their websites, reading Facehook and Twitter updates and perusing Linkedln profiles.Another information source: Comments by past and current employees on job-oriented websites. A strong digital presence is one way for employers to stand out as the search for the best and brightest gets competitive. Slightly more than four in 10 employers say they will use "different" recruiting tactics to reach Generation Y, according to a survey by job-search site Monster.com to be released today.Of those respondents, almost 60% say social-networking sites are popular tools to reach Gen Y candidates. "Our reason for using social media is because that's where we think the candidates are," he says. The company posts updates and videos on topics such as job opportunities and the benefits of being an employee.It also created a mobile-friendly site for those who want to apply via smart phone. "Younger people want to attach to you in a different way than the past," Lavery says."They want to interact with you.They want to learn about you." The updated recruitment techniques take effort, but they work, he says. In 2010, UPS used those tactics to _ 955 employees.The year before, it hired 29 employees through those means. "It's a time investment that you have to be willing to do," he says."You can't just have a page up there and not have content.In social media, you have to have a give and a take, or people won't be a part of your community." In order to find their dream jobs, more American graduates like to use _ . Answer: the Internet For most Chinese university students, the prefix = st1 /USis a favorite destination for further education. But apart from obstacles such as the GRE and TOEFL exams, choosing a good graduate school is no easy task. Admission is very competitive for international students, so it is important to apply to a number of institutions to have a reasonable chance of acceptance. Since the application to most universities requires a certain fee, Chinese students usually choose seven to 17 universities according to their own financial circumstances. Wang Yuwei, a Zhejiang University graduate, sent applications to 15 USuniversities. When the 24-year-old began looking for a USgraduate school in her senior year, she took time to compare the various schools and find the ones most suiting her needs. Now, studying at theUniversityofWashington, she knows that her hard work paid off. "To broaden your chances, at least one third of the applications should be to less selective schools," said Wang. "Applicants shouldn't limit their choices to the most famous institutions." Furthermore, one shouldn't rely on too much on college rankings such as the Gorman Report or US News & World Report's annual league tables. The right school is the one that best meets your own personal needs and interests, rather than someone else's assessment of an institution's prestige . "Usually choices are based on one's personal interests and academic background, but it is important to make sure that your chosen subject is satisfied," said Wang. What will be continued after this passage? Answer: Some other things to consider to choose the right school. Ahmad is the founder of Copia, which she describers as "match com meets Uber for food recovery." Conipanies use the Copia app to report when they have leftover food,what kind, and how much . When recipients such as shelters, soup kitchens , and agencies first register with Cupia, they indicate how many people they need to feed,on what days , and what kind of food they'll take. Cupia makes a profit from the fees that companies pay to remove leftever food; the companies receive a tax write-off for their food donations. How did Ahmad create Copia? Aa a senior at UC Berkeley, the found nearly 50 million Americans are at risk of going hungry every day, white more than 133 billion pounds ofeatable foud are deserted each year. Ahma d started a student group that recovered food from the campus and distributed it Lo local nonprofits. As rewarding as this was,the inefficiencies bothered her. One day , she got a call from the dining hall manager, who had 500 sandwiches left over from m event. She rented a car,loaded it with the food, and called nonprofits, She found takers for only 25 sandwiches and ended up giving out the rest eU a nearby park. "I remember thinking how cool it would be if people who had food could say, 'Hey, we have stuff, ' and people who needed it could speak up, and then we could connect the two. " After she graduated , Ahmad launched Copia carlier this year, it operates in 40 cities in Northem California and has served over 700,000 people. Its biggest success--and challenge-- 10 date was this past Super Bowl: Copia recovered muro than 14 tons of food, which fed more than 23,000 people. Despite her busy schedule, Ahmad tries to do me food pickup a week."When you get to theshelter,"she says ," If you wouldn't have eaten." And that's when I'm like, ' This is why I do what I do.' Who will benefit from Copia app? Answer: Registered companies donating food, A father wanted to buy a horse for his son. After looking at many horses, the man's decision was almost made. It had come down to a choice between two horses. They were quite similar and the prices were the same. He decided to take another look so he could make a final decision. The first farmer was eagerly trying to sell his horse and talked much about how cute his horse was, but the father didn't reach a decision. The second farmer was different. He didn't say anything about the horse, but he simply said that he was sure the man's son would love his horse. He offered to bring the man a saddle , a bridle , the horse and enough food for it for 30 days. In return , the father should give him a check, and he would hold it for 30 days. If the man's son decided to keep the horse, he could let him know at the end of the 30 days, and he would cash the check. Otherwise, he would give back the man's check, pick up the horse and even clean up where the horse had been to. Which farmer do you think sold his horse? Can you see that if you promise buyers reliable business dealings with you, you are more likely to be successful? The farmer gave more far beyond what the father thought or even imagined. Why was it hard for the father to make a decision at first? Answer: The two horses were quite similar. Hello, I'm Severn Suzuki speaking for E.C.O.--The Environmental Children's Organization. We are a group of twelve and thirteen-year-olds from Canada trying to make a difference. Vanessa Suttie, Morgan Geisler, Michelle Quigg and me. We raised all the money ourselves to come six thousand miles to tell you adults you must change your ways. Coming here today, I have no hidden agenda. I am fighting for my future. I am here to speak on behalf of the starving children around the world whose cries go unheard. I am here to speak for the countless animals dying across this planet because they have nowhere left to go. I am afraid to go out in the sun now because of the holes in the ozone . I am afraid to breathe the air because I don't know what chemicals are in it. I used to go fishing in Vancouver with my dad until just a few years ago we found the fish full of cancers. And now we hear about animals and plants going _ every day. In my life, I have dreamt of seeing the great herds of wild animals, jungles and rainforests full of birds and butterflies, but now I wonder if they will even exist for my children to see. Did you have to worry about these little things when you were my age? All this is happening before our eyes and yet we act as if we have all the time we want and all the solutions . I'm only a child and I don't have all the solutions, but I want you to realize, neither do you! The reason that Severn Suzuki gave this speech is to _ . Answer: ask people to take action to protect the environment
Question: A reflector is used to reflect A. light edibles B. dirt C. solar heat D. sunbeams Answer: D Question: NO.4 Middle School Kunming, Yunnan April 2nd, 2004 Dear editor I live in a beautiful city. Many visitors come to my city. There are so many colorful peacocks here .The peacocks mostly live on the grass land of Dongfeng Square They are given food freely by visitors ,They usually throw food to them ,and don't think about at all whether the food is right or not. Some of the peacocks became ill, some even died after eating the bad food given by the visitors . I'm sure most of the visitors who throw food to the peacocks really like the birds ,but don't realize that they may be doing them harm .The visitors should be told that what have done is very harmful to the birds , and this kind of thing must be stopped from happening Perhaps we can build some small shops beside Dongfeng Square to sell peacock food .For us every person, it's our duty to give more love to these beautiful birds and to look after them carefully. Yours, Sun Yan Some shops can be built beside Dongfeng Square so that they may _ A. sell food for visitors B. sell food for peacocks C. make the square more beautiful D. have the beautiful birds Answer: B Question: Tattoos and body piercings have moved up on the trend list in recent years. Around Western schools lots of teens are sporting new holes and "flesh ink" . As with all other subjects, the Chinese will surely have to deal with this situation with respect to their children. To get a better view of what has happened in the West, 1et's sit down and hear what they say. Tiara from Indiana: I personally think body piercing is sickening. If there were supposed to be holes in your body,you would have been born with them. I do,however,think that ear piercing is not wrong. There is a difference between ear piercing and belly button piercing. Ear piercing is not nearly as dangerous. I would be sick if someone stuck a needle in my belly button. Lee from Illinois: Hi! I live in Illinois. I am 23. I have 12 tattoos and three piercings. I love my tattoos and consider myself an art collector. You would be surprised at who has given me the thumbs up on my art work. People on the street stop me to look at the tattoo on my leg. Most of them don't know what it is. They just think the work itself is great. Subotai from California: I'm not forbidden of self-expression,but when I see high school students getting these piercings, I really wonder. In some cases, the drive is deeper and darker than mere fashion. A friend of mine tried piercing her own tongue with a safety pin. It got infected and she had a tongue the size of a cow's. Jackson from Ohio: I don't think it is wrong, but when people do it all over the place like their face and everything--I think that's ridiculous. People who get the big "dragons that cover the whole body--I don't think that's necessary." When I see naked chicks on guys, I think, "You have no respect for women." Who doesn't think tattoos and piercings except ear piercing are beautiful? A. Jackson B. Lee C. Tiara D. Subotai Answer: C Question: In the world ,soccer is the most popular sport. This is because many countries have wonderful teams for the World Cup. The World Cup is held every four years. To remember 2002 FIFA World Cup ,children from different countries and more than 60 children from Japanese schools came together and spent three weekends drawing a big picture called "Dream World Cups "in Japan .The children drew animals, flowers and people playing soccer under a blue bright sky. They wished each soccer team good luck by drawing the flags of all the countries that would take part in the World Cup in Japan and South Korea.The picture was put up in a park near a playground in Yokohama .Some soccer teams would have games there. Are you a soccer fan ?The World Cup makes more and more people interested in soccer. Teenagers like playing and watching soccer .Many of them love some soccer stars so much that they get the pictures of their favourite players on the walls of their rooms. That is the way to show their love for the World Cup as children in Japan.As Chinese teenagers,if we stick on to our soccer dream,it will come true.Let's take action now. The next World Cup was held in _ . A. 2006 B. 2007 C. 2005 D. 2004 Answer: A Question: While walking home one evening, Harold, an off-duty police officer, was accosted by Jones, a stranger. Jones had been drinking and mistakenly thought Harold was a man who was having an affair with his wife. Intending to frighten Harold but not to harm him, Jones pulled out a knife, screamed obscenities, and told Harold he was going to kill him. Frightened and reasonably believing Jones was going to kill him and that using deadly force was his only salvation, Harold took out his service revolver and shot and killed Jones. Harold is charged with murder. Harold's claim of self-defense should be A. sustained, because Harold reasonably believed Jones was planning to kill him and that deadly force was required. B. sustained, because the killing was in hot blood upon sufficient provocation. C. denied, because Jones did not in fact intend to harm Harold and Harold was incorrect in believing that he did. D. denied, because Harold was not defending his home and had an obligation to retreat or to repel with less than deadly force. Answer: A
Aside from plants, lizards also eat bugs for Answer: sustenance Getting ready for a big test? Want to get some extra energy for your next sports event? Or do you just need to relax? Match the mood you're in( or the mood you'd like to be in) to the descriptions below and find out what color may help. Feeling tired: Red can help you meet the demands of a busy day. If you've got a tough day ahead, try wearing a red sweater or painting your fingernails a rich red to boost your energy. Feeling tense or depressed: Green may give you a sense of peace. Take a long walk through a tree-filled park or read a book in a grassy area. Wanting to use your creativity: Violet helps increase creativity. Think of a creative project you'd like to start and use the color violet as your main theme. Experiencing lack of interest: Yellow helps to improve thought process and mental sharpness. Start keeping a diary on yellow notepaper, and get some sunlight on your face. Needing to boost your imagination: Indigo strengthens dream activity. Put on your favorite pair of jeans and a pair of indigo sunglasses. Feeling sad, self-conscious, nervous: Orange may help start your emotions and make you more social. Buy yourself an orange book bag or purse and carry it with you on the days when you're feeling low. Having trouble sleeping: Blue helps calm your nerves and brings relaxation. Buy some blue sheets for your bed and curl up with your favorite magazines for a relaxing night. According to the passage, orange _ . Answer: helps you deal with people easily Our magazine is presenting to you the top four iPhone (the best seller of Apple Company) applications for more fun on hiking or camping trips recommended by our A-list field hikers and travelers. 1. GPS Kit by Garafa--Never get lost (for $10.) What it does: Download before you leave or use your phone's data connection to view maps from Google (satellite, landscape, cycling, and street), or Bing (shaded relief, street, or image). Record your movements, drop notes or photo makers on previously downloaded Google Earth. 2. Photosynth by Microsoft--Perfect the view (for free!) What it does: Make 360degx360degpanoramas to your own taste. It saves the panorama as a single image to your camera roll after combining images. Once you get to know how to hold the iPhone and move to take the photos, you can have pretty simple, fast panoramas! 3. Soundcloud by Soundcloud--Share the sounds (for free!) What it does: Basic sound recorder with on-board editing (cutting) capabilities. Upload your recordings to the Internet, share on social networks and listen to and follow others! It allows for super-simple recording and uploading to the Internet. You can upload all the sounds as "non-shared" files, so you can download them to your computer for continued storage and editing. In addition, with _ , you will never fear your dirty laundries are to put you to shame. There is a growing community of users, including Paul Salopek who is walking around the world. 4. Postagram by Sincerely--Send moments (application is free! /$1 per card.) What it does: The application allows personalized production of e-postcards right from your iPhone. There aren't many post offices out in the mountains, so this can be critical to send a gift home. And even if there are post offices where you are traveling, sometimes it's easier, cheaper and more fun to send your own DIY messages home. Tom will be charged if he needs to download _ . Answer: GPS Kit Kuala Lumpur is an exciting capital city in Malaysia. Here are the top 4 budget hotels there: The Chinatown Inn (About $30 per night) Just a block from the railway station, located in Chinatown's open market. It has clean beds, central air conditioning, hot water for coffee and tea, and a hall with a big screen TV. Wi-Fi is good on the first 4 floors, but a little weak on Floor 5. Many guests like the Chinatown Inn. Their complaint is that the air condition is too cold, so make sure you get a room with a window. You can open it to let some warmth in. Ancasa Express (About $45 per night). The hotel is above the sky-train station. That makes it convenient to get to other parts of the city. From the station, take the elevator to the 5th floor to reach the hotel lobby . The rooms are clean and nice. There is a flat screen TV, the strongest Wi-Fi, and a very hot rainfall shower. The guests' complaint is that the cafe is only open for breakfast and dinner, and not 24 hours. Central Hotel (About $35 per night) This hotel is just two blocks from the Central Station, which is the heart of all transportation in the city--buses, trains and sky-trains all meet here. Central is where the airport-link trains will take you to the airport. From Central you can walk 2 blocks to the beautiful Central Hotel, in which rooms are small but nice and clean, and have common Wi-Fi. Ocean 77 (About $25 per night) On Petaling Street in Chinatown, this brand new hotel is most spotlessly clean. There is a flat screen TV and good Wi-Fi in each room. The location is good, in the heart of the Petaling Street market. No cafe in the hotel, but many nearby on the street. What can we learn from this passage? Answer: Only one of the four hotels is air-conditioned. The following are the results of the tests done by "Family and Home Magazine" on some Pocket Tape-Recorders on the market now. Pearlcorder S702 $64 This simple model at the bottom of the Olympus range scored the most points for its excellent quality of recording. Background noise hardly affects the sound and recording from a pocket is perfectly possible, but it doesn't turn off automatically. Tape length: 30minutes per side. Weight: 240g. Sony M9 $49.95 Small and very good looking, Sony's latest offering scored most for its appearance. Sounds clear, but there is slight machine noise. The big control buttons are a great improvement on some of the complicated little controls on other tape-recorders. It doesn't switch off automatically, but a red light shows if the machine is still running. Tape length: 60minutes per side. Weight: 195g. Sony M400 $115 Lots of little control buttons that make a noise are difficult to use. Recording is good but machine noise loses points. Tape counter and automatic switch-off when tape has finished recording or rewinding are useful. Tape length: 60 minutes per side. Weight: 230g. Imperial OEM MC7 $ 29.95 Cheap and simple compared with the rest, but recording is good as long as there is no background noise. Use only its own-make of cassette. No light to show it is on; no fast-forward button and the record button makes a loud noise. Tape length: 30 minutes per side. Weight: 285g. Philips 585 $80 Handsome and simple to use, but recording is very poor at more than the recommended distance of 5 cm-designed for dictation. No recording light. Tape length: 15 minutes per side. Weight: 220g. The machine that produces the best recording with the least unwanted noise is _ . Answer: Pearlcorder S 702
London has always been known for its "black fogs". In the winter of 1952, a milky white fog rolled into the city. As the smoke poured into the air, it was so hard to see that people had to walk in front of the buses to guide them. In this way, the most serious air pollution disaster in history began. When it was over, more than 4,000 people had been killed by the thick black smog. New York City has had several London-type smogs since 1950. Each time, 100 to 400 deaths were caused by the smog. Although these smogs were not as deadly as London's, New York City has the worst air pollution problem in the United States. In all the killer smogs, factories and homes poured smoke and fumes into the air from the furnaces. The chemical fumes combined with the water droplets in the fog to form harmful substances. These substances caused the illness of those who breathed the polluted air. Usually, such harmful fumes rise into the upper air and are blown away by the wind. But sometimes there is an unusual weather condition called a temperature inversion. A layer of cold air remains near the ground as smoke and fumes pour into it. This is covered by an upper layer of warm air that acts like a lid. It prevents the polluted cooler air from rising. The harmful fumes pile up and make people ill. The smog may be so thick that airports are closed and chains of collisions occur on the highways. Another type of smog occurs in Los Angeles. Here the weather may be clear and sunny. But stinging eyes and dry coughs show that harmful chemicals fill the air. The smog is due to invisible gases, mostly from automobile exhaust. Because these chemicals are changed by the sun high up in the air, it is called photochemical smog. It contains automobile exhaust fumes and nitrogen oxides changed by the sun's rays. Added to these are sulfur dioxide and other fumes from factories and oil refineries. Photochemical smog is found in many large cities all over the world. Killer smogs don't happen very often, fortunately. But in Beijing, a combination of automobile exhaust fumes, home furnace smoke, and factory waste gases pours into the air. This may also happen in the suburbs, or out in the country, where large factories have been built. A number of harmful substances have been found in the air there. When these substances are breathed in day after day, the health of the population is affected. Why do people call this phenomenon "black fog"? If you go to visit London, you'll see a lot of buses and cars on the road. You'll also see many bikes because more people travel by bike. Why? There are many reasons. First, it is very cheap to buy a bike, and it is quick, too. You often need to wait for a bus for half an hour. When the bus comes, there are so many other buses and cars on the roads, so the bus moves very slowly. I travel to work by bus for about four years. I often arrive at work late and feel tired. Then one day, a friend of mine says, "I go to work by bike. Why don't we travel together?" "Because my bike is old, and there are so many buses and cars on the roads. I'll feel frightened." I answer. "Don't be afraid, if you follow me and we ride slowly, you'll be fine." he says. Later, I buy a new bike. We go slowly, but we arrive at work quickly. I spend 40 minutes going by bus, but only half an hour by bike! Now I love riding a bike. And I feel healthy. Many people think my idea is good and maybe you'll see more bikes on the road in the future. I travel to work by bus for _ . The motivation to succeed comes from the burning desire to achieve a purpose. Napoleon Hill wrote, "whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve." A young man asked Socrates the secrets to success. Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river the next morning. When they meet, Socrates asked the young man to walk with him towards the river. When the water got up to their necks, Socrates took the young man by surprise and pressed him into the water. The boy struggled to get out but Socrates was strong and kept him there until the boy stared turning blue. Socrates pulled his head out of the water and the first thing the young man did was to gasp and take a deep breath of air. Socrates asked, "What did you want the most when you were there?" the boy replied. "Air." Socrates said," That is the secret to success. When you want success as badly as you wanted the air, then you will get it. There is no other secret." A burning desire is the starting point of all accomplishment . Just like a small fire cannot give much heat, a weak desire cannot produce great results. What do you need to succeed according to this passage? Not only women wear skirts. Men can wear them, too. In Scotland , men wear a kilt - a kind of skirt. The kilt is their national dress. The kilt has checks and different colors, like red or blue. Each family in Scotland has its own colors. How did the Scotsmen start to wear kilts. There is a story about it. Rawlinson had some workers from Scotland in his office and he thought their clothing _ their work. So he cut their clothes into a shorter skirt. Today, they usually only wear them at weddings or big dinners. Only a few men wear a kilt every day. Scotsmen also wear kilts in big parties. The policemen still have skills as the dress uniforms, but they don't wear them to catch the thieves. When do Scotsmen wear kilts? Sydney has a huge bus system. No buses accept cash, and a ticket needs to be bought ahead of time. The buses often run at busy hours and regularly during the day. The Sydney Explorer bus provides air-conditioned service and stops at 27 tourist attractions. Its partner, the Bondi Explorer, stops at 19 attractions. _ It's an easy way to see the city and the surroundings. Sydney's train service runs throughout the central city area and the surroundings. Tickets can be bought from machines that operate 24 hours a day or from ticket offices. The monorail travels through central Sydney. It is the most excellent way to gain a good view of the whole city. The monorail runs every three to five minutes, and it takes 15 minutes to complete its journey. Sydney is built around a harbor, and the Parramatta River has a large ferry system. It serves the area around the harbor. These include Taronga Zoo, Darling Harbor, Rose Bay, the North Shore, Cockatoo Island and Sydney Olympic Park. The ferries have operated for more than 135 years and 14 million passengers take the ferries each year. Water taxis can offer special services that some visitors enjoy, such as transporting passengers to specific locations, offering guided tours of waterways and so on. The tickets sell for 20 Australian dollars for a day or 57 Australian dollars for a week. It is strange,isn't it? Compared with the ferry,what is the advantage of water taxi?
"Does my smile look big in this?" Future fitting-room mirrors in clothing stores could subtly adjust your reflection to make you look - and hence feel - happier, encouraging you to like what you see. That's the idea behind the Emotion Evoking System developed by Shigeo Yoshida and colleagues at the University of Tokyo in Japan. The system can manipulate, or in other word, control your emotions and personal preferences by presenting you with an image of your own smiling or frowning face. The principle that physiological changes can drive emotional ones - that laughter comes before happiness, rather than the other way around - is a well-established idea. The researchers wanted to see if this idea could be used to build a computer system that manipulates how you feel. The system works by presenting the user with a web-camera image of his or her face - as if they were looking in a mirror. The image is then subtly altered with software, turning the corners of the mouth up or down and changing the area around the eyes, so that the person appears to smile or frown . Without telling them the aim of the study, the team recruited 21 volunteers and asked them to sit in front of the screen while performing an unrelated task. When the task was complete the participants rated how they felt. When the faces on screen appeared to smile, people reported that they felt happier. On the other hand, when the image was given a sad expression, they reported feeling less happy. Yoshida and his colleagues tested whether manipulating the volunteers' emotional state would influence their preferences. Each person was given a scarf to wear and again presented with the altered webcam image. The volunteers that saw themselves smiling while wearing the scarf were more likely to report that they liked it, and those that saw themselves not smiling were less likely. The system could be used to manipulate consumers' impressions of products, say the researchers. For example, mirrors in clothing-store fitting rooms could be replaced with screens showing altered reflections. They also suggest people may be more likely to find clothes attractive if they see themselves looking happy while trying them on. "It's certainly an interesting area," says Chris Creed at the University of Birmingham, UK. But he notes that using such technology in a shop would be harder than in the lab, because people will use a wide range of expressions. "Attempting to make slight differences to these and ensuring that the reflected image looks believable would be much more challenging," he says. Of course, there are also important moral questions surrounding such subtly manipulative technology. "You could argue that if it makes people happy what harm is it doing?" says Creed. "But I can imagine that many people may feel manipulated, uncomfortable and cheated if they found out." What can we learn about the web-camera image in the study? A It recorded the volunteers' performance in the task. B It gave the volunteers a false image. C It attempted to make the volunteers feel happier. D It beautified the volunteers' appearance in the mirror. Answer: B BEIJING - The country's top health officials state that an international charity's decisions not to give millions of dollars to Chinese organizations that fight AIDS and other diseases will not bring about the end of those organizations. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced on Monday that it will withhold $95 million from the $270 million in grants it had planned to give China. That decision came as the result of months of discussion between the charity and Chinese officials. On the mainland, a large number of programs meant to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS have received money from the Global Fund. Many observers now fear that the announced cut will undermine those organizations' work. Chen Zhu, the minister of health, said officials have found a way to limit the harm. "In the coming five years, the Chinese government will constantly increase its financial support of social organizations, particularly those that work to control and prevent HIV/AIDS." Chen said while addressing the 6th Experience Exchange Conference of International Cooperation Program on HIV/AIDS in China on Monday. In a recent survey of more than 200 organizations taking part in the fight against HIV/AIDS on the mainland, nearly 80 percent of them said they had received grants from the Global Fund. About 83 percent of them said they will find it difficult to continue operating without financial support from abroad, it said. Official statistics showed the Global Fund has given China $548 million in grants since 2003. Xia Jing, leader of a Beijing-based grassroots organization dedicated to controlling AIDS, said: "We were like children fostered by foreign milk. As foreign money began to be withdrawn from China, we were faced with serious financial hardships." Han Mengjie, executive director of Global Fund China Programs, said the Chinese government has fully recognized the important role social organizations play in controlling diseases. "The work done and efforts made by such organizations must be sustained for a long time to supplement the government's intervention work,"he said, "We have to face the truth that international money for AIDS control will gradually leave China and to prepare ourselves to deal with that." According to Han Mengjie, which of the following is the most possible action to be taken? A Chinese government is expected to seek help from social organization to control diseases B Chinese government shouldn't rely too much on social organizations C Social organizations' work and efforts won't make much difference to the fight against AID D We Chinese are well prepared for the international money's withdraw from China Answer: A The whole body is covered with skin.The surface of the skin is dead(like the hair and the nails),but it is made from a living layer just under the surface.The outside dead layers wear off all the time,with new ones replacing them,and the body forms a totally new skin every three weeks. The skin protects the body from the outside world and it passes information from the outside.It helps to keep water in the body and to keep the body at the same temperature.Becteria can't get in through the skin unless it is damaged. If the weather is cold,the blood vessels in the skin squeeze down,or contract ,so that as little blood as possible comes near the surface.This means that less warmth is lost to the outside.This makes the skin look pale,or even "blue".At the same time,the hairs on the skin are pulled upright by tiny muscles. When it is hot,the blood vessels expand ,or get wider again,to allow plenty of blood to run near the surface of the skin.This helps the body to lose heat,and the skin may look red.At the same time,the sweat glands produce more sweat,which cools the skin. If your skin has ever been numb ,you will realize how important the feeling from the skin is.Nerves in the skin are sensitive to heat and cold,sharpness,hardness and softness,wetness and dryness and pain.If one is not able to feel these things,which can act as warnings,he is likely to be burned,cut or hurt in other ways. The colour of the skin depends on special colour cells .These are just below the top layers of the skin.They are needed as protection from some harmful ray of the sun.The stronger the sun is,the more important it is to have a dark skin.People with pale skins may "tan" in the sun.This happens when the body produces extra colour cells in the skin for protection.In the sun,the skin produces a vitamin(vitamin D)which is needed for strong bones. When the weather is cold,the skin will contract in order to _ . A allow more blood near B make the skin look blue C keep warmth D help the body lose heat Answer: C In American schools there is something called Homecoming. Many high schools and colleges with a football team have a Homecoming game. This can be the most important event of the year except graduation or commencement day. Students plan Homecoming for many weeks in advance. Several days before Homecoming, students start to decorate the school. There are signs to wish luck to the team, and many other signs to welcome all the graduates. Many people still come to Homecoming twenty or thirty years after their graduation. The members of school clubs build booths and sell lemonade, apples and sandwiches. Some clubs help to welcome visitors. During the day people like to look for teachers that they remember from long ago. Often they see old friends and they talk together about those happy years in school. Everyone soon comes to watch the football game. When the game is half over, the band comes onto the field and plays school songs. Another important moment is when the Homecoming Queen or King appears. All the students _ a most popular student Homecoming Queen or King. It is a great honor to be chosen. Homecoming is a happy day, but it is not perfect unless the football team wins the game. Even if the team loses, the students still enjoy Homecoming. Some stay at the school to dance, and others go to a party. For everyone it is a day worth remembering. Which of the following is NOT done on Homecoming? A To see old friends. B To call on teachers they remember. C To watch the football game. D To go home to see their family. Answer: D The rising costs of health care have become a problem for many countries in the world. To deal with this problem, it is recommended that a big part of the government's health budget be used for health education and disease prevention instead of treatment. Actually, many kinds of diseases are preventable in many ways and preventing a disease is usually much cheaper than treating it. For example, people could avoid catching a cold if they dressed warmly when the weather starts getting cold. But many people get sick because they fail to do so, and have to spend money seeing a doctor. Daily habits like eating more healthy food would have kept millions of families from becoming _ if the patients had taken measures for early prevention. For instance, keeping a balanced diet, such as not consuming too much animal fat and insuring a steady intake of vegetables and frits, seems to be quite important. One very effective and costless way of prevention is regular exercise, which is necessary for a healthy mind and body. Regular exercise, such as running, walking, and playing sports is a good way to make people feel better and reduce stress. In addition, health education plays a key role in improving people's health. By giving people more information about health, countries could help people understand the importance of disease prevention and ways to achieve it. For example, knowing one's family medical history is an effective way to help keep healthy. Information about health problem among close relatives will make them aware of what they should do to prevent certain diseases through lifestyle changes, Which will work before it is too late. However, stressing disease prevention does not mean medical treatment is unimportant. After all, prevention and treatment are just two different means toward the same effect. In conclusion, we could save money on health care and treat patients more successfully if our country spends more money on health prevention and education. What's the best title of the passage? A Prevention or Education? B Prevention or Treatment? C Health or Illness? D Exercise or Illness? Answer: B
Question: Part-time jobs for 15 and 16 years olds Waiter / Waitress A job as a waiter or waitress is a good choice for 16-year-olds. Not only can one earn $9-$12 an hour, but they can also get the tips . Most people that visit a restaurant don't just have good food. They come here to relax and have a good time. Besides serving food quickly, a young waiter who talks to them politely with a smile on his face will make the diners enjoy their time at the restaurant. Work in a library If one is fond of books, working in a library is another suitable choice. Besides the pay is good, it offers a lot of free time when students can actually sit down and finish their homework. So on returning home, they would have time to hang around with friends or just relax. So working in a library is an excellent part-time job for teens, especially for school students. Internet jobs There are many ways of making money through online jobs like clicking on advertisements, visiting sites and signing up with them. However, such online jobs don't pay well. A better Internet job for teens is to complete online surveys. These are quite simple surveys that usually ask one about his/ her opinions and ideas. Many companies use these ideas to make products designed for teenagers. What does the writer think of the job as a waiter/waitress? A. It needs a period of training. B. It pays much more than other jobs. C. It can improve one's leadership skills. D. Making diners comfortable is part of the job. Answer: D Question: It is not a question of culture, it is not even a question of killing animals. Even a carrot dies when pulled out of the ground. It is a matter of the protection of the planet because our meat eating habits might be stressing (......) our ecological ( ) system. It's no longer --might\|\|, we are destroying our planet. Most of the meat that we eat comes from livestock, which is about 23 billion in population and causes the waste of our natural resources. Every second of every day one football field size rainforest is destroyed, and much of it is used to farm and raise livestock. Raising the animals also requires huge quantities of water, mostly to grow the grains fed to them. It takes over 2,000 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, which can be used for a seven-minute shower every day for a minimums of four months. Take your pick: four months without a shower or a hamburger. Meat has to be cut, cleaned and processed. One doesn't just buy a cow and start eating it. According to David Pimentel from Cornell University, it takes 20 times more energy to produce beef than tofu, and both have the same good sources of protein ( ). The waste from the animals is one of the main causes of water and air pollution. The animal waste cannot be used in the fields because it can spread diseases to humans. In 1995, 25 million gallons of animal waste flowed into the New River in North Carolina, killing 10 million fish and destroying 364,000 acres of coastal ( ) wetlands. Animal farming also produces larger quantities of greenhouse gases, such as methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). If your next Christmas is unusually hot or especially cold, blame the steak you ate the night before. I am not saying that everybody needs to stop eating meat right this minute. I don't think we can produce enough corns, fruits, and vegetables. I am just saying we need to cut our meat consumption , 70 grams per day is okay if we want normal weather, clean air and drinking water. According to the passage, our meat eating habits are a question of . A. showing the culture B. killing the animals C. harming the plants D. protecting the planet Answer: D Question: Anna Craig, 11, has a paper doll covered with stickers. Each sticker is labeled with a word such as creative, cheerful, smart or kind. "We choose stickers that best describe us and put them on our dolls," explains Anna. "All these words are what makes me beautiful!" The activity is part of a program called Beautiful Me. The Hance Family Foundation, which was created to honor three sisters killed in a car accident, offers the program for free to schools. The program's goals are to help girls and young women build healthy levels of self-esteem and develop skills for handling problems and relationships with others. Beautiful Me explains that self-esteem means how you feel about yourself and what you think your value is as a person. "Girls of all ages benefit from recognizing what makes each of us valuable and different," says Kate Tuffy, who helped create Beautiful Me. "Our goal is to offer the program to as many girls as possible across the United States." About 6,000 girls have benefited from it due to her efforts. Beautiful Me organizers train teachers to present the program material to small groups of girls. It includes hands-on art activities, role-playing games about understanding body language and discussions on how to build friendships. Schools and groups present the program when they are ready. "The Beautiful Me program helps girls understand their feelings, solve problems and get along better in and out of school. Girls and women who have built healthy levels of self-esteem are more likely to be better friends to others and know how to solve conflicts," says Tuffy. Anna says she has learned all of that from the program. But most importantly, she has learned to appreciate the special qualities in people and that it's important to feel good about yourself. "When you feel good about yourself," Anna says, "it is easy to make others feel good, too! Beautiful Me is a program that _ . A. helps girls feel good about themselves B. tries to make girls look more beautiful C. shows young women how to keep healthy D. honors beautiful girls killed in car accidents Answer: A Question: In Alaska, there are fewer hours of daylight in the winter than in the summer. Which statement best explains why this difference occurs? A. The Sun burns hotter in the summer. B. The Sun moves below the horizon in the summer. C. The Northern Hemisphere is closer to the Sun in the winter. D. The Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun in the winter. Answer: D Question: THIS WEEK'S TOURS of CATTY SHACK Thursday, January 8, 2015--Daytime Tours Hours: 1:00~4:00 PM, last admittance at 3:15 PM Admission: Adults: $10 Children (3~11): $5 2 & Under: Free Purchase Tickets: Tickets may be pre-purchased up to 24 hours prior to the event by using the button below. Tickets may also be purchased at the ranch--cash, credit Visa, Mastercard & Discover are accepted forms of payment at the ranch. Tickets cannot be exchanged or money refunded. No reservations required. Enjoy a leisurely, guided tour of our sanctuary and see all the residents (Siberian tigers, lions, cougars, black leopards, a bobcat, a coatimundi and foxes)! Tours last approximately 45 minutes. Saturday, January 10, 2015--Night Feeding Tours Hours: Gates open at 6:00 PM. Tours from 6:00 PM -7:00 PM. Last admittance at 7:15 PM. Feeding begins at 7:30 PM. Admission: Adults: $15 Children (3~11): $10 2 & Under: Free Purchase Tickets: Tickets may be pre-purchased up to 24 hours prior to the event by using the button below. Tickets may also be purchased at the ranch -- cash, credit Visa, Mastercard & Discover are accepted forms of payment at the ranch. Tickets cannot be exchanged or money refunded.No reservations required. Enjoy a guided tour of all the residents (Siberian tigers, lions, cougars, black leopards, a bobcat, a coatimundi and foxes) at our sanctuary! Tours begin at 6:00 PM and leave approximately every 15 minutes. Tours last about 45 minutes and include a viewing of all our residents, as time allows, along with facts about the animals. To see the feeding, we suggest everyone arrive at the ranch by 7:15 PM to allow for adequate time for check-in and walking to the feeding point. At 7:30 PM, you will get to watch over 450 pounds of meat distributed throughout the sanctuary! Get ready to see their "wild" side -- there's sure to be plenty of roaring! To learn about more upcoming tours, you can click on the calendar event listing for full details. Which of the following about Night Feeding Tours on January 10, 2015 is WRONG? A. Tickets are non-refundable. B. Visitors can feed the animals in person. C. Guide is available during the tours. D. Visitors can't be allowed in after 7:15 PM. Answer: B
Steven Jobs, the designer of Apple Computer, was not clever when he was in school. At that time, he was not a good student and he always made troubles with his schoolmates. When he went into college, he didn't change a lot. Then he dropped out . But he was full of new ideas. After he left college, Steven Jobs worked as a video game designer. He worked there for only several months and then he went to India. He hoped that the trip would give him some new ideas and give him a change in his life. Steven Jobs lived on a farm in California for a year after he returned from India. In 1975, he began to make a new type of computer. He designed the Apple Computer with his friend in his garage. He chose the name "Apple" just because it could help him to remember a happy summer he once spent in an apple tree garden. His Apple Computer was so successful that Steven Jobs soon became famous all over the world. He often said, "I live in order to change the world, there aren't any other reasons. The only way to have a great achievement is to love your own career. If you can't find your favorite career, go on looking for it and never give up." This is Steven Jobs, though he is dead, his spirit and achievements still influence our lives. Which of the following sentences is NOT true according to this passage? Answer: Scientific mistakes can live on forever. When 18th-century European museums were first sent specimens of a large furry animal with long curved white claws, they named it"bear-like sloth "because its claws resemble those of South American sloths. Later scientists realized that the species was a tropical bear unrelated to sloths, but its wrongheaded name remains the sloth bear. Rangingprefix = st1 /India,Nepal,Bhutan,Sri Lanka, and possiblyBangladesh, these 150 to 300-pound bears feed on fruits and insects. They sound like bellows when using their flexible noses and lips to blow away dirt and suck up ants. But don't be misled: This gentle-looking bear can be dangerous, occasionally killing villagers who enter the forest. Yognand often talks with villagers to help avoid conflicts."Attacks can be prevented if people avoid certain places." One goal of his research has been to track a dozen radio-collared bears in the dry forests ofIndia'sPannaNational Park. He's discovered that some bears have home ranges of up to 40 square miles. His conclusion:"We need to protect large patches of their _ and maintain links between those patches. Unfortunately sloth bears have to compete with species such as tigers. The bears get far less attention than they deserve." The large furry animal was named the sloth bear because_. Answer: Which is a chemical compound? Answer: Greenland is the largest island in the world.It covers over 2,000,000 square kilometers.Most of the island lies inside the Arctic Circle ,and a huge sheet of icecovers 85% of its area. Along the sea mountains rising from the sea,there are a few low trees in the southwest,but no forests.In winter snow covers everything,but in summer very low plants cover the ground between the sea and the ice sheet.Norwegians were the first Europeans to see the island in AD 875,but no one visited it until 982.Three years later a few Norwegians went to live there.In 1261 the people in Greenland decided to join Norway.Norway and Denmark united in 1380.This union ended in 1814,and Greenland stayed with Denmark.Greenland is fifty times larger than Denmark,but it is still part of this small country. When did Europeans begin to live in Greenland? Answer: Two strangers were sitting together in a plane . They were on a long journey . One of the men was a teacher . The other was a farmer . They sat without talking for a while , then the farmer said , " Let's do something to pass the time ." " What do you want to do ?" the teacher asked . " We can ask each other riddles ( )," the farmer said, " You start." " Let's make the rules first ," the teacher said . " And to make the game more interesting , let's play it for money . If we don't know the answer to the riddle , we have to pay a dollar ." The farmer thought about this for a while , then he said , " That's not fair( . You are a teacher , an educated ( ) man . You know more things than I do . I am just a farmer ." " That's true ," the teacher said , " What do you think we should do ?" The farmer said , " If you don't know the answer to a riddle ,you pay me 100 dollars .If I don't know the answer to the riddle , I'll pay you 50 dollars." The teacher thought for a while , then he said , " OK. That's fair . Who'll go first ?" "I will ," the farmer said . " Here's my riddle . What has three legs when it walks , but only two legs when it flies ?" The teacher thought and thought , " What has three legs when it walks, but only two when it flies ?" Then he said , " That's a good one . I don't know the answer ." He gave the farmer 100 dollars and said , " Tell me the answer . What is it ?" " I don't know , either ." The farmer said , and gave him 50 dollars . The farmer wanted to _ . Answer:
Traffic problems are an everyday concern in many cities,including Washington,DC.A growing number of Washingtonians are turning to bicycles to get to and from work.In fact,the number of commuters who use bicycles has doubled in the city since 2007. Ralph Buehler teaches urban planning at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,popularly known as Virginia Tech.He has written a book about urban biking,called "City Cycling". He says there is a reason why urban bike tiding is now becoming more popular. "Over the last 60 to 70 years.cities in the U.S.have been adapted to the automobile." "Most cities took advantage of the money coming for the interstate highway system,from the federal government,starting in 1956.There was a 90 percent federal match so the cities only had to put up 10%.It was very tempting." In the years after World War Two,many Americans moved to suburban communities,just outside major cities,They decided to travel great distances to and from work in exchange for a home in the suburbs.Their cars became a symbol of freedom. But today,many people believe they can save money by living in the city. Greg Billing is with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association."When a person makes a change from 04 using a car to using a bike,they are saving anywhere between 8 or$9,000 a year." Ralph Buehler says governments save money when people use bicycles."Building bicycling facilities is much cheaper than building and maintaining road facilities or public transport." Washington,DC has also taken steps to protect bike riders.It approved a safe passing law and created areas on the road between cars and bikes. The United States Census Bureau says 4%of the city's workers ride to work by bike.The only city on the East Coast with more bike commuters is New York. In the years after World War Two,many Americans prefer to _ . Answer: Attractions in Wisconsinks5u Wisconsin Historical Museum 30 N. Carroll Street on Madison's Capitol Square Discover Wisconsin's history and culture on four floors of exhibits. Open for public programs. Admission is free. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (608)264-6555 www.wisconsinhistory.org/museum Swiss Historical Village 612 Seventh Ave, New Glarus The Swiss Historical Village offers a delightful look at pioneer life in America's heartland. 14 buildings in the village give a full picture of everyday life in the nineteenth-century Midwest. Tue. - Fri., May 1st- Oct. 31st, 10:a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Admission is$20. (608)527-2317 www.swisshistoricalvillage.com Artisan Gallery & Greamery Cafe 6858 Paoli Rd, Paoli, WI One of the largest collections of fine arts and crafts in Wisconsin. Over 5,000 sq. ft. of exhibiton space in a historical creamery. While visiting enjoy a wonderfully prepared lunch at our cafe overlooking the Sugar River. Just minutes from Madison! Galleriy open Tue. - Sun., 10:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m. Cafe open Wed. - Sat., 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Sun. brunch with wine, 10:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. (608)845-6600 www.artisangal.com Christopher Columbus Museum 239 Whitney St. Columbus World-class exhibit - 2000 quality souvenirs marking Chicago's 1893 World Columbus Exhibition. Tour buses are always welcome. Open daily, 8:15 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (920)623-1992 www.columbusantiquemall.com Which of the following is on Capitol Square? Answer: Long march exhibits. The Shenzhen History Museum is putting on an exhibition to mark the 81st anniversary of the Long March. On show are more than 220 photos and some other things that show how the Red Army made the Long March from Jiangxi Province and to northern Shanxi Province in the mid-1930s. Time: 10:00 am --- 4:00 pm Address: 1368 Shennan Road Admission: 8 yuan for Chinese / 15 yuan for foreigners Thai elephants. Eight elephants from Thailand are entertaining visitors at the Window of the World by riding bicycles, playing basketball, balancing on a beam , dancing and blowing a harmonica . People are encouraged to lie on the ground and have the elephants step over them. The elephants give three shows a day at 9:30am, 3:30pm and 8:00pm and there is an additional show at 1:30 pm at weekends. Address: West Huaqiaocheng Admission: 60 yuan Dancing dolphins. Dolphins leaping from the water to touch a ball, waving their bodies to music, kissing people and doing maths by tapping their tails have made the delphinium in Shenzhen Ocean Park an attraction for children. Seals and sea lions also perform. Hours: 10:30pm, 4:00am, and 7:30pm Admission: 40 yuan for adults and 20 yuan for children. Which of the following is not done by the Thai elephants? Answer: On the whole, it's not something we parents shout about, but one in four of us does it.Hiring private tutors for our children is now widespread.And this year, as always,the Easter holidays will be peak time for tutor demand. "My husband and I tried to tutor her at home,but we found all our knowledge was out of date and we were only confusing Zarreen.We also tried a group revision course but all the children were sitting exams for different boards . On the whole we think one-two-one tuition works best and it is worth the money.In our case,Preeta is a bit like an elder sister to Zarreen and that's the most important,"says Ashan Sabri from London, whose daughter Zarreen,18,is having tuition in biology and chemistry in preparation for A-levels this summer. In fact,Preeta Datta is only six years older than her pupil and she is happy to provide extra tuition through mobile phone."Maybe Zarreen will call me two or three times a week with a question about biology or chemistry, and that's fine to me,"says Datta. The real question is:does tutoring do any good? "It's not the magic bullet,"says Professor Judith Ireson.'It's still up to the child to do the learning.If he or she isn't interested,then sending them to a private tutor won't do any good." In which case,surely it's time to break open the Champagne ?Not necessarily, says Elaine Tyrrell,head of the Rowans School. "While we recommend private tutoring for a few children whose first language isn't English,we don't encourage it for the others,"says Tyrrell."With the level of education they get here,children really ought to be able to pass the entrance exams without any extra teaching. Besides, our biggest worry is that they might just get in with the help of last-minute tutoring,but,once they actually get to that school,they won't be able to manage." It's a point worth considering.After all,who would want their child to stay at the bottom of the class? In Ashan Sabri's opinion,which method is most suitable for her daughter?_. Answer: Defendant is on trial for nighttime breaking and entering of a warehouse. The warehouse owner had set up a camera to take infrared pictures of any intruders. After an expert establishes the reliability of infrared photography, the prosecutor offers the authenticated infrared picture of the intruder to show the similarities to Defendant. The photograph is Answer:
