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John is 14 years old. He is a student of Grade Eight. He was a very active and happy boy two years ago. But everything changed after he started to play computer games. He never plays basketball or football with his friends any more. And when he sits in the classroom, he can't listen to the teachers. He sleeps in class. And he spends less and less time in studying. So he gets bad marks in tests. But he is very different after school is over. He stays in the net bar until it is closed. Ah, he loses himself in computer games. His parents can do nothing to stop him. Every morning in the school, when we see that he is so tired after a night's "busy working", we really feel sad. He is too tired! John changed a lot because _ . Answer: Can you imagine a stranger will read your e-mails without your permission or scan the website you've visited or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchases or cell phones bills? All of the things may happen to you one day. In fact, it's likely that some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girlfriend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen or even do something that may bring a disaster to you. Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, and that it's important to reveal to friends, family and lovers at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain nowadays. The digital bread crumbs you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to know who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simple Google search can leak the deepest thought in your mind. Like it or not, increasingly _ The key question is: Does that matter? For many Americans, the answer apparently is "No". When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most of them say they are really concerned about losing it. And 60 percent of the respondents say they feel their privacy is "slipping away, and that bothers me". But people say one thing and do another. Only a small of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that track automobile movements. Privacy economist Acquisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will give up personal information such as telephone number, address, or social security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cent-off coupon . But privacy does matter--at least sometimes. It's like health; when you have it, you don't notice it. Only when it's gone do you wish you'd done more to protect it. Without privacy, one will be naked in front of others. What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends? Answer: In eighth grade, I decided to try out for my school musical. I only made it through the first verse before the drama teacher stopped me. It goes without saying that my Christmas song didn't get me any role. Am I embarrassed? NO. Not just because it was ten years ago, but also because it's such a great story to share. Why? I think the main reason is that admitting mistakes makes you easier to relate to. Interestingly enough, science confirms _ . Researchers have conducted many studies and have concluded that when someone makes a mistake or acts in a clumsy way, they are found to be more likeable. In other words, if you're able to do well and then you mess up, it shows your human side. This allows others to connect and relate to you, which in turn makes them like you more. Growing up, I was type of student who had to get straight A's and the type of athlete who always had to perform at the top of the game. The problem was that my standards were so ridiculously high that I was never happy. It was only when I learned to let go and forgive myself for my mistakes that I truly felt relaxed. When one of your close friends or family members makes a mistake, are you quick to forgive and forget? Sadly, many of us often express more sympathy for others than ourselves. With each mistake coming a lesson, you will be better equipped to handle life's challenges going forward. More importantly, if you are always worried about looking silly, you will never be able to get improved. Even if you make a fool of yourself, it isn't the end of the world. Think about it: What's the worst that can happen? In many cases, the reward often outweighs the risk. According to the passage, we know the author _ . Answer: One day , an old man was selling a big elephant . A young man came up to the elephant and began to look at it slowly . The old man went up to him and said in his ear ."Don't say anything about the elephant before I sell it . Then I will give you some meat . ""All right ."said the young man . After the old man sold the elephant , he gave the young man some meat and said :"Now, can you tell me how you see the bad ears of the elephant ?""I didn't find the bad ears ."said the young man ."Then why do you look at it slowly ?"asked the old man . The young man said :"I never see an elephant before, and I want to know what it looks like. " The young man _ . Answer: You must have seen an oil lamp before. But do you know how it works? One end of the lamp wick is immersed(............) in oil and the other end is not immersed. When you light the end which is not immersed, it will burst into flame . This is because the oil is able to rise up the lamp wick thus helping it to burn. In the same way, if you immerse the end of a piece of chalk into a glass of water, the water will soon climb up the chalk making it wet. If a piece of ordinary glass tubing is heated in a gas flame until it becomes soft,it can be pull into a tube of a very small hole. Immerse the tube into water or any other liquid which wets glass, you will find that the liquid rises to a height of several centimeters. This is known as capillary action. The liquid rises because there is an attractive force between the liquid and the glass. The attractive force depends on the diameter of the tube and the type of liquid used. The last sentence means that _ . Answer:
Two-thirds of the world's major rivers have now been disrupted with more than 50,000 dams in an attempt to stole water and provide power. In the US,there are more than 85,000 dams,disrupting large and small rives, and in most cases transforming natural flow.The most famous of these,the Hoover Dam, constructed in the l930's,is mainly responsible for the fact that the Colorado River no longer reaches the ocean. Dams, besides all their attractive benefits, also have negative impacts. Creating a reservoir means a large area must be flooded. Communities may lose their land, houses and culturally impotent sites. Environmentally, the new reservoir can be a paradise for wildlife, especially birds. However, it can cause greenhouse gas emissions and poison the water for fish. Also, the dramatic rise and fall of water levels during dam releases is too extreme for plains and animals to cope with, resulting in dead zones around the shores of reservoirs. Fish that lay their eggs in the shallows, for example, may find a few hours later that those sites are high and dry. Dams don't just block water flow. They also prevent fish migrations, and are a barrier to sediment flows. Instead of rushing downriver, sediments get backed up against the dam wall, which cause the reservoir level to increase over time.However, sediments which are rich in nutrients have become a problem. The fertility of the entire system can be influenced, with soils lost during seasonal rains not being replaced. Perhaps the biggest problem can be seen in deltas , often host to large cities,which are sinking into the oceans. Groundwater is being extracted to feed the city, causing the urban weight to sink and sediments washed away by the ocean are no longer being replaced. The result is that sea level rise in cities from Shanghai to Alexandria. How can dams influence the cities like Shanghai? Loneliness is like a disease, and what's worse, it's contagious. It can spread from one person to another, according to the recent research that stresses the power of one person's emotions to affect even people they don't know. The new analysis, involving 4,793 people who were interviewed every two years between 2005 and 2015, showed that a friend of a lonely person was 52% more likely to develop feelings of loneliness by the time of the next interview. A friend of that person was 25% more likely, and a friend of a friend of a friend was 15% more likely. ''Loneliness is not just the property of an individual. It can be transmitted across people--even people you don't have direct contact with," said John T. Cacioppo, a psychologist of University of Chicago who led the study published in the December issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Loneliness has been linked to medical problems, including depression, sleep problems and generally poorer physical health. Identifying some of the causes could help reduce the emotion and improve health, experts said. Although the study did not examine how loneliness spreads, Cacioppo said another research has provided clues. "Let's say for whatever reason you get lonely. You then interact with other people in a more negative fashion. That puts them in a negative mood and makes them more likely to interact with other people in a negative fashion and they _ their social ties and become lonely," Cacioppo said. According to Cacioppo, loneliness spread more easily among women than men, perhaps because women were more likely to express emotions. Lonely people become less and less trusting others. This makes it more and more difficult for them to make friends--and more likely that society will reject them. Therefore, it is important to recognize and deal with loneliness. Cacioppo emphasizes people who have been pushed to the edges of society should receive help to repair their social networks. According to Cacioppo, lonely people . When Jeff Sparkman draws his cartoon superheroes with colored pencils, he often has to ask other people to tell him what color his masked men turned out to be because he's color-blind. Now, a new smart phone application (app) can help him figure out what colors he's using and how the picture looks to most everyone else. The DanKam app, available for iPhone and Android for $2.99, is an application that turns the vague colors that one percent of the population with color-blindness sees into the "true" colors as everyone else sees them. In America, an estimated 32 million color-blind Americans--95% are males--can soon have their life improved. "DanKam takes the stream of data coming in through the phone's camera and changes the colors slightly so they fall within the range that people who are color-blind see,"developer Dan Kaminsky told CNET. He came up with the idea after watching the 2009 film Star Trek with a color-blind friend. It was then that he got to know more about colorblindness like its varying types and degrees. A vast majority, for instance, have trouble seeing red or green due to a genetic defect . Blue-yellow colorblindness, however, is rarer and develops later in life because of aging, illness or head injuries, etc. He started experimenting with one of the most common representations of points in the RGB color model. What the DanKam app attempts to do is to clean up the color space of the image or video signal so that colors can be _ to those suffering from viewing problems. "You can adjust the app to fit your needs. There is a range and not everyone who is color-blind sees things the same." Says Kaminsky. Sparkman, a copy editor at CNET, tried out the app and was pleased with the results. "It would be useful for dressing for a job interview," he said. But using it for his art is "the most practical application." It worked well on LED and other lights on electronic gadgets, which means Sparkman can now identify the power light on his computer display as green. It can be inferred from the passage that colorblindness _ . As is known to all, the organization and management of wages and salaries are very complex. Generally speaking, the Accounts Department is responsible for calculations of pay, while the Personnel Department is interested in discussions with the employees about pay. If a firm wants to adopt a new wage and salary structure, it is essential that the firm should decide on a method of job evaluation and ways of measuring the performance of its employees. In order to be successful, that new pay structure will need agreement between Trade Unions and employers. In job evaluation, all of the requirements of each job are defined in a detailed job description. Each of those requirements is given a value, usually in "points", which are added together to give a total value for the job. For middle and higher management, a special method is used to evaluate managers on their knowledge of the job, their responsibility, and their ability to solve problems. Because of the difficulty in measuring management work, however, job grades for managers are often decided without reference to an evaluation system based on points. In attempting to design a pay system, the Personnel Department should compare the value of each job with those in the job market. It should also consider economic factors such as the cost of living and the labor supply. It is necessary that payment for a job should vary with any differences in the way that the job is performed. Where it is simple to measure the work done, as in the work done with the hands, monetary encouragement schemes are often chosen, for indirect workers, where measurement is difficult, methods of additional payments are employed. Which of the following statements is true? Once upon a time a married couple celebrated their 25th marriage anniversary . They had become famous in the city for not having a single _ in the period of 25 years. Local newspaper editors had gathered at the occasion to find out the secret of their well known "happy going marriage". The editor asked, " Sir. It's amazingly unbelievable. How did you make this possible?" The husband, recalling his old honeymoon days, said, "We had been to Switzerland for honeymoon after marriage. Having selected the horse riding finally, we both started the ride on different horses. My horse was pretty okay but the horse on which my wife was riding seemed to be a crazy one. On the way ahead, that horse jumped suddenly, making my wife fall off. Standing up from the ground, she patted the horse's back and said ' This is your first time'. She again climbed the horse and continued with the ride. After a while, it happened again. This time she again kept calm and said ' This is your second time' and continued. When the horse dropped her the third time, she silently took out the gun from the purse and shot the horse deadl I shouted at my wife, ' What did you do? You killed the poor animal. Are you crazy?' She gave me a silent look and said, ' This is your first timel ' " The husband added, "That's it. We are happy ever after. " ,. How many times did the woman fall off the horse?
Fibrous tissue contracts to A. show for the ladies B. rest and repair itself C. get other muscles out of the way D. stretch out an arm Answer: D. stretch out an arm Several overseas trips with the family have taught us that they can be rewarding, but you always have to be careful of pickpockets. On a lovely visit to Paris an encounter with a pickpocket gave the would-be thief a little more than he _ While walking down the famous Champs Elysee, I was astonished to feel someone unzip my handbag and remove my purse. I turned to glimpse a young man turning away and pretending to be absorbed in the mouth-watering contents on display in a bakery window. Being only a teenager at the time, I had no idea what to do. So I tapped the young man in question on the shoulder and said. "Excuse me can you please give me back my purse?" Of course the pickpocket had no idea what I was saying (and didn't want to know) and proceeded to shrug his shoulders and basically say (in French) "I don't speak English"? Meanwhile my Mother (a Scotswoman with a bad temper), came to see why I had stopped walking and what was going on. When I informed her of the situation she lost control and started yelling at the thief who still stood there making gestures in French while a crazy Scotswoman harangued him. At this stage we were starting to attract onlookers, and when my Mother started hitting the young man with her handbag the would-be thief decided it was time to get away. Luckily, amid all the disorder the thief lost his control of my purse, and as he made a break-for-it, my purse dropped to the ground! I quickly snatched it up and for the rest of vacation we walked around with our handbags clutched against our chests! The author discovered the pickpocket because _ . A. his handbag was specially made to stop pickpocketing B. the author was old enough and experienced there C. the pickpocket was too inexperienced to steal his purse D. his purse was very heavy so that he felt it was removed Answer: D. his purse was very heavy so that he felt it was removed There were quite a lot of things that the philosophers of the old times got right and one of those things was that there is a very strong need for lawyers and government in a society. The government looks to protect and help you in times of need and the lawyers are there to fight for your case if you are treated unfairly, Just like then ,there is still a need for government to help people when they need help now in today's world. This sort of help can come from when people need social security benefits because they become disabled after some sort of accident. If you have become disabled in recent days. Then you certainly have rights go find out whether you are qualified to receive the social security disability benefits. The social security disability is for those who have become disabled or are disabled due to some sort of accident that may have happened that forces you to be out of work. This can be very frustrating because being out of work means that you cannot make money that you need in order to provide for yourself and those you are possible taking care of. This is where the government comes into play. The government will help you out with this and possibly give you money in order to _ They understand that accidents do happen and that there needs to be some sort of help for those who get into accidents and cannot provide for themselves. If you are sure that you have a disability, get in touch with the social security department for more information. Meyers Law Firm can help you get the social security disability benefits you have rights to gain. If you are disabled the author suggests you _ . A. find out whether you can get the money B. go to the related department to treat C. ask your family members to give a hand D. provide evidence for the social department Answer: A. find out whether you can get the money I was puzzled! Why was this old woman making such a fuss about an old copse which was of no use to anybody? She had written letters to the local paper, even to a national, protesting about a projected by-pass to her village, and, looking at a map, the route was nowhere near where she lived and it wasn't as if the area was attractive. I was more than puzzled, I was curious. The enquiry into the route of the new by-pass to the village was due to take place shortly, and I wanted to know what it was that motivated her. So it was that I found myself knocking on a cottage door, being received by Mary Smith and then being taken for a walk to the woods. "I've always loved this place," she said, "it has a lot of memories for me, and for others. We all used it. They called it 'Lovers lane'. It's not much of a lane, and it doesn't go anywhere important, but that's why we all came here. To be away from people, to be by ourselves. " she added. It was indeed pleasant that day and the songs of many birds could be heard. Squirrels watched from the branches, quite bold in their movements, obviously few people passed this way and they had nothing to fear. I could imagine the noise of vehicles passing through these peaceful woods when the by-pass was built, so _ but as I hold strong opinions about the needs of the community over-riding the opinions of private individuals, I said nothing. The village was quite a dangerous place because of the traffic especially for old people and children, their safety was more important to me than an old woman's strange ideas. "Take this tree," she said pausing after a short while. "To you it is just that, a tree. Not unlike many others here." She gently touched the bark, "Look here, under this branch, what can you see?" "It looks as if someone has done a bit of carving with a knife." I said after a cursory inspection. "Yes, that's what it is!" she said softly. She went on, "He had a penknife with a spike for getting stones from a horse's hoof, and I helped him to carve them. We were very much in love, but he was going away, and could not tell me what he was involved in the army. I had guessed of course. It was the last evening we ever spent together, because he went away the next day, back to his Unit." Mary Smith was quiet for a while, then she sobbed. "His mother showed me the telegram. 'Sergeant R Holmes ...Killed in action in the invasion of France.'..." "I had hoped that you and Robin would one day get married." she said, "He was my only child, and I would have loved to be a Granny, they would have been such lovely babies'- she was like that! " "Two years later she too was dead. 'Pneumonia , following a chill on the chest' was what the doctor said, but I think it was an old fashioned broken heart. A child would have helped both of us." There was a further pause. Mary Smith gently caressed the wounded tree, just as she would have caressed him. "And now they want to take our tree away from me." Another quiet sob, then she turned to me. "I was young and pretty then, I could have had anybody, I wasn't always the old woman you see here now. I had everything I wanted in life, a lovely man, health and a future to look forward to." She paused again and looked around. The breeze gently moved through the leaves with a sighing sound. "There were others, of course, but no one can match my Robin!" she said strongly. "And now I have nothing - except the memories this tree holds. If only I could get my hands on that awful man who writes in the paper about the value of the road they are going to build where we are standing now, I would tell him. Has he never loved, has he never lived, does he not know anything about memories? We were not the only ones, you know, I still meet some who came here as Robin and I did. Yes, I would tell him!" I turned away, sick at heart. The main purpose of this passage is to _ . A. draw attention to the damage that wars cause B. persuade people to give up private interest C. arouse the awareness of being environmentally friendly D. introduce a touching but sad love story Answer: D. introduce a touching but sad love story It takes courage to stand up at work.Now more and more people are standing up when they are working on something important.Standing up is in fashion.Medical researchers have found that people who stand at work tend to be much healthier than those who sit.But I wasn't just looking for better health -- standing would also improve how I work and relax my body. In recent years, many office supply companies have begun to sell adjustable desks.These so-called "sit / stand" models are equipped with an electric motor that lets them shift from chair height to person height at the push of a button.Unfortunately, sit / stand desks tend to be expensive, hard to find and not very easy to test in person. I discovered that when I worked standing up, my mind was clearer and new ideas kept coming to me.I suspect that this is because when you're standing, you feel a bit unchained from your desk.If I got stuck on a word or sentence as I wrote it, I found myself shaking my arms, bouncing on my feet or stepping away from the desk for a bit -- things I couldn't do in a chair.Often, standing up seemed to relax my mind enough for me to get over creative barriers. There's another thing about standing for a long time: I tend to get hungrier than I do when I sit on a chair.That feels like confirmation of the stand-up advocates' belief that you burn more calories when you stand than when you sit.For this reason alone, I' m hoping that one day mass-market furniture companies can make many low-priced versions of sit / stand desks.We could all work with a bit more standing up. It can be inferred from the text that _ . A. adjustable desks are mass-produced now B. adjustable desks are easy to operate C. cheaper adjustable desks will soon be available D. adjustable desks can be tried out easily Answer: B. adjustable desks are easy to operate
The day of my holiday arrived, but I wasn't looking forward to it. I had little money and had only been able to afford to stay with my Aunt Rosa in Spain. So, I wasn't really excited as I knew exactly what it was going to be like: lots of noisy cousins , and Aunt Rosa begging me to take her for a ride. After I had checked in, I made my way slowly to the departure gate. As I was waiting to board the plane, I kept thinking about my ideal holiday destination: Jamaica, with its long, sandy beaches and crystal clear water. As soon as the plane took off, I fell fast asleep and only woke to the sound of the announcement: "Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten you seat belts, as we will shortly be landing in Kingston." I froze in my seat. Was I dreaming? Kingston? Jamaica? I had boarded the wrong plane! Immediately after the plane landed, I explained the situation to the authorities. It seems there were also three other passengers heading for Spain. Apparently it had been the airline's fault, since the flight numbers for Spain and Jamaica were exactly the same! Therefore, with no flight back to London for a week, the airline had no choice but to pay for our stay. So there I was, lying on the beach, enjoying the music and the marvelous food of Jamaica! As for Aunt Rosa, I suppose she just had to live without me! Which of the following might be the best title of the passage? A. A Lucky Mistake B. A Terrible Adventure C. A Nice Dream D. A Well-Planned Trip Answer: A Italians like to say that when it comes to alcohol, they have a sipping culture rather than a drinking culture. That means that while Italians may enjoy a glass of wine or beer, they don't usually get very drunk. That's not true anymore. The new study by the Italian National Health Institute found that 63 percent of Italians under age 18 get drunk on the weekends. Now, the city of Milan has created a law that will stop anyone under 16 from buying alcohol. Anyone who sells or gives alcohol to a person under 16 can be fined up to $700. Young people who feel that the new law is unfair should go to the US for some perspective. The US has the highest drinking age in the world: It's illegal for anyone under 21 to buy alcohol, and stores or restaurants that are caught selling alcohol to people under the legal age risk losing their licenses. Many young Americans complain that the drinking laws are unfair: They are allowed to vote in elections and join the military at age 18, so why wait another three years just to buy a bottle of beer? These young people have found help in an unusual place. Last year, more than 100 presidents of US universities joined together to ask lawmakers to consider changing the drinking age. They argued that the law doesn't stop underage college kids from getting drunk - it just makes them want to drink more. For now, the law seems unlikely to change. But US teenagers who want alcohol can go north to Canada, where the drinking age is 18-19, or south to Mexico where the legal age is 18. Throughout much of Asia, Africa and Europe, the legal drinking age ranges 16-18. In plenty of places though, the official drinking age is ignored, and even young children can buy alcohol if they have the money to pay for it. No matter how old you are, you should always be responsible with alcohol. Teenagers in Milan are now learning that their reckless drinking behavior may come at a high price. Many US university presidents want lawmakers to consider changing the drinking age because they _ . A. have received complaints from many young Americans about the unfairness of the laws B. agree that people old enough to vote and join the army should be allowed to drink C. don't want to see US teenagers going to neighboring countries for a drink D. believe that the law is pushing underage youths toward alcohol instead of stopping them Answer: D There are thousands of products of all colors and shapes in a supermarket, making you believe that they are worth a try.How? Packaging is the silent but persuading salesman. There on the shelves, each bottle, can ,box, and jar has been carefully designed and measured to speak to the inner self of the consumer, because he/she is buying not only a product but also his/her belief in life.Scientists have studied consumer behavior recently and found that the look of the package has a great effect on the "quality" of the product and on how well it sells, because "consumers generally cannot tell between a product and its package.Many products are packages and many packages are products.", as Louis Cheskin, the first social scientist studying consumers' feelings for packaging, noticed. Colors are one of the best tools in packaging.Studies of eye movement have shown that colours draw human attention quickly.Take V8 for example.For many years, the bright red color of tomatoes and carrots on the thin bottle makes you feel that it is very good for your body.And the word "green" today can keep food prices going up. Shapes are another attraction.Circles often suggest happiness and peacefulness, because these shapes are pleasing to both the eye and the heart.That's why the round yellow M signs of McDonald's are inviting to both young and old. This new consumer response to the colors and shapes of packages reminds producers and sellers that people by to satisfy both body and soul. And the word green today can keep food prices going up This sentence suggests that consumers today are _ . A. starting to notice the importance of new food B. enjoying the beauty of nature more than before C. beginning to like green vegetables D. paying more attention to their health Answer: D Would you completely trust your friends if you couldn't see anything? If you are falling, do you believe they will catch you and help you stand up? Our teacher helped us to find the answer. Our teacher is named Morrie. One day, he said that he had a game for us to try. He divided us into two groups. One of the students from the first group, stands in front of us with his eyes closed, and then falls backwards . The second group stand behind him. Before he falls on the floor, they should catch him and not let him get hurt. Most of us were uncomfortable with this. We were afraid that they wouldn't catch us and we would hit the floor. So we didn't move. We just stood there and laughed in embarrassment . Finally, one student, thin, quiet, dark-haired girl called Sarah, decided to move. She crossed her arms in front of her body, closed her eyes, and slowly fell backwards. She looked quiet but brave. For a moment, I was sure she was going to fall on the floor. But before she hit the floor, the other students caught her, held her and finally helped her stand up. "Whoa!!" we were all surprised, and also encouraged. The girl was happy, too. Seeing this, Morrie smiled and said to the girl, "When you close your eyes, you can't see anything. You won't feel safe. When you are falling, the feeling gets stronger. You are not sure whether you will hit the cold, hard floor or the warm, soft hands of your friends. But if you are brave enough to trust them, they won't let you down." In the end, the girl _ . A. got hurt B. fell on the floor C. was only helped by the writer D. was caught by the other students Answer: D The olive tree probably first grew in southern Asia. And then it spread to Mediterranean countries about 6,000 years ago. Since then, it has been important in Mediterranean people's lives. The olive tree grows in rocky places and it doesn't need much water. Its fruit can be made into olive oil. People have used olive oil to cook dishes for centuries. But they haven't only used it for cooking. Some ancient cultures believed that it was useful as medicine. In modern times, people still use olive oil both for its taste and its health advantages. Olive oil has also been an important product in the business and culture of Mediterranean countries. In ancient Greece, for example, anyone who cut down an olive tree was heavily punished. Winners at the Olympic Games wore wreaths . They were made of olive branches . Sometimes winners were also given a prize of olive oil. People from Greece built ships so that they could use olive oil for trade. But it was the Romans who grew the olive tree in the rest of southern Europe and northern Africa. Today, olive oil is still a very valuable product, and many different kinds of olive oil are sold in countries all over the world. Where did the olive tree probably first grow? A. In Asia. B. In Africa. C. In Europe. D. In America. Answer: A
British Newspapers In Britain there are 11 national daily newspapers and most people read one of them every day. There are two kinds of newspapers. One is large in size and has many detailed articles about national and international events. These newspapers are called the serious papers or the quality papers. The other kind, called the tabloids , is smaller in size. They has more pictures and shorter articles, often about less important events or about the private lives of wellknown people. Although some people disapprove of the tabloids , more people buy them than buy the serious newspapers. The Sun, for example, which is a tabloid,is the biggest-selling newspaper in Britain. The tabloids are sometimes called the gutter press And in 1997, some photograph reporters of the tabloids were said to be involved in the tragic death of Princess Diana in France and they were criticized as gossip reporters by the public. Most national newspapers in Britain express a political opinion and people choose the newspaper that they read according to their own political beliefs. Most of the newspapers are right-wing, which means they support the Conservative Party . These are The Daily Telegraph ( serious newspaper ) , The Daily Express,Daily Mail, Daily Star, The Sun and Today ( all tabloids) . Of the other serious newspapers, The Times,the oldest newspaper in Britain,did not formerly have one strong political view but it is now more right-wing. The Independent does not support any political party, and neither does The Financial Times, which concentrates on business and financial news. The Daily Mirror^ a tabloid) is the voice of the Labour Party. If a newspaper often publishes some articles long enough together with national and international events,we say it's a _ . A. financial paper B. gutter press C. tabloid D. serious or quality paper Answer: D. serious or quality paper The pull of gravity on Earth is caused by A. air pressure. B. the mass of Earth. C. volcanoes erupting. D. Earth's orbit around the Sun. Answer: B. the mass of Earth. The round trip will cost at least $4.800 in all. Some more fees may also need to be spent. I hope you will have a good trip. DAY 1 Leave the USA for China. Your flight will include meals. drinks. and in-flight entertainment for your journey. DAY 2 Arrive and check in at your hotel: Beijing Hotel. You will only need to payY=560 (70% "discounts off) per night for a single room. DAY 3 In the morning we will go by subway to the Olympic Green and see the Bird's Nest. In the afternoon. we will visit the Water Cube. DAY 4 Enjoy a full-day tour to the Forbidden City. the Temple of Heaven and the Confucius Temple. We will begin at Tiananmen Square and then walk to the Forbidden City. In the afternoon. we will visit the Temple of Heaven and the Confucius Temple: DAY 5 We will visit Beijing Zoo and the Summer Palace. First stop: Beijing Zoo. You have a chance to see China's most cherished native animal. panda. After lunch. we will take the bus to the Summer Palace. DAY 6 We will go to the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs. DAY 7 Take off from Beijing Capital International Airport. How much money will they spend? A. $4. 800. B. NearlyS4. 800. C. Less than $4.800. D. More than $4.800. Answer: D. More than $4.800. An old man, too old to live on his own, went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and a four-year-old grandson. The old man's hands trembled , and he couldn't see clearly. The family ate together at the dinner table every night. But the grandfather's trembling hands and poor sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he drank milk, he spilled it on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became angry with him. "We must do something about Grandfather," said the son. So the husband and the wife set a small table in the corner. There, the grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner at the dinner table. Since the grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. Sometimes he had tears in his eyes as he ate alone. The four-year-old grandson watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy said, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mum to eat your food from when I grow up." The four-year-old boy smiled and went back to work. The words struck the parents and they were speechless. Then tears started to run down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took the grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. The wise parents should realize that the children are their parents' mirror. _ and it made the parents speechless. A. Their son would treat them as they did to their father when they were old B. They saw their father's tears C. They thought their father was sad D. They worried about their future Answer: A. Their son would treat them as they did to their father when they were old In the deep blue Indian Ocean, there's a beautiful island country called Maldives . It's the smallest in population and area of all the Asian countries. It has an area of 90,000 km2, but 99% of the area is covered by the sea. It has 1,190 islands and is about 820 km from North to South. People live on no more than 200 islands, while another 87 are visited by tourists. _ The capital Maleis is on one of the middle islands, and about 75,000 people live there. The people there are friendly and welcoming. They use their traditional games to welcome people from all over the world. It is sunny on the islands almost every day, and makes them look so beautiful. People can enjoy lots of things in Maldives. What does the writer mean "Some of the islands are only used for fishing or farming"? A. There are no people living on some islands in Maldives. B. Tourists are everywhere in Maldives. C. People in Maldives like traveling very much. D. People in Maldives can do nothing except fishing or farming. Answer: A. There are no people living on some islands in Maldives.
In Japan, people will often go out to restaurants to treat guests. The reason for this is that Japanese homes are small. If you go out to eat with your workmates, it is a custom to share the bill equally, no matter how much you eat or drink yourself. Japanese people use chopsticks to eat. But if you eat out, you can ask for a fork or a knife. These words have been adopted from the English language into Japanese. So if you say "fork" or "knife" to a waiter, he will probably understand you. If you eat in an expensive restaurant, waiters will usually place a hot towel on your table at the end of your meal. You can wipe your face and hands with this towel. In Japan, you can see some people slurp their noodles. It is considered rude in Western restaurants, but is acceptable in Japan. Western people usually blow on hot noodles first and then eat them, while Japanese do the cooling down gesture when they actually eat. Many feel noodles do not taste good if they are cooled with the air. It is also normal to lift the noodle or soup bowl to mouth so that food doesn't spill. Eating with chopsticks requires proper manners. Never leave your chopsticks standing upright, especially not on rice. It is a symbol of death, and people will find this impolite if you are not at a funeral . Never wave your chopsticks around, nor use them to move dishes around. If you are eating from a common bowl, use the back end of the chopsticks that you have not put in your mouth to dish the food out. Which of the following can we learn from the text? A A hot towel is not offered in most ordinary restaurants in Japan. B You are asked to wipe your hands after a meal in a Japanese restaurant. C The Japanese always wait until the noodles become cool. D It is impolite to lift your bowl to your mouth in Japan. Answer: A. A hot towel is not offered in most ordinary restaurants in Japan. Of all the things our wisdom tells us will make life entirely happy, the greatest is the possession of friendship. One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives. Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. On the first Sunday in August, it's time to recognize your friends and their contribution to your life. The first Sunday in August was fixed as National Friendship Day by the U.S. Congress in 1935, and remains a tradition observed in many countries and cultures. In 1997, the United Nations named Winnie the Pooh as the world's Ambassador of Friendship. Apparently, there are several friendship holidays, all of which fall on fixed dates. National Friendship Day is on the first Sunday in August Women's Friendship Day is on the third Sunday in September International Friendship Month is February Old Friends, New Friends Week is the third week of May People show their appreciation for friendship in various ways. Some expressions may be practical ones, such as flowers, particularly the pink friendship roses, cookies, chocolates, souvenirs from their vacations, a tape of favorite songs, farewell dinners, and welcome balloons. Recipe for Friendship 2 cups of patience, 1 heart full of love, 2 handfuls of generosity, 2 cups of loyalty, 1 cup of understanding, A dash of laughter. Mix them all well. Spray generously over a lifetime and serve everyone you meet. Friendship helps to bring peace and positivity to the globe, another great reason to celebrate! Although our friends certainly deserve thanks on more than just one day of the year, what better day to honor them than Friendship Day!! Recipe for Friendship here actually means _ . A a prescription for curing friends B a method of keeping a friendship C the pleasure of having friends D the importance of friendship Answer: B. a method of keeping a friendship At midnight at New Year's Eve people in Rome and Italy throw ( ) all the things they no longer want .The streets are filled with old chairs ,beds ,clothes and dishes .... In Madrid, Spain, new year comes in more quietly ( ) . People go to the main square, each holding a bag of grapes .As the clock strikes ( ) twelve ,the people eat grapes . In Tokyo people eat noodles at New Year's Eve. This food is said to bring long life. Early the next morning , some Japanese families climb Mount Fuji. There they watch the first sunrise ( ) of the new year. In China , New Year's food include ( ) a whole fish and a chicken . The chicken must be presented ( ) with a head ,a tail and two feet to symbolize ( ) completeness ( ) . The people who hope to have long life from their New Year's food _ . A are Spanish B are Japanese C are Chinese D are Italians Answer: B. are Japanese Let's face it -- you're going to get a lot of well-intentioned advice from friends, parents and grandparents about your sleep. Some of this advice is going to be just wrong. Myth 1: Sleeping late on the weekends will make up for lost sleep during the week. Fact: Getting less than the amount of sleep that you need night after night accumulates over time and starts to create a "sleep debt". And like all debts, eventually you need to pay the price. The problem with waiting until the weekend to meet sleep needs is that in the meantime, you are paying the price of being less alert, feeling more moody, thinking slower and having less stimulation. Myth 2: A boring teacher (or warm room, full stomach, etc.) can put teens to sleep. Fact: If you are getting enough sleep on a regular basis, there is no teacher, math book or reading assignment in the world boring enough to make you fall asleep in class. There are basically two things that make people sleepy -- not getting enough sleep and not getting good quality sleep. The environment kids are in, including the room temperature, light level and entertainment value, may unmask underlying sleepiness, but the environment does not cause it! So if you are dozing off in class, don't blame it on bad teaching. Myth 3: Teenagers can pull an all-nighter to study and still be ready for the big test in the morning. Fact: Teenagers are much better off studying less and getting a good night's sleep. Research clearly shows that the ability to concentrate and learn new information, as well as to work efficiently, declines sharply after being awake for 15-16 hours, and continues to bottom out the longer you stay up. Plus, if the big test is at 8:00 am, the problem gets even worse. That's because morning time typically represents a low energy point in the body's normal 24-hour circadian rhythm, especially in teenagers. According to the passage, at 8:00 am a teenager will _ . A feel more energetic after a night's sleep B have a poor learning result C have the least desire to learn D be able to think in a quick way Answer: B. have a poor learning result A Guide to the University Food The TWU Cafeteria is open 7a.m. to 8p.m.. It serves snacks, drinks, ice cream bars and meals. You can pay with cash or your ID cards. You can add meal money to your ID cards at the Front Desk. Even if you do not buy your food in the cafeteria, you can use the tables to eat your lunch, to have meetings and to study. If you are on campus in the evening or late at night, you can buy snacks, fast food, and drinks in the Lower Cafe located in the bottom level of the Douglas Centre. This area is often used for entertainment such as concerts, games or TV watching. Relaxation The Globe, located in the bottom level of McMillan Hall, is available for relaxing, studying, cooking, and eating. Monthly activities are held here for all international students. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed on Sundays. Health Located on the top floor of Douglas Hall, the Wellness Centre is committed to physical, emotional and social health. A doctor and nurse is available if you have health questions or need immediate medical help or personal advice. The cost of this is included in your medical insurance. Hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 4:30 p.m.. Academic Support All students have access to the Writing Centre on the upper floor of Douglas Hall. Here, qualified volunteers will work with you on written work, grammar, vocabulary, and other academic skills. You can sign up for an appointment on the sign-up sheet outside the door: two 30 -minute appointments per week maximum. This service is free. How can you seek help from the Writing Centre? A By applying online. B By calling the centre. C By filling in a sign-up form. D By going to the centre directly. Answer: C. By filling in a sign-up form.
I had an experience some years ago, which taught me something about the ways in which people make a bad situation worse by blaming themselves.One January, I had to hold two funerals on successive days for two elderly women in my community.Both had died "full of years", as the Bible would say.Their homes happened to be near each other, so I paid condolence calls on the two families on the same afternoon. At the first home, the son of the deceased woman said to me, "If only I had sent my mother to Florida and gotten her out of this cold and snow, she would be alive today.It's my fault that she died." At the second home, the son of the other deceased woman said, "If only I hadn't insisted on my mother's going to Florida, she would be alive today.That long airplane ride, the sudden change of climate, was more than she could take.It's my fault that she's dead." You see that any time there is a death, the survivors will feel guilty.Because the course of action they took turned out badly, they believe that the opposite course -- keeping Mother at home, putting off the operation -- would have turned out better.After all, how could it have turned out any worse? There seem to be two elements involved in our willingness to feel guilty. _ .That leads us to find patterns and connections both where they really exist and where they exist only in our minds. The second element is the view that we are the cause of what happens, especially the bad things that happen.It seems to be a short step from believing that every event has a cause to believing that every disaster is our fault.The roots of this feeling may lie in our childhood. A baby comes to think that the world exists to meet his needs, and that he makes everything happen in it.He wakes up in the morning and summons the rest of the world to its tasks.He cries, and someone comes to attend to him.When he is hungry, people feed him, and when he is wet, people change him.Very often, we do not completely outgrow that childish view that our wishes cause things to happen. What's the main idea of the passage? Answer: Never feel guilty all the time because not every disaster is our fault. In 1945,six planes and 17 men disappeared without a sign,all in one day.This was Flight 19.Flight 19's captain was Lieutenant Charles Taylor.Flight 19 was a usual flight.It took off at about 2:10 p.m.from Miami.The weather was very normal on that December 5th of 1945.It was never spoken directly to after its going down.A message was received at 4:00 p.m.that told about _ Taylor not knowing the way to go because his compass was running around and around. After that,it was never heard from again.While searching for it,a search plane was also lost.The search for the both continued until December 10th of that same year.None of the things from Flight 19's planes,or from the search plane,was ever found.It is one of the most infamous disappearances.Searching for Flight 19 lasted five days,and covered 380,000 square miles.Dr.Kripke suggests a vortex may have been involved in the disappearance of Flight 19. Perhaps _ made the Flight 19 disappear. Answer: a vortex If you plan to take your pet on a trip,prepare ahead of time. At least two weeks before you leave,take your pet to a vet. See if he or she is tit for travel and ask if he or she should have any medicine before leaving. The vet may suggest certain pills for sickness or for calming the pet. Some states or foreign countries have health laws that say animals must have certain injections before they can be allowed to enter. Your vet may have this information. You can also get help on the United States and Canadian laws from a book published by the Department of Agriculture which some libraries have. For information on foreign countries, check with their consulates .You can also ask the airlines on which you are travelling. Find out if the places where you plan to stay allow pets because many do not. If you are going by plane or train,ask if pets are allowed. If they are,ask where they will be kept and who will care for them. The big bus lines in this country do not allow pets. Choose your pet's box carefully. Plastic boxes are better than cardboard or wooden ones because they can' be chewed . If going by plane or train during warm weather,try to go in the cooler early morning or evening hours. Also try to avoid very cold winter weather because pets often suffer from cold. Even in your own car, be careful. Do not leave the animal inside with the windows closed because the car may become too hot or too cold. The main idea of this passage is to _ Answer: give general information about pet travel On countless mornings over the past year, I stood with my son, James, in our driveway, watching our neighbor hurry off to kindergarten.My wife and I wanted to give James the best education, but that meant we'd have to change our jobs and spend less time with our kid.I asked myself, "Would this trade-off be worth it?" When I look at the research on child development, I think it might not.Where our kids go to school might matter less than most American parents think. Social scientists have long tried to determine why some children grow up to be successful.In a 2001 study, Greg Duncan, a professor of education at the University of California, measured the influence that the people in a child's life have on how well the child does in school.Duncan and his team found almost no relationship between how students did on the test and whom they sat beside in class, whom they hung out with after school and who lived in their block.The only meaningful link they found was between siblings and twins in particular. For a long time, scholars thought that a family's income heavily affected how well kids did in life.But that might not be the case.When Susan Mayer at the University of Chicago looked at the relationship between family income and lifetime achievement, she ran a series of experiments to measure it, finding such outcomes weren't caused by income.She argued that the things that make a difference are relatively inexpensive: the number of books a kid has or how often his family goes to museums. Lareau, another scholar began one of the most in-depth observations of American parenting.He concluded that success is much more related to the amount of time parents spend with their children.He said "Many parents I interviewed are anxious about their children's futures.But they have exaggerated the sense of the risks involved if they don't give their children 'the best' of everything." So at last, we decided to leave things as it were.More time with our kid is the best we can provide. From the passage we know that most American parents _ . Answer: think children's achievement largely depends on schools Peter was walking in the street with two big and heavy boxes. A stranger walked up to him and asked, "What is the time?" Peter stopped, put down the boxes and looked at his watch. "It's five fifteen," he said. "Hey, what a nice watch!" said the stranger. Peter smiled a little and said, "Yes, it's not bad. Look at this." Then he showed the stranger the time for 86 big cities in the world. He hit a few buttons and it told the time in Chinese. Peter went on ," You can set it in English, Chinese, Japanese and so on." The stranger looked very interested in the watch. "That's not all," said Peter. He then pushed a few more buttons and there was a small map appeared on the watch. "The map can show where we are," said Peter. "I want to buy this watch!" said the stranger. "Oh, no, I' m not selling it. I designed it myself. I spent nearly two years making it." said Peter. "Oh, you are the designer. I'll give you $ 1,000 for it!" "Oh, no, I spent more than that." "I'll give you $ 5,000 for it!" Peter stopped to think. The stranger quickly gave him a check and said ,"$ 5,000. Here it is." Peter finally agreed to sell the watch. When the stranger was going to leave with the watch, Peter pointed to the two big boxes and said, "Hey, wait a minute. Don' t forget your batteries ." Which of the following is NOT true about the watch? Answer: It is easy to wear and carry.
Coincidences happen all the time to ordinary people, but the following events are perhaps some of the strangest of them all. 1. In the 19thcentury, the famous writer, Edgar Allan Poe, wrote a book called The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. It was about four survivors of a shipwreck who were in an open boat for many days before three of them decided to kill and eat the cabin boy whose name was Richard Parker. Some years later, in 1884, the boat Mignonette sank, and only four survivors were left in an open boat for many days. Finally the three older members killed and ate the cabin boy. The name of the cabin boy was Richard Parker. 2. In Monza, Italy, King Umberto I went to a small restaurant for dinner. When the owner took King Umberto I's order, the King noticed that he and the restaurant owner were doubles, in face and in build. Both men began discussing the resemblance between each other and found many more similarities. Both men were born in the same place, on the same day, of the same year (March 14, 1844, Turin, Italy). On the day that the King married Queen Margherita, the restaurant owner had married a lady named Margherita. The restaurant owner opened his restaurant on the same day that King Umberto I was crowned King of Italy. On July 29, 1900, King Umberto I was informed that the restaurant owner had died that day in a shooting accident, and as he expressed his regret, someone in the crowd killed him! 3. Mark Twain was a popular American author who wrote famous books such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain was born on the day of the appearance of Halley's Comet in 1835, and died on the day of its next appearance in 1910. He himself predicted this in 1909, when he said: "I came in with Halley's Comet in1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it." Whose story is related to astronomy? _ . Mark Twain's Two girls living next door to each other-a seemingly plain scene that has two very different life .stories behind it. Chi Zhen, an 18-year-old student in Seville, Spain, used his camera to tell the story of two lives, which went widespread online. Comments on the photos indicate that they have inspired many, to believe that the future is in their own hands. Chi has seen many youths living life without a goal, wasting their time and blaming bad luck for it. Feeling regret for them, he took a series of photos of his friends Veronica and Anna Maria, both freshmen at the University of Seville in Spain. They live completely different life styles and are getting opposite results. Chi hopes the photos will inspire those who have let go of their own fate . In the photos, Anna Maria, a Spanish girl, can be seen watching a TV programme . She spends most of her time in front of her laptop. She rarely goes out, because she thinks she's not attractive and doesn't know what to say in social situations. "'I'm not as lucky as Veronica," she often says. But she doesn't know that while she's wasting time watching TV, -Veronica, the "lucky" girl next door,has taught herself four foreign languages and traveled to many places. She goes to the library frequently and her extensive knowledge and experience allow her to take part in any conversation and become the center of attention. Chi thinks that Anna Maria resembles many of his Chinese .friends who study abroad. They are trapped to their little circles, never trying to change their fate./'They say 'maybe I'll do it in my next life', but they are in their 20s, their best time. How can they give up hope and accept this as their life?" Chi says. The influence of the photos has gone far beyond what Chi expected. One user commented on his photos on Renren.com, saying, "A wall separates two worlds, and the life we have depends on what we do." Another is determined to make a change right away. "I'm turning off my laptop and not watching TV anymore," he wrote. According to the text, Veronica _ is often the centre of attention Charlie studied in a famous college for four years. He studied hard and did well in all his subjects. He hoped to become a good teacher. This year he left the college and began to work in a middle school. He likes his students and is strict with them. He does his best to make his classes lively and interesting. One day he carefully explained a chemical reaction to the students of Grade 2 in the chemistry lab. "Be careful, everyone," he said loudly. "Before I make the experiment,there're twenty five atoms of carbon ,but after I finish it, there're twenty four atoms of carbon left!" He stopped to watch the classroom and hoped his students would go on explaining it. But the young men looked at each other and nobody answered him. He had to ask, "What happens? What makes the atom lost?" The classroom was very quiet and none of the students looked at their teacher. "Who can tell us where it has gone?" Suddenly a soft voice came from the back row, "We did not see anybody leave the lab!" The students couldn't answer Charlie's questions because _ . they didn't understand their teacher Birthday Traditions in Different Countrles[ England Certain symbolic objects are mixed into the birthday cake as it's being prepared. If your piece of cake has a coin in it,then you will be rich. Also, when it's your birthday,your friends give you the"bumps".They lift you in the air by your hands and feet and raise you up and down to the floor;one for each year you lived,then another one or two for luck. Denmark A flag is flown outside a window to show that someone who lives in that house is having a birthday. Presents are placed around the child's bed while he/she is sleeping,so he/she will see them at once upon awakening. Holland Special year birthdays such as 5,10,15,20,21 are called"crown"years.The birthday child receives an especially large gift on a crown year birthday.The family also decorates the birthday child's chair at the dining room table with flowers,paper streamers and balloons. Canada The birthday child's nose is greased with butter for good luck.The greased nose makes the child too slippery for bad luck to catch him/her.In some parts of Canada,the birthday person even receives a punch for each year he/she is alive and then one for good luck. Brazil The birthday child receives a pull on the ear for each year he/she has been alive.The birthday person also gives the first plece of cake to his/her most special friend or relative,usually mom or dad. Korea There is a big family party on the first birthday.The table is set with food,and four items:a pencil,a ruler,thread,and money. The item that the baby chooses is said to forecast his/her future:excellent student,good with hands,long life or riches. South Africa On the twenty-first birthday,a key made of anything from paper to silver to gold is presented by the parents as a sign that the child is ready to unlock the door to their future. The passage mainly tells us _ . people in different countries celebrate their birthday in different ways Jake and Carol live next door to a banana farm. One day as they were taking a walk, Jake asked Carol if she could smell the sweet bananas. Carol said yes and that she would love it if the farmer would give them some. Jake's mouth watered at the thought of eating the golden yellow bananas. They then began walking to the farmer's barn to ask him if they could have some. When they arrived they saw a sign that said the farmer would be out until tomorrow night. He was also a singer and would be performing at a school two towns over in Orangeville. Instead of waiting for the farmer to return so that they could ask for some bananas, Jake and Carol began walking around the farm to pick their own. As he was walking, Jake tripped on a rock. As he tried to stand back up he felt a sharp pain in his leg. He could walk, but it was very painful. Carol let Jake lean on her as they walked home. They knew it was a bad idea to go on the farmer's land without his permission and would never do it again. Where do Carol and Jake live? Next to a banana farm.
John was a very naughty boy. He liked playing tricks on people. Sometimes he would call Mrs. Walker at the hat store and roar at her on the phone. Sometimes he would leave his wet blanket on the sidewalk so that it would squish under people's feet when they walked past. Sometimes he would moo at his sister, June, to annoy her. One time he even painted his friend Jack's bedroom purple without asking. This upset Jack very much. Jack did not want his bedroom to be purple. Jack liked his bedroom blue and white, like his favorite sport's team. Whenever Jack was sad his dog, Scamp, was also sad. John's naughty actions really hurt Jack's feelings so he tried to hide from John. John found Jack anyway. "Why are you hiding from me?" asked John. "You were naughty. You painted my bedroom without asking. You even made Scamp sad and now his tail won't wag." John felt very bad about hurting his friend's feelings. He wanted to make his friend happy again. The problem was he was out of paint. John thought long and hard. He had an idea! He ran to his house and grabbed his favorite toy, his yellow dinosaur. He handed it to Jack. "I'm sorry about your room. I won't do anything like that again. I can't fix it right now, but you can have my dinosaur until I fix your room." Jack accepted John's apology and both boys were happy. Scamp could wag his tail again. What was the name of John's sister? A Mrs. Walker B June C Scamp D Jack Answer: B. June There was once a land named Catatonia where cats ran things. Cats walked and talked much as you do except they walked on four legs. There were cat policemen, cat firemen, cat teachers, and even a cat bus driver. Most of the cats were very busy. The King of Catatonia was a small cat named Diggs. He had two brothers named Pouncer and Flash who helped him rule in Catatonia. Pouncer was head of the Milk, Cheese and Cream center and Flash's job was to blow things up. Together the three of them made sure all the cats were happy, had plenty to drink and got to enjoy bright fireworks shows in the distance. One day Pouncer's wife brought the kittens to see Pouncer at his office. There were white kittens and lots of black and white spotted kittens walking around in the Milk, Cheese and Cream center. Well that is all the time we have for now. I hope this short story of the Cats of Catatonia made at least one person in the room smile. What type of job was NOT in the story? A Bus driver B Policeman C Milk-maker D Fireman Answer: C. Milk-maker I got into the teaching profession by choice. I was then in 9th grade, when my mathematics teacher asked me to take a class for a few students to whom the subject seemed difficult. And believe me, I enjoyed the teaching. I never knew teaching would be so interesting. I loved my freshmen and was delighted to teach my so-called students who came up with lots of good questions. After my post graduation, I worked as a software developer with a public sector in Bangalore for a few years. But I realized that no job could provide me the satisfaction that I experienced while teaching and training. In fact, I feel it was a timely realization for me to choose the teaching profession. I applied to a few colleges, and finally I was chosen as a "Lecturer", and I had to lecture graduate and post-graduate students in a college. On the first day, I was nervous thinking that I had to teach the senior classes. But now I can say that taking lectures was one of the best experiences of my life. I was a Computer Science and Information Technology Lecturer, but I tried to help my students with subjects that were not within my domain . It was a new feeling to me every morning before going to the classes. I used to feel energized and excited thinking that the class would be lit up with bright faces to greet me, "Good morning, Madam". To me each day was a new beginning, with new feelings, new experiences and new queries . I loved to explore their young minds, read their inquisitive faces when a particular topic seemed tough. It was very challenging to motivate them to take part in the classroom, think critically, question and also respect others' point of view. Though few things never seemed easy, it was very exciting to assure them that they really can. That is the reason, I love to teach. What's the best title of the passage? A Choosing your job according to your interest B How to build a good relationship with students C An unforgettable teaching experience D Why I love to work as a teacher Answer: D. Why I love to work as a teacher Which sequence represents the order of development for many plants? A seed develops inside fruit -> seed is dispersed -> seed germinates -> plant grows B seed is dispersed -> seed develops inside fruit -> seed germinates -> plant grows C seed germinates -> plant grows -> seed is dispersed -> seed develops inside fruit D seed is dispersed -> plant grows -> seed germinates -> seed develops inside fruit Answer: A. seed develops inside fruit -> seed is dispersed -> seed germinates -> plant grows Buster Brown was a thief and a good one too,he thought. He'd never been caught by the police because he never took chances.He was always prepared for any unforeseen event or emergency. Confidently,he stood outside the house of his intended victim and read the sign on the front gate of the house."Don't worry about the dog--be aware of the owner!" it said.Buster smiled and found his way in. The house looked quite normal outside,but inside it was very exotic with fascinating objects on display.As he began putting them into his bag,a dog came into the room.It stopped when it saw Buster,then wagged its tail madly and went over to him,licking his outstretched hand. "Good boy," Buster whispered. "What a great guard dog you are--trying to lick me to death." Satisfied he'd made friends with the dog,Bluster began to wander round the house,choosing items to put in his bag.His skilled eye picked out only the best antiques :a pair of silver candleholders,a silver tea-and-coffee service,etc..His new friend,the dog,sat and watched,as if wondering what was happening. "Well,boy," Buster whispered,finally."That might do.Any more and I won't be able to carry it!" He swung the heavy bag onto his shoulders, just as the lights came on, nearly blinding him. He shielded his eyes with his hand. "You're a very silly person," the figure in the doorway said, his voice dry and dust. As the man came closer, Buster could see he was well dressed. His face seemed familiar, but Buster couldn't quite place where he had seen him before. "You should have taken more notice of the sign outside," the man rasped. "I knew about this attempted robbery last week and I also know you will end up behind bars for 20 years. Fancy trying to rob the house of the world's greatest fortune-teller!" Why was Buster so confident? A He was not afraid of dogs. B He knew the owner of the house lived alone. C The house had no security alarm. D He had never been caught by the police. Answer: D. He had never been caught by the police.
Is there clear boundary between science and the liberal arts as a major for college students? The question of whether our government should promote science and technology or the liberal arts in higher education is not an either / or proposition , although the current emphasis on preparing young Americans for STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) -related fields can make it seem that way. The latest congressional report acknowledges the critical importance of technical training, but also stresses that the study of the humanities and social sciences must remain central elements of America's educational system at all levels. Both are critical to producing citizens who can participate effectively in our democratic society, become innovative leaders, and benefit from the spiritual enrichment that the reflection on the great ideas of mankind over time provides. Parents and students who have invested heavily in higher education worry about graduates' job prospects as technological advances and changes in domestic and global markets transform professions in ways that reduce wages and cut jobs. Under this circumstances, it's natural to look for what may appear to be the most "practical" way out of the problem. "Major in a subject designed to get you a job" seems the obvious answer to some, though this ignores the fact that many disciplines in the humanities characterized as "soft" often, in fact, lead to employment and success in the long run. Indeed, according to surveys, employers have expressed a preference for students who have received a broadly-based education that has taught them to write well, think critically, research creatively, and communicate easily. Moreover, students should be prepared not just for their first job, but for their 4th and 5th jobs, as there is little reason to doubt that people entering the workforce today will be called upon to play many different roles over the course of their careers. The ones who will do the best in this new environment will be those whose educations have prepared them to be flexible. The ability to draw upon every available tool and insight - picked up from science, arts, and technology - to solve the problems of the future, and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, will be helpful to them and the United States. What is the main concern of students when they choose a major? A The academic value of the courses. B Their interest in relevant subjects. C Their chances of getting a good job. D The quality of education to receive. Answer: C On January 15, in a signed writing, Artisan agreed to remodel Ohner's building according to certain specifications, and Ohner agreed to pay the specified price of $5,000 to Artisan's niece, Roberta Neese, as a birthday present. Neese did not learn of the agreement until her birthday on May 5. Before they signed the writing, Artisan and Ohner had orally agreed that their "written agreement will be null and void unless Ohner is able to obtain a $5,000 loan from the First National Bank before January 31."For this question only, assume that Ohner obtained the loan, that Artisan completed the remodeling on May 1, and that on May 3, at Artisan's request, Ohner paid the $5,000 to Artisan. If Neese learns of Ohner's payment to Artisan on May 5, at the same time she learns of the written Artisan-Ohner contract, will she succeed in action against Ohner for $5,000? A Yes, because she is an intended beneficiary of the written Artisan-Ohner contract. B Yes, because the written Artisan-Ohner contract operated as an assignment to Neese, and Artisan thereby lost whatever rights he may have had to the $5,000. C No, because Neese had not furnished any consideration to support Ohner's promise to pay $5,000 to her. D No, because on May 3, Artisan and Ohner effectively modified their written contract, thereby depriving Neese of whatever right she may have had under that contract. Answer: D As temperatures go up, bison get smaller. Joseph Craine, research assistant professor in the Division of Biology at Kansas State University, examined how climate change during the next 50 years will affect grazing animals such as bison and cattle in the Great Plains. "Bison are one of our most important conservation animals and hold a unique role in grasslands in North America," Craine said. "In addition to their cultural and ecological significance, they're economically important. There are about half a million bison in the world." Craine analyzed a data set of 290,000 weights, ages and sexes collected from 22 bison herds throughout the U. S. The organizations kept annual records of each animal in the herd and matched the data with the climates of the sites. Based on differences in sizes of bison across herds, Craine found that during the next 50 years, future generations of bison will be smaller in size and weigh less. Climate is likely to reduce the nutritional quality of grasses, causing the animals to grow more slowly. "We know that temperatures are going to go up," Craine said. "We also know that warmer grasslands have grasses with less protein , and we now know that warmer grasslands have smaller _ . It all lines up to suggest that climate change will cause grasses to have less protein and cause grazers to gain less weight in the future." Craine said the results of climate change in coming decades can already be seen by comparing bison in cooler, wetter places with those in warmer, drier places. For example, the average 7-year-old male bison in South Dakota weighed 1, 900 pounds, while an average 7- year-old male bison in Oklahoma -- a warmer place -- weighed 1, 300 pounds. "The difference in temperature between those two states is around 20 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about three times the projected increase in temperatures over the next 75 years," Craine said. "It is a clear indicator that long-term warming will affect bison and is something that will happen across the U.S. over the next 50-75 years." What is the main reason for the bison to become smaller? A The deceasing amount of grass. B The rising temperature. C The rising number of bison. D The loss of weight. Answer: B Wilma Subra had no intention of becoming a public speaker. After graduating from college with degrees in chemistry and microbiology, she went to work at Gulf South Research Institute in Louisiana. As part of her job, she conducted field research on toxic (poisonous) substances in the environment, often in minority communities located near large industrial polluters. She found many families were being exposed to high, sometimes deadly levels of chemicals and other toxic substances. But she was not allowed to make her information public. Frustrated by these restrictions, Subra left her job in 1981, created her own company and has devoted the past two decades to helping people fight back against giant industrial polluters. She works with families and community groups to conduct environmental tests, interpret test results, and organize for change. Because of her efforts, dozens of toxic sites across the country have been cleaned up. And one chemical industry spokesperson calls her "a _ top _ gun" for the environmental movement. How has Subra achieved all this? Partly through her scientific training.Partly through her commitment to environmental justice. But just as important is her ability to communicate with people through public speaking. "Public speaking," she says, "is the primary vehicle I use for reaching people." If you had asked Subra before 1981 "Do you see yourself as a major public speaker?", she would have laughed at the idea. Yet today she gives more than one hundred presentations a year. Along the way, she's lectured at Harvard, testified before Congress, and addressed audiences in 40 states, as well as in Mexico, Canada, and Japan. What did Wilma Subra study for her job before 1981? A Chemistry and microbiology. B Families affected by toxic chemicals. C Toxic substances in the environment. D Minority communities near industrial polluters. Answer: C Below is a selection about Guinness World Records. Top 6 Unusual Guinness World Records Fastest 100 m running on all fours The 2008 Guinness World Records Day was, according to CWR, their biggest day of record-breaking ever, I- h more than 290.000 people taking put in record attempts in 15 different countries. Kenichi Ito's record attempt was port of this special day. He is just another example of Japanese with "super powers". His "super power" is to run with great speed on all fours. Kenichi Ito ran 100 m on all fours in 18.58 seconds. The Japanese set this record at Setagaya Kuritsu Sogo Undojyo, Tokyo, in 2008. Most people inside a soap bubble The Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, Califomia celebrated this year the 15th anniversary of the Bubble Festival. A bubble's math principles and science were presented and demonstrated at the three-week-long exhibition. The intriguing Bubble Show was also part of the program. Fan Yang and Deni Yang impressed the audience with their awesome skills for bubble making. The Yang family cooperated with the Discovery Science Center to set a new Guinness World Record for mow people inside a scup bubble and they succeeded. The family that has been working with soap bubbles for 27 years created a huge soap bubble and got 118 people inside it. The record was set or. April 4, 2011. Longest ears on a dog A bloodhound from Illinois has the longest ears ever measured a dog. The right ear is 13.75 inches long and the left one 13.5 inches. The dog named Tigger earned this title in 2004 and is owned by Christina and Bryan Flessner. Mr. Jeffries is the previous record holder of this title. Each of his ears measured approximately 11. 5 inches long. His grandfather used to hold this amazing world record, but when he died Mr.Jeffries look over. Most living generations Did you ever wonder what is the Guinness World Record for most living generation in one family? Seven is the answer. The ultimate authority on record-breaking mentions on the website that the youngest great-great- great-great grandparent of this family was Augusta Bung "aged 109 years 97 days, followed by her daughter aged 89, her granddaughter aged 70, her great grand-daughter aged 52, her great-great grand-daughter aged 33 and her great-great-great granddaughter aged 15 on the birth of her great-great-great-great grandson on January 21, 1989". Most T shirts worn at once Believe it or not, there is a record also for this category. Krunoslav Budiseli set a new world record on May 22, 2010 for wearing 245 T-shirts at the same time. The nun from Croatia was officially recognized as the new record bolder by Guinness World Records after he managed to put on 245 different T-shirts in 1ess than two hours. . The T-shirts weighted 68 KG and Budiseli said he began struggling around T-shirt No. 120. He dethroned the Swedish Guinness record holder who wore 238 T-shirts. Heaviest pumpkin Guinness World Records confirmed on October 9. 2010 that a gigantic pumpkin grown in Wisconcin was officially the world's heaviest. It weighed 1,810 pounds 8 ounces and was unveiled by Chris Stevens at the Stillwater Harvest Festival in Minnesota. Stevens' pumpkin was 85 pounds Javier than the previous re I, another huge pumpkin grown in Ohio. The proud farmer said his secret is a precise of rain, cow mature, good soil, sea grass and fish emulsion. Some of the world's heaviest pumpkins, including the record bolder, were on public display at the Bronx Botanical Gardens in New Yost for a dozen days. How many T-shirts had Krunoslav Budiseli put on before he felt it difficult to go on? A 68. B 120. C 238. D 245. Answer: B
Today we celebrate our nation's school support staff and their tireless work in meeting the needs of all the students. See how Native American specialist Cecil Crawford is addressing a critical need by helping to lower the dropout rate at his school. How Are You Celebrating American Education Week Share your plans and photos with us at AEW@nea.org! If you're on social media, be sure to use #AEW2015. 2015 Artwork: Click here for our 2015 poster, web banners, ads and more. What Is American Education Week? American Education Week -- November 16-20 -- presents all Americans with a wonderful opportunity to celebrate public education and honor individuals who are making a difference in ensuring that every child receives a quality education. This year's theme is "Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility", and can be reflected in special observances each day of the weeklong celebration: Monday, November 16: Kickoff Day Tuesday, November 17: Parents' Day Wednesday, November 18: Education Support Professionals' Day Thursday, November 19: Educator for a Day Friday, November 20: Substitute Educators' Day Online Q&A: The Power of Teacher-parent Relationships for Student Success Our Q&A has ended, but you can still visit our Facebook page and read through the great advice and discussion between parents and educators. Weigh in with your own ideas and keep the conversation going! Read more here. Read more about the history of American Education Week. How can you celebrate American Education Week? A By making an ad yourself. B By using #AEW2015 on social media. C By delivering a speech. D By planning the activity. Answer: B. By using #AEW2015 on social media. Cooking programs and classes for children seem to positively influence children's food preferences and behaviors, according to a recent review. And, although the review didn't look at long-term effects of such programs, the findings suggest that such programs might help children develop long-lasting healthy habits. This research comes at a time when childhood obesity rates have been rising rapidly. More than one-third of adolescents in the United States were obese in 2012, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This trend has been caused, at least in part, by a significant decrease in the amount of meals that people consume at home since the 1980s, according to background information in the study. Cooking education programs, such as Food Explorers, teach children about new healthy foods and how to prepare them. They also stress the importance of eating five fruits and vegetables every day. A volunteer parent explains a new food to the group, and the kids make something based on the lesson, such as fruit or vegetable salad. Depending on the program, kids may be sent home with information about healthy foods to bring to their parents, the review explained. The study team reviewed eight other studies that tested different types of cooking education programs. Children in these classes were between 5 and 12 years old, according to the review. The goal of the study team was to learn more about developing an efficient program to encourage healthy food choices that last a lifetime. The study found that it is particularly important to expose kids to healthy foods on a number of occasions. This makes them feel comfortable with the new foods, which helps them build healthy habits. The study stressed the importance of getting parents involved in their children's eating habits. Parents who are unable to enroll their kids in a cooking class can achieve similar benefits by having their kids help them while they prepare meals at home. Children are more comfortable at home, which makes them more receptive to new foods because they will make the connection to a positive experience. On cooking education programs, _ . A children learn how to prepare foods from their parents B children will learn how to cook in the company of their parents C children may learn information unknown to their parents D children focus more on cooking skills than on information about healthy foods Answer: C. children may learn information unknown to their parents Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage their health,but many do not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant health effects.Environmental Protection Agency studies indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be 3~5 times,and occasionally more than 100 times,higher than outdoor levels.These levels of indoor air pollutants may be of particular concern because most people spend about 90% of their time indoors. There are many sources of indoor air pollution in any home.These include sources such as oil,gas,coal,wood,and tobacco products,building materials,wet or damp carpet,and furniture made of certain pressed wood products,products for household cleaning and maintenance,personal care,or hobbies,central heating and cooling systems. Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures.These include _ of the eyes,nose,and throat,headaches,dizziness.Such immediate effects are usually shortterm and treatable.Sometimes the treatment is simply removing the person's exposure to the source of the pollution,if it can be identified. The likelihood of immediate reactions to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors.Age and preexisting medical conditions are two important influences.In other cases,whether a person reacts to a pollutant depends on individual sensitivity,which varies tremendously from person to person.Some people can become sensitized to biological pollutants after repeated exposures,and it appears that some people can become sensitized to chemical pollutants as well. Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral diseases,so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution.While pollutants commonly found in indoor air are responsible for many harmful effects,there is considerable uncertainty about what concentrations or periods of exposure are necessary to produce specific health problems.People also react very differently to exposure to indoor air pollutants.Therefore,further research is needed to better understand the effects of indoor air pollution and to find efficient ways to protect our health. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage? A Reactions of Pollution B Danger from Home C Pollution Resources D Different Pollutions Answer: B. Danger from Home "Well, what did I say?Buck's a real fighter, all right," said Francois the next morning when he discovered that Spitz had disappeared and that Buck was covered in blood. "Spitz fought like a wolf," said Perrault, as he looked at the bites all over Buck. "And Buck fought like ten wolves," answered Francois. "And we'll travel faster now. No more Spitz,no more trouble." Francois started to harness the dogs. He needed a new lead-dog, and decided that Solleks was the best dog that he had. But Buck jumped at Solleks and took his place. "Look at Buck!" said Francois,laughing. "He's killed Spitz,and now he wants to be lead-dog.Go away, Buck!" He pulled Buck away and tried to harness Solleks again.Solleks was unhappy too. He was frightened of Buck, and when Francois turned his back,Buck took Solleks' place again. Now Francois was angry. "I'll show you! " he cried,and went to get a heavy club from the sledge. Buck remembered _ ,and moved away. This time,when Solleks was harnessed as lead-dog,Buck did not try to move in.He kept a few meters away and circled around Francois carefully. But when Francois called him to his old place in front of Dave, Buck refused.He had won his fight with Spitz and he wanted to be lead-dog. For an hour the two men tried to harness him.Buck did not run away,but he did not let them catch him.Finally,Francois sat down,and Perrault looked at his watch.It was getting late. The two men looked at one another and smiled. Francois walked up to Solleks,took off his harness, led him back and harnessed him in his old place.Then he called Buck. All the other dogs were harnessed and the only empty place was now the one at the front. But Buck did not move. "Put down the club," said Perrault. Francois dropped the club, and immediately Buck came up to the front of the team.Francois harnessed him, and in a minute the sledge was moving. Buck was an excellent leader. He moved and thought quickly and led the other dogs well. A new leader made no difference to Dave and Solleks; they continued to pull hard.But the other dogs had had an easy life when Spitz was leading.They were surprised when Buck made them work hard and punished them for their mistakes. Pike,the second dog,was usually lazy;but by the end of the first day he was pulling harder than he had ever pulled in his life. The first night in camp Buck fought Joe,another difficult dog,and after that there were no more problems with him.The team started to pull together,and to move faster and faster. "I've never seen a dog like Buck!" cried Francois, "Never! He's worth a thousand dollars. What do you think, Perrault? " Perrault agreed.They were moving quickly,and covering more ground every day. The snow was good and hard,and no new snow fell.The temperature dropped to 45degC below zero, and didn't change. This time there was more ice on the Thirty Mile River, and they crossed in a day.Some days they ran a hundred kilometers,or even more. They reached Skagway in fourteen days; the fastest time ever. What did Francois think of Buck at the end of the passage? A annoying B admirable C aggressive D average Answer: B. admirable Living in a modern society has its advantages and disadvantages. One disadvantage is that you often have to live closer to other people than you would like to. Sometimes, your neighbors make a noise that you are not comfortable with. The best way to solve this problem is to talk with your neighbor first. You should be very polite and ask your neighbor if he knows how thin the walls of your homes are. This way doesn't criticize his behavior ; it simply points out that he may not realize how far his sound travels. Tell him that you know that sometimes you make noise as well, but that you do your best to keep it down. Often this will solve the problem right away, but sometimes the neighbor may become angry. If your neighbor becomes angry with you, there are some more steps you can take. You might write a letter to the neighborhood committee. Make sure you write down the source of the noise and the time in the letter. They will review the situation and decide whether your neighbor is out of line. Some noise is considered to be _ , even if it bothers you. So you may prepare a good pair of earplugs . Even if your neighbor makes too much noise, you don't have to live your life in discomfort. It's always a good idea to be friendly with your neighbors. You may clean the rubbish in front of his door. He's sure to appreciate behavior like this and be more open to your suggestions about noise level. What is the first step to deal with the noisy neighbor? A To buy a good pair of earplugs B To offer suggestions to the neighbor C To ask the neighborhood committee for help D To tell the neighbor how bad his behavior is Answer: D. To tell the neighbor how bad his behavior is
Question: When someone says, "Well, I guess I'll have to face the music," it doesn't mean he is planning to go to a concert. It is something far less pleasant, like being called in by your boss to explain why you did this and did that, and why you did not do this or that. Terrible music indeed, but it has to be faced. At sometime or another, every one of us has had to "face the music", especially as children. We can remember father's angry voice, "I want to talk to you!" And only because we did not obey him. What an unpleasant business it was! The phrase "face the music" is known to every American, old and young. It is at least one hundred years old. Where did the expression come from? The first explanation came from the American novelist, James Fenimore Cooper. He said, in 1851, that expression was first used by actors while waiting in the wings to go on the stage. After they got their clue to go on, they often said. "It's time to face the music." And that was exactly what they did - facing the orchestra which was just below the stage. An actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of the audience that might be friendly, or perhaps unfriendly, especially if he forgot his lines. But he had to go out. If he did not, there would be no play. So the expression "face the music" came to mean "having to go through something, no matter how unpleasant the experience might be, because you knew you had no choice." Why might an actor be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of the audience? A. Because the audience might be unfriendly. B. Because he thought he might forget his lines. C. Because he was afraid that his performance might not be perfect. D. All the above. Answer: D Question: BERLIN (AP)----A tiger escaped its enclosure at Cologne Zoo in western Germany on Saturday and killed a female keeper before being shot dead by the zoo's director, police said. The tiger slipped through a passage between the enclosure and a neighboring storage building, where it fatally attacked the 43-year-old keeper, said police spokesman Stefan Kirchner. "It appears the gate wasn't properly shut," Kirchner told The Associated Press. The zoo was evacuated and a SWAT team was called in, police said.But before it arrived, the zoo's director managed to kill the tiger by climbing onto the storage building and shooting it through a skylight using a rifle. Kirchner said it was unlikely that members of the public had witnessed the incident. "This is the darkest day of my life," the zoo's director, Theo Pagel, was quoted as saying by Cologne newspaper Express. The paper said on its website that the Siberian tiger was a 4-year-old male called Tltai that came to Cologne Zoo from an animal park in England.In November it fathered three cubs with a 7-year-old Siberian tiger called Hanya, according to the zoo's website. Police said the zoo reopened after Saturday's incident, which occurred around noon.However, a planned late-night opening of the zoo has been canceled. Cologne Zoo is one of the oldest in Germany.It was founded in 1860 and houses some 10,000 animals consisting of more than 700 different species. What can we learn about Cologne Zoo? A. It keeps a large variety of species. B. It is one of the largest in German. C. It has a history of more than 700 years. D. No such incident has happened before. Answer: A Question: French writer Le Clezio won the 2008 Nobel Prize in Literature, the Swedish Academy announced Thursday. The Academy _ Le Clezio as "author of new departures and poetic adventure, explorer of humanity beyond civilization." Le Clezio, 48, received much attention with his first novel The Interrogationin 1963 and made the breakthrough as a novelist withDesertin 1980, for which he was rewarded a prize from the French Academy. This novel Desertcontains magnificent images of a lost culture in the North African desert, contrast with a description of Europe seen through the eyes of unwanted immigrants, the Swedish Academy said in the statement. The emphasis in Le Clezio's work has increasingly moved in the direction of an exploration of the world of childhood and of his own family history, the academy added. Le Clezio was born 1940 in Nice of France, but both parents had strong family connections with the former French colony Mauritius.At the age of eight, he moved to Nigeria with his family. During the month-long voyage to Nigeria, he began his literary career with two books Un long voyageandOradi noir. He has taught at universities in Bangkok, Mexico City, Boston, Austin and Albuquerque among other places. Since the 1990s, Le Clezio and his wife share their time between Albuquerque in New Mexico, the island of Mauritius and Nice. This was the fourth of the prestigious Nobel Prizes handed out this year, with awards in chemistry, physics and medicine made in the past three days. The Nobel Prizes have been awarded annually since 1901 to those who "conferred the greatest benefit on mankind during the preceding year." The annual Nobel Prizes are usually announced in October and are handed out on Dec. 10, the anniversary of the 1896 death of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish industrialist and the inventor of dynamite . Each prize consists of a medal, a personal diploma and a cash award of 10 million Swedish kronor (1.4 million U.S. dollars). Where can we probably find this article? A. In a scientific fiction. B. In a history book. C. In a newspaper. D. In a travel leaflet Answer: C Question: Car sharing is another way to drive green that's gaining in popularity, especially in urban areas.People who may not drive every day but still want a car to run errands or drive on weekends benefit most from car sharing.Car sharing is usually run by a service like Zipcar, though there are non-profit and informal car sharing services.Members pay a monthly fee and have access to an entire fleet of cars when they need one.The cars are parked in fixed spots around the city, so members only need to make a reservation, and then go to the pickup spot. Car sharing has major environmental benefits because it reduces the number of cars on the road.Members don't drive just because they are in a car.They plan trips, and if they don't need a car, they don't use one.Still, a car is available to them if they need to make a big trip to the grocery store, pick someone up at the airport or if they want to go to the beach for the day.Members also benefit by having access to a car without any of the headaches of ownership.They usually don't have to pay for the gas, insurance or maintenance , and the monthly membership fee is less than a typical car payment.So if you really want to go green but aren't ready to totally give up a car yet, car sharing may be the way to go. If you still need to get around, but want to go even greener than sharing a car, share a bus! The author intends to tell us that car sharing _ . A. has become the most popular way to go to work B. has become the best way to cut living costs C. is becoming more and more popular in cities D. is becoming popular both in urban and rural areas Answer: C Question: A recent study of ancient and modern elephants has come up with the unexpected conclusion that the African elephant is divided into two distinct species. The discovery was made by researchers at York and Harvard Universities when they were examining the genetic relationship between the ancient woolly mammoth and mastodon to modern elephants -- the Asian elephant, African forest elephant, and African savanna elephant. Once they obtained DNA sequences from two fossils , mammoths,and mastodons the team compared them with DNA from modern elephants. They found to their amazement that modern forest and savanna elephants are as distinct from each other as Asian elephants and mammoths. The scientists used detailed genetic analysis to prove that the African savanna elephant and the African forest elephant have been distinct species for several million years. The divergence of the two species took place around the time of the divergence of Asian elephants and woolly mammoths. This result amazed all the scientists. There has long been debate in the scientific community that the two might be separate species, but this is the most convincing scientific evidence so far that they are indeed different species. Previously, many naturalists believed that African savanna elephants and African forest elephants were two populations of the same species, despite the elephants' significant size differences. The savanna elephant has an average shoulder height of 3.5 metres while the forest elephant has an average shoulder height of 2.5 metres. The savanna elephant weighs between six and seven tons, roughly double the weight of the forest elephant. But the fact that they look so different does not necessarily mean they are different species. However the proof lay in the analysis of the DNA. Alfred Roca, assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois, said, "We now have to treat the forest and savanna elephants as two different units for conservation purposes. Since 1950,all African elephants have been conserved as one species. Now that we know the forest and savanna elephants are two very distinctive animals, the forest elephant should become a bigger priority for conservation purposes." One of the fossils studied by the researchers is that of _ . A. the Asian elephant B. the forest elephant C. the savanna elephant D. the mastodon elephant Answer: D
Question: Psychology has a new application in the field of medicine. Many doctors, together with their patients, are looking for alternative methods of treatment of physical problems. In large hospitals, modern therapy seems to focus on the physical disease. Patients may feel they are treated like broken machines. Some doctors have recognized this as a problem. They are now using psychological therapy, in which the patient is working with the doctors against the disease with the help of medicine. The patient does not wait for the medicine and treatment to cure him or her, but instead the patient joins in the fight. The doctor knows that a disease affects a patient's body physically. The body of the patient changes because of the disease. He is not only physically affected, but also has an emotional response to the disease. Because his mind is affected, his attitude and behavior change. The medical treatment might cure the patient's physical problems, but the patient's mind must fight the emotional ones. For example, the studies of one doctor, Carl Simonton, M. D., have shown that a typical cancer patient has predictable attitudes. She typically feels depressed, upset, and angry. Her constant depression makes her acts unfriendly toward her family, friends, doctors, and nurses. Such attitudes and behaviors prevent recovery. Therefore, a doctor's treatment must help the patient change that. Simonton's method emphasizes treatment of the "whole" patient. The attitude of a cancer patient receiving radiation therapy, an X-ray treatment, can become more positive. The physician who is following Simonton's psychological treatment plan suggests that the patient imagine that he or she can see the tumor in the body. In the mental picture, the patient "sees" a powerful beam of radiation like a million bullets of energy. The patient imagines the beam hitting the tumor cells and causing them to shrink. For another cancer patient, Dr. Simonton asks him to imagine the medicine going from the stomach into the bloodstream and to the cancer cells. The patient imagines that the medicine is like an army fighting the diseased cells and sees the cancer cells gradually dying and his blood carry away the dead cells. Both the medical therapy and the patient's positive attitude fight the disease. Doctors are not certain why this mental therapy works. However, this use of psychology does help some patients because their attitudes about themselves change. They become more confident because they use the power within their own minds to help stop the disease. Another application of using the mind to help cure disease is the use of suggestion therapy. At first, the doctor helps the patient to concentrate deeply. The patient thinks only about one thing. He becomes so unaware of other things around him that he is asleep, or rather in a trance . Then the physician makes "a suggestion" to the patient about the medical problem. The patient's mind responds to the suggestion even after the patient is no longer in the trance. In this way, the patient uses his mind to help his body respond to treatment. Doctors have learned that this use of psychology is helpful for both adults and children. For example, physicians have used suggestion to help adults deal with the strong pain of some disease. Furthermore, sometimes the adult patient worries about her illness so much that the anxiety keeps her from getting well. The right suggestions may help the patient to stop being anxious. Such treatment may help the patient with a chronic diseases. Asthma is an example of a chronic disorder. Asthma is a disease that causes the patient to have difficulty in breathing. The patient starts to cough and sometimes has to fight to get the air that he or she needs. Psychology can help relieve the symptoms of this disorder. After suggestion therapy, the asthma patient breathes more easily. Physicians have learned that the psychological method is very useful in treating children. Children respond quickly to the treatment because they are fascinated by it. For example, Dr. Basil R. Collison has worked with 121 asthmatic children in Sydney, Australia, and had good results. Twenty-five of the children had Excellent results. They were able to breathe more easily, and they did not need medication. Another forty-three were also helped. The symptoms of the asthma occurred less frequently, and when they did, they were not as strong. Most of the children also felt better about themselves. Doctors have also used suggestion to change habits like nail-biting, thumb-sucking, and sleep-related problems. Many professional medical groups have accepted the medical use of psychology and that psychology has important applications in medicine. It can be learned from the passage that suggestion therapy cannot be used to _ . A. help adults deal with the strong pain of some diseases B. help the patients with chronic diseases C. help change some bad habits D. help cure patients of insomnia Answer: D. help cure patients of insomnia Question: When my daughter realized that she had really hurt another child with a mean word, she cried and immediately wanted to apologize. That was a good thing, but I wanted her to know an apology can't always make things better. So I told her the story of Will, a 9-year-old boy whose father left his mom two years earlier. Will was angry, and he often hurt others with hurtful words. He once told his mom, "I see why Dad left you!" Unable to deal with Will, the mother sent him to spend the summer with his grandparents. His grandmother's strategy to help Will learn self-control was to make him go into the garage and pound a two-inch-long nail into a four-by-four board every time he said a mean thing. For a small boy, this was a hard task, but he couldn't return until the nail was all the way in. After about ten trips to the garage, Will began to be more cautious about his words. In the end, he even apologized for all the bad things he'd said. One day his grandmother made him bring in the board filled with nails and told him to pull them all out. This was even harder than pounding them in, but after a huge struggle, he did it. His grandmother hugged him and said, "I appreciate your apology and, of course, I forgive you because I love you, but I want you to know that an apology is like pulling out one of those nails. Look at the board. The holes are still there. The board will never be the same. I know your dad put a hole in you, but please don't put holes in other people; you're better than that." The truth is that no matter how much we apologize to people, we can't take back what we said. The best thing for us to do is to try not to hurt people in the first place. What does the writer want to tell us by writing this passage? A. Parents should never hurt their children. B. Children are more likely to listen to their grandparents. C. We should not hurt other people in the first place. D. Old people are really good at bringing up children. Answer: C. We should not hurt other people in the first place. Question: Music notes fly through my ears. Soft sounds float in the air, as if they are floating on water. Music is like a paintbrush, painting sounds in the sky. A warm sun shining bright, clouds drifting far away in the night, to the sounds of music. Music is nature's friend, as one paints our earth, and the other fills our hearts. The writer associates music with the following EXCEPT _ . A. sounds floating on water B. a paintbrush painting sounds in the sky C. one friend of nature D. a person who plays music Answer: D. a person who plays music Question: One morning, teachers arrived to find the little country schoolhouse swallowed in flames. They dragged an unconscious little boy, who went to start the fire in the old-fashioned coal stove to heat, out of the flaming building more dead than alive. He had major burns over the lower half of his body and was taken to a nearby county hospital. From his bed the dreadfully burned, semi-conscious little boy faintly heard the doctor talking to his mother. The doctor told his mother that her son would surely die -- which was for the best, really -- for the terrible fire had ruined the lower half of his body. But the brave boy didn't want to die. He made up his mind that he would survive. Somehow, to the amazement of the physician, he did survive. When the deadly danger was past, he again heard the doctor and his mother speaking quietly. The mother was told that since the fire had destroyed so much flesh in the lower part of his body, it would almost be better if he had died, since he was doomed to be in a wheelchair all lifetime with no use at all of his lower limbs . Once more the brave boy made up his mind. He would not be a disabled man. He would walk. But unfortunately from the waist down, he had no motor ability. His thin legs just hung there, all but lifeless. Ultimately he was released from the hospital. Every day his mother would massage his little legs, but there was no feeling, no control, nothing. Yet his determination that he would walk was as strong as ever. When he wasn't in bed, he was confined to a wheelchair. One sunny day his mother wheeled him out into the yard to get some fresh air. This day, instead of sitting there, he threw himself from the chair. He pulled himself across the grass, dragging his legs behind him. He worked his way to the white fence bordering their lot. With great effort, he raised himself up on the fence. Then he began dragging himself along the fence,resolved that he would walk. He started to do this every day until he wore a smooth path all around the yard beside the fence. There was nothing he wanted more than to develop life in those legs. Ultimately through his daily massages, his iron persistence and his resolute determination, he did develop the ability to stand up, then to walk slowly, then to walk by himself -- and then to run. He began to walk to school, then to run to school, to run for the pure joy of running. Later in college he made the track team. Still later in Madison Square Garden this young man, the great athlete, Dr. Glenn Cunningham, ran the world's fastest mile! The doctor advised Glenn's mother to let Glenn die because the doctor was too _ . A. unskillful B. practical C. subjective D. irresponsible Answer: B. practical Question: A ficus can help respiration because it: A. absorbs oxygen B. releases oxygen C. absorbs helium D. releases carbon dioxide Answer: B. releases oxygen
If there is something that appears most frequently on Chinese dining tables, it is doufu--beancurd.Beancurd looks like soft cakes and it's made from dried soybeans.Beancurd used to be considered a favourite of the poor because of its low cost.Beans have high yields every year with their short growing period and suitability for various soil both dry and wet. Historical records show beancurd was invented by Liu An, Prince of Huainan and uncle of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty(206BC--220AD).He had a dream of finding the pill for longevity .He traveled all over the country and found soybeans, which looked much the same as gold in terms of colour.He collected soybeans, put them in the water and crushed them into pulp .It got solidified and became known as doufu.Although it's not able to keep longevity, it's really good for one's health with high protein and low fat. With a long history, beancurd is rooted deep in Chinese culture.People eat more meat and fish than beancurd.But they are encouraged to have beancurd every once in a while for it's really good for health.Most Chinese people still keep beancurd as one of their favourite dishes. How long has beancurd been invented? Answer: Theater managers will often ask people to turn off their phones before a play or other live shows, but sometimes people forget. Broadway shows have come to a stop when a phone has rung in the audience. It is not uncommon to hear phones ring in movie theatres, libraries and even places of worship. Can you think of anything more annoying than trying to watch a movie while the lady behind you tells the babysitter where to find the baby lotion . The right thing to do would be to take the call in the rest-room, and turn off the phone before returning to your seat. When did every call become so urgent that we can't wait to answer it, no matter where we are, who we are with or what we are doing? Why do cell phones bring out the worst manners in normally thoughtful people? Lew Friedland, a communications professor at the prefix = st1 /UniversityofWisconsin- Madison, told CNN Reporter Amy Cox that this lack of manners is because people might be unaware of what they are doing or of the other people around them. He said that this unconscious rudeness has caused even public space to be divided up into small private space. Places like bus stops are public spaces. But when we are there while someone has a private conversation on the phone, we feel like we are _ .What can we do? Theater managers will often ask people to turn off their phones because _ . Answer: Today just as technology changed the face of industry, farmers have undergone an "agricultural revolution". On the farm of today, machines provide all the power. One of the most important benefits will be the farm computer. A few forward-looking farmers are already using computers to help them run their farms more efficiently. The computers help them keep more accurate records so they can make better decisions on what crops to plant, how much livestock to buy, when to sell their products, and how much profit they can expect. Many computer companies have been developing special computer programs just for farmers. Programs are being written for hog producers, grain farmers, potato farmers, and dairy farmers. In the future, farmers will be able to purchase computer programs made to their needs. Because of the growing importance of computers on the farm, students at agricultural colleges are required to take computer classes in addition to their normal agricultural courses. There can be no doubt that farmers will rely on computers even more in the future. While the old-time farm depended on horse power, and modern farms depend on machine power, farms of the future will depend on computer power. Another technological advance which is still in the experimental stage is the robot, a real "mechanized hired hand" that will be able to move and, in some ways, think like a human being. Unlike farmers of the present, farmers of the future will find that many day-to-day tasks will be done for them. Scientists are now developing robots that will be able to shear sheep, drive tractors, and harvest fruit. Even complex jobs will be done by robots. For example, in order to milk their cows, farmers must first drive them into the special barn , then connect them to the milking machines, watch the machines, and disconnect them when they are finished. In the future, this will all be done by robots. In addition, when the milking is completed, the robots will automatically check to make sure that the milk is pure. The complete mobilization of the farm is far in the future, but engineers expect that some robots will be used before long. Which of the following statements is true? Answer: Perhaps you think you could easily add to your happiness with more money. Strange as it may seem, if you're unsatisfied, the issue is not a lack of means to meet your desires but a lack of desires--not that you cannot satisfy your tastes but that you don't have enough tastes. Real riches consist of well-developed and hearty capacities to enjoy life. Most people are already swamped with things. They eat, wear, go and talk too much. _ Your house of life ought to be a mansion , a royal palace. Every new taste, every additional interest, every fresh enthusiasm adds a room. Here are several rooms your house of life should have. Art should be a desire for you to develop simply because the world is full of beautiful things. If you only understood how to enjoy them and feed your spirit on them, they would make you as happy as to find plenty of ham and eggs when you're hungry. Literature, classic literature, is a beautiful, richly furnished room where you might find many an hour of rest and refreshment. To gain that love would go toward making you a rich person, for a rich person is not someone who has a library but who likes a library. Music like Mozart's and Bach's shouldn't be absent. Real riches are of the spirit. And when you've brought that spirit up to where classical music feeds it and makes you a little drunk, you have increased your thrills and bettered them. And life is a matter of thrills. Sports, without which you remain poor, mean a lot in life. No matter who you are, you would be more human, and your house of life would be better supported against the had days, if you could, and did, play a bit. Whatever rooms you might add to your house of life, the secret of enjoying life is to keep adding. What would be the best title for the passage? Answer: Parents and kids today dress alike, listen to the same music, and are friends. Is this a good thing? Sometimes, when Mr. Ballmer and his 16-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, listen to rock music together and talk about interests they both enjoy, such as pop culture, he remembers his more distant relationship with his parents when he was a teenager. "I would never have said to my mom, 'Hey, the new Weezer album is really great. How do you like it?'" says Ballmer. "There was just a complete gap in taste." Music was not the only _ . From clothing and hairstyles to activities and expectations, earlier generations of parents and children often appeared to move in separate orbits. Today, the generation gap has not disappeared, but it is getting narrow in many families. Conversations on subjects such as sex and drugs would not have taken place a generation ago. Now they are comfortable and common. And parent--child activities, from shopping to sports, involve a feeling of trust and friendship that can continue into adulthood. No wonder greeting cards today carry the message, "To my mother, my best friend." But family experts warn that the new equality can also result in less respect for parents. "There's still a lot of strictness and authority on the part of parents out there, but there is a change happening," says Kerrie, a psychology professor at Lebanon Valley College. "In the middle of that change, there is a lot of confusion among parents." Family researchers offer a variety of reasons for these evolving roles and attitudes. They see the 1960s as a turning point. Great cultural changes led to more open communication and a more democratic process that encourages everyone to have a say. "My parents were on the 'before' side of that change, but today's parents, the 40-year-olds, were on the 'after' side," explains Mr. Ballmer. "It's not something easily done by parents these days, because life is more difficult to understand or deal with, but sharing interests does make it more fun to be a parent now." The change in today's parent-child relationship is _ . Answer:
Question: Mary likes English very much. She works hard. She reads English every morning. She likes speaking English. She often listens to the radio. She watches TV only on Saturday evening. Does she like dancing? No, she doesn't. But she likes drawing and singing. Her parents like her very much. And all the teachers and her friends like her, too. She often listens _ . A. TV B. to TV C. the radio D. to the radio Answer: D Question: Hi, I'm Liu Ying. This is my school. It's big and beautiful. There are twenty classes. There are nine hundred students in my school. There are four beautiful gardens in it. There is a building in my school. On the first floor, there are two offices and a hall. There are six classrooms on the first floor, too. On the second floor, there are fourteen classrooms. There are two toilets on the second floor. There is a big library and some reading rooms in my school, too. Are there any classrooms on the first floor? A. Yes, there are B. There is one C. No, there aren't D. Only two Answer: A Question: as an evergreen matures and grows, it's leaves tend to A. increase in number B. change color C. shed D. shrink Answer: A Question: A cute invention was revealed this month at the International Robot Exhibition (IREX) in Tokyo. It's called Jukusui-Kun ("deep sleep" in Japanese) ---a robotic pillow in the shape of a polar bear. The pillow is in fact a serious technological innovation hidden under a cute cover. It was developed by a group of scientists and engineers at Tokyo's Waseda University to help people suffering from snoring and those who live with them. This is how the robotic pillow works: a microphone detects the noise level of the snoring, and if the snoring becomes very loud, which can be the sign of sleep apnea , the bear will raise its hand and carefully touch the face of the sleeper, leading to a change in the sleeper's position without waking him or her up. This is definitely the world's first anti-snoring machine and an important potential treatment for sleep apnea. This sleeping disorder involves pauses in breathing, and can lead to heart attacks during sleep. In Japan, around 2 million people are struggling with the problem. When a sleeper starts snoring, the sleeper's blood oxygen level drops. The new device tracks the level of oxygen in the sleeper's blood and wirelessly sends the information to the polar bear. But the only problem is that people not only have to sleep on a bear-shaped pillow with robotic hands, but also have to insert their hands into a monitor that keeps track of blood oxygen levels. If these levels fall below a certain point, it gives the bear another cue to lift its hand. The bear is not yet on sale, and it remains to be seen whether a robotic hand reaching up to touch one's face is any more effective than one's partner giving one a good shove . What might be the best title for the passage? A. A Useful Robotic Polar Bear B. The Disadvantages of Snoring C. The Different Ways to Deal with Snoring D. How New Technology Changes Your Sleep Pattern Answer: A Question: Wonder is the story of a ten-year-old boy who lives with his parents and sister in New York. August, or Auggie, is an ordinary boy in many ways. He rides a bike and likes playing with his Xbox. But Auggie has deformities of the face and looks very different from other children. At the start of the book, he tells us "My name is August. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse." In the street, people look at Auggie and his appearance shocks them. Auggie has never been to school because he has spent a lot of time in hospital. His mother teaches him at home. But now he's ten, she thinks he should go to school. At first, Auggie doesn't want to go. He worries that other students will look at him and say bad things. But then he visits a school with his mum. He likes the head teacher and decides to go. Auggie's first year at school has good times and bad times. Auggie makes some good friends but other children are unfriendly to him. At the end of the year, Auggie goes on a school trip and a frightening event there changes things completely. Why doesn't Auggie want to go to school at first? A. Because he likes teaching himself. B. Because he likes staying at home. C. Because he is too young to go to school. D. Because he worries that other students will laugh at him. Answer: D
Since many of you are planning to study at a college or university in this country, you may be curious to know what you usually do in a typical week, how you can get along with your fellow students, and so on. These are the questions I want to discuss with you today. First, let's talk about what your weekly schedule will look like. No matter what your major may be, you can expect to spend between four and six hours a week for each class attending lectures. Lectures are usually in very large rooms because some courses such as introduction to sociology or economics often have as many as two or three hundred students, especially at large universities. In lectures, it's very important for you to take notes on what the professor says because the information a lecture is often different from the information in your textbooks. Also, you can expect to have exam questions based on the lectures. So it isn't enough to just read your textbooks; you have to attend lectures as well. In a typical week you will also have a couple of hours of discussion for every class you take. The discussion section is a small group meeting usually with fewer than thirty students where you can ask questions about the lectures, the reading, and the homework. In large universities, graduate students, called teaching assistants, usually direct discussion sections. If your major is chemistry, or physics, or another science, you'll also have to spend several hours a week in the lab, or laboratory, doing experiments. This means that science majors spend more time in the classroom than non science majors do. On the other hand, people who major in subjects like literature or history usually have to read and write more than science majors do. A discussion section does NOT include _ . Answer: working under the guidance of university professors People are more likely to wash their hands properly after using the toilet if they are shamed into it or think they are being watched, scientists said on Thursday. Hand-washing is the cheapest way of controlling disease but less than one third of men and two thirds of women wash their hands with soap after going to the toilet, a British study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine showed. But when prompted by an electronic message flashing up on a board asking: "Is the person next to you washing with soap?," around 12 percent more men and 11 percent more women used soap. Health authorities around the world are stepping up efforts to persuade people to be more hygienic and wash their hands properly to help slow the spread of H1N1 swine flu, which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in June. "Hand-washing with soap has been ranked the most effective way for the worldwide control of disease," the study's authors wrote. "It could save more than a million lives a year from diarrhoeal diseases, and prevent respiratory infections -- the biggest causes of child mortality in developing countries." In developed nations, hand-washing can help prevent the spread of viral infections like flu and sickness and diarrhea bugs like norovirus and rotavirus, as well as hospital-acquired infections like MRSA and C-difficile, the authors said. The researchers studied the behavior of a quarter of a million people using toilets at motorway service stations in Britain over 32 days.Use of soap was monitored by sensors. The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health to mark Global Hand-washing Day, showed that with no reminders, 32 percent of men and 64 percent of women used soap. Which of the following is the main advantage of hand-washing? Answer: It is the cheapest way of controlling disease. Hello, My name is Dale. I'm 13 years old. This is a photo of my family. Look! This is my father. His name is Tim Brown. He is 45 years old. This is my mother Alice. She is 43 years old. I have a sister and her name is Gina. She is 11 years old. I look like my mother and Gina looks like my father. All my family are in the same school. My parents are teachers. They are friendly to the students, so the students love them very much. My sister and I are students and we love our school. There are _ people in Dale's family. Answer: Four Special Bridges Help Animals Cross the Road ----Reported by Sheila Carrick Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side. Most people know this joke.But recently, some people have been much more worried about how the grizzly bear and mountain lion can cross the road. "Millions of animals die each year on U.S.roads," the Federal Highway Administration reports.In fact, only about 80 _ , an endangered wild cat, exist in the U.S.today.The main reason? Roadkill. "Ecopassages" may help animals cross the road without being hit by cars.They are paths both over and under roads."These ecopassages can be extremely useful, so that wildlife can avoid road accidents," said Jodi Hilty of the Wildlife Protection Society. But do animals actually use the ecopassages? The answer is yes.Paul Beier of Northern Arizona University found foot marks left by mountain lions on an ecopassage that went under a highway.This showed that the lions used the passage. Builders of ecopassages try to make them look like a natural part of an area by planting trees on and around them.Animals seem _ .Animals as different as salamanders and grizzly bears are using the bridges and underpasses. The next time you visit a park or drive through an area with a lot of wildlife, look around.You might see an animals overpass! From the news story, we know an ecopassage is _ . Answer: a pass for animals to cross the road We bought a pair of geese one spring when they were both two weeks old. One was a female Chinese goose I named Su and her mate was a white goose I named Goose. They would follow us all around the yard talking to us whenever we came outside. At night, they stayed in a box in our kitchen until they were too big and then they stayed at night outside. They loved the river and soon began staying out all night on the river. Whenever I wanted to know where they were, I would make a honking noise , and they would answer me and come into the yard for their corn. One night, I was woken up by loud noise. We ran out to see what was wrong. A raccoon had decided that some goose eggs would taste good and had come too close to the setting.When we found Su, the raccoon had caught her by her neck and was biting it.We drove it away and took Su to the garage, washed her wound and wrapped it up in a bandage.Goose knew she was there and wanted to be with her, so we opened the small garage door and he hurried in.After two days and nights, I released them back outside. For the first three nights at dusk, we would get her and carry her into the garage for the night and Goose would come running behind us to join her there.We were touched by his devotion to her.We took off her bandage and she was fine so that next night, we had not planned to take her to the garage any longer.We were amazed, however, that when dusk fell that night, she climbed the back steps to our garage door waiting for us to come and get her in! They do not speak our language, but they know when people care about them and love them and they respond in kind. It can be inferred from the last sentence that _ . Answer: animals are of human nature
Question: Fortunately, I've been able to avoid the traffic jam brought by presidential visits because ! don't have to commute anywhere. Barack Obama visited Los Angeles recently which paralyzed large sections of a city and you could almost hear the collective pain of unhappy commuters. I am among the l0 percent of people in the US that regularly work from home. You could include Obama among them, although I suspect his working area in the White House is better-equipped than my small space on to the back of the garage. He also probably doesn't have a problem with three little kids interrupting his phone calls or bursting into his office at inappropriate moments. Every day there they are, knocking on my window and peering inside, as if looking at an animal in a zoo. Once, a telephone interview I was doing with the former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was interrupted by my older son, then three years old, and completely naked "Ahaaar!" he shouted to my face. "What was that?" said Schwarzenegger. I stammered something about the joys of children and silently managed to shoo the boy out of the room without putting down the phone. I shouldn't complain. I no longer have to stand having someone's armpit being pressed into my face on a crowded train and home status means ! should be a more productive worker although working from home could also lead to "avoiding duties from home". I would argue that a bigger problem is going nuts: Staring at the same walls every day and not going anywhere can do strange things to a person. I realized I had to get out of the house at least once a day to avoid turning into an unshaven and unshoweredrecluse who was still in his pyjamas at dinner time. I would work for an hour or so in a local coffee shop but, like most routine, this became boring because I would constantly see the same faces: Screenwriters poring over screenplays, elderly women heading to the yoga studio next door and hordes of overweight middle-aged male cycling by. And yet here I am several years later, still working from home consciously and, I'm happy to report, not sitting at my desk in my pyjamas. Not since last Tuesday, anyway. The reason why the author goes to the coffee shop is that _ A. he wants to get familiar with the people around B. he doesn't like working in his pyjamas at home C. he becomes bored with being a commuter D. he needs some changes to get relaxation Answer: D Question: For most of my 15 years, my father usually said very little to my mother and me. He preferred reading the newspaper or watching football matches on television to talking to his family. Everything changed one morning. As soon as I came downstairs to breakfast, I could see that he wasn't his usual reserved self. "Can't wait! FIFA World Cup! Big match! Must see!" I quickly figured out what all the excitement was about: Dad is a big football fan. I had never been interested in football, but Dad's excitement that morning made me more and more curious. I had to find out why this sport was making my normally reserved father act like a five-year-old on his first trip to Disneyland. Dad decided that we should all eat at a little German restaurant so that we could watch the World Cup while eating. Secretly, I think he was hoping to turn Mum and me into football fans. The match started a few minutes after we entered the restaurant. As I was eating my meal, a loud noise came from the television. Surprised, I looked up at the TV: "Why is that man jumping up and down?" Dad patiently explained: "That's Papa Bouba Diop, my son. It's normal for them to jump up and down after they've scored." Dad explained almost everything to me. His monosyllabic answers were a thing of the past. I loved the new Dad! I watched the rest of the match, becoming more and more interested. When I told my father that I planned to watch more matches with him, he smiled and gave me a wink . At long last we had something in common. Football has really helped Dad and me get closer and form a stronger relationship with each other. Who says football is only about 22 men running after a silly ball? What can we learn from the passage? A. Sharing is the foundation of good relationship. B. Family members should be fans together. C. Interest is the mother of success. D. Personality decides everything. Answer: A Question: The gravitational attraction of the Moon causes which effect on Earth? A. ocean tides B. time of day C. energy from the Sun D. phases of the Moon Answer: A Question: The sharing economy, represented by companies like Airbnb or Uber, is the latest fashion craze. But many supporters have overlooked the reality that this new business model is largely based on escaping regulations and breaking the law. Airbnb is an Internet-based service that allows people to rent out spare rooms to strangers for short stays. Uber is an Internet taxi service that allows thousands of people to answer ride requests with their own cars. There are hundreds of other such services. The good thing about the sharing economy is that it promotes the use of underused resources. Millions of people have houses or apartments with empty rooms, and Airbnb allows them to profit from these rooms while allowing guests a place to stay at prices that are often far less than those charged by hotels. Uber offers prices that are competitive with standard taxi prices and their drivers are often much quicker and more trustworthy. But the downside of the sharing economy has gotten much less attention. Most cities and states both tax and regulate hotels, and the tourists who stay in hotels are usually an important source of tax income. But many of Airbnb's customers are not paying the taxes required under the law. Airbnb can also raise issues of safety for its customers and trouble for hosts' neighbors. Hotels are regularly inspected to ensure that they are not fire traps and that they don't form other risks for visitors. Airbnb hosts face no such inspections. Since Airbnb is allowing people to escape taxes and regulations, the company is simply promoting thefts. Others in the economy will lose by bearing an additional tax burden or being forced to live next to an apartment unit with a never-ending series of noisy visitors. The same story may apply with Uber. Uber is currently in disputes over whether its cars meet the safety and insurance requirements imposed on standard taxis. Also, if Uber and related services flood the market, they could harm all taxi drivers' ability to earn a minimum wage. This downside of the sharing needs to be taken seriously, but that doesn't mean the current tax and regulatory structure is perfect. What is the positive thing about the sharing economy? A. It is a global trend. B. It is beyond regulations. C. It draws on spare resources. D. It brings in modest profits. Answer: C Question: On a recent Saturday evening at around midnight our home became the victim of an egg bombing.Early next morning I was ready to wash off the mess above our front bedroom windows.As I climbed up,I noticed that the glass in a small window just under the roof line was very badly broken.On a closer check,the crack ran around over half of the outer edge of the window.As the awning protected the window,it was clear to me that the damage had not been caused by the egg bombing.I discovered that the window was very loose. Just a few meters away,we have a small area for playing basketball and on most days of the week there are up to six young people who play there,including both my sons.My thoughts immediately turned to what could have happened if the broken glass in the window had gone unnoticed for much longer and then suddenly broke.Then my two sons and their friends would be likely to be seriously injured.The pain that could have been caused by the broken glass would never go away. Frequently in life,the small things that happen to us may cause some form of pain,sadness,discomfort or anger.My personal experience with the egg bombing on that Saturday evening reminded me that in most cases there is always a _ to everything that happens to us and that often it can provide a positive outcome or an even greater benefit,if not now,then at some time in the future. From now on whenever I see or break an egg,I will think of the egg bombing incident and say a thankyou to those latenight trickers.I will always be reminded of JeanPaul Sartre's words,"What is important is not what happens to us,but how we respond to what happens to us." What was the author's concern after he found the broken glass in the window? A. His sons and their friends might face unexpected problems. B. People in the bedroom would be seriously injured. C. The place for playing basketball was crowded. D. It would be difficult to fix the cracked glass. Answer: A
The Magic Kingdom was the first theme park at Walt Disney World, opening in 1971. All Disney World theme parks are open 365 days a year, although opening and closing times for each park are different. If you are traveling without kids, try to visit on a school day to avoid the largest crowds. If you need to visit during a school vacation, try to avoid the week between Christmas and New Year's and the Fourth of July. If you are not staying at a Disney World hotel, avoid visiting the Magic Kingdom on its Extra Magic Hours days, as Disney's hotel guests get into the park early on those days, _ wait times for visitors who arrive at the Magic Kingdom's normal opening time. Buy your Walt Disney World tickets online at Disney World's website. For advice on picking the right ticket, see our guide to Disney World tickets. You will also need to call in advance to make lunch and/or dinner reservations . Disney accepts reservations, through 1-407-WDW-DINE, up to 180 days in advance. Times do go quickly, so you should call six months before your trip to get a lunch reservation in the castle. We recommend you should have your lunch at Cinderella's Royal Table for your tour. Plan to arrive at the Magic Kingdom's front gate before the park opens in the morning. You can check the Magic Kingdom's opening time through Disney World's website. Keep in mind that to reach the Magic Kingdom, you must park at Disney World's Transportation and Ticket Center parking lot, ride at tram to the TTC, then take a boat across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom. It will take you extra time to get there. Give yourself an extra hour in the summer and half-hour during the school year. The best time for an adult to visit the Magic Kingdom is _ . A. on the weekend B. on a school day C. during a school holiday D. around Christmas Answer: B If you are looking for the place that has everything, there's only one place to visit, and that's New York. It's a whole world in a city. The World of Theatre: All of New York is a stage. And it begins with Broadway. Where else can you find so many hit shows in one place? Only in New York. The World of Music: Spend an evening with Beethoven at Lincoln Centre. Swing to the great jazz of Greenwich Village. Or rock yourself silly at the hottest dance spots found anywhere. The World of Art: From Rembrandt to Picasso. From Egyptian tombs to Indian teepees. Whatever kind of art you like, you'll find in New York. The World of Fine Dining: Whether it's roast Beijing duck in Chinatown, or the finest French coq au vin found anywhere, there's a world of great taste waiting for you in New York. The World of Sights: What other city has a statue of Liberty , a Rocketfeller Centre or a Bronx Zoo? Where else can you take a horse-drawn carriage through Central Park, only in New York. What the writer really wanted to do is to _ . A. try to persuade readers to pay a visit to New York B. give readers some information about New York C. supply readers some wonderful programmes in New York D. help readers to get a better understanding of New York Answer: A Here are two places that you may want to pay a visit to. Sark, Channel Islands This is one of the few places in the world where tradition still stands and the traditional ways are fully respected. The roads here remain not cemented , and are not even paved, and they are completely dark at night as there are no street lights. The residents of Sark are not allowed to drive cars, and if they do, they have to keep them outside Sark. The transportation you can use in Sark includes your legs, bicycles or a horse-drawn carriage. There are no motor vehicles here. There are many activities you can enjoy here during the day, but when the night comes, the only thing you can do outside is look at the sky, which is really great. Because of the lack of artificial lights, the stars are very clearly visible. Hyderabad, India This southeastern city of India was the city where one of the wealthiest people in the world lived, Mir Osman Ali Khan. Now this city is the place where many global IT brands hold their head offices. But it hasn't lost its historic looks, as it remains surrounded by ancient boulders , and the modern houses recently built are surrounded by traditional gardens and lakes. From the great hotel Taj Falaknuma Palace you can see the Old City where the old Indian tradition is well preserved. The best time to travel to Hyderabad depends on whether you are going for the city itself, or you wish to go to some of the festivals that take place here. The Hyderabad Literary Festival takes place from the 23rdto the 26thof January, while a festival celebrating various cultures, the Deccan Festival, happens from February 25 to March I. If you go to Sark on Channel Islands, you can _ . A. try driving on unpaved roads B. go everywhere on a motorbike C. use a horse-drawn carriage for free D. enjoy the beautiful starry sky at night Answer: D It was the end-of-year party. I had asked my mother to make us cookies. Mom's chocolate chips were the best. But two o'clock passed, and there was no sign of her. Most of the other mothers had come and gone, dropping off their cakes and chips. The party went on, but I wouldn't leave the window. The three o'clock bell soon took me away from my thoughts . I took my bag and walked out for home. The house was empty when I arrived. My heart was filled with anger . For the first time in my life, my mother had _ . I was lying on my bed when I heard her coming. "Robbie," she called out. "Where are you?" She was looking for me from room to room, but I kept silent. When she came into my room, I didn't move, "I'm so sorry," she said. "I got busy and forgot." She began to laugh. I couldn't believe it. I turned over and found that she wasn't laughing but crying. "I'm so sorry. I let my boy down." she cried like a little girl. I had never seen my mother cry. "It's OK, Mom," I said, "We didn't need those cookies. There was plenty of food to eat. Don't cry. It's all right." We held each other in a long hug . I didn't leave the window because I want _ . A. to see my mother coming B. to enjoy the party C. to get some cookies D. to go to the party Answer: A Dancing the night away It is a measure of how little control I have over my own life that in middle March I am escorting a pretty young redhead to a debutante ball.(A formal presentation of young ladies when they reach the age of maturity. This was originally used in the past to introduce young ladies to society so that they could meet a possible marriage partner , so it was for the upper class, the nobility and titled families. At a debutante ball, the expensively-dressed girls stand in a line to be introduced individually. Their fathers then walk them, arm-in-arm around the dance floor, followed by a waltz.) "Daddy, you OK?" she asks. "Never better," I lie. "Good," she says, hugging my shoulder and giggling . Generally, deb balls belong to the upper class, and that is decidedly not us. The other day, I was trying to figure out which to buy -- a garage door opener, or a DVD player. Both were broken, yet we could afford to replace only one. That's how "upper class" we are. We're more like "fixer upper class." So it's a mystery how we ended up at this deb ball. Two mothers are checking for alcohol, making sure the debs aren't drinking. Anyway, they won't let the dads eat dinner till we "present" the girls, which means we have to escort our daughters around the dance floor one by one, as the mistress of ceremonies reads out the young lady's accomplishments. "Trish plans to attend Stanford in the fall, where she will study molecular engineering in hopes of one day developing a way to help predict earthquakes." On and on these introductions go. One girl hopes to grow food on Mars. After the introductions we finally get to the Big Waltz. For the last month, the dads and daughters have all been taking lessons for the Big Waltz, under the direction of the widow of Otto von Bismarck. Fortunately, she is a people person. "Forward, BACK!" she screamed, while teaching us to waltz. Her gentle directions have worked miracles. Suddenly, on this big night, we are a well-organized team of 27 father-daughter dance pairs. Honestly, waltzing is like math, in the sense that some people never get it. The success of this Big Waltz comes as a huge relief to the mothers, who have been planning this ceremony for six years and have been a little tense lately. In the end, everything turned out OK at the deb ball. The 27 dads developed into a fairly supportive fellowship. And the little red-haired girl? She hugged my shoulder and giggled happily, making it all -- the waltz lessons, the rental tuxedo , the 14 years of coaching softball -- worth every awful-wonderful moment. We know from the passage that at the debutant ball _ . A. the mothers felt relieved after the ceremony began B. well-dressed girls were introduced to their future husbands C. the writer's daughter, a red-haired girl, was the focus of attention D. 27 father-daughter dance pairs presented a successful waltz show Answer: D
The Big Bang theory states that the universe Answer: started as a single mass. Two thieves came to a house to steal something. They dug a hole in the wall of the house. There lived many mice in the house. The woman in the moonlight saw a mouse crawl into the house."Look!In comes one,"she said to the man in the house. The thief was so frightened that he hurriedly crawled out of the house and said to the one waiting outside,"She found me when I was just in." But the thief outside didn't believe him,so he said,"Let us two try to crawl into the house together."At that time two mice happened to crawl into the house,too. The woman saw the mice and shouted,"In come two,catch them!" The two thieves were terribly frightened. The man in the house said,"You saw them come in but where are they? I will catch them tonight."The two thieves started running away at once. The two thieves wanted to make it clear whether they had been found or not the night before. The next day they acted as men selling sweet potatoes and came before the house. The man and the womanwere ploughing in their fields. The rein broke and the woman came home for a rope. She saw two men selling sweet potatoesand wanted to buy some. She picked out two which looked like mice. At the time the man couldn't wait for her any longer in the fields and he ran back from the fields to hurry her up. The woman showed the sweet potatoes to the man and said,"How they look like the two of last night."The man said,"I asked you to fetch a rope,why don't you hurry for it?"The two thieves ran away quickly without their sweet potatoes. _ is the best title for this passage. Answer: Hit the Mark by a Fluke The mystery stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are famous all over the world. The detective in his stories is called Sherlock Holmes. He solves mysteries in a most surprising way. His assistant, Dr Watson, watches with admiration and then writes up the story of the mystery afterwards. This is a useful story writing skill. Because Watson is not very clever, the story remains a mystery until the end. The readers can sometimes pick up some clues before he does! Then, to make Watson understand the mystery, Holmes has to explain it all, step by step. So we, the readers, get to see it step by step too. Watson is almost as good a character in the story as Sherlock Holmes! The very first time they meet, Holmes greatly surprises Watson. When they are first introduced, Holmes says to Watson, 'How do you do? I see you have been to Afghanistan .' Watson is too amazed by this to ask Holmes how he knows this. Watson has, indeed, been to Afghanistan. Later, he asks Holmes about it. Holmes explains that there is nothing magical about what he does. He gets to know it all by very, very careful observation . Observation One Watson was introduced to Holmes as a doctor. Yet Holmes thought that the way he stood and walked made him seem like a soldier. So, this meant he was probably an army doctor. Observation Two Watson's face was quite dark skinned. But his wrists were pale. So his dark face was probably sun burnt. This meant that he had been to a hot, sunny country. Observation Three At the time, the British army had soldiers at bases in many parts of the world. So there were still a lot of places to choose from. However, Holmes saw that Watson looked very tired and he was always holding his left arm, as if it was painful. So, he had probably been with the army to a place where they were fighting. There was only one place where the British army was fighting at that time: Afghanistan. From the passage we know that the British army _ at that time. Answer: was fighting with Afghanistan The city of X is internationally known for sports, catering for the needs of both professional and amateur sportspeople as well as those that seek to maintain an active lifestyle. The city promotes well-being by offering its citizens lots of opportunities for sports, both indoors and outdoors throughout the year. Sports clubs in X organize activities in a wide arrangement of sports. The most popular are ice hockey and football, and the list covers well over one hundred other sports. X's large green areas including the Central Park and the sea offer ample opportunities for physical activity: walking, running, jogging, hiking, bicycling, roller skating, swimming, boating and fishing. The city claims 50,000 amateur fishermen, more than any other capital city in Europe. The city organizes a number of community sports activities and maintains a variety and lots of sports facilities. These facilities include more than 200 km of tracks for walking, jogging and running, close to 200 km of ski tracks in winter, some 30 indoor sports halls, some 10 indoor ice rinks and 80 outdoor ice rinks, 14 indoor swimming halls and 2 outdoor pools in summer, close to 30 beaches, and 12,000 boat berths . Ice Park is a downtown winter-time skating rink on Railway Square, complete with skate rental and a heated cafe. The local people are active bicyclists especially in summer. X's bicycle path network covers 1,000 kilometers inside the city limits. The city promotes bicycling with many services, including a Journey Planner for Cycling. One of the unusual sports here is ice swimming, and X even hosts ice swimming world championships. The city maintains some 15 ice swimming sites throughout the city. Campers find a convenient site inside the city: Rastila Camping is one of the most popular camping sites in this country, located by the seaside and accessible by underground. The Nuuksio National Park offers camping in wilderness just half an hour from the city by car. The city of X's sports function is managed by the Sports Department. The department provides and maintains sports facilities and organizes activities. The department also rents facilities for sports, conference rooms and saunas. We can know from the passage that people in X _ . Answer: are fond of different sports Which would likeliest eat a sardine? Answer: a tunafish
On May 8, last Thursday morning, the Olympic flame was lit on the top of prefix = st1 /MountQomolangma! It was a historic moment forChinaexactly three months ahead of the Beijing Games. Tibetan female climber Cering Wangmo reached the summit with a special extreme-altitude Olympic torch. This event is what Chinahas promised to the world as thehigh pointof the torch relay, the longest and most challenging of all time. Five torchbearers finished the highest relay ever--three of the climbers are Tibetan athletes. Team members said "Beijingwelcomes you!" in Chinese, English and Tibetan, as they stood at the summit celebrating, with the event broadcast on national television. "I finally fulfilled the last dream of my husband," said Gyigyi with tears in her eyes. She was the first torchbearer. Her husband lost his life in an attempt to climb all 14 mountains in Chinamore than 8,000 meters three years ago. "We are on top of the world! One world, one dream," shouted Nima Cering, at the top of his voice. He said that although he had climbed the peak several times, this was the most significant ascent . "As a Tibetan and a Chinese I pray for the success of Beijing 2008," he added. The special torch is different form the one currently touring the Chinese mainland, after an around-the-world relay. Officials organizing the trek up the peak had earlier set an April 26 target to begin the ascent, but high winds and heavy snow had delayed the mission. The Xinhua News Agency said that the Qomolangma _ of the torch relay represents the Olympic motto, "higher, faster and stronger," in practice and will promote unity among all 56 ethnic groups inChina. It was a historic moment because _ . it was lit on the top of MountQomolangmafor the first time Have you seen the movie Changjiang 7(CJ7)?The story is about a boy called Dickey. He lives a poor life with his father. His father doesn't have any money to buy toys for him. One day his father finds him a strange toy from a junkyard . Dickey names it Changjiang 7 (CJ7). It is an alien dog. It can do many things that humans can not do. Dickey takes it to school to help him in many ways. CJ7 is a popular movie. Xu Jiao,born on August 5,1997 in Ningbo,Zhejiang,plays Dickey. On April 21,the girl won Best New Performer at the Hong Kong Film Awards for her play in CJ7.Now Xu Jiao becomes a new film star. She is well-known especially among young kids. Many of them want to own such a helpful toy as CJ7. Xu once said it was difficult to play a boy. "To get an idea of what a boy is like," she said,"I watched boys and I also studied and played with them a lot." What can we know about Xu Jiao from the passage? She plays a boy in the movie. BEIJING --- Since Mo Yan won the Nobel Prize in Literature, the public has started to consider the way to improve Chinese literature's global presence. The prize indicates that Chinese contemporary authors and their works are getting the world's attention, which inspires writers and amateurs to continue their work, according to Wang Meng, a famous Chinese writer. But "the prize came a little late," said Xue Yongwu, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Journalism and Communication with Ocean University of China (OUC). There have been many accomplished writers of modern and contemporary literature in China, including Lu Xun, Ba Jin and Mao Dun, who should have won the prize earlier, he noted. China's splendid ancient literature, which extends thousands of years, has been widely acknowledged across the world. However, the contemporary literature failed to get enough recognition from outside the country due to its short history and complex political influences, he explained. Language has also been a barrier. Only a small proportion of Chinese literature has been translated into foreign languages, mainly English. The quality of some translated editions needs improvement, said Xue. In addition to language skills, translation requires high-level comprehension and explanation of culture and art. It's hard for people without any literature background to produce a translation that fully reserves the aesthetic sense of the original version, according to Ren Dongsheng, professor with the College of Foreign Languages of OUC. The 57-year-old writer is known for his description of Chinese rural life. The settings for his works range from the 1911 revolution, Japan's invasion to Cultural Revolution. Mo combines hallucinatory realism with folk tales, which is more appealing to the taste of Western readers than the styles adopted by many of his peers, such as Yu Hua, Su Tong and Wang Shuo, said Zhang Hongsheng, dean of the Literature Department of the Communication University of China. However, "Nobel Prize is not the unique standard to judge the achievements of a writer. Prizes presented by different organizations adopt various evaluation criteria," said Xu Yan, a literature critic. The quality of a literary work is always judged by the topic, language, structure, the way of story-telling, imagination and some other significant elements. People's tastes vary from different social background and cultural mechanism, she added. Chinese contemporary literature, which appeared in 1949, has seen a trend of diversification since the country adopted the market economy in 1992. "The prize is a positive sign that the West begins to recognize Chinese literature. But it's an acknowledgement of individual efforts, and Chinese literature revival still has a long way to go," said Zhang. Xue called upon Chinese writers to produce quality works with international perspectives. Good literature should reveal social problems and people's concerns while create the beauty of art. "The society should provide favorable environment for the growth of Chinese writers," he stressed. Seeking increasing world attention requires Chinese writers to maintain the national characteristics and uniqueness. "Chinese elements are the last to lose in successful writings," Zhang said. China's book market has witnessed booming sales of Mo's masterpieces over the past days. Zhicheng Classic Bookstore, registered at T-Mall of China's largest online retailer Taobao.com, said 1,500 volumes of Mo's latest novel Frog were sold out in six hours after Mo won the prize. The store has received 1,200 reservation orders by 3:30 pm Friday. The book, about China's family-planning policy, also moved up to 14th from 560th on the list of the most populous book at the Amazon.cn withinin two days. Cao Yuanyong, deputy editor-in-chief of Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing Group, said the company is producing the new edition of a collection of Mo's 16 works, which is expected to refill the empty shelves of many book retailers in a week. Which of the following is NOT the reason for Chinese contemporary literature failed to win the Nobel in the past from the opinions of Xue Yongwu? Individual efforts This happened in London It was November and the weather was very wet and cold. A Frenchman had caught a very bad cold. He coughed day and night, so he decided to go and get some medicine for his cough. As he did not know much English, he took out his dictionary and looked up the word "cough". But the dictionary did not tell him how to pronounce the word. He thought it over and remembered that he had learned the word "plough". He remembered that it was pronounced[plav]. So he thought that c-o-u-g-h must be pronounced [kav]. Then he put on his coat and hat and went to a chemist's shop .When the man in the shop asked him what he wanted, the Frenchman said, "I want something for my 'COW' , please." The man in the shop looked at him. Had he heard him correctly? "I beg your pardon, sir?" he asked. The Frenchman repeated, "I want some medicine for my 'COW'." "For your cow?" asked the man, "are you a farmer?" "A farmer?" said the Frenchman in surprise, "What makes you think I'm a farmer? I come from Paris. I'm not a farmer. " "But where is your cow?" "It's here!" answered the Frenchman. He put his hand on his chest and began to cough. "Here it is, " he said, "I've a very bad 'cow' here." Then the man in the shop understood what the Frenchman meant. He wanted some medicine for his cough. The Frenchman said, "I want something for my 'cow', please." Here by the word "cow" he meant _ . cough In her outstanding book, "Choose the Happiness Habit", Pam Golden wrote, "Take the story of two twin brothers for example. One grew up and became an alcoholic , while the other became a successful businessman. When asked why he became an alcoholic, the alcoholic replied, "Because my father was a drunk." However, the successful businessman's answer was also "Because my father was a drunk." when asked why he succeeded. The same background. The same upbringing . However, the results were quite different. Why? The reason is that they had different choices. The brothers chose different thoughts which formed the situations they found themselves in at last, so they had different experiences. There was a time in my life when I thought difficulty was due to "bad luck". Have you ever heard the saying "When it rains, it pours"? That was my answer when others asked me how things were going on when I was in trouble. So what do you think I got? "RAIN". More and more "RAIN". I couldn't understand why bad luck was always with me. Pam Golden says, "You're either living in the problem or you're living in the solution." Now, when I'm faced with what I used to think was a negative situation, I use a different way to think about it. I force myself to replace those negative thoughts that make me lose heart in my mind with positive thoughts which encourage me to fight against the difficulty bravely. Sometimes I write down some ideas that may be a solution, which I combine with the lessons I have learned from the bad situations and the difficulties that troubled me in the past, and often, I find a solution to the problem soon. It seems that I should thank the difficulty I met with. The RAIN that poured in my world has become great experiences that provide me with valuable experience, from which I can benefit. Now, it doesn't "rain" as much in my life as it used to. In fact, most days are beautiful, cloudless and sunny! Sometimes I do get a rain, but I think it makes me stronger just like the rain helps plants grow up. Which of the following agrees with the author's attitude now in the text? Meeting with difficulty is not a bad thing.