Question: A young man is sitting by the road eating something. A policeman is coming over. At once ,the man gets up quickly and runs down the road. The policeman runs after him. The man runs very fast. But the policeman runs faster. After a few minutes, the policeman catches him. 'Where are you going?' says the policeman. 'You must be a criminal if you run like that when you see a policeman.' 'No, no,' says the man, 'I'm not a criminal. I'm just too fat, you see. The doctor says to me that I must always run fast after eating.' 'I see,' says the policeman, 'You are running to help to lose some weight .' What is the young man doing by the road? A. He is playing games. B. He is drinking tea. C. He is eating something. D. He is listening to the radio. Answer: C Question: Let's look at the picture. The boy's name is John. The girl in a white blouse is his sister, Rose. The other one in a yellow blouse is his sister, Mary. John and his sisters are students in No. 11 Middle School. The two sisters are in Class Three, Grade One, but John is in Class Two, Grade Two. The man and woman are their father and mother. The man is a worker and the woman is a teacher. The old man and the old woman are John's grandfather and grandmother. The family is a big one. Which of the following is NOT true? A. The family is a big one. B. John and his sisters are in the same school. C. The man's son is in Grade 2. D. The two girls have two brothers. Answer: D Question: First aid is the aid or the help which can be given to an injured person first, that is, before any other help comes. Nowadays there is usually a telephone not far away and the first we should do, if a serious accident happens, call the phone for an ambulance. Sometimes our quick action may save someone's life. Shock. People often suffer from shock after receiving an injury, sometimes even when the injury is very tiny. The face turns grey, and the skin becomes damp and cold. They breathe quickly. They should be kept warm. Cover them with a blanket and give them a warm drink. Broken bones. Do not move the patient. Send for an ambulance at once. Bleeding. A little bleeding doesn't harm. It washes dirt from the wound. But if the bleeding continues, try to stop it by placing a clean cloth firmly over the wound until the bleeding stops or helps arrive. Poison. A person who has taken poison should be taken to a hospital at once. With some poisons, sleeping pills, for example, it is a good thing to make the patient throw up by pressing your fingers down his throat. Remember: When an accident happens, send someone to telephone for an ambulance at once. Keep the injured person warm and quiet. Give him plenty of air. Do not let other people crowd around him. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to passage? A. First aid means to give an injured person the help at once before the doctor comes. B. If an injured person goes into shock, we must try to keep them warm. C. Don't move the injured person if he has broken his legs. D. When a person has taken poison, we must make him sick. Answer: D Question: When he was just 19, Michael Dell started the company that would _ the industry. At the time, IBM personal computers sold in stores for about $3,000. After taking them apart and rebuilding them, Dell realized the components could be bought for one-fourth the price. Soon he was buying components to reduce the cost. A good business decision, but it meant his room was starting to look like a mechanic's shop. "I was quite excited about the possibilities for personal computers and how they could change society. I had this idea to sell the products directly to the users over the phone", he said. College plans and his parents' expectations bothered him a lot. But Michael Dell was determined. He drove off to the University of Texas at Austin in August 1983 in a car he'd bought with earnings from selling newspapers. He was surprised that his mother wasn't suspicious about the three computers in the backseat. By November, news reached his parents that he wasn't attending classes. On a surprise visit to Austin, they caught their son on spot. Michael Dell told his dad that he wanted to compete with IBM. Although Michael agreed to focus on his studies, the business chances and the timing couldn't have been better. The public was becoming more interested in computers, but no one was producing them. In early May, a week before his final exams, Michael started Dell computer Corporation with $1,000. He took his exams, and then dropped out of college at the end of his freshman year. It was time to try out his direct-to-customer business model. "Three years later", Dell says, "we had already achieved annual sales of about $150 million, I was 22 years old then." It can be inferred from the article that _ . A. Dell was tired of his college life B. Dell was not devoted to his study at college C. Dell's college life helped him greatly D. Dell didn't finish his final exams Answer: B Question: One baby born with a defective windpipe now has hope of breathing normally thanks to 3-D printing technology, NPR reported. Garrett Peterson, now 18 months old, was born with tracheomalacia , leaving him unable to breathe. The condition terrified his parents, who turned to specialist Dr. Glenn Green at the University of Michigan for a possible treatment. Along with Scott Hollister, a biomedical engineer who runs the university's 3-D printing lab, Green designed a device that can hold open Garrett's windpipe until it's strong enough to function independently. After taking a CT scan of Garrett's windpipe to make a replica of it, they made the "splint" with a 3-D printer. "It's like a protective shell that goes on the outside of the windpipe, and it allows the windpipe to be tacked to the inside of that shell to open it up directly," Green told NPR. On January 31, Garrett had his surgery. Surgeon Dr. Richard Ohye opened up Garrett's chest and saw that his windpipe had completely collapsed and one of his lungs was completely white -- a condition Ohye had only seen in dead bodies. After eight hours of surgery and careful placement of a splint on either side of Garrett's windpipe, it was time for the big test: What would happen when they let air flow through the windpipe into Garrett's lungs? Though he still remains in the hospital, Garrett has gotten stronger and needs less assistance breathing in the weeks since his surgery. His parents are overjoyed, saying he's starting to act more interactive and alert. As Garrett grows, the splint will expand and eventually dissolve in his body as his own windpipe strengthens enough to work independently. 3-D printing technology has allowed doctors to help patients in ways that they hope will continue to grow. "We're talking about taking something like dust and converting it into body parts," Green said. "And we're able to do things that were never possible before." What does the author mainly talk about in the passage? A. The introduction of 3-D printing technology by medical workers. B. The development of 3-D printing technology by engineers. C. The use of 3-D printing technology in saving a baby. D. The Potential of 3-D printing technology in surgery. Answer: C
Spending two or three hours playing outdoors each day can reduce a child's chance of becoming short-sighted, a research shows. It challenges the belief that short-sightedness is caused by computer use, watching TV or reading in weak light. The Australian government researchers believe that sunlight is good for people's eyes. They compared the vision and habits of 100 seven-year-old children in Singapore and Australia. In all, 30% of the Singaporean children were short-sighted--this rate was ten times higher than Australian children. Both groups spent a similar amount of time reading, watching television and playing computer games. However, the Australian children spent an average of two hours a day outdoors--90 minutes more than the Singaporean children. Professor Ian Morgan, from the Australian Research Council's Vision Centre, said, "Humans are naturally long-sighted, but when people begin to go to school and spend little or no time outdoors, the number of short-sighted people gets larger. We're also seeing more and more short-sighted children in cities all around the world--and the main reason may be that city children spend less time outdoors." Daylight can be hundreds of times brighter than indoor light. But why does playing outside prevent us from becoming short-sighted? Scientists believe that natural light has a special chemical which stops the eyeball from growing out of shape and prevents people becoming short-sighted. So be outdoors. It doesn't matter if that time is spent having a picnic or playing sports. Which of the following is true according to the passage? Answer: Which of these is not an inherited trait in humans? Answer: Science Daily--Kids may roll their eyes when their mothers asks them about their school day, but answering her may actually help them learn. New research from Vanderbilt University reveals that children learn the solution to a problem best when they explain it to their mom. "We knew that children learn well with their moms or with a peer, but we did not know if that was because they were getting feedback and help," Bethany Rittle-Johnson, the study's lead author and assistant professor of psychology at Vanderbilt's Peabody College of education and human development, said. "In this study, we just had the children's mothers listen, without providing any assistance. We've found that by simply listening, a mother helps her child learn." Rittle-Johnson believes the new finding can help parents better assist their children with their schoolwork, even when they are not sure of the answer themselves. Although the researchers used children and their mothers in the study, they believe the same results will hold true whether the person is the child's father, grandparent, or other familiar persons. "The basic idea is that it is really effective to try to get kids to explain things themselves instead of just telling them the answer," she said. "Explaining their reasoning, to a parent or perhaps to other people they know, will help them understand the problem and apply what they have learned to other situations. We saw that this simple act of listening by mom made a difference in the quality of the child's explanations and how well they could solve more difficult problems later on. If she wants to help a child with his schoolwork, a mom _ . Answer: Children brought up on healthy diets are more intelligent compared with their junk food eating partners, a new research suggests. Kids fed a diet packed high in fats, sugars, and processed foods had lower IQs than those fed pasta , salads and fruit, it was found. The effect is so great that researchers from the University of Bristol said those children with a "healthier" diet may get an IQ improvement. Scientists stressed good diet was essential in a child's early life as the brain grows at its fastest rate during the first three years of life. This indicated head growth at this time is linked to intellectual ability and "it is possible that good nutrition during this period may encourage excellent brain growth" . Scientists tracked the long term health and happiness of around 14,000 children born in 1991 and 1992 as part of the West Country's Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children ( ALSPAC) . Parents were questioned about the types and frequency of the food and drink their children consumed when they were three, four, seven and eight and a half years old. According to their different changing form, these children were marked and given grades which ranged from minus two for the most healthy to10 for the most unhealthy. In the research, IQ was measured of 4,000 children when they were eight and half years old, using a validated test-the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. The results found after taking account of some influential factors, a leading processed food diet at the age of three was associated with a lower IQ at the age of eight and a half , whether the diet was improved after that age. Every l point increase in dietary pattern score was associated with a l.67 fall in IQ. What is the best title of the passage? Answer: Men and women have different tastes in food, with men favoring meat and poultry , and women fruits and vegetables, researchers said in what was said to be the most extensive study so far of gender differences in eating habits. More than 14,000 adult men and women, were surveyed from May 2006 to April 2007, for the Foodbome Disease Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), to determine their eating habits, including high risk foods such as undercooked meat and eggs. "To our knowledge, there have been studies in the literature on gender differences in eating habits, but nothing this extensive," the epidemiologist told the 2008 International Conference on Infectious Diseases in Atlanta, Georgia. Researchers found that men were more likely to eat meat and poultry, especially duck, _ , and ham, and certain shellfish such as shrimp and oysters. Women instead were more likely to eat vegetables, especially carrots and tomatoes, and fruits, especially strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and apples. Women also preferred dry foods, such as almonds and walnuts, and were more likely to consume eggs and yogurt when compared with men. There were also some exceptions to the eating trends of each gender: men were significantly more likely to eat asparagus and brussels sprouts than women, while women were more likely to consume fresh hamburgers as opposed to the frozen kind, which the men preferred. And regarding high risk foods, the researchers found that significantly more men consumed undercooked meat and eggs than women, while more women were more likely to eat alfalfa sprouts. Men's preference for meat explains why men have more cases than women when it comes to high cholesterol , the study said. The conclusion of the one-year study shows that _ . Answer:
You never see him, but they're with you every time you fly. They record where you are going, how fast you're traveling and whether everything on your airplane is functioning normally. Their ability to withstand almost any disaster makes them seem like something out of a comic book. They're known as the black box. When planes fall from the sky, as a Yemeni airliner did on its way to Comoros Islands in the India ocean June 30, 2009, the black box is the best bet for identifying what went wrong. So when a French submarine detected the device's homing signal five days later, the discovery marked a huge step toward determining the cause of a tragedy in which 152 passengers were killed. In 1958, Australian scientist David Warren developed a flight-memory recorder that would track basic information like altitude and direction. That was the first mode for a black box, which became a requirement on all U.S. commercial flights by 1960. Early models often failed to withstand crashes, however, so in 1965 the device was completely redesigned and moved to the rear of the plane - the area least subject to impact - from its original position in the landing wells . The same year, the Federal Aviation Authority required that the boxes, which were never actually black, be painted orange or yellow to aid visibility. Modern airplanes have two black boxes: a voice recorder, which tracks pilots' conversations, and a flight-data recorder, which monitors fuel levels, engine noises and other operating functions that help investigators reconstruct the aircraft's final moments. Placed in an insulated case and surrounded by a quarter-inch-thick panels of stainless steel, the boxes can withstand massive force and temperatures up to 2,000degF. When submerged , they're also able to emit signals from depths of 20,000 ft. Experts believe the boxes from Air France Flight 447, which crashed near Brazil on June 1,2009, are in water nearly that deep, but statistics say they're still likely to turn up. In the approximately 20 deep-sea crashes over the past 30 years, only one plane's black boxes were never recovered. What do we know about the black boxes from Air France Flight 447? A There is still a good chance of their being recovered. B There is an urgent need for them to be reconstructed. C They have stopped sending homing signals. D They were destroyed somewhere near Brazil. Answer: A Mr. Pratt does a science demonstration. He inflates a balloon, places it in a freezer, and then removes it after 10 minutes. Which best describes the balloon's volume when in the freezer and then after being removed and allowed to warm up? A expands in the freezer and then contracts as it gets warmer again B contracts in the freezer and then expands as it gets warmer again C expands in the freezer and then keeps that volume when warmed up D contracts in the freezer and then keeps that volume when warmed up Answer: B From age eight to eleven, I studied at a small school in Bath, England. It was a small school of four classes, with about twenty-five children in each class according to age. For the most part, one teacher had to teach all subjects. However, sometimes the headteacher , Mr. Ronald Broaches would come in and spend an hour or so. He was a large man with a very happy nature. He had a sense of humor and would be glad in telling the children small stories which make us laugh. I found that he took great interest in me and he quickly found that I enjoyed puzzles. He would stop me as I was going to class and take a piece of paper out of his pocket, often with a puzzle on it. As time went on, they slowly gave me an interest in math and problem -solving that stays with me to this day. To this day, I can remember Mr. Broaches' cheerful cry of "Well done!" whenever I got a problem right. I shall always be thankful that our paths crossed. Mr. Bruoaches died just two weeks after I won the 1993 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. Unfortunately, I had no chance to speak to him before he died. I learnt late that he had heard of my success and I will always hope that he knew the deep influence he had made on my life. The best title for the passage is _ . A The Story of Mr. Broaches B The History of Nobel Prize C My Early School Life D An Important Teacher in My Life Answer: D "An Englishman,even if he is alone,forms an orderly queue of one'"wrote a famous British author ,George Mikes.While this sounds funny,it's a popular English stereotype .From the supermarket to the subway,queues are a common sight on the streets of Britain. Here in China,queues are normal,too.It is a part of everyday life. People queue most of the time from buying tickets in the cinema to waiting for seats at a restaurant But in certain situations ,you'll find yourself in the middle of a rushing crowd ,such as getting onto the subway.Even away from the busy subway platform,queues are different One day I was standing in line at the supermarket.I left a small space in front of me. Within seconds,a girl walked by and took her place in that small space. I was surprised at first ,but later I found these experiences very interesting.It is with these small ,every day differences that I get to live and learn in a new culture* Back in Britain,the person spends about six months of their life waiting in a queue,according to the auction site MadBid.To pass the time,maybe they tell themselves the famous proverb:Good things come to those who wait. How did the writer feel when the girl jumped the queue? A From annoyed to calm. B From calm to angry. C From surprised to interested. D From shocked to angry. Answer: C A kind of little cars may be seen in the streets in the future. People will like this kind of small cars better than the big ones. The car is as small as a bike. But it can carry two people in it. Everybody can drive it easily, just like riding a bike. Even children and old people can drive them to schools or parks. If everyone drives such cars in the future, there will be less pollution in the air. There will be more space for all the cars in cities, and there will also be more space for people to walk in the streets. The little cars of the future will cost less money to buy and to drive. These little cars can go only 65 kilometers an hour, so driving will be safer. The cars of the future will be fine for going around the city, but they will not be useful for a long trip. This kind of cars can save a lot of gas. They will go 450 kilometers, then they have to stop for more gas. They are nice cars, aren't they? Why do these little cars have to stop after going 450 kilometers? A For more water. B For more gas. C To have a rest. D To charge Answer: B
Robinson Crusoe is a famous novel written by Daniel Defoe. The book tells the story of a man who is shipwrecked . He spends 28 years on an island near Venezuela. The book tells the story of everything that happens to Robinson Crusoe. He hopes someone will rescue him, but he has been there for so long on his own that he also begins to fear being rescued. Robinson Crusoe was published in 1719. Most experts believe the story is based on the life of Alexander Selkirk, who was a Scottish sailor. On an expedition in 1704, Selkirk had an argument with his ship's captain. Selkirk thought the ship was not safe and was about to fall apart. When the ship stopped at a remote island to get fresh water, Selkirk got off. He tried to get the other crew members to leave with him, but nobody would. The shop then sailed away without him. Selkirk spent four years and four months on his own on the island, known as Aguas Buenas. Selkirk was finally rescued by a ship that visited the island in 1709. The ship's captain was grateful to Selkirk because he provided food for the crew when they arrived. Now archaeologists think they have found the remains of Selkirk's camp on Aguas Buenas. They found two deep holes that would have held wooden posts. The archaeologists say this is evidence that Selkirk built a shelter there. The post holes are near a fresh water stream. They are located quite high up, which would have meant that Selkirk was able to watch out for the ships coming close to the island. The most interesting evidence, the archaeologists say, is part of a piece of equipment used by sailors to navigate . Historians believe Selkirk was a navigator, so the instrument could have belonged to him. Robinson Crusoe was published ten years after Selkirk was rescued. Most experts think Daniel Defoe heard and read stories about Selkirk, which inspired him to write the book. We can infer from the text that the ship that visited Aguas Buenas in 1709 _ . A. lost its way while sailing B. lacked fresh water upon arrival C. was being navigated by Selkirk D. was running out of food upon arrival Answer: D. was running out of food upon arrival People cannot reach an agreement on the use of science and technology. For example, will radiation from electronic equipment destroy the environment? Should medical scientists change gene structures to prevent genetic disease or to create "more perfect" human beings? While people are arguing about these and others, technology continues to influence our everyday lives--the home, health and education, entertainment and communication, and so on. Some people carry on active social lives with computers --their own or the ones in public places like cafes, social centers, libraries, and so on. Communicating with others in chat rooms, computer users can get to know people they might never meet in traditional ways. With live online video connections, two people with cameras in their computers can see and talk to each other from separate places. With modern telephone technology, most people stopped writing lettters--especially personal letters and notes. But now, writing to communicate has returned in electronic form, or e-mail, which is a way of sending messages from one computer to another. For some computer users, the wish to communicate intelligently or creatively with others makes them want to write better. Computer technology has also made it possible to run a house electronically. From turning lights on and off to starting the coffee and cooking the hot meal, computers are taking care of people at home. Many modern machines have computer chips that allow their owners to program them. For instance, you can "instruct" a microwave oven how to cook a dish. Most entertainment equipment operates with computer technology too. Computers can even start cars automatically so that on cold winter mornings you can get into a warmed-up vehicle and drive off. Although much of the technology in our everyday lives has good effects, there are some uses that raise questions. For example, are interactive media ( i.e., a combination of television, telephone, and computer) going to control minds, cause people to forget about family life and personal relationships? What effects will the genentic engineering of food have on people's health? High-tech medical treatments can make a person live a much longer life, but can they improve the health and happiness of human beings? Only time will tell, but, in the meantime, science and technology will continue to move forward. What is the best title for the passage? A. Science and New Technology B. Computers Change Our Lives C. Everyday Uses of Technology D. Only Time Will Tell Answer: B. Computers Change Our Lives What does success mean? Is it becoming famous, rich, coming up with an idea that changes people's lives, or helping others and feeling happy? People who have a billion dollars, for example, are they successful? Why don't they stop trying to make money then? Why would they possibly need more than a billion dollars? They try to make more because there will never be enough . They will never be happy enough. If all that you're working for is money, you will do terrible things to get it. If all that you want is a successful business, you will cheat people to get it . If all that you want is fame ,you will give up your _ to achieve it . What's the real success? For me, being rich or famous is not all to life. I might have a lot of readers now on Zen Habits, but I don't feel that's what makes me a success. I've been a success even when I had no readers, because I was doing what I loved. Even when no one else would have called me a successful man. I loved writing, and I was happy. Success isn't about achieving something in the future, but about doing something right now that you love. So, forget about success, and just find joy and love right now, in this moment. That is a success you can achieve, without any method. Just go out and do it. The writer felt happy when he _ A. had a lot of readers B. made lots of money C. began to write D. gave up his job Answer: C. began to write Sports shoes that work out whether their owner has done enough exercise to promise time in front of the television have been devised in the UK. The shoes- named Square Eyes- contain an electronic pressure sensor and a tiny computer chip to record how many steps the wearer has taken in a day. A wireless transmitter passes the information to a receiver connected to a television, and this decides how much evening viewing time the wearer deserves , based on the day's efforts. The design was inspired by a desire to fight against the rapidly ballooning waistlines among British teenagers, says Gillian Swan, who developed Square Eyes as a final year design project at Brunel University in London, UK. "We looked at current issues and childhood overweight really stood out," she says. "And I wanted to tackle that with my design." Once a child has used up their daily allowance gained through exercise, the television automatically switches off. And further time in front of the TV can only be earned through more steps. Swan calculated how exercise should translate to television time using the recommended daily amounts of both. Health experts suggest that a child take 12,000 steps each day and watch no more than two hours of television. So, every 100 steps recorded by the Square Eyes shoes equals exactly one minute of TV time. Existing pedometers normally clip onto a belt or slip into a pocket and keep count of steps by measuring sudden movement. Swan says these can be easily tricked into recording steps through shaking. But her shoe has been built to be harder for lazy teenagers to cheat. "It is possible, but it would be a lot of effort," she says. "That was one of my main design considerations." According to Swan, the purpose of her design project is to _ . A. keep a record of the steps of the wearer. B. deal with overweight among teenagers. C. enable children to resist the attraction of TV. D. prevent children from being tricked by TV programs. Answer: B. deal with overweight among teenagers. Canada is a very large country. It is the second largest country in the world .By contrast it has a very small population. There are only about 29 million people there. Most Canadians are of British or French origin, and French is an official language of Canada as well as English .About 45%of the people are of British origin, that is, they or their parents or grandparents, etc, come from British. Nearly 30%are of French origin. Most of the French-Canadians live in province of Quebec. Over the years, people have come to live in Canada from many countries in the world .They are from many countries in the world .They are from most European countries and also from China, besides other Asian countries. However, Canada was not an empty country when the Europeans began to arrive. Canadian Indians lived along the coast, by the rivers and lakes and in forests. Today, there are only about 350,000 Indians in the whole country, with their own languages. In the far north live the Inuit There are only 27,000 Canadian-Inuit. Their life is hard in such a difficult climate. About 23% of people came from _ . A. China B. England C. France D. some other countries except France and Britain Answer: D. some other countries except France and Britain
When you get worried or stressed out about something, your heart beats faster, your stomach feels tight or you feel sick. Sometimes it is hard to get to sleep. Everything seems to go wrong at once. What should you do if you feel stressed? Here is some advice. 1Think about what it is that's making you feel bad. 2Talk over your problem with a friend or a trusted adult . 3Get help to do something with the problem if you need it. 4Plan your work if you are getting behind. Plan your time well so that you can fit everything in. 5Set yourself some goals to work your way through the problem. 6Make sure that you are getting enough exercise. 7Don't take on too much work. You don't have to do everything at once. 8Don't say "yes" when you'd like to say"no", and then you won't be worrying. 9Learn to relax. Soft, calming music can help you relax. Reading a book is a good way to relax, too. What happens when you feel stressed? A. Sleep badly. B. Heart beats faster. C. Feel sick. D. All of the above. Answer: D. All of the above. Many students feel it difficult to remember new words when they begin to study English. Now I will give you some advice. 1. Do not waste time in learning a list of English words. It is the hardest way to remember English words. How do you learn to speak Chinese? You did it by listening carefully to the people talking to each other. You can find radio programs, TV programs and records, and listen to them carefully. The best way to learn all new words is through ear. As you listen to more and more dialogues, you will learn how English is pronounced in phrases and sentences. Of course, it is not enough to learn new words; you must learn how words are put together, and why some words in English are emphasized. 2. Some people have found that they can learn the names of everyday objects, such as box, cup, desk and so on, in the following way. They write the names of subjects, they say the words. Try this and see if this way works for you. If it does not, then go on to practice your dialogues. The writer gave us two pieces of advice. He seems to like _ . A. the first one B. the second one C. both of them D. neither of them Answer: C. both of them In 1991, Kentucky Fried Chicken announced that it was officially changing its name to "KFC" as well as updating its packaging and logo with a more modern look. The public relations reason was that health-conscious consumers associated the word "fried" with "unhealthy", causing some of them to completely avoid the wide variety of "healthy" menu items. The new title and image were designed to attract customers to a restaurant now offering foods branded as "better for you". It sounded good, but the real reason behind the shift to KFC had nothing to do with critical consumers. In 1990, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, trapped in debt, took the unusual step of trade marking its name. Therefore, anyone using the word "Kentucky" for business reasons would have to obtain permission and pay licensing fees to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was an unusual and brilliant scheme to lighten government debt, but it was also one that alienated one of the most famous companies ever associated with Kentucky. The Kentucky Fried Chicken chain refused as a matter of principle to pay royalties on a name they had been using for four decades. After a year of fruitless talks, Kentucky Fried Chicken changed their name instead, introducing new packaging and products to hide the real reasons behind the change of the name. Kentucky fried Chicken was not the only one who bravely refused to give in. The name of the most famous horse race in North America, held every year at Churchill Downs, was changed to "The Run for the Roses" for similar reasons. In November 2006, KFC and the State of Kentucky finally reached a settlement over the use of the trademarked word "Kentucky", and the restaurant chain announced it would be reusing its former name of "Kentucky Fried Chicken". The real reason why "Kentucky Fried Chicken" changed its name was related to _ . A. health B. money C. package D. product Answer: B. money A breathtaking trick potentially left over from our ancestors might be found in us -- the ability to sense oxygen through our skin. Amphibians, animals such as frogs that can live both on land and in water, have long been known to be capable of breathing through their skin. In fact, the first known lungless frog that breathes only through its skin was discovered recently in the rivers of Borneo. Now the same oxygen sensors found in frog skins and in the lungs of mammals have unexpectedly been discovered in the skin of mice. "No one had ever looked," explained Randall Johnson, a biologist researcher. Mice and frogs are quite distant relatives, so the fact they have these molecules in common in their skin suggests they might well be found in the skin of other mammals, such as humans. "We have no reason to think that they are not in the skin of people too," Johnson said. These molecules not only detect oxygen, but help increase levels of vital red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. Normal mice breathing in air that is 10 percent oxygen--a dangerously low level similar to conditions at the top of Mount Everest, and about half that of air at sea level. However, mice that had the oxygen sensor HIF-1a genetically removed from their skin failed to produce this hormone even after hours of such low oxygen. These findings, if they hold true in humans, suggest one could raise the level of oxygen circulating inside the body. This could help treat lung diseases and disorders such as anemia without injecting drugs, which make up a multibillion-dollar market, Johnson said. Athletes also often try to get more oxygen delivered to their muscles in order to improve their performance. They often do this by training at high altitudes or in low-oxygen tents. The new study suggests they might want to expose their skin as well as breathing in low-oxygen air to improve their performance. "It's hard to say what exactly might be done, however--there's a lot we don't know yet," Johnson explained. The scientists detailed their findings in the April 18 issue of the journal Cell. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? A. It has long been expected oxygen sensors exist in mice's skin. B. People have to surf the Internet to read detailed findings. C. It has been proved that these findings help treat lung diseases. D. Johnson believes that Oxygen sensors also exist in human skin. Answer: D. Johnson believes that Oxygen sensors also exist in human skin. Mike gets up at half past seven. He has an egg and some milk for breakfast. Then he goes to school. When he is on his way to school, he is thinking, " I tell my teacher that my mother is ill on Mon---day. I tell him my bike doesn't work on my way to school on Tuesday. What should I say to--day? Mike thinks it over, but he doesn't have a good idea. "May I come in?" says Mike at the door. "Oh, my boy," says Mr. Brown. "Please look at the clock on the wall. What time is it now?" "It's eight ten," says Mike. Mr. Brown is not happy and says, "You are late for class three times this week. If all the students are like you, the clock is no use, I think." " You are wrong, Mr. Brown," says Mike. "If I don't have the clock how do I know I am late for school?" What does Mike do? A. A student B. A teacher C. A worker D. A cook Answer: A. A student
Question: Jack is a schoolboy. He is from England. He lives in a small town, not far from London. He lives with his grandmother. His parents work in London. They come only on Saturday and Sunday. Jack has a small bike. He rides to school every day. He likes to study. He listens to the teachers carefully in class. He works very hard at his lessons. After school he often does the shopping for his grandma. He does his homework in the evening. He watches TV only on Sunday evening. Jack is a good boy and his parents like him very much. Jack is a _ . A. teacher B. student C. driver D. doctor Answer: B. student Question: Almost all theme park accidents can be prevented.Here, based on coverage of theme park safety, are some tips to help you and your family stay safe on your next visit. If you are visiting with a child, take a moment to explain the ride to them, and tell them what they should do.They are depending upon you to keep them safe.Set a good example for them by following the rules of the park, and make sure that they know you expect them to follow those rules, too. Tell them to stay seated, to hold the grab bar or put their hands in the laps, and not to stick their knees and feet outside a ride vehicle.Make them look to you for the okay to get on or off a ride, too.And never put a crying child on a ride.If your child starts to cry, let others pass you in line until your child is calmed.Or, gently _ the queue and find something more relaxing to do. Young kids can't keep an adult's pace in a theme park.Let them take plenty of breaks. "Kids get tired," said TPI reader Matt Johnson, a father of four."Tired kids make parents even more tired.And tired kids and parents may get hurt -- physically and emotionally." He advises that parents plan a mid-day break, perhaps a swim back at the hotel, to avoid mid-day heat and crowds."You will see cranky families having a miserable time while you are refreshed and having a great evening." We may infer from Matt Johnson's words that _ . A. he doesn't like to visit a theme park with his children B. parents with many children may be tired of visiting a theme park C. not all the families are relaxed or happy when they visit a theme park D. visitors should arrange everything carefully before starting Answer: C. not all the families are relaxed or happy when they visit a theme park Question: People celebrate birthdays in almost every country on earth. And they celebrate them in many different ways. In China and in Japan, for example, the arrival of New Year is more important than a person's birthday. So everyone adds a year to celebrate their ages on New Year's Day, instead of on their birthdays, In Brazil, the special birthday food isn't cake, but special candles. In China, it's long noodles--for long life. In Iceland, people have pancakes with candies rolled inside them on birthdays. In Britain, a birthday is an all-day celebration. At school, the birthday child is lifted up and "bumped" by his classmates. This means the child is lifted by the feet and arms and bumped to the ground, once for each year once for good growth. In Israel, the same custom is followed, except the birthday person is lifted and lowered while sitting in a chair. In Holland, children not only get presents, but also give things out. They give cakes, cookies and candles to their classmates and teachers on their birthdays. In Mexico, it's good luck to give birthday greetings as early in the day as possible. So it's usual for the birthday child to be woken up at midnight by fiends singing birthday songs. In India, birthday celebrations also begin before dawn. Prayers and blessings must be said before morning comes. In Thailand, two tall candles are lighted the night before the birthday. One is as tall as the birthday person. If it goes out early, it's bad luck. Another customs of Thailand is that they buy live fish and birds for the birthday person and then the birthday person frees the animals, and it brings good luck. In Nigeria, people in a certain age group celebrate their birthdays together, on a certain day. In many countries birthday customs are changing. Old customs are giving way to western style of birthdays, with candle topped cakes. But one thing never changes--birthdays are special days for everyone! According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE? A. In Thailand people give fish and birds to the birthday person as presents. B. In Holland people give presents to unbirthday persons on their birthdays. C. In Nigeria people who were born in the same period may celebrate their birthdays on the same day. D. In Thailand a candle will be lighted on the birthday night. Answer: B. In Holland people give presents to unbirthday persons on their birthdays. Question: You may think that inventions are far away from your everyday life. But in fact, almost everyone can invent. It's just that they do not recognize that their idea could be the start of an invention. Once inventors see their ideas have some practical value, they don't let them slip away. For example, the inventor of the dishwasher, American Josephine Cochrane, loved to give dinner parties. But she found it took too long to wash her dishes by hand and too many of them broke. She decided that a machine could do the job faster and with fewer mistakes. So, in 1886, she set out to make one for herself. Like Cochrane's, most inventions are created to solve a problem. So, the first and most important step is to find the problem. You can start by looking at what is wrong with things you use now. You can ask grandparents or neighbours if they remember ever saying: "I wish someone would invent something for..." Or you can look at people in different areas such as on the street, or at school. Then you might notice situations or things in need of improvement. Remember to record your ideas and work. This will help you develop your invention and protect it when it is completed. The next step is to think about possible solutions. An invention is a new way of solving a problem. So think of many, varied, and unusual ways. You can often come up with a solution for a problem by looking at it from a different angle or thinking about it in a new way. Example 1 -- instead of thinking of shoes as protecting your feet from the ground, think of using something to protect the ground from your feet. Example 2 -- instead of thinking about how you can carry oranges home from a store, think of how they can come to you by delivery or growing your own. Example 3 -- instead of experimenting with only one solution, can you put two or three solutions together, or arrange them in different orders? And if one solution doesn't work, can it be put to other uses? That was how yellow post-it notes (N) came about -- a "failed" adhesive experiment proved a weak adhesive had good uses too! After all, most inventions are not brand new. They do not come out of nowhere, but come out of things or ideas that already exist. And the hardest part of inventing, even for a lot of inventors, is coming up with a problem and finding a solution. Once you have an idea, you can always get help building your invention. This problem-solving technique can also work in your everyday lives. So, why not try it in your studies, in your relationship with others, or even in the way you look at the world? What made Josephine Cochrane decide to invent the dishwasher? A. Her love of parties. B. Her dislike of dishwashing. C. Her desire for something that could do the dishwashing better. D. Her love of dishwashing. Answer: C. Her desire for something that could do the dishwashing better. Question: It was just three degrees above zero."That's cold", thought Jane as she got ready to deliver her morning papers . Jane had 50 customers ,and on cold mornings when she couldn't ride her bicycle , it took her more than an hour to make her rounds. As she collected her papers and put them into a big canvas bag , Jane regretted that she hadn't finished her maths homework the night before . There was still time . She would hurry with the papers and finish the maths before breakfast. Less than an hour later Jane nearly finished. She had only five customers to go. She could then go home to finish her maths homework while her Mom cooked breakfast . As she rounded the corner , she saw a car in the middle of the street . It was Mr Zimmerman , the elderly man who walked with a walking stick . His car was out of gas . "I'd like to help Mr Zimmerman," thought Jane ,"but if I do , I won't have time to do my homework." She hated to think what Mr Robert would say if she didn't finish papers. "It's his own fault for running out of gas," Jane talked to herself. "The station is only a half mile down the street . Surely Mr Zimmerman can walk that far, even on a cold morning like this...can't he?" As she walked down the street , Jane still wondered what to do. Mr Zimmerman was old and _ . A. couldn't drive well B. would have nobody to help him C. was not rich enough to buy gas D. was not able to walk a long way Answer: D. was not able to walk a long way
A machine that takes sweat-laden clothes and turns the moisture into drinking water is in use in Sweden. The device spins and heats the material to remove the sweat, and then passes the vapor through a special membrane designed to only let water molecules get through. Since its Monday launch, its creators say more than 1,000 people have "drunk others' sweat(h)" in Gothenburg. They add the liquid is cleaner than local tap water. The device was built for the United Nation's child-focused charity UNICEF to promote a campaign highlighting the fact that 780 million people in the world lack access to clean water. The machine was designed and built by engineer Andreas Hammar, known locally for his appearances on TV tech show Mekatronik. He said the critical part of the sweat machine was a new water purification component developed by a company named HVR in collaboration with Sweden's Royal Institute of Technology. "It uses a technique called membrane distillation ," he told the BBC."We use a substance that's a bit like Gortex that only lets steam through but keeps bacteria, salts, clothing fibers and other substances out."They have something similar on the International Space Station to treat astronaut's urine - but our machine was cheaper to build. Volunteers have been sampling the treated sweat since the start of the week in Gothenburg ."The amount of water it produces depends on how sweaty the person is - but one person's T-shirt typically produces 10ml , roughly a mouthful." The equipment has been put on show at the Gothia Cup - the world's largest international youth football tournament. MattiasRonge, chief executive of Stockholm-based advertising agency Deportivo - which organized the stunt - said the machine had helped raise awareness for UNICEF, but in reality had its limitations. "People haven't produced as much sweat as we hoped - right now the weather in Gothenburg is lousy," he said."So we've installed exercise bikes alongside the machine and volunteers are cycling like crazy."Even so, the demand for sweat is greater than the supply. And the machine will never be mass produced - there are better solutions out there such as water purifying pills." What does Mattias Ronge think of the machine? _ The machine is not worth popularizing. The works of Shakespeare and Wordsworth are boosters to the brain and better therapy than some guide books, researchers say this week. Scientists, psychologists and English academics at Liverpool University have found that reading the works of the Bard and other classical writers has a beneficial effect on the mind, catches the reader's attention and triggers moments of self-reflection. Using scanners , they monitored the brain activity of volunteers as they read works by William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth, T.S Eliot and others. They then "translated" the original texts into more "straightforward", modern language and again monitored the readers' brains as they read the words. Scans showed that the more "challenging" essays and poetry set off far more electrical activity in the brain than the much plainer versions. Scientists were able to study the brain activity as it responded to each word and record how it was "activated" as the readers encountered unusual words, surprising phrases or difficult sentence structure. This "activation" of the mind lasts longer, shifting the brain to a higher speed, encouraging further reading. The research also found that reading poetry, in particular, increases activity in the right hemisphere of the brain, helping the reader to reflect on their own experiences, which they compare with what they have read. This, according to the researchers, meant that the classic works were more useful than guide books. Philip Davis, an English professor believes "The research shows the power of literature to shift thinking patterns, to create new thoughts, shapes and connections in the young and adults alike." What might be the author's attitude towards reading classics as therapy? Positive "Josie Metz's father won't live long enough to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day.But thanks to photographer Lindsey Villatoro,the 11-year-old girl was able to experience what it might be like anyway. Her father, Jim,62,had already been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when he and his wife.Grace,hired Villatoro--a photographer.Two years ago,Villatoro began offering photography sessions for people with serious illnesses to document their journeys and was hired by the Metz family."I try to really showcase the person for who they are and not the illness,"she told The Huffington Post during a phone conversation Tuesday afternoon. Villatoro went to Jim and Grace's home for a shoot and offered to do one with their young daughter,Josie.After she left,she posted about the family on her website to get gift donations for the girl to help make her last birthday with her father memorable.But she decided to take a step further as a surprise and dreamed up the idea of a wedding for the girl--complete with,flowers,desserts,a promise ring and a dress from L.A.Fashion Week--so that her father could walk her down the aisle." For today,appreciate those you love.Give them lots of hugs and be grateful they are in your life.You never know what can happen.Say more"I Love Yous"and show more appreciation for all of your friends and family.Appreciate the blessings you have.I'm going to hug my husband Rich more today,call my Dad,call my friend in NC,and give lots of kitty hugs to my pets.Hugs to all of you--I appreciate you all so much and am grateful to have you in my life every single Day! Villatoro posted about the family on her website to _ . collect birthday presents for the girl Shift Happens by Robert Holden Price: $ 6.49 It's an excellent book that will greatly improve your life. It has insightful wisdom that is easy toapply in everyday life. It's written in a very thoughtful and humorous way. Read it when you are stressed and it will help you remember what is important in your life. Balancing Work & Life by Robert Holden Price: $ 10.50 The book deals with the key challenges of our life. It is a must-read for anyone who is trying to balance work success, family joy and daily life. Practical techniques show you how to set your goals and make proper choices. Clear text and illustrations cover every aspect of defining success and achieving balance. Accessible charts and diagrams explore different choices for taking actions and provide examples. Happiness Now by Robert Holden Price:$8.00 This book explains what holds us back from being happy in our lives. Holden analyzes these similar questions and inthe process you will become more informed about what's really going on in your mind. This is a must-have book for anyone wanting to understand how your thoughts keep you from your happiness. The Secrets of Relationships by Renshaw Price: $9.50 Are you looking for a satisfying relationship? If so, you should read this book and discover: The secret of findingthe right partner The secret of communicating successfully The secret of getting along well with others The secret of getting what you want This book is your passport to a whole new relation-ship experience. Order online now and you can get a 20% discount. For more information, please click here. All of these books mainly help people _ . to improve their quality of life Now the game Angry Birds has become more and more popular with the young and the old. I'm sure you also enjoy it a lot. But is it too small to play the game on your mobile phone or on your computer? Do you want to visit a park where you can find some bigger birds and pigs? As this picture shows, Angry Birds has now become much bigger. Copying the action of the real computer game, players pull a real catapult and shoot Angry Birds toys at green piggy balloons. I think that must be very exciting to touch such big birds. Angry Birds Land recently opened inside Sarkanniemi Amusement Park in Tampere, Finland . It is the first Angry Birds theme park in the world. Finland is a country in northern Europe. And then other countries will copy Finland's example. The UK government says that they plan to build Angry Birds theme parks in the UK. What's more, you can see such theme parks not only in the UK, but also in other countries. The game, Angry Birds, is created by the Finnish company Rovio. _ agrees to help build the theme parks all over the world. Why does the news say Angry Birds has become bigger? Because there have been theme parks named Angry Birds.