Many people think heroes need to be handsome, rich, or very smart. But as for me, a hero is a person who always helps others. My hero is Uncle Bill. He is the oldest son of a worker, and he grew up in a poor family with four younger brothers and two little sisters. He was good at neither writing nor math. In fact, he never did well in school. so he had to give up school at a very young age. He worked and gave all his money to help his parents. When he was getting older, he found that he was very interested in fixing things. he collected broken things which people threw away and fixed them into good ones. He could fix almost everything that did not work. He worked hard never gave up. Finally, he opened his own repair shop. It took him about 20 years to become a successful shopkeeper . Now, he is very rich and has four shops. But he never forgets the days when he had nothing. He gives money to poor families, helps poor kids buy books and offers them free lunch. He also encourages people to reuse things. He always says :Make good use of what you have because we just have one earth. I am proud of Uncle Bill. He is really a hero. How many people were there in Uncle Bill's family when he was a child A. 7 B. 8 C. 9 D. 10 Answer: C Larry was on another of his underwater adventures but this time, it was different. He decided to take his daughter along with him. She was only ten years old. This would be her first trip with her father on what he had always been famous for. Larry first began diving when he was his daughter's age. Similarly, his father had taken him along on one of his adventures. Since then, he had never looked back. Larry started out by renting diving suits from the small diving shop just along the shore. He had hated them. They were either too big or too small. Then, there was the instructor. He gave him a short lesson before allowing him into the water with his father. He had made an exception. Larry would never have been able to go down without at least five hours of theory and another similar number of hours on practical lessons with a guide. Children his age were not even allowed to dive. After the first adventure, Larry's later diving adventures only got better and better. There was never a dull moment. In his black and blue suit and with an oxygen tank fastened on his back, Larry dived from boats into the middle of the ocean. Dangerous areas did not prevent him from continuing his search. Sometimes, his was limited to a cage underwater but that did not bother him. At least, he was still able to take photographs of the underwater creatures. Larry's first adventure without his father was in the Cayman Islands. There were numerous diving spots in the area and Larry was determined to visit all of them .Fortunately for him, a man offered to take him around the different spots for free. _ The diving spots afforded such a wide array of fish and sea creatures that Larry saw more than thirty varieties of creatures. Larry looked at his daughter. She looked as excited as he had been when he was her age. He hoped she would be able to continue the family tradition. Already, she looked like she was much braver than had been then. This was the key to a successful underwater adventure. What did Larry expect his daughter to do? A. Become a successful diver. B. Make a good diving guide. C. Take a lot of photos underwater. D. Have longer hours of training. Answer: A I go to Australia for a meeting with my workmate, Chris. We decide to drive across the country after the meeting. The drive will take four days and most of it was across the desert . The first day is a lot of fun because we are happy to hear each other's jokes . But on the third day, we begin to get _ . We are quite quiet for some hours when Chris sees some kangaroos .We are both excited and decide to take a closer look. Chris drives very quickly to catch up with them. We got closer and closer. Suddenly , we hear a loud BANG! Chris stops the car and we get out. Beside the car is a large kangaroo lying on the ground. Chris goes over to it and puts his cap on its head. He takes off his sunglasses and puts them on the kangaroo and does the same with his jacket. Then he puts his arm around the kangaroo and tells me to take a photo of them together. I take out my camera. When I am focusing the camera, I sees the kangaroo move . It suddenly wakes up, and runs away before we can do anything. I start laughing but Chris looks worried. He says his wallet is in the jacket. I start laughing even louder . I stop laughing when he says that our car keys are also in the jacket. How long will the drive take according to their plan? A. One day. B. Four days. C. Half a month. D. Two months. Answer: B When Nick Pasqua hits his bedroom after school, he's tired. The 14-year-old high school freshman from New Rochele, New York, plays computer video games online for a couple of hours, pausing only to instant-message his friends, check his blog or download a new song to his IPOD. When his cell phone vibrates , he scans the text message and fires back a reply. "We're leagues behind," sighs Nick's mom, Kimberly Pasqua, 45. And many parents like her are feeling increasingly out of step with their children. The technology gap between parents and kids is widening, says Amenda Lenhart, senior research specialist for Internet & American Life Project, a research group that explores the impact of the Internet on children and families. In a series of reports released last year, researchers found that 87 percent of the prefix = st1 /United States' kids aged 12 to 17 use the Internet, compared to only 66 percent of adults. Half of those teens go online daily. Eighty-one percent play games online and 75 percent use instant-messaging. Nearly half(45 percent) have a cell phone. One out of five has a blog. Why are children increasing past their parents? Because today's kids learn to use computers by playing and think technology is fun, says Lenhart. But adults generally view computers as mere tools for work , not toys. Despite this difference, most parents realize that computers, cell phones and the like are fixtures in their children's lives. With that acceptance comes worry about what makes appropriate usage and more important, what's safe. Experts say the best way to keep up is to learn the technology for yourself. Visit blogs. Send some instant and text messages. Download music. "This stuff may never be as necessary to your life as it is to your kids," says Susannah Stern, assistant professor in the Communications Department at UniversityofSan Diego, "but you won't get their respect about online issues if you don't know what they're talking about." Children can be great teachers, so let them show you the ropes. "It's empowering for them to share their knowledge," says Stern. Once you know what's what, try to keep the lines of communication open and carefully watch what they're doing. What do parents worry about most according to the passage? A. Their children spend too much time on computers and cell phones. B. Their children don't know how to use computers and cell phones. C. Computers and cell phones may do harm to their children. D. Their children no longer work hard at their lessons. Answer: C prefix = st1 /San Francisco is going to do what many other cities have already done --- provide free bicycles to the public. The mayor of San Franciscosupports the bicycle program. He wants to improve the terrible traffic problems in the city. At first, 40 to 60 bikes will be available only to city workers. People will give their old bikes to the city to use in the program. If this program is successful, one day more than 1000 bicycles will be available. Everyone, not just city workers, will be able to use these bicycles. People in Fresno,Californiaalready have a free bicycle program. In fact, this idea began inAmsterdamover 40 years ago. These programs encourage citizens to get out of their cars and onto pollution-free bikes. Fresno's Yellow Bike Program puts about fast bicycles around the city. The bikes are painted bright yellow so people know they can take them. When people take a yellow bike, they can ride to work or to shopping areas, and then leave the bike for the next rider. Some people worry that the free bikes will be stolen. However, theft hasn't been a problem in other free-bike cities. While most people think the bike program is a good idea, only a few say they will use it. "I will still drive my car," says Joanna Greene. "San Franciscohas a lot of hills. My office is at the top of Potrero Hill. I don't think _ . And, wouldn't I have to carry a helmet with me all the time?" Phil Chung agrees, "There is too much traffic. Riding a bicycle can be dangerous. There are not very many bike lanes ." He continues, "Plus, it's too cold in the winter. And what if you ride a bike to work, and then there isn't one to ride home?" Program leaders know there will be problems. But they think it's worth trying. "It's not the solution for everyone," states Sylvia Pass. "But if just one hundred people use it every day, that's one hundred cars that aren't on the streets, one hundred parking spaces that aren't used. I think it's a great beginning." The following statements are the disadvantages of free bike program in San Francisco except that _ . A. free bike will be stolen B. San Francisco is not flat at all C. riding a bike is not safe enough D. it will be too cold in the winter Answer: A
Do you know someone who has never been troubled by tests? Yeah, some people are lucky like that. But for most of us, taking tests can cause a lot of icky feelings and sensations, such as: trouble concentrating; low selfesteem; being nervous or anxious; feeling depressed or down on yourself; nausea ,indigestion, diarrheas ,or other stomach problems; racing heartbeat or trouble breathing; trouble sleeping; sweaty or cold hands. Spend a moment thinking about a test you have to take. Does it bring on any of these feelings? If so, that might mean you're having some trouble dealing with the stress of the test. Now that we know what stress feels like, let's talk about where test stress comes from. Here are a few of the biggest causes of test stress: Pressure from yourself.It's important to do your best and study hard, but if you feel like you just can't stop pushing yourself to prepare or that you won't be happy with anything but a high grade, that pressure can't be hard to handle. Pressure from parents and teachers.Most parents want to see great report cards, and they can start pushing when test time comes around. For teachers, many schools want to show high test grades from their students. So they have high expectations for the teachers, who then have high expectations for the students! Competition with friends.You love your best friends, but she's always asking you how you did in the test you both just took. This is normal, but can add to some of the pressure you're already feeling. Past experience.If you had a bad time with a test in the past, or if you've done poorly in one or more tests, you could feel anxious about the next one. Negative thinking.If you're convinced you're going to fail, or you keep beating yourself up with thoughts like"I'm not smart enough"or"I never do well," this can add to a lot of stress. Rumor. Sometimes, other students can spread rumors about a rest. Rumores like "That teacher's tests are totally impossible to pass!" can make you a lot more nervous. What's the probable title according to the passage? Vending machines are very popular now. You can find them here and there. People can buy different things from them, like snacks and soft drinks. Now we can even buy train tickets from it in the train station. They also sell newspapers in some busy areas. In some places, you can get a can of beer or Coke from the vending machine, but in some others, you can't. Some vending machines sell cigarettes . They are called "cigarettes machines". With these machines, people can get cigarettes easily. These machines once were popular in the United States. But they are not good for children. So you can't see them now. In many areas in the United States, only some clubs and bars have cigarette machines, because children can never get into these places. How does a vending machine work? If you want to buy a can of Coke, you can find its price on the machine. Put the money into the machine, and push the button of the Coke, then you can get your Coke and change. A vending machine makes our life easy and interesting. Which of the following is TRUE about vending machines? Mr and Mrs Brown are from America. They are now teaching English in Beijing .Their son Jack is with them. Jack speaks English. They want him to learn some Chinese. Jack is in Grade Three in a Chinese school .He likes to play with Chinese children every day. He listens to Chinese, speaks Chinese, reads books in Chinese and writes in Chinese. He is good at his Chinese. What is Jack's job ? BEIJTNG, July 21 (Xinhua) -- An armed police officer who died in the riot in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has been honored as a "loyal guard devoted to his mission ", one of the highest-level honors in the Chinese army. Premier Wen Jiabao and Central Military Commission (CMC) Chairman Hu Jintao signed the order to honor Wan Jingang, a 31 -year-old officer in the Xinjiang Armed Police recently. Wan was awarded the honorary title of "loyal guard devoted to his mission" for his bravery and loyalty in carrying out his mission and task, according to the order. Wan and his men were patrolling the streets when a group of rioters started to attack passengers on a bus in Urumqi on July 5. He was surrounded and attacked by rioters while helping passengers escape. He later died of serious injuries. The State Council and the CMC also called on the army and police officers to learn from Wan's loyalty in carrying out his mission, bravery and fighting spirit and strong sense of responsibility in safeguarding national unity and social stability. The State Council and the CMC also called on the army and police to follow Wan's example and firmly fight against the criminal activities of lawbreakers to safeguard social stability , socialist legal system and the interests of the people. The July 5 riot in Urumqi left 197 people dead and more than 1, 600 injured. The homes of 633 families were damaged and 627 vehicles were destroyed. The army and police officers are called on to _ There is good news for old people with Alzheimer's disease . As we know, people who have Alzheimer's disease may get lost easily. Sometimes they can't find the way to their home. All the family members must be worried about their safety. Now, some has invented GPS-enabled walking shoes. The shoes are very special and useful. They can help people find old people easily, wherever they go. These walking shoes are especially important for people who are in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease. According to the research, such old people have the highest danger. Let's see some terrible facts. About 60c/o of patients with Alzheimer's disease get lost for days when they go for a walk. Up to half of those who are lost and not found within 24 hours can die outside. If old people wear such shoes , you needn't worry about that. These shoes can help their families to find _ easily if they are lost. So you see, the shoes can ensure old people's safety. These walking shoes are equipped with a GPS device in the heel. The shoes are very comfortable and they look like the shoes that many old people wear. The GPS-enabled walking shoes have a great advantage. Of course, the shoes are suitable for children .Parents can ask them to wear such shoes. Then they can find their children easily. But some children have different ideas. Sometimes, they don't want their parents to know where they are. What will they do? Well... some children say that they will take them off and put them at home. Why don't some children like to wear GPS-enabled walking shoes ?
"It was amazing, just impressive," Holly Budge, a 29-year-old British woman, said after making a safe landing at a spot 12,350 feet (3,765 meters) above sea level -- the highest "drop zone" achieved by a parachutist . "We had one minute of freefall and while we were above the clouds you could see Everest and the other high mountains popping out of the top," she said. Ms Budge and her two fellow daredevils, Wendy Smith, from New Zealand, and Neil Jones, from Canada, jumped out of an aircraft at about 29,500 feet, just higher than the peak of the world's highest mountain. They fell at speeds reaching 140mph, past the highest ridges of the snow-covering Himalayas, before each released a parachute . The jumpers wore oxygen masks to keep their lungs working as they fell. Wearing neoprene underwear was compulsory -- to prevent them from being frozen to death. The adventure, advertised by its organizers as "a feast for those who seek to stimulate all their senses to the full", appeared to have lived up to its billing. "I had never seen so many mountains before," Ms Smith said. "To be on top of the world was simply stunning ." The expedition also offered a way by which to celebrate her 30th birthday later this month, she said. Besides, her jump raised funds for charities in Britain and Nepal, including more than PS10,000 for the Hampshire Autistic Society. In the next few days the feat will be repeated by about 30 others, weather permitting. Each has paid at least PS12,675 to High and Wild, the British adventure travel company behind the project. Ms Budge said: "It was worth the money. It is something that has never been done before." Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? _ Answer: On one of her trips to New York several years ago, Eudora Welty decided to take a couple of New York friends out to dinner. They settled in at a comfortable East Side cafe and within minutes, another customer was approaching their table. "Hey, aren't you from Mississippi?" the elegant, white-haired writer remembered being asked by the stranger. "I'm from Mississippi too." Without a second thought, the woman joined the Welty party. When her dinner partner showed up, she also pulled up a chair. "They began telling me all the news of Mississippi," Welty said. "I didn't know what my New York friends were thinking." Taxis on a rainy New York night are rarer than sunshine. By the time the group got up to leave, it was pouring outside. Welty's new friends immediately sent a waiter to find a cab. Heading back downtown toward her hotel, her big-city friends were amazed at the turn of events that had changed their Big Apple dinner into a Mississippi. "My friends said: 'Now we believe your stories,'" Welty added. "And I said: 'Now you know. These are the people that make me write _ .'" Sitting on a sofa in her room, Welty, a slim figure in a simple gray dress, looked pleased with this explanation. "I don't make them up," she said of the characters in her fiction these last 50 or so years. "I don't have to." Beauticians, bartenders, piano players and people with purple hats, Welty's people come from afternoons spent visiting with old friends, from walks through the streets of her native Jackson, Miss., from conversations overheard on a bus. It annoys Welty that, at 78, her left ear has now given out. Sometimes, sitting on a bus or a train, she hears only a fragment of a particularly interesting story. What happened when Welty was with her friends at the cafe? Answer: There are four types of persons who go to work part-time. These include retirees who want a bit more income or socialization, parents who want to spend more time with their children, college and high school students and temporary agency workers who want more experience. Many people enjoy the advantages of working part-time, but benefits are rarely offered to part-time employees. Most people are hoping for health insurance and retirement benefits when taking a job. Traditionally, companies only offer benefits to employees who work 30 hours or more a week. This is only a 25% reduction in hours, so it doesn't free up a lot of time for the employee who needs part-time hours. Even when a part-timer is offered health benefits, he is rarely offered paid time off and retirement benefits. Dental benefits are almost never offered to part-time employees. Many businesses hire part-time employees for the simple reason of saving money. If they work less than a certain number of hours, the employers don't need to pay for benefits. There are companies, however, that are beginning to offer benefits to part-time employees. This includes benefits for health, paid time off and retirement plans. Some companies have begun to offer this in order to take in high quality, trained professionals who just want part-time hours. If a company wants a qualified employee, it will have to compete with other companies. People who may only want to work part-time may be forced to take a full-time job to get the benefits. Companies who offer benefits to part-timers have an advantage by offering more choices to their employees in terms of hours. Conducting an Internet search is probably the quickest way to find companies that provide benefits for part-time employees. Many large corporations like Starbucks, Barnes & Noble and Whole Foods offer benefits to part-time employees among other things. Look for companies that offer a team approach to their employees. Employees are given choices and part of decision-making in the business. Businesses that allow employee input are more likely to offer benefits to part-timers. What's the advantage of hiring part-time employees? Answer: An absolute description of the threat hanging over the world's mammals, reptiles, amphibians(, , ) and other life forms has been published by the well-known scientific journal, Nature. A special analysis carried out by the journal indicates that an astonishing 41% of all amphibians on the planet now face extinction while 26% of mammal species and 13% of birds are similarly threatened. Many species are already critically endangered and lose to extinction, including the Sumatran elephant, Amur leopard and mountain gorilla. But also in danger of vanishing for the wild, it now appears, are animals that are currently rated as merely being endangered. In each case, the finger of blame points directly at human activites The continuing spread of agriculture is destroying million of hectares of wild habitats every year, leaving animals without homes, while the introduction of newly-come species, often helped by humans, is also damaging native populations. At the same time, pollution and overfishing are destroying ocean ecosystems. "Habitat destruction, pollution or overfishing either skill off wild creatures and plants or leaves them badly weakened," said Derek Tittensor, an ocean ecologist at the World Conservation Monitoring Centre in Cambridge. "The trouble is that in coming decades, the additional threat of worsening climate change will become more and more common and could then kill off these survivors." The problem, according to Nature, is worsened because of the huge gaps in scientists knowledge about the planet's biodiversity. Evaluations of the total number of species of animals and plants alive vary from 2 million to 50 million. In addition, evaluations of current rates of species' disappearances vary from 500 to 36, 000 a year. "That is the real problem we face," added Tittensor. "The scale of uncertainty is huge." In the end, however, the data indicate that the world is heading cruelty towards a mass extinction-which is defined as one involving a loss of 75% of species or more. This could arrive in less than a hundred years or could take a thousand, depending on extinction rates. The direct reason for the extinction of some species is _ . Answer: It was a village in India.The people were poor.However,they were not unhappy.After all,their forefathers had lived in the same way for centuries. Then one day,some visitors from the city arrived.They told the villagers there were some people elsewhere who liked to eat frog's legs.However,they did not have enough frogs of their own,and so they wanted to buy frogs from other places. This seemed like money for nothing.There were millions of frogs in the fields around,and they were no use to the villagers.All they had to do was catch them.Agreement was reached,and the children were sent into the fields to catch frogs.Every week a truck arrived to collect the catch and hand over the money.For the first time,the people were able to dream of a better future.But the dream didn't last long. The change was hardly noticed at first,but it seemed as if the crops were not doing so well.More worrying was that the children fell ill more often,and,there seemed to be more insects around lately. The villagers decided that they couldn't just wait to see the crops failing and the children getting weak.They would have to use the money earned to buy pesticides and medicines.Soon there was no money left. Then the people realized what was happening.It was the frog.They hadn't been useless.They had been doing an important job--eating insects.Now with so many frogs killed,the insects were increasing more rapidly.They were damaging the crops and spreading diseases. Now,the people are still poor.But in the evenings they sit in the village square and listen to sounds of insects and frogs.These sounds of the night now have a much deeper meaning. (2010*,A) What might be the cause of the children's sickness? Answer:
A few years ago, pop poets such as Murray Lachlan Young began to set poetry to rock music with some surprising results. People thought that poetry was the new rock 'n' roll. However, despite the brief popularity of a few pop poets, poetry and pop music didn't seem to mix. But are they really so different? If you look back at the origins of poetry, there is a strong connection between poems and popular music. In Greek mythology, for example, the muse Erato is pictured with a lyre in her hand, and looks just like the ancestor of the modern rock star with his electric guitar. In addition, the poets Shelley and Byron were as famous in the nineteenth century as the pop stars of today. But despite their common origins, there are many differences between poetry and pop music. Pop songs are always written for a public performance, whereas poetry often isn't. And the lyrics in pop songs sometimes have less rhythm than those in poetry. This is because the music provides the rhythm rather than the words. Pop lyrics are also simpler and often keep on saying the same thing. This repetition works well in a performance and means that pop songs are easier for people to sing and learn by heart. Both songs and poems tell a story or talk about feelings. Songs in particular deal with the different stages in a relationship, such as falling in love or breaking up. The words and ideas in songs are usually easier to understand than those in "serious" poetry. However, talented performers like Paul McCartney, or newer stars like Robbe Williams, often give simple songs more expression when they perform them. And some of the best lines from pop lyrics are as beautiful as poetry. So although pop music and poetry have many differences, they do have one important thing in common: the power to make us think about how we feel. According to the article, the difference between poetry and pop songs is that _ . A. there is more rhythm in pop songs than poetry B. pop songs are more difficult to understand than poetry C. some words in pop songs are repeated over and over again D. pop songs are not always performed before audience Answer: C I believe that my country, Poland, is a perfect example for a place where food is particularly important. When we were little children, we began to understand how much a loaf of bread meant to our parents--to some it might sound silly but for me the custom of kissing bread before you started cutting it was simply amazing. It's not so common nowadays to treat food that way, since you hardly ever bake your own bread. Besides, everyone would call you crazy if you tried to kiss every bread roll before you ate them! But though we no longer make our food from scratch , some customs have been kept--that's why I feel so sorry every time I have to throw any food away--even though I no longer live with my parents and nobody would blame me for this anymore! Many people of our nation are still working as farmers, eating what they grow and harvest and therefore enjoying everything more. It's widely known that you value more anything that needs your effort in the first place. In most homes in Poland, especially those of farmers, the whole family would try and have their meals together--extremely difficult now, but so rewarding ! You can share other members' troubles and successes, give your children some attention, or just sit down for a moment instead of rushing through life aimlessly. Furthermore, your body, and stomach in particular will be very grateful for such a time! In Poland, a wedding, Christmas or even a birthday is celebrated with a great meal. Women in the house get together and cook, sometimes for a few days before the event, and the extremely good or unusual food will be remembered and widely talked about. You cannot over-value the importance of food in the country. What's more, almost everyone in Poland will be as interested in the topic as I am. When the writer was a child, he / she _ . A. found people were crazy about bread B. began to realize the importance of food C. thought that cutting bread was amazing D. learned people hardly baked their own bread Answer: B In the 1950s, a family that owned a farm near Beulah, Michigan kept a bull chained to an elm . The bull paced around the tree, dragging the heavy iron chain, which led to a groove in the bark . The groove deepened over the years. Though for whatever reason, it did not kill the tree. After some years, the family took their bull away. They cut the chain, leaving the loop around the tree and one link hanging down. Then one year, agricultural disaster struck Michigan in the form of Dutch Elm Disease. All of the elms lining the road leading to the farm became infected and died. Everyone thought that the old elm would be the next. The farm owners considered doing the safe thing: pulling it out and cutting it up into firewood before it died. But they simply could not bring themselves to do it. It was as if the old tree had become a family friend. So they decided to let nature take its course. Amazingly, the tree did not die. Nobody could understand why it was the only elm still standing in the county! Plant experts from Michigan State University came out to observe the tree. They observed the scar left by the iron chain, now almost completely covered by bark. The experts decided that it was the chain that saved the elm's life. They reasoned that the tree must have absorbed so much iron from the chain that it became immune to the virus. It's said that what doesn't kill you will make you stronger. Or, as Earnest Hemingway put it, "Life breaks us all, but afterwards, many of us are strongest at the broken places." What actually saved the elm? A. The bull. B. The groove. C. The iron chain. D. The experts. Answer: C Since around the later part of the 1950s, society started to realize that tobacco cigarettes caused health problems. As research progressed along with increasing numbers of people that developed lung cancer, emphysema, and other smoking related illnesses, cigarette smoking has become less accepted and popular. Unfortunately, the nicotine contained in cigarettes is one of the most addictive substances on the planet and makes quitting smoking one of the hardest things to do. In 2003, Chinese pharmacist, Hon Lik invented the electronic cigarette as a safer, and cleaner way to breathe in nicotine after his father, a heavy smoker, passed away from lung cancer attributed to smoking tobacco cigarettes. Hon Lik applied for his first patent on the electronic cigarette in 2003 and afterwards introduced e-cigs to the Chinese market in the following year through his employer, Golden Dragon Holdings. Golden Dragon Holdings later changed the company's name to "Ruyan" in order to better match the company's name(Ruyan means "almost like smoke")to the new product. Since the renaming, the Ruyan company has continued e-cigarette development and grown to be one of the largest global e-cig manufactures. Dr.Sam Han, CEO of Cixi E-CIG Technology, Inc, Ltd. also has a number of e-cig related inventions, including four patents in the United States and two in China that are electronic cigarette and e-liquid technology related. Similar to Hon Lik's father. Dr. Han was a heavy smoker for more than 40 years before beginning to work on electronic cigarette technologies in order to help himself and others make the shift to vapor smoking. Dr.Han continues to market and conduct R&D in e-cig related techonologies to this date. After the successful deployment of Ruyan and Cixi E-CIG electronic cigarettes in China and Asia, the products started to be sold in significant quantities on the Internet. What's the direct reason why Hon Lik invented the electronic cigarette according to the passage ? A. Tobacco cigarettes caused health problems. B. Tobacco cigarettes were too expensive for customers to buy. C. Quitting smoking became one of the hardest things to do. D. His father died from lung cancer due to smoking tobacco cigarettes. Answer: D Food picked up just a few seconds after being dropped is less likely to contain bacteria than if it is left for longer periods of time, according to the findings of research carried out at Aston University's School of Life and Health Sciences. The findings suggest there may be some scientific basis to the "5 second rule" --- the belief about it being fine to eat food that has only had contact with the floor for five seconds or less. Although people have long followed the 5 second rule, until now it was unclear whether it actually helped. The study, undertaken by final year Biology students and led by Anthony Hilton, Professor of Microbiology at Aston University, monitored the transfer of the common bacteria from a variety of indoor flooring types (carpet, cement floor etc.) to toast, pasta, a biscuit and a sticky sweet when contact was made from 3 to 30 seconds. The results showed that: Time is a significant factor in the transfer of bacteria from a floor surface to a piece of food; and the type of flooring the food has been dropped on has an effect, with bacteria least likely to transfer from carpeted surfaces and most likely to transfer from cement flooring surfaces to moist foods making contact for more than 5 seconds. Professor Hilton said: "Consuming food dropped on the floor still carries an infection risk as it very much depends on which bacteria are present on the floor at the time." The Aston team also carried out a survey of the number of people who employ the 5 second rule. The survey showed that: 87% of people surveyed said they would eat food dropped on the floor, or already have done so. 55% of those who would eat or have eaten food dropped on the floor are women. 81% of the women who would eat food from the floor would follow the 5 second rule. Professor Hilton added, "Our study showed that a surprisingly large majority of people are happy to consume dropped food, with women the most likely to do so. But they are also more likely to follow the 5 second rule." The passage is developed probably by _ . A. time B. space C. contrast D. example Answer: C
An old man was going home late one night with his horse and cart after a day's hard work. When he was not far from his house, the light on the cart went out. He tried but could not mend it. He was near his home, and so he went along the road without a light. When a policeman saw this, he stopped the old carter. "Where is your light?" asked the policeman. "No man may take a cart along the road at night without a light. You know that. You have broken the law ." "I had a light, but it has just gone out," said the old man. "I don't believe that story," said the policeman. He took out a book and got ready to write. What's your name and where do you live?" he asked. "Please don't take my name," said the old man. "My home is just there. You can see it from here. I had a light nearly the whole way. I haven't come far without a light." "You came all the way without a light. What's your name?" The carter quickly took the policeman's hand and put it down on top of the light. The light was still hot and burnt the policeman's hand. The policeman jumped and he was very angry. "Now, what do you think?" said the carter. "Did I come all the way without a light?" In the passage the word "cart" is _ . Answer: something pulled by a horse The following are some tips for becoming a successful businessman by Michael Bloomberg. They are based on his experience of building a company from the ground up, leading New York City as mayor , and so on. Take Risks Life is too short to spend your time avoiding failure. In 1981, at the age of 39, I lost my job. The next day I took a big risk and began my own company. In 2001, when I was debating whether to run for mayor, most people advised me not to do it. But one person said, "If you can imagine yourself giving a concession speech, then why not go for it?" That was the best advice I received, and I followed it. In order to succeed, you must first be willing to fail-- and you must have the courage to go for it anyway. Make your own luck Luck plays a part in success. The harder you work, the luckier you get. Whatever you choose to do, even if it's not the job of your dreams, always work hard at it. Be the first person at work in the morning and the last to leave at night. Hard work creates chances. Never stop learning The most powerful word in English language is "why". There is nothing so powerful as an open, inquiring mind . Whatever field you choose for starting a business -- be a lifelong student. Give back You are responsible for your success and failure, but you only succeed if you share the reward with others. My first donation was a $ 5 check to my alma mater . And while the checks may be bigger today, they come with the same spirit. You don't have to be wealthy to give back. You can give back by giving your time and talents. What did the writer do at the age of 59? Answer: Ran for mayor. That little "a" with a circle curling around it that is found in E - mail addresses is most commonly referred to as the "at" symbol. Surprisingly though, there is no official, universal name for this sign. There are dozens of strange terms to describe the "@" symbol. Before it became the standard symbol for electronic mail, the "@" symbol was used to represent the cost of something or how heavy something is. For instance, if you purchased 6 apples, you might write it as 6 apples "@" $1.10 each. With the introduction of e-mail came the popularity of the "@" symbol. The "@" symbol or the "at sign" separates a person's online user name from his mail server address. For instance, joe@uselessknowledge.com. Its widespread use on the Internet made it necessary to put this symbol on keyboards in other countries that have never seen or used the symbol before. As a result, there is really no official name for this symbol. The actual origin of the symbol remains a mystery. History tells us that the @ symbol came from the tired hands of the Middle Ages. During the Middle Ages before the invention of printing machines, every letter of a word had to be copied with great efforts by hand for each copy of a published book. The monks that performed these long, boring coping duties looked for ways to reduce the number of individual strokes per word for common words. Although the word "at" is quite short to begin with, it was a common enough word in text and documents so that those monks thought it would be quicker and easier to shorten the word "at" even more. As a result, the monks changed the shape of "t" into a circle to surround "a", thus leaving out two strokes in the spelling "t". Which is NOT the reason for the monks to spell "at" as @? Answer: The monks wanted to invent a new word. History, as we know, is filled with facts, with places, names, dates, and events. History is also filled with feelings, with pain, joy, excitement, and fear. Facts are set down in books, but what happens to feelings? How can you take the pain, for example, and write it into a history book? You can't. But you can put it to music. Take the blues for example. The blues started when black musicians in the South began to sing about their hard times, those times which made them feel blue. The early blues was the beginning of other musical styles, from jazz to rock and roll. Music, you might say, is a record of feelings. Of course, facts are important: the civil rights movement, the race for space, the Vietnam War. But the feelings behind these events - the pride of being black, the excitement of a rocket blast , the pain of a war - are also an important part of history. According to the writer's idea, what can make people feel blue? Answer: Hard times. Common sense would tell us that physically active children may be more likely to become active and healthy adults. In the United States, elementary and middle schools are advised to give students two and a half hours of physical activity a week. That is what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association recommend. They say high schools should provide about four hours of physical activity each week. Yet many schools across the country have reduced their physical education programs. Just this week, a study reported that life _ has fallen or is no longer increasing in some parts of the United States. The situation is worst among poor people in the southern states, and especially women. Public health researchers say it is largely the result of increases in fatness, smoking and high blood pressure. They also blame differences in health services around the country. In 2006, a study found that only four percent of primary schools provided daily physical education all year for all grades. This was true of eight percent of middle schools and two percent of high schools. The study also found that twenty-two percent of all schools did not require students to take any P.E. Charlene Burgeson , a health expert says one problem for P.E. teachers is that schools are under pressure to put more time into academic subjects. Also, parents may agree that children need exercise in school. Yet many parents today still have bad memories of being chosen last for teams because teachers favored the good athletes in class. But experts say P.E. classes have changed. They say the goal has moved away from competition and toward personal performance, as a way to build a lifetime of activity. These days, teachers often lead activities like weight training and yoga. Some parents like the idea of avoiding competitive sports in P.E. class. Yet others surely dislike that idea. In the end, schools may find themselves in a no-win situation. What can be inferred after you read this passage? Answer: Students spent less time on physical education for academic pressure.
Hit song Little Apple became so popular after it came out in late May. In China, you may hear it on a bus, or even in a small village. Little Apple is a song for the movie Old Boys: The Way of Dragon. The song's huge success has also made more people see the movie. The comedy took US $17 million in its opening four days. The song Little Apple is so popular. "After hearing it, it's like "I'm brainwashed " by the song. So I came to see the film." a man said. "It's a good story. But the reason I'm here at the cinema is the song Little Apple." Hui Qing, a college student, said. "Many people have come to see the movie, so we added more screenings for it. The film now accounts for 20 percent of the total screenings -- It's quite a good performance for a home-grown movie," a cinema clerk said. Old Boys: The Way of Dragon is based on an online short film called Old Boys. The 40-minute film about youth and dreams got nearly 70 million views on a video website, and was popular among people born in the 1980s or later. "What is popular online is a good indication of what will be popular with young people. And this movie is a good example," businessman Chen Su said. Some have criticized Little Apple for its low quality, but the song continues keeping popular. Some people don't like the song Little Apple because _ . A. it is loud B. it is noisy C. it has low quality D. it's lyrics are bad Answer: C which of these would get bigger and recover from injuries better? A. a child who eats thrice a day B. a malnourished little child C. a child who gets insufficient diet D. a child who eats six times a week Answer: A Everybody is afraid of something. More than 2500 children told us what they were afraid of. Some don't like the darkness. Some hate bad dreams and scary movies . And some of them want to run away from dogs and snakes. Tom, 11, is afraid of the darkness because he worries that someone might his house. 10-year-old Kathy said he was afraid of thunderstorms and the sound at night. The worst thing about the afraid feeling is that we don't know how to deal with it. Here are three ways to help children feel better. 1. Do something interesting in your free time. 2. Talk to your parents about your feeling. 3. Talk to a close friend. ,. (5) From the passage, we know Kathy is afraid of _ at night. A. rain B. living alone C. staying outside D. the sound Answer: D Recently, some concerns have been raised about the health of the world's banana plants. Many media reports have said that bananas may completely disappear in the coming ten years. Bananas are one of the world's most important food crops. They are also the fourth most valuable export. Bananas do not grow from seeds. Instead, they grow from existing plants. Bananas are threatened by disease because all the plants on a farm are copies of each other. They all share the same genetic weaknesses. For example, the Cavendish banana is most popular in American markets. It is an important export crop. However, some kinds of fungus organisms easily infect the Cavendish. Black Sigatoka disease affects the leaves of Cavendish banana plants. The disease is controlled on large farms by putting chemicals on the plant's leaves. Farmers put anti-fungal chemicals on their crops up to once a week. Another fungal disease is more serious. Panama disease attacks the roots of the banana plant. There is no chemical treatment for this disease. Infected plants must be destroyed. Panama disease has affected crops in Southeast Asia, Australia and South Africa. There is concern that it may spread to bananas grown in the Americas. This could threaten an important export product for Central and South America. The International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain, whose headquarter lies in France, supports research on bananas. The group says that more research must be done to develop improved kinds of bananas. The group says that fungal diseases mainly affect only one kind of banana. In fact, there are five-hundred different kinds of bananas. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says the Cavendish banana represents only ten percent of world production. The UN agency says farmers should grow different kinds of bananas. This protects against diseases that affect only one kind. Experts warn that disease may cause the Cavendish banana to disappear. This has already happened to one popular banana because of its genetic weakness against disease. (words: 335) What does the passage mainly tell us? A. Bananas are the world's most important food crops. B. There are five hundred different kinds of bananas. C. The risk to a popular banana shows need to grow other kinds. D. How to grow bananas in different countries. Answer: C How long has 3-D technology been around? Most of us might think of crowds of teenagers in a 1950's movie house watching Bwana Devil in 3-D. But 3-D technology made its first appearance on the scene in 1838 with the first stereoscope . And the first actual 3-D movie was a 1903 film called Le Ariveed'un Train. Although it has such a long history, the technology has still remained based on one simple principle-----to make 3-D effects you must find a way to project two slightly different pictures to each eye. Modern 3-D technology works by rapidly flickering two versions of the movie and projecting them onto each eye. The brain does the rest of the work, combining the two pictures together into one and giving the show the appearance of depth, the third dimension. But does this exposure, especially long exposures, cause harm to the child's developing brain and visual system? Unfortunately, long-term studies on new flicker digital 3-D technology and children aren't yet available. We do not know if regular or daily 3-D viewing over years affects the developing visual system, although older 3-D methods basically do the same thing and are not considered harmful. The question of possible harm in modern 3-D use in TV is really based on two facts: the amount of time children will now be watching 3-D TV each day and the sensitivity some children show in reaction to 3-D viewing. It is difficult to make actual lab studies of longer term 3-D viewing in children because of the possible harm of the experiment. Researchers will have to wait until 3-D TV technology is already in the marketplace for a number of years, then check heavy 3-D TV watchers and compare them with non-watchers. With a 3-D television technology in the home, we will soon be able to answer the question of whether or not longer and more frequent periods of 3-D exposure cause more changes in the visual system. We may find that the bigger problem is the introduction of a new technology that leads to even more time spent on TV rather than playing outdoors. The author's purpose in writing the text is to _ A. ask children not to watch 3-D movies B. discuss if 3-D viewing is harmful to children. C. introduce the advantages of 3-D technology. D. predict the development of 3-D technology. Answer: B
Most people know the feeling when you walk into a lift with other people. A study has found that where people stand is based on their social position on entering the lift. Rebekah Rousi, a Ph.D. student, did a study of lift behavior in two of the tallest office buildings in Adelaide, Australia. As part of her research, she took a total of 30 lift rides in the two buildings, and discovered there was a fixed order about where people chose to stand. In her research paper, she wrote that more senior men seemed to walk straight towards the back of the lift. She said , "in front of them were younger men, and in front of them were women of all ages." She also noticed there was a difference in the direction where people look during the ride. "Men watched the monitors, looked in the side mirrors (in one building) to see themselves, and in the door mirrors (in the other building) to watch others. Women would watch the monitors and avoid looking into others' eyes (unless in conversations) and the mirrors." Rebekah Rousi concluded that shyer people stand toward the front, where they can't see other passengers, while fearless people stand in the back, where they have a good view of everyone else. The passage is probably taken from _ . Eric and Doris King Turner are packing their bags for New Zealand. They're busy deciding what to pack and what to leave behind in Britain and are making plans to extend their new home in Nelson. Doris is looking forward to getting the garden into shape and Eric has his heart set on a spot of fly fishing. The difference is that Eric is 102, Doris is 87. Eric thinks he's Britain's oldest _ In January next year Eric King Turner and his wife of 12 years will wave goodbye to their neighbors, and set sail from Southampton on the voyage of a lifetime. The ocean liner Saga Rose will take six weeks to get to Auckland and the couple are expecting a red-carpet welcome from family. Doris was born in New Zealand but gave up her homeland when the couple met and married in the late 1990s. But New Zealand is close to both their hearts and the attraction of family and friends, and the good fishing helped to persuade them to move. Doris, who has five children and nine grandchildren, supported her husband's application to settle in New Zealand. The paperwork took five months. Eric says, "We not only had to produce a marriage certificate but we had to produce evidence that we were in a long and stable relationship!" He also said he was not asked about his age but had to show that he could support himself financially in New Zealand. "I like New Zealand. The way of life is very much the same as it is here but it is not so crowded." His wife has always been "a little bit homesick" but has never complained. Now the couple are in the middle of the task of sorting out possessions and selling their flat. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? Venice is the "Queen" of the Adriatic Sea . Every year thousands of people from all over the world travel to Italy to visit the city. Do you know why they like to go there for a visit? Venice is a very beautiful city. It is quite different from other cities in the world. There aren't any roads or streets in the city, so there aren't any cars or buses. There are many canals in the city. There is one big canal and one hundred and seventy-seven small canals. People move up and down the canals in boats to go to work, go shopping or visit their friends. But Venice is sinking It is going down and the water is going up. In 2040 Venice will be under water. The Adriatic Sea will cover the city. The Venetians love their city and want to stay there. So they want to save Venice form the sea. They do not want to leave. How can they save Venice? They can build some strong huge walls and gates in the sea. The gates will close to keep too much water out. In this way Venice will not sink. People from all parts of the world go to visit Venice because _ . You-yes, you!-can help keep people from getting sick this flu season. How? It's not too hard. Just take these steps: Wash your hands often, especially before eating and after coughing or blowing your nose. Keep your coughs to yourself(use a _ instead of your hand). *Keep your hands out of your eyes, mouth, and nose. You may have heard all this before, but flu season is a great time to really start doing them. By following these pieces of advice, you might be able to keep yourself from getting sick and stop germs from spreading around and making other people sick. So your hands are very important. A lot of germs get in our bodies from there. Germs get on our hands and we put our hands in our eyes, noses, and, especially, our mouths. How to stop germs? Yeah, hand washing. You might pick up germs here and there. So when you wash your hands, you wash away germs. But how to wash your hands? That's easy: wash your hands with soap and warm water(not cold or hot). Don't forget to wash around your fingernails . This is one place germs like to be. Wash for about 15 to 20 seconds---about how long it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice. Maybe you needn't wash your hands _ . Once when I was a teenager, my father and I were standing in line to buy tickets for the circus . Finally, there was only one family between the ticket counter and us. This family made a big impression on me. There were eight children, all probably under the age of 12. You could tell they didn't have a lot of money. Their clothes were not expensive, but they were clean. They were excitedly talking about the clowns, elephants, and other acts they would see that night. The father and mother were at the head of the pack, standing proud as they could be. When the ticket lady asked the father how many tickets he wanted, he proudly answered, "Please let me buy eight children's tickets and two adults tickets, so I can take my family to the circus." The ticket lady told him the price. The man's wife lowered her head. The father`s lip began to quiver and he leaned a little closer and asked, "How much did you say?" The ticket lady again quoted the price. The man didn`t have enough money. How was he supposed to turn and tell his eight kids that he didn`t have enough money to take them to the circus? Seeing what was going on, my dad put his hand in his pocket, pulled out a $20 bill and dropped it on the ground. My father reached down, picked up the bill, tapped the man on the shoulder and said ,"Excuse me, sir. This fell out of your pocket." The man knew what was going on. He wasn`t begging for a handout but certainly appreciated the help in a heartbreaking and embarrassing situation. He looked straight into my dad`s eyes, took my dad`s hand in both of his, holding the $20 bill, and with a tear running down his cheek, he replied, "Thank you, sir. This really means a lot to me and my family ." My father and I went back to our car and drove home. _ What is the best title for this passage?
Two good friends, Sam and Jason, met with a car accident on their way home one snowy night. The next morning, Sam woke up blind. His legs were broken. The doctor, Mr Lee, was standing by his bed, looking at him worriedly. When he saw Sam awake, he asked, "How are you feeling, Sam?" Sam smiled and said, "Not bad, Doctor. Thank you very much for doing the special operation ." Mr Lee was moved by Sam. When he was leaving, Sam said, "Please don't tell Jason about it." "Well...Well...OK," Mr Lee replied. Months later when Jason's wounds healed , Sam was still very sick. He couldn't see or walk. He could do nothing but stay in his wheelchair all day long. At first, Jason stayed with him for a few days. But days later, Jason thought it boring to spend time with a disabled man like Sam. So he went to see Sam less and less. He made new friends. From then on, he didn't go to visit Sam any more. Sam didn't have any family or friends except Jason. He felt very sad. Things went from bad to worse. Sam died a year later. When Jason came, Mr Lee gave him a letter from Sam. In the letter Sam said, "Dear Jason, I am disabled. But I want you to be a healthy man. So I gave my eyes to you so that you can enjoy life as a healthy man. Now you have new friends. I'm glad to see that you are as healthy and happy as usual. I'm glad you live a happy life. You are always my best friend... Sam". When he finished reading the letter, Mr Lee said, "I have promised that I will keep this a secret until Sam is gone. Now you know it." Jason stood there like a stone. Tears ran down his face. Sam thanked Mr Lee mainly because Mr Lee Some British and American people like to invite friends for a meal at home. You should not be upset if your English friends don't invite you home. It doesn't mean they don't like you! Dinner parties usually start between 7 p. m. and 8 p. m. and end at about 11 p. m. Ask your host what time you should arrive. It's polite to bring flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine as a gift. Usually the evening starts with drinks and snacks. Do you want to be extrapolite? Say how much you like the room, or the pictures on the wall. But remember--it's not polite to ask how much things cost. In many families, the husband sits at one end of the table and the wife sits at the other side. They eat with their guests. You'll probably start the meal with soup or something small, then you'll have meat or fish with vegetables, and then dessert, followed by coffee. It's polite to finish everything on your plate and to take more if you want it. Did you enjoy the evening? Call your hosts the next day, or write them a short"Thank you"letter. British and American people like to say"Thank you, thank you, thank you"all the time! You are going to attend a dinner party, and _ . Cancer is best described as 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. What could the bird do? The Elysee Palace in France enjoys equal popularity in the world with the Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom, the Kremlin in Russia as well as the White House in the U. S. It is the residence of the president of the French Republic and the symbol of the supreme authority in France. The Elysee palace, with an area of 11,000 square metres, is at the eastern end of the Champs Elysee in the city of Paris proper and backed by a large and peaceful garden of more than twenty thousand square metres. Its main building, quite handsome and graceful, is a two-story classical stone architecture of European style, and beside it are two side buildings facing each other and with an extensive rectangular courtyard in the middle. There are altogether 369 halls and rooms of different sizes. The Elysee Palace, built in 1718, has a ling history of close to300 years to date. This house was at first a private residence of a count named d'Evreau, so it was called Hotel d'Evreau. It had later gone through many changes and its owners had been changed for many times, but all the residents in it were distinguished persons and high officials. The house was renamed Bonaparte Mansion when it was owned by Louis X V and Louis X VI successively when they acted as emperors. Napoleon I signed his act of abdication here when he had suffered defeat in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Nopoleon III moved in the Mansion in 1848 when he was elected president, and the house became a Royal Palace when he declared himself as emperor. The Third French Republic issued a decree in 1873, appointing officially the Elysee Palace as the residence president of the French Republic. Over the hundred years since then, almost all the president of the French Republic worked and lived there. Starting from 1989, the Elysee Palace is open to the public every year in September on the French Castles Day. The number of the buildings of the Elysee Palace is _ .
Question: Which action best models the motion of an arm at the elbow joint? A. opening a drawer B. slicing an apple C. closing a car door D. pushing a wheelbarrow Answer: C Question: On May 1, Ohner telegraphed Byer, "Will sell you any or all of the lots in Grover subdivision at $5,000 each. Details will follow in letter." The letter contained all the necessary details concerning terms of payment, insurance, mortgages, etc., and provided, "This offer remains open until June 1." On May 2, after he had received the telegram but before he had received the letter, Byer telegraphed Ohner, "Accept your offer with respect to lot 101." Both parties knew that there were 50 lots in the Grove subdivision and that they were numbered 101 through 150."For this question only, assume that on May 6 Byer telegraphed Ohner, "Will take the rest of the lots," and that on May 8 Ohner discovered that he did not have good title to the remaining lots. Which of the following would provide the best legal support for Ohner's contention that he was not liable for breach of contract as to the remaining 49 lots? A. Impossibility of performance. B. Unilateral mistake as to basic assumption. C. Termination of the offer by Byer's having first contracted to buy lot 101. D. Excuse by failure of an implied condition precedent. Answer: C Question: Robert is thirteen years old now , but he still remembers one day ten years ago, when he tried to get a bottle of milk from the fridge. The bottle fell to the floor and the milk spilled all over the floor. When his mother came into the kitchen , she didn't shout at him"Oh, Robert, it is _ . Well ,would you like to play in the milk for a few minutes ?" she said. Robert was very surprised ,but he began to play in the milk quickly, after a few minutes, his mother said ," You know ,Robert, when you make a mess like this ,you have to clean it yourself ." He then cleaned the milk with his mother. His mother then said, "It's hard to take a big bottle with your two small hands. Here is another bottle .Let's see how to find a better way to take it." The little boy learned that if he took the bottle near the top with both two hands , he could do it easily . Robert also learned that it wasn't always bad to make mistakes .It was just the mistake that helped him to learn new things. What a good lesson!! How old was Robert when the story happened? A. He was two years old B. He was three years old C. He was ten years old D. He was thirteen years old Answer: B Question: True friends are always with you when the rest of the world refuses you.A true friend is like a mirror that shows the real you.True friendship is like a 100% safe journey in this risky and unpredictable world.True friendship is always fresh. Children can share their feelings, things and thoughts among themselves freely.They comfort their friends when they are in trouble and share their happiness when they are happy.You can find fresh and wonderful friendship among children. As we grow into teenagers, we will be attracted by worldly things.We will wonder who is a true friend and who is not.We will be busy deciding about our future jobs or following everything that is popular. When we reach our thirties, we will be busy with our marriage and taking care of our children and their education.But we need somebody to meet and share our ideas with, and we need suggestions from friends.However, we have few true friends because we are all busy working towards our future. When we grow older, we feel like children again and we need more friends and true friendship.If we are lucky enough to keep our childhood friendships to this age, then that is wonderful.Otherwise, we have to find new friends again to have a wonderful life. The author talks about friendship among children to explain _ . A. what true friendship is B. how to make friends with children C. his love of children's friendship D. the habits of little children Answer: A Question: Paul is my pen friend.He is from Landon,England.He speaks good English.He is now in Shanghai with his parents,because they work in Shanghai.Paul can speak a little Chinese! There are five people in his family,his parents,his two sisters and he.His sisters aren't in China.They are in England now. He likes singing and dancing very much.His favorite subject is music.He likes going to the movies on weekends:He thinks it is fun.I think he is a nice boy. Which of the following is TRUE in this letter? A. Paul is from China. B. Paul is in Shanghai with his whole family. C. Paul Likes going to the movies on weekends. D. Paul speaks good Chinese. Answer: C
Question: Believe it or not, optical illusion can cut highway crashes. Japan is a case in point. It has reduced automobile crashes on some roads by nearly 75 percent using a simple optical illusion. Bent strips, called chevrons , painted on the roads make drivers think that they are driving faster than they really are, and thus drivers slow down. Now the American Automobile Association Foundations For Traffic Safety in Washington D.C. is planning to repeat Japan's success. Starting next year, the foundation will paint chevrons and other patterns of stripes on selected roads around the country to test how well the patterns reduce highway crashes. Excessive speed plays a major role in as much as one fifty of all fatal traffic accidents, according to the foundation. To help reduce those accidents, the foundation will conduct its tests in areas where speed-related hazards are the greatest-curves, exit slopes, traffic circles, and bridges. Some studies suggest that straight, horizontal bars painted across roads can initially cut the average speed of drivers in half. However, traffic often returns to full speed within months as drivers become used to seeing the painted bars. Chevrons, scientists say, not only give drivers the impression that they are driving faster than they really are but also make a lane appear to be narrower. The result is a longer lasting reduction of highway speed and the number of traffic accidents. According to the foundation, _ can cause serious traffic accident A. the straight, horizontal bars B. greatest curves C. exit slops , traffic circles, bridges D. Over-speed driving Answer: D Question: A boy won the grand prize at the 2012 International Science and Engineering Fair, the largest high school science competition in the world. The Maryland teenager Jack Andraka is the youngest winner of the $75,000 prize. He was chosen from among l,500 students in 70 countries. Jack invented a test for pancreatic cancer( ). He started to learn it after losing a close family friend to the disease. "I went on the Internet and I found that 85 percent of all pancreatic cancers are found late, when someone has less than a 2% chance of survival he says. "and I was thinking, 'That's not right and we should be able to do something."' He found that early discovery is important to increase the chances of suryiving the disease. Jack asked to work in a laboratory at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and was allowed. There he developed a simple paper test. which can recognize the disease in a single drop of blood. His test has proven correct 90% of the time. It also is 100 times more sensitive than other tests. "It costs 3 Jack's success wouldn't have been possible without Anirban Maitra . a professor at Johns Hopkins, who was the only person among the 200 researchers Jack wrote to and who showed interest in his project "I was very surprised that it was a 15-year-old who was writing this. I wanted to meet this clever young man and see what he wanted to talked about. so I called for him over for an interview," Maitra said. Jack worked in Professor Maitra's laboratory completing his project in 7 months. The government bas given the Maryland teenager patent rights to the pancreatic cancer test. He is now talking with companies about developing the test into a simple product . Whatever happens, the professor believes that Jack Andraka's name is one we will be hearing again over the next 10 to 20 years. We can infer from the text that Jack Andraka _ . A. was not afraid of failure B. was thought highly of by companies C. impressed deeply on the professor D. got support from others easily Answer: C Question: Rice plants normally grow well in still water. But most will die if they are completely underwater for more than four days. Now, researchers have identified a gene that helps rice survive longer underwater. They say the discovery will lead to new kinds of rice plants that can survive flooding, and therefore reach their final aim, ensuring more dependable food supplies. Tests are now being done in prefix = st1 /Laos,BangladeshandIndia. The researchers say experimental rice plants with the gene have survived underwater as long as two weeks. When flooding happens, most kinds of rice plants cannot get enough oxygen, carbon dioxide or sunlight. But the scientists say crop loss depends on several conditions. These include soil conditions and plant age. Others include the amount of time the plant is underwater and the amount of fertilizer used on the crop. On a genetic map of rice, the scientists became interested in a group of three genes. They experimented with one of them, a gene known as Sub-One-A. They found that when this gene becomes very active, it improves the ability of rice to survive longer when rice is covered by water. They believe it succeeds because it affects the reaction to hormones . _ control the ability of a flooded plant to survive. Placing the gene into rice plants that are especially good for conditions inIndia, researchers say the genetically engineered plants not only survived but also produced good crops. The researchers are now trying to identify all the genes governed by the Sub-One-A gene. Being able to leave water on rice plants for an additional week might also help farmers prevent the growth of weeds. Less weed growth around their crops would mean less need for herbicide chemicals. What is the final aim of this research? A. To identify the gene that helps rice survive underwater. B. To increase the ability of rice to fight against floods. C. To help farmers spend less time removing weeds. D. To make sure of enough food supplies. Answer: D Question: Even facts "forgotten" by people during a busy day may be retrieved if this is followed by a good night's sleep. Researchers from the University of Chicago asked volunteers to remember simple words.Many found their memories letting them down towards the end of the day, but the following morning, those who had slept well could recall much more. Researchers, writing in the journal Nature, said the brain could "rescue" lost memories during the night. When the brain is first asked to remember something that memory is laid down in an "unstable" state, meaning that it is possible that it could be lost.At some point, the brain consolidates those it deems important into a "stable", more permanent state.However, the Chicago researchers suggested that it was possible for a "stable" memory to be made "unstable" again.This would mean that memories could be modified then filed away again in the face of new experiences. The 12 volunteers tested in the experiment were played words created through a speech synthesizer which were purposely difficult to understand.Initially, the written version of the word from the audio version only.Tests revealed that the ability to recall the right word tended to tail off as the day ended. However, when the volunteers were retested after a good night's sleep, they were able to recall some words that they had " forgotten" the previous evening. Dr Daniel, one of the study authors, said: "Sleep consolidates memories, protecting them against subsequent interference or decay.Sleep also appears to "recover" or restore memories." He said: "If performance is reduced by decay, sleep might actively recover what has been lost." Dr Karim Nader, from the Department of Psychology in McGill University in Montreal, said: "Memory research is undergoing a transformation---no longer is memory thought to be a hard-writing of the brain, instead it seems to be a process of storage and restorage." Sleep helps some memories "mature" and also prunes out unimportant memories. According to the passage, memory _ A. is a hard-writing of the brain B. is not a process of storage C. is not a process of restorage D. will be mature with the help of sleep Answer: D Question: Many university students dislike studying history because there is little to get excited about when historical events are presented in a boring manner. However, I'll never forget my American History professor, Dr. Williamson. Each event leaped from the pages of our text and became as real as the daily news report on the radio. My favorite lecture concerned the American Revolution. Dr. Williamson set the mood for the study by imitating Pall Revere, a well-known silversmith, working in his shop. The American colonists were angry because of the British control over their lives. Revere felt that war between the British and the colonists was inevitable. Then, Dr Williamson told us about Revere rowing across the Charles River from Boston on April 18,1775. I could see the professor row as he raised his hand to his forehead as if he were looking across the Charles River to the old North Church in Boston. Suddenly, Revere spotted two lanterns, a signal which meant that the British would attack by sea. He jumped on his horse to warn the villagers of the attack. Professor Williamson reminded us that the first battles of the American Revolution were fought at Concord and Lexington, Massachusetts, the year before the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Never before had history seemed so alive to me. And all because a professor cared enough to put his heart into his teaching. The writer concludes that Williamson's history lesson was welcome because_. A. he had a very rich knowledge of American history B. he was very kind to his students C. he cared enough to put his heart into his teaching D. his students were all interested in American History Answer: C
Mrs. Janes gave music lessons at a school.She had a good voice and enjoyed singing, except that some of her high tones sound like a gate that had forgotten to oil.Mrs. Janes knew her weakness well, and took every chance she could find to practise these high notes. As she lived in a small house, where she could not practise without disturbing the rest of the family, she usually went for long walks along the country roads whenever she had time and practised her high notes there.Whenever she heard a car or a person coming along the road, she stopped and waited until she could no longer be heard before she started practicing again, because she was a shy person. One afternoon, a fast, opened car came up behind her so silently and so fast that she didn't hear it until it was only a few yards from her.She was singing some of her highest and most difficult tones at that time and as the car passed, she saw an anxious expression came over the driver's face.He stopped his car suddenly, jumped out and began to examine all his tyres carefully. Mrs. Janes didn't dare to tell him what the noise he had heard really was, so he got back into the car and drove off. Why did she go for long walks along the country roads? Answer: "Green" is more than just a color. It also means taking special steps to protect the environment--the water, the land, and the air we breathe. Why green? Plants are green, and without them the earth wouldn't be such a lovely home for us human beings. Every day, people make choices that affect the amount of trash and pollution that gets produced in our world. What can you do? A whole lot, actually. Here's a four-step guide to being green: Reduce the amount of stuff you use and throw away. Reuse stuff when you can. Recycle cans, bottles, paper, books, and even toys, Sometimes water can be. For instance, some communities take used water - like from the washing machine and shower - and clean it up so it's safe to use for watering the grass and flowers. Enjoy the Earth - walk in the woods, plant a tree, and eat some of the delicious food it produces. Here's a list of other stuff you can reduce: Close the switches when you're not using lights. Turn off the water when you're brushing your teeth.. When you can, walk or ride your bike instead of driving in the car. You'll use less gas - and get some exercise! Turn off for your phone and MP3 player when you're not using them. Put your computer to "sleep" instead of leaving it on with the screensaver running. According to this passage, the "green" means _ Answer: As people in Beijing and northern China struggle with severe air pollution this winter,the toxic air is also making life hard for plants and even food crops of China. "in the last 50 years there has been a 1 6-fold increase in ozone pollution"in the Beijing area,said Hanqin Tian of Auburn University in Alabama,who studies the effects of China's pollution and climate change on plants. Ozone is particularly harmful to plants because it damages the pores on leaves,called stomata,which plants use to regulate how much water evaporates from the leaves.That,in turn,affectS how much water a plant must take up through its roots.Changes in water uptake by plants have been documented in other parts of the world,including the United States,as having major impacts on regional groundwater and surface water supplies. In studies of the long-term productivity of plants,Hanqin Tian and some of his colleagues show that ozone pollution,along with climate change,has been lowering plant productivity in China,which reduces the amount of carbon and other pollutants that the plants Can absorb to fight all the emissions from the burning offossil fuels. The worst effects on plants are likely to be in areas where the growing pollution problem is just fairly new, said Arthur Chappelka, also a plant researcher at Auburn University.Some plants are more resistant to pollutants than others,he said,and the plants that are living today in long-polluted urban areas are likely to be only those that are very pollution tolerant. Away from the cities, however, where crops are necded to feed China's yast population, the effeets of the growing pollution on crops is a significant concern. "In some ways it affects the crop production and food securiy of China,"said Hanqin Tian."Air quality is really important for human health, plants and ecosystem and sustainability." The problem is bound to get worse as China continues to develop economically, he said, and so he and other researchers continue to urge the Chinese government to take action to reduce emissions from cars and industries. What'S the best title of the passage? Answer: Which of the following is the farthest from Earth? Answer: Dear Kitty: News! We have a new flat! The rooms are small, but they are comfortable. There are more rooms here than in our old flat. This is good because now I have my own room. In the old flat, I share with my sister. My bedroom is my favourite room in our flat. I can be alone in it. I can read or draw. I can listen to my radio or play CDs. I can play games on my computer and send e-mails to my friends. My second favorite room is the kitchen. I love helping my mother cook our meals. She is a very good cook. She is teaching me how to make many different kinds of dishes. She lived in Morocco when she was a girl, and she can cook Moroccan food. It's very delicious. That's all for now. Write soon and tell me about your home. Please get on the Internet so that we can send e-mails to each other. All good wishes! Anna What is the main idea of this article? Answer:
Every day in China, about 200 million children go to school. Many of them take school buses. What should we do to keep these students safe on the road? On April 5, 2012,the State Council published new rules about school bus safety. These new rules are stricter than the old ones. Under the new rules, local governments must make sure that students go to nearby school or _ schools to reduce traffic risks . Also, local governments must help kids in the countryside reach their school buses. From now on, school buses have a speed limit of 80 km/h on highways and 60 km/h on normal roads. While on the road, other cars must let school buses go first. The new rules also say that school buses must never be overloaded . There are many other rules as well. A school bus must have more than seven seats. On each bus, there must be at least one adult to keep an eye on the kids. Each school bus must have a fire extinguisher , a first aid kit and a GPS. A series of school bus accidents happened in China in 2011. To stop such accidents, the Central Government decided to strengthen the rules for school buses. The most serious accident happened in Gansu in November,2011. When a nine-seat minibus crashed. There were more than 60 children inside, and 21 of them died. I hope such terrible things won't happen again and all of us can pay more attention to the safety of the students. What is the best title of this passage? Answer: Safety first on the school bus. A tiny daffodil is next to a large carnation. Bees looking for nectar will swarm Answer: the carnation Teachers of Physics Needed for (be Middle School in Kent Start date: Sept. 1st,2014 Hours; Full Time Are you skilled in teaching physics? If yes, come and join us! This school follows the idea that learning is joyful. It offers a friendly and supportive environment for its teachers and students. The primary concern is to train students' creative ability. Students enjoy benefit from positive relationships with the staff. Requirements: Patience with students. --Ability to inspire students. --Experience in teaching physics. Excellent knowledge of physics. Please Note: What is basic for this post is a teacher's certificate ! To apply or find more information, please consult our secretary Helen Brown. Office Tel. 0800-22-829. What is the basic requirement for this job? Answer: The teaching qualification. Are you a working professional with a continuing need for a stockpile of suits? Regardless of what specific wardrobe needs you have or where you like to shop,you really can avoid paying top dollars for clothing.These tips can help you experience the excitement of beating the system. Figure out precisely when to hunt for bargains. Your favorite stores will have several big sales throughout the course of the year.With a simple plan, you can time things so you shop only during the best, sales.If you don't feel like reading the ads in your local newspaper, call the stores directly and ask for details. Be a wise Internet shopper. Visit the Web sites of your favorite stores and clothing lists and look for online-only, sales.It's not at all uncommon to notice dresses or suits that used to cost $100 in final clearance sections for $19.99 or even $9.99.You can try clothes on at your nearest retail store first to make sure they fit and then buy them online for less. Really go thrift . Shopping at thrift stores takes patience and time,so you shouldn't go when you're in a big hurry.Many thrift stores offer regular weekly deals that provide true shopping thrills for you.For example,all clothes labeled stickers of a certain color1 may cost 99 cents on a certain day of the week.Call up the thrift stores in your area and ask about special sales. Don't give up clothes you have too easily. Many ignored items in your closet could enjoy a new life with a little bit of TLC.Coats call be relined ,shoes can be resoled and small imperfections can be repaired. Being a wise Internet shopper,you may_. Answer: try clothes on at the nearest store and buy them online Man-made nighttime lights have appeared everywhere in industrialized countries over the last century.What people are now asking is whether exposure to lightened darkness can affect the brain. To find out,Tracy Bedrosian,a doctoral student in neuroscience at Ohio State University,placed hamsters into two environments.In one,they were exposed to 16 hours of daylight and eight hours of complete darkness each day.In the other,the animals experienced 16 hours of daylight,but at nighttime,a dim light was kept on,at about the intensity of a TV screen lighting a dark room. After eight weeks,the researchers tested the hamsters for behavior that would suggest they were depressed.For example,they looked to see whether the hamsters still engaged in activities they normally enjoy,such as drinking sugar water. In people,loss of enjoyment is a major symptom of depression. Hamsters in both groups were given a choice between drinking tap water or sugar water.The hamsters exposed to light at night drank similar amounts of tap and sugar water----they'd lost their preference for the sweet treat. These changes in behavior were associated with changes in a brain region known as the hippocampus .The hamsters exposed to night light had a reduced number of so-called dendritic spines on the surface of cells in this region.These spines are hair-like things that stick out,and that brain cells use to communicate with one another. The findings match up with studies on humans that have d the hippocampus to be involved in depression. A patient with major depression has a smaller hippocampus. The brain changes in the hamsters might arise from fluctuations in the production of the hormone melatonin . Melatonin signals to the body that it's nighttime,but a light at night dampens its production. The hormone has been shown to affect mood,and so a decrease in melatonin might prompt depression,Bedrosian says. If the same mechanism is at work in people,then "people might want to try to avoid falling asleep with their TVs on at night,or to try to minimize light exposure during the night," she adds. According to the passage,one's mood is strongly affected by _ . Answer: the hormone melatonin
For many people around the world, a subway journey means speeding from one dull station to the next,surrounded by too many uncomfortable, impatient people. But on the Moscow Metro, taking the subway is like walking through a national heritage site. Depending on where you get off,you'll receive a brief course in architectural movements and face colorful glass windows, marble columns, gilded mosaics and painted scenes from Russian history. "These extraordinarily beautiful places are unlike any metro station I've ever seen," says Vancouver-based photographer David Burdeny. When Burdeny, who himself has a master's degree in architecture, first found out about Moscow's metro stations, he was struck by the work of art. In all, he has photographed 20 of the most beautiful stations. Burdeny had originally planned to focus on Russian stations more generally, taking photos of examples in both St. Petersburg and Moscow. "But when I saw the stations in Moscow, they just completely blew away the St. Petersburg ones,"he says. Shooting in the subway sounds simple, but it is not without challenges. For one thing, Burdeny had to figure out a way to access them between 12:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., when the stations were closed. In the end, he settled on Arbatskaya Metro Station, whose vaulted arches he found the most beautiful. But it also represented a challenge he was not sure he was able to overcome: conveying the hugeness of the spaces. The Arbatskaya platform, for example, stretches 820 feet."Some of the arches are quite long," he says. "When you enter them, they' re just so completely grand." We can learn from the text that David Burdeny _ . Tom Sawyer is known as one of the most beloved characters in American literature , but new research found that Mark Twain based this character on his friend named Tom Sawyer. He admired his firefighting friend so much that he gave the character his name. Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer had many adventures together, gambling in Nevada and drinking in pubs. Tom Sawyer once worked as a volunteer firefighter, policeman and customs officer. Before making his way out West, Tom Sawyer used his strength to save 90 people from a burning ship. Mark Twain was particularly moved by this story because his own brother died in a fire while working on a similar steamboat. The two men became friends immediately after meeting in 1863, with Tom Sawyer traveling to Virginia City, while Mark Twain was working as a reporter there. After one night they returned to San Francisco, Mark Twain told his friend that he would base a character in his yet-unwritten book on him. Tom Sawyer said, "One day he said to me, 'I'm going to put you between the covers of a book, Tom.' 'Go ahead, Sam,' I Said, 'but don't disgrace my name.'" Besides their fondness of drinking, the two men also shared a hobby for storytelling. Tom sawyer believed that it was his anecdotes about his own childhood that inspired Mark Twain to create a book on him. Finally Mark Twain said that the character of Tom sawyer was based on a mix of three real people---John B. Briggs, William Bowen and himself. In spite of this, the historical evidence shows that there might be a fourth, more prominent influencer. Which of the following jobs did NOT Tom Sawyer take up? One day, while a woodcutter was cutting a branch of a tree above a river. When he began crying, God appeared and asked him, "Why are you crying?" The woodcutter told him that he had dropped his axe into water. God went down into the water and reappeared with a golden axe. "Is this your axe?" God asked. The woodcutter said "No." God again went down and came up with a silver axe." Is this your axe?" God asked. The woodcutter said "No." God again went down and came up with a iron axe." Is this your axe?" God asked. The woodcutter said "Yes." God was pleased with the man's honesty and gave him all the three axes. The woodcutter went home happily. One day while he was walking with his wife along the river, his wife fell into the river. W hen he began crying, God appeared and asked him, "Why are you crying?" "My wife has fallen into water." God went down into the water and came up with Jennifer Lopez. "Is this your wife?" God asked him. "Yes." he said. God was furious ,"YOU CHEAT !Now I am going to curse you." The woodcutter quickly said, "Forgive me my lord. It is a misunderstanding. IF I say 'No' to Jennifer Lopez, you will come up with Catherine Zeta Jones, If I also say 'No' to her, you will finally come up With my wife and I will say, 'Yes.' Then you will give all the three to me .I am a poor man .I will not be able to look after all the three. So that's why I've to say 'Yes' " Which of the following best describes the author's tone in telling the story? If two scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory are correct, people will still be driving gasoline powered cars 50 years from now, giving out heat-trapping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere--and yet that carbon dioxide will not contribute to global warming. In a proposal by two scientists, vehicle emissions would no longer contribute to global warming. The scientists, F. Jeffrey Martin and William L. Kubic Jr., are proposing a concept, which they have named Green Freedom, for removing carbon dioxide from the air and turning it back into gasoline. The idea is simple. Air would be blown over a liquid solution of potassium carbonate, which would absorb the carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide would then be put to chemical reactions that would turn it into fuel : gasoline or jet fuel. This process could change carbon dioxide from an unwanted, climate-changing pollutant into a vast resource for renewable fuels. The cycle--equal amounts of carbon dioxide produced and removed--would mean that cars, trucks and airplanes using the synthetic fuels would no longer be contributing to global warming. Although they have not yet built a synthetic fuel factory, or even a small model, the scientists say it is all based on existing technology. "Everything in the concept has been built, is operating or has a close cousin that is operating." Dr. Martin said. The Los Alamos proposal does not go against any laws of physics, and other scientists who have independently suggested similar ideas. Dr. Martin said he and Dr. Kubic had worked out their concept in more detail than former proposals. There is, however, a major fact that explains why no one has built a carbon-dioxide-to-gasoline factory: it requires a great deal of energy. According to their analysis, their concept, which would cost about $5 billion to build, could produce gasoline at an operating cost of $1.40 a gallon and would turn economically practical when the price at the pump hits $4.60 a gallon. Other scientists said the Los Alamos proposal perhaps looked promising but could not evaluate it fully because the details has not been published. "It's definitely worth pursuing," said Martin I. Hoffert, a professor of physics at New York University. "It's not that new an idea. It has a couple of pieces to it that are interesting." What is the concept of Green Freedom? Thirteen vehicles lined up last March to race across the Mojave Desert , seeking a million in prize money . To win , they had to finish the 142-mile race in less than 10 hours . Teams and watchers knew there might be no winner at all , because these vehicles were missinge a key part drivers . DARPA , the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency , organized the race as part of a push to develop robotic vehicles for future battlefields . But the Grand Challenge , as it was called , just proved how difficult it is to get a car to speed across an unfamiliar desert without human guidance . One had its brake lock up in the starting area . Another began by throwing itself onto a wall . Another got tied up by bushes near the road after 1.9 miles . One turned upside down . One took off in entirely the wrong direction and had to be disabled by remote control . One went a little more than a mile and rushed into a fence ; another managed to go for six miles but stuck on a rock . The "winner," if there was any , reached 7.8 miles before it ran into a long , narrow hole , and the front wheels caught on fire . "You get a lot of respect for natural abilities of the living things," says Reinhold Behringer , who helped design two of the car-size vehicles for a company called Sci-Autonics . "Even ants can do all these tasks effortlessly . It's very hard for us to put these abilities into our machines ." The robotic vehicles , though with necessary modern equipment such as advanced computers and GPS guidance , had trouble figuring out fast enough the blocks ahead that a two-year-old human recognizes immediately , Sure , that very young child, who has just only learned to walk , may not think to wipe apple juice off her face , but she already knows that when there's a cookie in the kitchen she has to climb up the table , and that when she gets to the cookie it will taste good . She is more advanced , even months old , than any machine humans have designed . From the passage we know "robotic vehicles" are a kind of machines that_.
Papa, as a son of a dirt-poor farmer, left school early and went to work in a factory, for education was for the rich then. So, the world became his school. With great interest, he read everything he could lay his hands on, listened to the town elders and learned about the world beyond his tiny hometown. "There's so much to learn," he'd say. "Though we're born stupid, only the stupid remain that way. " He was determined that none of his children would be denied an education. Thus, Papa insisted that we learn at least one new thing each day. Though, as children, we thought this was crazy, it would never have occurred to us to deny Papa a request. And dinner time seemed perfect for sharing what we had learned. We would talk about the news of the day; no matter how insignificant, it was never taken lightly. Papa would listen carefully and was ready with some comment, always to the point. Then came the moment--the time to share the day's new learning. Papa, at the head of the table, would push back his chair and pour a glass of red wine, ready to listen. "Felice," he'd say, "tell me what you learned today. " "I learned that the population of Nepal is .... " Silence. Papa was thinking about what was said, as if the salvation of the world would depend upon it. "The population of Nepal. Hmm. Well . . . . " he'd say. "Get the map; let's see where Nepal is. " And the whole family went on a search for Nepal. This same experience was repeated until each family member had a turn. Dinner ended only after we had a clear understanding of at least half a dozen such facts. As children, we thought very little about these educational wonders. Our family, however, was growing together, sharing experiences and participating in one another's education. And by looking at us, listening to us, respecting our input, affirming our value, giving us a sense of dignity, Papa was unquestionably our most influential teacher. Later during my training as a future teacher /1 studied with some of the most famous educators. They were imparting what Papa had known all along--the value of continual learning. His technique has served me well all my life. Not a single day has been wasted, though I can never tell when knowing the population of Nepal might prove useful. What is the greatest value of "dinner time" to the author? Continual learning. The financial crisis is reminding Americans of a lesson they first learned in childhood: Share and share alike. They are sharing or swapping tools and books, cars and handbags, time and talent. The renewed desire to share shows up in a variety of examples: A car-sharing service has had a 70 percent membership increase since the crisis occurred. Some companies encouraged his employees to take vanpooling. Governments are putting bikes on the street for public use. How-to-swap Web sites are increasing quickly. The economy reflects the way Americans have cut back, especially on daily items: Department store sales dropped 1.3 percent in June. People are not buying cars, and as a result, auto sales dropped 27.7 percent last month. They are not paying others to do what they can do themselves -- Home Depot reports increased attendance at in-store do-it-yourself clinics. And although paint sales are down in general, according to Sherwin-Williams, individual consumers are still buying. When Tom Burdett needed to cut some tiles at his home outside Annapolis, he refused to buy expensive tools. So he asked his neighbors and friends for help. Sure enough, someone had just what he needed. And when that friend needed help fixing a satellite dish, Burdett volunteered to help. The sharing mind-set is not new to the American culture, but many Americans give it up when the nation changed from an agricultural society to an industrial one, said Rosemary Hornak, a psychology professor at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C. They moved farther from their families and did not have time to connect with new neighbors because they worked so much, she said. Neighborhood conversations tell more of the story as the movement grows organically in communities across the Washington region and the nation. On one street in Arlington, for example, neighbors are collecting their separate money for mulch and dividing it among themselves. Why do people in modern times give up the sharing mind-set? Because they are busy with work. Cafe Hub Next to the Castle lies The Hub, home of the Edinburgh International Festival and one of the most talked about spots in town. Our cafe is open every day for mouth-watering lunches, snacks and fine dining. Come in and enjoy the atmosphere of The Hub or watch the world go by from our beautiful terrace. The Hub, Castlehill, Royal Mile, Edinburgh. Open every day from 9:30 a. m. till late. Tel: 0131 473 2067 www. thehub-edinburgh. Com Farm World Enjoy being "A Farmer for a Day". Join in delivering and feeding our spring babies--bottle feeding sessions twice daily. Fun for all family. Horse Rides, BMX Bikes Cross Country Course, Tractor Ride through 600 acres, New Adventure Playground, Nature Trails. Full details on website. Open: May---Oct Wednesdays to Saturdays and daily during school holidays 11 a. m. ----5 p. m. Tel: 01797 0260256/260321 www. Farmworld-rye. co. uk Enter the Europe-wide student competition! Are you curious, creative and energetic? Are you interested in the new media? Are you between 12 and 19 years of age? Then Join Multimedia 2010 is for you! Your challenge will be to build a team and develop a multimedia presentation in English----based on one of three different topics. You can register between May 1 and Nov. 15, 2010 and will have to turn in your entry before Dec. 15, 2010. The rewards are wonderful:PS150 000in prize for schools and teams and the chance to attend a European student camp ---- plus new experiences, an opportunity to make friends throughout Europe! According to the passage, there will be _ rewards for the Europe-wide student competition. two ARE you creative, shy, outgoing? Our personalities reveal a lot about who we are. But what's surprising is that our personality can also say something about our health. That's according to researchers at Duke University, US. During an experiment on 1,000 people, scientists assessed their personalities in two ways: by asking someone they knew, such as a family member or friend; then by asking someone they had just met, such as a nurse. The study found that those who were careful at age 26 were in better health after 12 years. Being careful means that people tend to have a lot of self-control, and are less likely to smoke, the scientists said. Careful people are also more likely to have an active lifestyle and healthy diet. From those who were least careful, 45 percent developed health problems by the age of 38. Such health issues included gum disease and high blood pressure . To compare, only 18 percent of careful people went on to develop health problems. Another positive personality was called "openness to experience", meaning curious and imaginative. People who have more of this personality have higher IQ scores. So they'd be more likely to know how to find medical help to prevent disease. According to the report, if doctors assessed our personalities, it could help doctors to find which young adults need advice on how to live a healthy lifestyle. What's surprising is that stress didn't play a big part on a person's health. Even though stress and anxiety are usually linked to bad health. But can a doctor who knows our personality really improve our health? Or should doctors be kept away from knowing something so personal? Where can you probably read the article? Research paper. Let children learn to judge their own work. A child who learns to talk does not learn by being corrected all the time. If corrected too much., he will stop talking. He notices a thousand times a day the differences between the language he uses and the language those around him. Little by little, he makes the necessary changes to make his language like other people's. In the same way, children learn to do all the other things without being taught-to walk, run, climb, whistle, ride a bicycle-compare their performances with those of more skilled people, and slowly make the needed changes. But in school we never give a child a chance to find out his mistakes and correct them himself. We do it all for his act as if we thought that he would never notice a mistake unless it was pointed out to him, or correct it unless he was made to. Let him work out, with the help of other children if he wants it, what this word says , what the answer is to that problem, whether this is a good way of saying or doing this or not. If it is a matter of right answers, as it may be in mathematics or science, give him the answer book. Let him correct his own papers. Why should we teachers waste time on such routine(daily) work? Our job should be to help the children when they tell us that they can't find the way to get to measure their own understanding, how to know what they know or do not know. According to the passage, the best way for children to learn things is by _ . doing as other people do by themselves.