Not long ago, I asked large mid-aged persons a question. I asked, "How many of you had a hobby when you were children?" Nearly everyone raised a hand. I then asked them to keep their hands in the air if they knew at least one of their children had a hobby. Most of the hands went down. I felt sad. It's terrible if the children don't have a hobby. How I wish all the parents can care their children's hobbies! Thirty years ago, almost every child in my neighborhood had some kinds of hobbies. Collecting and trading baseball cards was a popular hobby. Others, like coin collecting and stamp collecting, are also popular. One of my friends was collecting photos, another was collecting radios. In fact, hobbies can benefit children in several ways. _ are expressions of personal success and self-discovery . Hobbies also help build self- respect . Hobbies are educational tools, as well. For example, a child who becomes interested in rocketry --one of the most popular hobbies, can explore those skills in many ways. By working on hobbies, children learn to set goals, make decisions, and solve all sorts of problems. ,. Which was out of the popular hobbies? Answer: There was once a pig named Oink, who lived on a farm, but spent most of his days in a factory making shoes. In his free time, he would make drawings about how much he wished he could fly. He would look up at the stars in wonder, hoping that some day, his dream might come true. For many years, his life carried on this way. He would wake up on the farm, go to work, and then come home to dream about flying. That is, until one day, he got a letter with a strange sticker on it, that was shaped like a star. He opened the letter in excitement, wondering what it said. The letter said that Oink was invited to a special party that took place every year in the clouds. Animals from all across the world were chosen so that they could know what it's like to fly. If he chose to go to the party, he would get his own set of wings to fly up into the sky and meet the other animals. Oink was so happy, he barely knew how to react. He accepted the invitation, and two days later, got a package containing his wings. Oink's dream was finally coming true. He put the wings on his back and flew up into the sky, where the party was being held. Once he arrived, he saw a bunch of other animals with wings also. He saw horses, dogs, cats, and plenty of birds. Oink had found out that it was the birds who had invited everyone, since they wanted the other animals to know what it is like to fly. Oink spent that day flying in the clouds with his new friends. But when the clock reached midnight, he knew his time flying was up, and he had to return the wings and go back to his farm. But the birds told him that they saw how much he enjoyed flying, and would allow him to keep his wings so he could fly with them whenever he wanted. Oink was really thankful, and next time he saw the birds, gave them their own pair of shoes for free as a thank you gift. Who gave Oink the wings? Answer: Many people would interpret "the American dream" as "living like an American" --- a two-story house with a white picket fence ; a family with two cars; and two children. However, the current economic situation is affecting the American way of life for 4.4 million people living in the US, according to a new census data. "It's going to have a long-term impact and to say it's going to end is optimitic," says Cheryl Russell, former editor-in-chief of American Demographics magazine. "We're just in the middle of a big transition." So what is the new normal? Marrying later. The average age of the first marriage has increased to 28.7 for men and 26.7 for women, up from 27.5 and 25.9 respectively in 2006. Fewer babies. There were 200,000 fewer births among women aged 20 to 34 in 2010 compared with two years before. This was despite the fact that the number of women of child bearing age had gone up by more than 1 million. Breaking up is harder. The number of divorces has been falling for 25 years as people wait longer or choose to live together before tying the knot. There were about 65,000 fewer divorces in 2010 than in 2008, a 7 percent decrease. Crowded living. Unemployment is forcing more people to live together. Ther number of households where people lived with "other s" climbed from 6.7 percent in 2006 to 7.2 percent in 2010. Going public. Private school enrollment decreased from 13.6 percent in 2006 to 12.8 percent in 2010. Fewer cars. The percentage of households without a car rose again to 9.1 percent against 8.8 percent in 2006. The percentage of households with two or more cars fell from 58 percent to 57.1 percent. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article? Answer: When people have money, they have the freedom to choose how to use it. Some people have more money than others, but no one has all the money in the world. The amount of money we have is limited. The supply of goods, land, and resources is limited. Because of this, people can not have or buy everything that they might want. This means that if you have only five dollars to spend, you can not buy something that costs ten dollars. As our country has grown in the number of citizens, the price of goods has increased. In the recent years the cost of food, clothing, housing and cars has risen quickly. The price of films and books has gone up. In a time when prices are rising, people cannot buy as much with the money as before. People _ even if they are millionaires. Answer: Single people, especially women, are stigmatized in our society: We're all familiar with the image of a sad, lonely woman eating ice cream with her cats in her pajamas on Saturday night. But about 45 percent of US adults aren't married and around one in seven lives alone. This might be you. Research shows that young people's expectations about their marital status (e.g. the desire to be married by 30 and have kids by 32) have little or no relationship to what actually happens to people. So, go with the flow. And, if you're single, you're in good company. Single people spend more time with friends, volunteer more, and are more involved in their communities than married people. Never-married and divorced women are happier, on average, than married women. So, don't buy into the myth of the miserable singleton. If you do get married, keep going with the flow. Relationship satisfaction, financial security, and happy kids are more strongly related to flexibility in the face of life's challenges than any particular way of organizing families. The most functional families are ones that can bend. So partnering with someone who thinks that one partner should support their families and the other should take responsibility for the house and children is a recipe for disaster. So is being equally rigid about non-traditional divisions of labor. It's okay to have ideas about how to organize your family but your best bet for happiness is to be flexible. Buying a home is often taken for granted as a stage on the path to adulthood. But the ideal of universal home ownership was born in the 1950s. It's a rather new idea.With such a short history, it's funny that people often insist that buying a house is a fool-proof investment and the best way to secure retirement. In fact, buying a house may not be the best choice for you. The mortgage may be less than rent, but there are also taxes, insurance, and the increasingly common Home Owners Association (HOA) fees. You may someday sell the house for more than you bought it but, if you paid interest on a mortgage, you also paid far more than the sale price. You have freedom from a landlord, but may discover your HOA is just as controlling, or worse. And then there's the headache: renting relieves you from the stress of being responsible for repairs. It also offers a freedom of movement that you might cherish. So be wise and consider all your options. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . Answer:
There is no doubt that music plays a powerful role in our lives. It can calm our tired nerves after a busy day of work. Music even has the power to move us to tears when it stirs an emotional reaction. How then, does music play a role in special education? If music has the ability to touch those hidden places we all carry inside, it proves an important tool for the special education teacher. For students with emotional problems, music can help soothe sadness. Consider the child that arrives in class depressed and upset. If music can indeed relax and calm him, he is more likely to focus and participate in class. Dr. R. Joseph, author of Behavioral Neurology, writes, "It is well recorded that patients with left hemisphere damage, who may be unable to speak or recognize words, can sing a melody ." For this reason, some special education teachers have found it helpful to set their lessons to music. When students cannot understand or remember certain things, singing them helps make it easier. Nature magazine reported "Music training helps underachievers. In Rhode Island, researchers studied eight public school first grade classes. Half of the classes became 'text-arts'groups, receiving ongoing music training. After seven months, the students were given a test. The tested group had caught up with their fellow students in reading and surpassed their classmates in math by 22 percent. In the second year of the project, the tested students widened this even further. Students were also tested on attitude and behavior. Classroom teachers also noted improvement in these areas." It seems music does, indeed, play an important role in education. For the special education teacher, this is especially encouraging. What is the text mainly about? Answer: For a stay-at-home mom, a computer with an Internet connection can truly be a lifeline . When diapers and baby talk become just too much, adult talk is just a click away. But for some moms, the attraction of the online world becomes too strong to resist and instead of being an occasional thing, it becomes an addiction . Coleen Moore of the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery says she is seeing a growing number of young stay-at -home moms for whom blogs and social networking have become a passion, which will harm their real-world lives. Now, Internet addiction is not officially recognized as a mental disorder. But a recent survey showed 14 percent of Internet users find it hard to stay away from their computers for several days at a time, and that 8 percent use the Web to escape problems. Considering this, it is probably just a matter of time before it is. What drives a mom to the Internet is not different from what drives an alcoholic to drink: an empty place that needs filling. "In addiction treatment, we talk about the fact that there's a void ,"says Moore. "Whatever that void may be -- whether it's emotional, spiritual, physical--we're trying to fill it." So, how can you find the void? A journal tracking when and why you go online and what you may be avoiding when you do so can be helpful in finding it out. But what makes Internet dependence special is the fact that usually it is not just a way to escape the tiring parenting or make a connection with others, but also a way to make a statement and be heard. In which part of a newspaper would you most probably read the passage? Answer: About a year ago, if you had asked who Dinara Safina was the answer would have been: "She is Marat. Safin's younger sister." Back then she was overshadowed by her wonder brother. But now she has made a name for herself: the world No. 1 player in women's tennis. The 22-year-old Russian. will overtake Serena Williams of the prefix = st1 /USfor top ranking on April 20. "Before, every place I go, I am Marat's sister. Nothing else," she told New York Times. "I always wanted to be myself, and now finally the results are coming, and people can know me as Dinara Satina." Safina has made it to two great event finals, in the 2008 French and in this year's Australian Open, and won a silver medal in the Beijing Olympic Games. Clearly; family isn't the only connection Safina's and her brother share. Both of their DNA burns with competitive fire. Satin has held the distinction for years of being a hot tempered player on Court. When he lost his temper, he would break a racket . Safina is as emotionally explosive as her brother. A headline in the newspaper The Australian once described her as "mad as a snake". The Sydney Morning Herald, during the Australian Open, summed up Safina's volatile emotional state with the headline: "Satina goes from basket case to top of the world." It's not rare for a family to have two top tennis players. Safina's father owns a tennis academy and her mother worked as a coach. "I had no choice but to become a tennis player, but I don't mind being a tennis player," Safina said. From this talented family she is also given one of her best weapons on court, her size. She is 1.82 meters tall and Weighs 70 kg. But it is hard work that led her to her recent Success. "I hope to prove to everyone over the coming months that I deserve the honor of being world No. 1," she said. What is the passage mainly about? Answer: Last week, we explained that the planet Mars has passed "opposition. "It passed a point opposite the Sun. This week, we tell about the planet's surprising motion among the stars. For thousands of years, people have recognized that planets travel among the stars. The planets generally follow the path taken by the Sun through the sky. The Sun's path is called the ecliptic. The groups of stars along the ecliptic are called the Zodiac. The motion of the planets can be confusing at times. Everyone knows the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. But this is caused by the turning motion of the Earth. Planets generally move from west to east. However, Mars will appear to move backward for about two months this year. This happens because the Earth is overtaking Mars on its way around the Sun. Mars began its backward, or westward, motion on May 11th, It will start moving eastward again on July 19th. Mars' apparent motion has been a mystery to astronomers for hundreds of years. Most early theories of the solar system argued that the Sun and planets turned around the Earth. But the sudden westward motion of Mars presented a problem. Why would Mars move west for two months when it nears "opposition"? In 1543, a Polish church worker named Nicolas Copernicus published a different theory. His theory said the Earth and planets moved around the Sun in perfectly circular orbits. Copernicus' theory was simpler. But his Sun - centered system still did not explain the observed motion of Mars very well. Finally, a German mathematician named Johannes Kepler published a complete theory of the motion of the planets in 1619. He had carefully studied the motion of Mars for many years. Johannes Kepler discovered that the planets do not move in circular orbits around the sun. Instead, they travel in flattened orbits called ellipses. Mars' elliptical orbit is the cause of its unusual brightening this year and its apparent large size. During the next several weeks, you can see for yourself why the mysterious motion of Mars has caused so many people to wonder. On July 19th Mars_. Answer: What happens when hexane's temperature goes above 70 degrees celsius? Answer:
The last exams finished on Thursday, June 3, although I completed my final one on Monday morning. This allowed several days of rest* after which the seniors had their yearbook signing party, signing yearbooks. Every year US high schools put together yearbooks made up of pictures and words that record the lives of the students. On Friday the seniors had dinner with invited teachers. The dinner was formal, which meant we couldn't wear T-shirts or jeans. Both the food and the conversation were very good. At the end, everyone received a blue Andover Class of 2004 cup as a souvenir. Most of the graduation activities were packed into Commencement Weekend--June 5 and 6. Friends and families of students arrived to see the Senior Talent Show and the Baccalaureate Service in the school hall. Several students, parents and teachers of several religious faiths spoke during the service. Then the lights were turned off and students lit candles held by audience members. I held my candle high, and watched the soft light reach every corner of the hall; it was an almost sacred scene. On Sunday, we had our Commencement, held outside on the lawn . All the girls were required to wear white dresses and the guys black suits. It was only 9 degrees Centigrade and I was freezing cold. There were speeches from the head of school, the president of the board and by a student representative. Then the seniors lined up in a circle, while the head of school handed out the diplomas . Each one was passed around the circle, until it reached its rightful owner. When all the diplomas had been awarded, the circle broke up -- our graduation was complete, According to the passage we know "signing yearbooks" is like _ . Answer: signing "classmate notes" in China In the early nineteen fifties, researchers found that people scored lower on intelligence tests if they spoke more than one language. Research in the sixties found the opposite. So which is it? Researchers presented their newest studies last month at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The latest evidence shows that being bilingual does not necessarily make people smarter. But researcher Ellen Bialystock says it probably does make you better at certain skills. She says bilingual people are often better at controlling their attention--a function called the executive control system. Ms Bialystock is a psychology professor at York University in Toronto, Canada. She says the best method to measure the executive control system is called the Stroop Test. A person is shown words in different color1s. The person has to ignore the word but say the color1. The problem is that the words are all names of color1s. Her work shows that bilingual people continually practice this function. They have to, because both languages are active in their brain at the same time. They need to limit one to be able to speak in the other. This mental exercise might help in other ways, too. Researchers say bilingual children are better able to separate a word from its meaning, and more likely to have friends from different cultures. Bilingual adults are often four to five years later than others in developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Foreign language study has increased in the United States. But linguist Alison Mackey at Georgetown University points out that English-speaking countries are still far behind the rest of the world. In England, like in the United States, bilingualism is seen as something special and unique and something to be commented on and perhaps work towards, while in many other parts of the world being bilingual is just seen as a natural part of life. The text is most probably a _ . Answer: science news report Kids in a Sudanese refugee camp stir up a cloud of dust as they kick around a football. NBA superstar Tracy McCray watches from a distance before offering to buy the kids a grass pitch for $1. 000. Perhaps he sees a Ronaldinho rising up out of the African soil. Or maybe he just wants to do something -- anything -- to give these children some hope. But he is told, politely, that grass is not what the kids need. This scene appears in 3 Point, a new documentary , which shows the Houston Rockets star coming face to face with the reality that life is more than sport. McGrady,29, writes on his website that he traveled to Africa because he was tired of only reading about it in news. "Who were the faces behind the numbers?" He said. "I needed to see it for myself. And he did. He stepped out of his large house and flew to a place torn to bits by war and famine . He slept in a tent. He kept away from minefields. He talked with people who have been suffering. And he swallowed his pride. But no one should blame McGrady for wanting to buy the kids a pitch of grass. Sports gave him a chance, so perhaps he thought it would do the same for the refugees. McGrady was _ by NBA managers as a teenager and he didn't bother going to college. Instead, he leaped right into the NBA. Since that move, basketball has given him a handsome living, but one very far removed from the lives of ordinary people. As McGrady would learn in Africa, most people see sports as just a break from life's difficulties. They don't mistake it for 1ife itself. Only McGrady knows how this Africa trip changed him, but I'd bet that, at the very least, it has given him a new sense for what is truly meaningful. McGrady doesn't own an NBA championship ring. He hasn't risen to the heights of Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan. But, perhaps, now he knows he doesn't have to in order to truly make a difference in the world. In this passage, the writer mainly tells us _ . Answer: McGrady offered his help to African children When thirty-two-year-old tennis player Andre Agassi made to the final of the U.S. Clay Court Championship in April 2003, he set a new world record: he became the oldest player ever to be number one in the world's tennis rankings. It was one of the greatest achievements in Agassi's long and successful career. Andre Agassi turned professional in 1986 at the age of sixteen. His career soon took off, and in 1990, Agassi was famous around the world, though never having won an important tennis championship. Many people thought he was famous more for his long blond hair and colorful tennis shirts than for his tennis skills. They wondered if he could really win an important tournament. In 1992, Agassi proved _ wrong by winning one of the greatest prizes in world tennis--the Wimbledon singles final. His first attempt to win this tournament had been in 1987, but he lost his opening game. He then refused to take part in Wimbledon for the next three years. He said his reason for not playing was that the officials refused to allow him to wear his colorful shirts, but some people said it was because he was afraid to lose. After several more championship victories, Agassi's luck began to run out. By 1997, the year of his marriage to a movie actress--- Brooke Shields, Agassi's ranking had dropped to 141stin the world. Many people thought his career was over. Agassi and Shields divorced two years later, and Agassi made a comeback with a new trainer, a new hairstyle, and new determination. In 1999, he won both the French Open and the U.S. Open and ended the year back as the world's number one. By 2003, he had earned more than $27 million in prize money, making him one of the most successful tennis players of all times. How old was Agassi when he won his first championship? Answer: twenty-two More and more pupils are giving teachers presents, but the practice only creates insecurity in parents and staff. I've certainly noticed some pupils being feverishly overgenerous of late. Last year, I received not one bottle of wine but four for helping a disaffected pupil through his GCSEs. By and large, my colleagues report the gifts differing along gender lines. Gentlemen get ties, mugs, booze and, if they're really lucky, tickets to football matches. The ladies are often presented with flowers, jewels, chocolates and so on. When my son was at private school, I noticed there was a real competitiveness between the students about giving presents to teachers, with expensive baskets from fancy stores and huge bouquets being handed out on the last days of term. Since my wife and I only let my son give thank-you cards, it was clear we were not "classy". Now he is at an inner-city primary, we've noticed that this kind of _ seems to have more or less disappeared. For one thing, there isn't that kind of money floating around - but there isn't that kind of competitive culture either. Personally, I think gifts to teachers should be banned beyond the thank-you card: they cause many more problems than they solve, creating insecurity in both parents and staff. Perhaps the recession and the lack of money in people's pockets might be a good excuse for the government to issue some guidelines to schools that gifts shouldn't be accepted by teachers. The gifts that I really value are the cards which say a genuine thank you. I still keep them in a file at home. To solve the problem, the author thinks it's a good way to _ . Answer: issue some guidelines by the government
Question: My father is tall and has short gray hair. He wears glasses with heavy black frames . Here is a picture of him from 1968. What a surprise! In the picture, he's 15 years old. He's short and he is wearing glasses with small round frames. He has short blond hair and it's really straight. He is wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt with the word "love" on it. I'm 15 years old now. I'm of medium height and I have short hair. My hair isn't blond. It's blue. My father thinks it's strange , but my friends think it's great. I wear glasses, but my glasses have bright red frames. They're so cool! I have an earring in one ear, too. I never wear blue jeans. I' like big baggy pants and long T-shirts. Most of my T-shirts have pictures of my favorite rock bands on them. What's on his father's T-shirt in the picture? A. The word "love". B. Cool earrings. C. Pictures of rock bands. D. Pictures of famous actors. Answer: C Question: Modern man has cleared the forests for farmland and for wood, and has also carelessly burned them. More than that, though, he has also interfered with the invisible bonds between the living things in the forests. There are many examples of this kind of destruction. The harmfulness of man's interference can be seen in what happened many years ago in the forest of the Kaibab plateau of northern Arizona. Man tried to improve on the natural web of forest life and destroyed it instead. The Kaibab had a storybook forest of large sized pine, Douglas fir, white fir, blue and _ . In 1882 a visitor noted, "We, who ... have wandered through its forests and parks, have come to regard it as the most enchanting region it has ever been our privilege to visit." This was also the living place of the Rocky Mountain mule deer. Indians hunted there every autumn to gather meat and skins. The forest also had mountain lions, timber wolves and bobcats that kept the deer from multiplying too rapidly. Then, in 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt made the Kaibab a national game preserve. Deer hunting was forbidden. Government hunters started killing off the deer's enemies. In 25 years' time, 6,250 mountain lions, wolves and bobcats were killed. Before the program, there were about 4,000 deer in the Kaibab, by 1924, there were about 100,000. The deer ate every leaf and twig they could reach. But there was not nearly enough food. Hunting of deer was permitted again. This caused a slight decrease in the deer herd ,but a far greater loss resulted from starvation and disease. Some 60 percent of the deer herd died in two winters. By 1930 the herd had dropped to 20,000 animals. By 1942 it was down to 8,000. Years later, large numbers of deer in the Kaibab died mainly because of . A. the cold B. the organized kill C. the poor management D. the shortage of food Answer: D Question: Which BEST explains why green marine algae are most often restricted to the top 100 meters of the ocean? A. They have no roots to anchor them to the ocean floor. B. They can live only where there is light. C. The pressure is too great for them to survive below 100 meters. D. If the algae lived below 100 meters they would be eaten by animals. Answer: B Question: The film stars out as a normal day at a typical American high school. Friends chat in the dining room and boys play football. But there's big surprise when the movie ends with two students going crazy in the school-shooting and killing people. This is Elephant. It stars real school kids. American director Gus Van Sant had no ready-made lines. The student actors made up their own dialogue, with Van Sant asking them to base their characters on their own lives. Although it may not sound very high quality, the film won the Palme d'Or for Best Film and the award for Best Director at the Cannes film festival. The film is based on the shootings at a high school in the US, where two boys killed 13 people and then themselves in 1999. The title of the movie refers to the old expression about a problem that's as hard to ignore as an elephant in the house. The film takes a close look at a few hours in the lives of the victims and the killers. It shows how high school is a different experience for everyone---fun and friendly, or hard and lonely. In many ways, the two boys, who carry out the shooting, act like ordinary kids. They joke around with one boy's mother as she serves them cakes and play the piano. But there're hints of the anger they feel inside. One of the boys is bullied at school. The other plays violent video games. But Van Sant isn't blaming their killings on either bullying or violent games. In fact, the film doesn't offer any reason for why school violence happens. "I didn't want to explain anything. It's up to the audience to draw its own conclusions," said the 51-year-old director. The film doesn't tell why school shootings happen _ . A. so as to leave room for the audience to think and judge B. because life itself is the problem maker C. because the mental problems of students are hard to explain D. but there are some hints of the reasons Answer: A Question: For many people,volunteering is a way of life.Holidays are the time of the year that more people are in a giving mood.Homeless shelters,children's hospitals,and nursing homes are excellent places to give of one's time. Volunteering in Homeless Shelters There is a homeless directory online that anyone can easily access to find the closest homeless shelter to their home.According to the homeless shelter directory,currently there are 3,233 shelters in the US,so it is not difficult to find a shelter.Helping to serve food,picking up donations of food,preparing meals,and cleaning up are things that one can do to help at a homeless shelter. Volunteering in Children's Hospitals Every child needs comfort and joy,especially during the holiday seasons.By visiting sick children in hospitals,an individual provides helping hands by supplementing the services usually done by the hospital staff.Personalizing the hospital experience adds to the comfort and happiness of the children and their families.Volunteers provide help,and positive interactions which enhance the patient's quality of care.Help is needed almost everywhere in a hospital;from the lobby,parking lot,cafeteria,to admitting,helping with the gift cart,and even reading to children in the waiting rooms or their hospital rooms. Volunteering in Nursing Homes According to the National Center for Health Statistics,"Over 50% of those living in nursing homes do not have close relatives and 46% have no living children." Life in a nursing home is lonely,confusing,and frightening for many residents. Volunteering at a nursing home is a great opportunity to make a difference in someone else's life.Playing cards,sitting with and talking to a resident,taking a walk,or sharing a meal makes a huge difference,especially when they have no other sole on earth to visit them. The three examples above are only a small fraction of institutions in which volunteers are needed.Giving of oneself,especially during the holidays blesses and cheers others. What can we learn about the volunteering? A. You can only volunteer during the holidays. B. You can help prepare meals in a nursing home. C. It is easy to find a homeless shelter to volunteer. D. Help is needed everywhere in a homeless shelter. Answer: C
Question: Dear Karen, As you probably know, it's my sister Suzie's 16th birthday in a week. We're planning a surprise party for her. Julie's going to pick her up from school as usual on Friday but she's not taking her home. She's bringing her to the Palace Hotel, the big modern one near the station. We're having a meal there and we've also hired the ballroom for a party in the evening. I hope you can come! All her friends from school are coming and quite a few of the people from our village, too. Of course, Mum and Dad are coming up from England and I've managed to persuade our other sister, Marie, to come over from Australia. She's bringing her kids with her, too. After the party we're going to have another one on Saturday! Well, not really a party. We're inviting the family and close friends (that includes you) for a meal at the house. If the weather is nice, we'd like to have a barbecue in the garden. Julie's going to make a special cake for Suzie. Anyway, we hope to make it a really special weekend for Suzie. On Sunday we're all going for a walk in the country. You know how she loves walking and we're all going to need a bit of exercise after all that lovely food. We're hoping to go up to the lake. Marie said she wanted her kids to feed the ducks just like Suzie and she did when they were very young. I'm sure Suzie will love that too. It would be great if you could come over for the weekend. We would all love to see you. Let me know as soon as you can. Best, David Who is Karen? _ A. David's cousin. B. David's friend. C. David's sister. D. David's classmate. Answer: B Question: If a deer eats a berry plant, the plant eats A. a berry juice slurry B. large slices of meat C. its self created nutriment D. small bugs that glow Answer: C Question: Have you ever trained your brain ? Now there are some new suggestions, such as eating dark chocolate and having cold meat for breakfast. You should also avoid watching soap operas, spending time with people who complain or follow fat-free diets, according to a new book on getting "brain-fit". Many of the suggestions in Teach Yourself Training Your Brain are surprising. The book says to read out loud while holding a baby. Writers Terry Horne and Simon Wootton say their advice is from the latest research by experts around the world. "For years we have thought our brain capability is decided by our genes . But it's now clear that it depends on our lifestyle. What we eat and drink, how we learn at school and what type of feelings we have are all important," said Horne. The book talks about the most up-to-date thinking in science about how diet, the environment, stress and other sides of modern life affect our brain capacity. It also offers advice and exercises. _ Horne believes that people need to make changes to their lifestyles to increase their brain capacity Happiness, confidence and an optimistic nature help the brain, he added. "So mix with people who make you laugh, or share the same interests as you. And avoid people who complain," said Horne. "People who are negative will make you sad, which means you won't achieve things." What's the book Teach Yourself Training Your Brain mainly about? A. How people's brain capability works B. Exercises to improve brain capability C. Some scientific and healthy diets D. How to improve people's brain capability Answer: D Question: I'm beginning to think whether my grandmother was right when she complains, as she frequently does, that children nowadays aren't as well-behaved as they used to be. She recounts in detail how she used to be told to respect her elders and betters. She was taught to speak when she went out on her own, she was reminded to say please and thank you. Children in her days, she continues, were expected to be seen and not heard , but these days you are lucky if you ever hear parents telling their children to mind her manners. If you give her the chance she then takes out of her writing desk the old photograph album which she keeps there, and which she never tires of displaying. Of course when you look at pictures of her parents you feel sure that , with a father as strict looking as that , you too would have been "seen and not heard". Besides him sits his wife , with their children around her, Granny and her elder brothers. It always occurs to me that perhaps those long, stiff, black clothes were so burdensome to a little girl that she hadn't enough breath left to be talkative, let alone mischievous . It must have been a dull and lonely life too, for she stayed mainly at home during her childhood, while her brothers were sent to school from an early age. However, my childhood was much freer than Granny's. I went to school with my brother. I played football with him and his friends . We all spoke a common language , and we got up to the same mischief. I would have dies if I had to stay indoors , wearing tight , stiff clothes. The writer thinks that her grandmother _ . A. make mistakes about the youth. B. complains too much about her childhood C. receive good education at school D. led an unhappy life when she was a child Answer: D Question: Two men in Shanghai have been dead from H7N9, while a woman in Anhui province is seriously ill from the virus, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said on Sunday. This is the first time a human from H7N9 has been found. Little research has been done on this unknown bird flu, and three are no vaccines against the virus. The reported deaths were of an 87-year-old man who was found ill on Feb. 19 and died on March 4, and a 27-year-old man who was found ill on Feb. 27 and died on March 10. The third person, a 35-year-old woman from Chuzhou, Anhui province, is in hospital in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. It is still unknown how the three became ill, and experts said there is no evidence that they caught the illness from each other. There is also no evidence of anyone who stay closely with them being ill. To be away from H7N9 and stay healthy, remember the following things. * Go to crowded places as less as possible, especially the elderly and children. Pay attention to personal self-protection. * Keep the air in door fresh. Often wash your hands. Cover the nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing . Wash hands after cleaning the nose and mouth. * Eat clean food. Don't put raw and cooked food together. And do not eat raw or _ meat, eggs and other food. * Take more exercise, have enough sleep and rest, so that you can get yourself stronger. When did the 27-year-old man die? A. On Feb. 19. B. On Feb. 27. C. On March 4. D. On March 10. Answer: D
When I was walking down the street the other day, I happened to notice a small brown leather wallet, lying on the sidewalk. I picked it up and opened it to see if I could find out the owner's name. There was nothing inside it except some change and an old photograph---- a picture of a woman and a young girl about twelve years old, who looked like the woman' s daughter. I put the photograph back and took the wallet to the police station, where I handed it to the desk sergeant . Before I left, the sergeant took down my name and address in case the owner might want to write and thank me. That evening I went to have dinner with my aunt and uncle. They had also invited a young woman so that there would be four people at the table. Her face was familiar. I was quite sure that we had not met before, but I could not remember where I had seen her. In the course of conversation, however, the young woman happened to mention that she had lost her wallet that afternoon. All at once I realized where I had seen her. She was the young girl in the photograph, although she was now much older. She was very surprised, of course, when I was able to describe her wallet to her. Then I explained that I had recognized her from the photograph I had found in the wallet. My uncle insisted on going to the police station immediately to claim the wallet. As the police sergeant handed it over, he said that it was an amazing coincidence that I had not only found the wallet, but also the person who had lost it. The writer opened the wallet because he wanted to _ in it. A. find some money B. find some gold C. find the owner's name D. find the owner's photograph Answer: C The London Eye is a giant 135---meter tall Ferris wheel situated on the banks of the River Thames in the British capital. Since 20 January 2011, it has been officially known as the EDF Energy London Eye following a three---year deal with the company. It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, visited by over 3.5 million people every year. The London Eye is located at the western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames In the London Borough of Lambeth in England, between Westminster Bridge( which has longer history than the famous Severn Bridge to the west of London) and Hungerford Bridge. When erected in 1999, it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, until surpassed first by the 160 m Star of Nanchang in 2006, and the 165m Singapore Flyer in 2008. A breathtaking feat of design and engineering, passengers in the London Eye's capsules can see up to 40 kilometers in all directions. The London Eye is the vision of David Marks and Julia Barfield, a husband and wife architect team. The wheel design was used as a metaphor for the end of the 20thcentury, and time turning into the new millennium . Back in 2000, the London Eye was known as the Millennium wheel. In 2009, a 4D Film Experience was added as a free extra to enjoy before your ride on the Eye. Once you get high enough and start coming down the other side, you will see people reach for their cameras. Here's where the good stuff is right at your fingertips(or seems so). Parliament and Big Ben are beneath you, as are so many other historical things . If you are interested in other attractions in London, you can refer to the homepage. You can find this passage _ . A. in a magazine B. in a newspaper C. from a guidebook D. on a website Answer: D A new World Bank report warns that children who do not get enough good food in the first two years of life suffer lasting damage. They may be underdeveloped or under-weight. They may suffer from poor health or poor intelligence. In addition, these children are more likely to drop out of school and earn less money as adults. At the same time, it notes that too little food is not the only cause of poor nutrition . Many children may suffer for other reasons. For example, the study says that mothers often fail to give their newly born babies their first breast milk. This "milk" is called colostrum . It can improve a baby's ability to fight infections and disease. The study also links malnutrition to economic growth in poor countries. A lack of nutrition in early childhood can cost developing nations up to three percent of their yearly earnings. The study suggests that poor countries could possibly double their economic growth if they improved nutrition. Africa and South Asia are affected the most by poor nutrition. The study says about half of all children in India do not get enough good food. The World Bank study also notes that rates of malnutrition in South Asia are almost double those in central and southern Africa. Other parts of the world are also seriously affected, including Indonesia, Guatemala and Peru. The study advises that developing countries change their policies to deal with malnutrition. Instead of directly providing food, the study suggests educational programs in health and nutrition for mothers with young babies. It also advises cleaner living conditions and improvements in health care. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? A. Malnutrition in poor countries is caused by too little food. B. Yearly earnings have something to do with poor nutrition. C. Colostrum plays a great role in the growth of newly born babies. D. Malnutrition affects economic growth in poor countries. Answer: A When you hear about a man saving his dog from a sinking ship, it's hard not to be moved by the tale of an animal lover's bravery.But the story becomes slightly less heroic when you learn that the man saved his dog before his own wife. But that's apparently what happened when Graham Annie and his wife, Cheryl, found their Yacht sinking after it hit a rock, while on a voyage from East London to Madagascar. National Sea Rescue Institute North London station commander Geoff McGregor said all three were wearing life jackets.The 9-year-old Jack Russell terrier named Rosie was wearing a tailored life jacket equipped with a light. "As the incident happened Graham sent a radio distress call for help and activated the EPIRB (a GPS beacon) but they were immediately forced to abandon ship," McGregor said in an interview, "He first swam Rosie to the shore safely before returning for his wife, whose safety line had caught on the steering gear McGregor added. The couple and their dog all made it out free of injury.Graham, a long-time volunteer with the National Sea Rescue Institute, said, "it was humbling to have the shoe on the other foot and need to be rescued." Some details have yet to come out.So, it's likely that Cheryl was in a position of safety and Rosie might have been in a more dangerous position had she been left on the boat. The couple did not want to speak with the media about their rescue.So, for now, it's left to readers to find out Graham's priorities during their troubled time. Graham saved his dog first possibly because _ . A. the boat was sinking B. his wife had a life jacket C. he knew his wife could swim D. the dog might be in a more dangerous situation Answer: D On Nov.18th,1908,three men went up in a balloon .They started early in London. The headman was Auguste Gaudron,and the other two men were Tannar and Maitland. They had a big balloon and they were ready for a long way. Soon they heard the sea. They were carrying the usual rope ,and it was hanging down from the basket of the balloon. At the end of the rope they had tied a metal box. This could hold water, or it could be empty. So they were able to change its weight .It was for use over the sea. They were also carrying some bags of sand. After the sun rose, the balloon went higher. It went up to 3,000 metres, and the air was very cold. The water in the balloon became ice. Snow fell past the men's basket, and they could see more snow on the ground. The men tried to throw out some more sand; but it was hard. They tried to break the icy sand with their knives, but it was not easy. The work was slow and they were still falling, so they had to drop some whole bags of sand. One of them fell on an icy lake and made a black hole in the ice. At last they pulled the box into the basket. It was still snowing; so they climbed to get away from the snow. They rose to 5,100 metres! Everything became icy. They were so cold that they decided to land. They came down in Poland heavily but safely. They had traveled 1,797 kilometers from London! The balloon landed _ . A. in London B. on the sea C. on a lake D. in a foreign country Answer: D
Question: When school was out, I hurried to find my sister and get out of the schoolyard before seeing anybody in my class. But Barbara and her friends had beaten us to the playground entrance and they seemed to be waiting for us. Barbara said, "So now you' re in the A class. " She sounded impressed. "What' s the A class? "I asked. Everybody made superior yet faintly envious giggling sounds. "Well, why did you think the teacher moved you to the front of the room, Dopey? Didn' t you know you were in the C class before, way in the back of the room? " Of course I hadn' t known. The Wenatchee fifth grade was bigger than my whole school which had been in North Dakota, and the idea of subdivisions within a grade had never occurred to me. The subdividing for the first marking period had been done before I came to the school, and I had never, in the six weeks I' d been there, talked to anyone long enough to find out about the A, B, and C classes. I still could not understand why that had made such a difference to Barbara and her friends. I didn' t yet know that it was shameful and dirty to be a transient laborer and ridiculous to be from North Dakota. I thought living in a tent was more fun than living in a house. I didn' t know that we were gypsies, really (how that thought would have excited me then! ), and that we were regarded with the suspicion felt by those who plant toward those who do not plant. It didn' t occur to me that we were all looked upon as one more of the untrustworthy natural phenomena, drifting here and there like mists or winds, I didn' t know that I was the only child who had camped on the Baumann' s land ever to get out of the C class. I didn' t know that school administrators and civic leaders held conferences to talk about the problem of transient laborers. I only knew that for two happy days I walked to school with Barbara and her friends, played hopscotch and jumped rope with them at class intervals, and was even invited into the house for some ginger ale--a strange drink I had never tasted before. The narrator had most probably been placed in the C class because _ . A. all children of transient laborers were placed in the C class B. she had come from a small school C. the marking system confused her D. she was a poor reader Answer: D. she was a poor reader Question: After spending three days in a wheelchair, I was ready to quit. Not only did I have to battle cracked and uneven pavements, I had to deal with the bad attitude of pedestrians and a cold rain. But I didn't give up because of people like Tiffany Payne. Payne, who has been using a wheelchair for 18 years, laughed at me, "Imagine trying to get around town in the winter," she said. I could see her point: You're battling to get to a doctor's appointment, but no one has shoveled after a big snowfall. Your choices: Move out and risk getting stuck, or reschedule the appointment. Those of us fortunate enough to get around on our own two legs don't give a second thought to the person in a wheelchair next to us at a crosswalk. That would require us to look down. So I decided to try using a wheelchair to get a sample of what their lives are like. It wasn't long before I saw that people who use wheelchairs are forced to deal with a lot of trouble. During my experiment, I was ignored by store staff while shopping and bumped into by inattentive walkers without so much as an apology. Some people even gave me angry looks as if I were the one at fault. Once in a store, a woman bumped into me trying to get to the new iPad. She didn't say, "Excuse me." When salespeople did offer assistance, they talked to people who were with me, instead of me. I wanted to yell, "Hey, I'm down here!" Some salespeople talked to me as though I were a child or acted like they didn't want to be bothered with me. People who use wheelchairs want to be treated like everyone else. They also comprehend, so you don't have to speak to them in a childlike, sing-song voice. It's not very appealing, especially when the person is an adult. And most importantly, remember they have feelings that can be hurt just like yours. Spending three days in a wheelchair made me look differently at those who have to use one. I hope you do the same. What can we conclude from the article? A. A wheelchair user may feel offended when you do not address him or her directly. B. Assistants in big stores are usually kind to people in wheelchairs. C. People in wheelchairs should fight for fair treatment. D. People in wheelchairs are usually hard to get along with. Answer: A. A wheelchair user may feel offended when you do not address him or her directly. Question: BEIJING, prefix = st1 /China(CNN) ---China's economic growth dropped to 9 percent for 2008, according to numbers released by the government Thursday --- in line with expectations, but still the slowest rate the nation has seen in seven years. Economists are concerned about what the slowdown means for investment in the future, whether new projects will be undertaken in manufacturing companies and in factories. If not, it will translate into more job losses and erase any optimism about a rebound in 2009. Since 2001, Chinahas been used to double-digit growth as consumers buy Chinese goods. However, the export sector was hit hard in late 2008, with December exports down 2.8 percent. Consumer spending has mostly held up in China, as people there do not carry as much debt as their American counterparts and can continue to spend. Consumer confidence, however, is a problem, said Dong Tao, Asia chief economist for Credit Suisse. Infrastructure is the only thing driving the Chinese economy, Dong said. Tens of thousands of Chinese factories have closed, millions of people are looking for jobs and an untold number of migrants who can't find work may be leaving cities for good because of the slowdown, which would have been unheard of six months ago. Fourth quarter numbers showed growth at 6.8 percent. Goldman Sachs predicted 6.5 percent, down from 9 percent in the third quarter. For all of 2008, Goldman Sachs had predicted 8.8 percent, down from 11.9 percent in 2007. Since 2001, the slowest rate in annual economic growth china has seen is _ . A. 6.8% B. 8.8% C. 9 % D. 11.9 % Answer: C. 9 % Question: Mr Brown is our English teacher at school. He is a popular teacher and I like him very much. There are many other foreign teachers in our school. Some are from English-speaking countries and some from Asian countries. I like Mr Brown best. He is a very interesting teacher and he teaches us very well. Mr Brown comes from Australia. Though he is the oldest teacher of our school. he is very strong. All the students like him very much. During his class, no one sleeps. After class, he often tells jokes to us or does sports with us. Mr Brown likes music very much. We learn a lot of English songs from him. He is also fond of sports. He takes exercises at least three times a week. He is good at swimming, so you know why he looks so strong. What does the writer think of Mr Brown's class? A. Difficult. B. Full of fun. C. Not so good. D. Not interesting. Answer: B. Full of fun. Question: Which characteristic is found ONLY in mammals? A. eyes that detect color B. glands that make milk C. skin that absorbs oxygen D. bodies that are protected by scales Answer: B. glands that make milk
Can you imagine keeping an alien dog as a pet? This is what happens in CJ7--a wonderful movie made in China. Maybe some of you saw it. It came out in January, 2008. The movie is about a poor man Ti, his son Dicky and their alien dog CJ7. Dicky, a 10-year-old boy, lives a poor life with his father Ti, a worker. One day,his father finds a ball in the trash and he gives it to Dicky. The ball becomes a cute alien dog. It's a small dog with big eyes and green hair. It can talk and do magic . Soon the dog comes to love Ti and his son. It goes to school with Dicky. It makes him laugh, but it makes trouble, too. When Ti falls off a building and dies, CJ7 saves his life. Because the dog loses all its power , it becomes a doll. But Dicky still wears the dog around his neck. He hopes that CJ7 will come back to life one day. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: "Excuse me," said a young man , standing shyly at the open church door. " I'm here to pick up an Easter basket for my daughter. Am I in the right place ?" " Well, we have baskets, but they're not Easter baskets for kids; they're food baskets,"I explained. That morning I arrived at St. Michael's Church in Carmichael, California, to help give out the baskets to needy families for Easter. To make sure every family would receive one, we had handed out numbers to them that matched the baskets they were supposed to receive . Each one contained a whole ham, potatoes, bread,vegetables, and a pie--enough food to help feed a family for a week. "Why don't you come in ?" I said to the man. He looked disappointed. He shook his head and said," I can't ...My daughter is waiting for me over there.I'm grateful for the food,but when I heard you were giving away baskets for Easter...well, I thought they would be Easter baskets for children." He continued, "I promised my daughter one ,and I wanted to surprise her." I felt bad, but there was nothing I could do.The man hadned me his number, and I walked over to the baskets. A bulge in one of the baskets caught my eye. " What is that ?" I wondered. Leaning over and looking more closely, I could see, unmistakably, an Easter basket filled with candy, chocolate, and Easter eggs.One of the volunteers must have added it by mistake! I thought. Then I looked at the man's number in my hand.Well, he'll be..... "Happy Easter," I said to the man , handing him the only food basket with an Easter basket inside -the very same basket with his number on it. " Someone knew just what you needed." The young man had thought that _ . Answer: As I walked along the city streets, I passed a young man who was searching through a small block of land that contained a mix of leaves and rubbish. I was somewhat puzzled why some one like him would be searching through rubbish. Finding this a little _ , I asked him, "What are you searching for?" He replied very simply that he was looking for bills of money. After talking with him for a little longer, I found out that he had become homeless just three months ago after getting laid off from his job. Since then, he had been working part-time jobs in a doctor's office and in a food bank to earn some money. But he made so little that he lost heart. The man seemed fairly talented, although a little dirty. I offer him a freshly baked peanut cake that I had baked that day. His eyes lit up, and he eagerly jumped at my offer. He immediately took the cake with his dirty hands and quickly began eating the treat on the spot. I told him that our thought creates our reality, and suggested that he not give up and think in a positive way. I also said that he was young and everything was possible. As he chews the cake, what I said seemed to have an effect on him, and he told me that he would cheer up and try to find a good job. My sense told me that he might begin to see things a little differently from then on. While walking away, I was thinking of a man eating a cake packed with potential of raising his confidence. And so it is! The writer hoped that _ . Answer: Sometime in the next century, the familiar early-newspaper on the front porch will disappear. And instead of reading your newspaper, it will read to you. You'll get up and turn on the computer newspaper just like switching on the TV An electronic voice will distribute stories about the latest events, guided by a program that selects the type of news you want. You'll even get to choose the kind of voice you want to hear. Want more information on this brief story? A simple touch makes the entire text appear. Save it in your own personal computer if you like. These are among the predictions from communication experts working on the newspapers of the future. Pictured as part of broader home-based media and entertainment systems, computer newspapers will unite print and broadcast reporting, and offer news and analysis with video images of news events. Most of the technology is available now, but convincing more people that they don't need to read a newspaper is the next step. But resistance to computer newspapers may be stronger from within journalism. Since it is such a cultural change, it may be that the present generation of journalists and publishers will have to die off before the next generation realizes that the newspaper industry is no longer a newspaper industry. Technology is making the end of ' traditional newspapers unavoidable. Despite technological advances, it could take decades to replace newsprint with computer screens. It might take 30 t0 40 years to complete the changeover because people need to buy computers and because newspapers have established financial interests in the paper industry. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of computer newspapers? Answer: As the Earth rotates around a star, the world may Answer:
Question: A man went to see a doctor."Open your mouth,"the doctor said.Then the man opened his mouth and the doctor looked in quickly. "It's clear what's wrong with you.You need more exercise,"the doctor said. "But,doctor,"the man said,"I don't think..." "Don't tell me what you think,"the doctor said."I am the doctor,not you.I know what you need.I see hundreds of people like you.None of them get any exercise.They sit in offices all day and in front of the television in the evening.What you need is to walk quickly for at least 20 minutes a day." "Doctor,you don't understand,"the man said."I..." "I don't want to hear any excuses,"the doctor said."You must find time for exercise.If you don't,you will get fat and have health problems when you are older." "But I walk every day,"the man said. "Oh,yes,and I know what kind of walking that is.You walk a few feet to the train station from your house,a few more feet from the station to your office,and a few more feet from your office to a restaurant for lunch and back.That's not real walking.I'm talking about walking in the park for twenty minutes every day." "Will you listen to me,doctor?"the man shouted,getting angry with this doctor who thought he knew everything."I'm a postman,"the man went on,"and I walk for seven hours every day." . Which of the following is true? A. The postman sent letters on foot. B. The doctor had a walk in a park every day. C. The postman lived near a train station. D. The postman went to see the doctor on foot. Answer: A. The postman sent letters on foot. 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." Why was David able to get the job in the company? A. He had done well in all his exams B. He had written some computer programs C. He was good at playing computer games D. He had learnt to use computers at school Answer: B. He had written some computer programs Question: Mr. and Mrs. Clark are 70 years old. They look young and they are very healthy. Why? Let me tell you. That's because they have a healthy lifestyle. They exercise every day, and every morning they exercise in the park. After that they usually go to the supermarket. They walk there for about half an hour. They don't take buses. Because they think walking is good for their health. They often take a walk after dinner. They also have a good eating habit. They drink milk every morning. They eat fruit and vegetables every day. As for meat, they only eat it twice a week. Besides (...) that, they never eat junk food. They don't drink coffee or cola at all. You see, they look after their health very well. Mrs. Clark likes watching soap operas and reading books. She reads books every day. Mr. Clark likes Chinese paintings. They usually go to bed at 9:00 pm and sleep for eight hours every night. How often do Mr. and Mrs. Clark eat meat? A. Never B. Once a day C. Twice a day D. Twice a week Answer: D. Twice a week Question: The professor stood before his class of 30 senior biology students, about to pass out the final exam. "I have been honored to be your teacher this term, and I know how hard you have all worked to prepare for this test. I also know most of you are off to medical school or graduate school next fall," he said to them. "I can well understand how much pressure you are under to keep your grades up, and because I know you are able to understand this material, I am prepared to offer an automatic "B" to anyone who would prefer not to take the final." In relief a number of students jumped up to thank the professor and left the class. The professor looked at the students who remained, and offered again, "Any other takers? This is your last chance." One more student decided to go. There were seven students left. The professor closed the door. Then he handed out the final exam. There were only two sentences typed on the paper: "Congratulations, you have just received an "A" in this class. Keep believing in yourself." I never had a professor who gave a test like that. It may seem like the easy way out of grading a lot of exams, but it's a test that any teacher in any subject could and should give. Students who don't have confidence in what they've learned are "B" students at best. The same is true for students of real life. The "A" students are those who believe in what they're doing because they've learned from both successes and failures. They have learned life's lessons, whether from formal education or the school of hard knocks, and become better people. Take your cue from Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to reach the top of Mount Qomolangma: "It's not the mountain we conquer , but ourselves." Don't let the biggest limit be yourself. The point of the story is to advise readers _ . A. to pay attention to what they can do B. not to miss any final exam at school C. not to let themselves limit their growth D. to surround themselves with confident people Answer: C. not to let themselves limit their growth Question: It was a freezing cold winter day. My father and I went to the market to buy a few oranges. When we arrived, the market was crowded with people. We looked around and stopped at the sight of a small booth . It was just a big piece of cloth on the ground with a few fresh-looking oranges. A young girl was sitting on the ground, reading next to the booth. My father cleared his throat and asked,'How much are the oranges?' The girl jumped up and asked,'Oh....what?' 'How much are the oranges?' my father repeated patiently. 'Oh......two for one yuan ,'the girl answered politely. 'They are not fully grown......a bit sour ,' she added ,when my father was examining the oranges. After a while he said, 'I don 't mind if they are sour......I'll buy thirty of them.' I looked at him, baffled . Then the girl put the oranges in a bag and gave it to him. My father paid for the oranges and we left. 'Why did you buy so many oranges?' I asked my father, 'Well, she was so truthful and even told me that her oranges are sour; besides, she really enjoys studying. And look at her book-it's so old; maybe she can use the money she earned to buy a book!' I nodded my head. Just then, I felt somebody pulling my arm; I turned and recognized it was the girl from whom we bought the oranges.' Here's......here's ......your change ......' she panted , and put the money in my hand. Before we could say something ,she had already turned a corner and was out of sight. The girl and her oranges will be in my memory forever. The author's main purpose in writing the text to(_) A. tell readers a moving story B. express her own opinion on money C. show her great respect for her father D. praise the young girl for her good character Answer: D. praise the young girl for her good character