In learning English, one should first pay attention to listening and speaking.It is the groundwork of reading and writing.You'd better try your best to speak while you do much listening.Don't be afraid of making mistakes.But be careful not to let them stop you from improving your English.While you are doing this, a good way is to write---keep a diary, write notes or letters, and then if you can, ask someone else to go through what you have written and tell you what is wrong.Many mistakes in your speaking will be easily found when you write.Through correcting the mistakes, you can do better in learning English. If you are slow in speaking, don't worry.One of the helpful ways is reading, either aloud or to yourself.The important thing is to choose something interesting to read.It mustn't be too difficult for you.When you are reading in this way, don't stop to look up the words if you can guess their meanings, or they have nothing important to do with the sentence.You can look them up later. If you want to be fast in speaking, you should choose something _ . A. difficult to read aloud B. easy to read to yourself C. interesting to read to yourself D. important to read aloud Answer: C Imagine a mass of floating waste is two times the size of the state of Texas. Texas has a land area of more than 678 000 square kilometers. So it might be difficult to imagine anything twice as big. All together, this mass of waste flowing in the North Pacific Ocean is known as the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch. It weighs about 3 500 000 tons. The waste includes bags,bottles and containers--plastic products of all kinds.www.zxxk.com The eastern part of the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch is about l 600 kilometers west of California. The western part is west of the Hawaiian Islands and east of Japan. The area has been described as a kind of oceanic desert,with light winds and slow moving water currents. The water moves so slowly that garbage from all over the world collects there. In recent years,there have been growing concerns about the floating garbage and its effect on sea creatures and human health. Scientists say thousands of animals get trapped in the floating waste,resulting in death or injury. Even more die from a lack of food or water after swallowing pieces of plastic. The trash can also make animals feel full,lessening their desire to eat or drink. The floating garbage also can have harmful effects on people. There is an increased threat of infection of disease from polluted waste,and from eating fish that swallowed waste. Divers can also get trapped in the plastic.www.zxxk.com Its existence first gained public attention in l997. That was when racing boat captain and oceanographer Charles Moore and his crew sailed into the garbage while returning from a racing event. Five years earlier,another oceanographer learned of the trash after a shipment of rubber duckies got lost at sea. Many of those toys are now part of the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch. In August,2009,a team from the University of California,San Diego became the latest group to travel to it. They were shocked by the amount of waste they saw. They gathered hundreds of sea creatures and water samples to measure the garbage patch's effect on ocean environment. What do we know about the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch? A. It is made up of various kinds of plastic products. B. It is a solid mass of floating waste materials. C. It lies l60 000 kilometers east of California. D. It is described as a kind of oceanic land. Answer: A Car companies are developing vehicles that will plug into electric sockets,just like many laptops,digital cameras,cell phones and Mp4 do.Called"plug-in vehicles",these cars will get most of their power from electricity. Their drivers won't have to stop at gas stations as often as usual. The technology is more than just cool. In our car-filled world,plug-in vehicles could reduce the amount of gas we use,which keeps rising in cost now and then. Besides,driving around in these vehicles may even help the environment.Gas-burning cars produce a lot of greenhouse gas,which causes globe warming. The first company-produced plug-in vehicles could hit the roads by 2010. But engineers still have a lot of work to do to make the technology practical and inexpensive. Batteries are the biggest challenge. In the plug-in-vehicle world,Li-ion batteries are getting the most attention.These batteries can store a large amount of energy in a small package,and they last a longer time between charges.Li-ion batteries can fit laptops,cell phones,heart instruments and other similar pocket ones. But because cars are so big and heavy, it would still require a suitcase-sized Li-ion batteries to power about 12km of driving.What's more,the batteries are much expensive. "A car filled with batteries could go a long distance,"says Ted Bohn, an electrical engineer in Chicago."But it couldn't pull any people.and it would cost $100,000." So researchers need to work out how to make batteries smaller and cheaper,among other questions. "The answers don't exist yet,"Bohn says,"As a kid,I thought someone someplace knows the answer to everything.All of these questions haven't been decided.That's what engineering is about-making a guess,running tests and getting fine results." The passage mainly talks about_of a new car A. the developing B. the speed C. the appearance D. the batteries Answer: D THIS year the US Mint will honor one of the country's most famous writers. "Mark Twain", the pen name of Samuel Clemens(1835-1911) is loved by American readers for his novels Tom Sawyer(1876) and The Adventures of Huckberry Finn(1844). Now he is going to have his life and work commemorated with special gold and silver coins. But does Twain need to be commemorated? It doesn't seem like people in the US will forget him. Twain once joked that a lack of money is the root of all evil " but a lack of money with Twain's famous face on it wouldn't have made people forget about him. The Adventures of Huckberry Finn is thought to be his greatest works. Motherless Huck Finn is a young boy who shows the spirit of freedom. But it could be said that Huck's freedom really comes from Huck wanting to fly. When Huck gets away from his violent father, he isn't really looking for freedom,out survival. It's even more of a problem for a slave. Jim, the escaped slave who Huck helps, makes Huck's life seem even better. It's easier not to be able to deal with someone who wants to force you to go to school than to have to fight a law that says you are a piece of property . Huck and Jim's friendship, as shown by Mark Twain, is one of the great stories in American literature because it shows a white character, Huck, who gets an idea of the African American experience. Mark Twain is famous and would still be famous without any special coins. Anyway, the coins could be a reason to look again at the work of a writer who got under the skin of the US in the 19th century. With the race issue _ in the US today, perhaps Twain still has something to teach today's readers. According to the passage, which statement is Wrong? A. Huck gets away from his father for survival. B. Jim escapes from his slave owner for freedom. C. Twain dug deeply into American society of his times. D. Without the special coins, he'll probably be forgotten. Answer: D Contrary to popular belief, looking at someone's face alone is not enough to tell us whether they are roaring in celebration or screaming in frustration, researchers claimed.While people may believe they have the ability to read each other's faces, body language is the real clue that shows whether strong emotions someone is feeling are positive or negative. In a study, groups of participants were shown a series of facial expressions such as tennis players photographed just after winning or losing a point. In some cases the volunteers were able to see the player's full body, but in others they were only shown either their face or their body with the other removed. Participants could clearly tell whether the players were winning or losing when they were shown the full picture or just the body, but their guesses were no better than chance when based on the face alone. Those who were allowed to see the full image were convinced they had made their judgment based on the players' facial expressions even though results from the two other groups suggested otherwise. The researchers carried out a second study where participants were shown a wider range of faces showing emotions including joy, pleasure, victory, pain and defeat. Using photoediting software, the researchers attached the faces to bodies expressing the opposite emotion, and asked participants to act out the emotions they saw in the photos. The resulting poses were like the body poses in the photographs but not the facial expressions, demonstrating that people base their interpretation of strong emotions not on the face but the body. Dr Aviezer, who led the study, said, "These results show that when emotions become extremely intense, the difference between positive and negative facial expressions becomes unclear.The results may help researchers understand how our body interacts during emotional situations.For example, individuals may fail to recognize facial expressions, but if they are trained to process important body language, their performance may significantly improve." Which of the following can summarize the main idea of the passage? A. Body rather than eyes is the window of the soul. B. Facial expressions can reflect the emotions clearly. C. Researchers link emotions to body language through software. D. Two studies focus on the link between body language and emotions. Answer: A
The reason raccoons are often found in dumpsters is because they are known to consume A. waste B. caviar C. cats D. roses Answer: A I grew up in a small town in South Canada. Every autumn, there was a week-long fair in the town. Thousands of people from other towns came to sell and buy things. It was the most exciting time of the year. When "Fairtime" came, my grandma became the busiest person of the family. Grandma was a kind, well-educated old lady. She was good at cooking. During "Fairtime", relatives would come to live in her house and have meals there. Grandma was always happy to look after them. Year after year, many people moved to big cities. There was no longer "Fairtime". Grandma became very old and was going a little blind. My parents and I did our best to make her life as comfortable as possible. I was at high school then. What I often did at home was to help Grandma with the daily newspaper's crossword puzzle. However, she didn't look happy. She often sat in her room for hours, without saying a word. To attract people to move back, the Town Hall decided to reopen the Fair. One day, when I came back from school, I saw Grandma wearing her glasses, washing the dishes in the kitchen. With a big smile on her face, she looked excited and a lot much younger. She told me that her two of her cousins would come. "They said they missed hometown and wanted to enjoy my food again." Grandma said happily. "They will stay here for one week and we can have a big party. That must be the busiest week I've had in years!" I suddenly realized that Grandma didn't want to be looked after. She wanted to be "useful", appreciated and helpful. Why was Grandma unhappy? A. She couldn't cook as well as before. B. She couldn't see anything at all. C. She was no longer a "useful" person. D. No one lived with her and looked after her. Answer: C BEIJING, Feb 13 -- Never has China's economic growth attracted so much global attention. The shock waves from the financial crisis that started in the United States have spread across the entire world, sending developed nations, including Japan and those of Europe, into serious recession . The world is now holding out hope that China, with its massive potential, will serve as the engine to fuel global economic growth. But China's real economic growth slowed sharply to 6.8 percent in the October-December quarter. For China, this rate of economic expansion must be as disappointing as negative growth is for Japan. Beijing has set an official goal of achieving a minimum annual growth rate of 8 percent -- a pace it regards as important to ensuring job security. The Chinese government is apparently confident the nation will achieve the minimum growth target of 8 percent in 2009. At the World Economic Forum's annual meeting of political and business leaders in Davos, Switzerland, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao stressed the Chinese economy began to show signs of recovery late last year. Last week, however, the International Monetary Fund predicted that China's economic growth in 2009 will be 6.7 percent. China's economic outlook is likely to keep both hope and anxiety for the time being. China's impressive economic growth has been fueled by swelling exports and massive investment in equipment to produce goods for overseas. But the US, Japanese and European economies, which have absorbed the bulk of China's exports, are expected to shrink simultaneous in 2009, for the first time since the end of World War II. For the first time since it started serious efforts to turn itself into a market economy in the 1990s, China is facing the challenge of maintaining healthy economic growth without depending on external demand. Expansion of domestic demand holds a key to China's success in tackling this challenge. Consumer spending accounts for only 35 percent of China's gross ) domestic product. The ratio is considerably lower than the 70 percent for the United States and the nearly 60 percent for Japan. That is because the middle class - the group that should lead consumer spending - is still relatively small in China, where the benefits of the nation's strong economic growth in recent years have mostly eluded rural villages and low-income earners. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. The financial crisis has had bad effects on many countries including China. B. China's economic growth has been depending on exports. C. If China intends to keep the same economic growth, it must increase goods for overseas. D. Consumer spending in China is much lower than that of the US. Answer: C As a sample of water turns to ice, A. new molecules are formed. B. the mass of the sample is increased. C. the arrangement of the molecules changes. D. energy is absorbed by the molecules. Answer: C Charlie Boswell has always been a great hero. He has encouraged thousands of people to rise above circumstances and live out true meaning of life. He was blinded during World War II while rescuing his friend from a tank that was under fire. He was a great athlete before the accident. In order to prove his talent and determination, he decided to try a brand new sport, a sport he never imagined playing, even with his eyesight--golf ! Through determination and a deep love for the game he became the National Blind Golf Champion! He won that honor 13 times. One of his heroes was the great golfer Ben Hogan, so it truly was an honor for Charlie to win the Ben Hogan Award in 1958. Upon meeting Ben Hogan, Charlie was respectful and stated that he had one wish and it was to have one round of golf with the great Ben Hogan. Mr. Hogan agreed that playing a round together would be an honor for him as well, as he had heard about all of Charlie's accomplishments and truly admired his skills. "Would you like to play for money, Mr. Hogan?" asked out Charlie "I can't play you for money, it wouldn't be fair!" said Mr. Hogan. "Aw, come on Mr. Hogan...$ 1,000 per hole!" "I can't, what would people think of me, taking advantage of you and your circumstance?" replied the sighted golfer. "Chicken, Mr. Hogan?" "Okay," replied the embarrassed Hogan, "but I am going to play my best!" "I wouldn't expect anything else," said the confident Boswell. "Now that you're on, Mr. Boswell, you name the time and the place!" The very _ Boswell responded, "10 o'clock ... tonight!" It can be inferred from the text that _ . A. Mr. Hogan was not good at playing golf B. Charlie did well in other sports before playing golf C. Mr. Hogan didn't try his best to play D. Charlie Boswell was born blind Answer: B
"How can I learn English well?" This is a question many students ask. In my opinion, the most effective way is to learn lessons by heart. If you can recite the text and write it out, you've learned it fairly well. And if you can tell, in your own words, what the lesson says you're a very successful learner indeed. Your English will be quite perfect.This is a difficult task. However, if you try to learn by heart only part of each lesson, you'll find it not half so hard as you might have thought. Learning this way, you will make rapid progress. Of course, writing is also necessary. It helps you a lot on our way to success in English. Equally important is to feel the language. You should be able to laugh at jokes and be shocked at bad news. When using English, try to forget your mother tongue. Instead of helping you, your own language gets in your way. So, never try to see English through translation. Instead of helping you, your own language gets in your way.This sentence means that memorizing your own language can _ . A help you to study English well B stop you mastering English C make English easy to learn D help you notice mistakes Answer: B. stop you mastering English House of noodles We have three size bowls of noodles, small, medium and large. A small bowl of mutton and carrot noodles is RMB 5. A medium bowl of beef and potato noodles is RMB 7. A large bowl of chicken and cabbage noodles is RMB 8. Welcome to our house. Lunch special We have some great specials. The cabbage, tomatoes and rice lunch special is RMB 3. The beef, carrots and rice lunch special is RMB 5. The dumplings and soup lunch special is RMB 8. Time: 11:00a.m---2:00p.m Dessert house What kind of dessert would you like? We have two new specials: (1) Apple, strawberry and ice cream. (2) Banana, orange and ice cream. And what size of dessert would you like? Small, medium or large? And we also have juice and tea. If you want to buy a small bowl of mutton and carrot noodles and two large bowls of chicken and cabbage noodles, you can pay _ . A RMB 24 B RMB 21 C RMB 18 D RMB 23 Answer: B. RMB 21 When you are not happy, there are six ways to make you happy or feel good about yourself. (1) Look in the mirror and say to yourself, "I'm a special person and there's no one in the world like me. I can do anything!" It really works! (2) Do something nice for someone. Helping others always makes you feel good. (3) Smile! Be friendly to people around you. Look for the good things in your friends and family. (4) Learn something new! Do you always want to learn how to swim? Go for it! (5) Read and start a diary . Turn offthe TV and let your imagination fly! If you have any ideas or dreams, write them down! (6) Stay with your family. We all need our family time. Talk with your mum and dad or maybe even your cousin. What should you do if you have any ideas or dreams according to the passage? A Do some reading. B Tell others. C Talk with your parents. D Write them down. Answer: D. Write them down. The orbit of Earth is almost circular and has a period of about 365 days. Compared to the orbit of Earth, which of these objects usually have highly elliptical orbits and can have periods of over 1000 years? A asteroids B meteorites C comets D moons Answer: C. comets Children whose minds wander might have sharper brains, a research suggests. A study has found that people who appear to be often distracted have more "working memory", giving them the ability to hold a lot of information in their heads and control it cleverly. Children at school need this type of memory on a daily basis for a variety of tasks, such as following teachers' instructions or remembering dictated sentences. During the study, volunteers were asked to perform one simple task during which researchers kept asking if their minds were wandering. At the end, volunteers measured their working memory capacity by their ability to remember a series of letters mixed with simple maths questions. Daniel Levinson, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States, said that those with higher working memory capacity reported "more mind wandering during these simple tasks", but their performance did not _ . The results, published online in the journal Psychological Science, appear to confirm former research that found working memory allows humans to deal with multiple thoughts at the same time. Dr Jonathan Smallwood, of the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Science in Leipzig, Germany, said, "What this study seems to suggest is that, when surroundings for the task aren't very difficult, people with additional working memory capacity use them effectively to think about other things besides what they're doing." Working memory capacity is also associated with general measures of intelligence, such as reading comprehension and IQ scores. Dr Smallwood added: "Our results suggest the sorts of planning that people do quite often in daily life - when they are on the bus, when they are cycling to work, when they are in the shower - are probably supported by working memory." According to the study, working memory _ . A prevents people from remembering dictated sentences B causes people's minds to wander more easily C allows people to consider more things at the same time D leads to people's worse performance during work Answer: C. allows people to consider more things at the same time
As more women in the United States move up the professional ladder, more are finding it necessary to made business trips alone. If you are married, it is a good idea to encourage your husband and children to learn to cook a few simple meals while you are away. They will be much happier and probably they will enjoy the experience. If you will be eating alone a good deal, choose good restaurants. In the end, they will be much better for your digestion. You may also find it useful to call the restaurant in advance and tell them that you will be eating alone. Finally, and most importantly, prepare your travel needs as a businesswoman; this starts with lightweight luggage which you can easily manage even when fully packed. Take a folding case inside your suitcase; it will come in extremely handy for dirty clothes, as well as for business papers you no longer need on the trip. And make sure you have a briefcase so that you can keep required papers separate. Obviously, experience helps, but you can make things easier on yourself from the first by careful planning, so that right from the start you really can have a good trip! This passage would most likely appear _ A in a magazine specially for women B in a restaurant or hotel guide C in a travel guide for women D in a business report Answer: A Some people have an A tubs for skin B extra rib C snakes for hair D magic Answer: B My name is Zhang Lin. Today is my birthday. I am nine years old. Mom and Dad get a big cake for me. I like it very much. It is on the table now. There are some other things on the table, too. Such as apples, oranges, juice, chicken and some fish. I'm thirsty now. I want a bottle of orange juice. My friends Li Fan and Bing Jie are coming. They are knocking at the door. I have no time to drink. I must open the door now. There are some _ on the table. A eggs B oranges C apple D ice-cream Answer: B Ten years ago, Dalla-Camina worked 16 to 18 hours a day and"literally lived on a plane". A senior executive at IBM, Dalla-Camina gave up her job handling a $ 50 million budget as head of marketing to figure out a lifestyle that didn't make her feel like she was drowning. Forget the ideal of"having it all". Despite working for a company that gave her flexibility with her schedule, the single mother was barely surviving. Dalla-Camina had a sense that she wasn't alone. Her new study now proves it. The Australian native polled 1,000 American working women aged 18 to 55 and the results are discouraging. Roughly 70% of women don't believe they have the support to make themselves happy inside and outside of work and 75% don't believe they can"have it all". In fact, over half of respondents described their life in the past year as"hanging on by a thread". What's more is that the results are hardly affected by age or whether a woman had children or not. "The fact that we are having discussions about leaning in when women are saying they are barely surviving is astonishing,"Dalla-Camina says."There are so many women who think that if they keep their head down and continue working hard, someone will notice and opportunities will come to them." Dalla-Camina's study points to a severe gap between what working professionals need from their employers and what employers are providing. A recent Boston College study discovered that workplace flexibility is decreasing and less than one-third of employers felt they gave options for employees to have alternative work models. Even if a company offers flexible work arrangements to employees, 70% of women think it's not possible to be successful in work and home. Too many companies are stuck in a face-to-face employee model as opposed to an outcome-based model, says Dalla-Camina. Until alternative work plans like working part-time or working from home become rooted in the DNA of corporate America -- as opposed to being viewed as special treatment -- nothing will change, she adds. Jody Miller, CEO of the consulting firm Business Talent Group(BTG), was hardly surprised by Dalla-Camina's findings. Miller sees firsthand the benefits of building a company that thinks about work differently. At BTG, half the employees work from home, so there is no shame or punishment for not getting in face time with the boss; indeed, employees are rewarded for the quality of their work, not the amount of time spent on tasks. And a majority of the employees are part-timers and work in a project-based model. Productivity has"gone through the roof"since BTG improved its unique work environment, according to Miller. But"telling workers to 'lean in' is just tinkering at the margins,"said Miller."We need fundamental structural changes in the workplace to make it manageable for all workers." The expectations of women professionals are hard to meet in that . A the life-work balance is difficult to achieve B most employers have prejudice against them C the old work model is rooted in many companies D many employers can't spot the great potential of them Answer: C When we can see well, we do not think about our eyes often: It is only when we cannot see perfectly that we come to see how important our eyes are. People who are nearsighted can only see things that are very close to their eyes. Many people who do a lot of close work, such as writing and reading, become nearsighted. Then they have to wear glasses in order to see distant things clearly. People who are farsighted face just the opposite problem. They can see things that are far away, but they have difficulty reading a book if they don't hold it at arm's length. If they want to do much reading, they must get glasses too. Other people do not see clearly because their eyes are not exactly the right shape. This, too, can be corrected by glasses. Some people's eyes become cloudy because of cataracts . Long ago these people often became blind. Now, however, it is possible to operate on the cataracts and remove them. When night falls, colors become fainter to the eyes and finally disappear. After your eyes have grown used to the dark, you can see better if you use the side of your eyes rather than the centers. Sometimes, after dark, you see a small thing to one side of you. It seems to disappear if you turn your head in its direction. This is because when you turn your head, you are looking at the thing too directly. Men on guard duty sometimes think they see something moving to one side of them. When they turn to look straight at it, they cannot see it anymore, and they believe they were mistaken. However, this mistake happens because the center of the eye, which is very sensitive in daylight, is not as sensitive as the sides of the eye after dark, To see a small thing at night, we need to look _ . A with wide open eyes B with half shut eyes C straight at it D in a slightly different direction Answer: D
The First Hello The man from the telephone department got off the bus, and made his way to the tea stall, wiping the sweat off his head, face, then slipping his handkerchief under his shirt to wipe his neck and back. It was a year ago that the phone line had been installed, six months later men from the public works department had come to put up the phone booth -- a neat box-like structure, with a glass window, and wooden ledges, yellow in colour. And days after that, a painter had taken an entire day to colour in broad, black brushstrokes, the words: STD Booth, local and STD allowded. No one could tell that the last word had been misspelled. Besides, he had taken the entire day. After he had a cup of tea, he had left, waving cheerfully. And now months later, someone else was here again. Everyone watched the man as he sat on the bench. No one said a word, and soon the sound of him slurping his tea filled the hot afternoon. A few leaves fell, heavy in the heat, and sometimes a car passed, on its way to the main city farther away. When the man had finished, he made to pay but the tea shop owner who sat behind his steaming kettle and the washed upturned cups, waved him away. "You are our guest here." So the man took his handkerchief out again and wiped his face. They crowded around him as he shut himself up in the phone booth. When the children pressed their nose against the glass, he shooed them away, as he took out a shiny black instrument and placed it on the narrow shelf. A sigh of satisfaction passed through everyone that soon changed to an excited yell as they saw him dial a number, pressing a finger into the ringed dialer of the phone and letting it go all the way in a half-circle. A while later, they hear him say into the mouthpiece, "Hello." "Hello, " the children around the booth took up the cry, the teashop owner broke into a smile and the men waiting for a bus smiled and said hello to each other. The sadhu who sat under the banyan tree nodded wisely. As the sound carried, more hellos were heard. The women winnowing grain giggled as they tried the word tentatively, the shepherds feeding their flocks called out to their sheep, laughing as they used the word. "It's a big occasion," said the headman, in an awed voice. "It is, " agreed those around him. The telephone man emerged and handed over a small chit of paper to the headman. "This is the telephone number." The headman looked at it reverently as if it were a mantra . The others around him read out the numbers slowly, digit-by-digit. The telephone man was now too tired to notice the cheering around him. He knew he had to wait long before the bus to take him back arrived. As he sipped his second cup of tea, he remembered something else. "Oh, you can't start using the phone now. The minister will come next month and inaugurate it." No one said a word. No one was surprised. They had waited so long; a month more did not really matter. The examples of the children, the teashop owner, the men waiting for the bus, the women and the shepherds are given to illustrate _ . A the local people's curiosity for the new thing B the ignorance of the local people C the local people's enthusiasm for English learning D the popularity of the man from the telephone department Answer: A Morten was the general manager and chief executive officer of the Woolen Company, a knitting mill. Morten delegated all operational decision making to Crouse, the supervising manager of the mill. The child labor laws in the jurisdiction provide, "It is a violation of the law for one to employ a person under the age of 17 years for full-time labor." Without Morten's knowledge, Crouse hired a number of 15- and 16-year-olds to work at the mill full time. He did not ask their ages and they did not disclose them. Crouse could have discovered their ages easily by asking for identification, but he did not do so because he was not aware of the law and believed that company policy was to hire young people. If the statute is interpreted to create strict liability and Crouse is charged with violating it, Crouse is A guilty, because he should have inquired as to the ages of the children. B guilty, because he hired the children. C not guilty, because in law the Woolen Company, not Crouse, is the employer of the children. D not guilty, because he believed he was following company policy and was not aware of the violation. Answer: B A new study finds that the animal known as man's best friend can also be a good friend to the heart. Researchers in California say they have found that even just a short visit with a dog helped ease the worries of heart patients. The study divided the patients into three groups. In Group A, a dog and a person visited each patient for twelve minutes. Patients in Group B received just a human visitor for twelve minutes. And members of Group C received no visitor, human or canine . The dogs would lie on the hospital bed so the heart patients could touch them. The researchers say some patients immediately smiled and talked to the dog and the human visitor. Dogs, in her words, "make people happier, calmer and feel more loved." The researchers examined the patients before, during and after the visits. They measured stress levels based on blood flow and heart activity. They say they found a twenty-four percent decrease in the group visited by both a dog and a person. They reported a ten percent decrease in the group visited by a person only. There was no change in the patients without any visit. These patients, however, did have an increase in their production of the hormone epinephrine (epinephrine). The body produces epinephrine during times of stress. The increase was an average of seven percent. But the study found that patients who spent time with a dog had a seventeen percent drop in their levels of epinephrine. Patients visited by a human but not a dog also had a decrease, but only two percent. From the research findings we may conclude that _ . A the less the body produces epinephrine, the better B the longer a visit lasts, the happier the patient should be C the patients enjoyed the dogs' company more than the human visitors' D it's impossible for heart patients to recover without dogs' visits Answer: C Sichuan University's Work-Study Program gives overseas students a chance to teach English to Chinese students on campus. If you need more money to cover all of your education-related costs, you may be eligible for this program. Advantages From the program, you can earn some valuable working experience during your study as well as some extra money. The program offers about 100 job positions for those students who speak English as their first language. How to apply for it? It's very easy to apply for the program. There is no need for face-to-face interview. All the forms you need are online (www.scu.edu.cn); just fill in the forms and email us; we accept no letter or phone application! What are the criteria for the Study-Teaching Program? The applicants will meet the following requirements: Students who are or will be registered at Sichuan University for at least one semester, English as first language, Clear pronunciation, Good communication skills, Good command of the English language, Good knowledge of western culture, A satisfactory academic standing, Responsible, positive attitude and Ability to provide quality work. How much can you earn? You will receive payment in person from the International Office on the 10th of every month; the fee is 100 RMB per class. (45 minutes) How do you extend the contract? The supervisors of the International Office receives and evaluates applications in addition to answering applicants' questions. After a satisfactory evaluation, you can renew your contract. Regular Office Hours: Monday to Friday September to June: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July to August: 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. How many requirements does a student need to apply for the program? A Eight. B Nine. C Ten. D Eleven. Answer: B "I Went Skydiving at 84!" As a young girl growing up in the 1930s, I always wanted to fly a plane, but back then it was almost unheard of for a woman to do that. I got a taste of that dream in 2001,when my husband arranged for me to ride in a hot air balloon for my birthday. But the experience turned out to be very dull. Around that time, I told my husband that I wanted to skydive. So when our retirement community announced that they were having an essay competition and the topic was an experience of a lifetime that you wanted to have, I decided to write about my dream. In the essay, I wrote about my desire to skydive, stating George Brush Sr. did it at age 80. Why not me? I was just 84 and in pretty good health. A year went by and I heard nothing. But then at a community party in late April 2009, they announced that I was one of the winners. I just couldn't believe it. Inspired by this, I decided to realize my dream, even though some of my family members and my doctor were against it. On June 11, 2009, nearly 40 of my family and friends gathered in the area close to where I would land while I headed up in the airplane. My _ , Jay, guided me through the experience. The plane was the noisiest one I had ever been in, but I wasn't frightened--I was really just looking forward to the experience. When we reached 13,000 feet, Jay instructed me to throw myself out of the plane. When we first hit the air, the wind was so strong that I could hardly breathe. For a second I thought, "What have I gotten myself into?" But then everything got calmer. We were in a free fall for about a minute before Jay opened the parachute , then we just floated downward for about five minutes. Being up in the clouds and looking at the view below was unlike anything I have ever felt--much better than the hot air balloon. I was just enjoying it. Skydiving was really one of the greatest experiences of my life. I hope other people will look at me and realize that you don't stop living just because you are 84 years old. If there's something you want to experience, look into it. If it's something that is possible, make it happen. What did the author enjoy most when she was skydiving? A The beautiful clouds B The wonderful view C The company of Jay D The one-minute free fall Answer: B
Billy always loved blueberries. They were his favorite fruit. Today he was going to make juice with his uncle. His uncle liked to make juice out of everything. He made carrot juice, apple juice, vegetable juice, and more juices. He had never made blueberry juice before though! First, Billy and his uncle went to a blueberry farm. They were each given a basket. They picked for an hour and got several pounds. It was hard work picking the little berries from the trees. Now Billy understood why they were expensive in the store. Next, they had to wash the fruit. Some of them still had leaves. Those had to be pulled off. Then the bad berries had to be thrown away. They washed the berries and made them air-dry. After that, they pushed the blueberries through a strainer . The strainer caught most of the seeds and skins, and only left a small glass of dark purple juice to _ When they tasted the juice, it wasn't very sweet. Billy's uncle didn't want to add white sugar to the juice. It was better to use a naturally sweet juice, like apple juice, pear juice, or grape juice. They used grape juice as a sweetener , because grapes had a similar color to the blueberries. Finally, they could drink it. It was a lot of work to make juice, but it sure was refreshing! The passage is mainly about _ . Answer: On a cold January morning in a Washington, DC Metro Station, a man with a violin played six great pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time about two thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After three minutes a middle-aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule. Four minutes later, the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk. After 6 minutes, a young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again. After ten minutes, a 3-year-old boy stopped but his mother dragged him along hurriedly. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly. In the end, only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money, but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32. When he finished playing, no one applauded, nor was there any recognition. The violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most elegant pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars, two days before Joshua Bell had sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100. The performance was organized as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and people's priorities. In a usual environment, at an inappropriate hour, do you perceive beauty? Do you stop to appreciate it? Do you recognize talent in an unexpected context? If you do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the finest music ever written, how many other things might you be missing? Compared to their parents, the children seemed to _ . Answer: John Milton was born in 1606. His father expected him to enter the church of England, but Milton wanted to be a poet. At twenty-nine Milton set off for a travel on the _ He traveled in France, Switzerland and Italy, winning the friendship of many artists and scientists, including Galileo, the famous Italian scientist who suffered for his discovery in prison. In 1639, he was planning to go on this journey when the news reached him of the break between the king and Parliament . Milton returned to England immediately, and put himself into the struggle against the king, for which he had long been prepared. During the Civil war, Milton worked as the spokesman of the revolution. By the beginning of 1652, Milton had become completely blind, yet he didn't stop fighting. After the Restoration , his books were burnt, and he himself avoided being killed because of his blindness. John Milton was not only a brave revolutionary but also a great poet. His famous poem Paradise Lost was an immediate success. But, for its publication (being published), Milton received only 18 pounds. He died in 1671. Milton set off for a travel on the continent here "continent" means _ . Answer: LONDON--Manchester is Britain's fattest city, a survey for "Men's Health" has found, beating Glasgow for the first time since the magazine started examining the issue three years ago. Editor Pete Muir said the survey had looked at a variety of factors from gym membership to heart disease rates to find the fattest city. "Manchester has more fast food restaurants than anywhere else in the UK," he told Reuters. "People are taking the easy choice --eating and then just sitting in front of the TV." Manchester's problem is part of a wider trend . On Thursday, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) blamed a lack of exercise and poor diet for a fifth of adult Britons being obese . "Obesity is a major risky factor related to heart disease, diabetes and premature death ," said an ONS survey. "None of the 108 young men in the survey reported eating five portions of fruit or vegetables on average each day." In Manchester, the head of the city's public health programs said he did not believe that they were necessarily the fattest city, but that they did have problems and were aiming to address them. Social deprivation was a major factor. "One of the myths is that the stressed-out rich businessman is the one who is overweight," David Regan told Reuters. "In fact, it is the poor areas that have the most problems. We aim not to be the fattest but the fittest city but we have a long way to go." Second in the survey is Stoke-on-Trent, followed by Liverpool, Swansea and Leicester. Glasgow is sixth. This article is most probably taken from _ . Answer: More and more schools are being designed and used in ways that are friendly to the environment. These so-called green schools use less energy, cost less to run and are good for students. The newly renovated Sidwell Friends Middle School in the District has been awarded the highest rating by the U.S. Green Building Council for having a positive impact on the environment-a rare honor. Soon the school will treat and re-use its wastewater, saving hundreds of thousands of gallons of water per year. The recycled water from sinks and toilets, which can't be used for drinking, will be color1ed blue, "so we know it's recycled, just in case it gets into the water fountains -not that it would," joked Emily Bernstein, 14, a Sidwell student and building tour guide. Water fountains will still use fresh city water. Sidwell students are studying the building itself in science classes to help them learn first-hand the positive impact of green buildings. It's affecting how they view the world around them. "If you see a [building] being torn down, you think, 'They're going to fill up a whole landfill with that,'" said Matthew Malone, 13. In Prince George's County, Suitland Elementary has been so successful that another green school is being planned, in Laurel, for the 2008-09 school year. At Suitland, a garden courtyard collects and uses rainwater; the roof is angled away from the sun to keep it cool; and skylights and tall windows let in lots of natural light. "You don't have to switch on the light switch all the time," said Rupert McCave, the county official guiding these projects. Green schools tend to be sunnier and more _ than older buildings. In fact, a study done inprefix = st1 /Washingtonstate showed that students at green schools performed better and were absent less. The passage is mainly about_. Answer:
We believe that there is more to education than preparation for a job.Children must be prepared for all aspects of their adult life work,leisure,personal relationships,creative activities,dealing with money matters,independence,and parenthood. However,it would be unrealistic to provide an education which gave no consideration to the needs of employers. What type of training does the business world regard as important? Many young people applying for jobs were , in the employers' opinions,very weak in the basic skills of handwriting,grammar and spelling.Though further education at university level improved the student's general ability,a report states, "In basic skills the standards remained very low." It is doubtful whether standards have lowered in recent years.What is certain is that employers do not believe the standard is now high enough.Do technological changes make greater demands upon the students'abilities? We should also remember that the job expectations of young people have increased.The girls who would have once become shop assistants or hairdressers now want to be secretaries.Boys who sought an apprenticeship 20 years ago now desire to an engineering degree.But it is still _ with the same degree of ability.NO wonder there are problems in reaching the "necessary standards" of the business world. Many employers believed that it was important for teachers to have experience outside the world of college and school.They should work for a while at some other kind of job to see how the world of business and commerce is different from their own.The teaching profession and society in general needed a greater understanding of manpower needs and therefore of "the desired" direction of the education system. The article mainly talks about _ . A. no education among young people B. the weaker standards of education C. the problem of unemployment D. meeting the educational requirements of employment Answer: D. meeting the educational requirements of employment Wanted Project Management Assistant Responsibility: Provide service for the project in Chongqing. Provide assistance to the project manager for everyday work. Responsible for file management, customer service for students & parents. Requirements: College degree and above. Good English and computer skill. Related working experience in an international organization. Patient, careful, supportive. Have strong team work spirit. English Teacher Responsibility: Conduct English teaching according to British education system. Requirements: University degree and above in English major or normal English. Eager to learn and open-minded with creativity. With deep understanding for different cultures. (Warmly welcome the fresh graduates to apply for this position.) Marketing Assistant Responsibility: Responsible for the local management of marketing & sales activities according to the instructions from the head office. Collect related information to the head office. Develop relationship with local media and customers. Requirements: College degree and above with good English (speaking & writing). With basic idea of sales and marketing, related experience is preferred. Working experience in the international organizations is a must. Good communication and presentation skills Accountant Responsibility: Accountant work for Chongqing office and project. Perform the finance management locally according to the rules & policy of the company. Requirements: College degree and above in finance area. Good English and good computer skill. Have sense of finance management. At least 2 years' experience as an accountant in an international organization is a must. Self-management, hardworking, independent and able to deal with pressure. You can go to _ for more information. Please mail or fax your resume (both in English & Chinese), diploma, training certificates and expected salary to the following address within two weeks. No personal visit or telephone call before that. Your materials will be kept in ACE files. Add: Room 1806 Plaza Building Yuzhong District Chongqing 40010 Fax No: 023- 63728428 Email: acercq @ cta.cq.cn If you have just graduated from a university, you should apply for the position as _ . A. a project management assistant B. an accountant C. a marketing assistant D. an English teacher Answer: D. an English teacher Susan Boyle was born as the ninth child in a Catholic family. She suffered from learning disabilities ever since her birth because of her mother's poor health. School was difficult for Susan and she was bulled because of her different behaviour. _ , who were much older, had life experiences that were unknown to their little sister. From the time of her birth, Susan was a screamer. The only really safe place that she would use as a repeat was her bedroom. There she would hang posters of her musical heroes on the walls and sing popular music into a hairbrush that she pretended was a microphone. One by one her brothers and sisters moved away from home and then Susan's father died. This left her alone with an old mother and a cat. She tried volunteer work. Her best state of mind, however, was found when she was singing and so she would regularly join others in karaoke or pubs where she could show her skills and receive appreciation from the crowd. When Susan announced at Christmas that she was planning to take part in the Britain's Got Talent competition, her brothers and sisters tried to discourage her. It was a wonder that she was even able to do the audition considering the troubles she faced just physically getting to the right place. The Woman I Was Born to Be is a beautiful story written in the simple but humorous voice of the author, Susan Boyle. She tells her story from birth to the present in an interesting and educational manner. I love this book ! In fact, I read the whole thing in one day! There is something in the stories that not only teaches the reader but also encourage us to reach for our dreams--no matter how impossible they may seem to be! What does the author probably think of Susan's life stories? A. Encouraging B. Discouraging C. Worried D. Boring Answer: A. Encouraging When people ask me what Down Syndrome is, I tell them it's an extra chromosome . A doctor would tell you the extra chromosome causes an intellectual disability that makes it harder for me to learn things. Even though I have Down Syndrome, my life is a lot like yours. I read books and watch TV. I listen to music with my friends. I'm on the swim team and in chorus at school. I think about the future, and I like the one who I'll marry. And I get along with my sisters---except when they take CDs without asking! I'm a hard worker, a good person, and I care about my friends. Some of my classes are with typical kids, and some are with kids with learning disabilities. I have an aid who goes with me to my harder classes, like math and biology. She helps me take notes and gives me tips on how I should study for tests. It really helps, but I also challenge myself to do well. For instance, my goal was to be in a typical English class by 12thgrade. That's exactly what happened this year! It's true that I don't learn some things as fast as other people do. But that won't stop me from trying. I just know that if I work really hard and by myself I can do almost anything. I can't change the fact that I have Down Syndrome, but one thing I would change is what people think of me. I'd tell them, "Judge me as a whole person, not just the person you see. Treat me with respect, and accept me for who I am. The most important---just be my friend." What is the purpose of the passage? A. To prove people with Down Syndrome are a lot like healthy ones B. To show the writer's honesty and optimism C. To change people's attitude towards people with Down Syndrome D. To describe the life of a student with learning disabilities Answer: C. To change people's attitude towards people with Down Syndrome I first visited hutong as part of a tourist group several years ago. We rode on a trishaw with a guide explaining the history, architecture and lifestyle of the local inhabitants. Having visited the "must-sees" of Beijing, like the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Drum Tower and the Summer Palace, going into the hutong home of some famous ancient families gave the "Beijing experience" a human element. My curiosity has sharpened over the years from reading about them at every opportunity. During the preparation for the Olympics, I was eager to learn that some siheyuan courtyards in hutong were turned into accommodations for visitors. I wished to stay in one someday. Preparing for a recent trip to the capital, I eagerly sought one out. On my limited teacher's salary, I settled on an affordable option, though I looked longingly at the more courtyard accommodations. As usual, by not being able to go upmarket, I ended up having something closer to a true experience. A real family still lives in the courtyard, which is closer to the original. The rooms all opened into the central courtyard. Flowers were blooming, beans and peas were climbing up the bamboo fence, and the cat was napping in the sun. Every day after exploring the city, I'd hurry back to the hutong, take a quick shower and join the cat - snoozing in a bamboo-made chair with a book ready nearby. As the other guests came back we'd greet one another. There was a mother and young daughter from France, a guy from Canada, a mother and teenage daughter from the Netherlands, a teacher from England and several guests from various parts of China. Coming and going through the narrow alleys of the hutong, the residents would smile and give cheery "ni hao" (hello). Laughing children were playing under the watchful eyes of the neighbors. I felt right at home in this friendly neighborhood. The main idea of the passage is about _ . A. hutong days realize my desires to live a local life . B. Trishaw is the only way to visit the hutong C. living in the hutong with other visitors D. exploring the deeper of Beijing Answer: A. hutong days realize my desires to live a local life .
Fred is a dog. He always wants to have everything for himself. He doesn't like to share his food or toys with other dogs. One day, he was running in a field, and found a large bone in the bushes. He was so happy! He thought, "Wow! This is the biggest bone in the world! And it's all mine! I should put it somewhere. Another dog may try to steal it." "I'll run very far," he thought. "That way, no other dogs will find my bone." One hour later, he saw a small river and a bridge, "I'll cross the bridge, and put my bone on the other side," thought Fred. Then, he began to cross the bridge. He looked down, and saw a dog with a bone in the water. He thought it was another dog with another bone! "There is a dog in the water. I want his bone too!" thought Fred. Then, he opened his mouth and tried to grab the other bone. Splash! His bone fell into the water. "Oh, no! My bone is gone!" he thought. "Now I have nothing." Fred lost his bone because he was not _ . Answer: generous Loved and hated, but never boring. That is what people say of American writer Norman Mailer, who died late last year at the age of 84. He was the author of some of the greatest books of the 20th century. But Mailer will be remembered as much for his personality as for his writing. He was rude and bad-tempered. He violently attacked other authors and even wounded one of his six wives. However, this never stopped Mailer from being successful. People always wanted to read his books. His provocative writing style and willingness to deal with difficult subjects made his books bestsellers. "He was willing to take risks with just about everything," says the author Gore Vidal. "He had a radical imagination, a way of approaching subjects that was never boring." In a career that lasted six decades, Mailer wrote about a wide variety of subjects from history and politics to sport and celebrities. But he was most famous for writing novels and he twice won the Pulitzer Prize. His best book was The Naked and the Dead, a story about the tensions between American soldiers fighting Japan in World War II. Drawn on his own experiences as a soldier, it is a study of men at war examining their cruelty and bravery. Mailer's brilliance as an author was his ability to capture human behavior. He did so through interesting characters, realistic dialogue and rich descriptions. The author William F. Buckley said, "He created the most beautiful metaphors in the English." Mailer leaves behind more than 40 books as his literary legacy . However, he never achieved his life's goal. He wanted to write what he called the "big one", the greatest novel ever written about America. Well, at least it wasn't for a lack of trying. About The Naked and The Dead , which of the following is true? Answer: It shows the bravery and cruelty of men when facing war. Delta College starts Street Fair San Joaquin Delta College will introduce its new Summer Street Fair, which runs from noon to 8 p. m every Friday stating this week through Aug. 9 in Delta's L-l parking lot near Pacific Avenue and March Lane. The fair goes with Delta's weekend flea market. This week's featured performers are guitarist Travis Matsumoto from noon to 3 p.m., and Julio and his Jazz Trio from 3 to 6 p.m. Lode Farmers Market opens The Angels Camp Certified Farmers Market begins its yearly run from 5 p.m. to dusk this Friday in Utica Park in downtown Angels Camp. Opening night will feature wine tasting from award-winning Four Winds Cellars, and live music by guitarist Nicholas Leffler. Visitors will find fresh, locally grown produce and specialty foods. There will also be barbecue and California- Mexican fusion cuisine. Join River Rafting for a good cause Whitewater enthusiasts can participate in Mokelumne Rive, Rafting Adventures on June 16 in Mokelumne Hill. Local outfitter O.A.R.S. is donating its services to help with the event. Departures are at 8 a.m., noon, or 4 p.m. The trip should last about three hours. The trip is appropriate for those 7 and older, and the ability to swim is not required. The cost is $ 70 per person. Films center on paddling water The festival is an annual contest that awards winning films that focus on paddling in rivers, lakes and oceans in a variety of locales. Tickets to the film festival are $12 in advance and $15 at the door, and are also available online at ticketriver.com/event/7002-reel-paddling-film-festival. The evening also includes a drawing. Prizes include whitewater trips on the South Fork of the American River. If you want to enjoy the tasty foods, you can go to _ . Answer: Lode Farmers Market James the Turtle was always getting in trouble. Sometimes he'd reach into the freezer and empty out all the food. Other times he'd sled on the deck and get a splinter. His aunt Jane tried as hard as she could to keep him out of trouble, but he was sneaky and got into lots of trouble behind her back. One day, James thought he would go into town and see what kind of trouble he could get into. He went to the grocery store and pulled all the pudding off the shelves and ate two jars. Then he walked to the fast food restaurant and ordered 15 bags of fries. He didn't pay, and instead headed home. His aunt was waiting for him in his room. She told James that she loved him, but he would have to start acting like a well-behaved turtle. After about a month, and after getting into lots of trouble, James finally made up his mind to be a better turtle. What is the name of the trouble making turtle? Answer: James Sydney Tower Address: 100 Market St, Sydney Phone: 02 9333 9222 Fax: 02 9333 9203 Open time: 9:00am to 10:30pm ( Saturday to 11:30 pm) Ticket: $ 60 (for an adult) $ 30 (for a child) Website: www. Sydneytower .com. au How to get there: train to Town Hall Station and a short walk along Market Street. How to book tickets: by phone/ fax or through the web Attraction: Sydney's best views are just the beginning ! Sydney Tower takes you to the highest point above Sydney for exciting 360degviews of our beautiful city. Last Saturday, John went to visit Sydney Tower. He had to get down the tower _ Answer: before 11:30pm
Magnetism Bali is home to most of Indonesia's Hindu minority. Here's how to get the most out of a 48hour visit: FRIDAY 3pm--There's nothing like a good meal. La Lucciola is the place to go, with its good food, great service and a beautiful view of the sea. You can hire a car for some 450,000 rupiah per day. This will help you have more to spare during your trip there. 5pm--About an hour away from La Lucciola is Uluwatu. This southern tip of the island is famous for its temple that lies on the edge, high above the sea. Fire dance is performed here daily at sunset. 8pm--To finish off the evening, head to Jimbaran Bay where restaurants offer candles, dances, boys singing songs. Kick off your shoes, feel the sand, and enjoy the night. SATURDAY 9:30am--Start the day with another taste of culture by heading for a "barong and keris" dance performance. It's held in many places. One is the Catur Eka Budi in Denpasar, capital of Bali. 12pm--About 50km from Denpasar is Kintamani, a favorite with tourists for the view of active volcano Mt. Batur. It's a good idea to reach Kintamani early as it gets cloudy after 3pm. Have lunch at a local restaurant with a view of Mt. Batur. Tourists can climb to Mt. Batur to catch the sunrise. 6:30pm--Spa time! Spa Hati is a good place. Book ahead. SUNDAY 6am--It's time to go to the sea. Don't forget the camera. 10:30am--Another halfday trip to two of the most famous temples in Bali. Drive down to the Taman Ayun temple at Mengwi. 12am--Next up is the Tanah Lot temple, perhaps the most famous of them all. Built on a rock, it's best seen in the afternoon when it's against the sun or at sunset. How can you save time during your trip in La Lucciola according to the text? 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--PS 155 a year if 26,increasing to a maximum of PS 615 at 29 or more. If a student is handicapped: LEAs will give up to PS 500 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 PS 100 or so,and still don't make charges (though they do charge interest). A student who cannot walk has to buy a wheelchair costing PS 750 to go to classes.How much of the cost will he have to pay himself? B Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, and has long been a favorite destination of tourists from all over the world, as well as an important cultural and political center. With its museums, shops, wonderful historic castle, and many pubs and restaurants, there are many things for visitors to enjoy all year round.And of course, as it is in Scotland, there are a wide range of whiskies to try! However, there is more to Edinburgh than historic monuments and tourism.Each year, the Edinburgh Festival takes place in the city.In late summer, for three weeks, the festival presents classical music, theater, opera and dance at six major theaters and concert halls--and several smaller ones--throughout the city.Whatever your cultural tastes, you are sure to find something to enjoy., Local talent is always represented at the Edinburgh Festival giving Scottish composers and playwrights the opportunity to showcase their work and gain recognition from a wider audience. In addition, orchestras and theater companies come from all over the world to perform at the prestigious festival.Last year saw the arrival of orchestras from the United States and Germany. The festival has now become an important part of Scotland's economy as well as its culture.Last year's festival generated over PS130 million expenditure in Edinburgh alone, and across Scotland nearly 2,900 jobs exist as a direct result of the festival. The festival is so popular that it has become, in some ways, _ .The huge interest in performing there led to the setting up of a rival festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.Fortunately, demand for live entertainment during the summer is so great that both festivals continue to thrive . The Fringe tends to feature mostly comedy and experimental works.Yet it can lead to great things ---- many famous and successful comedians and artists, such as Rowan Atkinson, better known as TV's Mr.Bean, started their careers in small venues at the Fringe. What we can learn from the passage is that _ . Sarah is from France. She lives in Paris. She can speak French and English, but she can't speak Chinese. She has a pen pal in the United States. Her name is Jane and she lives in New York. Sarah's favorite sport is basketball and she can play the guitar, too. Jane's favorite sport is tennis. She can't play the guitar, but she can play the piano and sing. What is Sarah's favorite sport?
As the school year comes to an end, many senior students of school across the nation will not just be starting another summer of holidays to provide a break during semesters. Leaving their _ , many of them are to take their first step into the world of adulthood, attending fast-paced, crowded universities, taking up part-time or full-time employment. Many may even move from family homes in their pursuit of educational fulfillment or the "perfect" job opportunity. One ceremony that has become part of coming of age has been the senior prom . The senior prom is an opportunity for youth to celebrate the entrance into the world of adulthood with color and formality. However, there is far more behind the social event than ever noticed. What is formal? Formal means to present one's self to others in a way which is "with form", with shape, polite, inoffensive and organized. We see the example of a formal letter; it uses proper grammar and sentence structure in order to be respectful, while at the same time serving a purpose or getting an important message across. In our society, what is formal? Very little. On average, clothing, language, behavior --- all is very informal. Individuals who are formal (polite, inoffensive, organized) in their daily dealings with people are often looked upon as boring. Yet in certain situations, individuals play with the concept of formality not truly to achieve respectfulness and order but because it becomes fashionable to do so. While a prom may seem, on the surface, like a fun opportunity to behave formally, it is actually a flowery version of Halloween. On the occasion of the spring prom, we see flowering youth taking on the formalities of "adult". Fine dress, careful makeup, luxury cars all become part of being an adult. But being "adult" isn't that way. In our society we have a wrong idea of what adulthood actually is. It has always been my understanding that adulthood and maturity are not based upon one's ability to hold a cigarette in a certain way or tie a bow tie. Adulthood comes with understanding of one's place in the universe; it comes with the knowledge of how to interact with our fellow human beings; it comes with the ability to take responsibility for one's own actions --- whether good or bad. The writer holds the opinion that being an adult means one can _ . Answer: better get on with others Adventure Vacations People like different kinds of vacations. Some go camping. They swim, fish, cook over a fire and sleep outside. Others like to stay at a hotel in an exciting city. They go shopping all day and go dancing all night. Or maybe they go sightseeing to places such as Disneyland, the Tai Mahan or the Louver. Some people are bored with sightseeing trips. They don't want to be "tourists". They want to have an adventure--a surprising and exciting trip. They want to learn something and maybe help people too. How can they do this? Some travel companies and environmental groups are planning special adventures. Sometimes these trips are difficult and full of hardships, but they're a lot of fun. One organization, Earth watch, sends small groups of volunteers to different parts of the world. Some volunteers spend two weeks and study the environment. Others work with animals. Others learn about people of the past. Would you like an adventure in the Far North? A team of volunteers is leaving from Mormons, Russia. The leader of this trip is a professor from Alaska. He's worried about chemicals from factories. He and the volunteers will study this pollution in the environment. If you like exercise and cold weather, this is a good trip for you. Volunteers need ski sixteen kilometers every day. Do you enjoy ocean animals? You can spend two to four weeks in Hawaii. There, you can teach language to dolphins. Dolphins can follow orders such as "Bring me the large ball." They also understand opposites. How much more can they understand? It will be exciting to learn about these intelligent animals. Another study trip goes to Washington State and follows orcas. We call orcas "killer Whale", but they're really dolphins--the largest kind of dolphin. This beautiful animal travels together in family groups. They move through the ocean with their mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. Ocean pollution is chasing their lives. Earth watch is studying how this happens. Are you interested in history? Then Greece is the place for your adventure. Thirty-five hundred years ago a volcano exploded there, on Santorum. This explosion was more terrible than Karate or Mount Saint Helens. But today we know a lot about the way of life of the people from that time. There are houses, kitchens, and paintings as interesting as those in Pompeii. Today teams of volunteers are learning more about people from the past. Do you want a very different vacation? Do you want to travel far, work hard and learn a lot? Then an Earth watch vacation is for you. If you want to learn something about people of the past, you can _ . Answer: join the team to Greece As a young boy, I sometimes traveled the country roads with my dad. He was a rural mill carrier, and on Saturdays he would ask me to go with him. Driving through the countryside was always an adventure: There were animals to see, people to visit, and chocolate cookies if you knew where to stop, and Dad did. In the spring, Dad delivered boxes full of baby chickens, and when 1 was a boy it was such a fun to stick your finger 'through one of the holes of the boxes and let the baby birds peck on your fingers. On Dad' s final day of work, it took him well into the evening to complete his rounds because at least one member from each family was waiting at their mailbox to thank him for his friendship and his years of service. "Two hundred and nineteen mailboxes on my route." he used to say, "and a story at every one. " One lady had no mailbox, so Dad took the mail in to her every day because she was nearly blind. Once inside, he read her mail and helped her pay her bills. Mailboxes were sometimes used for things other than mail. One note left in a mailbox read. "Nat, take these eggs to Marian; she's baking a cake and doesn't have any eggs. " Mailboxes might be buried in the snow, or broken, or lying on the groom:. bat the mail was always delivered On cold days Dad might find one of his customers waiting for him with a cup of hot chocolate. A young wrote letters but had no stamps, so she left a few button on the envelope in the mailbox; Dad paid for the stamps. One businessman used to leave large amounts of cash in his mailbox for Dad to take to the bank. Once, the amount came to 8 32,000. A dozen years ago, when I traveled back to my hometown on the sad occasion of Dad's death, the mailboxes along the way reminded me of some of his stories. I thought I knew them all, but that wasn't the case. As I drove home, I noticed two lamp poles, one on each side of the street. When my dad was around, those poles supported wooden boxes about four feet off the ground. One box was painted green and the other was red, and each had a long narrow hole at the top with white lettering: SANTA CLAUS, NORTH POLE. For years children had dropped letters to Santa through those holes. I made a turn at the comer and drove past the post office and across the railroad tracks to our house. Mom and I were sitting at the kitchen table when I heard footsteps. There, at the door, stood Frank Townsend, Dad's postmaster and great friend for many years. So we all sat down at the table and began to tell stories. At one point Frank looked at me with tears in his eyes. " What are we going to do about the letters this Christmas?" he asked. "The letters?" 'I guess you never knew. " "Knew what?" " Remember, when you were a kid and you used to put your letters to Santa in those green and red boxes on Main Street? It was your dad who answered all those letters every year. " I just sat there with tears in my eyes. It wasn't hard for me to imagine Dad sitting at the old table in our basement reading those letters and answering each one. I have since spoken with several of the people who received Christmas letters during their childhood, and they told me how amazed they were that Santa had known so much about their homes and families. For me, just knowing that story about my father was the gift of a lifetime. According to the passage, which of the following impressed the writer most? Answer: Dad answered children's Christmas letters every year. Face masks are commonly used in ceremonies and performances. They not only hide the real face of the mask wearer but they often evoke powerful emotions in the audience--danger, fear, sadness, joy. You might think, because so many things vary cross-culturally, that the ways in which emotions are displayed and recognized in the face vary too. Apparently they do not. Recent research on masks from different cultures supports the conclusion that masks, like faces, tend to represent certain emotions in the same ways. We now have some evidence that the symbolism used in masks is often universal. The research on masks builds on work done by anthropologists, who used photographs of individuals experiencing various emotions. These photographs were shown to members of different cultural groups who were asked to identify the emotions displayed in the photographs. Emotions were identified correctly by most viewers, whatever the viewer's native culture. Coding schemes were developed to enable researchers to compare the detailed facial positions of individual portions of die face (eyebrows, mouth, etc.) for different emotions. What exactly do we do when we scowl? We contract the eyebrows and lower the corners of the mouth; in geometric terms, we make angles and diagonals on our faces. When we smile, we raise the corners of the mouth; we make it curved. Psychologist Joel Arnoff and his colleagues compared two types of wooden face masks from many different societies--masks described as threatening versus masks associated with nonthreatening functions. As suspected, the two sets of masks had significant differences in certain facial elements. The threatening masks had eyebrows and eyes facing inward and downward and a downward-facing mouth. In more abstract or geometrical terms, threatening features generally tend to be angular or diagonal and nonthreatening features tend to be curved or rounded, a face with a pointed beard is threatening; _ is not. The theory is that humans express and recognize basic emotions in uniform ways because all human faces are quite similar, skeletally and muscularly. What does the passage mainly discuss? Answer: The uniformity of facial expressions in revealing emotions. Habits, whether good or bad, are gradually formed. When a person does a certain thing again, he is impelled(,) by some unseen force to do the same thing repeatedly; thus a habit is formed. Once a habit is formed, it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to get rid of. It is therefore very important that we should pay great attention to the formation of habits. Children often form bad habits, some of which remain with them as long as they live. Older persons also form bad habits as long as they live, and sometimes become ruined by them.. There are other habits which, when formed in early life, are of great help. Many successful men say that much of their success has something to do with certain habits in early life, such as early rising, honesty and thoroughness . Among the habits which children should not form are laziness, lying, stealing and so on. These are all easily formed habits. Unfortunately older persons form habits which ought to have been avoided. We ought to keep from all these old habits, and try to form such habits as will prove good for ourselves and others. The bad habits formed by _ Answer: children sometimes stay in all their lives
Most Americans think the quality of life for adults under 30 years old, or Generation Y, won't be as good as it is for their baby-boomer parents, according to a new poll. More than 60 percent of people are pessimistic about the future, and 71 percent of young Americans under 30 said they would rather go back in time than leap to the future. "It's interesting how strongly people feel things are getting worse, and how strongly people are backward looking," said Michael Hogan, 35, executive online editor at Vanity Fair which conducted the survey with CBS News. "This is a time of high unemployment, people coming out of school with very few job prospects. The past probably seems more comforting," he added. Although the past may seem appealing for young Americans, only 50 percent of seniors over 65 said they wanted to travel back in time. The nationwide poll of 1,167 adults, which included questions about culture, lifestyle and politics, also revealed that if given the choice to take anything with them to the afterlife, 25 percent would take a pet, 47 percent would opt for a photo album but only nine percent wanted to take an iPhone or a Blackberry. Despite romancing the past, people believe in rewarding the forward-minded. Thirty-three percent of those polled believe Internet entrepreneurs are most deserving of their large salaries, followed by 15 percent for sports stars and 12 percent for bankers. Only eight percent felt movie stars should get the dollars they do. And despite a recent trip to the United States, more than three-quarters of people questioned could not identity David Cameron as the prime minister of Great Britain. Twenty seven percent might have confused him with "Avatar" director James Cameron when they thought he was a movie director. From this passage we learn that _ A Americans are dissatisfied with the quality of life at present B 71 percent of Americans are pessimistic about the future. C Michael Hogan is executive online editor of CBS News. D David Cameron isn't as popular in America as James Cameron Answer: D. David Cameron isn't as popular in America as James Cameron Slurping down your urine shows you're A bed-wetting B recycling C menstruating D preserving wetlands Answer: B. recycling Walt Disney is credited for creating such wonderful things as Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse. However, he cannot take the credit for creating other well-loved characters, such as Cinderella and Snow White. _ are almost automatically associated with Disney because Disney turned old fables into cartoon movies. The original Cinderella varies very much from the Disney version we know today. It started off with the girl mourning her mother's death and going to her tomb three times a day. In addition, there were only birds that helped Cinderella; there was no such thing as a fairy godmother or helpful mice, nor was there mention of a horse and carriage. The stepsisters were cruel: they always threw Cinderella's food into the ashes of the fire and made her sleep on the ashes on the floor, hence her name. In the original story, the king's ball actually lasted for three days. With the help of the birds, the girl, beautifully dressed, danced with the prince on all three nights and the prince fell in love with her. However, she broke away from him to rush back home each night. On the last night, the prince placed soothing sticky on the stairs; as Cinderella made her escape, a shoe got stuck on it. Here now is where the story becomes unpleasant: when the prince went to the house looking for the girl whose foot fit the shoe, the wicked stepmother told one of her two daughters to cut off her big toe to fit into the shoe. The daughter did as told. So the prince took her away to be his bride. But when they passed the tomb of Cinderella's mother, the birds called out to the prince, "Turn and peep, there's blood in the shoe; the shoe is too small, the true bride waits for you." ZXXK Realizing he had been tricked, the prince returned the daughter to her mother. The other then had to cut off part of her heel in order to fit into the shoe, with the same result. Only Cinderella's foot fit perfectly and so the prince chose to marry her. The story ends with the wedding day: as Cinderella's two stepsisters followed her, pretending to be devoted to her so that they could enjoy the king's riches, two birds flew by and plucked out their eyes. Because of their wickedness and falsehood, they had to spend the rest of their days blind. The original Cinderella is so different from the Disney version. Thank goodness Disney made such changes; it indeed was a wise move. Which of the following is TRUE according to the original story? A Helpful mice got Cinderella a beautiful dress. B The ball was held to celebrate the prince's wedding. C Cinderella left her shoe on the stairs on purpose. D The birds told the prince that he had been cheated. Answer: D. The birds told the prince that he had been cheated. Liu Xiaohua is 12 years old. She is from Mianyang, Sichuan Province. When Premier Wen Jiabao visited people in the Jiuzhou Gymnasium, he met Liu Xiaohua. Premier Wen held her hand and told her not to cry. He also encouraged her to live on. Ren Siyu is 6 years old. She is from Beichuan, Sichuan Province. She was buried under the rubble for two days and nights and her legs were trapped. When people came to save her, she sang the songTwo Tigers. She said singing the song could lessen the pain . Li Yue is 12 years old. She is also from Beichuan, Sichuan Province. Li Yue likes dancing, but she can't dance any more. Doctors had to cut off her two legs to save her. She was buried with her classmates. She told them to be quiet when people saved them. Two Tigers is _ Ren Siyu likes. A a song B a film C a flower D All above is wrong Answer: A. a song Gu Changwei was the first Chinese cinematographer to be nominated for an Oscar, he is regarded by Zhang Yimou as the best cinematographer in China. Gu was behind the camera for many of Zhang Yimou's famous films including the one that rocketed Zhang to fame: "Red Sorghum ". And now this master of the visual has taken on his first directing role with the film "Peacock". So Gu Changwei has come out from behind the camera into the spotlight . Gu Changwei is very serious about his directing "Peacock". To get the authentic atmosphere, Gu took his film crew to the city of Anyang in central China's Henan province where the story takes place, to shoot the film. He chose all new actors because he didn't want "star" appeal to weaken the power of the story, and he also had his actors trained in the local dialect. For this film Gu has been able to get out from behind the camera to manage every aspect of the film, and to realize his own ideals in movie-making. "Peacock" is about the life of an average family in a small town in Henan province in the late 70s and early 80s. Gu chose this story for his first movie because he grew up during this same period and it struck a chord with him. "Peacock" wrapped up production in June, 2004. It's aimed at the foreign film market and will be entered in February's Berlin Film Festival, and released in China at the same time. But at the end of last October, Gu took "Peacock" to his Alma Mater, the Beijing Film Academy, one of the most famous film colleges in China, to hold a preview. The film was warmly received by both teachers and students. Please choose a proper title for this passage. A From behind the camera into the spotlight B Chinese cinematographer to be nominated for Oscar C New faces to appear in "Peacock" D "Peacock" to enter foreign film market Answer: A. From behind the camera into the spotlight
In the summer of 1999, a small town called Golcuk was shaken by a big earthquake in north-western Turkey. It destroyed the whole town and other nearby places. Soon enough, help from other countries flew there for one purpose, "saving lives". Nowadays wherever an earthquake strikes, other countries are ready to send help. That is really something that, as human beings, we should be proud of. When the earthquake struck, I was living in my hometown of Ankara, capital of the Turkey. Despite the 220-mile distance between the two locations, we still were able to feel the shakes. I had a chance to visit Golcuk a couple times when I was a kid. My uncle who lives in Germany has a summer house there, and every summer they stay in Golcuk for their yearly vacation. After the quake struck, we couldn't contact them, so we didn't know if they were in Golcuk or in Germany during the quake. Our unsuccessful attempts worried us, and the only thing we wanted to hear was that they were OK. Without wasting any more time, my brother, my sister's husband, and I decided to drive there to check on them by ourselves. When we were driving, the damage of the earthquake started to show itself right away. Big, wide, tall trees were laid down on the side of the road. Getting closer to Golcuk, we found the impact of the earthquake was getting worse. Inside the town was total destruction. It wasn't easy to figure out the streets among the ruins. Finally, we were able to find my uncle's apartment and thank God, it was still standing, but nobody was there. Later on we found that they hadn't yet visited Golcuk that year. What luck! Earthquakes are natural disasters and there is no way to avoid them, especially as earthquakes never give a warning in advance. They just strike mercilessly in the middle of the night when people are asleep in their beds. We cannot stop disasters but we can prepare ourselves for their consequences. What is the best title of the passage? A Memory of an Earthquake in Golcuk B My Uncle's Yearly Vacation in Golck C An Unforgettable Experience D Our Unsuccessful Attempts Answer: A Redwoods are supported by A donations from the environmental protection agency B very large and thick trunks C twenty chainsaw wielding psychopaths D industrial plants near the ocean Answer: B DJs(disc jockeys) are the people who play and present music on the radio, or in nightclub. A VJ(video jockey) is a person who introduces music videos on television. VJs were first seen on television in the early 1980s when MTV went on the air. As MTV became popular, and the audience for music videos expanded, a variety of other music video channels started broadcasting. In addition to rock music, there were channels for people who had a lot of interest in alternative kinds of music, such as country music, light music, and R&B(rhythm and blues), and all of these channels needed VJs. By the 1990s, international music video channels like Channel V in Asia and VIVA in Europe had started. The VJs for the new international stations had to be chosen carefully. Although some VJs did shows that focused on small audiences and showed mostly local content, other VJs presented shows for international viewers. These VJs, and the material they presented, needed to be popular in several different cultures. One successful international VJ in Asia is Asha Gill. She is from prefix = st1 /Malaysia, but her parents and grandparents are fromIndia,FranceandEngland. She speaks three languages and has fans across Asia, fromJapanto theUnited Arab Emirates. Another VJ who has made a big hit in Asia is Lili. She is actually a computer- Animated VJ on MTV Asia. An actress wearing special computer equipment makes Lili move like a puppet . The actress also talks for Lili, and her shows can be seen in five languages. When asked what makes a good video jockey, many successful VJs have given similar answers. To be a good VJ you need to know a lot about music, you need to be funny, and you can't be shy. Which is NOT true about Asha Gill? A She speaks more than one language B Her family were all born inMalaysia C She's popular in quite a lot of Asian countries D She is a successful VJ Answer: B When a consumer finds that an item she or he bought is faulty or in some other way does not live up to the manufacturer's claims, the first step is to present the warranty, or any other records which might help at the store of purchase. In most cases, this action will produce results. However, if it does not, there are various means the consumer may use to gain satisfaction. A simple and common method used by many consumers is to complain directly to the store manager. In general, the "higher up" his or her complaint, the faster he or she can expect it to be settled. In such a case, it is usually settled in the consumer's favor, assuming he or she has a just claim. Consumers should complain in person whenever possible, but if they cannot get to the place of purchase, it is acceptable to phone or write the complaint in a letter. Complaining is usually most effective when it is done politely but firmly, and especially when the consumer can demonstrate what is wrong with the item in question. If this cannot be done, the consumer will succeed best by presenting specific information as to what is wrong, rather than by making general statements. For example, "The left speaker does not work at all and the sound coming out of the right one is unclear" is better than "This stereo does not work". The store manager may advise the consumer to write to the manufacturer. If so, the consumer should do this, stating the complaint as politely and firmly as possible. If a polite complaint does not achieve the desired result, the consumer can go to a step further. She or he can threaten to take the seller to court or report the seller to a private or public organization responsible for protecting consumer's rights. The phrase "live up to" in this context means _ . A meet the standard of B realize the purpose of C fulfill the demands of D keep the promise of Answer: A What gives off light? A scorching logs B dirt C water D fire drills Answer: A