In November of 2007, NBC Universal launched its first official Green Week. Throughout the week, NBC Universal presented over 150 hours of environmentally themed content through multiple platforms . Now, NBC Universal is proud to present Green Week 2012. With a new theme and message of "Green Your Routine", NBC and NBC.com presents green-themed tips in several of our daytime life, among several other features here on the "Green Your Routine" site. Fashion & Beauty Throw a clothes exchange party! Are you dying for that sweater your friend wore the other day? Well, maybe she'll trade for that old T-shirt you have. Here's a website that helps you organize an exchange party (www.swapstyle.com), or just plan your own! Go natural with organic make-up. Applying unnatural products on your skin wasn't exactly that nature intended. Try switching to a line of organic make-up and cosmetics for a different way to bring out your natural beauty. Home Drop a brick in your toilet tank! Literally! According to the EPA, flushing makes up 30 percent of a household's water use (about three to six gallons per flush). By placing a brick in your toilet tank, you can help to conserve the amount of water used during each flush. Work Print smarter. Printing and copying can be one of the most costly operations in any office. To save on ink and paper costs, print double-sided and try to fit more than one page on a sheet. More printing tips can be found here: lifehacker.com Turn off your computer. Do you leave your computer on over night? If so, you're using up a good amount of electricity. If you can, try turning off your computer and the power strip it's connected to. If you can't, shut off your monitor at least. Transportation Organize a car pool . There are many benefits to carpooling. You save on gas and you get to ride in the HOV lines. Get connected with your neighbors and co-workers to start sharing rides and check out this website for more tips: www.erideshare.com. Lose the car and get a bike. If you live close to where you work, try taking a bike instead of driving. You'll keep in shape and save on gas! Every small step and efforts makes a difference! Be sure to GREEN YOUR ROUTINE! The passage is mainly intended to _ . A. call on readers to be environmentally friendly and present some good tips B. tell readers to be environmentally friendly while travelling C. persuade readers to ride bicycles when travelling D. inform readers of measures to improve our environment Answer: A The human stomach is protected from self-digestion by a layer of A. bile. B. mucus. C. muscle. D. white blood cells. Answer: B Recently, a painting of actress Elizabeth Taylor, which was drawn by American artist and filmmaker Andy Warhol, sold for US $63 million. Another simple black-and-white image of a Coca-Cola bottle sold for US $35 million. But the all-time record for a Warhol painting is $100 million for a piece titled "Eight Elvises". What's amazing is not that the pieces sold for so much, but the fact that they are not what you would call traditional art. They are "pop art", art based on simple images of things and people from advertising, movies, music and day-to-day life. Born in the 1920s, Warhol grew up mostly separated from other children due to health problems. He spent a lot of his time alone drawing and then went on to study art in college. He began his career as a commercial artist, creating pictures for magazine articles and newspaper ads. That inspired him to experiment with pop art and he hosted America's first pop art exhibition in the 1960s. The show met with a lot of discussion with some people saying that what he was doing was not art. Warhol followed his first works with a series we are all familiar with -- paintings of Coca-Cola bottles, Brillo soap pad boxes, and portraits of famous people. Soon after, Warhol stopped creating his own artwork. Instead, he had assistants and other artists create them at his studio called "The Factory". Warhol wanted to show the world that art doesn't have to be complex or original; it can be created by anyone using ordinary things. Today, Warhol's work is unmistakable in its uniqueness. No matter how you may feel about his work, one thing cannot be argued. He introduced the world to a whole new art form, inspiring future generations of artists, and eventually becoming one of the most famous and successful pop art artists in the world. What would be the best title for the text? A. Andy Warhol's world of pop art B. Women in the pop art movement C. A fun pop-art self-portrait for kids D. Popular paintings by Andy Warhol Answer: A There was simply too much news and too much information freely available on the net.But was it accurate? Whose opinion should we trust? A survey found that 60% of UK adults think it is worth paying for a "good newspaper", and most of those said they believed more of what they read in the paid-for newspapers. Here was something newspapers understood--here was what they could offer: news plus comment and opinion. And the Internet now offered opportunities.A newspaper was just that: news printed on paper.But the Internet now offered newspapers different places to print, and in different media. This may explain why the readership of newspapers online in the UK is very different from people who read printed newspapers. The most popular newspaper in the UK is The Sun and is also the most popular newspaper in the world.The "mid--market" audience mainly reads The Daily Mail.Of the "quality" newspapers, the most popular is the Daily Telegraph. Online, it's a different story.The most popular site is The Mail, which has 2.3 million "browsers" every day.And the next most popular site is The Guardian. What conclusion can we draw from the passage? A. People no longer believe what the Internet tells them. B. Printed newspapers are out of date. C. Different readers may have their various reading taste. D. Printed newspapers can not deal with the challenge from the Internet. Answer: C Last summer holiday, I took a trip to Yunnan. It is in the southern part of our country .It is really a very beautiful place-grand mountains, clean rivers and kind people. Trees and flowers are seen everywhere. Every year there are lots and lots of visitors. Maybe you have heard about Shi Lin (stone forests). There are all kinds of strange stones. Some of the small stones look like graceful girls; and the big stones look like handsome men. Other stones look like cats, peafowls, double-edged swords, mice, elephants and so on. Of all the stones, the stone like a beautiful girl in a legend is the most famous .Its name is A Shima. I also went to Li Jiang. The roads in that city are just like the Eight Diagrams. Any road in the city goes to the center of Li Jiang. A river runs through the whole city. If you go along the river, you'll never get lost. There are many ethnic minority people in Yunnan. They are very cordial. And they all like singing and dancing. We danced with them around the campfire that night. I really had a good time. I like the elephants and fruits there best. An elephant is even taller than me! I even mounted the elephant, though I was very afraid at first. But the elephant seemed very friendly. I took some photos with it. The fruits there are very fresh and delicious. They are very good for our health. The trip to Yunnan impressed me greatly. I will never forget it. The suitable title of the passage is _ . A. A good impression B. A Trip to Yunnan C. A visit to Shi Lin D. The beautiful Paradise Answer: B
As children enter their teens, they usually begin to pay more attention to their peers or friends. Peer pressure can be direct or indirect, but it is almost always present. Learning to deal with peer pressure makes a teen mature , and able to get along well with others. Bad peer pressure is when teens feel pressured to do something that they know is wrong, such as smoking, drinking, or drugs , and it can remain with them into adulthood. This is the main reason teens have to learn how to deal with it. Some of the things you can do to deal with peer pressure include: * Choose friends who share your values. Good friends use positive peer pressure to help you be your best self. * Keep away from situations where people are doing things you don't want to do. * Think about your reasons for doing things. Are they good reasons? Are you being true to yourself and your values? * Practice ways of saying no, giving excuses if necessary. * Talk to your parents, or other trusted adults, about the kinds of peer pressure you face, and listen to their advice. * Let the adults know when you need help to get out of a bad situation, and don't know what to do about it. Remember that if just one teen _ peer pressure, usually others will join him or her. Learning to deal with peer pressure will make you confident and mature. Which column of a magazine may the passage be from? For teens. Below is an introduction to Top 5 Teen Magazines from the US and the UK. J-14 Marked to preteen and teenage girls ages 11-19, J-14 --a shortened name of "Just For Teens" --is packed with features like teen gossip, quizzes, fashion advice, posters, and celebrity interviews in every issue. Some of the magazine's most popular features include: "Hot Topic", "Life's Big Questions" and "Real Life". Throughout the year, J-14 publishes several editions, such as "Summer Entertainment Guide", "Back-to-School Special" and the annual "Best of Year Special and J-13 Teen Icon Awards" issue. Teens who have a passion for pop culture would love a subscription to J-14 magazine! Twist Twist covers the latest fashion and stytles with lots of photos and easy-to-follow how-tos, giving teens both instruction and inspiration to experiment with what works for them. Body image and relationships are popular topics of interest to teens, and the magazine offers tips on building strong self-esteem. Additional content in every monthly issue inculdes reader polls, teen celebrity gossip, news and interviews. During the yaer, Twist publishes several special editions about seasonal fashion and major teen events, like prom and back-to-school. The magazine publishes a "Best of Year" issue every December. Teens who love fashion and celebrity news would love a subscription to Twist magazine! Discovery Girls First published in 2000, the magazine often addresses the topics of school, sports, and friendship. Content in the magazine is created by girls, which gives it the authentic opinions of its target audience. Each bimonthly issus features quizzes, fashion advice, and games in addition to some regular sections that appear in each magazine. Mant of the following sections that appear in every issue also feature content submitted by readers: "The Worst Day", "Embarrassing Moments", "The Great Debate" and "Mailbag". Young girls and teens would find a friendly, identifiable voice in each issue of Discovery Girls, and parents would approve of giving a gift subscription to this award-winning magazine! Boy's Life First published in 1911, Boy's Life is written for young males ages 6 to 18 and is distributed in two editions. One edition is printed for the youngest members 6-to-10-year-old Tiger Cubs and first-year Webelos Scouts. The other is for ages 11-18 and is aimed at second-year Webelos Scouts through 18-year-old Boy Scouts. A central focus of Boy's Life is encouraging physical activity among boys, like camping, hiking, swimming, and kayaking. Each month, the magazine features articles on history, the outdoors, science, and much more. Fitness, technology, and video game and biik reviews are other common topics Boy's Life often addresses. A subscription to Boy's Life magazine would make a great gift for active young boys! Seventeen Seventeen magazine celebrates teens where they are in life while also providing age-appropriate advice to the complex issues young women face every day. The magazine organizes its content into five sections, such as "Your Body", a range of fitness motivation and encouragement about positive body image, "Love & Guys", advice columns and tips on understanding relationships with the opposite sex, and "Your Awesome Life", personal development tips about hot topics like building confidence and selecting a college, plus inspirational stories about teens. Special editions include the "Back-to-school Issue" in August and "The Freebie Issue" in May. Teens who want to look good, feel great, and be their best would enjoy a subscription to Seventeen magazine! We can learn from the passage that _ . the content of Discovery Girls is closely related to teen girls Drug Use Report A new study examines drug use by young people in t he United States. The study found that cigarette smoking among American teenagers dropped during t he past years. The drop continues a general decrease in teenager smoking rates that started in 1996. American health officials praised the decrease as good news in the nation's battle against smoking. They note that smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease. Smoking rates among American teenagers increased in the first half of the 1990's. However, teenage smoking rates have been decreasing in recent years. The University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research supervised the latest study. The Department of Health and Human Services reported the findings. The study involved more than forty-four-thousand students in more than four-hundred schools across the United States. They were asked about past and daily use of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs. The youngest students questioned were thirteen years old. The study also involved fifteen-year-old students and seventeen-year-olds. The most notable change in the study was a continuation of the decrease in cigarette use among thirteen and fifteen-year-olds. For example, about twelve percent of thirteen-year-old students questioned reported smoking at least one cigarette during the past month. Six years ago, the rate was twenty-one percent. Among fifteen-year-olds, the rate dropped from thirty percent in 1996 to twenty-one percent last year. Tommy Thompson is the secretary of Health and Human Services. He praised the findings. He said more teenagers are making correct choices that will help them avoid health problems caused by tobacco. The study found that use of alcoholic drinks and illegal drugs among American teenagers remained the same or dropped during the past year. However, the use of one illegal drug known as Ecstasy continued to increase. Yet the rate of increase was not as great as in recent years. American health officials said they will continue to give teenagers scientific information about the serious health risks of Ecstasy and other illegal drugs. The goal is to further reduce the use of these drugs. Which of the following statement is TRUE? Smoking rates among teenagers have dropped since the late half of 1990's. The Gold Coast family holidays are always great fun whether you are from Australia or from abroad. There are beautiful beaches, adventure parks, nature parks and so much more. There are so many sights to see here. It is a pity to drive in a car and you'll miss a great part of it. Australia is home to many animals and birds that can only be seen when moving slowly and going into the areas that they live. When you are on a bicycle, you have the advantage of being able to stop whenever you want to see an interesting animal or bird that you have never seen before. It is a quieter mode of transportation as well, so you might even be able to take a picture. When you are on the beach, you can breathe that clean air and view the beauty of the water and sand. It is a totally different experience from either simply sunbathing or passing it in a car. There are many choices of hiring a bicycle to experience the Gold Coast attractions. There are stores that will fit a bike perfectly to your size. These bikes for both adults and children are in many styles and colors to please any taste. If you have ever wanted to try a tandem bike , now is your chance, because they have those too. A bicycle hire on Gold Coast is something that everyone should try at least once. This is a wonderful chance for anyone who likes to cycle and it is also a cheap way to travel with your family. You'd better not drive in a car on Gold Coast because _ . you can't enjoy the beautiful sights well Fidenzio Salvatori is determined that the city of Toronto will have an outdoor marketplace for merchants from its immigrant community, complete with dancing and other forms of amusement form their native countries. "Toronto is truly multicultural ," he said in a newspaper interview. "It's a city from many places, and multicultural marketplace will help Torontonians to understand and appreciate the rich variety of cultural groups in our city." Salvatori, aged 23, will soon complete his studies at the University of Toronto. He was eleven years old when he came to Canada from Italy with his parents. "Most of Toronto's immigrants are from lands where the marketplace has always been part of daily life," he said. Salvatori has been interested in getting an open-air market for Toronto for the last three years. This year, with the help of two fellow students, he prepared a proposal on the subject and presented it to the city's Executive committee, asking for their support. The proposal pointed out Toronto's rich variety of national groups, "whose customs include market shopping." Under a Canadian government program for multiculturalism, the three students have received two thousand dollars with which they will do a study to find out whether Toronto's immigrant businessmen would support an open-air market. They hope the merchants will support the plan strongly. "A study done earlier this year showed that 90 percent of shoppers would be in favor of it," Salvatori said. "At first it would be an experiment. But we think it will prove to be good business for the merchants, as well as tourist attraction." According to Salvatori, the marketplace may also help to improve Toronto's _ . community service
Which sequence correctly shows the levels of increasing organization in the human body? Answer: cells -> tissues -> organs -> organ systems As the semester ended, students had a chance to _ . They got to grade me anonymously , assessing the ability of my thinking, my organizational skills and the depth of my knowledge. Such evaluations keep me alert to what works and what doesn't. Students reflect my performance back to me, and I'm glad to learn what they think of my teaching so that I might try to improve. This system reflects many aspects of my work. There is, of course, nothing wrong with it. But this system assumes that what students need is the same as what they want. Reading my evaluations every semester has taught me otherwise. Actually many students' expectations for their courses have already changed, reflecting, in part, the business model many universities are following: classes are considered services, and parents are eager to get their money's worth from their children's education. Students feel pressure from their parents to get practical use from their courses. This could make sense for an engineering course, but in my field, creative writing, which rarely trains up excellent 21-year-old writers, it is more difficult to provide the results that the career-minded students desire. Then I tried some teaching techniques to change the criticism of those unhappy students to the opposite and improve my student evaluations. My record would accurately reflect a smart, attentive, encouraging teacher. However, I would admit that they loved me simply because I agreed writing should be easy. I know other teachers have done the same thing: teach your heart out to the teachable but be sure to please the unteachable; keep your ratings high, like a politician trying to improve his poll results. I believe in the struggle. But I still can't help wincing when I read, "The instructor is mean." "Marcus is not committed to my work." "This class sucks." The business model has taught me that customers are always right. And maybe a few more dissatisfied customers would mean a better learning experience. What can we infer from the passage? Answer: The writer adopted some teaching methods so that he improved his student evaluations. Recently, a scientist did some experiments. He left a group of 4-year-olds in a room with a bell and a candy. If they rang the bell, he would come back and they could eat the candy. If, however, they didn't ring the bell and waited for him to come back on his own, they could then have two candies. In videos of the experiment, he can see the children kicking, hiding their eyes--trying to exercise self-control so they can wait and get two candies. The results are different. Some broke down and rang the bell within a minute. Others lasted 15 minutes. The children who waited longer went on to get higher SAT scores. They got into better colleges and had better adult success. The children who rang the bell quickest were more likely to have received worse teacher and parental evaluations 10 years later and were more likely to have drug problems at age 32. The experiments are worth noting because people spend a lot of time thinking about how to improve education, how to become rich. But when the result is not good, they will come back to ask " how do we get people to get the sort of self-control that leads to success? " This is to enter the world of human nature. So these experiments along with everyday experience, tell us that self-control is most important. Young people who can sit through sometimes boring classes to get a degree can work hard in order to learn a language well. They can avoid drugs and alcohol. For people without self-control skills, however, school is a series of failed ordeals . No wonder they drop out and their later life is a group of foolish ideas, such as drug use, stealing and so on. What is the best title for this passage? Answer: Self-control is the key to success My family makes the best chicken salad.Dad prepares all of the ingredients and Mom makes the relish.There are a few things that make this chicken salad different from the other chicken salads.First,we use fruit jam in the relish.You can buy any fruit jam,like banana jam or orange jam.But we have bottles of strawberry jam that my mother made,so we use the strawberry jam.Second,we put some green olives .Green olives give the salad an interesting taste and make a big difference.Now let me tell you how my family makes the salad. First,mix up all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.The ingredients are chicken,tomatoes,green olives,onions and apples.If you like lettuce,you can also put some.Next,make the relish.Please mix the jam,the juice and the salt.Finally,mix the relish with the salad ingredients. Do you have a favorite chicken salad recipe?Please tell us about it.You can write to greensalad@yahoo.com. The chicken salad is different because the writer's family puts _ . Answer: green olives and a different relish On April 22, 2012, I jumped from an airplane 13, 000 feet up. What was the purpose? It was just to overcome my fear of heights. Seven years ago, when I went to France, I couldn't go up the Eiffel Tower because I was afraid. It seemed so high. I wanted to overcome my fear, so I could dare to go skydiving . At first, I didn't think I could, but I finally made it. I don't think that I could have jumped out of that plane without the encouragement of my wonderful friends and classmates--Yodel and Tatiana! It was a pity that we couldn't jump together. However, as we prepared to jump, there was something special among us-- a special bond. I made a reservation to go skydiving one week before the day of my jump. I felt nervous during the whole week, kind of blue; but mysteriously. When it was the moment to jump from the airplane, I didn't feel any fear... I just jumped! That was wonderful! Wonderful! There was a whole new world and the beautiful sky. I had never seen such a beautiful world! First, I felt an awful acceleration and then I felt like I was lying in the air...like a bird! I think it was an illusion, but it was wonderful! The oncoming wind blew me strongly. It was amazing! After about 50 seconds free fall, the parachute opened. When I landed on the ground, I felt a lack of oxygen. It was difficult to breathe in during the freefall. I was so glad that I survived and was able to overcome my fear! Everything went well! If possible, I want to jump again. My first jump is an outstanding memory for me. The author felt it a pity that _ . Answer: he couldn't jump with his friends
Once upon a time, a young man was standing in the middle of the town announcing that he had the most beautiful heart in the world. A large crowd gathered, and they al praised his heart for it was perfect. Suddenly, an old man appeared and said, "Why ,your heart is not as beautiful as mine." The old man's heart was ful of scars . Some pieces of his heart were removed and some pieces from other people were put in, but they didn't fit quite right. So there were several jagged edges. In fact, there were stil some holes in his heart where the pieces were missing. The young man laughed,"Comparing yours with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess." "Yes,"said the old man. "But, every scar shows that I took out a piece of my heart and gave it to a person, and often he gave me a piece of his heart in return." "Why do you have some jagged edges in your heart?"asked the young man."Because the shapes of the pieces weren't the same.""Then the holes?""Sometimes I gave pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't given back a piece of his, so ... but I don't care.""How come?""They remind me of the love we shared." The young man was deeply moved. He walked up to the old man, took a piece of his heart out and gave it to the old man. The old man placed it in his heart, then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man's heart. It fitted, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges. The young man looked at his heart, not perfect any more but more beautiful than ever. How sad it must be to go through life with a whole untouched heart! The old man said"... but I don't care"means _ . he didn't expect others'return School is a place that is familiar to everyone. Let's find out what American students do in school. An official dance party is held about twice a year in high schools in the United States. When the final football game is over for the season there is a homecoming party. Sometimes, students select a king from among the football players, and a queen from among the girls. Every student can attend and have fun with the help of their teachers. Sometimes, students, called bookworms, to the surprise of the other students, come to the party in a beautiful dress. The most exciting party that students can go to would have to be a dance party. Students attend it in dresses similar to those of Hollywood stars and the atmosphere is comparable to an Oscar Award party. Since such a party is for seniors, students usually stay up the night trying to enjoy their last year in high school. In American schools, instead of the teachers going to different rooms, students have their own class schedules and go to different classrooms. When a student is away from school, they must have an explanation for being away along with the signature of a parent. The signed paper is then handed in to the school office. High school drop outs and students being expelled are not that uncommon in the States. High absences without excuses are one of the reasons why students are expelled from school. American students also enjoy a number of activities out of school like cheerleading , student government and a host of different sports. According to the passage, American students in school _ . attend different classes in different places I am a 21-year-old boy, and this is my story. One month after I graduated from high school in 2009, I was coming home from swim practice and was involved in a car accident. I was so seriously injured that I was in a coma for over two months at Prince Georges Hospital. I died eight times during my coma and I couldn't talk or communicate when I woke up. Walking was never going to happen again due to all the extreme injuries. Just like my body, my dreams were almost _ . But I was not going to let my injuries prevent me from living my dreams. After 14 operations and blood transfusions, I had to learn how to talk, eat, walk, shower and live independently again. When I was out of hospital, I still had to go to outpatient therapy in Waldorf, Maryland. After spending a few months in a wheelchair, I took baby steps to walk on my own. It was a miracle that I could walk again, but I wanted to prove that I could not only walk, but run. When it came true, I wanted to get back in the pool again. After a few lung tests, I was able to go in the pool a little bit each week. After a few months of swim training, I began my freshman year at St. Mary's College of Maryland and became a proud member of the swim team. By telling my story, I want to make a positive influence on the world. I am just trying to live each day to the fullest and inspire other people never to give up their dreams no matter how bad a situation is. I remember when I was still in my hospital bed, I would have my mom and dad push me around in my wheelchair to the other rooms to see the other patients and talk to them and their families. I wanted to let them know that everything was going to be okay. Somehow, things would work out for the best. When the car accident happened, the author _ . had finished his high school education Bobby was a little barn mouse and loved to sleep on a blanket. Every day in the morning, Bobby would wake up and fold his little blue blanket that he slept on. Bobby's uncle Arthur got the blanket for Bobby from in the big house. Bobby loved this blanket more than any other thing he had. Bobby had a lot of neat stuff. He had a penny, a safety pin and an earring. He found all of these when he would walk through the forest in the afternoon. Bobby's uncle Arthur would always take walks with him through the forest, to make sure that Bobby didn't get in any trouble. Bobby had to be careful that people didn't see him, because the people didn't like mice. Bobby didn't understand, because people liked other animals, but would scream if they saw a mouse. They didn't scream if they saw a dog, cat or chicken. Bobby thought the dogs were the scariest and people might rather scream when they saw dogs and not mice. What was Bobby's favorite thing? blanket They say that the real marathon begins at 35 kilometers -- the rest is just a warm up. And sure enough, in 2009, at around the 36 kilometer point of the Beijing Marathon I experienced what runners call "hitting the wall". I had been doing well until that point, but suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my leg. My pace slowed down dramatically and every brain cell in my head seemed to be screaming "stop!!!" The last 5 kilometers were not fun; in fact, they were really hard work. Keeping motivated to run those last few kilometers was one of the hardest things I had ever done. But that is what makes running a marathon such a rewarding experience -- if it were easy everyone would do it. I have to admit it is sometimes not even easy to find the motivation to get out of bed, pull on your running shoes and head out into the morning to go for another run. These last two weeks of training for the Muztagata climb have been a little tough. I have been following my training plan for about three months but now I find that my original enthusiasm has all been used up. Day after day of going to the gym is beginning to wear me down and there still seems so much longer to keep this up. I have begun to doubt that I am actually making any progress or getting any fitter and even thought that I might be going backwards! These are all very common experiences for people who are working towards challenging, longer term goals and I have learned to recognize these "highs" and "lows" in my energy and enthusiasm. Over the years I have learned a number of tricks that help me to deal with the days when my early motivation seems to have abandoned me for good. Many runners say that the real marathon begins at 35 kilometers because it is at this point that _ . runners are worn out as if they are breaking down
Imagine having an idea, drawing it on paper, bringing it to a store and seeing it turned into a physical object. This is now possible with the help of 3D printers. Such machines were once used just by universities and big companies, but now, stores with 3D printing services are appearing around the United States. Bryan Jaycox and his wife opened The Build Shop LLC in Los Angeles two years ago. The store is filled with tools like a laser cutter, an industrial sewing machine and 3D printers. The Jaycoxs offer 3D printing classes and services for anyone who is interested. "I think 3D printing is going to be huge. It's going to have a huge effect on society as a whole." One of the students in a recent class was KiChong Tran. He plans to open a 3D printing business in Cambodia. 3D printing services are becoming available for American consumers. The UPS Store is a nationwide retailer ( ) that provides shipping, copying and other services. The UPS Store recently put 3D printers in three of its independently-owned stores. Burke Jones owns one of the stores in San Diego. "The demand has been amazing. It's been much more than I would have imagined." The UPS Store plans to add 3D printers in three more stores. At The UPS Store, the cost of the object depends on the amount of materials used. The store charges up to $95 an hour to design the object with computer software that creates a digital file to guide the printer. Mr. Jaycox predicts that within five years, 3D printing technology could become more popular. But KiChong Tran says even current technology can make a difference in a developing country like Cambodia. "With 3D printing, you can give them tools; you put it in their hands so they are responsible more for their own development and they learn skills beyond just learning English and becoming a tour guide or something like that or working at a bank; you can actually create things that give value to the world." He says it's not just in Cambodia but anywhere where there is a 3D printer that it can turn a good idea into reality. The attitude of KiChong Tran towards the development of 3D printing technology is _ Harry is eighteen now. He studies in a middle school. His parents like him very much and hope he can become a famous man. So they often tell him to study hard and they do all for him. They call him at six in the morning, after breakfast his father takes him to school in a car and in the afternoon, as soon as the young man comes back, the supper is ready. Of course, he never washes his clothes or goes to buy something in the shops. Once, Harry's father was sent to London on business. He would stay there for half a year. Leaving, he told his wife to take good care of their son. The woman had to get up earlier and did all what her husband did before. And two months later she was so tired that she was ill in bed. Now the young man got into trouble. He couldn't do any housework. He had to do as his mother told him. Even he didn't know where to get on the bus! Yesterday Harry's mother found his shoes were worn out and told him to buy a new pair in the shop. But he didn't know how to choose. The woman had a sigh and gave him a shoe pattern and told him to buy a pair of shoes himself. It's Saturday today and Harry doesn't go to school. With a policeman's help, he found a shop. The shopkeeper was friendly to him. The man brought a lot of shoes and asked him to choose. When he was trying on a pair, suddenly he remembered something and took them off. The man was surprised and asked, "What's the matter, young man?" "I'm sorry, I've left the shoe pattern at home!" The woman told her son to buy a pair of shoes because _ . They are out there. They may be your friends, your teachers or your parents. Anyone can be a difficult person to someone else. It is important to see if you are with a difficult person. The first solution to any problem is that you realize the problem. Most of the time, difficult people do not realize they are difficult. They think what they do is just normal. But do you know how to cope with difficult people? The best way is not to care what they said. If this does not help, think about the following: Difficult people are easy to be very angry, and you just happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Difficult people do not even hear the words you say, but are only guessing the meaning of your words according to their own thought. So when you really look at it deeply, it is not wise to take things personally. Which of the following is TRUE? Penguin Group Ordinary People Change The World! Penguin Group and TFK have partnered together to help teachers show their students how they can make the world a better place. Building the encouraging lives of historic figures including Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein, this attractive program takes a look at the real life stories of ordinary young people who grew up to become extraordinary adults! Download the classroom poster, student worksheets and teacher's guide provided below. Classroom Poster : You can be a Hero, too. Classroom Poster Teachers Guide : Ordinary People Series Teacher's Guide Student Worksheet : Who's Your Hero? Worksheet Student Worksheet : Hero Matchup Worksheet PGA Junior League Golf It Takes a Team! TIME For Kids and PGA Junior League Golf have developed a program all about using teamwork to reach goals. Download this poster to get your students involved in the power and fun of teamwork and cooperation. Encourage your class to go to timeforkids.com/teampoll and take the poll! Classroom Poster : It Takes a Team! International Fund for Animal Welfare(IFAW) Cats, Dogs, & Us TIME for Kids has partnered with IFAW to present an educational animal awareness program called Cats, Dogs, & Us. This project is sure to attract and engage students with discussion starters, in-class activity ideas, a video viewing guide, and many other in-depth and fun resources. Preview IFAW's Cats, Dogs, & Us video at http://ifaw.org/cats-dogs-and-us Classroom Poster : Cats, Dogs, & Us Classroom Poster Classroom Poster / Teachers Guide : Cats, Dogs, & Us Teachers Guide Full View Teachers Guide : Cats, Dogs, & Us Teachers Guide Pages Special Olympics Special Olympics Project UNIFY(r) in TIME and Special Olympics have teamed up to promote understanding of people's differences in the classroom, school and community. Special Olympics Project UNIFY(r) is an education-based project that uses sports and education programs to activate young people to develop communities where all youth are agents of change-promoting respect, dignity and support for people with mental disabilities. TFK Extra : in TIME Project UNIFY(r) Student Guide Teachers Guide : in TIME Project UNIFY(r) Teachers Guide To know how to help a slow classmate better, you'd better go to " _ ". Let's be honest:If you like to take lots of vacation,the United States is not the place to work.Besides a handful of national holidays,the typical American worker gets two or three precious weeks off out of a whole year to relax and see the world--much less than what people in many other countries receive.Only 57% of the US workers use up all of the days they're entitled to,compared with 89% of workers in France, a recent research found. So what's going on here?A big reason for the difference is that paid time off is supported by law in many parts of the world.Germany is among more than two dozen industrialized countries--from Australia to Slovenia to Japan--that require employers to offer four weeks or more of paid vacation to their workers,according to a 2009 study by the human resources consulting company Mercer.Finland, Brazil and France are the champions, guaranteeing six weeks of time off. But employers in the United States have no duty under federal law to offer any paid vacation, so about a quarter of all American workers don't have access to _ ,government figures show.That makes the US the only advanced nation in the world that doesn't guarantee its workers annual leave,according to a report titled "NoVacation Nation" by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a liberal policy group. But the fear of layoffs and the everfaster pace of work mean many Americans don't want to be absent from the office--anxious that they might look like they're not willing to work hard.Or they worry they won't be able to deal with the backlog of work waiting for them after a vacation. Working more makes Americans happier than Europeans, according to a study published recently in the Journal of Happiness Studies.That may be because Americans believe more than Europeans do that hard work is associated with success, wrote Adam OkuliczKozaryn,the study's author and an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Dallas."Americans increase their happiness by working, and Europeans increase their happiness through vacation," he found. What is the text mainly about?
Mr. Smith lived in a small village. He grew vegetables. Years ago he found work in a big city and moved there with his family. On the first Saturday in their new home, Mr. Smith took his new car out of the garage and washed it. A man came at the moment. When he saw Mr. Smith's new car, he stopped and looked at it for a few minutes. Then Mr. Smith turned and saw him. The man said, "That's a nice car. Is it yours?" "Sometimes," Smith answered with a smile. "Sometimes?" The man said. "What do you mean?" "Well," answered Smith slowly, "When there's a party in town, it is my daughter's, Mary. When there's a football game, it's my son's, John. After I wash it, and it looks really nice and clean, it's my wife's. And when it needs gas, it's mine." The Smiths moved to _ . Answer: As for older people, some of the applications are hard to use because they didn't grow up with them. They don't have simple models of how it should work. They don't know what to do when it doesn't work. I think there is huge potential, so I have designed some for them. The ability to connect to friends, who remember the same movies, news and music, is really important, especially as people get older. They end up in retirement homes and they aren't always close to their friends. Allowing the network to help them connect with friends and family members is a really powerful thing. My wife likes using the Internet, although it took me years to get her to use e-mail. She was born with normal hearing, but lost it when she was three years old. She was totally deaf for many years until 53 when she got ear implants .They work really well. That is a big change for her. Before then, her friends couldn't call her on the phone, so they insisted that she use e-mails to communicate with them. The younger people don't even think of this as technology. It's just there, and they use it .There's been a very interesting change in communication styles between the old and the young .A woman named Sharryturkle wrote about this phenomenon .There are some kids who are now in their teens and are tending not to make phone calls. And they think of e-mail as old-fashioned and slow. The reason why teens don't make phone calls seems to be that they don't know what to say. When they call they often pause for a while. On the other hand, texting is considered proper, and it's OK if you don't answer. You might have been distracted .It's not considered rude, but it's considered unusual if you're in this kind of voice conversation and simply stop talling. Why did the author's wife connect with others by e-mail? Because she _ . Answer: It's 8:00 a.m. and you are running out of the door. You walk outside and your handbag suddenly says, "Wait! You forgot your keys!" A talking handbag? Yes, it's true. This "smart bag" can "talk" to the things you often bring with. If you forget your keys or drop your purse, for example, the bag will tell you. How does it work? There is a "smart chip" in the bag. You put other chips on your phone, purse or keys. Then the bag and the others can "talk" to each other--and you! SMART CLOTHES These clothes change colors--while you are wearing them! Is it hot outside? Watch your jacket change from dark blue to a lighter color to protect you from the sun. Did you spill coffee on your white trousers or shirt? No problem. These smart clothes never get dirty! Smart clothes change colors when you _ . Answer: About a year ago,if you had asked who Dinara Safina was,the answer would have been,"She is Marat Safin's younger sister." She was overshadowed by her wonder brother.But now she has made a name for herself:the world No.1 player in women's tennis. The 22yearold Russian overtook Serena Williams of the US for top ranking on April 20."Before,every place I go,I am Marat's sister.Nothing else,"she told New York Times."I always wanted to be myself,and now finally the results come,and people can know me as Dinara Safina." Safina has made it to two great event finals,in the 2008 French and in the 2009 Australian Open,and won a silver medal in the Beijing Olympic Games. Clearly,family isn't the only connection Safina and her brother share.Their DNA burns with competitive fire.Safin has held the distinction for years of being a hottempered player on court.When he lost his temper,he would smash a racket .Safina is as emotionally explosive as her brother.A headline in the newspaper The Australian once described her as "mad as a snake".The Sydney Morning Herald,during the Australian Open,summed up Safina's volatile emotional state with the headline--Safina goes from basket case to top of the world. It's not rare for a family to have two top tennis players.Safina's father owns a tennis academy and her mother worked as a coach."I had no choice but to become a tennis player,but I don't mind being a tennis player," Safina said. From this talented family she is also given one of her best weapons on court,her size.She is 1.82 meters tall and weighs 70kg.But it is hard work that led her to her recent success. "I hope to prove to everyone over the coming months that I deserve the honor of being world No.1,"she said. What is the passage mainly about? Answer: Today Grandma comes for a visit. She gives my sister and me a box of chocolate candies. We say "thank you!" Then Jenny quickly takes off the box. The pieces all look the same! I can't tell which pieces are hard inside and which are soft! I only like the soft ones. Jenny does not care. She is happy to get any kind of candy! I slowly look at all the pieces; I don't know which one to choose. Just then Dad calls us Grandma is going home, He wants us to say goodbye to her. I hurry to the front door where they are standing. Jenny comes a few minutes later. I say, "Grandma, I hope to see you soon. I always feel sad when you leave. "Jenny stands behind me and doesn't say anything. After Grandma goes home, I find out why Jenny doesn't say anything. She has most of our candies in her mouth! Only a few pieces are left in the bottom of the box! Then I'm sad! Who comes to see Jenny and her brother? Answer:
Are you looking for something fun and would you like to help other people in your free time? Then join us. We have jobs for people of all ages;Anyone from twelve-year-old children to 80-year-old people can become one of us. You can help people in many ways.Schools need help with taking care of children while their parents are working.Hospitals need us to look after children while their parents see a doctor.Animal lovers can help take care of thosedogs and cats without homes.There is something to do for everyone. "As a member of this group,I don't want to get anything.Seeing the children's happy faces,I am happy,too."said Susan,an old woman of 62. "I often played computer games in my free time before.Now I help older people learn how to use Computers,"said another one at the age of 18. If everyone helps out a bit,we'1l all have a better world to live in. Interested? Call us on 3847613 or visit our website :http://www. activol.com. The passage is _ . an advertisement James Naismith was a Canadian. He invented basketball in 1891. At that time. He was a P.E. teacher a Springfield College,. In the USA.. He invented an indoor game for his students so that they could play it even in bad weather. Do you know how to score points in the game? Well, just put the ball into the other side's basket. You can throw the ball into the basket from any part if the court. And you can throw it with one hand or both hands. But you must follow the rules. Now, over a century later,. More and more people play basketball ..In the USA. ,the NBA is very popular. People from all over the world like to watch and play basketball. They love this game. ,A, B, C, D,. (10) In 1891, James Naismith invented _ basketball Russia's security chief has blamed an act of terror for the Russian A321 airliner crash in Egypt last month which killed 224 people. Whatever happened, the tragedy raises sad memories of horrific airplane crashes that have cost thousands of lives in recent decades . Some of the worst such incidents--like four crashes in frightening succession into New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and rural Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001; the 1988 downing of Pan Am Flight 103 in Lockerbie, Scotland; and a 1977 crash involving the apparent hijacking of a Malaysian Airlines jet that left 100 dead--involved terrorist activity. But there are many others that did not, with mechanical problems, pilot error or other reasons blamed for loss of life. Below are some examples of the latter: crashes that left at least 200 people dead in each incident. March 27 , 1977 : A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 747 beginning its takeoff crashed into Pan American World Airways Boeing 747 then still on the runway at the Los Rodeos Airport at Tenerife in the Canary Islands. A total of 574 people, aboard both planes, died . July 11 , 1991 : The landing gear of a Nigeria Airways DC-8 catches fire shortly after takeoff Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It doesn't make it back to the airport, crashing nose-down less than 10,000 feet short of the runway and killing all 261 people aboard. April 26 , 1994 : The pilot of a China Airlines' Flight 140 alerts the control tower at Japan's Nagoya Airport of his intention not to land and try another approach. But something goes wrong and, a short time later, the Airbus A300 crashes leading to 264 deaths--though a few passengers do survive. September 2 , 1998 : A Swiss air jetliner that had departed New York's Kennedy airport on its way to Geneva, Switzerland, goes down off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada; none of the 229 people aboard Flight 111 make it. Investigators believe that the MD-11 lost all electrical power immediately before the crash. June 1 , 2009 : Air France Flight 447 is on the way from Rio de Janiero to Paris when it and its 228 passengers and crew go missing somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. It's not until five days later that the first bodies are found about 600 miles off the northern coast of Brazil. Two years later, French authorities blame the crash on equipment breakdown. Which air crash resulted from terrorist attack ? Pan Am Flight 103 Twelve years ago,a young traveler named Rhett Butler from San Francisco,California, visited the Sabah rainforest on Malaysian Borneo. In one area of the rainforest,he watched a bird flying through the trees. The beautiful sight lett quite an impression on him. But weeks later,back home, Rhett Butler got the news that trees had been cut down in the area hevisi1ed. That experience led Rhett Butler to begin writing a book about rainforests and threats to their existence. But he did not publish the book. Instead, in 1999, he used his research for the book to create a website,Mongabay. com. His purpose was to inform the public about tropical rainforests. But the subject quickly developed. As a former businessman,he became a respected writer of science and environmental stories. The popularity of Mongabay. com attracted advertisers. Small ads on the site pay for its operations. Mongabay. com has grown and led to other sites. For example,there is a site for children which is called Kids. Mongabay. com. Another one,WildMadangascar. o rg, is allabout the island nation that Rhett Butler calls his favorite place. To keep his website going, he travels around the world on several major trips each year. His working tools are a laptop computer,cameras and sometimes diving equipment. He often calls on experts for information. For example,he interviewed Alison Jolly,a top expert on lemurs . He interviewed Rodney Jackson,a biologist who established the Snow Leopard Conservancy. Stories like these have made Mongabay a favorite place on the Internet for researchers, students and teachers. In April, Time, com named it one of the fifteen top climate and environment websites in the world. We can learn from the text that _ . Mongabay. com is loved by researchers as well as students The education of thousands of children with reading and sight trouble is being held back because of a lack of awareness of their legal rights, say campaigners. They are calling for greater efforts to increase awareness of the rights of such children to have text books in design other than standard print. The campaign is being supported by five times Olympic gold medalist, Sir Steve Redgrave, who has reading trouble. Pupils have the right to receive text in another way, and parents can take action under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) if they feel their children are being treated in a different way through a lack of support. But new research suggests 89 per cent of print disabled pupils and their parents are unaware of software which changes standard print into other substitutes like combined text and audio files which can be read or listened to. Sir Steve has teamed up with software company Dolphin Computer Access to raise awareness of software turning tools. He said: "I recognize that schools have competing priorities for their resources , but I would like to see a much greater effort on the part of the government and schools to raise awareness among parents that these additional solutions exist and that their children have a right to use them." Mike Foster, Dolphin's local MP in Worcester, is _ the campaign. "There is clearly an issue to solve concerning software for special needs. I'll be asking ministers what steps can be taken to improve the situation", he said. Most print disabled pupils and their parents _ . don't know anything about such software
What is present in death at the end of the life cycle Answer: Bacteria If an object is attracted to a magnet, the object is most likely made of Answer: metal A bat may use echolocation to Answer: track a moth Mom and Dad are two of the most important people in your life. You probably see at least one of them every day. If your dad worships the Pittsburgh Steelers, you may grow up being a big fan of that football team. And if your mom loves to read,you just may grow up carrying a book everywhere you go, just like she does. Here are some ways for you to get along well, and build a strong relationship with your parents. Spend time together. Don't sit there playing computer games or watching TV. Ask your mom and dad to play with you. Go outside together, or do some reading. Be kind. Little things might mean a lot to your mom or dad. You can (make a parent happy) with a hug,a card,or a joke. It's also lovely when a kid cleans up his or her room without being asked. And if you try not to fight with your brothers or sisters, your parents will be so happy! Do your best at whatever you do. You don't have to be perfect ,but when you do your best,you make your parents proud. It makes them happy to see how you're turning into a great kid. Why? Because it lets them know _ Your parents will be unhappy if you _ . Answer: fight with your brothers or sisters One morning, Wu Li discovered that her classroom had changed. She found that the desks were no longer in rows , but pushed together to make eight bigger desks. She was too excited about it for the first two days and she couldn't listen to the teachers carefully. But soon she and her classmates got used to this new classroom arrangement . "Now our class is quieter," said Wu. "What's more, we can come up with our own ideas and learn more through discussion. It's a better way to study." Li Yu liked it, too. He said, "Group members first discuss, and then show ourselves in front of the whole class. It makes us believe in ourselves." It was part of a reform at Li's school--Baita Secondary School. The school made this reform because they wanted to provide students with easier ways to study and more chances to discuss. "Our school hopes it can improve students' abilities to study by themselves and work in groups," said Zhang Yong, the principal of the school. However, the reform has demanded more from teachers. Now they have only about 15 minutes to give the lesson which should be taught in 45 minutes before. It is difficult to teach in such a short time. The teachers have to find better ways to teach more _ . "The reform demands more, but I'm sure it is helpful," added Mr Zhang. The best title of this passage may be " _ ". Answer: New Look in Class
Lu Xun is one of the greatest Chinese writers of the 20thcentury. Besides his famous stories, he also wrote many influential articles about the living conditions of Chinese people. Born in 1881 to a wealthy family, Lu Xun had a happy childhood. In 1893, however, his grandfather, a senior government official, was put into prison for taking money. At the same time, his father became seriously ill. From that time on, his family were no longer accepted by their relatives and friends. These early experiences greatly influenced his writing. By the time Lu Xun arrived in Nanjing to study at university in 1899, he already believed that Chinese society had to change and become modern. In 1902 he went to study in Japan. There, he began writing articles for several Chinese student magazines. He showed a gift for writing and translating and he even wrote several books, although none was popular. He returned to China in 1909 because he was in need of money. After working for several years as a teacher in Beijing, Lu Xun again returned to writing. In 1918, he wrote his famous short story Diary of a Madman. It was the first Chinese novel published using the everyday language that people spoke, which helped make it a great success. _ , together with his novel The True Story of Ah Q (1921), made Lu Xun a leading Chinese writer. Although successful, Lu Xun still worried greatly about China's future. In 1926, he moved to Shanghai and gave up writing stories in order to devote himself to what he called "pen warfare". He now only wrote articles which called on the people to fight against the government. For this, the government stopped him from publishing any more books. He was forced to write his articles using false names. Since his death in 1936, Lu Xun's importance and influence have grown. Today, many of his writings are included in school textbooks and his works are read by millions around the world. According to the passage, why was Lu Xun's story Diary of a Madman so popular? A. It was based on Lu Xun's diary. B. It was the first novel to use everyday language. C. Its story took place in modern times. D. It was written using a western style. Answer: B. It was the first novel to use everyday language. Can you believe everything that you read? It seems as if every day, some new articles come out about a new discovery about this or that. For example, water is bad for you, or good for you. The answer depends on which scientific study has just come out. People cannot decide which food items are healthy, how pyramids were constructed, and why dinosaurs disappeared. When we look for answers we sometimes can believe persuasive researches and scientists. But how trustworthy are they really? Here are two examples of scientific hoaxes . As far back as 1726, Johann Beringer was fooled by his fellow scientists into thinking he had made an amazing discovery. The fossils of spiders, lizards, and even birds with the name of God written on them in Hebrew were unlike anything that had been found before. He wrote several papers on them and was famous for those only to have it revealed that they were planted by jealous colleagues to ruin his reputation. When an early human being was discovered in 1912, scientists at this time were wild with excitement over the meaning it had for the theory of evolution. There were hundreds of papers about this Piltdown man over the next fifty years until it was finally discovered to be a complex hoax. The skull of a man had been mixed with the jawbone of an orangutan to make the ape man. The next time you read the exciting new findings of a study of the best scientist, do not automatically assume that it is true. Even qualified people can get it wrong. While we certainly should not ignore scientific research, we do need to take it _ . Just because it is accepted as the truth today does not mean it will still be trustworthy tomorrow. What can we learn from the passage? A. Hebrew is probably a kind of language. B. Truths of science will never be out of time. C. People believe scientists because they are persuasive. D. We are advised to believe famous scientists. Answer: A. Hebrew is probably a kind of language. When I was in junior high school, I was really a bad boy.My history teacher--Mr.Oven criticized me a lot because I was naughty in his class.By the end of the first semester, I'd had enough of his words and had decided that I would get my revenge on him. The opportunity arose one morning when Mr.Oven was called to the office for a certain reason.While Mr.Oven left, my company Billy and I took Mr.Oven's lunch bag from under his desk.I opened his sandwich and placed a worm in between the two slices of breaD. We put it back and closed it.To keep it in memory, Billy took photos of the whole process.We laughed for weeks over this. _ .Billy's mother found the pictures in his room, and demanded that he should tell her where these pictures were from.Billy told his mother the whole story, and Mr.Oven was informeD. Not only was I punished from school for two weeks, but also I was kicked off the football and basketball team.Before I could return to school, I had to turn in a 1000-word essay on what I did and why I did that.I really felt embarrassed every time I saw Mr.Oven in the hallway for the rest of the school year.I felt a little regret that Mr.Oven left our school the next year. Mr.Oven criticized me a lot because _ . A. I didn't go to his class B. I was naughty in my homework C. I didn't answer his questions D. I disobeyed his rules in class Answer: D. I disobeyed his rules in class The movement of soil by wind or water is called A. condensation B. evaporation C. erosion D. friction Answer: C. erosion Most British telephone cards are just plain green, but card collecting is becoming a popular hobby in Britain and collectors even have their own magazine, International Telephone Cards. One reason for their interest is that cards from around the world come in a wide variety of different and often very attractive designs. There are 100, 000 different cards in Japan alone, and there you can put your own design onto a blank card simply by using a photograph or a business card. The first telephone cards, produced in 1976, were Italian. Five years later the first British card appeared, and now you can buy cards in more than a hundred countries. People usually start collecting cards because they are attractive, small and light , and they do not need much space. It is also a cheap hobby for beginners, although for some people it becomes a serious business. In Paris, for example, there is a market where you can buy only telephone cards, and some French cards cost up to 4, 000 pounds. The first Japanese card has a value of about 28, 000 pounds. Most people only see cards with prices like these in their collectors magazine. The main reason for most people to collect phone cards is that _ . A. they find the cards beautiful and easy to keep B. they like to have something from different countries C. they want to make money with cards D. they think the cards are convenient to use Answer: A. they find the cards beautiful and easy to keep
There are many wetlands in China and some of them are the world's important wetlands. The Chinese Yellow Sea Wetlands are among them. They are in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, the east of China. They are homes for many different kinds of birds and animals. The world's largest Milu Deer Nature Reserve is in them. More than 700 milu deer live freely there. There are not many red-crowned cranes in the world, but every winter you can see some in the Red-Crowned Cranes Nature Reserve in the Yellow Sea Wetlands. The temperature in the wetlands is usually neither too high nor too low. There is a lot of rain and sunshine, too. They are really good places for wildlife. Offering food and home for some special kinds of animals and birds is not the only reason why we need to protect wetlands. Wetlands are important because they also prevent flood. But some people want to change the wetlands to make more space for farms and buildings. This means there will be less and less space for wildlife. Luckily, more and more people are beginning to realize the importance of wetlands and wildlife. Every year, on February 2, people hold many activities to tell more about wetlands. The Chinese Yellow Sea Wetlands are in the _ of China. Answer: east Alex was happy when he woke up. He was really happy he didn't have to go to a dumb sit down school like his cousins. He was a home school kid. There was lots to do today. He woke Tigerrr, his kitty. They were going to look at the apple trees. He was seeing if he could grow more fruit by feeding them different kinds of food. He fed one chips and he fed one chocolate. He hoped the fruit would taste like apple chocolate! He fed one root beer and he fed another one salad. He fed one of them seaweed. He wrote down how many fruits each tree had, and this is what he found. The root beer tree had five fruits. The tree that was fed chocolate had three. The chip tree had ten. The salad tree had fifteen. The seaweed tree had fifty apples! They were everywhere. "The winner!", said Tigerrr, his paw in the air. Which food made the most fruits? Answer: Seaweed Most of us use the telephone several times a day to talk with friends or make social arrangements . These calls are usually quite easy and require little planning. Using the telephone for business purpose is different. In any organization the person on the telephone represents the company and gives an impression of the firm to the outside world. If you want to ensure good public relations, you need to master effective telephone techniques. You should try to give an impression of an efficient, friendly, progressive company eager to give good service. Before calling Choose the right time. Consider the cost, urgency and convenience. When calling overseas, you need to consider the time difference. Check the number. A great deal of money is wasted each year on dialing wrong numbers. Plan your call. Make a list of points and questions to be raised. Be prepared. Gather any files, papers or information that may be needed during the call. It is unprofessional to have to say "Hold on while I look for that." If you have to ask a caller to hold on, keep going back and assuring him/her that you will be as quick as possible. Avoid interruptions. Call at a time when you are unlikely to be distracted . During the call Be courteous, polite. Make time for suitable greetings like "How are you today, Jim?" and "Did you enjoy your holiday"? Put a smile in your voice. Remember, your caller can not see you, so use intonation to good effect and try to sound confident, decisive, helpful, and interested. Check your notes. Look back at your notes to ensure that you have covered everything and quote figures and other data correctly. Get feedback. Make sure the caller understands the message correctly, especially deadlines and actions that are involved. Be courteous. Finish by thanking the caller for his or her time and trouble. After the call Make notes. Let it become a habit to make notes of the call and place them in an appropriate file. Take actions. If you need to send a letter of confirmation or inform someone in your organization about any details of the call, do it immediately so that you do not forget important points. This passage is mainly about _ . Answer: some telephone techniques for business purpose Santi's big brother Len had told him never to push all the remote control buttons at the same time. He said that something terrible would happen if he did. Santi didn't really believe this. While Len was out of the room, Santi jumped down on the sofa with the remote control in his hand. For a while, he changed from channel to channel, looking for something interesting to watch. Bored, Santi decided to see what Len could have meant. With a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure Len hadn't come back,he pushed all the buttons at once. Santi saw a bright flash,and he dropped the remote control. "I've broken it,"he thought. "Now I'm in trouble!" As he looked around for the remote control,he realized he was in more trouble than he'd thought. He was suddenly only the size of a mouse. "Oh,no!"Santi shouted. He had to find his parents quickly. Carefully, he climbed down the side of the huge sofa and hurried across the floor. In the kitchen, Santi could see that the sliding door had been left open. "If the door is open, then the cat might be in here," tiny Santi said. Just then, Santi and the cat saw each other. Santi ran for the door, the cat closing in quickly behind him. Just as the cat reached out to attack Santi, it slipped on some water and slid across the kitchen floor. Out of breath, Santi hid behind a flowerpot in the corridor. He could see his mum far away in the garden. "How will I ever get there?" he wondered. As he looked out from behind the flowerpot, there was the huge cat looking right at him! Santi rushed for the garden and then..., he woke up. "It was only a dream!" he said with a relieved smile. "Thank goodness!" The word "relieved" can be used to describe Santi's feeling _ Answer: when he was no longer worried about the cat A woman and a man were involved in a car accident on a snowy cold Monday morning. Both of their cars became totally damaged. But amazingly neither of them was hurt. God works in mysterious ways. After they got out of their cars, the woman said, " So you're a man. That's interesting. I'm a woman. Wow, just look at our cars! There's nothing left, but we're unhurt. This must be a sign from God that we should meet and be friends and live together in peace for the rest of our days." , the man replied, " Oh yes, I agree with you completely. This must be a sign from God!" The woman continued, "And look at this, here's another miracle. My car is completely destroyed but this bottle of wine doesn't break. Surely God wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune." Then she handed the bottle to the man. The man nodded his head in agreement, opened it and drank half the bottle and then handed it back to the woman. The woman took the bottle and immediately put the cap back on, and handed it back to the man. The man asked, " Aren't you having any?" The woman replied, " No. I think I'll just wait for the police..." Which of the following words can best describe the woman? Answer: Tricky.
Finding the Real You Psychometric testing--personality testing--has been very popular nowadays as studies show their results to be three times more accurate in predicting your job performance. These tests are now included in almost all graduate recruitment and are widely used in the selection of managers. The most popular of these personality tests is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). It is based on the theory that we are born with a tendency to one personality type which stays more or less fixed throughout life. You answer 88 questions and are then given your "type", such as Outgoing or Quiet, Feeling or Thinking. Critics of personality testing raise doubts about "social engineering". Psychologist Dr. Colin Gill warns that the "popular" personality traits have their disadvantages. "People who are extremely open to new experiences can be butterflies, going from one idea to the next without mastering any of them." However, the psychometric test is here to stay, which may be why a whole sub-industry on cheating personality tests has sprung up. "It's possible to cheat," admits Gill, "but having to pretend to be the person you are at work will be tiring and unhappy and probably short-lived." So can we change our personality? "Your basic personality is fixed by the time you're 21,"says Gill," but it can be affected by motivation and intelligence. If you didn't have the personality type to be a doctor but desperately wanted to be one and were intelligent enough to master the skills, you could still go ahead. But trying to go too much against type for too long requires much energy and is actually to be suffered for long. I think it's why we're seeing this trend for downshifting--too many people trying to fit in to a type that they aren't really suited for." Our interest in personality now exists in every part of our lives. If you ask an expert for advice on anything, you'll probably be quizzed about your personality. But if personality tests have any value to us, perhaps it is to free us from the idea that all of us are full of potential, and remind us of what we are. As they say in one test when they ask for your age: pick the one you are, not the one you wish you were. What final conclusion does the author reach about the value of personality tests? A. They are not really worth doing. B. They may encourage greater realism. C. They are of doubtful value to employers. D. They can strengthen the idea we have of our abilities. Answer: B. They may encourage greater realism. People talk about energy everywhere. Green energy, for example. Then, energy independence. It has a nice ring to it. Doesn't it? If you think so, you're not alone, because energy independence has been the dream of American president for decades, and never more so than in the past few years, when the most recent oil price shock has been partly responsible for kicking off the great recession . "Energy independence" and its rhetorical companion "energy security" are, however, unreliable concepts that are rarely thought through. What is it that we want independence from, exactly? Most people would probably say that they want to be independent from imported oil. But there are reasons that we buy all that oil from elsewhere. The first reason is that we need it to keep our economy running. Yes, there is a trickle of biofuel available, and more may become available, but most biofuels cause economic waste and environmental destruction. Second, Americans have basically decided that they don't really want to produce all their own oil. They value the environmental quality they preserve over their oil imports from abroad. Vast areas of the United States are off-limits to oil exploration and production in the name of environmental protection. To what extent are Americans really willing to tolerate the environmental influence of domestic energy production in order to cut back imports? Third, there are benefits to trade. It allows for economic efficiency, and when we buy things from places that have lower production costs than we do, we benefit. And although you don't read about this much, the United States is also a large exporter of oil products, selling about 2 million barrels of petroleum products per day to about 90 countries. There is no question that the United States imports a great deal of energy and, in fact, relies on that steady flow to keep its economy stable. When that flow is interrupted, we feel the pain in short supplies and higher prices. At the same time, we get massive economic benefits when we buy the most affordable energy on the world market and when we engage in energy trade around the world. Why does America rely heavily on oil imports? A. It wants to expand its storage of raw oil. B. Its own oil reserves are quickly running out. C. Its own oil production falls short of demand. D. It wants to keep its own environment untouched. Answer: D. It wants to keep its own environment untouched. If you have a watch, don't go to a watchmaker's unless something is wrong with the machinery. Once I had a beautiful watch. And it had kept perfect time. But one night it happened that I forgot to _ it _ . Next morning I went to a watchmaker as I wanted my perfect watch to be set by the exact time. He examined it and said, "The regulator must be pushed up as your watch is four minutes slow. I tried to stop him from doing so, but he didn't listen and pushed the regulator. My beautiful watch began to gain. It gained faster and faster day by day. By the end of the second month it had left all the clocks and watches of the town far behind. I could do nothing but take it to another watchmaker to be regulated. I expected him to regulate the watch at once, but he asked me to come in a week's time. When at last I got my watch back from him, it began to slow down. And I failed to be in time for trains, business affairs, and even missed my dinners. Now I went to a third watchmaker. When I was waiting for him to repair my poor watch, he took it to pieces and said that he would try to finish this work in three or four days. What I could do was to nod my head. After that, my watch went for half a day, and then stopped. So I kept taking my watch from one watchmaker to another. But each watchmaker disappointed me. My watch had cost me two hundred dollars, but I paid for repairs more than two hundred. At last I decided to buy another watch, which I did. The watch went faster than it used to be _ . A. after it was repaired B. before it was repaired C. during the time when it was being repaired D. if it was repaired Answer: A. after it was repaired With only a click of the mouse, rumours can be forwarded between microblogs very quickly. As an example, recently, sensitive netizens discovered that some photos displayed on microblogs describing Beijing's June rainstorm had actually been Sina.com is one of the major Internet portals in China with hundreds and thousands of users, and a majority of celebrities and famous citizens have their microblog accounts on this portal. As recently as six months ago, the website decided to establish a specialized team to prove rumours and provide accurate information for its users. Tan Chao is in charge of the team. " Before I took the job, I usually couldn't identify what information was real and what was fake. But during the process of identification, we discovered that a lot of information was false, including fake photos, fake news stories and rumours that had been spread through microblogs." It's not just website portals which are taking on fact-checking responsibilities, but also a number of civic-minded netizens, who recently set up a Rumour Identification Federation on Sina.com's microblog system to help netizens identify fake information online. Dian Zizheng is the team leader of the federation. He says they've publicized more than 150 pieces which contradict rumours, which attracted more than 10 thousand visitors within two months. "We live in an age of new media, so we can't use the old methods to prove rumours. We can't wait for the media to prove the facts with related administrative departments and then release a formal announcement. We can't allow rumours to run wild and then deal with it, we need to fight rumours while they're spreading. I think that this is the best way to deal with rumours nowadays." Some experts say this displays the advantages of the internet compared to other traditional media. The open platform allows information to be examined and clarified by netizens. But experts like Ding Wengguo,President of the Journalism and Communication College at the China University of Political Science and Law says this self-correction function of the Internet is still quite limited. "It's still quite different to tell which information is true in such an open environment by just reading a number of different opinions on the same issue. This is something which we need to pay attention to. If society is flooded with too much false information, and it's allowed to spread in such a fast manner, then people will be suspicious of all kinds of information including important information from authorities. It also worsens problems relating to social communications and mutual-understanding, which in turn harms society as a whole." Experts suggest that the government should react more quickly in the Internet age. Once a rumour begins to spread, administrative departments should make announcements as early as possible to drive away rumours before they lead to bad outcomes. What is the best way to prove rumors on microblogs? A. Shutting down the website immediately. B. Substituting the Internet for traditional media. C. Examining and checking while they are spreading . D. Making announcements after they are spread. Answer: C. Examining and checking while they are spreading . Tyler was a troublesome student. He sat in the back row. Every time I called him to answer questions, he'd reply with a flip answer. If he got it wrong, he would get very angry. Usually kids could sit quietly in class. However, Tyler was just loud. One day, Tyler was talking while I was teaching. I said to him, "Tyler, why not join in our discussion instead of having one of your own?" He got up from his chair, pushed it over, and shouted something I can't remember. I sent him to the office and he received a week's out-of-school punishment. The week was a wonderful time for me, but when it came to an end, I began to feel worried. So I came up with a plan. On the day of his return, I told him I wanted to start over with him. If he felt like he was going to lose control in class, he could step outside the door for a moment. From then on, Tyler was a changed student in my classroom. In fact he was a smart child and he even stopped a fight between two students one day. And he never used the privilege to leave the class for a moment. I believe that just letting him decide for himself made all the difference. When the year was over, he wrote me a thank-you note about how good the year had been for him. I still have it today and find it very moving to reread when I get stressed about teaching. When Tyler was talking in class, the teacher advised him to _ . A. join in their discussion B. have his own discussion C. get up from his chair D. go out of school Answer: A. join in their discussion
At any given time on earth, some countries can be in bed and other are in the middle of the day enjoying the outdoors, why? Answer: You may have heard some respectable elders say, "It's not what you want in this world, but what you get." Psychology teaches that you do get what you want if you know what you want and want the right things. You can make a mental blueprint of a desire as you would make a blueprint of a house, and each of us is continually making these blueprints in the general routine of everyday living. If we intend to give a dinner for friends, we plan the menu, make a shopping list, and decide which food to cook first, and such planning is essential and necessary for any type of meal to be served. Similarly, you can make a blueprint for your could-be-job, take a sheet of paper, and write a brief account of yourself. In making a blueprint for a job, begin with yourself, for when you know exactly what you have to offer, you can intelligently plan where to sell your service. This account of yourself is actually a description of your working life and should include education, experience and references. Such an account is valuable. It can be referred to filling out standard application blanks and it is extremely helpful in personal interviews. While talking to you, your could-be employer is deciding whether your education, your experience and other qualifications will pay him to employ you, and your abilities must be displayed on an orderly and reasonably connected manner. When you have carefully prepared a blueprint of your abilities and desires, you have something exact to sell. Then you are ready to hunt for a job. Get all the possible information about your could-be job. Make your eyes and ears open, and use your own judgment. Spend a certain amount of time each day seeking in the employment you wish for, and keep in mind: Obtaining a job is your job now! In the passage, the author mainly intends to point out the importance of _ . Answer: You may know the song Happy Birthday very well.But do you know about its writer?It was written by an American girl.And she became very rich after that. When she was a child,she was poor.Once,she was invited to her friend's birthday party.She was pleased but sad because she didn't have enough money to buy a gift for her. "The party is coming soon,but now I have little money."Tears ran down her face. Later that night she was in bed,thinking about the gift when the door opened and her grandma came in."What happened?"her grandma asked.Hearing the girl'story,she said,"I think I can help you.How about singing a song together?Happy Birthday to...."What a beautiful song!They sang and sang.Suddenly she woke up.It was a dream!She decided to write it down at once and sing it to her friends at the party. When she sang the song at the party the nest day,her friends were very happy."How wonderful you sing!We haven't heared such a beautiful song before.Thank you for giving me the special gift."said her friend.And they learn to sing it together.Later the girl became well-known in America. The girl was sad because _ . Answer: ,. Three-year-old Teddy Lasry was sleeping in his cowboy outfit yesterday at his family's Fifth Ave.apartment when he shot up in bed screaming.A 3-foot-long black-and-white snake twisted around his left arm and had just bitten his little finger. "The babysitter (a person taking care of children while their parents are away for a short time) was frightened to death," said Teddy's father, David Lasry, who, along with his wife, Evelyn, was at work when the snake appeared about 4:00 pm. The horrified babysitter called 911 and the building's doorman.The doorman and two cable TV workers helped take the snake off the boy's arm and put it in a garbage bag.Police rushed Teddy to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where he spent two hours attached to a heart monitor as a precaution in case the snake was poisonous.It wasn't.Experts at the snakebite treatment center at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, where policemen took the snake, found out it was a non-poisonous California king snake. But how did it end up in Teddy's bed? A little detective work determined that the snake had escaped two weeks ago from its cage in the apartment of a doctor whose family lives four floors below the Lasrys.The apologetic owner said his son's pet snake likely traveled up the water pipes and into his neighbor's apartment."It's a very gentle, very harmless snake," he said."It's handled by our family all the time." David Lasry believed the pet was simply hungry after two weeks of wandering.Evelyn said her son seems to have overcome his fright by thinking of himself as a hero cowboy as he rode in the back of the police car to the hospital. "I told Teddy he's a pretty snake, a nice pet snake who got out of his cage," Evelyn said."But he asked, 'Why did he bite my finger, Mamma?' And I said, 'Because he saw that you are a big boy, Teddy, in your cowboy outfit and he got scared.'" From the passage, we know _ . Answer: Elizabeth Blackwell was born in England in 1821, and moved to New York City when she was ten years old. One day she decided that she wanted to become a doctor. That was nearly impossible for a woman in the middle of the nineteenth century. After writing many letters asking for admission to medical schools, she was finally accepted by a doctor in Philadelphia. She was so determined that she taught school and gave music lessons to get money for the cost of schooling. In 1849, after graduation from medical school, she decided to further her education in Paris. She wanted to be a surgeon , but a serious eye problem forced her to give up the idea. Upon returning to the United States, she found it difficult to start her own practice because she was a woman. By 1857 Elizabeth and her sister, also a doctor, along with another woman doctor, managed to open a new hospital, the first for women and children. Besides being the first woman physician and founding her own hospital , she also set up the first medical school for women. According to the passage, all of the following are "firsts" in the life of Elizabeth Blackwell except that she _ . Answer:
Zach drove over to Mary's place. She would be his wife soon. She was in China, visiting her parents. Her son Bradley hadn't gone with her. Bradley was a junior in high school. He neither liked nor disliked Zach, even though he had known Zach for three years. Zach was still trying to get along well with Bradley. When Zach arrived, he asked if Bradley wanted to drive his car. Bradley had a driver's license. Bradley said all right. Zach told him not to drive fast, but that he could drive anywhere he wanted. Bradley got on the road. Zach gave Bradley a few driving tips: Don't drive next to big trucks, because you never know when they might crush you. Don't drive behind trucks filled with things, because you never know when something in the truck will fly out and hit your car. On their way back, Zach suggested that they stop at the golf course. He wanted to show Bradley how to play golf. Bradley wasn't interested. He preferred his video games. But Bradley soon discovered that golf was fun! He hit a lot of balls. Zach told him that he was doing well. The next day Bradley, for the first time ever, called Zach. He had a few blisters on his hands. Zach said that usually happened. Then Bradley asked if Zach would come next Saturday so they could take a drive and hit golf balls again. Zach said, of course, and felt happy. Zach let Bradley drive his car because _ . Answer: he wanted to get on well with Bradley a windmill converts wind energy into Answer: charged electrons Bill, Frank, Dave and Tom were brothers. Every year they sent their mother expensive gifts on her birthday. They liked to show her how rich they were. The eldest brother, Bill, had lots of money and wanted his mother to have the most expensive gift, but he didn't know what to buy. So he put an ad in the newspaper, "Wanted--the greatest gift for my mother". About a week before his mother's birthday, a man came to his office. He brought a big bird, this bird can speak foreign languages and sing pop songs. The man made the bird talk in French and tell a joke in Japanese. Then the bird sang a beautiful song. The next day, Bill sent the bird to his mother with a birthday card. The day after his mother's birthday, he called his mother, "Well, mother," he asked, "what do you think of the bird?" "Oh, it's very delicious, dear." said his mother. The next day, Bill sent the bird to his mother with _ . Answer: a birthday card You may not have heard the words "freshman fifteen" before, but they are very important for students who are entering university. A freshman is a first-year college student. "Fifteen" refers to fifteen pounds--the fifteen pounds added to a student's weight in his or her first year. There are a number of reasons why first-year university students gain (n) weight; but it's encouraging to know that freshmen don't have to add these harmful fifteen pounds. Mistakes choosing food University kitchens serve many kinds of food. Some students choose unhealthy food,because now their parents are not nearby to help them choose. Some students visit the kitchen many times while studying. Late at night, some students get harmful fast food such as fish and chips with Coke to drink. Students also have less time for walking, running, and doing sports because of their schoolwork. Eating right If you,re careful, you don,t have to add fifteen pounds. Here are some ideas: l Think more about what you eat. l Eat plenty of vegetables and healthy meats. l Don't eat desserts full of sugar; have fruit after dinner. l Try not to eat so much unhealthy food while you study. l It,s all right to have a little fast food sometimes--but not often. l Write down the foods you eat. l Walk, run, do sports--move and you will feel better! Remember that the "freshman fifteen" can happen to anyone. Talk to your friends about it. Together, try to eat healthy food and not to eat unhealthy food. Walking, running, and playing sports is always more fun with friends. Help each other and you can have a healthy and happy freshman year. Which of these mistakes students make choosing food is not mentioned in the reading? Answer: Eating too much chocolate. Short people, studies have shown , are more likely to have a stroke , suffer from high blood pressures and heart disease and be bullied in school . Now, researchers report that short people--at least in the past--were also more likely to die at a younger age than their taller peers. Their study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health , found that short bones have something to do with short life for more than 1,000 years. The conclusion was based on 490 sets of adult skeletal remains from an archaeological site in northeastern England , YC dating from the 9th century to about 1850 . About 55% of men and 73% of women died before the age of 45, and 39% of men and 56% of women died before age 30. The risk of death before age 30 declined as bone length increased. "This study provides evidence from an archaeological sample that long bone length is connected with age at death--those with smaller bones tend to die younger," according to Dr. D.J. Gunnell of the university of Bristol in the UK and colleagues . While it is not clear why short stature might be linked to earlier death , the researchers point out that height is _ of childhood nutrition, which may have long-lasting effect on health . "Mechanism for height-mortality associations in the past may differ from those today , for example , short stature may have increased the risk of death in childbirth and this may explain the higher risk of premature mortality in women," Gunnell and colleagues write . "However, short bones, it would appear, have always been a marker of a short life," the authors conclude. Which of the following statements is Not true according to the passage? Answer: Most people were more likely to die at the age of 30 in the past.
A small ,white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree and it has been there for the past ten years or so. It all began because my husband Justin hated Christmas--oh, not the true meaning of Christmas.Overspending was one thing, but compared to the difficult experience of choosing gifts--running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and a pair of gloves for Grandma...,spending money is nothing. I felt too tired to think of any special gifts. Knowing Justin felt the same way, I decided one year not to buy the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so on. I reached for something special just for Justin. The inspiration came in an unusual way. Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church.These youngsters, dressed in such worn-out shoes that shoe strings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, while our boys were in their blue and gold uniforms and new wrestling shoes. As the match began, I was shocked to see that the other team were wrestling without wearing helmets to protect their ears. Well, our boys ended up defeating them. We took every weight class. Justin, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, "I wish just one of them could have won," he said. "They have a lot potential , but losing like this could take the heart out of them." Justin loved kids--all kids, and he knew them, having coached little league football and baseball. That's when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought different kinds of wrestling helmets and shoes. I sent them to inner-city church without leaving my name. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Justin what I had done and that was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and since then the envelope has become the highlight of our Christmas. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage? A The Church Gift B A Special Note C The White Envelope D A Christmas Card Answer: C. The White Envelope Last month, Justin Valdez, a college student, was shot in a subway station in San Francisco. The surveillance video showed that before Justin was killed, the killer pulled out his gun several times, and even wiped his nose with it. However, nobody noticed the killer. The surrounding passengers all focused on their cell phones. We may see the same scene everywhere in our life: in subway stations, restaurants, elevators and so on, people are watching their cell phones. From a family reunion to a date with a friend, people couldn't stop checking their twitter and facebook on the cell phones and ignoring the persons in front completely, Phubbing not only involves young people, but also the elderly and kids. "Phubbing" is a new term which comes from the words "phone'' and "snub ". It describes the habit of snubbing someone in favor of a cell phone. The word "phubbing" was included in the Australian National Dictionary in 2012. Obviously, the indifference) and rudeness of the information age are spreading globally. A Stop Phubbing campaign website has been set up. You can find the slogan of the website as follows: "stop twittering, stop posting photos...enjoy your food, enjoy the music and respect others." Phubbing appears harmless. However, it does influence our life. Jimmy, an epicure , wrote in his blog: "I can no longer focus on what I am eating since I started twittering. My skill of food photography has improved very fast, while my interest in food drops as a result." Let us put down our cell phones and re-enjoy the real taste of our food and the warmth of interpersonal communication. What is the text mainly about? A The great harm of phubbing. B The popular campaign of stop phubbing. C The meaning of the word "phubbing". D How the word "phubbing" came into being. Answer: A. The great harm of phubbing. You feel happiest when you create a healthy balance between giving and receiving. If you give and give without making time to fill your own needs, then it's likely you will burn out, or feel upset .When you take and take without giving anything back ,you never feel fulfilled, so you are always searching for ways to fill the _ in your life. The way to create a healthy balance between giving and receiving is to know and then live by your values .I break values up into two groups which I call being and having values. Your being values are the character traits of the ideal person you would like to be. I suggest to my clients that they choose three being values that they are willing to make a commitment to live by. An example of some being values are: kind, loving, generous, inspirational, peaceful, wise and even powerful. By acting on these values you give to others through your actions and you inspire others by being a positive role model. Mastering being these character traits becomes your life purpose. Your having values are the feelings you need to create in order to be happy. These could be companionship, achievement, support, being valued or financial security. This is what you receive. You take responsibility for filling your own needs by taking steps to create these feelings and conditions in your life. When you make a commitment to live by your being values, it becomes easier to make conscious choices rather than reactionary ones. If your usual pattern is to talk about your problems, you could choose to think and act like a calm person. A calm person might go for a walk, meditate, or set a time limit before responding. If your usual pattern is to worry, you could choose to act like a responsible or wise person. In other words, you would act like the person you choose to be--this is the key to personal power. When you choose to act on your values, you not only feel good about yourself, you reinforce your chosen beliefs. Over time acting in this way changes how you see the world, and in turn the way other people think of you. According to the text, living by your own values, you will _ . A gain a lot of power B fill your own needs C seek all human virtues D form positive personality Answer: D. form positive personality I sat with my friend in a well-known coffee shop in a neighboring town of Venice. As we enjoyed our coffee, a man called the waiter and placed his order, "Two cups of coffee, one on the wall." We got interested and observed that he was served with one cup of coffee but he paid for two. As soon as he left, the waiter attached a piece of paper to the wall saying "A Cup of Coffee." Similar occasions took place twice while we were there. It seemed that this gesture was quite normal at this place. However, it was something unique and confusing for us. After a few days, when we again enjoyed coffee there, a man entered. The way this man was dressed did not match the standard or the atmosphere of this coffee shop. Poverty was evident from his looks. As he seated himself, he looked at the wall and said, "One cup of coffee from the wall." The waiter served coffee to this man with respect and dignity. The man had his coffee and left without paying. We were amazed to watch all this when the waiter took off a piece of paper from the wall and threw it in the dustbin. Now it was no surprise for us; the matter was very clear. The great respect for the needy shown by people in this town moved us to tears. Coffee is not a necessity. However, the point is that when we take pleasure in any blessing, maybe we also need to think about those people who also appreciate that specific blessing but cannot afford. Note the waiter, who gets the communication going between the affording and the needy with a smile on his face. Think about the man in need: he enters the coffee shop without having to lower his self-dignity; he has a free cup of coffee without asking or knowing about who has given this cup of coffee to him; he only looked at the wall, placed an order for himself, enjoyed his coffee and left. Besides, we need to remember the role played by the wall that reflects the generosity and care of people in this town. In the author's opinion, coffee is _ . A necessary in our life B a blessing some can't afford C respect shown for the needy D a blessing everyone should have Answer: B. a blessing some can't afford A compass arrow points north, to the right of a person. If the person wants to go west, the would A turn around B go straight C go left D go right Answer: B. go straight
Question: Andy rode slowly on his way to school, day-dreaming about the fishing trip that his father had promised him. He was so busy dreaming about all the fish he would catch that he was unaware of everything else around him. He rode along until a strange sound drew him to the present. He came to a stop and looked curiously up to the sky. What he saw shocked and terrified him. A huge swarm of bees filled the sky like a black cloud and the buzzing mass seemed to be heading angrily towards him. With no time to waste, Andy sped off in the opposite direction, riding furiously--but without knowing how to escape the swarm. As the bees came closer, his panic increased. Andy knew that he was sensitive to bee stings . The last sting had landed him in hospital--and that was only one bee sting! Suddenly, his father's words came to him. "When you are in a tight situation, don't panic. Use your brain and think your way out of it." On a nearby hill, he could see smoke waving slowly skywards from the chimney of the Nelson family home. "Bees don't like smoke," he thought. "They couldn't get into the house." But Andy knew he could not reach the house in time. He estimated that the bees would catch up with him soon. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted a small dam used by Mr. Nelson. Off his bike and into the cool water he dived, disappearing below the surface and away from the savage insects. After holding his breath for as long as he could, Andy came up for air and noticed the bees had gone. Dragging himself out of the dam, he struggled up the hilly slope and rang the doorbell. Mrs. Nelson took him inside and rang his mother. How did Andy avoid the bees in the end? A. He asked Mr. Nelson for help. B. He hid himself under the water. C. He rushed into the Nelson house. D. He rode off in the opposite direction. Answer: B. He hid himself under the water. Question: In earliest times, men considered lightning to be one of the great mysteries of nature. Some ancient people believed that lightning and thunder were the weapons of the gods. In reality, lightning is a flow of electricity formed high above the earth. A single flash of lightning 1.6 kilometers long has enough electricity to light one million light bulbs . The American scientist and statesman, Benjamin Franklin, was the first to show the connection between electricity and lightning in 1752. In the same year he also built the first lightning rod . This device protects buildings from being damaged by lightning. Modern science has discovered that one stroke of lightning has a voltage of more than 15 million volts . A flash of lightning between a cloud and the earth may be as long as 13 kilometers, and travel at a speed of 30 million meters per second. Scientists judge that there are about 2,000 million flashes of lightning per year. Lightning hits the Empire State Building in New York City 30 to 48 times a year. In the United States alone it kills an average of one person every day. The safest place to be in case of an electrical storm is in a closed car. Outside, one should go to low ground and not get under tress. Also, one should stay out of water and away from metal fences. Inside a house, people should avoid open doorways and windows and not touch wires or metal things. Which of the following is NOT true? A. In the U.S about one person per day dies from lightning. B. Swimming during a thunder storm is a good idea. C. The Empire State Building frequently gets hit by lightning. D. A closed car is the best place to be during an electrical storm. Answer: B. Swimming during a thunder storm is a good idea. Question: When I asked my daughter which item she would keep; the phone, the car, the cooker, the computer, the TV, or her boyfriend, she said"the phone". Personally, I could do without the phone entirely, which makes me unusual. Because the telephone is changing our lives more than any other piece of technology. Point 1 The telephone creates the need to communicate, in the same way that more roads create more traffic. My daughter comes home from school at 4:00 pm and then spends an hour on the phone talking to the very people she has been at school with all day. If the phone did not exist, would she have anything to talk about? Point 2 The mobile phone means that we are never alone. "The mobile saved my life,"says Crystal Johnstone. She had an accident in her Volvo on the A45 between Otley and Skipton. Trapped inside, she managed to make the call that brought the ambulance to her rescue. Point 3 The mobile removes our secret. It allows marketing manager of Haba Deutsch, Carl Nicolaisen, to ring his sales staff all round the world at and time of day to ask where they are , where they are going, and how their last meeting went. Point 4 The telephone separates us. Antonella Bramante in Rome says, "We worked in separate offices but I could see him through the window. It was easy to get his number. We were so near----but we didn't meet for the first two weeks!" Point 5 The telephone allows us to reach out beyond our own lives. Today we can talk to several complete strangers simultaneously ( ) on chat lines (at least my daughter does. I wouldn't know what to talk about). We can talk across the world. We can even talk to astronauts (if you know any) while they're space-walking. And, with the phone line hooked up to the computer, we can access the Internet, the biggest library on Earth. The best heading for the passage is . A. The power of Phone B. Kinds of Phone C. How to Use Phones D. Advantage of Phones Answer: A. The power of Phone Question: There are seven days in a week. They are Sunday, Monday, Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Most children go toschool from Monday to Friday. Most people don't work on Saturday orSunday and most shops are closed in England on Saturday and Sunday. But in China shops are open every day. Sunday is always a holiday.Some people go to church on that day. The time between Fridayevening and Monday morning is the weekend. It is time for rest. Wedon't work all the time. We have to rest from time to time. We rest overthe weekend. Most children don't go to school on _ . A. Saturday B. Monday C. Wednesday D. Tuesday Answer: A. Saturday Question: Are you always busy? Is your schedule hectic? Do you sometimes forget to take time to eat? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then you need QUICKEATS HEALTHY EATING THAT FITS YOUR DAILY ROUTINE Vacuum-sealed meals for people on the go! Nutritious, low-sugar, low-fat, well-balanced meals in a convenient pocket! They don't spoil! Are you in the mood for a hot meal? Or do you prefer a cold dish instead? 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Box 90210, Lexinet, VA or call 1-888-293-3151 [?]One Free container for Quickeats with the purchase of one Quickeats meal. What can we learn from the advertisement? A. Get one Quickeats container and you'll have four Quickeats to eat B. Take one coupon and you can eat freely in a participating store. C. Buy one coupon and you'll get a free Quickeats. D. Buy one Quickeats and you'll get a container Answer: D. Buy one Quickeats and you'll get a container
Time and how we experience it have always puzzled us.Physicists have created fascinating theories, but their time is measured by a pendulum and is not psychological time, which leaps with little regard to the clock or calendar.As some-one who understood the distinction observed, " _ Psychologists have long noticed that larger units of time, such as months and years, fly on swifter wings as we age.They also note that the more time is structured with schedules and appointments, the more rapidly it seems to pass.For example, a day at the office flies compared with a day at the beach.Since most of us spend fewer days at the beach and more at the office as we age, an increase in structured tune could well be to blame for why time seems to speed up as we grow older. Expectation and familiarity also make time seem to flow more rapidly.Almost all of us have had the experience of driving somewhere we've never been before. Surrounded by unfamiliar scenery, with no real idea of when we'll arrive, we experience the trip as lasting a long time. But the return trip, although exactly as long, seems to take far less time. The _ of the outward journey has become routine. Thus taking a different route on occasions can often help slow the clock. When was become as identical as identical as beads on a string, they mix together, and even months become a single day. To counter this, try to find ways to interrupt the structure of your day--to stop time, so to speak. Learning something new is one of the ways to slow the passage of time. One of the reasons the days of our youth seems so full and long is that these are the days of learning and discovery. For many of us, learning ends when we leave school, but this doesn't have to be. Why do units of time fly faster as we grow older? A. Our sense of time changes. B. We spend less time at the beach. C. More time is structured and scheduled. D. Time is structured with too many appointments. Answer: C It was late in a spring afternoon. I was sitting at a fruit stand beside Beihai Lake looking at the shinning ripple , which awoke me to a full sense of life. A mother and her daughter were sitting opposite to me. The latter, a lovely girl of seven or eight with a pretty, small nose, was occupied with an ice cream. Her mother, holding the child's sweater, was whispering to her. A sudden breeze blew and the child sneezed. Her mother rapidly put the sweater on her and began to button it up. In her hurry the buttons were wrongly matched, which was unnoticed by her until several had been done. The mother at once unbuttoned the sweater and did it again. Such an unimportant incident, however, did not escape the child's eye. "Ha-ha, mum, see how your mind has wandered!" said the girl with a loud laughter, which brought a bit angry look to the mother's face. As an onlooker, I imagined a good dressing down for the little girl because of the impolite remark she made. But instead there was only an embarrassing interval of a few seconds. Then I heard the mother's gentle voice: "Yes, it surely has, for my heart has gone out to you!" said the mother, pointing a kind finger at the girl's little chest. The child blinked puzzlingly, hiding her red face in the arms of her mother who hugged her gently. A smile of satisfaction spread over the mother's face. I was deeply moved by the scene of motherly love. What was the most praiseworthy thing about the mother was her way of treating the child's behavior. Nowadays many people seem to forget that the best way to educate a child is not tolerating or blaming, or even moral lecturing, but tender enlightening with love. What does the writer intend to tell us by writing the passage? A. A mother should take care of her child. B. A child should be polite to his or her mother. C. What is the best way to educate a child. D. A mother shouldn't pay much attention to her child's behavior. Answer: C The customs in different countries are rather different. If I have dinner with a Chinese host, he always puts more food onto my plate as soon as I have emptied it. That often discomforts(......) me greatly. I have to eat the food even if I do not want to. I have also noticed that when a Chinese sits at an American's dinner party, he very often refuses the offer of food or drink though he's in fact still hungry or thirsty. This might be good manners in prefix = st1 /China, but it is not in the West at all. In theUnited States, it is impolite to keep asking someone again and again or insist on his accepting something. Americans have a direct way of speaking. If they want something, they will ask for it. If not, they will say, "No thanks." When an American is served with beer by the host, for example, he might say, "No, thanks. I'll take some orange juice if you have it." That is what an American will do. So when you go to theUnited States, you'd better remember the famous saying: "When inRome, do as Romans do." A guest at an American's dinner party should show his politeness by _ . A. not eating up all the food offered B. putting more food onto his plate as soon as he has emptied it C. refuse the offer of food or drink though he is still hungry or thirsty D. asking for things directly if he wants Answer: D In the hit film , Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman meet in hospital in California after they have been diagnosed with cancer. Between them they cook up a "bucket list" - a to-do list of all they want to do before they . The movie makes you wonder what would be on your bucket list. So let's pack up some and see what it would cost to go out and have a little fun. THE PYRAMIDS, GIZA, EGYPT On to the pyramids, surely on anyone's bucket list. Exotik Tours can take you there on a variety of trips, including their popular Egypt Express which includes three nights in Cairo and a three-night Nile Cruise . From $1,384, including four-and five-star accommodation, 12 meals and a ton of sightseeing. 416-646-3347 TAJ MAHAL, AGRA, INDIA One of the world's most fascinating images, India's Taj Mahal makes even Nicholson and Freeman look calm. Toronto's Goway Travel has many suggestions for India, including a three-day independent visit to Agra. Stay at the attractive Oberoi AmarVilas overlooking the Taj. Include two breakfasts, touring and airport transfer from $1,420. 416-322-1034 THE GREAT WALL, CHINA If the Great Wall of China is on your bucket list, check into Tour East Holiday's four-day Amazing Beijing Tour for $580 per person, four-star accommodation, sightseeing including the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, breakfasts and two lunches, transportation and guide. 416-929-0888 THE HIMALAYAS, NEPAL And on to the Himalayas. Talk about "something truly majestic . See the top of the world on GAP Adventures' Everest Adventure tour, a 15-day exploration including Everest Base Camp, teahouse lodge stays, and walking through Sherpa villages. Incredibly affordable at just $665 plus local payment of $250. GAP Adventures warns that this is a physically demanding trip. 416-260-0999 If you take on the Everest Adventure tour, you should be aware that _ . A. the sights may not be so good. B. It is a tiring trip C. you may not be used to the food there D. it is an expensive trip Answer: B Which of these events occurs about every three months? A. high tide B. new moon C. new season D. solar eclipse Answer: C
Public schools in the state of Green are financed, in large part, by revenue derived from real estate taxes imposed by each school district on the taxable real property located in that district. Public schools also receive other revenue from private gifts, federal grants, student fees, and local sales taxes. For many years, Green has distributed additional funds, which come from the state treasury, to local school districts in order to equalize the funds available on a per-student basis for each public school district. These additional funds are distributed on the basis of a state statutory formula that considers only the number of students in each public school district and the real estate tax revenue raised by that district. The formula does not consider other revenue received by a school district from different sources. The school boards of two school districts, together with parents and schoolchildren in those districts, bring suit in federal court to enjoin the state from allocating the additional funds from the state treasury to individual districts pursuant to this formula. They allege that the failure of the state, in allocating this additional money, to take into account a school district's sources of revenue other than revenue derived from taxes levied on real estate located there violates the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The complaint does not allege that the allocation of the additional state funds based on the current statutory formula has resulted in a failure to provide minimally adequate education to any child. Which of the following best describes the appropriate standard by which the court should review the constitutionality of the state statutory funding formula? A Because classifications based on wealth are inherently suspect, the state must demonstrate that the statutory formula is necessary to vindicate a compelling state interest. B Because the statutory funding formula burdens the fundamental right to education, the state must demonstrate that the formula is necessary to vindicate a compelling state interest. C Because no fundamental right or suspect classification is implicated in this case, the plaintiffs must demonstrate that the funding allocation formula bears no rational relationship to any legitimate state interest. D Because the funding formula inevitably leads to disparities among the school districts in their levels of total funding, the plaintiffs must only demonstrate that the funding formula is not substantially related to the furtherance of an important state interest. Answer: C. Because no fundamental right or suspect classification is implicated in this case, the plaintiffs must demonstrate that the funding allocation formula bears no rational relationship to any legitimate state interest. How did it make you feel when you learned that KFC'S Beijing restaurants pulled three more items from their menus last week? There were fears that the items may have contained the cancer-causing coloring Sudan I.Do you have any desire to take the food provider to court because it feeds you something dangerous? After all,the law supposedly gives people the right to fight for their rights.But some experts have said it might not be so wise to take the company directly to court. Qiu Baochang,a lawyer in Beijing,suggested that consumers not take the company directly to court."In addition to the high costs,consumers'complaints are unlikely to win unless they can prove they have had the banned dye at KFC,"--Qiu explained. One problem for those wanting to take action against the fast food chain is that few customers ask for or keep receipts .And,this must be the first step. If they can prove that their health has been damaged by KFC,they can cue the company.But that would be almost impossible to do so because the Sudan I damage is a long-term effect and is not immediately apparent. A KFC spokesperson said on Monday that the company was confdent of being able to handle customers'complaints,"We will obey legal procedure if We raceive any complaints." Why did KFC's Beijing restaurants pull three more items from their menus? A Because the company was afraid to handle customers'complaints. B Because coloring Sudan I may have been contained in those items. C Because the KFC's restaurants were accused ofselling poisonous food to the customers. D Because these items were no longer popular with the customers. Answer: B. Because coloring Sudan I may have been contained in those items. You may not know a lot of people when you start high school. Even if you know some new students, you still feel nervous that you don't know any upperclassmen and teachers. How are you going to make friends among this sea of unknown faces? Most high schools welcome new students before school actually starts. These are helpful not only because you learn your way around the buildings and get to meet some of your teachers, but also because you get to meet new students. That way, when you show up on your first day of school, you may already recognize a few familiar faces. When you talk to people, you'll probably find that a lot of them are feeling just like you. They're all new to the school and don't know what to expect. Talking about a common concern with your classmates can help you develop friendships. The work in high school is something freshmen are probably worried about. The work in high school builds on what you learned in middle school, giving you a more advanced knowledge of many subjects. So you may find you have more work to do or that it's a bit more challenging . If you ever find your work too difficult, teachers can give you extra help. High school also has more activities after class than middle school, such as clubs, music and theater groups and sports teams. This is a good time to explore your interests and try new things. Middle school taught you the basics of academics, time management, and social skills while providing you with a little extra support and guidance. High school gives you the chance to learn how to be more independent and responsible . What are new students probably worried about? A The learning tasks. B The difficulty in communication. C The way they deal with teachers. D The training in time management. Answer: A. The learning tasks. The worker I hired to repair my house had just finished a difficult first day on the job. A broken wheel made him an hour late; his ladder( )fell down when he was painting the roof and now his old truck wouldn't start. With each problem he shouted angrily more at himself than at his things. As I drove him home, the man didn't say a word. I tried talking to the man to kill time. I managed to find out that he had come up from Blue Hills in Victoria with his family six months ago to find a job. This was his first job since moving here. I now knew why his price was lower than any other worker I could find in the local newspaper. He really needed the job. His clothes told me as much. On arriving, much to my surprise, he invited me to meet his family. As we walked through his front garden he suddenly stopped at a small tree and placed his hands on it. Then , when he opened the door he completely changed. Instead of his troubled face, there was now a warm smile, hugs for his two children and a kiss for his wife. The following day, I asked him about the tree. "That's my trouble tree," he answered. "Work troubles aren't welcome at home with my wife and children. So I hang them on that tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again." "And you know what else?" he said smiling, "The next morning I find that there aren't as many as I remember hanging up the night before." Where did the writer find the worker ? A Through a newspaper. B Beside the trouble tree. C In his old house. D In Blue Hills, Victoria. Answer: A. Through a newspaper. Liverpool Discover the best music, sport, culture ... in the UK Liverpool MUSIC The Beatles Story The world-famous 1960s music group came from Liverpool. Find out about The Beatles at the Beatles Story. Open every day except Dec. 25th and 26th. Adult:PS15.95 Child:PS7.00 Child under five: Free Liverpool SPORT Liverpool FC This city loves football. Visit Anfield football stadium, home of Liverpool FC, Liverpool's favorite football club, and take a tour. Closed on weekends. Adult:PS15.00 Child:PS9.00 Child under five: Free Liverpool MUSEUM The Museum of Liverpool Learn all about the history and culture of Liverpool. Open daily 10:00 a.m. -- 5:00 p.m. Free! Liverpool SHOPPING Liverpool ONE Find the best shopping in the center of Liverpool at Liverpool ONE, a big shopping center. Opened in 2008. More than 160 shops, restaurants and cinemas. , How much will Jack, a boy of 6, and his father pay if they visit the Beatles Story? A PS15.95. B PS14.00. C PS22.95. D PS31.90. Answer: C. PS22.95.