Question: My name is Jack. I come from the United States. Now I'm in China with my grandparents. There is a big zoo in our neighborhood. I like to spend time there on weekends. On weekends, I often go to the zoo with my friends. We like different kinds of animals. I like elephants a lot because they are very smart. They can remember very well. Elephants can also draw very well. And elephants can do a lot of things for people. Lucy likes koalas. She thinks they are cute and interesting. Kate likes giraffes. She thinks they are smart and friendly. Bob likes lions. He thinks lions are exciting but scary. We often spend all the day in the zoo and watch the animals. We sometimes take photos of them. They're our good friends. Where does Jack like to spend time on weekends? A. At home. B. At School. C. In the zoo. D. In the library. Answer: C Question: A good way to pass the exam is to work hard every day. You may not pass an exam if you word hard all the time before the exam. If you are getting ready for an English exam, do not only learn grammar rulers . Try to read stories in Enlish and speak English _ you can. Before you start the exam, read the questions carefully. Try to understand the exact meaning of each question before you pick up your pen to write. When you finish you exam, read you answers once more, correct the mistake if there are any and make sure that you don't miss anything out. Before you start the exam _ A. read the answers B. correct the mistake C. write the meaning of each question D. read the questions carefully Answer: D Question: Convenience Foods Instead of buying only fresh foods, Americans nowadays buy many more convenience foods. These are foods which are ready partly or completely prepared. Many of them are frozen, such as frozen dinner, heat-and-serve French fries, and frozen pizzas. There are also many canned convenience foods, such as ready-made spaghetti, soups, stews and vegetables Convenience foods save time and trouble. They are popular with people who are busy or who don't like to cook or wash dishes. But they often cost more than fresh, unprepared foods and many contain man-made additives. Also, many people feel they don't taste as good as home-cooked foods. Health Food and Co-ops In the 1960s, a "back-to-the-earth" movement was started by young people in the United States. The movement was a reaction against the harmful effects of technology. From the movement came a new understanding of food and health. Many people now prefer natural and organic foods to the prepared foods sold in health foods stores and in food co-ops, which are small stores where customers help manage the store. In co-ops, food is usually not packaged. Customers bring their own bags and jars and scoop their food out of boxes or baskets. The Diet Craze These days Americans are more and more concerned with their weight. Perhaps as many as 70 million Americans are on weight-dollar business. American supermarkets sell a variety of diet food such as soft drinks, diet candy, and diet salad dressings. Dieters also spend money on diet pills, exercise machines, and jogging suits . Each year dozens of new diets are popularized. They have such names as the Miracle Diet, the Nine-day Wonder Diet, and the East 24-hour Diet. There is even one called the Ice Cream Diet, which advises the dieters to eat only ice cream for lunch and dinner! For dieters who cannot lose weight on their own, there are many well-organized diet groups, which offer help and encouragement. Young people who started a "back-to-the-earth" movement _ . A. might be too foolish B. should be praised for their action C. might suffer from some diseases D. might get less money from their companies Answer: B Question: Hobbs was an orphan . He worked in a factory and every day he got a little money. Hard work changed him thin and weak. He wanted to borrow a lot of money to learn to paint pictures, but he did not think he could pay off the debts.One day the lawyer said to him, "One thousand dollars, and here is the money." As Hobbs took the package of notes, he was very dumbfounded . He didn't know where the money came from and how to spend it. He said to himself, "I could go to find a hotel and live like a rich man for a few days; or I give up my work in the factory and do what I'd like to do: painting pictures I could do that for a few weeks, but what would I do after that? I should have lost my place of the factory and have no money to live on. If it were a little less money, I would buy a new coat, or a radio, or give a dinner to my friends. If it were more, I could give up the work and pay for painting pictures. But it's too much for one and too little for the other." "Here is the reading of your uncle's will ," said the lawyer, "telling what is to be done with this money after his death. I must ask you to remember one point. Your uncle has said you must bring me a paper showing exactly what you did with his money, as soon as you have spent it." "Yes, I see. I'll do that." said the young man. Hobbs was dumbfounded on receiving the money because he thought _ . A. the money was too much B. the money was too little C. he would be dismissed D. the lawyer meant to punish him Answer: A Question: My summer hols wr CWOT. B4, we usd 2 go 2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & thr 3 : -@ kids FTF. ILNY; its gr8. Can you understand this sentence? If you can't, don't feel too bad. The middle school teacher in England who received this as homework couldn't either. This is Netspeak: the language of computerized communication found on Internet or mobile phones. To newcomers, it can look like a completely foreign language. So, what is the "translation" of the sentence above? My summer holidays were a complete waste of time. Before, we used to go to New York to see my brother, his girlfriend, and their three screaming kids face to face. I love New York; it's great. Schoolteachers and parents say this new form of writing is harming the English language. Increasing spelling and grammatical mistakes can be seen in students' writing. They fear the language could become corrupted . Everyone should just relax, say linguists . They believe Netspeak is in fact more of a good thing. David Crystal, from the University of Wales, argues that Netspeak and Internet create a new language use and the almost lost art of diary writing has been picked up again. Geoffrey Nunberg, from Stanford University, agrees. "People get better at writing by writing," he says, "Kids who are now doing text messaging and e-mail will write at least as well as, and possibly better than, their parents." Linguist James Milroy says, for centuries, it is believed without exception that young people are harming the language. And you can that when today's teenagers become tomorrow's parents, they too will think this way. Milroy argues that languages do not and cannot become "corrupted", and that they simply change to meet the new needs. However, Netspeakers do agree that it is important to teach young people how to speak and write Standard English. Cynthia Mcvey says, "I can understand Netspeak worries teachers and it's important that they get across to their pupils that text messaging is for fun, but that learning to write proper English is a must for their future." Perhaps we should give teenagers a little more trust anyway. Erin, age 12, says, "I wouldn't use text language in my homework. Texting is just for fun." Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A. Cynthia Mcvey points out teenagers can deal with Netspeak properly. B. Geoffrey Nunberg believes Netspeakers can write Standard English. C. David Crystal thinks Netspeak helps develop the habit of writing. D. James Milroy says that every language is changing and improving. Answer: C
If you had only three years left to live, how would you spend your time? It's a hard question and few of us would even like to think about it. But 18-year-old Huang Ge has to answer this question and he says, "I want to thank the people who have helped me." At the age of one, Huang's mother left the family. Six years later, he was badly ill. He has been using a wheelchair since 9 years old. Doctors said he would only live to 18.After Huang's story went on TV, hundreds of people sent money to help him. The boy was so moved that he decided to thank every one of them. But he has to be tied to his wheelchair. And the family can only afford a three-wheeled motorcycle . Since 2003, the father and son have traveled 14,000 kilometers, to 10 provinces, and thanked more than 30 helpers. "I am moved by the story of the boy. We need the courage to face death, and we should also show our gratefulness to those who help us," says an online post on CCTV. com. Huang and his father took a _ to thank the helpers. A. train B. ship C. motorcycle D. bus Answer: C. motorcycle The items listed below were found in a science classroom. * a heart made of plastic with many of its parts labeled * clay formed to look like Earth and other planets * a giant plastic plant cell with removable cell parts These items are all examples of A. models B. experiments C. variables D. controls Answer: A. models When you hear the words "streets dancer", what is the picture that appears in your head? For most people, it is a picture of a person wearing unusual clothes with a hat on his head, dancing to the music in a cool way. For example, a person who wears a large T-shirt dances on the street. Clearly, clothes those street dancers wear show their personalities and clothing styles. Now let us take a look at street dancers' clothing styles. Tops If you look into the clothing styles of street dancers, you will notice that there is a large difference between the tops that men and women wear. For men, they often wear a large T-shirt with probably a jacket at times. However, for women, they often wear tank tops (T) . Bottoms Today, the street dancers still prefer wearing large jeans and a lot of men also wear Capri pants . However, women start to wear mini skirts or shorts. Nowadays knee-high socks are also a popular new look for the women. Footwear For any street dancer, shoes are important. Any pair of shoes that produces the slightest sound can destroy the performance. So they need a pair of shoes that allows them to move freely. In fact, street dancers' clothing has to be something that allows for a lot of comfort and that shows personalities. The two points are important for any street dancer. Without those things, it is difficult for street dancers to perform well and show their personalities. What do you think about the clothing style of street dancers? Maybe you like it or maybe you don't. Anyway, people have different ideas of beauty. According to this passage the street dancers' shoes should be _ . A. those that can't make any sound B. cheap rather than comfortable C. those that could make pleasant sounds D. paid less attention to for they are not important Answer: A. those that can't make any sound Buckingham Palace is in London, England. Buckingham Palace is famous because Queen Elizabeth of England lives there. She became queen in 1952. Buckingham Palace is a big and beautiful building. Queen Elizabeth and her family live on the second floor of the palace. The queen also has her office at the palace. Queen Elizabeth often asks important people to eat dinner at the palace. She invites 9,000 people to each party! Buckingham Palace is like a small town. It has a police station, a hospital, two post offices, a movie theatre, a swimming pool, two sports clubs, a garden and a lake. The palace has about six hundred rooms. About four hundred people work there. Two people have very _ jobs. They take care of the clocks. There are 300 clocks in Buckingham Palace. Queen Elizabeth's day starts at 7:00 in the morning. Seven people take care of her. One person prepares her bath, and another person prepares her clothes. Another person takes care of her dogs. The queen loves dogs. It's very interesting to have dinner at Buckingham Palace. You have to follow rules. Queen Elizabeth starts to eat first, and then everybody eats. When the queen finishes eating, everybody finishes eating. You can't leave the table during dinner. People visit the rooms in Buckingham Palace in August and September. There are wonderful things to see. Don't forget that Queen Elizabeth is one of the richest people in the world. Which sentence is NOT true? A. We can guess the clocks in Buckingham Palace are very important. B. Buckingham Palace is a palace and a home, too. C. People can visit Buckingham Palace all year round . D. Queen Elizabeth can swim or do other sports. Answer: C. People can visit Buckingham Palace all year round . There once was a business man named Red. Red owned his own business. He had his very own movie store. There are food stores, sporting goods stores, and even radio stores, but Red owned a movie store. Many people visited his movie store and watched a lot of movies. There were many different types of movies in his store. He had funny movies about dogs. He had scary movies about monsters. He had action movies about cops and even had silly movies about grown-ups. His movie store was known for its paint job. The paint job was the color red. It was not blue, purple, or yellow. The people in the town loved his red movie store and Red the movie store guy loved them. He gave them all the movies they could ever want. They kept watching his movies and soon Red opened another movie store. Red had two red movie stores and people loved watching his movies. Red even had popcorn at his movie store. He did not have ice cream, candy, or soda pop and this made people very sad. What did Red have in his movie store? A. Popcorn B. Soda Pop C. Ice Cream D. Candy Answer: A. Popcorn
The year of 2014 saw smart people always busy inventing useful things, which have hepled to make the world better, smarter and a little for fun. Now, let's take a look at some of the inventions. Super banana Australian biogeneticist James Dale visited Uganda, a poor African country, in the early 2000s, where he found that 15-30 percent of children under 5 were at risk of going blind because they did not get enough Vitamin A. Dale also learned that people there love bananas. They eat three to 11 bananas a day. So he came up with the idea to plant bananas containing added nutrition in order to improve Ugandans' health. With the help of Bill Gates' foundation, Dale developed the "super banana". He added a gene to the fruit, making it rich in Vitamin A. Coaching basketball Basketball is popular worldwide, partly because you only need a hoop and a ball to play the game. But this simple game has experienced a technology makeover this year with the development of a smart-sensor basketball. The ball, called the 94Fifty Basketball, has nine sensors inside. They can tell you anything from how fast you are going to how accurate your shot angles are. With a Bluetooth chip inside, the basketball can connect to your smartphone and tell you in the voice of a coach to "snap your wrist ", or"go faster", depending on the data. The Hovercraft Thanks to the California-based company Hendo, flying past your friends on a floating board could soon become a reality. The Hovercraft has four small engines. These create a special magnetic field which produce enough force to lift the board off the ground. At the moment, the hoverboard can only float an inch off the ground for 15 minutes and must fly over a metal material. It's expensive too, at $10,000 (61,810 yuan), but the company hopes that one day the technology could be used. Wireless electricity Most of us could not bear to live without wireless Internet. We use it every day for everything from our phones to our cars. But one company wants to go a step further, by combining wireless technology with electricity. That's right, no more tangled wires and no more having to sit and hold your cell phone near a power socket in the corner of the room. WiTricity, a US company, has invented technology that can power objects up to 2.4 meters away. It uses a special plug-in coil that creates a magnetic field! What is the biggest advantage of the 94Fifty Basketball? A. The sensors hidden inside can help players run faster in a game. B. It can help players to improve their shooting and ball handling skills. C. It allows players to connect to their smartphones while playing basketball. D. The bluetooth chip inside allows its users to listen to music while playing basketball. Answer: B. It can help players to improve their shooting and ball handling skills. "Everybody loves a bargain." One person's useless, ugly, or broken object can be another person's bargain. That is why so many Americans do not throw things away. They put them outside their houses. They put on a "For Sale" sign. And, as simple as that, they have a yard sale. The sellers put a paid announcement in a local newspaper. It tells when and where the yard sale will take place. These sales are very popular during weekends in spring, summer, and autumn. Early in the morning, all the things to be sold are carried out of the house. Then they sit all day in the sunlight---like tired guests at a party---waiting for someone to take them home. Just about anything can be sold at a yard sale. Sometimes, there are more clothes than anything else. Cooking equipment is also popular. So are old toys, tools, books, tables and chairs. Then there are objects called "white elephants". A white elephant is something you think is extremely ugly or useless. It may be an electric light shaped like a fish. You feel a sharp pain whenever you look at it. To someone else, however, it might be a thing of beauty and joy. Some people go to yard sales to find a special thing that they collect. It may be old toy trains, for example, or painting of dogs. Experts say more Americans are collecting old things now than ever before. Most people who go to yard sales, however, are not looking for anything special. They might buy an object simply because it costs so little. They enjoy negotiating over prices, even if they really do not need the object. Later, they may hold their own yard to sell all the things they have bought. Which of the following is NOT true about a yard sale? A. It may not be held when the weather is very cold. B. It can last for a whole day. C. It is usually held with a party. D. It is held outdoors. Answer: C. It is usually held with a party. Fifteen people were killed and 38 others injured in a road accident early Wednesday morning in Ens hi, Central China's Hu bei Province. The bus, travelling from Wanzhou in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality to Shen zhen in South China's Guangdong Province, had 53 _ on board,three more than permitted. At around 1 am on Wednesday, the bus increased speed gradually on a curve and plunged more than 30 metres into a valley below. Thirteen people, including one of the two drivers, died at once. Two others died on the way to hospital. Although the cause of the accident is still unclear, the local police said the driver paid no attention to the official warning signs on the expressway . It hit a section which had been closed as a result of snow. Because of the cold weather and icy roads,the expressway had been closed by police since Tuesday morning. But the bus drivers took the dangerous route, paying no attention to the warnings. The rescue team, which included more than 30 medical workers and 120 local villagers,joined together and rushed to the scene at the news of the accident. By 5 am, all of the injured had been sent to three local hospitals for emergency treatment. A hospital source said most of the patients were in a stable condition but a few were still in danger. According to a 2009 national public opinion poll, traffic accidents ranked as people's third biggest security concern. When the accident took place, _ . A. the bus was on the way to Shenzhen B. most of the passengers were sound asleep C. all the passengers were given immediate rescue D. it was snowing hard Answer: A. the bus was on the way to Shenzhen My 6-year-old granddaughter Caitlin and I stopped at a shop for a chocolate cake. As we were going out of the door, a young teenage boy was coming in. The boy had no hair on the sides of his head and some blue hair on top. He held a skateboard under one arm and a basketball under the other. Caitlin, who was walking in front of me, stopped when she saw the teen. I thought she'd be scared of him. I was WRONG. She backed up against the door and opened it as wide as it would go. I walked to the other side and let the boy pass. He said: "Thank you very much." On our way to the car, I talked with Caitlin about holding open the door for the boy. I wanted to make sure whether she was troubled by his appearance. But the only thing Caitlin noticed about the teen was the fact that his arms were full. "He would have had a hard time to open the door." I saw the shaved head and the blue hair. She saw a person carrying something under each arm and walking toward a closed door. In the future, I hope to get on her level and raise my sights. What surprised Grandma was that Caitlin _ . A. only noticed that the teen needed help B. was also troubled by the hairstyle of the teen C. had the same hobby as the teen D. decided to make the same hairstyle as the teen Answer: A. only noticed that the teen needed help prefix = st1 /Pennsylvania--When Connie Beck and her husband awoke to strange noises last weekend, they thought high winds were rattling their home. What they found was even more unexpected: A deer was taking a bubble bath in their bathtub. " _ ," Mrs. Beck said. "We were just waking up." The deer burst through the front door early on Saturday, ran past the couple's bedroom and into the bathroom. Somehow he managed to turn on the water in the bathtub and knock over a bottle of bubble bath into the bathtub. He then got himself into the bubbly water. "You could hear the water running over the kicking," Beck said. The Becks called State Game Commission officials, who arrived with tranquilizers and a lot of laughter. "A guy said, 'There's nothing wrong... he's just in there taking a bubble bath,'" Mrs. Beck said. The animal was soon brought under control, removed from the house and released. "He was unharmed except for a little cut above the eye," said Mrs. Beck. "We were also fortunate. There wasn't much damage, except for the front door, some marks on the tub, and a few hoof prints on the floor." When he was removed from the house, _ . A. the deer was set free B. the deer destroyed the tub and the floor C. the officials made fun of the couple D. the officials discovered the deer was badly injured in the eye Answer: A. the deer was set free
Question: Difference John and Bobby joined a company at the same time . They both worked very hard . After several years , Bobby became the manager , but John thought it was unfair , so he gave his resignation to the boss . When the boss found out the reason why John wanted to leave , he said , "I hope you will do one more thing for our company before you leave . " John agreed . The boss asked him to find out if anyone was selling watermelons at the market . John went and soon returned . He said he had found a man selling watermelons . The boss asked him how much they were . John shook his head and went back to the market . When he returned , he told the boss they were $ 1.2 per kg . Then the boss asked Bobby to find a watermelon seller at the market . Bobby went , returned and said , "Only one person is selling watermelons . $ 1.2 per kg , 340 melons in all , and each melon weighs about 2 kg . They are fresh . " John realized the difference between himself and Bobby . He decided not to leave but to learn from Bobby. Which of the following is TRUE ? A. Bobby thought it was unfair for John to give up his work . B. Both John and Bobby worked very hard . C. Bobby became the manager because the boss liked him . D. John left the company at last . Answer: B Question: When it comes to human resources, hiring highly-skilled staff is not usually enough for a company to function successfully. Besides the knowledge in their particular fields, employees must always have additional skills-----those of co-operation. In the case that work tasks can only be carried out by communicating with people, accepting common decisions, solving problems, sharing information and helping one another, teamwork skills are important. While some jobs may require talent, the ability to work as a team is learned. There are no complicated formulas ; you don't need to have any special qualities or exceptional mental abilities. Individuals can be effective as a team if they have developed certain behaviors or habits of communication. Many companies, clubs and organizations use team building activities. Team building activities may include a number of teamwork elements. They are aimed at encouraging active participation in task accomplishment while all members have their roles as individuals and are able to co-operate towards a common goal as a team. Many team building activities focus on problem solving and discussing team issues; thus argument as a way to common consensus is encouraged. Team building activities often involve recognition and identification of team member skills, talents, knowledge, and experiences which allow the team members to learn more about each other and fully utilize those skills where appropriate . Many team activities are focused on developing keys to trust during challenging times. In the author's opinion, which of the following is important for a company to be successful? A. Specialized knowledge. B. Highly-skilled staff. C. Exceptional talent. D. Teamwork skills. Answer: D Question: The majority of astronauts from America have been men. At the start of the space programme there was strong resistance from some people against having women in space. However, some women were very keen to become astronauts and in the end they were successful. In 1978, NASA began the first training programme for women astronauts. Judy Resnick and Christa McAuliffe were both astronauts and they were both women, but in many other ways they were very different. Both of them were on Flight STS-5L-L. Judy Resnick was born in 1949 and studied engineering at university and went on to obtain a PhD in 1977. She was a member of the first group of women selected for astronaut training in 1978, and in 1984, she became the second woman in space. During that flight, she helped to launch three new satellites and she carried out a programme of research. She was, in many ways, a professional astronaut whose whole life was devoted to space travel. Christa McAuliffe was born in 1948 and she was an astronaut almost by accident. In 1984, NASA decided to find a teacher who could accompany astronauts into space. They hoped that she would be able to communicate with students from space and encourage every one of them to be interested in space travel. Christa was a secondary teacher in history and social studies. She was a gifted teacher and she was selected from over 11,000 applicants to go on flight STS-51-L. She was also a very good communicator and she immediately established a very good relationship with the news media(radio, television and newspapers). It was partly because of this that there was a great deal of interest and excitement about the flight. Thousands of students in schools and universities all around the country were looking forward to communicating with Christa in space. Millions of people were watching her flight with great interest. It is partly because of the excitement over McAuliffe's place in the flight that the disaster in 1986 had such an effect on people. The reason why there was great interest in Flight STS-51-L is that _ . A. both Christa and Judy got PhD degrees in the same year B. a young secondary school teacher was on the flight C. students were going to learn more about space travel D. it was the first time for women to travel in space Answer: B Question: Mr Smith is an English teacher. He comes from America. He has a daughter. Her name is Amy, and she is a good engineer in New York. Mr Smith likes traveling very much, and he can speak Spanish very well. Now he is in China, so he wants to learn some Chinese. He works very hard at his Chinese, and goes to Chinese classes every evening. He has a lot of friends in China and they often help him. He likes to talk with them. He tells his daughter that he can speak good Chinese, and he doesn't have anytrouble with his Chinese, but the Chinese have a lot . Mr Smith works in _ . A. a hospital B. a police station C. a school D. a restaurant Answer: C Question: It was a beautiful spring morning. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the sun was warm but not too hot. Mr. White saw an old man at the bus stop with a big and black umbrella in his hand. Mr. White said to him, "Do you think it's going to rain today?" "No," said the old man, "I don't think so." "Then are you carrying the umbrella because the sun is too hot?" "No, the sun is not very hot in spring." Mr. White looked at the big umbrella again, and the man said, "I am old man, and my legs are not very strong. I must have a walking-stick. But people will say, 'Look, the man is so old, and I don't like that.' When I carry an umbrella in fine weather, people only say, 'look at that stupid man.'" There was something wrong with the old man's _ . A. head B. arms C. legs D. feet Answer: C
Hurricane Babette reached the northeastern United States today and caused death and destruction everywhere. The killer storm carried winds of 135 miles per hour. The high winds and heavy rains, together with the force of the Atlantic Ocean, created extremely dangerous waves. It is not yet known how many people died or were hurt in this storm, but it is said that the numbers will be very high. The damage to homes, business and crops will run into billions of dollars. Now that the storm is over, the long, slow rebuilding will begin. With the arrival of the tornado season, the National Weather Service is again telling people how to protect themselves from these deadly storms. The winds from tornadoes are the most violent winds on earth. They can blow up to 400 miles per hour. A tornado looks like a funnel . It is also very loud. It may sound like a train coming at you. In fact, the winds from a tornado can pick up a train and throw it around. If a tornado is seen in your area, it is very important that you protect yourself. A basement is the safest place to go. Try to wait under a table in the basement. If your building does not have a basement, stay on the ground floor but lie flat under a bed or table. Stay away from windows. If you are outside or in your car, try to find a narrow place to lie down in. As the area tries to deal with the worst flood of the century, there are many heartwarming stories of people helping other people. From all over the world people have sent food and clothes to help the thousands who have had to leave their homes. Many volunteers have come to help to make sandbags and use them to build walls against the overflowing river. While the result of this disaster will be terrible for many, it is beautiful to see people coming together to help others and save lives, and property . What are the three short passages about? Answer: Newspaper articles about the weather. Which of the following is a trait that a dog does NOT inherit from its parents? Answer: the size of its appetite How difficult change is depends a lot on your attitude towards it and your resistance to it. Your attitude to change can make the whole transformation process much easier. Imagine change as a pair of shoes and this will help you understand change and how it works. I am sure that you have ever had a comfortable pair of shoes in your life. A pair of shoes is so comfortable that you really don't want to get rid of them. You know you need a new pair, and may even have them, but you don't want to wear them because you are comfortable with your current pair. Besides, the new pair may hurt your feet, give you blisters or be awkward to wear to start with. So, you resist the new shoes. However, you know that this new pair would be much better for your feet, and after the initial discomfort they would probably be even more comfortable, yet you still resist. Do you know I'm doing this now? I'm wearing my comfortable shoes and they feel good. They have a hole in each heel, and the sole is starting to fall off, but I'm persisting in wearing them. This describes change exactly; change of our habits, change of our thought patterns. We stick with the old patterns because they are comfortable. Yet once we get over the initial pain of the transformation, the new pattern will be comfortable and feel good until the time comes when we need another new pair of shoes. Why do people prefer old shoes to new ones? Answer: They are more comfortable. Long ago ,there lived in Greece a learned man. He was so well known for his good knowledge of almost everything that lots of people from all over the country came to learn from him. The great man taught his students whole-heartedly and answered their questions with great patience. One day a student asked him, " My dear teacher, didn't you say you yourself have many ,many more questions about things than we do? But I think we students have far more than you." With a smile on his face, the teacher drew two circles ,one as large as a big cake, the other smaller. Then he said , "Of course, I have learned much more. But it's wrong to think that a teacher has fewer questions than his students. Now, look at these two circles. The inside of the bigger one is my knowledge of things, and the inside of the smaller one is yours. Out of the circles is what is still unknown to us. Since mine is larger, I have to use the longer line to draw the bigger circle. That means I have more opportunities to face what is still unknown. And that's why I myself have more questions than you do. The more you learn , the more questions you have. You will never learn enough ,you know." The teacher was famous for his _ . Answer: knowledge Cinderella Once upon a time, there lived an unhappy young girl. She was unhappy, for her mother died several years ago, and her father married another woman. The woman had two daughters. They were her stepsisters (/)now. Her new mother didn't like her. All the nice dresses, shoes, delicious food, kind thoughts and care were for her own daughters. For the poor unhappy girl, there was nothing at all. No dresses, only her stepsisters' hand-me-downs . No lovely dishes and no nice rests. For she had to work hard all day, and only when evening came, she could sit for a while by the fire, near the cinders (,). That is how she got her nickname-Cinderella. All the good things were for _ . Answer: her stepsisters
Charlie works in a post office. His father lost his job five years ago and his mother is often ill. And he has two brothers and a sister. He works hard and tries his best to buy enough food for his family. Last month his family had to move to an old house outside the city. It's farther from the post office and he has to get up early in the morning in order to catch the 6:30 train. The head of his office is strict and everybody has to get there on time. He knows what it'll mean if he's late. A friend of his had pity on him and lent his old car to him. The young man was happy and from then on he could go to work by car. Last Saturday Charlie went to buy some medicine for his mother. Bad luck! When he came out of the shop, he couldn't find the car. He was quite worried and began to look for it in front of the shop but he didn't find it. Suddenly he saw a woman parked a car there and hurried into the shop. Charlie saw the car wasn't locked. He got on it and drove it at once. He was afraid the loser would run after him and drove fast. A truck hit it at a crossing and he lost consciousness. This morning the young man came back to life and saw there were a few policemen standing by his bed. He asked, "Where am I?" "In Room 103." "In hospital or in prison ?" Charlie was afraid _ , so he drove fast. A to be late B to meet the red lights C to be caught by the loser D to miss the 6:30 train Answer: C "A rolling stone gathers no moss ," but there is one living animal that does gather moss -- the three-toed sloth of South America. This slowest-moving member of the animal kingdom is so inactive that moss actually gathers on its body and turns it green -- strange as it seems! Most of the sloth's life is spent motionless, hanging upside down from a limb . And that is the way its hair grows. Long and coarse, the strands from receptacles for the damp jungle algae turn the brown fur a mossy green. Actually this moss helps the animal survive because it serves as a perfect camouflage against the leafy trees and hides the sloth from the jungle's swift-moving hunters. The sloth would have little chance of survival on the ground. With long, curved claws hooded over the limb of a leafy tree, it spends the long hot hours during the day drowsing and eating. Inch by inch, it strips the leafy limbs bare and crawls slowly down the trunk to find a new dining spot, but only at night. In addition to looking rather like a vegetable, the sloth is a strict vegetarian. Running out of its favorite leaf is about the only thing that will make a sloth move. Then its appetite may even force the animal into swimming a stream to reach a succulent . It will also force it into fighting to keep the tree all to itself. The sloth is lazy and prefers to be alone, but it will tolerate its own s! Which of the following is NOT true about the sloth? A The sloth does not eat any meat. B For most of its time, the sloth remains motionless on the ground. C To some degree, the sloth is protected by the moss growing on its body. D The sloth has a brown fur of its own. Answer: B If you are visiting England, you will notice that English have many customs and traditions that are different from those in China. This guide provides help for anyone visiting England for the first time. Standing in the queue English people like to form queue.They think it is the fair way to behave.People wait in a queue in shops and at bus stops.People will think you are very rude if you don't join the queue. Please, Thank You, Excuse Me and Sorry It is good manners to say "please" and "thank you".If someone is in your way and you would like them to move, say "excuse me" and they will move.If you bump into someone or you are in their way say "sorry".They will probably say "sorry", too, even if it was your mistake.Saying "sorry" does not always mean you think you were wrong.Someone it is just a polite thing to say. Meeting a new person When people meet for the first time, the usual custom is to shake hands.The next time you meet that person, you can just say hello.English people don't usually hug or kiss unless they know each other really well. Talking to people English people find it difficult to start conversations with strangers.They like to be private so if they are on buses or trains, they usually sit as far away from other people as possible.If you want to start a conversation, the topic that English people are always happy to talk about is the weather.So you need to be able to say "Isn't it warm (sunny/windy/wet/foggy) today?" or "Do you think it's going to rain/clear up?" This is much better than asking about politics, religion or how much people earn! What will you say if you are in someone's way? A Thank you. B Please. C Excuse Me. D Sorry. Answer: D A bowling ball sitting motionless on a table exerts a downward force on the table. The force exerted by the table must be A equal to the force of the ball. B continually changing with the ball. C greater than the force of the ball. D less than the force of the ball. Answer: A Mark Twain was a famous American writer in his day. He liked to play jokes on his friends. One day one of his friends lost his wallet and asked Mark Twain to pay his train ticket for him. "But I don't have enough money to pay both your ticket and mine," Mark Twain said. The friend didn't know what to do. "We can do this," said Mark Twain." We can get on the train and when the conductor came to check the tickets , you can hide under my seat." Later, however, when the conductor came to check the tickets, Mark Twain gave him two tickets --- one for himself and one for his friend . Then he explained in aloud voice," My friend is a strange man. When he travels on a train, he does not like to sit on the seat." Of course everyone in the train looked at the poor friend under the seat and laughed at him loudly. Twain told his friend that _ . A he didn't know what to do B he would buy a ticket for him C the conductor wouldn't check the tickets D he hadn't enough money for two tickets Answer: D
You can have your adventure and eat too at Europe's first green restaurant where traditional German food is served in a beautifully lit wooden hilltop restaurant powered by solar energy at a height of 1,025 metres among tall trees in the Black Forest. The Rappenecker Hutte is a 350-year-old farm house in south Germany which has been serving as a hikers' restaurant for several years. It was the starting point of the downhill course of the Mountain Bike World Championship (MBWC) in 1995 and is a well-known station of the Black Forest Ultra Bike Marathon (BFUBM). "People come here for adventure trips, mountain biking or hiking and stop for traditional German food. We produce all our energy from renewable sources as it is very expensive to get a power grid connection at this site," said Dirk Behringer, owner of the Rappenecker Hutte. Like the restaurant, the story of its present owner is equally amazing as Behringer, 57, left his well-paid job in 2003 to stay here with his wife. "I have traveled across the world and as I was growing old I realized I wanted to retire and live in nature. So I rented the restaurant. Since then I, along with my wife, live here in summer and we travel during winter," said the six-foot-tall man dressed in a T-shirt and shorts. Due to heavy snow during winter, the restaurant opens only for six months from April to September when it receives around 500 guests per week. The Behringer couple has employed no helper and does everything from cooking to cleaning at this hilltop restaurant which gives a picturesque view of the Black Forest. There are not many dishes on the menu for unexpected visitors. On a routine basis, there is one vegetarian dish which includes fried potatoes with dense milk cream, boiled vegetables and fresh salad. The non-vegetarian dish includes fried potatoes with pork and salad. There are also options to pick from fresh juices, hard drinks and coffee. All vegetables, fruits, dairy products and meat supplies to the restaurant come from farms in nearby villages. According to Dirk Behringer, his restaurant _ . Answer: Which would likely displace a desert? Answer: I'm going to have a great weekend. I'll go across Canada with my parents by car. We'll drive seven or eight hours a day. In Toronto, we'll stay in a big hotel. The food is very delicious. There's a big swimming pool and a lot of game rooms. I think I'll play there happily. But there'll be lots of people in the hotel, so I think we'll sleep in one room. And it's expensive. Then we are going to stay in a small cabin in the mountains. I really love it. The cabin is clean and quiet. We'll have two rooms, so I can get up late in the morning. But we have to get up early because we want to go swimming. There is a beautiful lake near the cabin. We also can go fishing and cook food outside. What do you think is the best title of the passage? Answer: Greg Lyons waited nine years for the opportunity to donate bone marrow . The man had to wait an additional year to finally meet the little girl whose life his donation helped save. That meeting finally too place earlier this fall in the prefix = st1 /Charlotte,Mich, home of Alissa Christie. Lyons first volunteered to donate bone marrow while giving blood for a boy in need. But nine years passed and Lyonsadmittedly forgot that he was on the donor list--until he got a call in May 2005. Lyons was informed that he was a perfect one-in-seven-million match for a 7-year-old girl. For the next seven weeks, Lyonswent through a series of tests- including several blood tests as well as a lung x-ray to determine whether he was fit to donate. On July 7, 2005, Lyons was checked in to WestPennHospital, where the bone marrow was taken. One half liter of bone marrow was taken during the two-hour operation. The bone marrow was then immediately given to the girl. In August, Lyonsreceived a telephone call from the mother of the girl, Monica Christie, who gave him permission to meet the girl "Her mother cried on the telephone," Lyonssaid. Late last month, Lyons made the 7-hour drive to Michiganto meet Alissa, who is now 8 years old and said he planned to stay in touch with the family. "One chapter ended and another chapter began," said Lyons. According to the passage, to find a perfect match bone marrow for Alissa is _ . Answer: As a new driver with little experience behind the wheel, having to turn into another lane to avoid a careless driver talking on a cellphone is not something that I am prepared for. According to theNew England Journal of Medicine, an accident is four times more likely to happen than normal while you are talking on the phone. Therefore, I hold the view that using a cellphone while driving should be outlawed(......). Cars are two-ton weapons and should be treated as such. When drivers put a key in the engine, they are taking on the responsibility of being a driver. Answer the phone while driving is like taking the safety off a gun -- at any moment something could go wrong and change a life forever. A few countries, including Australia, Great Britain, Spain and Israel, have _ the damage that cellphone use can cause. According to Tom Alex of The Des Moines Register, people who talk on cellphones while driving are just like drunk drivers. They are likely to make a deadly mistake, causing them to hurt themselves or someone else. Some may think that cellphone are helpful when you need directions or are in an emergency situation. Although I agree, I believe the safest way to use your phone is to pull over to the side of the road first. Some may think that hands-free phones are less dangerous, but studies have shown that the danger remains the same with these. Using a cellphone while driving should be outlawed. One small mistake could change your whole life. Please don't let that happen -- stay off your cellphone while driving. It can be inferred that the writer _ . Answer:
As we all know, children are our future, and it's up to us to arm them with the tools to succeed. Sadly, today's children are sometimes being armed with more dangerous tools like weapons, drugs and gangs in the USA. Once a relatively peaceful environment, many schoolyards of today are becoming unsafe for both students and teachers. Home schools are available to give you choices. Home schooling provides top-quality education, flexibility and freedom to create your own schedule. At Sunny Home School we believe the choice should be yours. Thanks to modern technology, home schooling information is becoming readily available across the nation. A recent study by the ITBS (Iowa Tests of Basic Skills) and TAP (Tests of Achievement and Proficiency) shows us that students of home schools do particularly well when compared with the nationwide average. In every subject at every grade level, students of home schooling scored obviously higher than those in public and private schools. If you're new to home schooling, you may be asking yourself, "Will home schools really work for my children?" Fact: A nationwide study using a random selection of 1,516 families found students of home schooling to be scoring, on average, at or above the 80thpercentile (80) in all areas, on standardized achievement test. (Note: The national average on standardized achievement test is the 50thpercentile.) Collectively, the staff at Sunny Home School brings 65 years of experience in home schooling curriculum. We've placed students in the top 2% of the nation in math and many are successfully moving on to college. One study found that of the home schooled students, 94% said home education prepared them to be independent persons. For more home schooling information, call us today toll free at (1800)542-8668. All of the following are true of home schools EXCEPT _ . A students are free to choose their courses B students do well in their important courses C they help students find jobs D they help students to be independent Answer: C Gavin Joseph, a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome, was beaten up by a group of people for just being different. Asperger's Syndrome is a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to socialize. But instead of putting them into prison for what they did to him, Gavin offered them a chance to become more tolerant and understanding. On Thursday night, some kids were talking about how "it's weird " that he is always by himself, attending events alone and watching people, and it was "creepy" that he wanted to be friends with people he didn't know. On Friday night, another kid that overheard that conversation decided to take matters into his own hands and become judge and jury, and this is the result of that. He didn't ask questions, didn't get to know Gavin, never met him, and didn't give him a chance to leave. Gavin was called to meet someone, surrounded by people he didn't know, choked, punched , and left lying on the pavement so he would "learn his lesson". Gavin emerged from the attack with a concussion , a fractured nose, a bruised esophagus and some damage to his eyes, but thankfully, none of the injuries resulted in permanent damage. But here's the truly amazing part -- Gavin refused to press charges against the people who did this to him. Instead of wanting to see them punished, he wants to see them educated. Gavin asked that his attackers do community service that is disability-related. According to his mother, Gavin also asked that they watch a 20-minute video statement he taped while their families were present so they could see the damage they did and hear the event from his perspective. "If you are reading this, I hope you talk to your teens," his mother wrote. "Tell them about disabilities you can't see, teach them to be tolerant of people that are different, teach them that if they continuously see someone alone that maybe it is not their choice to be alone, remind them to ask questions first and get to know one another." We can conclude that Gavin's way of reacting was_. A interesting B praiseworthy C disappointing D unreasonable Answer: B It is a fine Sunday morning. There're many Young Pioneers in the park. They are having a good time . Some are playing games under a tree. Some are singing and dancing near the river. Some are running up the hill. Others are boating on the river. Where's Li Lei? He's sitting on a chair by the river. What is he doing? He's reading. Where are Lucy and Lily? They're on the meadow .What are they doing? They are running after a butterfly .They want to catch it. Where is Li Lei? _ A He's sitting on the river. B He's reading by the river. C He's drawing on the chair. D He's boating on the river. Answer: B I'm Bolivia Williams, a students at Bard College. I was the only person in my family who was Facebook friends with my mom, Rynn, when she died four years ago. At that time, my brother and sister were still young. As soon as we got the news that she died, I thought it would be an easy way to let everyone know what happened. Right after I posted the news, so many people offered their help and shared stories about her. I like to visit my mom's page to tell her things that I'm doing and I like to look at her pictures there. I sing with the Brooklyn Youth Chorus ,and we did a concert for the tenth anniversary of 9/11,which was also my mom's birthday. It was an unforgettable day. I posted, "You will be proud of me--I will sing at the site of the World Trade Center tomorrow. I know you will be looking down, smiling. "When I'm writing to her, it feels like I'm still here. In the beginning, I wasn't sure how to face my mom's death. But I've grown up now. I haven't been on my mom's page for a month, but I would miss _ if it were gone. Her page allows me to think that she's still here. I used to go to my mom's page to look at her pictures, which would make me feel really sad, Now, when I visit it, I smile more often than cry. ,. What does the writer do when visiting her mother's page? A She posts her mother's pictures. B She talks with her mother. C She writes what she is doing. D She sings for her mother. Answer: C In our town, there is a big zoo with a lot of animals in it. There are some beautiful tigers and two old lions. They eat a lot of meat every day. There are also two big elephants and one baby elephant. The elephants are kind animals. They eat a lot every day. They like children. Children often give them bread and bananas. Elephants like bananas best. In our zoo there are also brown bears , black bears and white bears. They stand on their hind legs,hold up their fore legs and ask for food. They like cakes very much. There's also a children's corner in our zoo. Children ride horses and donkeys and watch the monkeys there. The monkeys are very funny. They climb up ropes and jump down again and play with each other(,) like small children. ,. Why do bears stand on their hind legs? A They are tired and want to have a rest. B They want to jump out. C They want to ask for food. D They want to sleep. Answer: C
Question: Just three years since Lady Gaga had her first US number one single, the pop star has claimed the top spot in Forbes magazine's annual Celebrity 100 list. The popular star moved up four positions from last year and has knocked TV chat show host Oprah Winfrey of the top spot. But how has the singer become such a global phenomenon in such a short space of time ? Two experts in music, fashion and social networking give their opinions. George Ergatoudis ----Head of Music Radio1 " The key thing is Lady Gaga realized by using all the current social networking sites, and connecting that with her fashion, she has become an all-round star. Every time she goes out the door she looks different. She's getting photographed, she's aware of that and she's using it by updating her look literally on a daily basis. Another key thing wat that quite early on, her record label was showing how gifted she is as a musician. The music she makes, the songs she writes and the production she has are all brilliant contemporary pop music. She literally is turning into a global superstar." Calum Brannan ---Co-Founder of social Networking support company crowd Control HQ "Social media is a reflection of what we love, so people are becoming very good at sharing exactly what they love and the brands and musicians they love. The fact she has 10 million Twitter followers and 30million Facebook fans is a massive reflection on Lady Gaga and the influence she has. Once out there, Twitter and Facebook help keep that person's profile alive. Her fans are always talking about her and sharing everything she does even when she's not on stage or in concert. I think even if she wasn't on Facebook and Twitter, her fans and followers would put her there anyway. But the most important thing is,she is on there and she's using them." What can be the best title for the text? A. What is Lady Gaga's life like ? B. What has Lady Gaga achieved ? C. Why is Lady Gaga so popular ? D. Why is lady Gaga using Facebook ? Answer: C. Why is Lady Gaga so popular ? Question: Here is an interview with a painter. Read and choose the best. Reporter:Mr Shum, you were one of Taiwan's most outstanding youths last year. Why was that? Mr Shum:Well, I can tell you that there are two reasons.First, I am a painter. Second, and more important reason is I am handicapped . I have no arms and only one leg. Reporter:Well, how do you paint then if you've got no arms? Do you use your foot? Mr Shum:Hah! For some handicapped people, it's true and they are able to use their feet.No,I use my mouth. I put my paintbrush or my crayons or pencils or whatever I am using in my mouth. I hold it _ in my teeth and paint or draw like that. It was a little strange for me at first, but it quickly became very easy. Reporter:I know you feel that you are first a painter and only secondly that you are a disablbed person, but can we talk first about your handicap? Mr Shum:Well,in fact I think of myself firstly as a person, secondly as a painter and thirdly as someone with a physical handicap. Can I say that I am not happy with the word "handicapped"? I am a popular painter because my paintings are good, not because they were painted by a handicapped person. "handicapped"means you can't do anything. It is difficult for me to do some things like getting dressed. Reporter: Were you born with your handicap? Mr Shum:No. An accident happened to me when I was 15 years old.After that I became depressed and even tried to end my life, but my mother was always there for me. Mr Shum is a painter who has no _ . A. mouth B. teeth C. feet D. arms Answer: D. arms Question: Every year, it costs British students more and more to attend university. Students are graduating with larger and larger debts. So is a college degree really worth it? In 2006, the UK government started to allow universities in England and Wales to charge British students tuition fees. As a result, more than 80 percent of students in England and Wales now take out a student loan in order to go to university. They use the loan to pay for tuition fees and living expenses. Although the interest on student loans is quite low, it begins as soon as the student receives the loan. The average student in England and Wales now graduates from university with a debt of around PS12,000 (122,952 yuan). It means graduates have to struggle to pay rent on a flat, because they have to start paying back the student loan when they reach April after graduating. If you start to earn over PS15,000 (153,630 yuan) a year, the government takes repayments directly from your monthly salary. You might think that a person with a degree would find it easy to get a well-paid job. However, most people in "white collar jobs" seem to have a degree, so there is a lot of competition. Also, British companies tend to value work experience over . All of the above is beginning to make British people question whether a university degree is really worth the money. Even before the credit crisis started, the BBC stated: "The number of British students at UK universities has fallen for the first time in recent history, from 1.97 million in 2007 to 1.96 million last year." Meanwhile, the British universities offer more and more of the available places to richer international students rather than poorer British students. What does the future hold for British higher education? What might be the reason that the number of British students at UK universities falls? A. It's harder and harder for them to get a degree. B. The credit crisis has great influnce on their families' income. C. College education costs them too much. D. The competition to become a "white collar" is too fiece. Answer: C. College education costs them too much. Question: In Vietnam, Tet-Trung-Thu, or the Mid-Autumn Festival, is one of the most popular family holidays. It is held on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. Vietnamese families plan their activities around their children on this special day. In a Vietnamese folk story, parents were working so hard to prepare for the harvest that they left the children playing by themselves. To make up for that time, the parents would use the Mid-Autumn Festival as a chance to show their love and thanks for their children. As a result, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the Children's Festival. In the United States, this tradition continues in many Vietnamese-American families. Activities are often centered on children and education. Parents buy lanterns for their children so that they can take part in a candle and lantern parade at dawn. Lanterns mean brightness, while the parade means success in school. Vietnamese markets sell a variety of lanterns, but the most popular children's lantern is the star lantern. Other children's activities include arts and crafts in which children make face masks and lanterns. Children also perform traditional Vietnamese dances for adults and take part in contests for prizes. Unicorn dancers are also very popular. Like Chinese people, Vietnamese parents tell their children folk stories and serve moon cakes and other special treats under the bright moon. A favorite folk story is about a carp that wanted to become a dragon. The carp worked and worked and finally changed itself into a dragon. Parents use this story to encourage their children to work hard so that they can become whatever they want to be. In both Vietnam and China, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, people would _ . A. eat moon cakes B. buy lanterns for children C. take part in contests D. buy a carp Answer: A. eat moon cakes Question: There are two main kinds of sports. These two kinds of sports are team sports and individual sports. Team sports are such sports as baseball,basketball and volleyball. Team sports need two separate teams. The teams play against each other. They compete against each other in order to get the best score. For example, in a football game, if Team A gets 7 points and Team B gets 3 points,Team A wins the game. Team sports are sometimes called competitive sports. Besides team sports, there is another main type of sporting activity. It's individual sports. In individual sports there are no teams. People play individual sports such as swimming, skiing and running. Of course, it is possible to compete in individual sports. It is possible to keep a score in individual sports. The main difference, however, between team sports and individual sports is that team sports always require more than one person. _ is an example of individual sports. A. Handball B. The high jumping C. Soccer D. Volleyball Answer: B. The high jumping
12-year-old Robert Looks Twice appears to be the typical all-American boy. He is the quarterback of his school's football team, student council president and one of the top students in his class. But he hasn't forgotten his Lakota Sioux root. Unlike most children on the reservation , he keeps his hair long, a symbol of strength, and he performs at powwows , traditionally known as wacipis, where he is a champion of the traditional Lakota dance. Robert was inspired to start dancing by his grandfather, John Tail, who had a small role in the famous film about Indian Amercans, Dances with Wolves. Six years ago, John passed away, and Robert wears little wolves on his clothes in his memory. We are told that his last name, " Looks Twice", came about because his ancestors were cautious and always took a second look. Robert lives in a trailer with his grandmother, uncle and eight other cousins. When he gives us a tour, the trailer is falling apart. " It is getting ready to cave in ," says Robert about the kitchen floor. The family also put trash bags on the ceiling, because it's leaking. " When it rains it gets all my shirts wet," he says of another leak in his bedroom. Often the electricity goes off and the family have to use the burners on the stove to heat the house. This kind of poverty is typical of the reservation. The reservation is the third poorest county in America, and Robert's community, Manderson, is known for its high crime rate. But despite all the temptations of drugs and alcohol around him, Robert remain focused on being the first person in his family to go to college and then a very big dream. " I want to be the first Native American President," Robert said. " I want to build better houses and clean up the reservation, because it's bad. Get people off the drugs and alcohol and spend that money on their children. Build a better school and playground. Try to get a mall down here to help people get work." Unlike Robert, what do most children on the reservation do? Answer: As a teacher, my daily life includes driving to a new school so I'm usually unable to anticipate the day's events, good or bad! One day, I was teaching in a very difficult classroom. I was managing behavior all morning and by lunch time, I knew I needed coffee to even consider surviving the afternoon. So on my lunch break, I drove to a coffee shop nearby to get a cup of coffee. While returning to the car I realized I had locked my keys and my phone inside! I had about 15 minutes to get back to the school which was a good 4- or 5- minute drive away. I considered rushing back, but it being winter, I thought a fall on ice would only make the situation much worse. So I ran into a McDonald's and asked the man at the counter who happened to be the manager to please call me a taxi. I explained my situation to him, and I could tell by the look in his eyes, that he took pity. He hurried to the back to use the phone while I walked in the restaurant. I had less than 10 minutes to get back to my school at this point. The manager returned only to tell me that the taxi company had put him on hold and then the line got disconnected, and that he was now on hold again, but had not yet been able to ask for the taxi yet. Without a thought, he caught his coat and offered to drive me to the school. Immediately I followed him into his car and made it back into my classroom with 2 minutes left before the bell! While arriving at the school, I thanked this man endlessly. His calm behavior and kind nature made me think he was probably a wonderful manager to work for, and also a wonderful human being to have on his earth. This experience makes me realize that out of every hopeless situation, there is the chance for acts of kindness to happen, which can create an unimaginable impression to those who receive them. What kind of person is the manager? Answer: John woke up. It was Tuesday, and he was at home. He was still sleepy, but his alarm clock was ringing and he knew he had to be on time for school. He wished it were Saturday or Sunday. He yawned, got out of bed, and put on his slippers. Then, he walked to the bathroom, where he brushed his teeth and washed his face. Still in his pajamas, he went down to the kitchen. His mother, Sylvia, greeted him with a glass of orange juice and a big bowl of cereal. He was still kind of sleepy, but he drank his juice and ate his cereal. When John was done with his breakfast, he went upstairs and got his school clothes on. Then it was time to catch the bus to school. John hated the bus, because he was quiet and the bus was always loud. Plus there was always some kid who thought it was funny to make gross jokes or say bad words. Today, John was ready for the bus. With the sandwich and potato chips in his lunchbox, he had some cake he had made yesterday. He had used salt to make the cake instead of sugar. He knew it tasted horrible, and he was going to give a piece of cake to the first person who was bad on the bus, and he didn't even care if he got in trouble. His friends Anne, Margaret, and Charlotte were in on it, too. He sat in the house, a little excited, eating an apple and waiting until it was time to leave the house. It was time! He put on his shoes and left. What did John eat before leaving for school in the morning? Answer: You may have heard that a young man named Abner Doubleday invented the game known as baseball in Cooperstown, New York, during the summer of 1839. Doubleday then went on to become a Civil War hero, while baseball became America's beloved national pastime. Not only is that story untrue, it's not even in the ballpark( place for baseball).Doubleday was still at West Point in 1839, and he never claimed to have anything to do with baseball. In 1907, a special commission created by the sporting goods merchant and former major league player A. J. Spalding used weak evidence-namely the claims of one man, mining engineer Abner Graves-to come up with the Doubleday origin story. Cooperstown businessmen and major league officials would rely on the myth's lasting power in the 1930s, when they established the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in the village. As it turns out, the real history of baseball is a little more complicated than the Doubleday legend. References to games resembling baseball in the United States date hack to the 18th century .its most direct ancestors appear to be two English games: rounder a( a children's game brought to New England by the earliest colonists) and cricket. By the time of the American Revolution, variations of such games were being played on schoolyards and college campuses across the country. They became even more popular in newly industrialized cities where men sought work in the mid-19th century-.In September 1845, a group of New York City men founded the New York Knickerbocker Baseball Club .One of them would make a new set of rules that would form the basis for modern baseball. Cartwright's changes made the game faster-paced and more challenging from older games like cricket. In 1846, the Knickerbockers : played the first official game of baseball against a team of cricket players, beginning a new, uniquely American tradition. Why did the Doubleday origin story come up? Answer: If you remember taking class notes in longhand , there's a good chance you also remember more about a variety of topics than today's students do. A study investigated whether taking notes by hand helps you learn better than taking notes on a laptop. It was no contest. Study authors and psychologists Pam A. Mueller of Princeton University and Daniel M. Oppenheimer of the University of California- Los Angeles conducted three separate experiments involving a total of 327 students. All students got the same lectures, but some used laptops, and others took notes by hand. When it came to learning the concepts, the handwriters won. When it came to retrieving facts, the groups were comparable, except when given time to go home and look at their notes, at which point the handwriters did better. "Even when allowed to reviewnotes after a week's delay, participants who had taken notes with laptops performed worse on tests of both factual content and conceptual understanding," the study states. Learning suffered not because of "multitasking" or the distraction available to students using Wi-Fi- enabled laptops. In the lab, scientists allowed no extraneous activity. Students who paid attention and took deep notes on their laptop still didn't learn as well--in fact, the study suggests the thoroughness of their notes contributes to the problem. Laptop users tend to record long, _ quotes, which they type mindlessly. Handwriters are more selective. They "wrote significantly fewer words than those who typed," according to the study. By processing and selecting the more important information, they studied more efficiently, said researchers. Here's what's a bit frightening: When the laptop students were instructed to cut down or eliminate the verbatim note taking, they couldn't. The study adds to a ton of evidence that for learning, writing is better and that the hand has a "unique relationship with the brain when it comes to composing thoughts and ideas." Of course, the chance of persuading students to put away their laptops is probably zero. Many of them can't write longhand, a forgotten subject in many American schools, itself a source of controversy. So are we stuck with traditional classrooms and learning techniques if we want the brightest pupils? Perhaps not: Another possibility, some have suggested, is apps that permit handwriting on tablets, a compromise that students might accept. The reason why taking notes by hand is considerably better than taking notes on a laptop may be that _ . Answer:
"TODAY is a dream comes true. I have always wanted to be a Grand Slam champion." These are the words of Chinese tennis player Li Na after she became the first Asian woman to win a Grand Slam final in the French Open on June 4. "People were saying I'm getting old. So this is a great success for such an old woman," the 29-year-old joked. This is the way that Li usually fights doubts- by being humorous and sharp. "China's number one sister" is never a pushover . She has a tattoo . She has dyed her hair many different colors. And, at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she told her fans to "shut up" when they got too noisy in their support. Li started to play tennis at the age of 6. She once recalled: "As a child, I felt sad because every day I had to wake up early to practice. After school I had to practice more. I didn't have time to play." Luckily, the tough girl didn't give up, thus making history for Chinese tennis time after time. Now the new champion is already thinking about winning another Grand Slam title. Her next stop is Wimbledon - the European grass court championship that starts later this month. "When you have one title, naturally you will think about another," she says, not hiding her ambition. "Chinese people are so lacking in confidence on the tennis court. If there is a person like me who can prove we can do it, the other young players in China will feel the same," she said. Li Na is the first Asian woman to win a Grand Slam final in _ . the French Open Different people have different skin colours. Some have black skin, some have yellow skin, and some have white skin. There was a woman in Alaska. Her skin was orange in colour. It was almost the colour of orange juice. How did this woman become orange? She ate lots of tomatoes, carrots and pumpkins. She ate too many orange things. That's why she turned orange. The woman didn't want to be orange. She went to the doctor. The doctor said,"Stop eating orange things. Eat some green things." The woman did so, and she wasn't orange any more. This story is mainly about _ . a woman in Alaska My name is Sally Miller. I am a student in No. 3 Middle School. Look! This is a ruler. It's yellow. It's not my ruler. Who lost it? "Anna, is this your ruler?" I ask my friend. "No, it isn't. My ruler is white. And it's in my pencil box now," Anna answers. "Excuse me, Jack. Is this your ruler?" "No, it isn't. My ruler is black." Jack answers. "You can ask your cousin Jenny. She can't find her ruler." "Hi, Jenny! Is this your ruler?" I ask. "Yes, it's mine. Thank you very much," Jenny says. She is very happy to find her ruler. _ lost her ruler. Jenny Tu Youyou, an 84-year-old scientist, became the first female Chinese to win a Nobel Prize in science on Oct,5. She shared the 2015 Nobel Prize for medicine because of the new medicine for malaria . Tu started the research in the 1970s that made her find artemisinin , a kind of medicine that has saved many people's lives. It comes from Chinese traditional medicine and now is a good way to treat malaria. When the news came that Tu was given the prize, there were cheers as well as questions. Some said that her achievement was the result of lots of Chinese scientists working together. So it is unfair to give the prize only to Tu. However, Tu was awarded for "three firsts". She was the first to bring artemisinin to her team, the first to extract artemisinin that can stop malaria, and the first to finish the experiment. Giving prizes to scientists with great ideas is the best way to keep national innovation . Why did someone say it was unfair to give the prize only to Tu Youyou? because it was many scientists' hard work together. Avoiding fossil fuel usage is an example of what? keeping natural
On the night of July 6, 1943, a plane took off from an Air Force base in England to stop German fighters over the English Channel. Piloting the plane was Captain Thomas Nash. Looking westward, Nash saw twelve orange lights in a row, moving at a very high rate of speed. Thinking they might be a new German weapon, he swung the plane around and headed directly for the lights, but they disappeared. Captain Nash may have been the first to see such orange lights but he wasn't the last. His experience was repeated many times by pilots during World War II both in England and Far East. What were they? No one knows for sure, but there is an interesting theory to explain them. According to this theory, the orange lights are space animals---animals specially adapted to life in the upper atmosphere just as some living things are adapted to life at the bottom of the sea. These space animals, the theory says, live so far up in the atmosphere that they are not in sight from the earth. They feed partly on the air and partly on energy from the sunlight. Being almost pure energy themselves, their body shine at night. During the day, however, they are invisible. Before World War II, continues the theory, there was little radiated energy on the earth's surface. Then came the development of rockets, nuclear power stations and something like that. The space animals are attracted to these kinds of energy of food. At night when there is no energy from the sunlight, they come down into the lower levels in search of a meal. They may even float into the range of human eyesight. This explains the fact that they have been sighted many times from the earth since 1943. The main idea of this passage is that _ . A. Captain Nash saw twelve orange lights traveling with great speedks5u B. Captain Nash may have been the first to see lights in space C. the orange lights are space animals according to a theory D. the secret of nature can be explained sooner or later Answer: C. the orange lights are space animals according to a theory Look at the photo. The two girls have big blue eyes and long brown hair. They are ten. They are in the same class. The one in a yellow skirt is Lily. The other one in an orange skirt is Lucy. Bob is their brother . He is in a blue cap. He is a high school student. Their dad is Mr. White. He is in a brown coat. Their mom is Mrs. White. She is in black shoes. Look!Lucy and Lily are in the green car. . Mrs. White is _ mom. A. Lily's B. Lucy's C. Bob's D. A , B , & C Answer: D. A , B , & C Not long ago, many people believed that babies only wanted food and to be kept warm and dry. Some people thought babies were not able to learn things until they were five or six months old. Yet doctors in the United States say babies begin learning on their first day of life. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development is a federal government agency. Its goal is to determine which experiences can influence healthy development in people. Researchers at the institute note that babies are strongly influenced by their environment. They say a baby will smile if her mother does something the baby likes. A baby learns to get the best care possible by smiling to please her mother or other caregiver. This is how babies learn to connect and communicate with other people. The researchers say this ability to learn exists in a baby even before birth. They say newborn babies can recognize and understand sounds they heard while they were still developing inside their mothers. Another study has suggested that low birth weight babies with no evidence of disability may be more likely than other children to have physical and mental problems. American researchers studied almost five hundred boys and girls. They were born in, or admitted to, one of three hospitals in New Jersey between 1984 and 1987. At birth, each child weighed fewer than two thousand grams. The boys and girls had an average age of sixteen at the time of the study. They were asked to complete intelligence and motor skill tests in their homes. Their test results were compared with those of other children their age. According to the passage, some people used to think that babies began to learn _ . A. on their first day of life B. even before they were born C. before five or six months old D. at or after five or six months old Answer: D. at or after five or six months old Since new technologies are ever growing, employers now have the chance to monitor their employees to make them spare more time to work when they use their phones, computer terminals, emails and even when an employee is using the Internet. Recent surveys have shown that a majority of employers monitor their employees' activities.It was found that three fourths of employers monitored the websites their employees visited in order to prevent improper surfing.The survey further indicated that 65% of employers used software to block connections to websites considered off limits to employees.One third of employers monitored their employees' number of keystrokes and the amount of time spent on the keyboard and lastly just over half of the employers surveyed review and kept email messages. Most of the time, email is not considered private if the email system is used at a company, the employer owns it and is allowed to review its contents.Email messages that are sent within the company, as well as those that are sent from the employee's terminal to another company, or from another company to the employee are subject to monitoring.If an email is deleted out of the employee's account, that doesn't mean that they are totally deleted.The messages are kept in memory.Emails are often backed up along with other important data from the computer system.If an employer's email policy specifically states that messages marked as "private" will be kept confidential ,however, there may also be some exceptions to that policy . In order to know their employer's email policy, employees should read over the employee handbook.If the handbook doesn't address the issue of email monitoring, they should speak with their employer about their policy for emails and privacy.Currently there are very few laws that address workplace privacy; however, there are some organizations that are working to advocate for employees so that there will be a stronger government regulation of employee monitoring activities. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A. employees should delete their own emails at once to keep them secret B. an employer's email policy may protect the employees' privacy C. nobody can help solve the problem of office privacy D. an employee may feel troubled by being monitored in the office Answer: D. an employee may feel troubled by being monitored in the office A Swedish man was dug out alive after being snowed in his car on a forest track for two months with no food, police and local media reported on Saturday. The 45-year-old from southern Sweden was found on Friday, February17, too weak to say more than a few words. He was found not far from the city of Umea in the north of Sweden by snowmobilers who thought they had come across a ruined car until they dug their way to a window and saw movement inside. The man, who was lying in the back seat in a sleeping bag, said he had been in the car since December 19. "Just incredible that he's alive considering that he had no food, but also since it's been really cold for some time after Christmas." a rescue team member told regional daily Vasterbottens- Kuriren, which broke the news. Ebbe Nyberg, duty officer at the Umea police, said police saw no reason to doubt that the man had been stuck in the car for a very long time. "We would not make up something like this. The rescue services were on site too and saw the same as us." he told Vasterbottens-Kuriren. Umea University Hospital, where the man is recovering after being rescued by police and a rescue team, said in a statement he was doing well considering the circumstances. Doctors at the hospital said humans would normally be able to survive for about four weeks without food. Besides eating snow, the man probably survived by going into a dormant-like state, physician Stefan Branth told Vasterbottens-Kuriren. "A bit like a bear that hibernates. Humans can do that." he said. "He probably had a body temperature of around 31 degrees which the body adjusted to. Due to the low temperature, not much energy was used up." "Why the man ended up under the snow in the forest remains unknown," police said. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage? A. A Traffic Accident B. A Long Sleep in Winter C. An Incredible Survival D. A Successful Rescue Answer: C. An Incredible Survival
War Horseis a historical story by Michael Morpurgo. It is written for kids ages 8 to 12. Now just sit and get through the introduction to the plot. In 1914, a young horse named Joey is sold to a farmer. The farmer' s son, Albert, is thrilled. He cares for Joey. When the family begins to feel the financial impact of war, Albert' s father secretly sells Joey to an army officer named Captain Nicholls. Albert begs the captain to let him join the army. Albert is too young, but Nicholls promises to take good care of Joey for him. Nicholls treats Joey well. Though Joey still remembers Albert, he grows to like his new master. He develops a friendship with another horse, Topthorn., who belongs to Nicholls' friend, Captain Stewart. The horses and men are shipped overseas for battle. They soon face their own battle in France, and Captain Nicholls is killed. A young soldier named Warren becomes Joey's new owner. Joey and Topthorn do well in battle, but the Germans capture Warren and Stewart and their horses. The horses' duty of pulling carts full of wounded German soldiers earns them praise. An old farmer and his granddaughter, Emilie, _ the horses as well. When the German army moves out of the area, Emilie and her grandfather keep the two horses. Joey and Topthorn are content to work the farm until another band of soldiers takes them. They become workhorses under bad conditions. Joey is very upset when Topthorn dies of exhaustion. Alone and frightened, Joey wanders into "no-man's-land" between the German and English camps. An English soldier takes him back to camp. Joey is reunited with Albert. As the war ends, Albert' s officer announces the horses will be sold in France. An old Frenchman buys Joey. The man, Emilie' s grandfather, tells Albert how Emilie lost the will to live after the horses were taken. However, he eventually sells Joey to Albert for one penny, as long as Albert promises to share Emilie' s story so her life will not be in vain. Joey and Albert return home. Which of the following words can be used to describe Emilie's grandfather? John H. Johnson was born in a black family in Arkansas City in 1981. His father died in an accident when John was six. He was reaching the high school age, but his hometown offered no high school for blacks. Fortunately he had a strong--willed caring mother. John remembered that his mother told him many times, "Son, you can be anything you want really to be if you just believe." She told him not to depend on others, including his mother. "You have to learn success" she said. "All the people who work hard don't succeed, but the only people who do succeed are those who work hard." These words, came from a woman with less than a third grade education. She also knew that believing and hard work don't mean everything. So she worked hard as a cook for two years to save enough to take her son, who was then 15, to Chicago. Chicago in 1933 was not the promised land that black southerners were looking for. John's mother and stepfather could not find work. But here John could go to school, and here he learned the power of words--as an editor of the newspaper and yearbook at Du Sable High School. His wish was to publish a magazine for blacks. While others discouraged him, John's mother offered him more words to live by "Nothing beats a failure but a try." She also let him pawn her furniture to get the $ 500 he needed to start the Negro magazine. It is natural that difficulties and failures followed john closely until he become very successful. He always keeps his mother's words in mind:" Son, failure is not in your vocabulary!" Now John H. Johnson is one of the 400 richest people in America--worth $150 million. What does the story mainly want to show us? Here are four famous festivals aroud the world .Are you familiar with all of them? Christmas is on 25 December.On the night before the festival ,young children hang up their stockings for the gift that Santa Clause gives .This festival is for the birth of Christ.All the people like this festival. In North America ,Halloween is on the last day of October . Families make lanterns from pumpkin .In the evening , children dress up well and go form house to house to ask for sweets or have parties at home. Mid-autumn Festival is a Chinese festival in the autumn . People wait to see a big around moon in the night sky . They eat moon cake and light lanterns . The longest day in the northern hemisphere is on 21 or 22 June each year . This is the middle of summer .There is a flower festival for four days each June in California , USA .There is a parade and people go to flower fields to look at the flowers. People make lanterns from pumpkins on _ . 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The best time to visit Sri Lanka's southern beaches is from November to April. So by going early in the season, you'll get the best weather. Also in November, Deepavali, known as"Diwali" or the "Festival of Lights", is Sri Lanka's main religious festival, Celebrated throughout the country. See There is plenty to see in Sri Lanka. The ancient capital cities of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura are worth seeing, and so are many outstanding ruins. Other mustsees are the rock fortress ( ) of Sigiriya, towering over the jungle as far as the eye can see, and Dambulla's cave temple, the country's largest and best preserved. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites . Kandy is a picture-like town, which was the last stronghold of the Kandyan Kings. Today it is a cultural relic centre where age-old customs, arts, and crafts remain. Do Sri Lanka owns about 1,600km of beautiful palm-shaded beaches as well as warm, pure seas and colourful coral reefs. You can explore the underwater world, and surfing and di ving are available too. Away from the shore, wildlife is a big draw for Sri Lanka, and Yala National Park is one of the best places in the world to see wild animals including leopards and elephants.Taste Sri Lanka is celebrated for its excellent food, with a particular emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables on menus everywhere. Fish and seafood are a big part of the local diet.Did you know?Sri Lanka is known for its tea, but it is also the world's largest producer and exporter of cinnamon . According to the passage, _ .
In the Caucasus region of Russia, nearly 50 out of every 100,000 people live to celebrate their 100th birthday, and many don't stop at 100! By comparison, in America only 3 people in 100,000 reach 100. But these Russian old people aren't alone. The Pakistanis, who live high in the Himalaya Mountains, and the Ecuadorans of the Andes Mountains seem to share the secret of long life, too. These people remain healthy in body and spirit despite the passage of time. While many older persons in industrial societies become weak and ill in their 60s and 70s, some Caucasians aged 100 to 140, work in the fields beside their great-great-grandchildren. Even the idea of aging is foreign to them. When asked "at what age does youth end?"most of these old people had no answer. Several replied, "Well, perhaps at age 80." What accounts for this ability to survive to such old age, and to survive so well?First of all, hard physical work is a way of life for all of these long-lived people. They begin their long days of physical labor as children and never seem to stop. For example, Mr . Rustam Mamedov is 142 years of age. His wife is 116 years old. They have been married for 90 years. Mr. Mamedov has no intention of retiring from his life as a farmer. "Why?What else would I do?"he asks. All these people get healthful rewards from the environment in which they work. They all come from mountainous regions. They live and work at elevations of 1,660 to 1,000 meters above sea level. The air has less oxygen and is pollution-free. This reduced-oxygen environment makes the heart and blood vessel system stronger. Another factor that may contribute to the good health of these people is their isolation. To a great extent, they are separated from the pressures and worries of industrial society. Inherited factors also play some role. Most of the longest-lived people had parents and grandparents who also reached very old ages. Good family genes may, therefore, be one factor in living longer. The example of Mr. and Mrs. Mamedov implies that some Caucasians aged 100 to 140 _ . Answer: benefit from physical work It's time for school! But on May 14th, 170 students at Duncanville High School in Texas, US, were told to go back home.Why? Because they were wearing the wrong clothes to school. Schools in the US don't always ask students to wear uniforms. But they have dress codes . For example, Duncanville High School tells students to wear belts, shirts without logos .Schools' most-hated clothes are different. In 2011, the saggy ( ) trousers law was passed in Florida. It stops students from wearing trousers that show body parts. Now, "the favourite new target ( ) of the school dress code" is leggings( ), reported the Associated Press. Some schools don't allow leggings. Other schools ask students to wear a shirt or a skirt over leggings. Some students complain that schools are going too far. But schools say dress codes help protect students' safety and make sure they grow up with good taste."We want to teach them that they must meet the expectations not only here in school, but also outside school," said Andre Smith. In Duncanville High School, students are allowed to wear _ . Answer: belts,shirtswithoutlogos To many basketball fans in Taiwan, the William Jones Cup or the Basketball Association may be their sweetest memory. But if you ask them, "What's the hottest basketball event now?" There is the only answer: HBL, the High School Basketball League. Founded in 1988, the HBLwas at first just a high school basketball tournament. After the Taipei School Sport Federation took charge in 1996 and renamed it HBL, everything changed. The Federation decided to co-operated with Nike, the well-known sportswear manufacturer, and use its experience in marketing to promote the game. The HBL started with 129 teams; today there are more than 250. no longer just of interest to the players, it's now Taiwan's biggest basketball event. Fellow students, alumni (,), and sports fans all over Taiwan cheer for their favorite teams. At last year's finals, Taipei and Kaohsiung mayors came to cheer for their teams. The HBL starts in September with qualifying and preliminary(,) rounds and continues through April of the following year, when the finals are held. Broadcasting the games on television has helped make the HBL a wildly popular event. It's become the place to spot young basketball talent. Today's HBL players are tomorrow's professionals. Recent HBL tournaments have been very competitive, with no one school taking the advantage. This wide-open quality of the tournament makes it more exciting. Everyone wants to see how this year's games will come out. HBL fever just keeps getting hotter. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? Answer: It was the successful co-operation with Nike, the well-known sportswear manufacturer that changed everything of HBL. Two young artists named Sue and Joanna shared a studio apartment in the Greenwich Village area of New York, trying to realize their dreams. In November pneumonia killed many people. Unluckily, Joanna fell ill, too. One morning, a doctor examined Joanna and then spoke with Sue in another room. "She has decided that she has no chance. All we can do is give her a strong will to live." Holding back her tears, Sue went to Joanna's room. Joanna lay with her face toward the window, eyes wide open. She was counting something backward. "Twelve," she said, and a little later "eleven" until "five," almost together. Sue looked out of the window. What was there to count? There was a wall covered with an old ivy vine growing half way up it. The cold breath of autumn has stricken the leaves from the vine until it was almost bare. "Five what, dear?" asked Sue. "Leaves. On the ivy vine. When the last one falls I must go, too." "Oh, Don't be silly." Said Sue, "You will get better." "There goes another one. I want to see the last one fall before it gets dark." "Try to sleep." said Sue. "I must call Mr. Behrman up to be my model for my drawing of an old miner. Don't try to move until I come back." Old Behrman was a poor painter who lived in the building. For years he had always been planning to paint a work of art, but had never yet begun it. He earned a little money by serving as a model to artists who could not pay for a professional model. Sue found Behrman in his room. In one area was a blank canvas that had been waiting twenty-five years for the first line of paint. Sue told him about Joanna and how she feared that her friend would float away like a leaf. "What!" Old Behrman was angered at such an idea. "How silly! Just take me to her room." Joanna was sleeping when they went in. A cold rain was falling, mixed with snow. The next morning, Sue awoke after an hour's sleep. She found Joanna staring at the covered window. "Pull up the shade; I want to see." Sue obeyed. "It's the last leaf," said Joanna. "It will fall today, and I will go with it." When night came, the rain began to fall again with a strong wind. The next morning, Joanna demanded that the window shade be raised. The ivy leaf was still there. Joanna lay for a long time, looking at it. And then she called Sue, "I have been a bad girl. I'm so wrong. Now I want to get well and paint again." The doctor came to see Joanna in the afternoon. He told Sue "Joanna is improving. Now I must see Behrman. Pneumonia, too, very ill. Little hope for him." Later that day, Sue came to Joanna, and put one arm around her. "Mr. Behrman died of pneumonia in the hospital today. He was sick only two days. When someone went into his room, Behrman was lying there with his shoes on. His shoes and clothes were all wet. Nobody knew why." "Oh, poor Behrman!" Cried Joanna. "See the last leaf on the wall," said Sue, " It looks like a real leaf, doesn't it? " "A real leaf ? " "Ah, darling, it is Behrman's masterpiece -- he painted it there the night when the last leaf fell." What is the most suitable title of the passage? Answer: The Last Leaf Today it seems perfectly natural for us to shake hands when we greet someone or say goodbye. But like so many things that we do without thinking such actions at one time probably represented something. For example, in primitive life the hand was used to fight enemies, kill animals, and make spears and tools. So when the hand was extended to someone, it showed that the person was not armed or ready for fight. We know that the hand was an important symbol in early religion, probably as a mark of power. The Greeks prayed to their gods with raised hands. Presenting the hands palm to palm was at one time the way an inferior person paid respect to a superior one. Among the Arabs, it was customary at one time to kiss the hand of a superior. Later on, polite Arabs began to resist the efforts of people to kiss their hands, and sometimes they would end up shaking hands as each tried to prevent the other from showing this mark of "inferiority ." The early Greeks held out the right hand when they wished to show friendship to a stranger. So we can see that the hand, and what was done with it, was full of meaning to people down through the ages. And while we shake hands without thinking, we are really carrying on a custom that has been _ to us from ancient times. The phrase " hand down" in the last sentence means _ . Answer: pass down
I was telling my boy Sonny the story of the hare and the tortoise . At the end I said, " Son, remember: Be slow and steady , and that will win the race. Don't you think there's something to learn from the tortoise?" Sonny opened his eyes wide, "Do you mean next time when I'm entering for the 60-metre race I should wish that Billy, Tony and Sandy would all fall asleep halfway?" I was shocked, "But the tortoise didn't wish that the hare would fall asleep!" "He must have wished that," Sonny said, "Otherwise how could he be so foolish as to race with the hare? He knew very well the hare ran a hundred times faster than he himself did." "He didn't have such a wish," I insisted. "He won the race by perseverance , by pushing on steadily." Sonny thought a while. "That's a lie," he said. "He won it because he was lucky. If the hare hadn't happened to fall asleep, the tortoise would never have won the race. He could be as steady as you like, or a hundred times steadier, but he'd never have won the race. That's for sure." I gave up. Today's children are not like what we used to be. They're just hopeless. The writer argued with his son because _ . he tried to teach his son a moral lesson but the son had totally different opinion Johnson took a diamond ring to a pawnshop and borrowed $20 on it. It was agreed that the loan was to be repaid within 60 days and if it was not, the pawnshop owner, Defendant, could sell the ring. A week before expiration of the 60 days, Defendant had an opportunity to sell the ring to a customer for $125. He did so, thinking it unlikely that Johnson would repay the loan and that if he did, Defendant would be able to handle him somehow, even by paying him for the ring if necessary. Two days later, Johnson came in with the money to reclaim his ring. Defendant told him that it had been stolen when his shop was burglarized one night and that therefore he was not responsible for its loss. Larceny, embezzlement, and false pretenses are separate crimes in the jurisdiction."It is most likely that Defendant has committed which of the following crimes? Embezzlement. Anger is a natural emotion that everyone experiences in life. Some researchers believe the first sound a baby makes when born could be a sign of anger. Anger may be the original or first emotion we feel and respond to. Imagine, before hunger, thirst, love, desire or any other describable feeling, we may experience anger. Not only is anger a natural emotion, it is in many cases a perfectly healthy emotion. Anger can motivate people to make very positive changes in their lives. Anger can motivate individuals to do positive and memorable acts. Sometimes we have to be angry at injustice, at evil, or even at nature, before we can do what needs to be done to correct wrongs or make things better. But of course, that is not how we usually think of anger. Most people think of anger as an emotion we must keep under control. Children are sometimes sent to their rooms or punished for expressing anger in an excessive way. Parents tell a child to "get control" of himself when the child shows anger. We may be angry with friends or at work, but we know it is usually inappropriate to show it. We have to control the anger or suffer what may be the negative consequences. Very early in life, we learn that anger is something that must be controlleD.We learn this for a good reason. We know that uncontrolled anger can lead to fights, car accidents, bad relationships with others, unacceptable social behavior, and many other problems. Many experts say that if one holds his anger in, it can even lead to severe mental and physical health problems. So what can we do to understand and calm this natural emotion that we call anger? Experts offer many solutions to excessive and harmful anger. Some of these solutions include talking about what triggers the anger with someone you trust and is a good friend, leaving a situation that causes anger, beating on a pillow, exercising more in one's daily life, therapy, medication, and many other methods. Whatever solution one chooses, it is good to know that by trying to find the solution to the problem of anger, the first step in the right direction to solving the anger problem has been taken. What does the passage mainly talk about? A natural emotion of anger. Jake wanted to eat an orange. He liked fruit, and the only fruits in the house were apples, which he didn't like, oranges, and strawberries, which made him itchy. But his mother had put oranges on top of the refrigerator. Jake couldn't reach the top of the refrigerator. He got the stool that he used to reach things in the cupboards. But the stool wasn't tall enough on its own. He thought if he stood on the edge of the kitchen sink he could reach the oranges. (The kitchen sink was right next to the refrigerator). So he used the stool to get up to the edge of the sink, and then he stood on the edge of the sink to get the oranges. He took one out of the bag and then put the bag back on top of the refrigerator. Then he used the stool to climb back down again with his orange. He sat at the kitchen table, peeled the orange, and ate it. Then he took all of the pieces of orange peel and threw them away in the yard waste. At the beginning of the story, why can't Jake get the oranges? They are on top of the refrigerator, where he can't reach An old gentleman who lives a few doors away from me can always be seen with a bag. He goes out by himself and picks up plastic bottles, plastic bags and pieces of paper everywhere. He does it all carefully and never complains. The children in the nearby school are probably responsible for some of that litter. "There will come a time when they know better," he said. "It's just not yet. So, I'll do it for them." Well, this morning I was out walking my neighbor's dog when I saw another neighbor, a much younger man, out doing the same thing! He had his two little sons with him and they were having good fun trying to pick up the litter. "What a good job you are doing", I said to him. "Well, an older fellow in our street does this", said he. "And my friend and I thought it wasn't fair that he had to do it all the time, so now we take turns." Not only was he taking a turn, not only did he have a friend join in as well, but he was passing on the lesson to the nextgeneration ! By the time I had returned the dog to my neighbor, I looked again and his children's friends had joined in! This man was teaching a whole group of young children to keep their own streetclean. An older man had set an example for him and now he was passing it on--the next generation is doing what he did and the generation to come after that! The younger man did the same thing as the old gentleman because _ . he wanted to share the job with the old gentleman
Pigs are always considered dirty animals because they roll in mud.But in fact they prefer being quite clean.They cover themselves with mud to help stay cool.During cooler weather, they prefer to stay clean.So do elephants,who also cover themselves in dust or mud to keep cool. When they find a place with clean water they will take a bath,using their long noses to give themselves--or each other--a nice shower Some animals use dust to get clean.Chinchillas have very fine fur. They don`t like to take water baths because water is not warm enough for them.So, instead, they roll around in fine dust.The dust helps to keep their fur and skin dry.This protects them from disease Usually, a small bird is a light meal for a crocodile.But when a crocodile wants its teeth cleaned.it lies on the ground with its mouth open.The crocodile bird goes in and picks out any parasites between the crocodile`s teeth or under its tongue.The crocodile gets its mouth cleaned,and the crocodile bird gets dinner. You wouldn`t think fish would need baths.But some undersea parasites live under the fish`s skin."Cleaner"fish,like the wrasse ,help take them away.The wrasse stands on its head and dances to signal a big fish that it is ready to go into the cleaning business.The big fish will stop moving and open its mouth wide so the wrasse can swim inside and pick out parasites and bits of food. The passage is mainly about how animals_. A. stay clean B. help each other C. get their food D. Take baths Answer: A O. Henry, a famous American writer of short stories, was born in North Carolina in 1862. O. Henry was a pen name. His real name was William Sydney Porter. When he was a young boy, he did not go to school for long because of being born in a poor family, but he tried to teach himself everything he needed to know. When he was about 20 years old, O. Henry went to Texas. There he tried different jobs. He first worked on a newspaper, and then had a job in a bank. But he got himself into some trouble. Some money went missing from the bank. O. Henry was believed to have stolen it, so he was sent to prison . During the three years in prison, he learned to write short stories. After he got out of prison, he went to New York and went on writing. He wrote mostly about New York and the life of the poor there. People liked his stories, because almost all of them finished with a sudden change. This made the readers surprised. People enjoyed reading O. Henry's stories because _ A. they had surprising endings B. they were easy to understand C. they showed love for the poor D. they were about New York Answer: A When a big exam is coming up, you probably feel anxious about any wasted time and want to begin school as soon as you probably can. But tens of thousands of British high school students will soon be getting up later. They're taking part in a new experiment by Oxford University to see if later classes can improve their exam results. Grades 10 students in the UK have to take the nationwide General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams. They have to pass these exams in order to study more advanced courses, and later apply for universities. The Oxford University project means that GCSE students from more than 100 schools across England will start school at 10 am, more than one hour later than the current start time (8:50 am). The project is based on scientific evidence that teenagers are "out of sync " with traditional school hours, the Telegraph reported. And what they need is more sleep in the morning. "We know that something funny happens when you're a teenager, in that you seem to be out of sync with the world," said professor Colin Epsie, who is leading the study. "Your parents think it's because you are lazy and opinionated and everything will be OK if you could get to sleep earlier. But science is telling us that teenagers need to sleep more in the mornings." Everyone follows a natural cycle of sleep and wakefulne ss. Biology has decided that teenagers go to sleep around midnight and don't feel fully awake until 9-10 am, according to scientists. That's two hours later than adults. And their body clocks stay like this until the age of around 21 for males, and 19 for females. "Society provides school for learning, but the brain provides sleep. So we are exploring the possibility that if you delay the schools start time until 10 am, that will improve learning performance," said Epsie. The results could be positive, based on previous studies. An early study at the UK's Monkseaton High School in 2009 found that starting an hour later improved grades in core subjects by 19 percent. The Oxford project is expecting to publish the results in 2018. It's time to wait and see whether scientists will give us an excuse to get up late. What is the author's attitude toward the Oxford University project ? A. Critical B. Optimistic C. Doubtful D. Uninterested Answer: B The modern Olympic Games happened in the year 1896. The Games are held every four years. There are two main sets of Games. The Winter Olympics are held two years before the Summer Games. Many countries want to host the Olympic Games for it's a great honor to be chosen. The Olympic Games are organized and controlled by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It sets the general program, chooses the city where the games are to be held, and determines the standards of what is an amateur athlete. Besides, each participating country has a National Olympic Committee that is responsible for arranging the participation of the nation's athletes in the games. Which of the following is NOT the IOC's duty? A. to organize and control the Olympic Games B. to choose the city where the games are to be held C. to determine the standards of what is an amateur athlete D. to make the arrangements for the nation's athletes Answer: D Can you imagine that you can save your own life during a heart attack by coughing ? Let's see how... A heart attack can happen to anyone. Let's say it's 4:17 p.m. and you're driving home (alone of course) after an unusually hard day on the job. Not only was the workload extremely heavy, you also had a disagreement with your boss, and no matter how hard you tried, he just wouldn't see your side of the situation. You're really upset and the more you think about it, the more nervous you become. All of a sudden you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to spread out into your arm and up into your . You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home, unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far. What can you do? You've been trained in CPR but the guy who taught the course didn't tell you how to perform it on yourself. Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, this article seems in order. Without help the person whose heart stops beating properly and who begins to feel has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very powerfully. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and last long, as when producing from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without stopping until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm . In this way, heart attack victims can get to a phone and, between breaths, call for help. Now, do you understand the whole matter? Tell as many other people as possible about this. It could save their lives! In which section of a newspaper can you read this passage? A. Health Care B. Advertisement. C. Family. D. Teaching. Answer: A
Open Letter to an Editor I had an interesting conversation with a reporter recently -- one who works for you. In fact, he's one of your best reporters. He wants to leave. Your reporter gave me a copy of his resume and photocopies of six stories that he wrote for you. The headlines showed you played them proudly. With great enthusiasm, he talked about how he finds issues, approaches them, and writes about them, which tells me he is one of your best. I'm sure you would hate to lose him. Surprisingly, your reporter is not unhappy. In fact, he told me he really likes his job. He has a great assignment , and said you run a great paper. It would be easy for you to keep him, he said. He knows that the paper values him. He appreciates the responsibility you've given him, takes ownership of his profession, and enjoys his freedom. So why is he looking for a way out? He talked to me because he wants his editors to demand so much more of him. He wants to be pushed, challenged, coached to new heights. The reporter believes that good stories spring from good questions, but his editors usually ask how long the story will be, when it will be in, where it can play, and what the budget is. He longs for conversations with an editor who will help him turn his good ideas into great ones. He wants someone to get excited about what he's doing and to help him , exploring the best ways to report it. He wants to be more valuable for your paper. That's what you want for him, too, isn't it? So your reporter has set me thinking. Our best hope in keeping our best reporters, copy editors, photographers, artists -- everyone -- is to work harder to make sure they get the help they are demanding to reach their potential. If we can't do it, they'll find someone who can. What does the writer think of the reporter? Answer: I had never given a thought to working on a newspaper. But when my husband decided to start one in our small rocky mountain town, I went along with the idea. I didn't know how to interview anyone, take interesting photos, or even put a newspaper article together. So I took my camera and just started carrying it with me everywhere. One Saturday morning, I went on a children's hayride to get some shots of the local kids. I arrived early, so I could talk to the adults in charge, I needed to get some information to go with any picture I took. After the kids were seated on the hay , I had plenty of pictures of their smiling faces. I just stopped to chat with a lady who had her horse with her. She planned to ride alongside the wagon and keep an eye on things. While I chatted with her, her horse turned to fully face me and gave me a big horse smile. He opened his mouth wide, showing all of his teeth. We all laughed and I asked the lady to make him do it again so I could take a picture. She said she hadn't made him do it the first time and didn't know how to get him smile again. ks5u I stepped back, positioned my camera, and said to the horse, "Smile again for the camera," and he did! He looked right at the camera and gave me a huge horse smile. In fact, I got two shots of him and he was willing to keep smiling at the camera. Later on, we published the pictures of the kids and their hayride in the paper but the picture of the horse got the most attention. I have kept that picture in my photo album to this day. And proudly show it off every chance I get. After that, I was always ready to go and get the story. I had learned how exciting and rewarding interviews and news photography could be. You may think you know your community pretty well. But wonderful surprises are waiting around you. According to the text, why is the writer proud? Answer: City Varieties The Headrow, Leeds. Tel. 430808 Oct. 10 - 11 only A Night at the Varieties. All the fun of an old music hall with Barry Cryer, Duggle Brown, 6 dancers, Mystina, Jon Barker, Anne Duval and the Tony Harrison Trio. Laugh again at the old jokes and listen to your favourite songs. Performances: 8 pm nightly. Admission L5; under 16 or over 60: L4 York Theatre Royal St. Leonard's Place, York. Tel. 223568 Sept. 23-Oct. 17 Groping for Words-a comedy by Sue Townsend. Best known for her Adrian Mole Diaries, Townsend now writes about an evening class which two men and a woman attend. A gentle comedy. Performances: 8pm Admission: First night, Mon.: L2; Tues-Fri: L3.25-5.50; Sat.: L3.35 -5.75. Halifax Playhouse King's Cross Street, Halifax. Tel. 365998 Oct. 10 - 17 On Golden Pond by Ernest Thompson. This is a magical comedy about real people. A beautifully produced, well-acted play for everyone. Don't miss it. Performances: 7:30 p. m. Admission: L2. Mon.: 2 seats for the price of one. Grand Theatre Oxford Street, Leeds. Tel. 502116 Oct. 1 - 17 The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13. Sue Townsend's musical play, based on the best-selling book. Performances: Evenings 7:45pm. Oct. 10 - 17, at 2:30 pm. No Monday performances. Admission: Tues-Thurs: L2 - 5; Fri. & Sat. : L2 - 6 Where can you see the play On Golden Pond? Answer: Do you like painting? Have you ever seen a painting in a tree hole? Now you can see many paintings in tree holes on a road in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province. What's up? These paintings are painted by Wang Yue, 23, a college student at Dalian Polytechnic University. Wang describes her tree hole paintings as "a beautiful journey" through which she adds fun to her hometown. "When I saw that the trees by the roadside had lost all their leaves, the ugly tree holes became obvious ," she said. "I thought if I could paint some interesting scenes in these holes they might add some color to the city. " But Wang was worried that the pigments in her watercolors could hurt the trees. After asking environmental specialists and getting permission from city officials, Wang gathered her color palette , brushes and other things to get to work. "Painting on a tree hole is not as easy as painting on a canvas . I had to think about the shapes and sizes of the tree holes and adjust my designs accordingly," she said. "Before I began, I also had to clean off the dust from the tree holes first." "I was glad to let people see life's beauty. I hope more artists can join me in painting the tree holes," Wang said. What special things can you see on a road in Shijiazhuang now? Answer: The Great Fire of London started in the very early hours of September 2,1666.In four days it destroyed more than three quarters of the old city,where most of those houses were built out of wood and close together.One hundred thousand people became homeless but only few lost their lives.The fire started on Sunday moring.By eight o'clock three hundred houses were on fire.On Monday nearly a kilometer of the city was burning along the River Thames.Tuesday was the worst day.The fire destroyed many well-known buildings. The fire stopped only when the king finally ordered people to destroy hundreds of buildings in the path of the fire.With nothing left to burn,the fire became weak and finally died out. What were most of the houses made of? Answer:
In recent years, Jimmy Carter, the 39thpresident of theprefix = st1 /United Stateshas shared with millions of readers the stories and insights gained from a lifetime of public service. Carter' range of experience is immense: as a farmer and father, sailor and statesman, homebuilder and humanitarian, president and peacemaker, he has brought to an extraordinary life a common touch, and his sense of hope and humanity have been an inspiration to many. Carter now shares his insights in a uniquely personal way. For years an author in prose , the former American president for the first time gives voice to his thoughts in poems. Which of the statements is true? Answer: While reading a story on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy is ruining their life plans, I couldn't help but think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children who grow up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, I certainly share their disappointment -my husband and I probably won't be able to buy a house until we're in our forties, and we two are burdened by student loans. But why should it be different? Being young people in America, shouldn't they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers? Consider some of these views shared in the story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won't be able to have children for at least a decade because they can't afford to buy a house yet. I read that, and I thought what planet she is living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury, not a fertility requirement. A 26-year-old man in the story is disappointed that he can't afford to get a Ph. D. in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years. Yes, it's sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people's expectations grow up when their wealth appears to be increasing. Their parents probably see their home values rise along with their investments. "So we have people who have grown up in an environment where people have great expectations of what living well means," says Kobliner. This recession will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems much better for our mental health to focus on being grateful--for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day--than on longing for some kind of luxurious life. What makes the author think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children? Answer: Maybe you know floods, droughts, earthquakes, sandstorms and so on. But have you ever heard of typhoons? Typhoons are some of the worst storms, usually around the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. Most happen in July, August and September. How does a typhoon happen? When lots of sea water gets hot in the summer sun, it evaporates into the air. This makes the air hotter. _ It fills the space that is left. After the air gets warmer, it starts to move quickly, making wind. The wind goes in circles, and it keeps moving higher in the sky. The warmer the air gets, the quicker the wind moves. And when the wind moves faster than 30 meters a second, a typhoon begins. A typhoon has two parts. One is called the "eye". In the eye, the wind does not move so fast. The other part is the wall of clouds around the eye. This is where the strongest wind and hardest rains are. Typhoons are very dangerous. In 2004, Typhoon Yunna killed 164 people in Zhejiang, and 24 people were missing. In May 2006, Typhoon Pearl hit Guangdong and Fujian, and thousands of houses were damaged. What to do when a typhoon hits: Stay inside, close all the windows and stay away from them. Try to bring all of your things inside. Strong winds could even blow away your bikes! Listen to the radio or TV for important information. If you're told to go to a safer place, do so right away. When a typhoon comes, we cannot Answer: A new island springs up out of the ocean after only a couple of years of Answer: NOWADAYS, most animated films rely heavily on computer technology. But his magical world - where witches cast spells and castles float in the sky - is brought to life by hand. Nevertheless, Hayao Miyazaki is referred to as Japan's Walt Disney and considered by many to be the world's greatest living animator. This month, the 72-year-old Miyazaki announced his retirement. The Japanese animator has directed 11 animated full-length films over the past four decades, including the Oscar-winning Spirited Away (<<>> ) and his latest release, The Wind Rises (<<>> ), which tells the life story of a man who designed Japanese World War II fighter planes. Just as The Wind Rises shows, Miyazaki is well-known for his obsession with flight, especially human flight. Other striking aspects of Miyazaki's films include his themes of environmental protection and the horrors of war. Miyazaki's work is also famous for its lack of clearly defined good and evil characters. He sees the 21st century as a complex time when old norms need to be re-examined. As a storyteller, he is an inventor of fairy tales full of mystery. In the Miyazakian universe, wizards turn into birds of prey; young girls are transformed overnight into 90-year-old women; greedy parents are changed into pigs; and shooting stars become fire demons . As a visual artist, most of Miyazaki's grace comes from his vivid colors and lovingly drawn landscapes - a rolling meadow covered with flowers and shadowed by clouds, or a range of rocky hills rising toward snow-capped mountain peaks People attribute Miyazaki's success to his long pursuit of his hand-drawn technique, although in an interview with CNN he called himself an "extinct species" in the age of digital animation. A recent television documentary on the making of The Wind Rises showed a disappointed Miyazaki throwing a pile of drawings into the trash. He is said to have redrawn thousands of frames of the much-praised Princess Mononoke (<<>> ) when they did not meet his standards. But his huge attention to detail has earned him the respect of the entire animated film world. Even John Lasseter - head of Pixar, the famous US computer animation studio - once called Miyazaki "one of the greatest filmmakers of our time". What can we know about Miyazaki's film The Wind Rises? Answer:
One evening Tim is driving his car in the country and looking for a hotel. Then he sees an old man on the side of the road, so he stops his car and says to the old man, "Where is Sun Hotel? Will you please tell me how to get there?" "Yes," the old man answers. "I'll show you the way." He gets into Tim's car, and they drive for about 12 kilometres. When they come to a small house, the old man says, "Stop here." Tim stops and looks at the house. And he says to the old man, "But this isn't a hotel." "No," the old man answers. "This is my house. And now I'll show you the way to Sun Hotel. Turn back and go 9 kilometres. Then you'll see the hotel on your left. " Tim stops to _ . A. drive the old man home B. ask the way C. buy something D. say "hello" to the old man Answer: B. ask the way Is there a strange something high up in the world's tallest mountains? If so, is it a big bear? Is it a monkey? Or is it a kind of man? No one knows. This mystery has puzzled the world for years. In 1887, a mountain climber found large footprints in the snow. They looked like the footprints of a very large man. But men don't walk without shoes in the snow! In 1906, other climbers saw more than footprints. Far away they saw a very large animal standing on two legs. As they watched, it ran very quickly. Fifteen years later, newspapers, had new stories about the "something". A mountain climber said he had seen the "snow man" walk slowly across the snow, far below him. He said it looked like a very large man. From then on, more and more people had stories to tell. But not until 1951 did a mountain climber bring back pictures of large footprints. His pictures showed clearly that the snowman walked on two legs, so it was not a bear or a monkey. Could it be an ape man? The mystery grew! And the mystery keeps growing. Some day we may find out just what it is that makes the large footprints. Since a mountain climber first found the large footprints in the snow, the mystery of the snowman has puzzled the world for _ years. A. over one hundred B. ninety-five C. Eighty D. fifty Answer: A. over one hundred A star produces light energy and heat because it has a variety of A. moon rotation causing friction B. light energy flowing to earth C. reactions of nuclear form D. global warming caused by co2 Answer: C. reactions of nuclear form Rather than talk about how he feels, often a man would express his love by buying the woman cosmetics , or bringing home a flower, or giving up the control of the remote . And when men do talk, they'd prefer to talk about actions rather than emotions. For example, a lot of men would choose to express their long-range faith in a relationship by talking about next summer's vacation plans, not by starting a conversation about undying love. Men just prefer to say their plans with plane tickets, rather than poetry. It's one of the reasons why men are more comfortable talking at work (the practical world) than they are at home (the castle that emotion built). But you can bring out his great communicator by making him feel more like he's operating in the work mode, even when the topic at hand is your love life. When men talk less and women want more, the conflict can _ . Like when a policeman is questioning an unwilling witness, more silence equals more questions. A full 65 percent of men we surveyed recently told us that they don't want their partners to ask them more questions about themselves. It's clear that some men are just tired of feeling like they're on the witness stand. They're not necessarily hiding anything; many men simply prefer not to have to tell confusing feelings that they may not even understand themselves. An age-old method can make things better: back off a little, give him room to operate in a conversation, and he's more likely to open up. How can women communicate more successfully with men? A. They may give men a surprise by buying plane tickets. B. They can ask men if they have a great time during working. C. They might create a warm home environment first of all. D. They can give men the feeling that they are talking at work. Answer: D. They can give men the feeling that they are talking at work. "Get out of the plane!" Justin shouted. Teddy and he dropped to the ground,.... When Kathy and Victor reached the edge of the grassland, flames were shooting more than five meters into the air. Kathy couldn't believe what she was seeing. One glance told her they needed medical attention immediately. She questioned Justin, " Is there anyone in the plane?" "No," he said. "Where are you able to radio for help?" "There was no time." " I'm a distance runner." Kathy said, "I'll go for help." Looking at the seriously injured men, she said, "It may take me several hours to get out." She started out. When she was 23, Kathy set a women's-course record in a Marathon. She had run 42 kilometers. But now she was running the race of her life. She had nearly 30 kilometers of hard wilderness to cover to get help. Kathy had been running for two hours. This was far back into the wilderness. The trail grew unclear. She stopped to take a quick compass reading. She had run for more than 20 kilometers. Her heart fell, her muscle aching. Finally she saw her car in the distance. She jumped into the car and sped away. She reached a holiday house and called the police. During the wait she walked around, relaxing her legs and drinking water. It took almost two hours for a helicopter to reach her. They needed her for one more task. What do you think of her final task was? A. Giving the injured food and drinks. B. Taking them to the nearest hospital. C. To show the police where the injured was. D. To go back to put out the big fire. Answer: C. To show the police where the injured was.
One Friday Mrs. King asked her class to write a story after class. "Use your imagination!" she cried, "You can write your story about anything." Kenny looked worried. "A story?" he thought, "What could I possible have to write about? I don't know any stories." The bell rang and all the kids went home. The next day, Kenny sat at his desk at home, thinking and thinking. The warm sun was shining through the windows, making him _ And soon he fell fast asleep. As he slept, Kenny began to dream about fantastic things. First he dreamed that he was a world-famous doctor, saving whole cities and curing diseases. Then he dreamed that he was in a UFO. He was talking to strange but friendly space creatures. Then he dreamed that he had become as small as a mouse by a bad scientist. He had to find a way to stop the plot of the mad scientist! Kenny dreamed wonderful and exciting things until his little brother woke him up. "What were you dreaming about?" he asked. Kenny told his brother the wonderful dreams. His brother enjoyed the stories. Suddenly, Kenny knew that he had his kinds of stories in his imagination. The best title for this passage is _ . Writing a story with imagination Kids will often ignore your requests for them to shut off the TV, start their chores , or do their homework as a way to avoid following your directions. Before you know it, you've started to sound like a broken record as you repeatedly ask them to do their assignments, clean their room, or take out the trash. Rather than saying, "Do your chores now", you'll be more effective if you set a target time for when the chores have to be completed. So instead of arguing about starting chores,just say, "If chores are't done by 4 p.m, here are the consequences." Then it's up to your child to complete the chores. Put the ball back in their court. Don't argue or fight with them,just say, "That's the way it's going to be." It shouldn't be punitive as much as it should be persuasive. "If your chores aren't done by 4 p.m, then no video game time until chores are done. And if finishing those chores runs into homework time, that's going to be your loss." On the other hand, when dealing with homework, keep it very simple. Have a time when homework starts, and at that time, all electronics go off and do not go back on until you see that their homework is done. If your child says they have no homework, then they should use that time to study or read. Either way, there should be a time set aside when the electronics are off. When a kid wears his iPod or headphones when you're trying to talk to him, make no bones about it; he is not ignoring you, he is disrespecting you. At that point, everything else should stop until he takes the earplugs out of his ears. Don't try to communicate with him when he's wearing headphones--even if he tells you he can hear you. Wearing them while you're talking to him is a sign of disrespect. Parents should be very tough about this kind of thing. Remember, mutual respect becomes more important as children mature . Parents will be able to deal with their child more effectively if they _ . avoid direct ways of punishment One day, a little monkey and a little fox went out to play. They saw an apple tree on the other side of the river. There were many big and red apples on it. But there was no bridge over the river. The monkey thought hard and had an idea. They pulled down a tree and put it over the river as a bridge. The monkey said, "My old friend, you go there first." But after the fox went to the other side, he kicked the tree into the river and ran to the apple tree. "How can I get 'there without the tree?" cried the monkey. The fox laughed and said, "You just stand there and watch me eating the apples." The monkey was very angry. Suddenly it began to rain. The water level in the river rose and the tree flew away with the water. "You can eat all the apples. But you can't come back," shouted the monkey. The fox stopped eating and looked at the monkey sadly. ,. The fox kicked the tree into the river because he wanted to _ . eat all the apples by himself Volunteers are people who do a job for the satisfaction of helping others. Volunteers do many different types of jobs.Some volunteers read books onto tapes so that people with poor eyesight can listen. Some volunteers deliver meals to elderly or sick people. Some volunteers help tourists who visit a city during a major event like the Olympic Games or the Commonwealth Games. Volunteers help whenever a community is hit by a natural disaster . Volunteers assist(,)in putting out bush fires.They might also help to evacuate people from areas that have been flooded or hit by an earthquake or tsunami . A community may not recover without the help of volunteers. Some communities require volunteers more than others. Communities that don't have much money require a great deal of help from volunteers. Communities with a large number of elderly people might require more help from volunteers than communities with more young people.Without volunteers, some communities couldn't operate. Which of the following is NOT true? Volunteers give much money to elderly people. Garden of small inventions Visitors of all ages are invited to Port Discovery to see the new exhibit--a garden of small inventions, which features interactive activities and gadgets(,,) for the environmental protection. The exhibit runs through Sept.4. Fee is $10.75; free for ages younger than two. Contact 410-727-8120 or portdiscovery.org. Rain-barrel workshop The Parks and People Foundation presents a workshop on building water-efficient rain barrels for the home between 6pm-8pm on Wednesday at the foundation's Stieff Silver Building. Cost is $50 and includes the barrel and all materials. Contact 410-448-5663, ext.109. Pruning plants Visitors can attend a workshop on pruning plants between 9:30am-10am on Tuesday at Ladew Topiary Gardens. Visitors should meet in the Visitors Center at Ladew, Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton. $10; free for Ladew members, and includes admission to the gardens and the nature walk. Contact 410-557-9570 or www.ladewgardens.com. Landscape exhibit Photographs, paintings and drawings will be shown at Landscape and Nature--a view from Maryland, through Sept.9 at the University of Maryland. Opening reception is between 5pm-7:30pm on Tuesday. Contact 301-985-7937 or um.edu/art. Which activity is offered only on Wednesday according to the ads? Rain-barrel workshop
MADRID (Reuters)--Spain' s parliament voiced its support on Wednesday for the rights of great apes to life and freedom. Parliament's environmental committee approved resolution urging Spain to carry out the Great Ape Project (GAP), designed by scientists and philosophers who say our closest genetic s deserve rights limited to humans. "This is a historic day in the struggle for animal rights and in defense of our evolutionary comrades, which will doubtless go down in the history of humanity," said Pedro Poza, Spanish director of the Great Ape Project. The new resolution has cross-party support and it is thought they will become law within a year, making Spain the first nation to extend legal rights to apes. Under the new law, potential experiments on apes in Spain will be forbidden. "We have no knowledge of great apes being used in experiments in Spain, but there is currently no law preventing that from happening," Poza said. Keeping apes for circuses, television commercials or filming will also be forbidden.Housing apes in Spanish zoos, of which there are currently 315, will remain legal, but supporters of _ have said the conditions in which most of them live will need to improve vastly. Philosophers Peter Singer and Paola Cavalieri founded the Great Ape Project in 1993, arguing that "non-human hominids " should enjoy the rights to life and freedom and not to be mistreated. The Great Ape Project was probably set up to _ . A small, fast-moving river in is in a V-shaped valley on the slope of a mountain. If you follow the river to where it passes through a plain, what will the river most likely look like compared with how it looked on the mountain? Henry is a naughty boy in Bayern, Germany. He has big eyes and a small mouth. One day, Henry is playing in front of a house. A woman comes up. She has small eyes. And she asks Henry, "Little boy, is your mother at home?" "Yes, she is." answers the boy. And Henry goes on playing happily. Then the woman goes over to ring the bell. The bell rings and rings, but no one comes to open the door. The woman gets angry and calls out to him, " You tell me your mother is at home, don't you?" "Yes," the boy answers. "My mother is at home, but this isn't my home." Then the woman stares at Henry. The boy says, "You have big eyes, too!" One day, Henry is playing _ . Hello, I'm Kate. This is a photo of my aunt's family. The woman in the photo is my aunt, Jane. She is a teacher and she is very kind . These are my cousins Jim and Jack. They are seven and they are twins . Look! That lovely baby is my aunt's little daughter, Rose. She is only one. I love them very much. Rose is my aunt's _ . Owen tested a physical property of a mineral. He rubbed a mineral sample on a piece of white tile. The mineral left a red mark on the tile. Which of the following physical properties of the mineral was Owen most likely testing?
Wilma Subra had no intention of becoming a public speaker. After graduating from college with degrees in chemistry and microbiology, she went to work at Gulf South Research Institute in Louisiana. As part of her job, she conducted field research on toxic (poisonous) substances in the environment, often in minority communities located near large industrial polluters. She found many families were being exposed to high, sometimes deadly levels of chemicals and other toxic substances. But she was not allowed to make her information public. Frustrated by these restrictions, Subra left her job in 1981, created her own company and has devoted the past two decades to helping people fight back against giant industrial polluters. She works with families and community groups to conduct environmental tests, interpret test results, and organize for change. Because of her efforts, dozens of toxic sites across the country have been cleaned up. And one chemical industry spokesperson calls her "a _ top _ gun" for the environmental movement. How has Subra achieved all this? Partly through her scientific training.Partly through her commitment to environmental justice. But just as important is her ability to communicate with people through public speaking. "Public speaking," she says, "is the primary vehicle I use for reaching people." If you had asked Subra before 1981 "Do you see yourself as a major public speaker?", she would have laughed at the idea. Yet today she gives more than one hundred presentations a year. Along the way, she's lectured at Harvard, testified before Congress, and addressed audiences in 40 states, as well as in Mexico, Canada, and Japan. What does Wilma Subra think of "public speaking"? Answer: She values it. In England, some food companies across the whole country have been told to carry out urgent tests on all beef products. Do you know why? That's because some food companies used horsemeat to make beef products. There are some examples about the horsemeat matter. In January, 2013, in a number of UK supermarkets, frozen hamburgers were found to have _ of horsemeat in them. Some frozen beef products made by food company FINDUS were found to contain horsemeat. All of the beef products made by this company have been removed from sale. The government said that there's nothing to suggest any health risk from the products. Food minister David Heath said people should not throw away frozen meat products and carry on eating meat. The government will tell people not to eat meat if the meat is not safe. Food safety has been an important matter all over the world. More and more countries plan to take some useful measures to ensure the safety of food. ,. In England, some food companies have been told to _ urgently. Answer: test all their beef products Gabriel Garcia Marquez , who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982, passed away at the age of 86 on April 17, 2014. The world paused to remember the cultural giant. Garcia Marquez was born in Colombia, but he spent most of his adult life in Mexico City. As one of the most famous writers, he was widely regarded as "a giant of 20th- century literature." Garcia Marquez wrote in a style called " magical realism ." In such works, people live a daily life in a certain period of time in history. But meanwhile , magical things happen to them. Garcia Marquez is best known for his 1967 novel, One hundred years of Solitude (<<>> ), which has sold about 50 million copies. It tells the tale of the small and _ town of Macondo which was separated from the outside world- of its founding and its troubled history over a hundred years. The story is a metaphor for the development of Colombia since the 19 century. As Colombian President Juan Manuel Santons said, Garcia Marquez wrote about "the essence of the Latin American beings." The writer quotes from the President to _ . Answer: Praise Garcia Marquez for his achievement. Way back in 1662,John Evelyn,a brilliant Englishman known for his detailed diaries,wrote About disastrous effects of coal-burning on the city of London .In it,he described an infernal scene of smog.air filled with "Columns and Clouds of Smoke''given out by small industries and residences that burned coal for fuel. I found the description in the 2003 book When Smoke Ran like Water,by epidemiologist and environmental advocator Devra Davis.In it,Davis looks back at several historic pollution events and their disastrous effect on human human health-and at how these phenomena were often Ignored or even actively covered up by then people in charge at that time. As Davis points out,John Evelyn was ahead of his time when writing about how London's polluted air affected the well-being of its residents.It wasn't until nearly 300 years later,after what became well-known as the Great Smog of 1952,that the government began to address the problem in a systematic way. For four days.Between December 5th"and 9th",due to all accident of the weather pattern,the city was buried in a heavy fog .People were still burning coal for fuel,and low-grade coal at that time, because 0f wartime condition.A temperature inversion trapped the smoke from the city's fires, creating a black cloud in which people could barely find their way down the most familiar streets Some tried to protect themselves,but most people simply went about their business But l952's fog was far worse than any other in memory.In the same week of the previous year, 1852 people had died in London;inl952,that number was 4703 And the deaths didn't stop when the weather changed and the fog lifted.Davis and her colleagues analyzed data from the next several months and found that about 13000 more people died between December and March than one would have predicted from historical averages Many of them died of pneumonia .The government, she writes.Tried to blame a bad flu season.Her detailed analysis found that explanation simply did not pan out. Davis writes that even today in this country ,we still have not completely absorbed the lessons 0f similar events.Sixty years the killer fog lifted in London,people are dying preventable deaths and suffering life.changing illnesses,simply because they must breathe the air of the cities where they live One of the reasons for the Great Smog of l952wasthat---- Answer: the government ignored the smog Sports shoes that work out whether their owner has done enough exercise to ensure time in front of the television have been invented in the prefix = st1 /UK. The shoes--dubbed 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 combat the rapidly ballooning waistlines among British teenagers, said Gillian Swan, who developed Square Eyes as a final year design project at Brunel University in London. " We looked at current issues and childhood obesity really stood out," she told New Scientist. "And I wanted to tackle that with my design. Once a child has used up their daily _ 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 precisely one minute of TV time. The best title for the passage might be _ . Answer: Smart shoes deciding on television time.