Money Matters for Students GETTING A GRANT Who pays? The Local Education Authority (LEA) for the area in which the student is living. Who can get this money? Anyone who gets a place on a first degree course, although a student who has already attended a course of advanced further education may not. Students must also have been resident in the UK for at least three years, which can exclude some students from overseas. SPECIAL CASES If a student has worked before going to college: A student who is 26 or more before the course starts and who has worked for at least three of the previous six years will get extra money--PS155 a year if 26, increasing to a maximum of PS615 at 29 or more. If a student is handicapped : LEAs will give up to PS500 to help meet extra expenses--such as buying a tape recorder for a blind student, extra heating or special food. Banking: Most of the big banks offer special services to students who open accounts (in the hope that they will stay with the bank when they become rich officials). A student won't usually have to pay bank charges as long as the account stays in credit. Some banks allow students to overdraw by PS100 or so, and still don't make charges (though they do charge interest). Why is it likely that a bank will welcome new students as their customers? Answer: They hope students will be rich in the future. It was the Fourth of July and Frank the cowboy had a meal planned. He was going to cook for the whole town and do it in a bear costume, which was what they did in his part of the nation to celebrate the holiday and was not weird at all. Unfortunately Frank had mistaken powdered soap for sugar because the eye holes in his bear costume didn't quite match up with his own eyes. He put the whole box of soap in the strawberry punch that he meant to give to his party guests. "Try the punch," Frank said. Since they didn't want to be mean, after all Frank went through a lot of trouble in order to respect the town's bear costume wearing ways, the whole town drank the gross drink. No one got sick, but they were all pretty grossed out and after talking to each other planned to help Frank make the meal next year to keep it from happening again. What did Frank put in the punch, and what did he mean to put in the punch? Answer: Frank put soap in the punch. He meant to put sugar in the punch. Imagine life without the Internet -- not being able to chat with your friends or look up information for your homework or research project. That is the reality for nearly two-thirds of our world's population, either because they cannot afford WiFi access or are located in remote, inaccessible areas. Now Google has decided to do something about that. Google's Project Loon will attempt to send balloons high up into our earth's atmosphere in 2015. Each balloon will be equipped with a mini computer and a WiFi radio that will send Internet signals over the places it is floating over. The network equipment on Google balloons will communicate with a special antenna attached to each user's home. These antennae are in turn connected to a local Internet Service Provider. Each balloon will also communicate with each other to hand over signals as one floats out of an area, and another floats in. The balloons are 15 meters wide and made of a material that is three times thicker than the plastic bag at the supermarket. This helps them defend themselves against cold temperatures and changing air pressure. Google balloons will circle the earth at a height of 20 kilometers-- in a layer of our atmosphere known as the stratosphere . This is higher than the altitude at which planes fly. Once the balloons reach the desired altitude after being released from the earth, they will ride on air currents. What keeps these balloons from flying away? They will be controlled by people at the Project Loon command center. A pump operating on solar power will fill the balloon with gas to raise it or let gas out to lower it, based on instructions. This allows the balloon to float on different air currents which are moving either clockwise or anti-clockwise. There is no doubt that this technology can bring education to many children, weather information to farmers, and communication to natural disaster areas. However, one big question remains -- will some countries be comfortable with balloons above their heads? There could be concerns about spying and other problems. What's the purpose of Google's Project Loon? Answer: Allowing people to connect to the Internet easily. Robert is a boss who hires me as a helper. He has lost his home and now has to live back at home, with his mother, at 46. We had a job in Fort Bending. Robert bought me breakfast there. As we were leaving ,a man walked to us asking if he could get some work from Roberts' company. Robert explained there was no work for the man and the man started to walk away. As I looked from the leaving man back to Robert, l saw Robert getting Out some money and went after the man to give it to him. I asked Robert, "Why did you do that?" Robert said _ After a very long, hard day, we stopped at a Quick Trip for a soda. I got through the check out ahead of Robert and went back out to the work truck. Beside the truck was a woman in a car. She had 3 kids and asked me if I could help-she had been _ now where to go with her children-they were living in the car. I told her I was also hurting in these times-sorry I could not. Robert came out. opened the work truck and we got in I told him about the lady I didn't even finish the story when Robert was out. his door- around the truck and giving the women money to help her and her kids out. When Robert returned I asked, "Why did you do that, she didn't even ask you". He said "I have an ex-wife and a kid-if they need help and I am not able, someone will help them" Which word do you think can best describe Robert? Answer: Kind. Charlie Bell became chief executive of McDonald's in April. Within a month doctors told him that he had color1ectal cancer. After stock market hours on November 22nd, the fast-food firm said he had resigned; it would need a third boss in under a year. Yet when the market opened, its share price barely dipped then edged higher. After all, McDonald's had, again, shown how to act swiftly and decisively in appointing a new boss. Mr. Bell himself got the top job when Jim Cantalupo died of a heart attack hours before he was due to address a convention of McDonald's franchisees . Mr. Cantalupo was a McDonald's veteran brought out of retirement in January 2003 to help remodel the firm after sales began falling because of dirty restaurants, indifferent service and growing concern about junk food. He devised a recovery plan, backed by massive marketing, and promoted Mr. Bell to chief operating officer. When Mr. Cantalupo died, a rapidly convened board confirmed Mr. Bell, a 44-year-old Australian already widely seen as his heir apparent, in the top job. The convention got its promised chief executive's address, from the firm's first non-American leader. Yet within weeks executives had to think about what to do if Mr. Bell became too ill to continue. Perhaps Mr. Bell had the same thing on his mind: he usually introduced Jim Skinner, the 60-year-old vice-chairman, to visitors as the "steady hand at the wheel". Now Mr. Skinner, an expert on the firm's overseas operations, becomes chief executive, and Mike Roberts, head of its American operations, joins the board as chief operating officer. Is Mr. Roberts now the new heir apparent? Maybe. McDonald's has brought in supposedly healthier choices such as salads and toasted sandwiches worldwide and, instead of relying for most of its growth on opening new restaurants, has turned to upgrading its 31,000 existing ones. America has done best at this; under Mr. Roberts, like-for-like sales there were up by 7. 5% in October on a year earlier. The new team's task is to keep the revitalization plan on course, especially overseas, where some American brands are said to face political hostility from consumers. This is a big challenge. Is an in-house succession(, ) the best way to tackle it? Mr. Skinner and Mr. Roberts are both company veterans, having joined in the 1970s. Some recent academic studies find that the planned succession of a new boss from within, such as Mr. Bell and now (arguably) Mr. Roberts, produces better results than looking hastily, or outside, for one. McDonald's smooth handling of its serial misfortunes at the top certainly seems to prove the point. Even so, everyone at McDonald's must be hoping that it will be a long time before the firm faces yet another such emergency. In terms of succession at the top, McDonald _ . Answer: prefers to appoint a new boss from within
Most British telephone cards are just plain green, but card collecting is becoming a popular hobby in Britain and collectors even have their own magazine, International Telephone Cards. One reason for their interest is that cards from around the world come in a wide variety of different and often very attractive designs. There are 100, 000 different cards in Japan alone, and there you can put your own design onto a blank card simply by using a photograph or a business card. The first telephone cards, produced in 1976, were Italian. Five years later the first British card appeared, and now you can buy cards in more than a hundred countries. People usually start collecting cards because they are attractive, small and light , and they do not need much space. It is also a cheap hobby for beginners, although for some people it becomes a serious business. In Paris, for example, there is a market where you can buy only telephone cards, and some French cards cost up to 4, 000 pounds. The first Japanese card has a value of about 28, 000 pounds. Most people only see cards with prices like these in their collectors magazine. When did people in Britain begin to use phone cards? In 1981. George had stolen some money, but the police had caught him and he had been put in prison. Now his trial was about to begin, and he felt sure that he would be found guilty and sent to prison for a long time. Then he discovered that an old friend of his was one of the members of the jury at his trial. Of course, he did not tell anybody, but he managed to see his friend secretly one day. He said to him, "Jim, I know that the jury will find me guilty of having stolen the money. I cannot hope to be found not guilty of taking it ---- that would be too much to expect. But I should be grateful to you for the rest of my life if you could persuade the other members of the jury to add a strong recommendation for mercy to their statement that they consider me guilty." "Well, George,"answered Jim. "I shall certainly try to do what I can for you as an old friend, but of course I cannot promise anything. The other eleven people on the jury look terribly strong-minded to me." George said that he would quite understand if Jim was not able to do anything for him, and thanked him warmly for agreeing to help. The trial went on, and at last the time came for the jury to decide whether George was guilty or not. It took them five hours, but in the end they found George guilty, with a strong recommendation for mercy. Of course, George was very pleased, but he did not have a chance to see Jim for some time after the trial. At last, however, Jim visited him in prison, and George thanked him warmly and asked him how he had managed to persuade the other members of the jury to recommend mercy. "Well, George," Jim answered, "as I thought, those eleven men were very difficult to persuade, but I managed it in the end by tiring them out. Do you know, those fools had all wanted to find you not guilty!" 57. Which of the following is true about Jim? He told the jury that George was indeed guilty. Over the summer, a Chinese company , Xiaomi, took the No.1 position in China's competitive market and became the world's third largest phone maker. Xiaomi was founded in 2010 as a company to sell smartly designed phone at cheap prices over the Internet. A clever social media strategy and a business plan that emphasized selling services helped the company build enthusiastic support from young and trendy Chinese people. With people in China expected to buy 500 million smart phones in 2015, Xiaomi plans to solidify its position as one of the most powerful phone makers in the world's most important market. The company's founders, including the Chinese entrepreneur Lei Jun and the former Google executive Lin Bin, hope that they will take the brand globally. Although Xiaomi is already sold internationally, next year will be the true test of whether it can continue its rise beyond China. Avoiding markets like the United States and Europe, Mr. Lei and Mr. Lin are looking at huge developing countries like Brazil and India. And they hope to use e-commerce networks to sell cheap and high-quality phones, and create their Chinese success. Xiaomi fans have a high level of organization. They love Xiaomi. Han Yu, a 24-year-old boy studying for his master's degree, is one of those lovers. He helps Xiaomi test its user interface by looking for bugs and offering suggestions. Mr. Han moderates several pages on the company's online forum, which averages 200,000 posts a day and is where fans interact with the company. Much of his personal life revolves around Xiaomi and he said he was honored when his suggestions to create a private photo folders was adopted by Xiaomi. Although Xiaomi makes some money on phone sales, the company's plan is to increase profitability by selling services like entertainment and apps through the phone. The company has also started to sell other devices, like a smart television, a tablet and a fitness band. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? The rise of a new smart phone Giant : China's Xiaomi There was one thing that I found rather strange on my first day as housekeeper at Monk'S House.The floors in the house were very thin.The bathroom was right above the kitchen,and when Mrs.Woolf was having her bath before breakfast,I could hear her talking to herself.on and on she went,talk,talk,and talk,asking questions and giving herself the answers.I thought there must be two or three people there with her.When Mr.Woolf saw that I looked surprised,he told me that Mrs.Woolf always said out loud the sentences that she had written during the night.She needed to know if they sounded fight and the bath was a good place for trying them out* I was not allowed to make coffee at Monk'S House--Mr.and Mrs.Woolf were very particular about coffee and always made it themselves--so Mr.Woolf came into the kitchen at eight o'clock every morning to make it.When we carried the breakfast to Mrs.Woolf's room,I noticed that she had always been working during the night.There were pencil and paper beside her bed so that when she woke up,she could work,and sometimes it seemed as though she had had very little sleep. Mrs.Woolf's bedroom was outside the house in the garden.I used to think how inconvenient it must be to have to go out in the rain to go to bed.Her bedroom had been connected to the back of the house:the door faced the garden and a window at the side opened out on to a field.Because the writing-room was small,Mr.Woolf had built a large one for her at the end of the garden against the church wall. I can always remember her coming to the house each day from the writing-room when I rang the bell for lunch at One O'clock.She used to come in,smoking one of her favourite cigarettes,which were bought by Mr.Woolf for her in London.She was tall and thin and very pretty.She had large eyes and a wide mouth.She wore long skirts-usually blue or brown-in the fashion of the day ,and silk jackets of the same colour Mrs.Woolf wore clothes that suited for her well.I ironed them for her and did any sewing that was necessary-She was not able to sew ,although sometimes she liked to try.There was one thing in the kitchen that Mrs.Woolf was very good at doing:she could make beautiful bread. What was very unusual about Monk's House? The bathroom was fight above the kitchen. What's this? It's P. What color is it? It's green. What's this and what color is it? It's E. It's yellow. What's this? It's N. It's red. What's this? It's a pen. Spell it,please. P--E---N. I have a blue pen. This my ruler. It's yellow. My jacket is black and my quilt is green. It's nice. My ruler and E are _ yellow
The shocking disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has captured the attention of millions around the world as the search for the airplane and its passengers and crew continues. What happened to the flight's 239 passengers and crew after the plane left Kuala Lumpur on Saturday? It is becoming an increasingly desperate question as the days pass. But it's hardly the first mystery of its kind. Here are some half-solved and unsolved airline mysteries that kept investigators clueless for years. Air France Flight 447: An Airbus A330 flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris _ into the Atlantic Ocean in 2009, killing all 228 passengers and crew on board. But it took a full five days for search and rescue teams to find the wreck and another three years for investigators to report that ice crystals had caused the autopilot to disconnect. The bodies of 74 passengers remain unrecovered. Amelia Earhart: Ace pilot Amelia Earhart disappeared in her twin-engine monoplane Electra over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 in an attempt to circumnavigate the globe. No trace of her plane was ever found even after a multi-million dollar search effort, and Earhart was officially declared dead in 1939. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739: A U.S. military flight left Guam in 1962 with more 90 personnel headed for the Philippines, but it never arrived. The pilots never issued a distress call, and 1,300 people involved in the U.S. military search never found any trace of wreckage. British South American Airways: It took more than 50 years to find any trace of the 11 people aboard a 1947 flight that disappeared in the Andes Mountains. A pair of Argentineans rock climbers discovered engine wreckage in the Andes in 1998, and an army expedition later found human remains as well. Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571: A flight headed to Santiago, Chile carrying 45 passengers and crew crashed into the Andes Mountains in poor weather in 1972, killing twelve people. In the meantime, eight were killed in an avalanche that hit the plane's wreckage where they were taking shelter, and the rest stayed alive by eating the flesh of the dead before they were finally found more than two months after disappearing out of the sky. From the passage, what could have led to British South American Airways crash? _ . A The bad weather. B Not mentioned. C The ice crystals. D The lightening. Answer: B Ahmad is the founder of Copia, which she describers as "match com meets Uber for food recovery." Conipanies use the Copia app to report when they have leftover food,what kind, and how much . When recipients such as shelters, soup kitchens , and agencies first register with Cupia, they indicate how many people they need to feed,on what days , and what kind of food they'll take. Cupia makes a profit from the fees that companies pay to remove leftever food; the companies receive a tax write-off for their food donations. How did Ahmad create Copia? Aa a senior at UC Berkeley, the found nearly 50 million Americans are at risk of going hungry every day, white more than 133 billion pounds ofeatable foud are deserted each year. Ahma d started a student group that recovered food from the campus and distributed it Lo local nonprofits. As rewarding as this was,the inefficiencies bothered her. One day , she got a call from the dining hall manager, who had 500 sandwiches left over from m event. She rented a car,loaded it with the food, and called nonprofits, She found takers for only 25 sandwiches and ended up giving out the rest eU a nearby park. "I remember thinking how cool it would be if people who had food could say, 'Hey, we have stuff, ' and people who needed it could speak up, and then we could connect the two. " After she graduated , Ahmad launched Copia carlier this year, it operates in 40 cities in Northem California and has served over 700,000 people. Its biggest success--and challenge-- 10 date was this past Super Bowl: Copia recovered muro than 14 tons of food, which fed more than 23,000 people. Despite her busy schedule, Ahmad tries to do me food pickup a week."When you get to theshelter,"she says ," If you wouldn't have eaten." And that's when I'm like, ' This is why I do what I do.' What made Ahmad create the app? A Too much food is wasted. B Too many people go hungry. C Her group's work is rewarding. D Her group's work doesn 't go well. Answer: D What do you do when you need to look something up? Go to the library? Open an encyclopedia ? Click onto the Internet? These days, most people go straight to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia. But how reliable is it? There is no denying the popularity and usefulness of Wikipedia. It attracts as many as 78 million visitors every month, and the site is available in more than 270 different languages. It's one of the most comprehensive resources available, which includes almost all details, facts and information that maybe concerned. It's got much more information than an ordinary encyclopedia. The site is updated on a daily basis by thousands of people around the world. Anyone with an Internet connection can log on and edit the contents or add a new page. And you don't need any formal training. Of course, there are some controls. Wikipedia has a team of more than 1,500 administrators who check for false information. And main targets for harmful comments(such as politicians) are _ to public editing. But with more than 16 million articles to keep an eye on, it isn't easy. So, while Wikipedia benefits from being constantly updated with information from all over the world, it's also open to "vandals" . Some of the damage is easy to notice. One person drew devil horns and a moustache on Microsoft chairman Bill Gates' photo, while another edited Greek philosopher Plato's biography to say he was a "Hawaiian weather man who is wildly believed to have been a student of'Barney the purple Dinosaur' and to have been deeply influenced by his dog, Cutie". But other things are harder to spot. The most common form of vandalism involves adding tiny items of false information into the biography of a famous person. Unbelievably, some of this misinformation has appeared in newspapers, with The Daily Mail, The Guardian and The Independent all having fallen victim to the dirty tricks. For example, in an article about British comedian Sir Norman Wisdom, one newspaper claimed that he co-wrote Dame Vera Lynn's wartime hit There'll be bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover. He did no such thing. And in another article, it was reported that TV Theme tune composer Ronnie Hazlehurst had written the S Club 7's hit Reach. Once again, not true. So, if you are going to use any information from Wikipedia, make sure you double-check it first. We can learn from the passage that _ . A because of its popularity, 78 million people from 270 countries visit Wikipedia monthly B Wikipedia is the most comprehensive resource with all information we need C anyone who has access to the Internet can edit any contents of Wikipedia as they like D the primary job of the administrator is to make sure true information is conveyed Answer: D When placed at equal distances apart, the greatest gravitational attraction will be between two A skateboards. B refrigerators. C bowling balls. D school buses. Answer: D It was one week before Halloween and Thomas still needed to find the perfect costume for trick-or-treating. Last year Thomas was a scarecrow, so his mother had stuffed his clothes with straw. Thomas thought that it was okay for a nine year old, but now he was ten and had to do even better. His friends Michael and Brianna were going as a ghost and angel, but Thomas wanted something that was both scary and real. Finally he came up with an idea and headed off to the store with his mother to collect the items. He picked up a black jacket, black gloves, and black cloth. After working through the whole weekend he had finally finished. When he got to school he wouldn't tell anyone what his costume was. He even kept quiet when his teacher, Ms. Frazier, asked him. The next day was Halloween, so Michael and Brianna came over to Thomas's house to meet him for trick-or-treating. They rang the doorbell and were waiting for the door to open when a wolf came running out of the bushes nearby. They both shouted and began to run, but then they heard someone say, "wait for me" from the same direction as the wolf. When they looked again they saw Thomas standing up and laughing. His costume was so real that it had tricked them both. "Great costume," they thought, "we'll have to do better next year" and went off to collect candy from the neighbors. What was Thomas's Halloween costume? A An angel B A wolf C A scarecrow D A ghost Answer: B
On a hot summer day, ice-cold watermelons serve up a delicious treat. Sure, the rosy flesh quenches your thirst . But now there are more reasons than ever for people to reach for a slice of watermelon. Meet Dr Alison Edwards. She is a scientist at the Agricultural Research Service. Scientists are people who come up with new ideas called theories . They usually do scientific research to test their new theories. That's how they find out if a new idea is a good one, or if the new idea will bring an even better idea. At her lab, Dr Edwards recently learned more about the secrets of why watermelons are good for you! Dr Edwards has known for a long time that watermelons have vitamin C. But recently she learned that watermelons also have lycopene . It is something that gives tomatoes and watermelons their rosy red colour. What's so special about the lycopene in watermelons? Dr Edwards says that watermelons and tomatoes both have lots of lycopene. It seems that your body can use the lycopene from watermelons more easily than the lycopene from raw tomatoes. In fact, the lycopene from tomatoes is more easily absorbed inside your body once they have been cooked. The watermelon is a kind of _ . A drink B fruit C medicine D vitamin Answer: B. fruit "Now!" whispered Suki. "Quick, while the clerk's not looking." Heart pounding, Leah slid two tubes of lipstick into her purse. She looked bored as she followed her friends Suki and Jill out of the store, but inside she felt panicked. "I can't believe you made me do that," Leah cried. ks5u "Relax," said Jill. "Everybody does it sometimes. And we didn't make you do it. " She said nothing, but Leah knew she wouldn't have done that on her own. She was just experiencing huge peer pressure. Sometimes, though, the stresses in your life can actually come from your peers. They may pressure you into doing something you're uncomfortable with, such as shoplifting, doing drugs or drinking, or taking dangerous risks when driving a car. The pressure to conform (to do what others are doing) can be powerful and hard to resist. A person might feel pressure to do something just because others are doing it. Peer pressure can influence a person to do something that is ly harmless -- or something that has more serious consequences. Giving in to the pressure to dress a certain way is one thing -- going along with the crowd to drink or smoke is another. The people who are most easily influenced will follow someone else's lead first. Then others may go along, too -- so it can be easy to think, "It must be OK. Everyone else is doing it. They must know what they're doing. "Before you know it, many people are going along with the crowd -- perhaps on something they might not otherwise do. Responding to peer pressure is part of human nature -- but some people are more likely to give in, and others are better able to resist and stand their ground. People who are low on confidence and those who tend to follow rather than lead could be more likely to seek their peers' approval by giving in to a risky challenge or suggestion. People who are unsure of themselves, new to the group, or inexperienced with peer pressure may also be more likely to give in. People may take a risky challenge because they want to _ . A gain more experience B win recognition from peers C take the lead in a group D exercise an influence on their friends Answer: B. win recognition from peers Most Americans don't like to get advice from their family. When they need advice, they don't usually ask people they know. They often write letters to newspapers and magazines. And these newspapers and magazines can give advice on many different subjects such as family problems, language learning and how to buy a house and so on. Most newspapers publish letters from readers with problems. And they would also publish the answers to the letters. There are many writers giving advice to newspapers. Some of these writers are doctors, and some are teachers or lawyers . One of the best writers is a woman. Although she doesn't have special learning for this kind of work, experience helps her a lot to give advice. She is named Angel. She started writing advice for newspapers at the age of ten. Her advice to young readers now is in acolumn called DEAR ANGEL in the Philadelphia Bulletin. Which of the following is notmentioned to give advice to newspapers? A Teachers. B Doctors. C Captains. D Lawyers. Answer: C. Captains. Explore the State of California California is one of the most interesting states of America that offers a lot of wonderful sceneries and fun attractions. It is also the most populated state and the third largest in land area. Anyone who has been to California would agree that it is indeed a place that offers a lot to tourists of all ages. Here are some top picks of the best places to visit in California State. San Francisco Bay Area - Witness the famous San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge which is one of the city's landmarks; and enjoy the beauty of Fisherman's Wharf that offers a lot of seafood restaurants. You should not miss the city's world-famous Cable Car System which is by far the only manually operated cable car system in the whole world. Yosemite National Park - This is one of the very first wilderness parks in the whole of America. It is known for its natural beauty and breathtaking sceneries. It offers a breath of fresh air away from the city life. Major places to visit include the Yosemite Falls, Sentinel Dome, El Capitan, Mariposa Grove and Glacier Point among many others. Los Angeles - Explore the home of the L.A. Lakers and do not fail to visit the Disneyland which is one of the major attractions of the city. The warm weather in Los Angeles makes it possible to do a lot of outdoor activities especially during the summer months. It is a family-friendly place that offers a wonderful shopping and dining experience. For those who particularly love the city and night life, L.A. can offer the best of almost everything. Napa Valley - With over a million visitors every year, Napa Valley is indeed a place you should not miss if you are in California. It is California's most popular wine growing _ . You can also experience the Wine Train and hot air balloon ride over the valley. According to the passage, if you want to breathe the fresh air, you'll go to _ . A San Francisco Bay Area B Yosemite National Park C Los Angeles D Napa Valley Answer: B. Yosemite National Park Gwendolyn Brooks wrote hundreds of poems during her lifetime. She was known around the world for using poetry to increase understanding of black culture in America. During the 1940's and the 1950's, Gwendolyn Brooks used her poems to describe conditions among the poor,racial inequality and drug use in the black community. She also wrote poems about the struggles of black women. But her skill was more than her ability to write about struggling black people. She combined traditional European poetry styles with the African American experience. Gwendolyn Brooks once said that she wrote about what she saw and heard in the street. She said she found most of her materials through looking out of the window of her second-floor apartment in Chicago, Illinois. In her early poetry, Gwendolyn Brooks wrote about the South Side of Chicago, where many black people live. In her poems, the South Side is called Bronzeville. It was "A Street in Bronzeville" that gained the attention of literary experts in 1945. Critics praised her poetic skills and her powerful descriptions about the black experience during the time. The Bronzeville poems were her first published collection. In 1950, Gwendolyn Brooks became the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Literature. She won the prize for her second book of poems called "Annie Allen". "Annie Allen" is a collection of poetry about a Bronzeville girl as a daughter, a wife and a mother. She experiences loneliness, loss, death andpoverty . Gwendolyn Brooks said that winning the prize changed her life. Her next work was a novel written in 1953 called "Maud Martha". "Maud Martha" attracted little attention when it was first published. But now it is considered an important work by some critics. Its main ideas about the difficult lives of many women are popular among female writers today. How did Gwendolyn Brooks get ideas for most of her poems? A By observing life. B By having talks. C By reading widely. D By traveling. Answer: A. By observing life.
Question: Handsome Safin is loved by many women fans and he is called "the most attractive man". His strength and forehand and backhand skills are the best in the world, which are in fact unbeatable while he is at his best. Marat Safin was born inprefix = st2 /Moscowon 27th January, 1980, and was introduced to the game at a very early age. His mother Rausa, one of the former top 10 Russian women tennis players, used to take baby Marat with her when she practiced at the local Spartak club. This is where Marat also learned to play. Marat had picked up his racket almost as soon as he could walk and at five was hitting balls with a little child until 1992. When Marat was 13, his parents decided to send him abroad for further practice, so in that year Marat and his mother visited a tennis school inValenciawhere Maria Pasqual, former director of Spanish women's tennis, was asked to judge his potential. Pasqual liked what she saw and managed to persuade a Swiss client into keeping him at the school. In the following four years Marat lived in Valenciaemploying Pasqual as his career advisor, working on his great clay court skills and learning the Spanish language. Marat's first title came in 1997 at a Challenger in Espinho and soon afterwards he turned professional. He won his first title on the ATP Tour in August, 1999 when he beat Greg Rusedski in the final of the MFS Professional Championships in Boston. In 2000, Safin won his first Grand Slam title--US Open. He also reached the final of the Australian Open in 2002 and 2004. On November 7, 2004, Marat Safin beat Czech qualifier' Stepanek to win his third Paris Masters title. He also won the Paris Masters in 2000 and 2002. "I really enjoy tennis because it brings about extreme emotions and allows me to live my dreams," said Safin. Yes, the future certainly looks rosy for him. Just like what his former adviser, Maria Pasqual said, "He will be a champion one day" -- surely he already is! Safin won his first title as a professional player in _ . A. 1997 B. 1999 C. 2002 D. 2004 Answer: B. 1999 Question: Swatter, a baseball star, contracted with the Municipal Symphony Orchestra, Inc., to perform for $5,000 at a children's concert as narrator of "Peter and the Wolf." Shortly before the concert, Swatter became embroiled in a highly publicized controversy over whether he had cursed and assaulted a baseball fan. The orchestra canceled the contract out of concern that attendance might be adversely affected by Swatter's appearance. Swatter sued the orchestra for breach of contract. His business agent testified without contradiction that the cancellation had resulted in Swatter's not getting other contracts for performances and endorsements. The trial court instructed the jury, in part, as follows: "If you find for the plaintiff, you may award damages for losses which at the time of contracting could reasonably have been foreseen by the defendant as a probable result of its breach. However, the law does not permit recovery for the loss of prospective profits of a new business caused by breach of contract." On Swatter's appeal from a jury verdict for Swatter, and judgment thereon, awarding damages only for the $5,000 fee promised by the orchestra, the judgment will probably be A. affirmed, because the trial court stated the law correctly. B. affirmed, because the issue of damages for breach of contract was solely a jury question. C. reversed, because the test for limiting damages is what the breaching party could reasonably have foreseen at the time of the breach. D. reversed, because under the prevailing modern view, lost profits of a new business are recoverable if they are established with reasonable certainty. Answer: D. reversed, because under the prevailing modern view, lost profits of a new business are recoverable if they are established with reasonable certainty. Question: A group of teenagers: they laugh and talk over each other, dance and make faces -- you wouldn't believe they had just played on the same stage as famous American singers Kid Cudi and Eminem. These seven kids, all under the age of 20, are members of the band Kids These Days (KTD). Fresh out of high school, the band already has done things that most teens couldn't even imagine. They played at festivals including the recent SXSW in Austin and Lollapalooza in their hometown, Chicago, to crowds of loyal fans. KTD uses a mix of hip-hop, jazz, blues and classic rock to make a sound of their own. "KTD simply mixes most, if not all of my favourite music styles," said Kamia Jones, as Chicago high school student."I like that they aren't afraid to be different and that their music is real and speaks to the soul." The band formed two years ago. Now, as well as local fans, they are becoming popular around the world. Their facebook page is filled with supportive posts from admirers from California to Tokyo. "It's really strange to me that people from London, Australia and Russia... They have heard of us and they like our music because it's really cool feeling," says Marcie Stewart, who plays keyboard for the band. Despite their recent fame, KTD is a group of normal teenagers and they remain very close to one another. While talking to the reporters, they dance and make fun of each other. When asked what advice they would give to other teen musicians, Greg Landfair, KTD's drummer, said, "Keep your heart in it. Never lose the music and what you are doing, because that's what you're here for. Let the music always be first." The author wrote this article to _ . A. show the kind of music teenagers love B. encourage young musicians to play music C. describe a special music style D. introduce a successful band of teenagers Answer: D. introduce a successful band of teenagers Question: 33 Chilean miners were trapped nearly a half-mile underground after the mine accident. They had no real hope that they'd ever be found. Luckily, though, the men had Luis Urzua. They were rescued to safety on October 13, 2010.Urzua, 54, was the shift leader at the time of the disaster, and used all his wisdoms and his leadership talents to help his men stay calm and in control for the 17 terrible days it took for rescuers to make their first contact with them. It was no surprise that Urzua was the last of the 33 miners to leave the mine. Urzua --- after shaking hands with rescue workers ---- climbed into a capsule barely wider than a man's shoulders at 9:46 and was hauled up from a narrow hole drilled through 2,000 feet of rock. He arrived at the top 11 minutes later. "We have done what the entire world was waiting for," he told Chilean President Sebastian Pinera immediately after his rescue. "The 69 days that we fought so hard were not in vain." Pinera greeted Urzua, saying "You have been rescued, coming out last like a good leader... You have no idea how all Chileans share with you your hardships, your hope, and your joy. You are an inspiration." With Urzua by his side, the president led the crowd in singing the national anthem.Robinson Marquez once worked with Urzua in a nearby mine. He described Urzua as a calm, professional person and a born leader. "He is very protective of his men and obviously loves them. He wouldn't have left until all of his men were safely above ground," Marquez said. Under Urzua's leadership, the men stretched an emergency food supply meant to last just 48 hours over two and a half weeks, taking tiny sips of milk and bites of fish every other day.He described the difficulties of the first days, saying that it took about three hours for the dust to settle before the men could inspect where tons of collapsed rock sealed off the main way out. When the rescuers first made contact by drilling a narrow hole into their refuge , the miners were so excited that everyone wanted to hug the drill hammer.After the collapse, Urzua was the first to speak to Pinera and to urge him not to let him and his men down. "Don't leave us alone," he asked the president, who assured the workers that they would not be abandoned, telling them he would do everything he could to get them back to the surface. The emergency food supply was designed to last _ . A. over two and a half weeks B. five days C. one week D. two days Answer: D. two days Question: The first Olympics took place at Olympia in Greece in 721 B. C. almost 3,000 years ago. Many different sports, such as boxing, running and throwing the discus were played there, though there were much fewer sports than in the modern Olympics. People fr0m all over Greece came and watched the Games at the foot of Olympus, and even those at war stopped fighting and went on with the games. The Games were held every five years, until they were ordered to stop by the Romans in 383 A. D. It was nearly 1500 years since the Romans stopped the Olympics. Later in 1884 Baron Pierre de Coubertin thought it's possible to start the Games again, so he invited sportsmen from different countries to the competition. Many others agreed to his proposal and in 1896 the first modern Olympics was held in Greece. Only 50,000 people watched the Games, but the rest of the world soon became enthusiastic about them and from 1900 the Games were held every four years in a different country. 0nly three Olympics were crossed out because of the wars 1916,1940 and 1944. In Tokyo in 1960, the Games reached their highest point in size -- there were over 5650 competitors from 84 countries. Compared with the first Olympics held in 721 B. C. there are _ in the modern Olympics. A. more spurts B. as many sports as there were C. less sports D. twice as many sports as there were Answer: A. more spurts
Teaching is one of the most rewarding jobs. It is also one of the most stressful. If you want to be a teacher, you should have a passion for young people. If you are thinking about going into teaching for any other reason than this, you need to find another job. Teaching is difficult. Students can be difficult. Parents can be difficult. If you do not have a passion for the young people that you teach, you will burn out quickly. Passion is what keeps an excellent teacher going. When students have trouble understanding what is taught, it is what drives him to spend long hours trying to think out how to help them. If you do not have enough passion for your students, you might last a year or two, but not long. Passion is a must-have quality for every good teacher. Teaching can be rewarding, but you shouldn't expect that reward to come easily. Teachers who search out better and new methods are the ones who will make it. A good teacher needs to be able to work with everyone. All teachers face stress. It is important to be able to deal with everything that is thrown at you when you walk through your classroom doors. There are so many chances for stress within a classroom that an excellent teacher has to be able to bring it in control. If you cannot manage stress quite well, then teaching may not be the right job for you. Most stress is thrown at the teacher _ . SANTO DOMINGO, Domincan Republic ---An infant girl born with a second head bled to death Saturday after complex surgery to remove her partially formed twin , her parents and doctors said. A medical team completed the 11- hour operation Friday night and said 8-week-old Rebecca Martinez died seven hours later. Doctors had warned after the surgery that the girl would be at great risk of death. " We knew this was a very risky surgery , and now we accept what God has decided , " Rebecca's father , 29-year-old Frankin Martinez, said at a news conference with his wife. " Rebecca is no longer with us physically , but no one will forget her." Martinez said the family would bury Rebecca in a private funeral later in the day. The girl lost a lot of blood in the operation, which apparently ( ) caused her to suffer a heart attack , said Dr. Jorge Lazareff , the lead surgeon . Friends and family donated almost 4 gallons of blood for surgeons to use Rebeca's operation "This was not a failure or an error ," Lazareff said . " When we left here last night the girl was in stable condition. At some point in the middle of the night , she started to bleed." Rebecca was born Dec. 10 with the undeveloped head of her twin, an exteremely rare condition known as craniopagus parasticus . Rebecca was the eighth documented case in the world of craniopagus parasiticus, doctors said. All the other infants documented to have had the condition died before birth , making Rebecca\s surgery the first known operation of its kind. Without an operation , Rebecca would have barely been able to lift her head at 3 months old. Her doctors said the pressure from the second head would have prevented her brain from developing. " We always saw Rebecca without the extra part of her body, "er father said after her death. Rebecca was their third child-----along with a 4-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the text? A young man is sitting by the road eating something. A policeman is coming over. At once ,the man gets up quickly and runs down the road. The policeman runs after him. The man runs very fast. But the policeman runs faster. After a few minutes, the policeman catches him. 'Where are you going?' says the policeman. 'You must be a criminal if you run like that when you see a policeman.' 'No, no,' says the man, 'I'm not a criminal. I'm just too fat, you see. The doctor says to me that I must always run fast after eating.' 'I see,' says the policeman, 'You are running to help to lose some weight .' Who runs faster? When Johnson called again, the manager received him very politely. "That is a most remarkable oil you brought us, Mr Johnson," he said. Johnson nodded his smooth, dark head. That was something he knew very well. "I've never seen anything like it," the manager admitted. Johnson nodded again. "No?" he said politely. Then he added, "But I think you will, sir. A very great deal of it." He appeared to think for a moment. "I think you will find it will be on sale seven, perhaps, eight years from now." He smiled. The manager thought that was uncertain. He said, "It is better than our fish oils. I admit that." "So I am told, sir," agreed Johnson. "Have you any plans to produce it yourself, Mr Johnson?" Johnson smiled again. "Would I be showing it to you if I had?" "We might add some chemicals to one of our own fish oils," said the manager. "It would be expensive to do that, even if you could." Johnson said gently. "Besides," he added, "I am told that this oil will be much cheaper than your best fish oils. Cheaper than any vegetable oil, in fact." "Perhaps," said the manager. "Well, I suppose you want to make an arrangement, Mr Johnson, Shall we discuss it?" "Of course," said Johnson. "There are two ways of dealing with a situation of this sort. The usual one is to prevent it altogether or at least to delay it as long as possible. That is, of course, the best way," The manager nodded. He knew plenty about all that. "But I am so sorry for you, because, you see, that is not possible this time." The manager had his doubts, but all he said was an inquiring(asking), "Oh?" "The other way," continued Johnson, "is to produce yourself before the trouble starts." The manager thought of adding chemicals to the fish oil to make it _ . Never give out identifying information such as Name, Home Address, School name, or Telephone Number in a public message such as at a chat room or on bulletin bards. Never send a person a picture of you without first checking with your parents or guardian. * Never respond to messages or bulletin board items that are: Suggestive / Obscene / Belligerent / Threatening / Make You Feel Uncomfortable. * Be careful when someone offers you something for nothing, such as gifts and money. Be very careful about any offers that involve your coming to a meeting or having someone visit your house. * Tell your parents or guardian right away if you come across any information that makes you feel uncomfortable. * Never arrange a face-to-face meeting without telling your parents or guardian. If your parents or guardian agree to the meeting, make sure that you meet in a public place and have a parent or guardian with you. * Remember that people online may not be who they seem. Because you can't see or even hear the person, it would be easy for someone to misrepresent him or herself. Thus, someone indicating that"she"is a"12-year-old-girl"could in reality be an older man. * Be sure that you are dealing with someone that you and your parents know and trust before giving out any personal information about yourself via E-mail. * Get to know your"online friends"just as you get to know all of your other friends. We can infer from the passage that _ .
I have been very lucky to make many trips to China. Though I have had some trouble with the language, I have never had a problem I couldn't solve. As a native English speaker ,I can go almost everywhere in the world and find someone to communicate with. I never thought that someone who speaks only Chinese would have a lot of trouble in my country. Recently, the King family that I had met in China moved to Canada. I met them at the airport. My wife and I made meals for them and showed them around where we live. Everything seemed to go smoothly for the first two days as we looked for a car for them, showed them the way to different stores and the nearest city, Victoria. Mr. and Mrs King had a two-year-old son and soon we became Nainai (grandmother) and Yeye (grandfather). We were having a good time but we didn't realize Mr. King can't speak English. Luckily, Mrs. King can speak very good English. Many people with Chinese background live near us. In fact, none of them speak Chinese. Mr. King can't even buy a mobile phone without his wife's help. He can't talk to me, of course. By the third day, he felt lonely and worried. And on the fourth day, we decided to take them to a large Chinese community. Now, we often visit them and they visit us too. Sometimes Mrs. King would still like to live near us but Mr. King cannot. I feel bad because he seems very nice and smart but I can't talk with him. It seems that neither of us will learn the other's language because of our ages, maybe we will never have a friendly conversation. But we will think of each other as friends. Who can't speak English in this passage? Answer: Heat transfer is part of everyday life. Which of these examples involving heat transfer occurs mainly by conduction? Answer: Do your kids ask a lot of questions? If they do, that's great. Because that's how children learn. Some of these questions may be easy to answer. Others may be hard. And they want to get the right answers. Do your kids ask such questions? Why is the sky blue? Why is the sunset red? Why are leaves green? Why do leaves change color in autumn? How do airplanes fly? Can you answer these questions? If not, don't worry. Though Science Made Simple can't help with all of life's important questions, it can help with those. In this fast changing world, the more your children know about science, the better. Get the help you need now, and every month you can get Science Made Simple online for only $11.95 for 10 issues . Click here: questions @sciencemadesimple. Com for more information. Remember, if you are not happy with your first issue, we will give back all your money. The passage may be a(n) _ . Answer: Not every president is a leader, but every time we elect a president we hope for one, especially in time of trouble. Leadership is as much a question of timing as anything else. The leader must appear on the scene at a moment when people are looking for leadership. And when he comes, he must offer a straightforward and powerful message. Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers who cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand and remember. We have an image of what a leader ought to be. We even recognize the physical signs: leaders may not necessarily be tall, but they must have bigger- than-life, commanding features. We expect our leaders to stand out a little, not to be like ordinary men. Half of President Ford's trouble lay in the fact that, if you closed your eyes for a moment, you couldn't remember his face, figure, or clothes. It also helps for a leader to be able to do something most of us can't. Mao swam the Yangtze River at the age of 72. We want our leaders to be like us but better, special, more so. Yet if they are too different, we reject them. A leader must know how to use power (that's what leadership is about), but he also has to have a way of showing that he does. A leader should know how to appear relaxed and confident. His walk should be firm and purposeful. He should be able to give a good, hearty, belly laugh. Ronald Reagan's career as an actor showed to good effect in the debate with his opponent. He managed to convey the impression that in fact he was the President. A leader rides the waves, moves with the tides, understands the deepest feelings of his people. He cannot make a nation that wants peace at any price go to war, or stop a nation determined to fight from doing so. His purpose must match the national mood. His task is to focus the people's energies and desires, to inspire, to make what people already want seem possible and important to achieve. The passage is mainly about _ . Answer: Which order of succession of natural communities would most likely occur in New York State? Answer:
More Americans are Googling themselves ------ and many are checking out their friends, co-workers and romantic interests, too. In a report Sunday, the Pew Internet and American Life Project said 47 percent of U.S. adult Internet users have looked for information about themselves through Google or another search engine. That is more than twice the 22 percent of users who did in 2002, but Pew senior research specialist Mary Madden was surprised the growth wasn't higher. "Yes it's doubled, but many Internet users have never done this simple act of plugging their name with search engines," she said. Americans under 50 and those with more education and income were more likely to self-Google because their jobs demand a certain online persona. Meanwhile, Pew found that 53 percent of adult Internet users admit looking up information about someone else, not including celebrities. Often, it's to find someone _ have lost touch with. But looking up information about friends, relatives, colleagues and neighbors also was common. Although men and women equally searched for online information about themselves, women were slightly more likely to look up information about someone they are dating. In many cases, the search is done to find someone's contact information. But a third of those who have conducted searches on others have looked for public records, such as bankruptcies and divorce proceedings. A similar number have searched for someone else's photo. Few Internet users say they Google themselves regularly ---- about three-quarters of self-searchers say they have done so only once or twice. And most who have done so consider what they find accurate. Pew also found that teens were more likely than adults to restrict who can see their information at an online hangout like Facebook or News Corp's MySpace. What is the best title of the passage? Answer: Googling Oneself Is Popular Valencia is in the east part of Spain . It has a port on the sea, two miles away on the coast. It is the capital of a province that is also named Valencia. The city is a market centre for what is produced by the land around the city. Most of the city's money is made from farming. It is also a busy business city, with ships, railways, clothes and machine factories. Valencia has an old part with white buildings, colored roofs, and narrow streets. The modern part has long, wide streets and new buildings. Valencia is well known for its parks and gardens. It has many old churches and museums. The University in the centre of the city was built in the 13th century. The city of Valencia has been known since the 2nd century. In the 8th century it was the capital of Spain. There is also an important city in Venezuela named Valencia. What is the main difference between the two parts of the city? Answer: The age of the buildings. Attitudes toward new technologies often fall along generational lines. That is, generally, younger people tend to outnumber older people on the front end of a technologic I shift. It is not always the case, though. When you look at attitudes toward driverless cars y there doesn't seem to be a dear generational divide. The public overall is split on whether they'd like to use a driverless car. In a study last year, of all people surveyed, 48 percent said they wanted to ride in one, while 50 percent did not. The fact that attitudes toward self-driving cars appear to be so steady across generations suggests how varying the shift to driverless cars could be. Not everyone wants a driverless car now-and no one can get one yet-but among those who are open to them, every age group is similarly involved. Actually, this isn't surprising. Whereas older generations are sometimes unwilling to adopt new technologies, driverless cars promise real value to these age groups in particular. Older adults, especially those with limited moving or difficulty driving on their own, are one of the classic use-cases for driverless cars. This is especially interesting when you consider that younger people are generally more interested in travel-related technologies than older ones. When it comes to driverless cars, differences in attitude are easily noticeable based on factors not related to age. College graduates, for example, are particularly interested in driverless cars compared with those who have less education. 59 percent of college graduates said they would like to use a driverless car compared with 38 percent of those with a high-school diploma or less. Where a person lives matters, too. More people who live in cities and suburbs said they wanted to try driverless cars than those who lived in rural areas. While there's reason to believe that interest in 8elf-driving cars is going up across the hoard, a person's age will have little to Ho with how self-driving cars can become mainstream. Once driverless cars are actually available for sale, the early adopters will be the people who can afford to buy them. What is likely to affect one's attitude toward the driverless car? Answer: The location of their living place. The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The term is most commonly used to refer to those eight schools considered as a group. The term is also connected with academic excellence, selectivity in admissions, and social elitism . The term became official, especially in sports terminology, after the formation of the NCAA Division I athletic conference in 1954, when much of the nation polarized around favorite college teams. "IV" was used because originally the league consisted only of four members. The use of the phrase is no longer limited to athletics, and now represents an educational philosophy inherent to ( ,)the nation's oldest schools. In addition, Ivy League schools are often viewed by the public as some of the most prestigious universities worldwide and are often ranked amongst the best universities in the United States and worldwide. The eight institutions are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University. All of the Ivy League's institutions place near the top in theU.S. News & World Reportcollege and university rankings and rank within the top one percent of the world's academic institutions in terms of financial endowment . Seven of the eight schools were founded during America's colonial period; the exception is Cornell, which was founded in 1865. Ivy League institutions, therefore, account for seven of the nine Colonial Colleges chartered before the American Revolution. The Ivies are all in the Northeast geographic region of the United States. All eight schools receive millions of dollars in research grants and other subsidies from federal and state government. Undergraduate enrollments among the Ivy League schools range from about 4,000 to 14,000, making them larger than those of a typical private liberal arts college and smaller than a typical public state university. Ivy League university financial endowments range from Brown's $2.01 billion to Harvard's $26 billion, the largest financial endowment of any academic institution in the world. From the passage, we know the word "Ivy" in "the Ivy League" was first chosen to refer to _ . Answer: a number 1 On Friday, January 14, 2005, my cousin, Kara Rose, came into the world. 2 She looked perfectly healthy from the outside, but on the inside, the doctors had failed to discover a serious problem. 3 She often had trouble breathing and then turned blue. 4 The doctors found that Kara had been born without part of her heart. 5 They didn't think she would live long enough to leave the hospital. 6 When she was four days old, she had her first operation. 7 My family stayed together during this hard time, hoping everything would turn out for the best. Kara's strength and determination to live were strong. Eventually, she could go home. We all waited patiently for new technology that could give Kara a new heart. When she was eighteen months old, her parents took her to a famous surgeon who performed a series of operations. There was no guarantee she would make it through the operation, but she succeeded. Kara grew stronger every day, and it was not long before she was well enough to be around people. She had an amazing character and always wore a sweet smile. When she fell asleep against my body, happy and content, I realized how valuable life really is. As I took her in my arms with her warm breath against my neck, I decided to live every day of my life to the fullest. This child, who is 15 years younger than I, has gone through more suffering and pain than I ever have. I admire her strength and determination. Kara has taught me that no matter how bad things seem, they can work out in the end. Knowing this small, beautiful child has made me a stronger person, I now believe that difficulty can be beaten. Kara often had trouble breathing because _ . Answer: she was born with an incomplete heart
Which of these is more likely to cause a fracture from swinging A foam bat B steel wire C a mace D metal spoon Answer: C. a mace The Internet can show you lots of jobs all over the world. If you want to find a job on the Internet, use the words "job search" or "employment " to find the websites you need. You only need to type in what you want and where you want to work. In a few seconds, a list of jobs will appear on the screen. You can also type in the name of a company to learn about jobs there. Many websites list full-time and summer jobs. Job search websites can help you in other ways, too. They show you how to write a good resume and how to get ready for an interview . They also tell you what to say to an interviewer on the telephone. Some websites give you interview conversations to practice. One website even has a dictionary of interview words. A good employment website can be a big help in your job search. Good luck with your job-hunting. What's the main idea of the passage? A The Internet lists a large number of companies. B You can find many websites on the Internet. C It's about how you can use the Internet to find a job. D There are many different ways for you to look for jobs. Answer: C. It's about how you can use the Internet to find a job. Birmingham----The wedding took place in aprefix = st1 /Birminghamhotel. The bride and her father arrived in a new black American sports car. Her father looked nervous and uncomfortable in front of the cameras. The bride wore a silk wedding dress. She smiled nervously at the waiting photographers and went to a room on the first floor where she met her future husband for the very first time. Carla Germaine and Greg Cordell were the winners of a radio station's competition. The aim of the competition was to find two strangers prepared to marry without having met each other. Miss Germaine,23, is a model. Mr. Cordell, 27, is a TV salesman. They were among the two hundred people who entered for a peculiar "experiment" organized by BMRB radio in Birmingham,England. Greg and Carla were among eight finalists who were interviewed live on radio. They took a lie detector test and the station also spoke to their friends and family about their personalities. The competition judges included an astrologer who declared that they were suited. The couple celebrated their wedding with a wedding breakfast and a party for 100 guests in the evening, but not everyone shared their joy. Miss Germaine's mother looked anxious throughout the wedding and Mr. Cordell's parents are reported to be less than delighted. Organizations, including the marriage guidance service Relate, have criticized the marriage. As one person put it, "We have enough problems getting young people to take marriage seriously without this. Marriage should always be about love." The couple are now on a Caribbean honeymoon followed by journalists. Their other prizes include a year's free use of a wonderful apartment in the centre ofBirmingham, and a car. But will it last? Some experts believe that _ . A marriage without the couple's meeting each other first ends up in divorce B young people nowadays are too careless about marriage C taking a lie detector test can not solve all the marriage problems D most young people take marriage seriously except this couple Answer: B. young people nowadays are too careless about marriage Have you ever heard of blogs ? If you haven't, you should have. It's here, it's growing and it's having an influence on our life. Surf the Internet and you'll find blogs everywhere. A blog, shortened from "weblog", is a public Internet journal written by one person or a group of people. It is a website in which a person or a group can place news, personal thoughts, text, photos, video or audio files, or links upon which visitors can comment. A blog lets you post on the Internet without having to know web design or be technical. You are given an environment to make dated entries on the topic of your choice which are "published", so other people can read them. Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called "blogging". Blogging has revolutionized Internet publishing in the last several years because it gives everyone with Internet access the opportunity to become an online writer. Objects, such as "text and photos" in a blog can be called "blog posts", "posts", or "entries". The person who posts these entries is called a "blogger". Now, somewhere around the world, a blog is created almost every 6 seconds. Because it's great potential, Bill Gates views it as important as e-mail, BBS, and MSN. He's trying to make blogs the important tools for future business communications. Who is a blogger? A A person who posts letters. B A person who writes articles. C A person who posts text or photos in a blog. D A person who is an online publisher. Answer: C. A person who posts text or photos in a blog. There are more than 3000 languages in the world today, but only about ten are major languages of the world. Among them English is the most popular. More than 350 million people speak English as their first language. Major English-speaking countries are Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. Another 400 million speak it as a second language. No one knows how many people speak English as a foreign language. They usually learn English as a school subject instead of learning it from their parents. Chinese is the only language with more speakers than English. This is because of the large population of China. English is the language for a better understanding between peoples of the world. It is also the language for business and science. Nearly half of the business deals in Europe are done in English, and more than half of the science magazines are in English. English is widely used in the world's computer network. And children should begin with English when they learn how to use computers. Through the English language peoples of different countries are able to work together and make things even better. If you know English, you'll be able to _ . A do everything better than before B understand what people from different countries say C read nearly all the science magazines in the world D read many science magazines in the world Answer: D. read many science magazines in the world
Babies are not just passing idle time when they stare at the television--they are actually learning about the world, U. S. researchers said. Parents may want to limit what their babies see on television, based on the study, said Donna Mumme, assistant professor of psychology at Tuffs University in Boston, who led the research. "Children as young as 12 months are making decisions based on the emotional reactions of adults around them," Mumme said in a statement. "It turns out they can also use emotional information they pick up from television." Mumme's team already knew that babies watch other children and adults for information about the world. A mother urging her baby to eat some "yummy" soup or a brother crying in fear when a dog approaches can influence a baby's reaction. Mumme's team tested babies to determine if television has the same influence, showing actors reacting on a videotape to objects such as red letter holder, a blue ball, and a yellow lubber. Babies aged 10 months or 12 months were later given the same objects to play with. Ten-month-olds did not seem to be influenced by the videos, but the 1-year-olds were. When the actors acted naturally or positively to an object, the babies happily played with them. But if the actor had seemed afraid or disgusted, the babies would avoid the object. Which of the following is TRUE according to the researchers? Parents may want to limit what their babies see on television. Each nation has many good people who help to take care of others. For example, some high school and college students in the United States often spend many hours as volunteers in hospitals, orphanages or homes for the old. They read books to the people in these places, or they just visit them and play games with them or listen to their problems. Other volunteers go and work in the homes of people who are sick or old. They paint, clean up, or repair their houses, do their shopping or mow their lawns . For boys who no longer have fathers there is an organization called Big Brothers. College students and other men take these boys to baseball games or on fishing trips and help them to get to know things that boys usually learn from their fathers. Each city has a number of clubs where boys and girls can go to play games or learn crafts . Some of these clubs show movies or organize short trips to the mountains, beaches, museums or other places of interest. Most of these clubs use a lot of high school and college students as volunteers because they are young enough to remember the problems of younger boys and girls. Volunteers believe that some of the happiest people in the world are those who help to bring happiness to others. , How do volunteers usually help those who are sick or old? They mow their lawns, do their shopping and clean up their house. Amy returned to her small apartment at midnight, tired. Her worst fears raced through her mind. Would the court tell her she couldn't care for her family anymore? Would the kids go through the sadness once more of being split up and sent away? She was so young, almost a child herself, and yet Amy knew everything depended on her. At that moment, she wondered if she would ever find the strength to see it through. From earliest childhood, Amy took care of her younger brothers. Jan, their mother, only added to the family disorder and confusion because of her drug addict. Sometimes they lived in apartments, sometimes in shelters. One afternoon Amy was called to the high school, where a social worker was waiting for her. "We're going to have to put you guys in foster care." the social worker said. "No! Don't spilt us up!" the girl cried out. "Can't you just leave it the way it is?" The social worker shook his head. Amy's voice then rose like the howl of a lion protecting her babies: "Why can't I take them? I take care of them all the time anyway." The social worker hesitated, and then said, "Maybe. Once you're 18, you could apply to become their relative caretaker. Then you'd be their foster mother until we find a home where all of you can be together." "I'll do it," Amy said. One month later, Amy was named _ of her brothers for a six-month trial period. It was a remarkable victory for an 18-year-old girl. Her brothers didn't make her task any easier in the months ahead. However,Amy's efforts were rewarded when the court allowed her to continue as guardian. Amy's relief at remaining the kids' guardian was at risk of being taken away by the pressure she always felt to measure up. Social workers still looked regularly over her shoulder and asked the boys shameful questions: "Does she feed you? Does she ever try to harm you?" Then one day a visiting social worker came over. "We'd like to get the boys adopted into homes," she said. Sensing that the family was about to be split apart yet again, Amy replied, "Fine, then. Call it adoption if you want, but they're not going anywhere." To her surprise, the social worker took her remark seriously. She explained that if Amy were to adopt the boys, they would become like any other family. That night at dinner Amy told the boys about the idea. "Cool!" Joey said. He threw a piece of corn at Adam. His brother flicked it back, and pretty soon corn was flying. Amy rolled her eyes. _ As the proceedings ended, Amy thanked everyone. "No," the judge responded, "Thank you. You saved three kids. Not many family members would do what you're doing, especially for this many children. I'm very proud of you." On a lazy spring day, in a modest suburban neighborhood, Amy stood in front of a neatly kept one-story house. She watched her brothers playing basketball, and heard the playful bark of their dog, Tahoe. The young lady had made good on her promise: they had rented a home, a real home, and the boys had gotten their dog. Amy continues to raise her family alone, but has begun taking courses in business management at a nearby community college. Eventually, she hopes to become a child psychologist. By saying "They didn't have far to go to be like any other family", the writer means _ . Amy and her brothers would be already just like a family Many private institutions of higher education around the country are in danger. Not all will be saved, and perhaps not all deserve to be saved. There are low-quality schools just as there are low-quality businesses. We have no duty to save them simply because they exist. But many promising institutions that deserve to continue are threatened. They are doing a fine job educationally, but they are caught in a financial squeeze, with no way to reduce rising cost or increase income significantly. Raising tuition doesn't bring in more income, for each time tuition goes up, the enrollment goes down, or the amount that must be given away in student aid goes up. Schools are bad businesses, whether public or private, not usually because of mismanagement but because of the nature of the enterprise. They lose money on every customer, and they can go bankrupt either from too few students or too many students. Even a very good college is a very bad business. It is such colleges, promising but threatened, that I worry about. Low enrollment is not their chief problem. Even with full enrollment, they may _ . Efforts to save them, and preferably to keep them private, are a national necessity. There is no basis for arguing that private schools are inherently better than public schools. There are many examples to the contrary. Anyone can name state universities and colleges that rank as the finest in the nation and the world. It is now inevitable that public institutions will be dominant, and therefore diversity is a national necessity. Diversity in the way we support schools tends to give us a healthy diversity in the forms of education. In an imperfect society such as ours, uniformity of education throughout the nation could be dangerous, In an imperfect society, diversity is a positive good. Supporters of public higher education know the importance of sustaining private higher education. We can reasonably conclude from this passage that the author made an appeal to the public in order to support _ private schools We use passwords to keep our personal information secret and safe, but some passwords we use may not be as reliable as we think. Splash Data, a computer security company, recently released a list of the 25 worst passwords of 2011.This list is based on the research of _ files containing stolen passwords. According to the list, "password" is the worst and most common password. Many others on the list are numbers in order either forward (for example,1234) or backward. Letters on the keyboard in order, such as "qwerty" are also common, as well as some first names and animals. "Hackers can easily break into many accounts just by trying common passwords again and again, " said Morgan Slain, CEO of Splash Data. How can you make a strong password? It should be eight characters or more, with a mix of letters, numbers and symbols. One way to create a long and easy-to-remember password is to separate short words with spaces or numbers. Having safe passwords is necessary for surfing the Internet safely. But it's not the only thing you must do to keep safety online. Here are some other web safety tips: Never give out information that will allow someone to find you offline. That includes your full name, address and phone number. Don't include your real name as part of your online screen name. *Never meet people you met on the Internet in person. If you insist on breaking this rule, meet in a very public place and consider taking an adult with you. Top 10 worst passwords: 1.password 2. 123456 3. 12345678 4. qwerty 5. abc123 6. monkey 7. 1234567 8. letmein 9.trustno1 10. dragon You can't put your _ on the Internet. A,B and C
The vast jungles of the Amazon rainforest are home to tribes mostly isolated from the outside world, whose way of life, largely unchanged for hundreds of years, is now increasingly threatened by modern civilization. Now, scientists discover they can monitor these "uncontacted tribes" using satellites, which would allow inexpensive and safe tracking of these tribes in order to protect them from outside threats. In order to help preserve these uncontacted Indians, researchers need accurate estimates of their populations. One way to collect this data involves flying over their villages, but such over-flights are both expensive and could fill these native peoples with fear. Another strategy involves meeting individuals on the ground, but among other risks, scientists could accidentally spread disease to members of the tribes. Instead, scientists investigated whether satellite images could monitor uncontacted tribes. The result was inspiring. They confirmed their locations and measured the sizes of their village, houses and gardens. "We can find isolated villages with remote sensing and study them over time." Walker told Live Science. "We can ask: Are they growing? Do they move?" Surprisingly, based on the sizes of the houses and villages, the scientists find the population densities of these isolated villages are about 10 times greater, on average, than other villages of native Brazilian peoples. This may be due to the fact that they have to live closer together because they are not as good at clearing the forest, since they lack modern devices like chainsaws and tractors, the researchers said. The tribes may also be afraid of spreading out due to fear of being attacked by outsiders, Walker said. The researchers now plan to focus on 29 more isolated villages to "look at their ecology-- that is, distance from rivers and roads--and use this to model where else we can find more isolated villages," Walker said. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage? To aid in keeping your outdoor animals warm in the winter One of the most successful singers of the twentieth century , Ella Fitzgerald, has made several different styles of her own. She was born in Virginia but was brought up in Yonkers, New York. Chick Webb noticed her in a competition when she was sixteen. He asked her to sing with his band , and when he died in 1939, she took over. Unlike Besie Smith, Ella Fitzgerald taught herself the sentimental music so popular in the 1930's--songs like "My Heart Belongs to Daddy"--- and her recordings became best sellers. During the 1940's she developed her own "scat singing", for songs like "Flying Home" and "Lady Be good". Ella Fitzgerald was the perfect musical partner for her friend, the trumpets Louis Armstrong, matching him in warmth and artistry. " I just like music," she has said."To me, it's a story. There is only one thing better than singing... it's singing." What does the passage imply about Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstorng? One evening after dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Tisich called a family meeting. --We've had to make a difficult decision, Mr. Tisich announced. --You see, your mother has been offered a post as co-director of a television station in Chicago. Unfortunately, the station is not here. After thinking long and hard about it, we've concluded that the right decision is to move to Chicago. Marc looked shocked, while his sister Rachel breathlessly started asking when they'd be moving. --It's surprising, but exciting! she said. Marc simply said, --We can't go--I can't leave all my friends. I'd rather stay here and live with Tommy Lyons! The Tisichs hoped that by the time they moved in August, Marc would grow more used to the idea of leaving. However, he showed no signs of accepting the news, refusing to pack his belongings. When the morning of the move arrived, Marc was nowhere to be found. His parents called Tommy Lyon's house, but Mrs. Lyons said she hadn't seen Marc. Mrs. Tisich became increasingly concerned, while her husband felt angry with their son for behaving so irresponsibly. What they didn't know was that Marc had started walking over to Tommy's house, with a faint idea of hiding in Lyons's attic for a few days. But something happened on the way as Marc walked past all the familiar landscape of the neighborhood: the fence that he and his mother painted, the tree that he and his sister used to climb, and the park where he and his father often took evening walks together. How much would these mean without his family? Who make them special in the first place? Marc didn't take the time to answer that question but instead hurried back to his house, wondering if there were any moving cartons the right size to hold his record collection. The conflict in this story was caused by _ . Crickets live in forests in
My trip with my sister and my daughter to Manhattan wedding gown(,) shop, cannot be understood without further focusing on Marina, my 14-year-old daughter Ive asked to try on dresses. This was the girl I took to Kleinfeld, the fancy store featured on the television program Say Yes to the Dress. As the trip approached, I asked Marina if she was excited. Sure, Mom. shed say, shrugging. Marina was more excited about getting a tattoo on her ankle to represent my fight with ALS than trying on $ 10,000 wedding gowns. My sister, Stephanie, had arranged for a car with a wheelchair lift to drive us from the hotel to Kleinfeld. The car driver wheeled me in. At Kleinfeld with flower arrangements ten feet high, I felt like rolling into a dream. "Wow!" I said. I was wearing a new black outfit. Marina wore jean shorts, a sleeveless shirt, and sneakers. _ . The kind Kleinfeld ladies pointed out rooms like tour guides, naming the designers one by one on display: Alita Grham, Pnina Tornai... With Marina walking beside me, Stephanie pushed my chair up and down rows and rows of dresses that made Princess Diana's dress look modest. Marina didn't say a word. We turned a corner into the storage room, where hundreds of dresses hung in plastic protector sleeves. Marina and I were overwhelmed. "Want to try one on ?" I said, touching Marina's hand. "OK," Marina said in her sharp, unsure voice. "Tell them the style you'd like." Marina stood silent. I felt bad for bringing her, for forcing such an adult experience on a child. Marina picked an A-line dress. Or, more precisely, the ladies of Kleinfeld picked it for her. Marina was too shocked to do more than nod. As she took the gown into the dressing room, I tried not to think of my little girl on her wedding day or of her as a baby in my arms. I tried not to think of her with her own baby in her arms one day. I tried not to think of Marina right now, embarrassed by her mother's plans, by things she could not and should not yet understand. I am leaving money in my will for Marina's wedding dress. Stephanie has promised to bring her back to Kleinfeld to purchase it. "No pure white!" I said to Stephanie. "Ivory. Not too much tulle . Think lace." "Think royalty when picking a dress," I advised Steph as we waited outside the dressing room. "Think Princes Kate. Elegant. Think long sleeves. They make dresses more formal." Marina came out, sleeveless, flared . She looked like a 14-year-old girl in the middle of a giant cupcake. "I don't like the loose gown." she said. That's my girl! "How about trying on one with long sleeves?" I asked her. The ladies brought out a dress with long lace sleeves, an Empire collar, a ruched fitted waist, and a long, smooth silk skirt. Marina disappeared into the dressing room. When the door opened, she looked a foot taller and a decade older. I could clearly see the beautiful woman she will be one day. I simply stared. What do you do when you glimpse a moment you will not live to see? I dipped my head. Breathe, I told myself. I looked up. I smiled. Marina smiled back. I worked my tongue into position to speak. "I like it," I said. In that dress, Marina stood straight, shining brightly, and tall. "You are beautiful," I whispered, my tongue barely cooperating. I don't know if she heard me. We took some photos. And moved on. A memory made. What would be the best title for the passage? A. Mother's Final Wish B. A Particular Wedding Dress Shop C. An Embarrassing Plan D. Daughter's Wedding Answer: A Visiting Jiaixng Zoo Come and see big elephants from Yunnan and tigers from the northeast. The Africa giraffe are waiting for you. Clever monkeys are going to make you laugh. A lot of other animals you have never seen are waiting to meet you. Tickets: Grown-ups : Y=5.00 Children: Y=2.00 Under six: Free Opening time: From Monday to Friday: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 am - 5:30 pm Keep the zoo clean. Do not give food to or go near the animals. Which animal is funny? A. An elephant B. A tiger C. A giraffe D. A monkey Answer: D Eleven-year-olds are to learn Shakespeare using the approaches taken by actors, and English teachers will be encouraged to let pupils walk around the classroom rather than read the plays while pupils are sitting at their desks. Within the English curriculum you tend to look at a play text as a piece of literature rather than performance. But you can't possibly understand Shakespeare's language if you're just reading it in your head. Shakespeare is difficult; it's not a 21stcentury text. You have to use different ways to understand it. The new teaching way focuses on how actors come to understand Shakespeare's language. In fact actors have the same nervousness about Shakespeare's language as young people in schools do. But in six to eight weeks they get to a place of complete confidence about the play. Pupils can do as well. Exercises devised are to let children aged 11 to 14 imitate the methods of professional actors. Written and oral assessments developed alongside the lessons will show how well students have understood the texts. In one task pupils will work on creating four key physical figures of king, warrior , lover and joker, finding which lines of their chosen character go with those features first and then acting them out. Through this they can examine how a character such as Macbeth can switch dramatically within one scene from soldier to kingly figure to trick planner. It's really creative but you're still getting a really wonderful model of understanding. _ Educators think Shakespeare should be a central part of every young person's education. Developing a love of Shakespeare at a young age often leads to a lifelong passion for literature and helps to improve a child's reading and writing. How will young people learn Shakespeare? A. Reading them aloud. B. Reciting them. C. Cooperating with actors. D. Acting them out. Answer: D Researchers in the field of psychology have found that one of the best ways to make an important decision, such as choosing a university to attend or a business to invest in, involves the use of a decision worksheet. Psychologists who study optimization compare the actual decision made by people to theoretical ideal decisions to see how similar they are. Proponents of the worksheet procedure believe that it will yield optimal, that is, the best decisions. Although there are several variations on the exact format that worksheets can take, they are all similar in their essential aspects. Worksheets require defining the problem in a clear and concise way and then listing all possible solutions to the problem. Next, the relevant considerations that will be affected by each decision are listed, and the importance of each consideration or consequence is determined. Each consideration is assigned a numerical value to reflect its importance. A decision is mathematically calculated by adding these values together. The alternative with the highest number of points emerges as the best decision. Since most important problems are multifaceted ,there are several alternatives to choose from, each with unique advantages and disadvantages. One of the benefits of a pencil and paper decision-making procedure is that it permits people to deal with more variables than their minds can generally comprehend and remember. On the average, people can keep about seven ideas in their minds at once. A worksheet can be especially useful when the decision involves a large number of variables with complex relationships. A realistic example for many college students is the question "What will I do after graduation?" A graduate might seek a position that offers specialized training, pursue an advanced degree, or travel abroad for a year. A decision-making worksheet begins with a concise statement of the problem that will also help to narrow it. It is important to be clear about the distinction between long-range and immediate goals because long-range goals often involve a different decision than short-range ones. Focusing on long-range goals, a graduating student might revise the question above to "What will I do after graduation that lead to successful career?" According to decision-making worksheet theory, an optimal decision is defined as one that _ . A. has the fewest variables to consider B. uses the most decision worksheets C. has the most points assigned to it D. is agreed to by the greatest number of people Answer: C For some time past,it has been widely accepted that babies--and other creatures--learn to do things because certain acts lead to "rewards ",and there is no reason to doubt that this is true. But it used also to be widely believed that effective rewards, at least in the early time, had to be directly connected to such basic physiological "drives" as thirst or hunger. In other words, a baby would learn if he got food or drink or some sort of physical comfort, not otherwise. It is now clear that this is not so. Babies will learn to behave in ways that produce results in the world with no reward except success in sight. Papousek began his studies by using milk in the normal way to "reward" the babies and to teach them to carry out some simple movements, such as turning the head to one side or the other.Then he noticed that a baby who had had enough to drink would refuse the milk but would still go on making the learned response with clear signs of pleasure. So he began to study the children's responses in situations where no milk was provided. He quickly found that children as young as four months would learn to turn their heads to right or left if the movement "turned on" some lights--and indeed that they were able to learn some more turns to bring about this result,for example,two left or two right,or even to make as many as three turns to one side. Papousek's light experiment was placed directly in front of the babies and he made the interesting observation that sometimes they would not turn back to watch the light closely although they would "smile and speak" when the light was on.Papousek concluded that it was not the sight of the lights which pleased them.It was the success they were achieving in solving the problem,in mastering the skill,and then there is a basic human nature to make sense of the world and bring it under control. In Papousek's experiment babies make learned movements of the head in order to _ . A. be praised B. please their parents C. be rewarded with milk D. have the lights turned on Answer: D
Question: Who says constant texting is just a bad habit? The teenager with the fastest thumbs in the country was crowned on Wednesday at the LG US National Texting Championship in New York City, winning $50,000 after a series of fierce texting battles. 16-year-old Austin Wiershke comes from Rhinelander, Wisconsin of the United States. He took home the top prize at the fifth annual texting event, beating 11 other competitors in the final, including last year's champion Brianna Hendrickson from Brooklyn, New York. Wiershke, who was wearing a gray shirt and having Justin Bieber's hairstyle, sailed through each level of the competition by typing passages of text on a QWERTY keyboard rapidly without any mistaken. One special round even included being blindfolded on the state to make up phrases by memory. "I'm extremely nervous," Wiershke said while waiting for the results after the final round. "I'm getting ready to hear Brianna's name. When I heard my name was announced, I really couldn't believe my ears." After the announcement was made, confetti dropped from the ceiling and Wiershke was met on the stage by the singer who said that she liked texting very much. She was Ashley Tisdale, a famous and beautiful singer, who awarded him his check. In August, a film on Music Television called "Thumbs" took a behind-the -scenes look at the teenager's life. It shows how he practiced texting to be the fastest. The film followed a series of young texting competitors, including Brianna Hendrickson, in the weeks leading up to this year's LG US National Texting Championship. Besides showing the always -connected lifestyle of these teenagers nationwide, the mover also shows the studies, sports , dreams and friendships among these competitors. Through the film called "Thumb", people can know _ . A. the development of the LG US National Texting Championship B. various parts of the competitors' life C. what happened to the competitors after the contest D. the details of the texting contest Answer: B Question: In Wiltshire, England, volunteers are being sought to visit a nature protection area to count the butterflies living there and on surrounding fields. The project is promoted by an environmental protection organisation,which has contributed to improving the living environment for wild animals. Recently, the organisation has issued an appeal to help it observe environmental changes based on the record of butterflies and protect the environment. In the area, the local people have planted many special flowers with the help of the organisation, aiming to see whether these flowers will interest the rare and beautiful butterflies. The Project officer Sarah Marshall says, "It will be a suitable habitat for butterflies. They are great 'indicator species' as they are easily affected by climate changes so they make a brillian early - warning system for the environment." She also points out that volunteers are needed to recourd the number or species of butterflies,and based on the change happening to the butterflies, the hidden environmental problems in the area can be found out in time. The organisation is seeking volunteers to help monitor butterflies from April through to September. They will walk a fixed route and record the different butterflies they encounter along the way.Each visit should take no more than two hours, and each volunteer is expected to visit once a month to count the wildlife. "Staff will provide back up, so if the weather is poor on the day you are to visit(butterflies don't like to fly in the rain, wind or if it's too cloudy) we can have someone else do your job," Sarah points out. No previous experience is necessary as training and support will be provided,but a keen interest is essential. If you are interested, P1ease contact Sarah on (0l380) 725670,ext 278, email Many special flowers have been planted in Wiltshire to _ . A. warn people of wildlife extinction B. appeal more tourists to be involved in C. attract many unusual and beautiful butterflies D. improve the economic conditions of local people Answer: C Question: We live on the Earth. It's our home. But how much do you know about it? The Earth is like a huge ball. Like the other seven planets, the Earth is running around the Sun. It's the third nearest planet to the Sun. It takes the Earth about 365 days to run around the Sun. At the same time, the Earth is going around itself. If you are in space, you can see lots of white clouds over the surface of the Earth. Through the clouds, you can see the blue color of the oceans and the brown color of the land. About 70% of the Earth is covered with water. Why do we have day and night? When the half of the Earth is facing the Sun, it's daytime. As the Earth turns and this half is away from the Sun, night is coming. And it's daytime for the other half. In which part of a newspaper can we read this passage? A. History. B. Science. C. Stories. D. People. Answer: B Question: My bike was a three-speed English "racer", purchased during my second year in college in November 1964 for $44. Most of the money was earned by myself in my spare time, but I had to get my mother to help me out a little. At that time, bikes were rare on a college campus. My reason for getting a bicycle was a little strange. A friend of mine convinced me to take a summer job selling door-to-door and suggested that I should use a bicycle to travel between houses. The job didn't work out, but was in my brain. That fall, I borrowed another student's bike and rode 45 miles on the first day, but his bike soon had a flat which he didn't like fixing. So I had to buy one. I immediately started using mine almost every day. Before getting the bike, I sometimes walked 28 miles to my parents' house. Now the bike gave me a quicker method, but my first trip took four hours due to strong headwinds that had me fight for every foot. Once I made a trip of 100 miles in one day. I decided to use the bike to go camping in the Smokies. During the trip, I recognized the need for handlebars and more gears, so I bought a ten-speed after just one year though I loved this bike. The first bike "hung around" for a couple of years, and then I gave it to my sister's kids who let it become part of their lives. We can infer that besides studying at college the writer _ . A. often helped his friend do business B. also worked in a factory C. had part-time jobs in his spare time D. had to make money to pay for his tuition Answer: C Question: When ice melts, it becomes a A. gas. B. solid. C. liquid. D. plasma. Answer: C
Reading poems is not exactly an everyday activity for most people. In fact, many people never read a poem once they get out of high school. It is worth reminding ourselves that this has not always been the case in prefix = st1 /America. In the nine-tenth century, a usual American activity was to sit around the fireside in the evening and read poems aloud. It is true that there was no television at the time, nor movie theaters, nor World Wide Web, to provide _ However, poems were a source of pleasure, of self - education, of connection to other people or to the world beyond one ' s own community. Reading them was a social act as well as an individual one, and perhaps even more social than individual. Writing poems to share with friends and relations was, like reading poems by the fireside, another way in which poetry has a place in everyday life. How did things change? Why are most Americans no longer comfortable with poetry , and why do most people today think that a poem has nothing to tell them and that they can do well without poems? There are, I believe, three factors: poets, teachers, and we ourselves. Of these, the least important is the third: the world surrounding the poem has betrayed us more than we have betrayed the poem. Early in the twentieth century, poetry in English headed into directions unfavor-able to reading of poetry. Readers decided that poems were not for the fireside or the easy chair at night, and that they belonged where other difficult-to-read things belonged. Poets failed the reader, so did teachers. They want their students to know something about the skills of a poem, they want their students to see that poems mean something. Yet what usually occurs when teachers push these concerns on their high school students is that young people decide poems are unpleasant crossword puzzles. Reading poems is thought to be a social act in the nineteenth century because _ . Answer: it built a like among people There are various advantages of using a pen name. In case the author writes on various topics or in different genres , using a pen name would be very useful. For example, let's say an author is an expert in writing on serious topics, like business or finance, and also likes writing fiction stories, like romance. In such an author's case, a pen name could save him from losing his readers as well as reputation. Will you be okay with any pen name? No, you should make sure that it is easy to spell and pronounce. If you come up with a name that is difficult to pronounce, maybe your readers will not want to recommend your book to someone. They may not ask for your book at a library. Why? Because it could be pronounced wrongly and may sound foolish in front of others. This is the reason why your pen name should be easy to pronounce. Not only should your pen name be easy to spell and pronounce, but it should also be professional. The idea is to get a name that should be memorable, not mock-able. If you are trying to pen your pen name in a way that is too similar to an existing author's pen name, you are doing yourself no good. One small trick that could at least guarantee 'a look at your book' in the library is by using the correct initials. If you find that a particular best-selling author in your genre of writing has his name starting with 'B', maybe you could think of starting your pen name with 'A'. People are going to search the library shelves from left to right to locate that famous author, and in the process, may come across your book. Your pen name has to be distinguished because it is going to last all your life. What is the passage mainly about? Answer: Things to consider while choosing a pen name. If you are hungry, what will you do? Grab a piece of your favorite meal and stay quiet after that? Just like stomach, even your mind will be hungry. But it never lets you know, because you keep it busy thinking about your dream lover, favorite star and many such absurd things. So it silently begins to hide your needs and never lets itself grow. When mind loses its freedom to grow, creativity gets its full stop. This might be the reason why we all sometimes think "What happens next?", "Why can't I think?", "Why am I always given the difficult problems?" Well, this is the after-effect of using our brain for thinking of not-so-worthy things. Hunger of the mind can be actually satisfied through extensive reading. But why is it reading but not watching TV? Because reading has been the most educational tool used by us right from the childhood. Just like that to develop other aspects of our life, we have to turn to reading for help. You have a number of books in the world which will answer all your "how-to" questions. Once you read a book, you just don't run your eyes through the lines, but your mind decodes it and explains it to you. The interesting part of the book is stored in your mind as a seed. Now this seed is unknowingly used by you in your future to develop new ideas. The same seed, if used many times, can help you link and relate a lot of things, which you would never thought of in your wildest dreams! This is nothing but creativity. The more books you read, the wider your mind will become. Also this improves your oratorical (speech-making) skills to a large extent and also makes a significant contribution to your vocabulary. When you start speaking English or any other language fluently with your friends or other people, you never seem to run out of the right words at the right time. Actually, I had a problem in speaking English fluently, but as I read, I could improve significantly. So guys, do join me and give food for your thoughts by reading, reading and more reading. Now what are you waiting for? Go, grab a book and let me know! What's the best title of the passage? Answer: Feed your Mind by reading Spring is coming, and it is time for those about to graduate to look for jobs. Competition is tough, so job seekers must carefully consider their personal choices. Whatever we are wearing,our family and friends may accept us, but the workplace may not. A high school newspaper editor said it is unfair for companies to discourage visible tattoos nose rings, or certain dress styles. It is true you can't judge a book by its cover, yet people do "cover" themselves in order to convey certain messages. What we wear, including tattoos and nose rings, is an expression of who we are. Just as people convey messages about themselves with their appearances, so do companies. Dress standards exist in the business world for a number of reasons, but the main concern is often about what customers accept. Others may say how to dress is a matter of personal freedom, but for businesses it is more about whether to make or lose money. Most employers do care about the personal appearances of their employees ,because those people represent the companies to their customers. As a hiring manager I am paid to choose the people who would make the best impression on our customers. There are plenty of well-qualified candidates, so it is not wrong to reject someone who might disappoint my customers. Even though I am open-minded, I can't expect all our customers are. There is nobody to blame but yourself if your set of choices does not match that of your preferred employer. No company should have to change to satisfy a candidate simply because he or she is unwilling to respect its standards, as long as its standards are legal. What can be inferred from the text? Answer: What to wear is not a matter of personal choice for companies. Most summer camps for teens center around sports, or music and arts, or just for having fun. But some girls in the Washington suburb of Arlington County, Virginia, went to camp to get a taste of what its like to be a firefighter. This is not a typical summer camp. But Michelle Pawlaw is glad she signed up for it."Getting to experience the fires hands-on is really cool and something that most people don't get to do," she said. Michelle and eight other teenage girls are participating in the three-day camp offered by the Arlington County Fire Department located just outside of Washington. "The purpose is to try to get young women interested in considering the fire service as a career" said firefighter Clare Burley, who is in charge of the program. The free of charge, overnight camp is designed to let the girls experience what firefighters do in the line of duty to protect the community. They take classes and learn how to climb the ladder on a fire truck, operate emergency tools and rescue on injured person. They also do their share of cleaning the firehouse and the equipment Firefighting is still a male-dominated service. Clare joined the department seven years ago, saying "We do everything that the guys do to the same standarD.We are tested to the same standarD.We are expected to operate at the same standard." Most of the girls say they had never thought about becoming a firefighter, but the camp was a great learning experience. "I think it is definitely not a job that only men can do. Women can do it just as well as men can," said Michelle Pawlaw. 'I think I can help other people if they need help and know what to do in case I am at a fire myself," said Kayla Ehrlich. "I think it's fantastic; I could consider taking it as a career some day." said Monica Bartorsh. And, the girls say, by spending three days together, they also made new friends and had a lot of fun. _ might become a firefighter in the future. Answer: Monica
A raccoon be most likely to live near which of the following? Answer: a human garbage dump Dear Tom, I go on a trip to Beijing with my father Rick. On the first day, we visit the Palace Museum. It is in the centre of Beijing. There are many rooms in it. You can see "No photos!" in some places. If so, you need to follow the instructions . On the second day, we visit the Summer Palace. It's great fun to boat there. I can swim, so I'm not afraid of water. Tomorrow we will go to the Great Wall. I also make a new friend Tony who comes from Australia. When he leaves, he gives me his e-mail address and telephone number. After the six-day trip, we can go back to New York by plane. I hope to see you soon. Bill This is a letter for _ . Answer: Tom When certain things are shoved together enough, the earth will tremble and shake because of these Answer: dirt collisions Basketball is still a young game. It's over a hundred years old . In the winter of 1891, a certain college was having some trouble with its boy students. The weather was bad and the students had to stay indoors . As they couldn't play outdoors , they were unhappy ,and some even got into fights from time to time . Some of the teachers at the college asked Dr Naismith to invent a game so that the students might have something to play with. It was ont easy to invent such a game, because it had to played indoors , and the court was not very large. Dr.Naismith thought for a few days and invented a kind of ball game .It is a wonderful game with much moving and passing of the ball .It was played between two teams .To make a score, the ball had to be thrown into the basket ten feet above the floor on the wall. At each end of the court there was such a basket .At first, Dr.Naismith wanted to throw the ball into a box, As he could not find boxes of the right size, he had to use fruit baskets instead. That is how the game got its name . Which sentence is right ? Answer: The ball had to be thrown into the basket ten feet above the floor . Sometimes you may have a strong desire to do something strange or terrible. However, chances are that you don't act on your impulse , but let it pass instead. You know that to take the action is wrong in some way and that other people will not accept your behavior. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the phenomenon of _ behavior is how it can change over the years, how certain behavior and attitudes once considered taboo can become perfectly acceptable and natural at another point in time. Topics such as death, for example, were once considered so upsetting that it was a taboo to even talk about them. Now with the publication of important books such asOn Death and DyingandLearning to Say Goodbye, people have become more aware of the importance of expressing feelings about death and, as a result, are more willing to talk about this taboo subject. One of the newest taboos is the topic of fat. Unlike many other taboos, fat is a topic that people talk about constantly. It's not taboo to talk about fat; it's taboo to be fat. The _ is thin, not fat. In the work world, most companies prefer youthful-looking, slim manager to sell their image as well as their products to the public. The thin look is associated with youth, vigor, and success. The fat person, on the other hand, is thought of as lazy and lacking in energy, self-discipline and self-respect. After all, how can people permit themselves to become fat? In an image-conscious society, thin is ''in", fat is "out". It' s not surprising that millions of people have become obsessed with staying slim and "in shape". The pursuit of a youthful physical appearance is not, however, the only reason for people's obsession with diet and exercise. Recent research has shown the importance of diet and exercise for personal health. As in most technologically developed nations, the life-style of people has changed since last century. Modern machines do all the physical labor. Cars and buses transport us quickly from point to point. As a result of inactivity and disuse, people's bodies can easily become weak. In an effort to avoid such a fate , millions of people are spending more of their time exercising. Parks are filled with joggers and bicyclists, and many companies are providing special exercise equipment for their employees to use during the work day. According to the passage, the common belief is that _ . Answer: thin people are more successful
If a thing creates sugars in a natural system, then it is likely a Answer: daffodil Help wanted Can you spend two hours a week doing some gardening? We are in need of help from 2 pm to 4 pm every Saturday. If you word like to help out, please call Elaine at 4435--7792 A Telephone Message From:Jessica To:Lucas Date: May5 Time:15:00 Message: She says that you must put on Your sports shoes, cap and sunglasses; bring Somefood and drinks at the school gate at 8 am tomorrow. Tel: 8467-6352. Taken by:Jim Found Feb13,2016/6/30 An ipad was found in the library on the morning of Feb12. Please call 3345--67898 or come to Class 2, Grade 8 to get it. Lost March 7, 2016 Lost near Man Street. Puppy is 6 months old. He is a black schnauzer . He is very important to me. Reward . Please call Allen at 8956--7778. Jessica and Lucas will meet at the school gate _ . Answer: at 8 am on May 6 Werewolves aren't the only creatures affected by the moon's cycles. A full moon slightly affects people's sleep, reports a Swiss team of scientists. Even people's sleep in a lab without windows experienced a small shortfall in sleep once a month. To test the moon's effect, 33 adult volunteers of both sexes and various ages spent several nights in a sleep lab. As they slept, researchers recorded their brain activity, eye movements and hormone levels. On nights closer to a full moon, the subjects took an average of five minutes longer to fall asleep, and slept for 20 minutes less. In addition, brain activity decreased by 30 percent during the sleep stage that the brain normally uses to recover from its daylight work. And levels of hormone that help control sleep cycles dropped. On these nights, the sleepers complained of poor sleep quality even though they were unaware of the moon's cycle. On the bright side, not a single participant turned into a werewolf. The Swiss team doesn't know how the moon affects sleep. The gravity of the moon causes ocean tides to rise and fall. But that force is too weak to affect sleep, Gajochen says. He believed some body's biological clock may be tied to the moon cycles. There may be another explanation, says David Dinges. This sleep researcher at the University Of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia says that the body clock is very sensitive to light at night. Volunteer's sleep could have been affected by exposure to extra moonlight before arriving at the lab. What happened to the volunteers during the experiment on a full moon? Answer: Their brains were not so active as they were AROUND HANGZHOU is a special news program in English on HTV-1. It's about the city and lasts for 8 minutes. You can watch the program at 22:27 p.m. every Sunday and watch it again at 7:30 a.m. and 15:35 p.m. on Monday. Tel: 85195197 Add: 310004,139 North Ring Road, Hangzhou[ HANGZHOU WEEKLY is to help foreigners understand more about the city. It's a news edition in English in Hangzhou. It usually appears on the 48th edition of the city's most popular newspaper CITY EXPRESS every Thursday. Tel: 85051699 Add: 310041, 218 Tiyuchang Road, Hangzhou. IN TOUCH is an English language magazine. Turn the pages and inside you'll find passages on history, art, music, sports, travel and food of Zhejiang. At the end of every month you can get the magazine in hotels, restaurants and cafes all around Zhejiang without paying. Tel: 87630035 87633103 Add: 310007, 5 Huanglong Road, Hangzhou If you want to know about the history of Zhejiang, you can find it in _ . Answer: IN TOUCH Peng Jiangya, a 24-year-old girl, was born in Guizhou Province. She lives in a village of the Yinjiang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County at the foot of the Fanjing Mountains on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau . Twenty-two years ago, One day her parents were out, she fell into a fire stove at home, and the fire burned her fingers badly. The family was too poor at the time to afford the expensive medical treatment ,at last she lost all her fingers. "When I was a child, I was unable to hold chopsticks. My parents taught me for a long time. It was really difficult, but I tried it over and over again ,and at the age of seven, I overcame it. From then on I knew that one had to put great efforts into what she was doing," said PengJiangya. As a child , PengJiangya often saw others make cross-stitch and then she decided to learn how to make it herself. " Of course, it took me many years to do that, when I was 18, I got it." Said Peng. Now she can make as good cross-stitch works as her companions ,but she is faster than other people. Her hometown of Yinjiang Tujia at the foot of the Fanjing Mountains on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateauhas become a tourist attraction. As for her future, Peng Jiangya said: "I will gather a few other people to embroider the beautiful landscape of our hometown as a souvenir and lasting memory for tourists. At the same time, we can make more money." Now PengJiangya can make _ . Answer: good cross-stitch works and faster than others
One day, a man who liked baked beans very much met a girl and fell in love with her. In order to avoid breaking wind in front of his newly-married wife, he gave up baked beans. They were married shortly thereafter. Months later, he smelled baked beans in a cafe on his way home. They were the best beans he had ever smelled! He could not resist and had three large orders of baked beans. All the way home he had gas. His wife seemed excited and a bit mysterious to see him. She _ him and led him to his chair at the dinning room table. Just as she was about to remove the blindfold, the telephone rang. Seizing the chance of her absence, he shifting his weight to one leg and let the gas go. He took the napkin from his lap and fanned the air about him. When he felt another wind coming on, he shifted his weight to the other leg and let it go again. Then he made a third fart. Yet somehow his wife didn't hear him. While keeping his ear on the phone conversation in the hall, he again fanned with force until he heard his wife saying goodbye on the phone, meaning the end of his freedom. Apologizing for taking so long a time, she asked if he had peeked . He assured her that he had not. At this point, she removed the blindfold and there was his surprise---- Twelve dinner guests seated around the table for his surprise birthday party! Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? A few minutes later she got up and went to the phone. She knew the number of the police station, and when the man at the other end answered, she cried to him. "Quick! Come quick! Patrick's dead!" "Who's speaking?" "Mrs Maloney. Mrs Patrick Maloney." "You mean Patrick Maloney's dead?" "I think so," she sobbed. "He's lying on the floor and I think he's dead." "Be right over," the man said. The car came very quickly, and when she opened the front door, two policemen walked in. She knew them both--she knew nearly all the men at that precinct. Briefly, she told her story about going out to the grocer and coming back to find him on the floor. While she was talking, crying and talking, Noonan discovered a small patch of congealed blood on the dead man's head. He showed it to O'Malley who got up at once and hurried to the phone. Later, one of the detectives came up and sat beside her. Did she know, he asked, of anything in the house that could've been used as the weapon? Would she mind having a look around to see if anything was missing--a very big spanner, for example, or a heavy metal vase. They didn't have any heavy metal vases, she said. "Or a big spanner ?" She didn't think they had a big spanner. But there might be some things like that in the garage. The search went on. She knew that there were other policemen in the garden all around the house. She could hear their footsteps on the gravel outside, and sometimes she saw the flash of a torchlight through a chink in the curtains. Then one by one they came in and were persuaded to take a little nip of whisky. They stood around rather awkwardly with the drinks in their hands, uncomfortable in her presence, trying to say consoling things to her. Sergeant Noonan wandered into the kitchen, came out quickly and said. "Look, Mrs Maloney. You know that oven of yours is still on, and the meat still inside...I better turn it off for you, hadn't I?" "Will you do that, Jack. Thank you so much." When the sergeant returned the second time, she looked at him with her large, dark, tearful eyes. "Would you do me a small favour--you and these others?" She said. "We can try, Mrs Maloney." "Well," she said. "You must be terribly hungry by now because it's long past your supper time. Why don't you eat up that lamb that's in the oven? It'll be cooked just right by now." "Wouldn't dream of it," Sergeant Noonan said. "Please," she begged. "Please eat it." The four policemen _ , but they were clearly hungry, and in the end they were persuaded to go into the kitchen and help themselves. The woman stayed where she was, listening to them through the open door, and she could hear them speaking among themselves, their voices thick and sloppy because their mouths were full of meat. "The guy must've used a big thing to hit Patrick," one of them was saying. "The doctor says his skull was smashed all to pieces." "That's why it ought to be easy to find." "Exactly what I say." "The murderer's not going to carrying a thing like that around with him longer than he needs." One of them belched. "Personally, I think it's right here on the premises." "Probably right under our very noses. What you think, Jack?" And in the other room, Mary Maloney began to giggle. Which of the following is incorrect according to the passage? American boys and girls love watching television. Some children spend six hours a day in school and four to six hours a day in front of the television set. Some even watch television for eight hours or more on the weekend. Televisions are like books or films. A child can learn both bad things and good things from them. Some programs help children to understand the news, and others show people and places from other countries or other time in history. With television, a child does not have to go to the zoo to see animals or to the ocean to see a ship. Boys and girls can see a play, a concert or a game at home. Television brings many places and events into our homes. Some programs show crime and other things that are bad for children, so parents sometimes help them find other interesting things to do. Parents sometimes help their children find other things to do when there is _ for children. Crossroads International How does Crossroads work? Crossroads is a resource network. We take goods Hong Kong doesn't want and give them to people who badly need them. We collect those goods and give them out in the welfare arena in Hong Kong, Mainland China, elsewhere in Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa. So Crossroads is just that: a Crossroads between need and resource. Who do we help? The welfare agencies we help do not run on large budgets . They are grass-root groups who have seen a need and tried to meet it. They can't get the job done without back-up, though, so our task is to help them do their task. Our warehouse is full of goods, from computers to high chairs, clothing to books, stationery to medical provision, cupboards to dinning sets. They send us a list of their needs and we try to match it with the resource we have in stock. How do we operate? Crossroads itself also operates on a low budget. We do not buy the goods we send. They are donated. Similarly, rather than raising funds for freight ,we ask transport companies to donate their services. Nobody in our organization receives a salary. Even our full-time staff works on a voluntary basis. Those that donate goods and services: FactoriesManufacturers Hospitals Hotels Householders Offices Other Charities Transport Companies Educational Institutions One resource that we are always in need of is people. While we receive large quantities of goods and there is never a short supply of requests for them, we are always in need of hands to help sort and prepare them for shipping. What can I do? We are always in need of people. We have a lot of tasks. If you are volunteering regularly, we can offer work in some of the following categories, some of the time. You are welcome to number your top three choices and we will do our best to accommodate them. Clothing categorization Sewing Toy categorization Furniture handling Driving Book categorization Household goods categorization Office work Electrical goods categorization Book keeping Fund- raising Stationery categorization Medical categorization Where to find us? All volunteer work is done at out warehouse: Located in Basement Zone M of the Kai Tak Government Building Our warehouse hours: Tues.-Sat. 10:00am-5:30pm Postal address: 16 Man Tong, Silvermine Bay, Lantau Island, HK Office details: Ph: 2984 9309, 2740 9657 Which of the following is not the choice if you decide to offer help? The first robot was invented in the 1920s. Robots have appeared in many American films. In some films, they are stronger, faster and cleverer than people. In real life, robots are mainly used in factories. They do some dangerous and difficult jobs for humans. Robots also help disabled people, for example, blind people. Today many blind people have a guide dog to help them. In the future, guide dogs might be robot dogs. One kind of robot guide dog has wheels. It moves in front of the owner. It is very clever. It knows the speed of its owner's walk. The owner wears a special belt. The belt sends instructions to the owner from the dog, such as "Stop here" "Turn left" or "Turn right". In the United States, another kind of robot helps disabled people to take care of themselves in their daily life. The robot hears the sound of its owner's voice. It follows instructions such as. "Turn the page" or "Make a cup of coffee". Robots are also used in American hospitals. They can do simple jobs. At one hospital, for example, a robot takes meals from the kitchen to patients' rooms. It never gets lost because this robot has a map of the hospital in its computer memory. Though robots can help people in many different ways, they will never take the place of humans. ,. In the passage, the writer wants to tell us that _ .
Many Chinese students who have learnt English for more than ten years are still unable to speak English very well when they meet a foreigner. They seem to have mastered the basic language structure , but a conversation in English will make them feel uneasy. They are afraid that other people might find out their mistakes. It's uncommon that many students who are bad speakers of English can write English perfectly. This proves that they are unable to organize their idea in English. The center of the problem is that they lack practice and confidence ( ). Why should you be afraid? Do you fear those foreigners with whom you are speaking? Don't be shy, they will not laugh at you just for a little mistake you make. The best way to get rid of trouble is to learn to speak by speaking more. I am sure that constant practice will help you succeed. What's the best topic for the passage? Bob was a gardener and he had no work for a few months. One day he went out to look for a job. While he was walking in the street, he saw a poster at the gate of a big restaurant. It said the restaurant needed to hire a man who could grow flowers and trees well. Bob was so pleased that he went straight to answer it. There Bob was told to go back and get his old working clothes to the office. Bob did so. The boss looked over his working clothes carefully and then decided to let Bob have the job. Bob asked the boss why his working clothes were so important. The boss answered with a smile, "Oh, young man, your working clothes are all with patches on the knees. You know, I have dismissed two men these days. They had working clothes with patches on the buttocks . They were too lazy." Bob's new job was _ . The physicians in a hospital form the center of medical staff. But they could not provide effective medical care to their patients without the help of numerous other medical employees. From the viewpoint of the patients, the nursing staff is particularly important. Nurses are usually in close contact with patients as long as they are in the hospital. A nurse does not study for as many years as a doctor. however, each must be equally dedicated. Caring for sick persons requires a great deal of patience and concern. Most nurses work long days, and they often must work at odd hours or during the night. Under the supervision of the head nurse, the nursing staff must provide nursing services on a 24-hour basis and attend to patients' needs. This responsibility continues around the clock, and so nurses must work in shifts. A shift is a period of duty, usually eight in length. The nurses on the ward rotate their shifts. Some take turns working night duty; others work odd shifts. A nurse must always be alert. She can never afford to be careless. This is true in all nursing situation, but it is especially true in the intensive care unit. Patients under intensive care are critically ill, and they must be monitored at all times. The nurses who do intensive care duty have one of the most demanding jobs in the hospital. Serving as a nurse can be a very rewarding job. But it is not an easy one. Not every person is suited to become a nurse. Only very dedicated people have chosen nursing as a profession. Why don't nurses study for as many years as doctors? One day a student was taking a walk with his teacher. As they went along, they saw a pair of old shoes lying in the path. They were a poor farmer's, who was working in the nearby field. The student turned to the teacher, saying: "we will hide his shoes, and hide ourselves behind those trees, and wait to see what he will do." "My young friend," answered the teacher, "we should never make fun of the poor. Why not put a coin in each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch?" The student did so and they both hid themselves behind the trees. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes. After putting on his coat, he put his foot into one of his shoes, and felt something hard. Then he bent down to feel what it was, and found the coin. Surprised, he looked at the coin, turned it around and looked at it again. He then looked around, but no person was seen. He put the money into his pocket, and continued to put on the other shoe. His surprise was doubled on finding the other coin. He couldn't control his feelings and fell to his knees, looked up to the sky and expressed his thanks. Then he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread. He said the help would save them from dying. The student stood there deeply moved, and his eyes filled with tears. "Now," said the teacher, "are you not much happier than if you had hidden the shoes?" When the student saw the shoes, he wanted to _ . The greatest contribution to civilization in the century may well be the air-conditioning- and American leads just as amazing is the speed with which this situation came to be. Air-conditioning began to spread in industries as a production aid during World War II. Today most Americans need to take air-conditioning for granted to homes, offices, factories, theatres, shops, studios, schools, hotels, and restaurants, and we can see it almost everywhere in today's America. But not everybody is aware that high cost and easy comfort are merely two of the effects of the vast cooling of American. In fact, air conditioning has substantially altered the country's character and customs. Many of the byproducts are so conspicuous that they are scarcely noticed. To begin with, air-conditioning transformed the face of America by making possible those glassy, boxy, sealed-in skyscrapers. It has been indispensable, no less, to the functioning of sensitive advanced computers, whose high operating temperatures require that they be constantly cooled. . . It has, at will, forced families into going back into families with closed doors and shut windows to improve the effects of the air-conditioning, reducing the interactions of neighborhood life. I think there is no need explaining the seriousness of this consequence . It is really surprising that the public's often noted withdrawal into self-pursuit and privacy has kept in pace with the historic spread of air-conditioning. Though science has little studied how habitual air-conditioning affects mind and body, some medical experts suggest that, like other technical avoidance of natural changes in climate, air-conditioning may damage the human capacity to adapt to stress. If so, air-conditioning is only like many other greatly useful technical developments that liberate man from nature by increasing his productivity and power in some way - while indirectly weakening him in others. What is the author's overall attitude towards air-conditioning?
Teenagers who do not get enough of the nutrients commonly found in fruits and fish are easier to have bad lungs, coughing and wheezing .Teens who eat the least of fruit and especially vitamin C have weaker lungs compared to the others. Teens who take in less vitamin E, found in vegetable oil and nuts, are more likely to have asthma , Jane Bums at the Harvard School of Public Health found. Based on these findings.Bums said that current recommended dose of vitamin C, 85 mg a day, may not be enough for teens to have healthy lungs.Teens who eat less fruit and don't take in enough fatty acids are more likely to have asthma and the signs of breathing difficulty. Proper amounts of fatty acids are protective, Bums said, though fish, the best source of fatty acids, is particularly unpopular with teenagers.Fatty acids are also found in some nuts as well as some green vegetables'.Smokers who avoid vitamin C will increase their chances of coughing, wheezing and developing phlegm . More than 80 percent of teens are getting their recommended doses of vitamin C - mainly from fruit drinks."I wouldn't approve of drinking them, but at least they're getting their vitamin C from somewhere," Burns said. Burns added that there are several different ways to get the necessary nutrients."I think vitamin supplements are fine.I think adding vitamin D to orange juice is fine.But I do think there are added benefits that we don't fully understand of eating whole foods like fruits and vegetables and fish," she said.The researchers did not account for poverty and other factors that often distinguish less-healthy eaters and may explain their findings. What is the best title for the passage? Answer: Plants have family values, too; it seems, with new research suggesting they can recognize close relatives in order to work together. An ability to tell family from strangers is well known in animals, allowing them to cooperate and share resources, but plants may possess similar social skills, scientists believe. Susan Dudley and Amanda File of McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, report they have demonstrated for the first time that plants can recognize their kin. This suggests that plants, though lacking recognition and memory, are capable of complex social interactions. "Plants have this kind of hidden but complicated social life," Dudley said. The study found plants from the same species of beach-dwelling wildflower grew aggressively alongside unrelated neighbors but were less competitive when they shared soil with their families. Sea rocket, a North American species, showed stronger and healthier root growth when planted in pots with strangers than when raised with relatives from the same maternal family, the study found. This is an example of kin selection, a behavior common in animals in which closely related individuals take a group approach to succeeding in their environment, the researchers said. Kin selection also applies to competition, because if family members compete less with each other, the group will do better overall. "Everywhere you look, plants are growing right up next to other plants," Dudley said," Usually it's a case of each plant for itself. But sometimes those plants are related, and there are benefits to not wasting resources on being competitive, and there is not really a cost to not being competitive as long as your neighbor is also not being competitive." Learning and memory appear to be important for kin recognition in animals, but this isn't an option for plants, she noted. Some researchers speculate that plants communicate through their roots, identifying themselves using tiny chemical signatures specific to each plant's family. Plants' kin selection is to _ . Answer: People who like their traveling have their reasons. They believe that traveling can help them expand their field of view, especially in the geographical and historical sense. They also think that touring will give them more chances to enjoy different kinds of food and experience new things that would never be brought by other activities. But those who dislike traveling also have some reasons. Traveling, in my opinion, dose more good than harm. Most importantly, it broadened our mind. We can get in touch with othercivilization , culture, customs and ideas. Through history, most people traveled because of necessity --not for pleasure. People traveled just in order to remain alive. They searched for food to eat or places to live in. They sometimes ran away from enemies. This is not to say that no one ever traveled just for the fun of it. In ancient times, for example, rich Romans traveled all the way to Greece to take part in the Olympic Games, and festivals. Of course, some people decided to travel just out of curiosity. They wanted to find out what it looked like beyond the horizon . Also business travel has been going on for centuries. Traders could not only make money but also learn to speak several languages and be introduced to different cultures. So, traveling does enrich our mind and draw new ideas to us. There is no doubt that we can get much from it. In the writer's opinion, traveling can be _ . Answer: Friends and Buddies This program is planned for teenagers who have special needs with the goal of meeting within a community with other peers . The purpose of the program is that it will lead to a better understanding of friendships. Gym, Swim, Surprise Guest, and Pizza are included. Ages 12-18, numbers of members are limited. Contact: Gloria Bass. This program is held 2 Fridays per month. Fees: $65/$85 Club Saturday Swim This program is available to anyone aged 5-14 who is challenged by mental, physical, or emotional trouble. The program will be held each Saturday afternoon, 12:00-12:30 pm or 12:30-1:00 pm. Fees: $136/$260 Sibshops (Ages 10-13) Sibshops is a program for siblings of children with challenges. It includes group activities and talk treatment ways with the focus on improving sibling relationships and whole family happiness. Location: Hope Church, Wilton CT. Wednesday: 4:00-5:00 pm. Fees: $50/$65 Banana Splits Banana Splits is an educational support group for children in family trouble. Children aged 9-13 will have the opportunity to meet other children whose parents have separated or divorced, learn to recognize feelings, think of healthy coping skills and have a place to share their struggles through verbal , physical, and artistic experiences. Location: Hope Church, Wilton CT. Tuesday:4:30-5:30 pm. Fees: $50/$65 If you have free time only on Saturday, you can go to _ . Answer: People have strange ideas about food. For example, tomato is a kind of very delicious vegetable. It is one of useful plants that can be prepared in many ways. It has rich nutrition and vitamin in it. But in the 18th century, Americans never ate tomatoes. They grew them in their gardens because tomato plants are so pretty. But they thought the vegetable was poisonous . They called tomatoes "poison apples". President Thomas Jefferson, however, knew that tomatoes were good to eat. He was a learned man. He had been to Paris, where he learned to love the taste of tomatoes. He grew many kinds of tomatoes in his garden. The President taught his cook a way for a cream of tomato soup. This beautiful pink soup was served at the President party. The guests thought the soup tasted really good. They never thought their president would serve his honored guests poison apples. Jefferson never spoke to his honored guests about the fact. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT TRUE? Answer:
I am a student in China now. My name is Kelly Smith. I live with my parents, two sisters and a brother in Beijing. My parents teach English in No.6 Middle School. I study in the same school. I am happy here, because I like my new school and the classmates. They are very friendly to me. They like to play with me because I look different from them. I have blue eyes and long blonde hair. They often say I look like a doll . Also I speak English well, so lots of students like to talk with me to improve their English. How many people are there in Kelly's family? Answer: six The chemical formula for water is H_{2}O. What does the formula show about each element in the compound? Answer: the number of atoms of each element I love My Country is a Dutch TV series, first aired in the Netherlands on March 8, 2008.A tenth season was aired in late 2012, with an 11thseason airing in March, 2013. The show was created by the Dutchman John de Mol and has been sold to at least 25 countries in the world. The series is divided into two teams. Each team, led by its leader, has three members. The teams have to answer questions about their own home country, like "What is the capital...?", "When did our country end the war with...?"etc. At the end of the programme the winning team gets a bicycle. Big Ideas is a Canadian television series produced by TVOntario, on the air since 2001. The idea of starting the programme came from Wodek Szemberg who worked as the producer of the programme afterwards. The programme show lectures to the public given by famous university educators. Big Ideas airs on TV Ontario on Saturdays and Sundays at 5 pm, with repeat airings at 5 am on Sunday and Monday mornings. In 2007, Big Ideas held its Best Lecture Competition for the second time. Dr. Michael Persinger, from Laurentian University, received the best-lecturer award. The show stopped in the spring of 2013 because TVO had little money for it. When can you see Big Ideas on TV? Answer: At 5 pm on Sundays. As Internet users become more dependent on the Internet to store information, are people remember less? If you know your computer will save information, why store it in your own personal memory, your brain? Experts are wondering if the Internet is changing what we remember and how. In a recent study, Professor Betsy Sparrow conducted some experiments. She and her research team wanted to know the Internet is changing memory. In the first experiment, they gave people 40 unimportant facts to type into a computer. The first group of people understood thatthe computer would save the information. The second group understood that the computer would not save it. Later, the second group remembered the information better. People in the first group knew they could find the information again, so they did not try to remember it. In another experiment, the researchers gave people facts to remember, and told them where to find the information on the Internet. The information was in a specific computer folder . Surprisingly, people later remember the folder location better than the facts. When people use the Internet, they do not remember the information. Rather, they remember how to find it. This is called "transactive memory ". According to Sparrow, we are not becoming people with poor memories as a result of the Internet. Instead, computer users are developing stronger transactive memories; that is, people are learning how to organize huge quantities of information so that they are able to access it at a later date. This doesn't mean we are becoming either more or less intelligent, but there is no doubt that the way we use memory is changing. What can we learn about the first experiment? Answer: The first group did not try to remember the formation. Without any hesitation,he said,"I'd be better off dead." Hearing those words come out of my best friend's mouth tore my heart apart.He has repeated that phrase more than once,and my mind continually plays it over like a voice recording. I met my best friend about three years ago.After knowing me for six months,he told me about his struggles with depression.Sadness was not the only emotion that came over me; I was shocked.He seemed so outgoing and happy all the time.I soon learned that he was physically and emotionally abused as a young child,causing him to have suicidal thoughts. He refuses to talk to others about his depression because he now distrusts adults,especially those in his family.In spite of this,he feels as if I understand him and that I know the right words to speak. _ .It does not matter where I am or what I am doing,for he takes priority.Sometimes he just needs the assurance of my voice telling him that everything is going to be okay and that I will not let him down. Many students at his school laugh at him when they notice the scars on his arms from cutting.It seems that other kids have every right to make fun of him and to look down on him.But no one holds such a right,so I encourage him to ignore the heartless kids who treat him badly.When he feels the weight of judging eyes or hateful voices,I always remind him that I care about him unconditionally.Just hearing me say I will always be his best friend seems to give him the security he needs to keep on going. My best friend once told me that if he had not had me,he would not be alive.He said that my encouraging words convinced him not to take the way out .Our friendship has taught me that a single kind word can impact on someone's life.With the fragility of life as it is,I believe in the necessity of encouragement. The author's friend got into depression mainly because _ . Answer: he had a bad childhood
Light can easily be seen bouncing off of a Answer: overhead sign "Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug. "It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress. "I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all," added little Amy, with an injured sniff. "We've got father and mother and each other," said Beth, contentedly. The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo said sadly: "We haven't got father, and shall not have him for a long time." She didn't say "perhaps never", but each silently added it, thinking of father far away, where the fighting was. Nobody spoke for a minute; then Meg said in an altered tone: "You know the reason mother proposed not having any presents this Christmas was because it is going to be a hard winter for everyone; and she thinks we ought not to spend money for pleasure when our men are suffering so in the army. We can't do much, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought to do it gladly. But I am afraid I don't"; and Meg shook her head, and she thought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted. "But I don't think the little we should spend would do any good. We've each got a dollar, and the army wouldn't be much helped by our giving that. I agree not to expect anything from mother or you, but I do want to buy UNDINE AND SINTRAM for myself; I've wanted it so long," said Jo, who was a bookworm. "I planned to spend mine on new music," said Beth, with a little sigh. "I shall get a nice box of Faber's drawing pencils; I really need them," said Amy, decidedly. "Mother didn't say anything about our money, and she won't wish us to give up everything. Let's each buy what we want, and have a little fun; I'm sure we work hard enough to earn it," cried Jo, examining the heels of her shoes in a gentlemanly manner. "I know I do - teaching those tiresome children nearly all day when I am longing to enjoy myself at home," began Meg, in the complaining tone again. "You don't have half such a hard time as I do," said Jo. "How would you like to be shut up for hours with a nervous, fussy old lady, who is never satisfied, and worries you till you're ready to fly out of the window or cry?" "It's naughty to fret; but I do think washing dishes and keeping things tidy is the worst work in the world. _ and my hands get so stiff, I can't practice well at all"; and Beth looked at her rough hands with a sigh that anyone could hear. "I don't believe any of you suffer as I do." cried Amy, "for you don't have to go to school with impertinent girls, who plague you if you don't know your lessons, and laugh at your dresses, and label your father if he isn't rich." "If you mean libel, I'd say so, and not talk about labels, as if papa was a pickle-bottle," advised Jo, laughing. "I know what I mean, and you needn't be satirical about it. It's proper to use good words, and improve your vocabulary," returned Amy, with dignity. "Don't peck at one another, children. Don't you wish we had the money papa lost when we were little, Jo? Dear me! How happy and good we'd be, if we had no worries!" said Meg, who could remember better times. "You once said you thought we were a deal happier than the King children, for they were fighting and fretting all the time, in spite of their money." "So I did. I think we are; for, though we do have to work, we make fun for ourselves, and are a pretty jolly set, as Jo would say." Jo immediately sat up, put her hands in her pockets, and began to whistle. "Don't, Jo; it's so boyish!" "That's why I do it." "I detest rude, unladylike girls!" "I hate affected, niminy-piminy chits!" "Birds in their little nests agree" sang Beth, the peacemaker, with such a funny face that both sharp voices softened to a laugh, and the `pecking' ended for that time. What do they think of their mother's proposal of not having any Christmas gifts? Answer: They all agreed that giving the money to the army was of little help. The Sewol ferry was carrying 476 people, most of whom were students from a high school near Seoul, when it sank off South Korea's southern coast on April 16. Only 174 survived, including 22 of the 29 crew members. The sinking left more than 260 people dead with about 40 others still missing. On Tuesday, one ordinary diver died at a hospital, government spokesman Ko Myung-seok said. He is the first death among divers organized following the ferry's sinking, according to the coast guard. The 53-year-old diver was pulled to the surface by his teammates after losing communication about five minutes after he began underwater searches, Ko said. It was his first search attempt, Ko added. Despite his death, divers are continuing their searches for the remaining missing people. Ko said that divers had searched all those 64 areas at least once and plan to visit them again to look for more victims. Darkness, floating rubbish, bodies, and cabins on board have made the search difficult, and divers entered the last three unopened areas on Monday night, Ko said. Investigators have made their first arrests of people who were not on board the Sewol when it sank. The three people arrested on Friday and Sunday are accused of failure to handle of cargo on the ferry well. In all, 19 people have been arrested in the investigation , 15 of whom were crew members accused of abandoning passengers. A leader was arrested on suspicion of malpractice related to company finances. Improper stowage and overloading of cargo is suspected as a possible reason why the ferry sank. The ferry was carrying about 3,608 tons of cargo, more than three times what it could safely carry. A ferry loaded too heavily could lose its balance making even a small turn. The sinking has caused a national sadness. On Sunday 1.1 million people paid respects at 131 memorial sites around the nation, according to a governmental funeral support committee set up for the ferry victims. Monday was a holiday for Children's Day, but various events were canceled or put off because of the ferry's sinking. Tuesday was also a national holiday in South Korea for Buddha's Birthday, and more people are expected to visit those mourning stations. According to the investigation, the main causes of the ferry's sinking are _ . Answer: improper stowage and overloading of cargo A mouse looked through a hole in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package. What food might it contain? He was astonished to discover that it was a mouse trap! Running to the farmyard, the mouse shouted, warning, "There is a mouse trap in the house; there is a mouse trap in the house." The chicken with her head high, said, "Shut up, Little Ugly. This is a great concern to you, but it has nothing to do with me; I cannot be bothered by it." The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mouse trap in the house." "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse," said the pig, "but there is nothing I can do about it but pray; you are always in my prayers." The mouse turned to the cow, who said, "A mouse trap; am I in great danger, huh?" So the mouse had to face the farmer's mouse trap alone. That very night a sound was heard through the house, like the sound of a mouse trap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a poisonous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever. It is said that drinking fresh chicken soup will help treat fever, so the farmer took his sharp knife to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. His wife's sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer killed the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well, in fact, she died, and so many people came for her funeral. The farmer had the cow killed to provide meat for all of them to eat. So next time someone is facing a problem, don't say that has nothing to do with you. What can we learn from the story? Answer: Sometimes when the least of us are threatened, we all might be at risk. The general objective of public interest advertising is to inform, persuade, or remind people about the particular idea, cause, or philosophy being advertised. This kind of advertising is often used by non-business institutions, such as schools, hospitals and charity organizations. We also see advertising by associations. In addition, we witness millions of dollars' worth of advertising placed by government organizations. Much government advertising announces the availability of such valuable government services as consumer assistance, welfare aid, or career guidance. However, with the resource available to it, the government can also use advertising techniques for propaganda purposes. Many state governments use advertising to attract new businesses, tourists, or workers to aid their economy. Because of the fact that public interest advertising is nonprofit, the words it uses are much more different from the other 3 kinds of advertising. Its purpose is not to urge readers to spend their money, but to disseminate a kind of concept or advocate a social ethic. The headline of public interest advertising also acts as a role of attraction. The average words of them are 10.6, and most of them are curious headlines (60%) and emotional headlines (30%). We can know from the statistics that attracting the reader is still a main task for the headline of public interest advertising, because only when the readers feel the advertising will benefit them (no matter physically or mentally) should they have the patience to read it further--that's the rule of all the advertisements. I also notice that only 10% of those advertisements include their advertiser's brand, which shows that the public interest advertisements do not aim to propagandize any company or organization. Straight-line body copy is the most frequently used form--which is 50% of the 20 ads. 75% of those ads have used imperative sentences. Most of these sentences are urging readers to take action immediately for others or social ethics. All these data show the fact that public interest advertising does not please readers by beautiful words or original ideas, but touch them through true feelings. According to the passage, public interest advertising is mainly used by all the following EXCEPT _ . Answer: cinemas
Question: If two hawks find a dead fox, they will A. eat B. battle C. starve D. fly Answer: B. battle Question: Are you a high school student who loves to be outdoors and is eager to experience new challenges, learn new skills and meet new people? Learn all about the world of building and maintaining hiking trails, and experience it in a safe, teamwork-oriented environment in various locations across the state. WTA offers first-time participants country trips and returning students have the option to go on trips in the back country . Front Country Trips Our front country trips provide opportunities for people to experience projects near the ocean, in the scenic Cascade Mountains and in northeast Washington. All our trips provide you with experienced crew leaders, a great project, some camping tents, sleeping bags and all your meals for the week. Advanced Back Country Trips On these trips you will be backpacking to the work site and will have a chance to advance your trail and leadership skills under the supervision of a WTA crew leader. Approval from a previous crew leader is necessary. Trip Details In 2014, trip fees for WTA members will be $195 for the first trip and $145 for each additional trip. Non-members will pay an additional $40 for their first trip and can be qualified to be members in the second trip. There will be a $30 cancellation fee for cancellations more than 30 days prior to the trip, and no refund for cancellations less than 30 days prior to the trip. Due to the popularity of our trips, please submit your payment and application within two weeks of signing up for a trip. If a trip is full and you would like to be added to the waiting list, please call us at 206/625-1367 or email trail _ teams@wta.org. Scholarships We believe no student should have to stay at home this summer because he or she can't afford to go outside. Thanks to donations from members and supporters, WTA is proud to announce that we are able to offer a limited number of scholarships. Application deadline: March 1, 2014. 2014 Youth Volunteer Vacation You must be 14 to 18 years old to go on one of our Youth Volunteer Vacations. We always recommend that volunteers go on a one-day trip before attending a Youth Vacation to understand what the work will be like for a week. You must be lucky enough to obtain a scholarship if you _ . A. apply before March 1, 2014 B. donate a little money to WTA C. support WTA by advertising D. volunteer in your high school Answer: A. apply before March 1, 2014 Question: Different people have different colors of skin . Some have black skin. Some have yellow skin, and some have white skin. There's a woman in America. Her skin is orange. It's the color of orange juice. Why does she become orange ? She eats too many tomatoes , carrots and squashes . She eats many orange things. That's why she becomes orange. The woman doesn't want to be orange. She goes to the doctor . The doctor says, "Don't eat any orange things again! Eat some green things. " The woman does so ,and she isn't orange now. The woman has _ . A. an orange coat B. orange skin C. an orange dress D. yellow skin Answer: B. orange skin Question: To get a chocolate out of a box requires a lot of unpacking: the box has to be taken out of the paper bag in which it arrived, the cellophane wrapper has to be tom off, the lid opened and the paper removed, the chocolate itself then has to be unwrapped from its own piece of paper: But _ . It is now becoming increasingly difficult to buy anything that is not done up in beautiful wrapping. The package itself is of no interest to the shopper, who usually throws it away immediately. Useless wrapping accounts for much of the refuse put out by the average London house-hold each week So why is it done? Some of it, like the cellophane on meat, is necessary, but most of the rest is simply competitive selling. This is absurd.Packaging is using up valuable energy and resources and polluting the environment. Recycling is already happening with milk bottles which are returned to the dairies , washed out, and refilled. But both glass and paper are being threatened by the growing use of plastic. More dairies are experimenting with plastic bottles. The trouble with plastic is that it does not rot Some environmentalists argue that the only solution to the problem of ever increasing plastic containers is to throw away plastic altogether in the shops, a suggestion unacceptable to many producers who say there is no alternative to their handy plastic packs. It is evident that more research is needed into the recovery and re-use of various materials and into the cost of collecting and recycling containers rather than producing new ones. Unnecessary packaging, intended to be used just once, and make things look better so more people will buy them, is clearly becoming increasingly absurd But it is.not so much a question of throwing away packaging as using it wisely.What is needed now is a more advanced approach to using scarce resources for what is, after all, a ly unimportant function. According to the passage, dairies are _ . A. experimenting with the use of paper bottles B. giving up the use of glass bottles C. increasing the use of plastic bottles D. re using their paper containers Answer: C. increasing the use of plastic bottles Question: 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." David's greatest problem is that _ . A. he can't be treated as an adult by the bank. B. he doesn't make as many games as he wishes. C. he doesn't know what to buy with the money. D. he is too young to drive a car. Answer: A. he can't be treated as an adult by the bank.
The nation's largest group of pediatricians on Monday urged its members to "firmly oppose boxing for any child or adolescent." In a statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said thousands of boys and girls take part in the sport in North America, despite risks of serious brain and facial injuries. The group's position was approved by some experts. "There is very little one can do in order to increase the chance of having a healthy brain when you get old," said Dr. Hans Forstl, who has studied boxing injuries. " One of the best things you can do is avoid boxing." He said. According to the new statement, published in the journal Pediatrics, information from Canada shows a rise in boxing injuries over the past decade. Pat Russo, a retired police officer who runs a boxing gym in Brooklyn, New York, said injuries are rare in amateur boxing. After 26 years and training thousands of kids, he has seen just one split lip among his students. " If the gym is run properly, injuries are at an absolute minimum," Russo said. "Football is ten times more dangerous. While tennis or football might also help kids gain confidence, boxing holds a special attraction for children in poor neighborhoods, because it allows them to act tough while in trouble." Dr. Robert Cantu, a surgeon at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Massachusetts, said AAP's attitude makes sense for upper-class and middle-class kids. " Clearly boxing is safer today than it was 20 or 30 years ago, but it is still a very risky activity," he said. "For kids in poor areas, however, the situation is different," said Cantu. " The most dangerous thing for the majority of people in boxing is just where they live. They are far safer in the ring , even taking blows to the head, than they are out in the neighborhood." What is the text mainly about? A The development of boxing gyms B Children's risk of injury in boxing C The disadvantage of doing boxing D Measures to improve boxing safety Answer: B. Children's risk of injury in boxing In the face of tragedy,you must of course let yourself feel: Cry without holding back, shake with fear, yell out in anger, accept and follow your feelings. This is part of the wise approach to tragedy: The Upward Path --the feeling of emotions, the acceptance of them, and the coupling of the emotional mind with wisdom. Along this path, you'll take the experience --no matter how sad or upsetting --as a learning event, just as a11 other points on your journey will prove to be. While tragic, you must recognize this is still a chance for all involved to grow. You should let both sadness and joy, fear and courage, dark and light fill your world, and learn to find your steady, calm center in the midst of the opposing forces. This is the Upward Path. Use the event as a chance to gain balance and discover wisdom --the wisdom of love and of letting go, of non-attachment and non-resistance, and using this experience to eventually help others in need of guidance. Being able to relate to others who have also experienced tragedy and inspire in them hope -- of recovery, and of moving forward --is perhaps the greatest gift you can receive from tragedy. Turn the negative into positive, the pain into connection. After you've taken appropriate time to be sad, to feel your own pain, you should make it your work,your goal, your purpose to connect with others who need help. Show them how you've experienced feelings, achieved balance,and gained wisdom that you would never have otherwise had the chance to learn. FEEL, but do not FEED on tragedy. Rather, let it inspire you to go beyond the person who you were before. With demise comes renewal, so let this loss be also your rebirth. No matter how hopeless it seems, no matter how difficult this becomes, you have the power to transform yourself into someone greater than you ever knew you could be. When following the Upward Path, the person facing tragedy should _ . A free his emotions B hold back his feelings C fill his world with positive ideas D give in to tragedy and all opposing forces Answer: A. free his emotions Now net fiction ,also called computer fiction is popular in more than 80 countries. To write computer fictions,the writers don't have to think about making any plot.Like reporters,they just go to a lot of places and collect materials:what most women want,their ideas about life and love,their happiness and sufferings and emotions.All these materials are fed into the computer to be processed and classified .Then the writers just pick some materials from every part and fill in some details and a story is made up. The first computer fiction was edited by 13 editors and published in Canada in 1976.It was a great success and 45 million copies were sold.Seeing this new process as profittaking a big American publishing company bought over the majority of the 13 Canadian editors and soon a series of computer fictions were published in the United States. All the computer fictions have very romantic titles.The heroine is always about 20,while the hero is a 30 to 40 bachelor ,handsome,with money and power.The hero and the heroine have a happy reunion after all kinds of misunderstandings .Computer fictions are enjoyed by most women readers of the west.But people doubt if they have any literary value . Computer fictions are popular for the following possible reasons except that_. A readers like them B they are easily sold C people are curious about the stories written by computers D people doubt if they have any literary value Answer: D. people doubt if they have any literary value "Keep your eyes on the ball." That is good advice when you are on the playing field, and good advice for everyday life. "Keep your mind on what's important," is the way I'd put it. But people are funny. They think too much about the details. I had a secretary once. She was very hardworking. I ran a school and people used to call up to enroll for courses. Berry used to get angry at the phone. "If they keep on ringing, I'll never get my typing done!" she'd shout. People just don't see the big picture. One evening, after leaving work, I was sitting next to a man on the train. I was feeling tired. My eyes fell on the paper he had spread out in front of him. You know how you feel to read over someone's shoulder? I read the page and leaned back. I guessed I was waiting for him to turn it. After a while, I realized--he wasn't turning the page. He just kept on reading. Now if you knew the page he was reading, you'd know that there weren't many words on the page to read anyway. The layout was mostly pictures. So I turned to the man and said," You know, you really read very slowly." "What do you mean?" he asked. "Well," I told him, "I read the page in about a minute, and you have taken about ten. And you are still reading. You know," I went on "If you learned to read faster, you could get more reading done." He remained silent for a minute or two. "If I read too fast, my paper wouldn't last me to my station." The writer thinks that people seem to need a sense of _ . A what to read first B how to read fast C what is important D what is funny Answer: C. what is important Ad 1 April Fool's party On Friday, April 1, Inner Affair goes back to the days of funk! Classic Tunes from the 70's and 80's by DJs Den & Sion, 9pm till late. Tickets: Free entrance for those in costume, otherwise 50 yuan (US$6) Time/Date: 9 pm, April 1 Place: Inner Affair, 1/F Qiankun Dasha, 6 Sanlitun Xiliujie, Chaoyang District Tel: 8454-0321 Ad 2 The "worst" party Organized by ozone productions, the party is set to be "the worst ever", with the lamest music from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Special prizes will be awarded to the worst dressed or for bad fashion sense. Tickets: Free entrance Time/Date: 9 pm, April 1 Place: Pula Pula, Tianze Lu, Oriental Seven Colours Plaza, Chaoyang District Tel: 6466-8575 Ad 3 La Nuit Francaise Again on the 2nd Thursday of the month La Nuit Francaise will be held at Le Rendezvous. The monthly event is an opportunity for all French people and everyone interested in France or speaking French to gather together. The evening features three glasses of wine for participants and a special exhibition. Time/Date: 7 to 10 pm, April 14 Place: Le Rendezvous, 3 Gongti Beilu, across from the Pacific Century Plaza, Chaoyang District Tel: 6462-9110 Ad 4 Marco V Dutch DJ Marco V drops by Banana for a gig which is supported by Hong Kong's DJ Spark. Marco V has been around for many years, as an inventive, style blending deejay and a successful and devoted producer. His spinning is energetic, crowd pleasing and never sees an empty dance floor. He was ranked No. 15 in this year's international DJ MAG DJ Top100. Tickets: 40 yuan (US$4.80) in advance, 50 yuan (US$6) at the door, both including a free drink Time/Date: 10 pm to 4 am, March 31, April 1 Place: Banana, in the lobby of the Scitech Hotel, 22 Jianwai Dajie, Chaoyang District Tel: 6528-3636 We can infer that _ . A Marco V is a newly established band B La Nuit Francaise may be French words C the "worst" party will attract a lot of college students D you will enjoy free drinks at April Fool's party Answer: B. La Nuit Francaise may be French words
The entire house was lit with lights. It was Meera's wedding the next day. Seema walked to her daughter's bedroom. Meera was not there, so she left the envelope on Meera's bed and went away. When Meera came out of the bathroom, her eyes fell on the envelope. She picked it up and opened it. Sitting on the bed, she started to read it: My darling daughter, I am so happy for you. My darling is getting married! To such a good man! At the same time, I am a little worried, too. The reason? You are going to a new house where everything is going to be new: the people, relationships and surroundings. Yes, you are smart and Vinod will be there with you to help, but I have a few things to say: Accept Vinod's parents as your parents. Remember that your mother-in-law will have her own understanding about you. So it is up to you to give her a good impression. Earn respect from family members. If that means changing yourself a little bit and adapting to their customs, just do it. It will help you to settle into your new home. Never compare your mother's home and their home. It may not be appreciated. The kitchen is one place where small fights can appear. It is your mother-in-law's king- dom, so ask her permission if you want to cook something. If she offers help, accept it. This will help in building trust between you. Similarly, offer her your help when she is busy cooking. Thus, a new relationship will be born: one of respect and understanding. Finally, respect your husband, as he is your life partner. Remember that a marriage requires trust, love and compromise . I could have sat with you and told you, but I felt that writing all this down would make you understand better and I am sure you will give your whole heart to this relationship. Remember that both Papa and I are here for you always. Love, Ma According to the mother, the daughter should NOT _ in the new family. A. earn respect from family members B. accept Vinod's parents as her parents C. compare her mother's home and their home D. ask permission if she wants to cook something Answer: C Kieron Williamson, a seven-year-old British boy, is being recognized as an art genius after selling 16 paintings for 18, 000 pounds in just 14 minutes. This boy has artistic skills that would be the envy of any serious painter and drawn comparisons(,) to Pablo Picasso, a child prodigy who became one of the most recognized artists of the 20th century. It all began on a family holiday to Cornwall on the southwest English coast when Kieron was five. Inspired by the beautiful view, he asked his parents for his first sketch-pad . From that moment on, he became deeply interested. While supportive, Kieron's parents are careful not to push their son. He only paints when and what he wants. He has a waiting list of hundreds and requests for his works have been flooding in. His father said a sale of Kieron's works held in November even drew a buyer from Japan. "We had people driving down that night, there were people on the door waiting to come in the morning who had been standing outside, the phones were going mad as soon as the door opened at nine o'clock and within 14 minutes all the 16 pictures had gone, " he said. All this talent, money and high praise could so easily go to a young boy's head, but Kieron said his friends keep him grounded. "Some of them want to be as good as me and some of them think. . . Umn, 'you are not too special'." he said. Kieron's favourite painter is British artist Edward Seago and he has spent some of his earnings buying a work by his hero. The rest is being invested by his parents until he reaches 25. Kieron's parents and his younger sister Billi-Jo don't see him as anything but a average seven-year-old boy who likes to tear around the house and who's mad about football. But for now, with so much still to learn, there's only one thing he wants to be when he grows up. He said, "I think I'll be an artist." Which of the following is the main reason which made Kieron Williamson begin to love painting? A. His parents' help. B. His hard work. C. His parents' training. D. The beautiful view he saw. Answer: D Have you ever been sad because of failure? Please remember, for often, achieving what you set out to do is not the most important thing. A boy decided to dig a deep hole behind his house. As he was working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch. "What are you doing?" asked one of the visitors. "I want to dig a hole all the way through the earth!" the boy answered excitedly. The older boys began to laugh, telling him that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible. After a while, the boy picked up a jar. He showed it to the visitors. It was full of all kinds of stones and insects. Then he said calmly and confidently, "Maybe I can't finish digging all the way through the earth, but look at what I've found during this period!" The boy's goal was far too difficult, but it did cause him to go on. And that is what a goal is for -- to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen, in other words, to cause us to keep working! Not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will end up with a success. Not every dream will come true. But when you fall short of your aim, maybe you can say, "Yes, but look what I've found along the way! There are so many wonderful things having come into my life because I tried to do something!" It is in the digging that life is lived. It is the unexpected joy on the journey that really makes sense. The older boys laughed at the boy because he was thought to be _ . A. brave B. impolite C. foolish D. warm-hearted Answer: C Learning disabilities are very common. They affect perhaps 10 percent of all children .Four times as many boys as girls have learning disabilities. Since about 1970, new research has helped brain scientists understand these problems better. Scientists now know there are many different kinds of learning disabilities and that they are caused by many different things. There is no longer any question that all learning disabilities result from differences in the way the brain is organized. You cannot look at a child and tell if he or she has a learning disability .There is no outward sign of the disorder .So some researchers began looking at the brain itself to learn what might be wrong. In one study ,researchers examined the brain of the learning-disabled person who had died in an accident .They found two unusual things. One has something to do with cells on the left side of the brain ,which control language. These cells normally are white .In the learning-disabled person, however ,these cells were gray. The researchers also found that many of the nerve cells were not in a line the way they should have been .The nerve cells were mixed together. The study was carried out under the guidance of Norman Geschwind, an early expert on learning disabilities. Doctor Geschwind thought that learning disabilities resulted mainly from problems on the left side of the brain .He believed this side of the brain failed to develop normally .Probably ,he said ,nerve cells there did not connect as they should .So the brain was like an electrical device in which the wires were crossed. Frank Duffy experimented with this technique at Children's Hospital Medical Center inprefix = st1 /Boston. Doctor Duffy found large differences in the brain activity of normal children and those with reading problems. The differences appeared throughout the brain. Doctor Duffy said his research proves that reading disabilities result from damage to a wide area of the brain, not just the left side. It is NOT mentioned in the passage that learning disabilities may result from_. A. the unknown area of the brain B. damage to a wide area of the brain C. unusual organization of brain cells D. problems on the left side of the brain Answer: C Aava Whistler Hotel Star Ratings: Location: Whistler Rooms:192 Stay at the Aava Whistler Hotel (formerly Coast Whistler Hotel) and experience a great vacation. The Aava Whistler Hotel is within minutes from over a hundred shopping malls and restaurants. It also has a great number of recreational facilities, including swimming, diving and even skiing. Hotel services include 24-hour reception, laundry and room service. Guests can stay in cozy rooms equipped with air-conditioning, bathroom and television. From CNY=496 per night. Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel Star Ratings: Location: East Lundy's Lane Room:l66 Relax and unwind at the Best Western Cairn Hotel. This resort-style hotel is located just minutes from the airport. At the Best Western Cairn Croft, guests can enjoy a large number of recreational facilities, including children's activities, sightseeing and a swimming pool. Business travelers can also take advantage of spacious meeting and banqueting facilities for hosting corporate events. All rooms come with basic amenities . From CNY=439 per night. Clarion Hotel&Suites Downtown Montreal Star Ratings: Location:Montreal Rooms:266 Conveniently located just 20 minutes from the airport, the Clarion Hotel&Suite Downtown Montreal is a moderately-priced three-star hotel that provides services to both business and leisure travelers. The Clarion has spacious meeting facilities and modern business centers for business travelers. It also has a sauna and whirlpool where guest can relax. All rooms come with basic amenities, including cable TV and a kitchenette. From CNY=553 per night. Delta Bow Valley Hotel Star Ratings: Location:Calgary Rooms:398 The Delta Bow Valley Hotel is located a couple of blocks north of Olympic Plaza, east of James Short Park, and north-east of the Petro-Canada Centre. Apart from business and recreational services such as a business centre, fitness centre and restaurant, all rooms in the Delta come with a mini-bar and in-house movies. From CNY=l, 227 per night. What do all four of the hotels have in common? A. They all provide a room with a mini bar. B. They all have the same number of rooms C. They are all close to the airport D. They all have a three star ratings. Answer: D
Britain's private schools are one of its most successful exports.The children of the well-off flock to them,whether from China,Nigeria or Russia :the number of foreign pupils rose by 1.4%in the last year alone. Yet foreign students,whether educated in British private schools or elsewhere,are decreasingly likely to go to English universities.According to the Higher Education Funding Council for England,307,200 overseas students began their studies in the country in 2012-13,down from 312,000 two years earlier and the first drop in 29 years.Student numbers from the rest of the European Union(EU)fell--probably a result of the increase in annual tuition fees in England from PS6,000($10,000)a year to PS9,000.But arrivals from India and Pakistan declined most sharply. In contrast to the visa system for private schools,which is extremely loose(the Home Office counts private schools as favoured sponsors),student visas have been tightened.Foreign students used to be allowed to work for up to two years after graduating.They now have only four months to find a job paying up to PS20,600 if they want to stay in Britain. This change was intended to deal with fake colleges offering two-year work visas.But it seems to have put off serious students too.Nick Hillman of the Higher Education Policy Institute says the government has sent unclear messages about the sort of immigration it wants to restrict.Australia and America,which have more relaxed entry criteria for students,are becoming more favoured destinations. Britain's student-visa system bas become more onerous overall.As a result,Britain is losing out to other countries in the contest for talent.Its unwelcoming attitude will harm its long-term development.And the drift of foreign students from leading British private schools to American colleges may have another, somewhat happier,consequence:America might become rather better at cricket . What causes the foreign student numbers to English universities to drop? The sharp increase of tuition fees. There are also two big elephants and a baby. Children like to ride on one of them. The elephants are very kind and friendly. They eat much grass and bananas. In the zoo, we can see different kinds of bears, brown bears, black bears and white bears. They are all slow and clumsy . They stand on their back legs and lift their front legs to ask for food . They like cakes very much. Do you like pandas? There's only one in the zoo . Her name is LIngling. She is very cute. She likes eating bamboo a lot . She is kind of shy. She's very interesting. Bears stand on their _ legs and lift their _ legs to ask for food . back ; front "You're leaving again?" asked my daughter as she saw me packing my carry-on. More than her words, it was her face that pierced my heart ---I could see how _ she was. "It's only for two nights, "I explained. But that didn't matter to her. It was just one more trip after barely being home for five days. I decided in that moment to travel less whenever possible and I managed to avoid flying altogether for most of the summer. As a result, it was a summer full of discoveries. I realized that my kids really were proud of me. In their time away from me they had learned lessons I couldn't have imagined. Recently I began traveling a lot again. But this time it was different, mainly due to the fact that I had seen firsthand that my children value strong female role models. They realize that hard work pays off. Being away from them even for a day at a time in many ways had done them a lot of good. In particular, being a working mom is teaching my daughter how important it is to be independent and that you can follow your dreams. In many ways, her idea of a professional woman is much more realistic than what I imagined when I was her age. I think that even at nine years old she already knows that for all the success you might achieve, there is a price to pay, whether it's long hours, spending time away from those you love, or simply not having the energy to have fun at times. I know the wishes I would devote all of my time to her, but honestly, even if I didn't work I would rather she learned not to depend on me for everything, She needs to realize that she can fly on her own --- and that isn't possible if I am hovering over her every single second of the day . I have also realized that having a career sets a good example for my son. He is not afraid of a strong woman, and has a great respect for them. When he's older, this will help him build healthier relationship. Therefore, for all the working moms out there who work long hours, remember to value the positive lessons you might be teaching your kids. The author hopes that her daughter will _ . become more and more independent The cartoon movie Bolt is an interesting movie. All the characters are very lovely. The movie is about a dog and his name is Bolt. Bolt is a dog star. He always thinks he is very strong. He often plays in TV programs. Many people love him. So he is a little proud. One day people take him to New York, but the poor dog is lost there. The place is far from his home town. It's about 2,000 miles away. Bolt wants to return to his world. He has to face all the danger all by himself. He begins to go across the USA. On his way he meets Mittens, a lonely cat. Then they meet a mouse. His name is Rhino. He likes watching TV very much. They become friends. They meet many strange animals and people on their way. At last Bolt feels that he can be a hero both in TV programs and in real life. The movie is very instructive. What is Bolt? He is a dog star. Here are a few books for your children to read as they grow up. Just choose one right now! I'm Gonna Like Me Jamie Lee Curtis Price: $15.00 (15% off) Celebrate Liking yourself? Through the dialogues between a girl and a boy, Jamie lee Curtis's text and Laura Cornell's artwork show children that the key to feeling good is liking yourself because you are you. It's Okay To Be Different Todd Parr Price: $20.00 (10% off) The book, full of bright color1s and silly scenes, tells children how to learn to accept others, understand others, and respect others. The author always tells stories in a way that is easy to understand for children. Psychology for Kids Vol. I: 40 Fun Tests That help You Learn About Yourself J. Kincher Price: $18.00 (15% off) These forty interesting tests help children explore their interests and abilities, find out why they act the way they do, and discover what makes them different. The Golden Rule Ilene Cooper Price: $10.00 (20% off) The Golden Rule: "Treat others as you want to be treated." In this book, a grandfather explains to his grandson that the Golden Rule means you treat people the way you would like to be treated. It's golden because it's so valuable, and it's a way of living your life simply. What Do You Really Want? Beverly K. Bachel Price: $20.00 (15% off) Each part includes fun exercises, helpful suggestions, and success stories from teens. Readers learn how to set a goal, put it into action, build a support system, use positive self-talk, celebrate their successes, and more. The text is mainly written for _ . parents
Question: New labels to show calories The US government ruled that all food establishments should put the calorie information of their foods on their menus. Within a year chain restaurants, like fast food KFC, will have to say clearly on their menus how many calories their fried chicken wings, fries, and other items contain. Amusement parks, movie theaters and supermarkets will also have to follow the rules. The move is designed to fight against the problem of obesity in the US. _ leading to world problem The entire world is facing this problem: antibiotic resistance. And the resistance will lead to the deaths of 10 million people across the world by 2025, predicted a new report released by the UK government. Antibiotics are used to destroy or slow the growth of harmful bacteria in our bodies. But overuse and misuse of them can encourage bacteria to develop new ways of overcoming antibiotics, which makes it increasingly difficult for humans to fight diseases. * _ Australia is the world's most expensive destination for international students, according to a study done by Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC). They have to spend an average of $ 42,000 ( about 258 ,000 yuan) a year to study at Australian universities. Singapore is not far behind, with an average yearly cost of $ 39,229, followed by the US at $ 36,564 and the UK at 35,045. However, Australia's education quality only ranks joint fourth with Canada, well below the US, the UK, and Germany. In addition, international students studying in Germany only have to pay about one-sixth the cost of studying in Australia. * New Games sports may be added The International Olympic Committee has canceled the 28-sportcap for future summer Olympics But each summer Games will still only be allowed 10, 500 athletes and 310 events. Countries that could host the games will discuss plans with the committee during a new invitation stage before bidding. They are also allowed to hold events outside their own countries and get financial support from the committee. No changes will be introduced for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Which of the following fits in the blank best in the news brief? A. The cost of studying overseas B. Australian study most expensive C. International students in Australia D. Australia's education quality Answer: B. Australian study most expensive Question: Money spent on advertising is money spent as well as any I know of. It selves directly to bring about a rapid sale of goods at reasonable prices, so setting up a firm home market and so making it possible to provide for export at good prices. By drawing attention to new ideas it helps greatly to raise standards of living. By helping to increase demand it causes an increased need for labor, and is therefore a nice way to fight unemployment. It lowers the costs of many services: without advertisements your daily newspaper would cost four times as much, the price of your television program would need to be doubled, and travel by bus or subway would cost more. And perhaps most important of all, advertising provides a promise of reasonable value in the products and services you buy. Besides the fact that twenty-seven Acts of Parliament govern the terms of advertising, no regular advertiser dare promote a product that fails to live up to the promise of his advertisements. He might fool some people for a little while through misleading advertising. He will not do so for long, for the public has the good sense not to buy the poor article more than once. If you see an article frequently advertised, it is the proof I know that the article does what is promised for it, and that it has good value. Advertising does more for the good of the public than any other force I can think of. There is one more point I feel I ought to touch on. Recently I heard a well-known television person declare that he was against advertising because it persuades rather than informs. He was telling us the real difference. Of course advertising tries to persuade. If its message were nothing but information, that would be difficult to get more people to buy, for even a detail such as the choice of the color of a shirt is a bit persuasive-advertising would be so boring that no one would pay any attention. But perhaps that is what the well-known television person wants. The author thinks that the well-known TV person is _ . A. quite right in passing his judgment on advertising B. interested in nothing but the buyer's attention C. correct in telling the difference between persuasion and information D. obviously unfair in his views on advertising Answer: D. obviously unfair in his views on advertising Question: Most cities and towns in China have night markets . During the day, these streets are quiet. At night, they become crowded and lively. Usually, people get there at three or four in the afternoon. By 6:00, the streets are like rivers of people. Night markets are fun places to shop. You can buy clothes, shoes, and many other things. If you think the price is too high, you can _ with the seller. You can also buy nice food. When you are hungry, you can Sit down for a meal. Smelly tofu is popular, but it really smells bad! The best thing is that everything in night markets is cheap! We can find night markets A. only in the countryside B. in every town in China C. in a supermarket D. in most cities and towns Answer: D. in most cities and towns Question: Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight, while the French, who consume rich food, continue to stay thin? Now a research by Cornell University suggests how life style and decisions about eating may affect weight. Researchers conclude that the French tend to stop eating when they feel full. However, Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favorite TV show is over. According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a health expert, the French see eating as an important part of their life style. They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table, while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed between the other daily activities. Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full. So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped. In addition, he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week. The French, instead, tend to shop daily, walking to small shops and farmers' markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs as well as high-quality meats for each meal. After a visit to the United States, Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don't Get Fat, decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food. Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym. In spite of all these differences, evidence shows that recent life style changes may be affecting French eating habits. Today the rate of obesity - or extreme overweight - among adults is only 6%. However, as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject older traditions, the obesity rate among French children has reached 17% - and is growing. Where does this text probably come from? A. A health report B. A book review C. A TV interview D. A food advertisement Answer: A. A health report Question: Do you know that a Mom deserves a special gift this year for Mother's Day? Sure, flowers can always brighten Mother's day and a dinner out is always appreciated. However, doesn't she deserve something more personal or something that lasts longer than an evening? I'm talking about the gift of fitness. Improved fitness is a gift that is invaluable to everyone. When you give a woman the gift of fitness, you are helping her open a door to better health. I can't think of a more thoughtful gift that shows the recipient how much you care about their well-being. By giving the gift of fitness you are providing them with unlimited health benefits. And, its a gift that you can truly feel proud to give. Of course, we all know that exercising can help people stay slim and fit. But, do you also know about all the other great benefits of exercising? Daily physical activity reduces stress and can help you sleep better. Fitness has been linked to reducing the risk of some diseases and to warding off depression. Researchers also believe that strength training can help prevent osteoporosis . Not to mention that exercising also improves self-esteem, increases energy and helps you be able to do continuous work for longer. All Moms would find these fitness benefits extremely invaluable. If they are like most of us, they have probably even mentioned how they would like to drop a few pounds or just get in better shape. In fact, experts say that about 62% of Americans are currently on a diet. By giving the gift of fitness you are helping provide your mom with extra motivation. She may be more motivated to actually get fit because she doesn't want to feel guilty about ignoring such a thoughtful gift . You want to keep healthy you should _ . A. reduce stress and have a good sleep B. try your best to get rid of depression C. increase your energy and work longer D. take an active part in physical activity Answer: D. take an active part in physical activity
Stopping the photosynthesis process would require Answer: placing a plant in total darkness 24/7 "Iris scan , please," the bank's computer voice tells you. You step up and the computer reads your eye, comparing it to the stored file it has of your iris. The images had better match---otherwise, you won't be able to get your money. Iris scanning and other technologies, such as fingerprint and voice scanning, have appeared in many science fiction movies in the past. Today, these advanced technologies are part of the real world. They are common at work, the bank, the airport, and your local prison. The iris scan, fingerprint scan, and voice scan are all examples of biometrics , a fast developing area of automatic personal identification technology. Basically, biometrics uses various ways to verify a person's identity, based on the individual's unique characteristics, including fingerprints, signature, and so on. Biometrics identification systems have a number of advantages over password systems. The primary advantage is that an individual has to be physically present in order to be identified. Another important advantage is that there are no passwords to remember, forget, lose, or steal. The voice scan is the simplest and most affordable form of biometrics. It only requires a computer, a microphone, and the correct software. The software records a subject's voice and then compares it to a stored voice sample for identification purpose. For additional safety, fingerprint and handprint scans can also be employed. Fingerprint scans take the image of a fingerprint and compare it to a stored file of prints. Handprint scans identify the unique features of a hand. What is the author's attitude towards the future of biometrics? Answer: He feels hopeful about it. Each new school year brings fresh reminders of what educators call the summer learning gap. Some call it the summer learning setback. Put simply, it means the longer kids are out of school, the more they forget. The only thing they seem to gain is weight. Most American schools follow a traditional nine-month calendar with winter and spring breaks and about ten weeks of summer vacation. Some schools follow a year-round calendar. They hold classes for about eight weeks at a time, with a few weeks off in between. The National Association for Year-Round Education says there were fewer than 3,000 such schools at last count. They were spread among forty-six of the fifty states. But many experts point out that the number of class days in a year round school is generally the same as in a traditional school. Brenda McLaughlin is a research director at the National Centre for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University. She says studies of year-round schooling have not found strong learning gains. Lead researcher Paul von Hippel said, "Year round schools don't really solve the problem of the summer learning setback. They simply spread it out across the year." Across the country, research shows that students from poor families fall farther behind over the summer than other students. Experts say this can be prevented. They note that many schools and local governments offer programmes that can help. However, calling such programmes "summer school" could be a problem. The director of the summer learning centre at Johns Hopkins, Ikon Fairchild, said research with groups of different parents in Chicago and Baltimore found that almost all strongly disliked the term "summer school". In American culture, the idea of summer vacation is connected to beliefs about freedom and the joys of childhood. The parents preferred other terms like "summer camp, "extra time" and "hands-on learning. Why do almost all parents dislike the term "summer school"? Answer: They cherish the children's rights and freedom. The most popular idol among girls is a white kitten .She is kind,friendly and cute. Who is she? She's Hello Kitty. This sweet kitten has won the hearts of people of all ages from all over the world. Hello Kitty was created by a Japanese company in 1974 which is now making thousands of Kitty products. In the beginning, Kitty was a greeting-card character, and the company quickly used her logo into children's things, such as clothes and bags. Now we can see Hello Kitty on clothes, bags or toys. It is famous all over the world. Hello Kitty has no mouth, but she keeps buying toothpaste. Hello Kitty has no mouth, yet she speaks the truth. Hello has no mouth, but she says "Hello". We all know Kitty has no mouth, but why? There are countless different guesses for that. Among them, the most popular answer is because Kitty should be an international character. If she speaks a certain language, people who don't speak the same language will feel disappointed. So that's the reason why she has no mouth and never speaks. Where can we find Hello Kitty? Answer: On children's clothes. When Cath Pirret and her husband Iain took their daughters Jessie, 10, and Holly, 7, to Britain earlier this year, it was a trip that was all about showing the girls where their parents grew up. But there were also some key sightseeing opportunities, such as Stonehenge, Hadrian's Wall and Tate Modern, before heading to Paris to see the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. So, what did the couple from Melbourne hope their girls would get from the trip? "A greater understanding that travel is not a difficult thing to do," Cath says."Some of the highlights are to meet new people and adapt to lots of different situations." Cath believes that children, in order to truly benefit from travel, need to be old enough to understand and appreciate the experience. Sydney-based ABC Radio broadcaster and film critic C.J. Johnson travelled a lot with his parents as a child. His father was "really into rivers" and decided he was going to make it the "family mission" to see the "seven great rivers of the world". There's no doubt, thanks to a richer society and the greater ease and access to all forms of travel, that few -- if any -- generations of parents and children have ever had the ability to journey together as far, as wide and as deep as the present one.Travel brings history to life, builds children's independence and opens their minds. A child's view also helps adults to see the world through new eyes. For Keith Bellows, the award-winning editor-in-chief of the American National Geographic Traveler magazine says the world is simply"the greatest classroom we have". He's convinced, like Spicer, that any parent willing and financially able to give the gift of travel offers a gift that keeps on giving. "Children who learn to travel will travel to learn," he says. "And they will do it all their lives." With that in mind, Bellows, a father of three, wrote a book, 100 Places that Can Change Your Child's Life. When Johnson was a child, _ . Answer: he learned a lot and developed a broad outlook

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