Researchers in London and Bristol have found that men are particularly likely to yield to depression if their partners are also depressed. The finding highlights the importance of paying attention to the partners of depressed mothers, as young children themselves are vulnerable to social problems if both parents are depressed. Researchers in London and at the University of Bristol launched their study to investigate whether family structure affects the likelihood of depression in men around the time their child is born. They looked at men from traditional families, men with children from a previous relationship, men whose partners had children by a former partner, and men who were not living with their partners. All 7,108 participants filled out a questionnaire on depression, and answered questions about their age, education level and employment status. Details about the quality of their relationships with their partners, networks of friends and previous life events were also recorded. About 3.5 percent of the men and 13 percent of their partners suffered depression around the time their child was born. While men in stepfamilies or who were not living with their partners were twice as likely to get depressed as those in traditional families, this could be explained by other factors that are more common in nontraditional families, such as poor education and relationship conflicts. Even allowing for all these factors, however, the partners of women who were suffering from prenatal depression were significantly more likely to become depressed themselves, the researchers report in an American journal. Ten percent of women who were depressed had depressed partners. For the healthy women, the figure was only 2.6 percent. Previous research suggests that families with two depressed parents may need special attention. A researcher in Atlanta has found that primary school children with two troubled parents have difficulty relating to their peers. "It's extremely important to look at the whole family." she says. What kind of men is least likely to get depressed when their child was born? Answer: Men in traditional families. We've talked about snails and their slow move. But much of the time snails don't move at all. They're in their shells ---sleeping . Hot sun will dry out a snail's body. So at the least sign of hot sun, a snail draws its body into its shell and closes the opening with a thin cover. Then it goes to sleep. A snail will die in a heavy rain. So whenever it rains, it goes inside its shell house and goes to sleep. A snail can sleep for as long as it needs to. It can take a short sleep. Or it can sleep for days at a time. And it spends all the winter months in its shell, asleep. In spring the snail wakes up. Its body, about three inches long, comes out of from the shell. When hungry, the snail looks for food. It can't see very well. Its eyes, at the ends of the top feelers are very weak. But its sense of smell is very strong. It helps the snail to the new greens. Then the snail's little mouth goes to work. A snail's mouth is no longer than the point of a pin . Yet it has 256,000 teeth! The teeth are so small that you can't see them. But they do their work.. If you put a snail in a hard paper box, it will eat its way out. And if a snail wears out its teeth, it will grow new ones. Mostly, a snail looks for food at night .But on cloudy days it eats in the daytime. It eats all day long. A snail can go on eating for hours and never feel full. A snail _ . Answer: sleeps much of the time At a day care center in Taxes, children were playing outside. One of the children was Jessica McClure. She was 18 months old. Jessica's mother, who worked at the day care center, was watching the children. Suddenly Jessica fell and disappeared. Jessica's mother cried and ran to her. A well was in the yard of the center. The well was only eight inches across, and a rock always covered it. But children had moved the rock. When Jessica fell, and she fell right into the well. Jessica's mother reached inside the well, but she couldn't feel Jessica. She ran to the phone and called 911 for help. Men from the fire apartment arrived. They discovered that Jessica was about 20 feet down in the well. For the next hour, the men talked and planned Jessica's rescue . Then they told Jessica's parents their plan. "We can't go into the well. " they said "It's too narrow. So, we're going to drill a hole next to the well. Then we 'll drill a tunnel across Jessica. Then we'll bring her up through the hole. " The man began to drill the hole on a Wednesday morning. "We'll reach Jessica in a few hours ", they thought. The men were wrong. They had to drill through the solid rock. Two days later, on Friday morning, they were still drilling,. And Jessica McClure was still in the well. During her days in the well, Jessica sometimes called her mother. Sometimes she slept, sometimes she cried, and sometimes she sang. All over the world people waited for the news of Jessica. They read about her in the newspapers and watched her rescue on TV. Everyone worried about the little girl in the well. At 8 P. M. on Friday, the men finally reached Jessica and brought her up from the well. Jessica was dirty, hungry, thirsty and tired. Her foot and forehead was badly injured. But Jessica was alive. A doctor at the hospital said, "Jessica was lucky she was young. She's not going to remember this very well. " Maybe Jessica will not remember her days in the well. But her parents, her rescuers, ans many other people around the world will not forget them. After Jessica's rescue, one of the rescuers made a metal cover for the well. On the cover he wrote, "To Jessica, with love from all of us. " To rescue Jessica, the rescuers _ . Answer: had to dig another hole next to the well One day, I had a bad toothache. I couldn't eat anything. So I went to see the dentist. " What's wrong with your teeth? " asked the dentist. " I have a toothache. " I told him. " Let me see your teeth ...... Um, there's a hole in one of the teeth. Do you eat a lot of sweet food? " The dentist asked me. " Yes, I do. I often eat ice cream, biscuits, chocolate and I often drink cola and milk with sugar, " I told him. " All these are bad for your teeth. You must eat less sweet food and brush your teeth at least twice every day. Now let me fill your bad tooth. " The write _ . Answer: likes having sweet food and milk Marek was a farmer who lived in a village far away. One day he became very ill, and everyone thought he would die. They sent for a doctor, who arrived two days later and examined the sick man. The doctor asked for a pen and some paper to write down the name of the medicine. But there was no pen or paper in the village, because no one could read or write. The doctor picked up a piece of burnt wood from the fire. Using the wood, he wrote the name of the medicine on the door of the house. "Get this medicine for him," he said,"and he will soon get better." Marek's family and friends did not know what to do. They could not read the strange writing. Then the village baker had an idea. He took off the door of the house, put it on his cart and drove to the nearest town. He bought the medicine, and Marek was soon well again. He would not let anyone wash the magic words away from the door. When the doctor arrived, he _ . Answer: gave Marek a careful check up
Question: 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. The main reason for the constant change at the top of McDonald is _ . A. the constant change of its share price B. the board's failure to reach an agreement C. the falling sales D. the physical problems of the chief executives Answer: D Question: James Arruda Henry, a 98-year-old retired lobsterman, has written and published his first book, "In a Fisherman's Language", after learning to read at the incredible age of 91. Mr. Henry spent most of his life without even his closest family members knowing he was illiterate .Forced to quit school in the third grade to take some jobs, he kept the secret close to his chest - only telling to his late wife. A family problem in his 90s sparked his encourage to restart his education."He signed a document he could not read," Mr Henry's granddaughter said. And then, after hearing about George Dawson, a son of slaves who learned to read at the age of 98 and went on to write a book of his own, entitled "Life Is So Good" at the age of 101, Mr. Henry took up reading. "If he can do it.I'm going to try," Mr. Henry said.Starting with his name, he eventually moved on to ABC's and children's books. He put them down for four years after the tragic loss of his wife. But eventually he went back to reading and with the help of his tutor began to record his life. He wrote about his family's voyage from Portugal to the U.S. his many journeys at sea and how he was unable to save another fisherman who had fallen overboard. He became a carpenter and even a professional boxer - and eventually built his own home in Stonington Borough. His life stories have become so popular, in fact, nearly 800 copies were sold in the first two weeks of the book's release last month.One thousand more have since been printed as requests for the book flood in from as far as Germany.And now even Hollywood producers have approached Mr. Henry about optioning the rights to his life story for a big screen adaptation. Which of the following is true of Mr. Henry? A. He couldn't read when he was retired. B. He was not a good student at school. C. Only his family members knew he was illiterate. D. He published his book at the age of 91. Answer: A Question: WHEN he was 11 years old, he loved fishing in the lake near his family's house in New Hampshire. On the day before bass season began, he and his father went fishing in the evening. He tied a small silver lure on his fishing rod and practiced casting. The lure struck the water and caused ripples in the black water. When his rod bent over, he knew something huge was on the other end. His father watched with admiration as the boy skillfully pulled the fish in. Finally, he lifted it from the water. It was the largest one he had ever seen, but it was a bass. The boy and his father looked at the handsome fish. The father lit a match and looked at his watch. It was 10pm --two hours before bass season began. The father looked at the fish, then at the boy. "You'll have to put it back, son." he said. "Dad!" cried the boy. "There will be other fish," said his father. "Not as big as this one," cried the boy. He looked around the lake. No other fishermen or boats were anywhere around. He looked again at his father's stern face. Even though no one had seen them, the boy knew that the decision was not negotiable .He slowly lowered the fish back into the water. The creature swam away. The boy thought that he would never again see such a great fish. That was 34 years ago. Today, the boy is a successful architect in New York City. His father's house is still there by the lake. He takes his own son and daughters fishing there. He has never again caught such a large fish as the one he landed that night long ago. But he does see that same fish again and again---every time he faces a question of right and wrong. His father taught him it is the practice of doing right that is difficult. Do we do right when no one is looking? What does the fish in the article stand for? A. Rewards. B. Good lessons. C. Family conflicts . D. Right choices. Answer: D Question: Jamie Wardley is a special kind of artist - an ice sculptor. He first trained as a sand sculptor. Later, he learned about ice sculpture. Now he does sand sculpture in the summer. And in the winter, he sculpts ice. When sculpting ice, Wardley has to work in cold temperatures. If the weather is cold enough, he can work outside. But winter in the United Kingdom is not always very cold. So often he works in a large freezer where the temperature is about -12degC. Wardley enjoys sculpting ice outside in the winter. When he sculpts in the open air, people can watch. They can be part of the creative process. Wardley makes ice sculpting sound simple. But the tools Wardley uses are sharp and dangerous. And the ice is very heavy. Each block of ice weighs 120 kilos. And some larger sculptures are made from several combined blocks of ice. Sometimes ice sculptures can be as big as buildings. In Kemi, Finland there is an ice hotel called the Snow Castle. Each year, Wardley helps build the Snow Castle. Inside the Snow Castle, the temperature is -50C. Even the dining tables are made of ice. So you have to wear winter clothes when eating and wear a hat when sleeping. "The ice hotel is built every year in January. Then it melts in April. Each year we rebuild it and create a new design," Wardley said. The Snow Castle is a large and amazing work of ice, but Wardley's smaller ice sculptures are special too. One winter, in the city of Bradford, UK, Wardley created several small sculptures. He used the sculptures to tell a story which contained an important message about good will and understanding. Ice sculptures are temporary works of art. When the temperature rises, they will melt. But that does not mean that their beauty is lost. The sculptures from that day in Bradford have now melted away, but their message of good will, understanding, and acceptance remains. What do we know about the Snow Castle? A. It lies in the city of Bradford, UK. B. It is too cold for people to live in. C. It requires to be built every year. D. It is built between January and April. Answer: C Question: My name's Mary. This is my family tree. These are my parents. Their names are Bill and Grace Brown. Those are my grandparents. Their names are Hery and Linda Brown. This is my uncle. His name is John. That boy is my brother. His name is Tony. This is Susan. She is my uncle's daughter. ,. (2,10) Henry is Susan's _ . A. father B. grandfather C. uncle D. grandmother Answer: B
We are seeking for qualified and experienced candidates to join our fast growing team for the following positions at Ratchathewi (Head Office), Pracha - Uthit (site), Pantai Norasing (site), Thepharak (site), and a few other incoming projects in Bangkok. Project Managers -Degree in Civil / Structural Engineering -Minimum 7 years' working experience in similar capacity, preferably in building construction. -Ability to plan and execute works, keep deadlines, control cost and implement continual quality improvement -Possess leadership attributes, good interpersonal and follow-up skill to motivate subordinates and develop team spirit -Possess a valid driving license Accounting Officer --Degree in Accounting --Minimum 1~2 years accounting experience --Knowledge of accounting packages & spreadsheets Account Executive / Finance Executive --Degree in Accounting --Preferably 3 years' accounting experience VAT, Withholding tax compliance & submission --Knowledge of accounting packages & spreadsheets --Expert at English and Thai spoken or written --Ability to handle full set accounts Senior Admin. Asst. --Minimum 5 years experience in Building Construction company is preferable. --Computer literate with knowledge in Microsoft Office --Good command of both written and oral English compulsory. --Female preferred *Site Supervisor --Diploma / Certificate in Building or Civil Engineering --Minimum 5 years' working experience in building construction or precast concrete manufacturing --Able to work independently and co - ordinate work effectively All positions mention above requires candidates with good command of both written and oral English. Interested candidate, please send your application stating full qualification, work experience and expected salary together with a copy of transcript and a recent photograph to the address below: ASCE Construction Limited. 503/19E K.S.L. Tower (11TH Floor), Sri-Ayudthaya Rd., Thanon Phayathai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400 TEL: - 02642-6272 , 02642-6120 FAX: - 02642-6273 E-MAIL: asce _ construction@hotmail.com What can we infer from the passage? Answer: You will benefit from your work experience. A young man applied for a job as a farmhand. When the farmer asked for his qualifications , he said, "I can sleep when the wind blows." This puzzled the farmer. But he liked the young man, and hired him. A few days later, the farmer and his wife were awakened in the night by a violent storm. They quickly began to check things to see if all was safe from damage. They found that the doors of the farmhouse had been safely fastened, and a lot of wood had been set next to the fireplace. The young man slept soundly. The farmer and his wife then looked at their property carefully. They found that the farm tools had been placed in the storage room, safe from the bad weather. The tractor had been moved into the garage. The barn was properly locked. Even the animals were calm. All was well. The farmer then understood the meaning of the young man's words, " I can sleep when the wind blows." The farmhand did his work loyally. When the sky was clear, he had prepared for the storm in case it broke. So when the wind blew, there was no need for him to be afraid. He could sleep in peace. From the passage, we can learn that _ . Answer: the young man had prepared for the storm before it came When you are little, the whole world feels like a big playground.I was living in Conyers, Georgia the summer it all happened.I was a second grader, but my best friend Stephanie was only in the first grade.Both of our parents were at work and most of the time they let us go our own way. It was a hot afternoon and we decided to have an adventure in Stephanie's basement.As I opened the basement door, before us lay the biggest room, full of amazing things like guns, dolls, and old clothes.I ran downstairs, and spotted a red steel can.It was paint.I looked beyond it and there lay even more paint in bright colors like purple, orange, blue and green. "Stephanie, I just found us a project for the day. Get some paintbrushes.We are fixing to paint." She screamed with excitement as I told her of my secret plans and immediately we got to work.We gathered all the brushes we could find and moved all of our materials to my yard.There on the road in front of my house, we painted bit stripes of colors across the pavement.Stripe by stripe, our colors turned into a beautiful rainbow.It was fantastic! The sun was starting to sink.I saw a car in the distance and jumped up as I recognized the car.It was my mother.I couldn't wait to show her my masterpiece.The car pulled slowly into the driveway and from the look on my mother's face, I could tell that I was in deep trouble. My mother shut the car door and walked towards me.Her eyes glaring, she shouted, "What in the world were you thinking? I understood when you made castles out of leaves, and climbed the neighbors' trees, but this! Come inside right now!" I stood there glaring back at her for a minute, angry because she had insulted my art. "Now go clean it up!" Mother and I began cleaning the road.Tears ran down my checks as I saw my beautiful rainbow turn into black cement . Though years have now passed, I still wonder where my rainbow has gone.I wonder if, maybe when I get older, I can find my rainbow and never have to brush it away.I guess we all need sort of _ to brighten our lives from time to time and to keep our hopes and dreams colorful. It can be learned from the passage that parents should _ . Answer: protect rather than destroy children's dreams The Firegathering 18-20 May The Firegathering festival returns to an unidentified place somewhere in the Sussex countryside this May.The ticket price is a very agreeable PS40,an amount that the organisers promise covers only the costs of staging the event.As well as the nightclub singers and dancers and circus performers,you can expect live performances from local stars.If this looks like it might be right for you,you'd be well advised to book your ticket soon;the event has sold out every year since its beginning four years ago. Sheep Music 20-22 July Sheep Music started life as a garden party and has developed into a fullscale community event.Even though the advertising has always been limited to word of mouth,the huge number of people in 2005 left organizers worried that the large crowds could ruin the festival's family feel.Luckily July sees the return of this brilliant party.The climax comes in the shape of Saturday night's fullscale parade and fancy dress ball that you just would not expect to happen in the other sleepy Welsh borders. The Big Chill 3-5 August Ten years on and The Big Chill could very well be close to becoming a big pop festival like Glastonbury.That said,the many thousands in attendance are still able to relax in the beautiful Eastnor deer park and listen to plenty of music that would otherwise pass them by.Families have always been given a warm welcome and it's fair to say that The Big Chill is probably the most childfriendly of all the mediumsized festivals.If you've never been,you should certainly go. Summer Sundae 10-12 August Although only a year old this summer,Summer Sundae has quickly inspired the imaginations of Leicesteks music lovers.Last year's event was a success,noted by more than a few mentions at the UK Festival Awards.It is set in the impressive grounds of De Montfort Hall.Although the performers are still to be confirmed,the cabins are sure to be there.These small buildings are made from wood and carpets,storage space,and can fit a family for the night. What is the similarity of these festivals? Answer: All of them entertain attendants with music. Ann is my classmate. She comes from New York, and she lives in Shanghai with her parents now. Every morning, she goes to KFC to have breakfast. Sometimes she buys a hamburger for me. She can't speak Chinese well. In the evening, her father often helps her with it. He's a teacher in our school. He can speak Chinese very well. Ann thinks the school life in China is very interesting. Ann likes reading Chinese books because she wants to know more about China. She tries to talk with her Chinese friends in Chinese. She hopes to speak Chinese well. She is very happy to live in China. She loves people here. What is Ann's father's job? Answer: A teacher.
Marjorie Baer used to joke about her retirement plans.She wasn't married and had no kids, but she didn't intend to be alone--she and all her single friends would move into a fictional home she called Casa de Biddies.Instead, Baer developed terminal brain cancer when she was 52.But just as she'd hoped, her friends and family provided her with love and care to the end. Ballance was only the first of Baer's friends who became her unofficial caregivers.With her brother Phil Baer from Los Angeles, they worked out a system to watch over their friend and allow her to keep some of the privacy and independence she cherished. Baer's good friend Ruth Henrich took Baer to doctors' appointments and helped her deal with all the aspects of life --answering machines, TV controls, and even phone numbers.After Henrich sent out an e-mail request, a group of volunteers signed up to ferry Baer back and forth to radiation therapy .Others in Baer's circle offered up particular talents: A nurse friend helped Baer figure out how to get what she was due from Social Security and her disability insurance; a lawyer pal helped Baer with her will; a partner who was an accountant took over her bills when she could no longer manage them."There was this odd sense that the right person always showed up," says Ballance.Their arrangement worked remarkably well. Unmarried women are one of the fastest-growing groups in America; experts are concerned about how care-giving will be managed for them as they age.If the experience of Baer's friends is a guide, _ .It's already making it possible to create communities of caregivers who may have only one thing in common: the person who needs their help.On personal "care pages" set up through services such as Lotsa Helping Hands, friends and family members can post a list of tasks that need to be done, volunteer to do them, and keep updated on the person's condition.As Baer's cancer progressed, for example, her friends set up a page on Yahoo! where people could sign up to deliver meals or do errands . Catherine Fox, one of the friends who were present when Baer died, was deeply affected."It was so comforting to know that if you're willing to ask for help, the generosity of family and friends can be phenomenal .It makes me feel secure and hopeful to know that help is there when you need it." The most appropriate title of this passage should be _ . A. On her own, but not alone B. A friend in need is a friend indeed C. A new practice of American government D. A phenomenal advantage of the Internet Answer: A. On her own, but not alone Every year at our school, we have a special day called International Day . It is for students to learn about different cultures from different countries. On this day, each class must tell other classes about a different country. Of course you will see many dances and different foods. If you visit the classroom of Japan, you can play the games Japanese children play. You also have some special Japanese foods. In the classroom of Mexico , there are tomalleys and chips to eat. In the afternoon, all the students, teachers and parents watch the dances. There are lots of dances. These dances are beautiful. People enjoy the shows. I enjoy International Day very much. 'International Day' is a special festival in _ . A. Japan B. Mexico C. America D. our school Answer: D. our school Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel. Green said, "Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life and hope. I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves. Look over the countryside and you will see that I am in the majority." Blue interrupted, "You only think about the earth, but consider the sky and the sea. It is the water that is the basis of life." Yellow chuckled . "The sun is yellow, as well as the moon and the stars. Every time you look at a sunflower, the whole world starts to smile." Red could bear it no longer. "I am the ruler of all of you. I am blood-life's blood! I am the color of danger and bravery. I bring fire into the blood. I am the color of passion and love." Purple stood at his full height. "I am the color of royalty and power. I am the sign of authority and wisdom. People do not question me! They listen and obey." Finally Indigo spoke with determination, "Think of me and I am the color of silence. I represent thought and reflection. You need me for balance and contrast , for prayer and inner peace." The colors went on boasting , each showing off his or her own advantages. Suddenlythere came a flash of bright lightening. Thunder rolled and boomed. Rain started to pour down. The colors were scared to death. In the midst of the quarrelling, rain began to speak, "You foolish colors. Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, unique and different? Join hands with one another and come to me." Doing as they were told, the colors united and joined hands. From then on, when it rains, colors will stretch across the sky in a great bow of color. Whenever a rainbow appears in the sky, let us remember to appreciate one another. We can know that _ . A. the colors lived in peace at last B. rain was the ruler of the colors C. the colors kept quarrelling all the time D. thunder was angry with the boasting Answer: A. the colors lived in peace at last Dear Kate, You are in New York, but I am in Beijing now. China is a great country and Beijing is a big city in China. It's very beautiful. I like it very much. There are twenty-four girls and nineteen boys in our class. One of the boys is from England. His name is Bob. He likes swimming. Sue and I come from America. Sue likes playing the piano, but I like playing volleyball. I have many Chinese friends here now. They teach me Chinese and I teach them English. Chinese is not easy, but I like it. Yours Nick The e-mail is from _ to _ . A. Kate; Nick B. Bob; Nick C. Nick; Kate D. Sue; Bob Answer: C. Nick; Kate The next time you try for a high-ranking post, you could let your possible boss listen to a recommending phone call "made" by US President George W Bush or British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Of course, neither of them could really do that for you-you would just "borrow" their voices. AT & T labs will start selling speech software that it says is so good at reproducing the sounds of a human voice that it can recreate voices and even bring the voices of long-dead famous people back to life. The software, which turns printed text into speech, makes it possible for a company to use recordings of a person's voice to say things that the person never actually said. Possible customers for the software, which is priced in the thousands of dollars, include telephone call centers, companies that make software that reads digital files aloud, and makers of automated voice devices . The advances raise several problems. Who, for example, owns the rights to a famous person's voice? (Some experts even believe that new contracts will be drawn that include voice-licensing clauses.) And although scientists say the technology is not yet good enough to commit fraud , would the synthesized voices at last be able to trick people into thinking that they were getting phone calls or digital audio recordings from people they know? Even Mr Fruchterman, one of AT & T lab's possible first customers, said he wondered what the new technology might bring. "Just like you can't trust a photograph anymore." He said, "you won't be able to trust a voice either." The passage mainly wants to _ . A. introduce a new software B. explain the disadvantage of a new invention C. advertise a new kind of product D. describe the future market of a new product Answer: A. introduce a new software
What is the outermost structure in a plant cell? Answer: You have some great ideas. But they don't come out because of what your friends say or because you think that only a few people can be creative geniuses . And, you, of course, think that you couldn't be one of them. But actually, this is not true at all. Anyone who is a creative genius will tell you that creativity is very much like a muscle that needs to be developed. If you don't learn how to develop creative thinking, this skill, just like a muscle, will become poor and useless. On the other hand, keep working at _ , and this skill will soon be ready for action whenever you need it. So how do you develop your own personal style of creative thinking? You should realize that your brain has a greater capacity and a higher speed than the world's biggest and fastest computer. So it's important to get as much information as you can every day. Read, watch and listen to everything around you --good and bad. The more you know, the more you'll want to know, and the more your brain will be exercised. Try something new every day and let your experiences show you more about the world and people around you. You need to step out of your comfort zone more and more each day. Follow these suggestions, and begin thinking beyond your "limits" from today. You'll soon have a life full of interesting and exciting adventures. Who knows, your idea might be the next great idea to change the world. What do we learn from the passage? Answer: For most of us, the purpose of the holidays is to bring peace, love, and goodwill towards all. Yet, for many, the holiday season often means stress, fatigue, pressure, disappointment and loneliness. These feelings, often known as the "holiday blues", may be even more prevalent, due to the emotional turmoil of the past few months, not to mention the unsteady economy. Experts say even the more ritual tasks of shopping, decorating, late-night parties, cooking, planning and family reunions can be holiday stressors. In addition, the psychological phenomenon known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, may bring a specific type of depression related to winter's shorter days and longer nights. "Certainly just because it's the holidays doesn't mean people are going to be happy," says Dr. Doug Jacobs of prefix = st1 /HarvardUniversity. "And this will be a particularly hard holiday for some who are dealing with a lost job, debt, or even a lost loved one." And with family reunions becoming less frequent events over the years, there is now the added pressure of getting just one chance to get it all right. "Families are much more different now. The disappointment and sense of alienation that often results from family gatherings, is actually a realization that the fantasy is not met." says John Stutesman, a clinical psychologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Still, say experts, the blues should be addressed. The most essential step, says Stutesman, is for the individual to acknowledge their feelings and the reason for their withdrawal. "Denial will only compound the stress they're feeling." Stutesman recommends people do things that are normally comforting in order to get a handle on the holiday stress. "If they're feeling a little blue, they should try to do things personally satisfying for them. Maybe this is exercise, cooking, reading a book, or massage." Stutesman also advises that sometimes "avoidance is actually not such a bad idea." In some situations, fulfilling social obligations may be self-destructive when the best thing may be to just stay home. The healthy choice has to do with taking care of oneself." Who are more likely to feel blue in holiday according to the passage? Answer: Billy was like a king on the school yard. A king without a queen. He was the biggest kid in our grade, so he made all the rules during recess. He was a big bully. He told kids what to do, what to play, what to sing, and called them names like "Dork". He always had a smile on his face as he sat on the bench next to the big tree and watched his "kingdom". All of the other kids were scared of him. Even I was scared of him. He was mean and he could beat you up if you made him angry. Last week, a very, very stupid kid chose not to listen to Billy. Billy beat him up and Mr.Stupid Kid told the grownups that he tripped. No one would dare get Billy in trouble. Billy was mean, but he kept the school yard from getting too crazy. Well I had enough it. Billy had been picking on us for too long and we had to stop him. I grabbed some fishing line from home and brought it to school the next day. Before recess, I tied a long piece of fishing line around the tree by Billy's bench and tied the other end to a big rock. Then I went inside for class. When it was recess, Billy sat on his bench and started yelling at people. This was it. I called out, "Hey you big dummy! You're not so tough". Billy's face turned red with anger and he started marching my way. Billy marched and then tripped over the fishing line. Billy was lying face down and he seemed to be crying. Everyone cheered. The king was down. What did the boy call Billy? Answer: Reduce, reuse, and recycle. This familiar environmentalist slogan tells us how to reduce the amount of rubbish that ends up in landfills and waterways. The concept is being used to deal with one possibly dangerous form of waste -- electronic junk , such as old computers, cell phones, and televisions. But this process for managing e-waste may be used in an way more often than not used, a recent report suggests. "A lot of these materials are being sent to developing nations under the excuse of reuse -- to bridge the digital divide," said Richard Gutierrez, a policy researcher. One of the problems is that no one proves whether these old machines work before they hit the seaways. Because of this, the report says, e-waste is a growing problem in Lagos, Nigeria, and elsewhere in the developing world. Much of the waste ends up being thrown away along rivers and roads. Often it's picked apart by poor people, who may face dangerous exposure to poisonous chemicals in the equipment. Businessmen also pay workers a little money to get back materials such as gold and copper. This low-tech recovery process could expose workers and the local environment to many dangerous materials used to build electronics. According to Gutierrez, this shadow economy exists because the excuse of recycling and reusing electronics gives businessmen "a green passport" to ship waste around the globe. "Developing nations must take upon some of the responsibility themselves," Gutierrez said. But, he added, "A greater portion of this responsibility should fall on the exporting state." China, for example, has become a dumping place for large amounts of e-waste. The nation is beginning to take action to stop the flow of dangerous materials across its borders. The Chinese government, after many years of denial is finally beginning to take the lead. The passage mainly tells us that _ . Answer:
There is much discussion today about whether economic growth is desirable ,At an earlier period our desire for material wealth may have been justified .Now , however ,this desire for more than we need is causing serious problems .Even though we have good intentions ,we may be producing too much ,too fast . w.w.w.k.s.5.u.c.o.m Those who criticize economic growth argue that we must slow down .They believe that society is approaching certain limits on growth ,These include the fixed supply of natural resources ,the possible negative effects of industry on the natural environment ,and the continuing increase in the world's population ,As society reaches these limits ,economic growth can no longer continue ,and the quality of life will decrease . People who want more economic growth ,on the other hand ,argue that even at the present growth rate there are still many poor people in the world ,These _ of economic growth believe that only more growth can create the capital needed to improve the quality of life in the world ,Furthermore ,they argue that only continued growth can provide the financial resources required to protect our natural surroundings from industrialization . This debate over the desirability of continued economic growth is of vital importance to business and industry ,If those who argue against economic growth are correct ,the problem they mention cannot be ignored ,To find a solution ,economists and the business community must pay attention to these problems and continue discussing them with one another . Thoes who want more economic growth believe that continued economic growth _ Every day I go into the same coffee shop on the way to work. It's part of a large chain here in the UK. I am new to the anonymous act of kindness concept. I came across it recently. A few weeks ago I worked up the courage to ask the barista if I could pay for a coffee for someone later that day. He looked at me kind of strangely and said "okay" and then put the money into the drawer where some change was put. I walked out feeling doubtful whether this would happen and privately thinking he might just add the money to his tips. This chain stamps a card every time you buy a coffee and when you get 9 stamps, the 10th coffee is free. I had just completed my card today and was due a free cup of coffee next time, so I cheered up as I headed out of the coffee shop. I believe that giving the card to people on the street is better than giving them cash so I forgot about the barista and passed the card on to a homeless guy I met later. A week later I was in the same store and I ordered my usual coffee and a new barista said to me, "Your coffee is on us." I was surprised and asked why he would give me a free coffee. He said that the staff were allowed to give out one free coffee a day to anyone they chose. And that today I was the lucky one. He said they knew that I was a regular and that I was always so cheerful with the staff. By the way, I was not sure I had been the first lucky person in the morning! This put a big smile on my face but I decided to ask if I could choose to pay it forward to someone else instead. Finally, he gave me the power to make a decision. It is implied in the text that_. Which change would have the greatest negative impact on the survival of an owl species? They were just grasshoppers . But there were millions of them, which was why dad was so anxious to get rid of them. "They're totally destroying our beans," he told Mom over lunchtime one Saturday. "I've been trying to keep them out of the tomatoes, but I don't know if I can make it." "Isn't there something you can do about them?"Mom asked. She was mostly concerned about the tomatoes. "I think there's a spray or something," Dad said. "I'm going down to the garden center after lunch and see if they have any suggestions." I'm pretty sure that's what he said. But what I heard was, "While I'm gone, why don't you and George come up with your own plan for getting fid of the grasshoppers?" And so that's what we did. It was the summer between fifth and sixth grade, so we were feeling pretty clever and mature. Certainly we knew how to get rid of these grasshoppers. That seemed simple enough. Finally Ron and Don joined us but then, things got a little crazy. Before we knew it we were doing terrible experiments. I won't describe our experiments. Let's just call it "The Adventures of the Marquis de Orkin". Da came home and saw these different deaths. We were laughing, but the laughter quickly turned to silence when we saw the look on my dad's face. "What are you boys doing?" he asked . "We're just sort of helping to get rid of the grasshoppers," I said. "This isn't 'getting rid of grasshoppers,'" Dad said. "This is killing." I was confused. I looked at the insecticide he was carrying. "But aren't you going to kill grasshoppers with that?" I asked. "Yes, because it's something we need to do for the protection of our garden," he said seriously. "But I'm not going to enjoy it." In which magazine would you most probably find this passage? Across the planet there are millions of people who engage in some type of meditation, the practice of concentrating and clearing the mind to bring the body into a state of peace, at least a semi-regular basis. For some, particularly among practitioners of Eastern religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism, this is _ of their religious practice. For others, particularly in Western cultures, meditation tends to be a response to stress. With the world economy approaching meltdown and people worried about their job or their ability to keep their home, it's a way for people to attain a state of peace of mind and well-being. For those interested in taking up the practice, instruction in meditation for beginners can be found in literally thousands of sources. One of the most popular styles of mediation in the West, with classes offered in most major cities, is called Transcendental Meditation. TM, as it is known among its practitioners, first came to worldwide attention when the Beatles began practicing it in 1967. For direct, guided, personal instruction in meditation for the beginner, TM may be the hallmark. Part of the confusion about how to practice meditation effectively is due to the fact that there are literally hundreds of techniques championed by various groups and individuals. As a general principle, it might be said that all meditation techniques seek to have the practitioner attain a state of consciousness that is different to our ordinary state of awareness. They attempt to train people to clear their minds and achieve a sense of inner peace. It sounds simple enough, but of the huge number of people experiment with meditation, very few are able to maintain its practice over the long haul. In most cases, this is due to frustration over the inability to experience any dramatic, instantly recognizable effects. This is quite a sad state of affairs, that so few these days are willing or equipped to persist in something that doesn't provide immediate life-changing results. It reflects a culture in which demands for discipline and sustained effort are considered unnecessary or even unfair. It is no surprise therefore that many people abandon their efforts at meditation before they have a chance to bear fruit. But for anyone who does decide to take up this worthwhile practice, please remember. You must clear your mind, relax and "take it as it comes". Maintain the practice with a sense of discipline and devotion, and eventually benefits of inner peace and calm will be yours. The goal of meditation is _ .
winter-swimming has become popular in Beijing. three years ago, few people would go swimming in the city waters. but now there is a winter-swimming enthusiasts'club and it has more than 2,000 members. the oldest is 84 years of age and the youngest is only 7. _ They may be workers, peasants, soldiers, teachers, students....Though it is now the coldest part of the season and the water temperature in the city's lakes is around 0degc, many winter-simmers still swim in the icy waters, even when it is snowing. They enjoy themselves in the lake, while the people by the side of the lake are wearing heavy clothes. why are so many people interested in winter-swimming? Because winter-swimming can be good for one's health. Bei Sha is a good example. He is 69 years old, and he once suffered from heart trouble for 26 years. After ten years of winter-swimming he is now in good health. Scientists are now studying the effects of winter-swimming on health. The best title for this passage should be _ . Answer: In 1901, the citizens of Colorado Springs in the USA decided to collect everyday items and to seal them in a special box. The box was marked "To be opened after midnight, December 31st, AD 2000",and was kept in the Colorado College Library. One hundred years later, on the appointed day, 300 people gathered to watch the opening of the box. Many in the crowd were the descendants of people who had placed things inside the box. When the box was opened after midnight, the things inside the box were in very good condition. There were newspapers, photos, diaries, name cards, family trees, books and lots of letters, including one written by Theodore Roosevelt, who became the President of the USA later that year. One of Roosevelt's friends lived in Colorado Springs at that time. Many of the letters were written to their descendants. They describe the hopes that the people of 1901 had for the people of the next century. At that time, Colorado Springs had just a few thousand people. Now nearly half a million people live there. Colorado College Library has scanned the materials and put them on a website. Cecil Muller, whose grandfather had placed a collection of postcards in the box, said that the time capsule was a great treasure. "This is a wonderful educational resource . We can learn so much about our history,"he said. "I never knew my grandfather, but now I feel very close to him. " Cecil Muller says that the time capsule _ . Answer: A reader from Brazil recently wrote to us asking for some advice. He's planning a trip to the United States, and wanted to know about the best places to travel in America. Today, we are going to give you some information which may help you when choosing your destination. Each of the 50 states in America has interesting things to offer visitors, but some are more popular than others. Washington, D.C. is famous for its historical places, like the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. Visitors to Los Angeles, California can see the Hollywood Walk of Fame or shop the stores on Rodeo Drive where they may see a star or two. The Grand Canyon in Arizona appeals to hikers, climbers and nature lovers, as does Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. TripAdvisor is a website where people can write reviews about their travel experiences. Every year, TripAdvisor makes a list of the top 25 cities to visit in the United States. The results are based on the opinions of visitors to the website. Brooke Ferencsik of TripAdvisor said the top picks on the list were not surprising. And it's no secret why New York City was named the number one destination. New York City is sometimes called "the city that never sleeps" because it can be very busy. It is an exciting place for many people because there is so much to do. But the city might be too busy for travelers looking for rest and calm. They might want something more like Myrtle Beach, in the state of South Carolina, which made it to number 21 on Trip Advisor's list. "A lot of people come to Myrtle Beach for great weather, it's a wonderful family vacation spot, the beaches - got the wonderful Atlantic beaches there - there's a lot of family-friendly parks and water parks." Many people take time off from their jobs in the summer to travel. Because there are many tourists visiting other places, June until August is known as "high season." Traveling during the high season can be crowded. Hotels, restaurants, and transportation might also be very expensive. If you want to save money on a trip, it is a good idea to plan to leave before or after the summer months. These times are known as "shoulder seasons" for travel. "If you're looking for value, try and think about traveling through the shoulder season if it's possible - the shoulder season being the fall or the spring. The weather is still very good in some of these destinations, and you can get better prices." America's major cities are still the most popular destinations for visitors. Ferencsik says this is because of the good quality of services they provide tourists. "They do a great job of giving travelers what they want when they're on vacation. I think they kind of cater to every type of traveler need. So whether you're traveling alone, you're traveling for business, you're traveling with your family - whatever it is, those destinations are really tuned in to delivering amazing experiences and just a lot of different opportunities when you're there." Lily has great interest in nature and American history. She can visit _ . Answer: What exactly is a lie? Is it anything we say which we know is untrue? Or is it something more than that? For example, suppose a friend wants to borrow some money from you. You say, "I wish I could help you but I'm short of money myself." In fact you are not short of money but your friend is in the habit of not paying his debts and you don't want to hurt his feelings by reminding him of this. Is this really a lie? Professor Gerald Gullion of theprefix = st1 /UniversityofSouthern Californiahas made a scientific study of lying. According to him, women are better liars than men, particularly when telling a "white lie", such as a woman at a party telling another woman that she likes her dress when she really thinks it looks awful. However, this is only one side of the story. Other researchers say that men are more likely to tell more serious lies, such as making a promise which they have no intention of fulfilling. This is the kind of lie politicians and businessmen are supposed to be particularly skilled at: the lie from which the liars hopes to profit or gain in some way. Research has also been done into the changes of people's behavior in a number of small, clearly unimportant ways when they lie. It has been found that if they are sitting down at the time, they tend to move about in their chairs more than usual. To the trained observer they are saying "I wish I were somewhere else now". They also tend to touch certain parts of the face more often, in particular the nose. One explanation of this may be that lying causes a slight increase in blood pressure. The nose is very sensitive to such changes and the increased pressure makes it itch . Another gesture which gives away is what the writer Desmond Morris in his bookMan Watchingcalls "the mouth cover". He says there are several typical forms of this, such as covering part of the mouth with fingers, touching the upper-lip or putting a finger of the hand at one side of the mouth. Such a gesture can be understood, as an unconscious attempt on the part of the liar to stop himself or herself from lying. Of course, such gestures as rubbing the nose or covering the mouth, or moving about in a chair cannot be taken as proof that the speaker is lying. They simply tend to occur more frequently in this situation. It is not one gesture alone that gives the liar away but a whole number of things, and in particular the context in which the lie is told. Researchers find that when a person tells lies. Answer: Mr. White looks out of his window. There is a boy at the other side of the street. The boy takes some bread out of a bag and begins eating it.There is a very thin dog in the street, too. The boy says to it, "I'll give you some bread." The dog is hungry and goes to the boy, but he does not give it any bread. He kicks the dog. It runs away, and the boy laughs. Then Mr. White comes out of his house and says to the boy. "I'll give you a shilling ."The boy is happy and says "Yes.""Come here," Mr. White says. The boy goes to him, but Mr. White does not give him a shilling. He hits him with a stick .The boy cries and says, "Why do you hit me? I do not ask you for any money." "No," Mr. White says, "and the dog does not ask you for any bread, but you kick it." Where is Mr. White at first? Answer:
Why do some people live to be older than others? You know the standard explanations: keeping a moderate diet, engaging in regular exercise, etc. But what effect does your personality have on your longevity ? Do some kinds of personalities lead to longer lives? A new study in theJournal of the American Geriatrics Societylooked at this question by examining the personality characteristics of 246 children of people who had lived to be at least 100. The study shows that those living the longest are more outgoing, more active and less neurotic than other people. Long-living women are also more likely to be sympathetic and cooperative than women with a normal life span. These findings are in agreement with what you would expect from the evolutionary theory: those who like to make friends and help others can gather enough resources to make it through tough times. Interestingly, however, other characteristics that you might consider advantageous had no impact on whether study participants were likely to live longer. Those who were more self-disciplined, for instance, were no more likely to live to be very old. Also, being open to new ideas had no relationship to long life, which might explain all those bad-tempered old people who are fixed in their ways. Whether you can successfully change your personality as an adult is the subject of a longstanding psychological debate. But the new paper suggests that if you want long life, you should strive to be as outgoing as possible. Unfortunately, another recent study shows that your mother's personality may also help determine your longevity. That study looked at nearly 28,000 Norwegian mothers and found that those moms who were more anxious, depressed and angry were more likely to feed their kids unhealthy diets. Patterns of childhood eating can be hard to break when we're adults, which may mean that kids of depressed moms end up dying younger. Personality isn't destiny , and everyone knows that individuals can learn to change. But both studies show that long life isn't just a matter of your physical health but of your mental health. What does the author imply about outgoing and sympathetic people? A They have a good understanding of evolution. B They are better at negotiating an agreement. C They generally appear more resourceful. D They are more likely to get over hardship. Answer: D We've talked about snails and their slow move. But much of the time snails don't move at all. They're in their shells ---sleeping . Hot sun will dry out a snail's body. So at the least sign of hot sun, a snail draws its body into its shell and closes the opening with a thin cover. Then it goes to sleep. A snail will die in a heavy rain. So whenever it rains, it goes inside its shell house and goes to sleep. A snail can sleep for as long as it needs to. It can take a short sleep. Or it can sleep for days at a time. And it spends all the winter months in its shell, asleep. In spring the snail wakes up. Its body, about three inches long, comes out of from the shell. When hungry, the snail looks for food. It can't see very well. Its eyes, at the ends of the top feelers are very weak. But its sense of smell is very strong. It helps the snail to the new greens. Then the snail's little mouth goes to work. A snail's mouth is no longer than the point of a pin . Yet it has 256,000 teeth! The teeth are so small that you can't see them. But they do their work.. If you put a snail in a hard paper box, it will eat its way out. And if a snail wears out its teeth, it will grow new ones. Mostly, a snail looks for food at night .But on cloudy days it eats in the daytime. It eats all day long. A snail can go on eating for hours and never feel full. In the sentence "A snail draws its body into its shell" the word "draw" means _ . A to make with a pen B to keep away from C to pull D to move to end Answer: C A beggar followed a lady and asked her for some money. She refused, so he turned away sadly and said he must do what he had made up his mind to do. At this word, the lady was greatly frightened for she was afraid for his life. So she called him back and gave him a dollar. The beggar took the money, put it into his pocket, and thanked her a great deal. "You have saved me from a terrible fate," he said. The lady asked him what he meant. The beggar replied, "Madame, I have been begging all day, but only you have taken pity on me. Without this dollar you gave to me, I should have had to go to work now. Before meeting the lady, the beggar _ . A had already received some dollars already [: ] B had been thinking of taking his own life C had received no money for that day D had acted as if he was looking for a job Answer: C Which physical structure would best help a bear to survive a winter in New York State? A big ears B black nose C thick fur D brown eyes Answer: C A quiet desert town will see more _____ than a big city will. A buildings B cars C people D stars Answer: D
I grew up in a neighborhood that many city kids can only dream of: a quiet street that was our adventure park: a street filled with kids whose parents had to drag us inside for dinner, most of the time long after the sun had retired for the night. Our street was also a zoo. There were cats, dogs, birds, fish, sheep, rabbits, horses, not to mention all the little things we caught and decided to keep as pets. But these farm animals weren't just farm animals. They were our friends. Everything was great. I loved my life and never wanted anything to change. Then a day arrived that would ruin everything. The day they said, "We're moving." Dad's job had been relocated, and I would soon be leaving everything I had ever known. I cried. "We are going to live near the beach," I kept hearing, but it was no comfort. I hated my parents for doing this to me, for putting an end to the series of colorful adventures. I watched as removal trucks were filled with boxes my life had been shoved into, but I knew that there was one thing that wouldn't fit into a box. My neighborhood and all the fun and adventure it contained. I forced myself to dislike our new life and insistently referred to our old house as "home". I would give no one the satisfaction of enjoying our new beachfront lifestyle, not my family, my friends or myself. To admit taking pleasure in the new meant to let go off the old. But once I allowed myself to like the town, I grew to love it and I don't want anything to change. But this time, I know it will. And as scary as that may be, it's okay because exciting adventures can happen anywhere. All I have to do is to let them happen. In my old neighborhood, children _ . A. often moved to other places to live B. lived in a zoo with a lot of farm animals C. played together until late in the evening D. were pulled to do homework after school Answer: C. played together until late in the evening A person catches and measures a large fish called a halibut. She thinks that this halibut is above average in size. To help support her thinking, it would be most helpful to measure A. many types of fish. B. many fish of the same type. C. fish from the same location. D. fish during a different season. Answer: B. many fish of the same type. A letter to Edward, a columnist Dear Mr Expert: I grew up in an unhappy and abusive home. I always Promised myself that I'd get out as soon as possible. Now, at age 20,I have a good job and a nice house, and I'm really proud of the independence I've achieved. Here's the problem: several of my friends who still live with their parents wish they had places like mine -- so much so that they make mine theirs. It started out with a couple of them spending the weekends with me. But now they seem to take it for granted that they can shou up any time they like. They bring boyfriends over, talk on the phone and stay out forever. I enjoy having my friends here sometimes-- it makes the place feel comfortable and warm-- but this is my home, not a party house. I was old enough to move out on my own, so why can't I seem to ask my friends to respect my privacy ? Joan Edward's reply to Joan Dear Joan: If your family didn't pay attention to your needs when you were a child, you probably have trouble letting others know your needs now. And if you've gathesed yourfriends around you to rebuild a happy family atmosphere ,you may fear that saying no will bring back the kind of conflict you grew up with-- or destroy the nice atmosphere you now enjoy. You need to understand that in true friendship it's okay to put your own needs first from time to time. Be clear about the message you want to send. For example, "I really love your company but I also need some privacy. So please call before you come over." We can infer from the first letter that_. A. Joan considers her friends more important than her privacy B. Joan's friends visit her more often than she can accept C. Joan doesn't like the parties at all D. Joan dislikes the boyfriends her friends bring over Answer: B. Joan's friends visit her more often than she can accept The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Aron Presley was born on 8 January 1935 in Tupelo. His talent in singing did not come up as a surprise, as he had a good voice right from his childhood. When Elvis was ten years old, he participated in a Talent Contest at Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show and won a prize for the song he sang. When Elvis was 13 years old, his family moved to Tennessee. To support himself and his father, Elvis took on a job as a truck driver. A disc containing two ballads that Elvis had recorded for his mother as a birthday gift was first heard by Sun Studio's president Sam Phillips. After listening to Elvis, Sam made Elvis an offer and that was the birth of a new singing sensation ; a new superstar was born. In 1954 his first record was released from Sun Studio. In 1955, Elvis singed a $35,000 recording contract with RCA Victor (through Thomas Parker), who promised to help in projecting Elvis Presley (a Local Star) as a National Level Star. As promised, Elvis was shown in newspapers, television appearances, photographs where he was claimed to be the next superstar of the music world. In 1956, his first performance with "Heartbreak Hotel" on The Milton Berle Show successfully put Elvis on the top list of the superstars and the nationwide "Elvis Craze" was started. Elvis became the prince who ruled hearts of his millions of fans. In 1960, he quit performing in concerts and concentrated in making movies. As his first movie Love Me Tender was a big hit, he had no problem in marking his comeback in movies. After making several very successful and hit movies, Elvis returned to the world of music. In 1968, Elvis once again started working with his old band and gave some more smashing hits to the world. In 1972, he released his last top-ten single Burning Love. It's nearly impossible to measure the level of popularity he had reached in his career. Elvis Presley had more than 100 records on the billboard charts and out of which, about 18 records were on number one position on the charts. During his lifetime, he worked in about 31 movies; all of them were huge success. Which of the following is TRUE? A. Elvis was not as popular as before after stopping performing in concerts. B. RCA Victor assisted Elvis in making his first movie a big hit. C. Elvis' performance with "Heartbreak Hotel" started the "Elvis Craze". D. Elvis had over 100 records on number one position on the charts. Answer: C. Elvis' performance with "Heartbreak Hotel" started the "Elvis Craze". Filmmaker Jennifer Nelson had to pay $1,500 to have "Happy Birthday to You" sung in the movie she's making. The money went to Warner Music Group, a company that claims to own the copyright on the song. A copyright is the legal right to use or sell a creative product such as a song, a TV show, a book, or a work of art. Warner has claimed the copyright for "Happy Birthday to You" since 1988. "I never thought the song was owned by anyone," Nelson said in an e-mail to The New York Times. "I thought it belonged to everyone." Nelson's movie is a documentary -- a film that uses pictures and/or interviews with people to create a factual report of real-life events -- and is actually about the history of the "Happy Birthday" song itself. Two sisters named Mildred and Patty Hill wrote a song called "Good Morning to All" in 1893. Over a short period of time, people began to sing the words "happy birthday to you" in place of the original lyrics to the tune of the Hill sisters' song. A number of history experts say that there is no record of who actually wrote the "Happy Birthday to You" lyrics . Historians also say there is no way to know when the general public began singing the "Happy Birthday" song, but they believe it was being sung by the public long before it was printed and owned by a company. Nelson's lawyers say this piece of music's history proves that "Happy Birthday to You" belongs to everyone in the general public. That would mean Warner Music Group has no right to charge anyone a fee to sing the song in any setting. Experts estimate that Warner/ Chappell, the publishing division of the Warner Music Group, has made about $2 million a year from licensing fees for "Happy Birthday to You." Nelson's lawyers are asking a court in New York City to order Warner/Chappell to return fees they have collected over the past four years for use of the "Happy Birthday" song. Jennifer Nelson had to pay Warner Music Group to _ . A. own the copyright on a song B. have it write a song for her movie C. have it play a song in her movie D. have a song sung in her movie Answer: D. have a song sung in her movie
The Water World Swimming Pool is open every day from eight o'clock in the morning until half past seven in the evening. It costs two dollars sixty to enter the pool. There is a special cheap price for students with a student card. The price is one dollar forty. But you must bring your student card with you. On Wednesday morning the pool is only open to mothers and babies. So mothers can enjoy themselves in the water with their babies. Please leave your older children at home on Wednesday morning. The new Water World Cafe will be open up on June 22nd. From the cafe you can watch the swimmers or enjoy a drink after you swim. Please call 2105369 for more information. We look forward to seeing you at the Water World Swimming Pool. How long is the Water World Swimming Pool open every day? Answer: A thing needs to be placed on a balance in order to determine Answer: Peter and Donald were in the habit of playing practical jokes on each other on their respective birthdays. On Peter's birthday, Donald sent Peter a cake containing an ingredient that he knew had, in the past, made Peter very ill. After Peter had eaten a piece of the cake, he suffered severe stomach pains and had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance. On the way to the hospital, the ambulance driver suffered a heart attack, which caused the ambulance to swerve from the road and hit a tree. As a result of the collision, Peter suffered a broken leg. In a suit by Peter against Donald to recover damages for Peter's broken leg, Peter will Answer: Many years ago,a French naturalist,the Count de Buffon,wrote some books about natural history.The books were a great success even though some critics did not like them.Some critics said,"Count Buffon is more of a poet than a scientist." Thomas Jefferson did not like what the Count had said about the natural wonders of the New World.It seemed to Jefferson that the Count had spoken of natural wonders in America as if they were unimportant. This troubled Thomas Jefferson.He too was a naturalist,as well as a farmer,inventor,historian,writer and politician.He had seen the natural wonders of Europe.To him,they were no more important than those of the New World. In 1788,Thomas Jefferson wrote about his home state,Virginia.While writing,he thought of its natural beauty and then of the words of the Count de Buffon.At that moment.Jefferson created a new word--belittle.He said."The Count de Buffon believes that nature belittles her productions on this side of the Atlantic." Noah Webster,the American word expert,liked this word.He put it in this English language dictionary in 1806,"Belittle--to make small,unimportant." Americans had already accepted Jefferson's word and started to use it.In 1797,the Independent Chronicle newspaper used the word to describe a politician the paper supported."He is an honorable man,"the paper wrote,"so let the opposition try to belittle him as much as they please." In 1872,a famous American word expert decided that the time had come to kill this word.He said,"Belittle has no chance of becoming English.And as more critical writers of America,like those of Britain,feel no need of it,the sooner it is forgotten,the better." This expert failed to kill the word.Today.belittle is used where the English language is spoken. What is the main idea of the text? Answer: My daughter Kelly is a cautious person.She needs to warm up to situations,is hesitant to try new things.When with close friends,she becomes a leader who laughs loudly and chants,"Girls rule,boys drool." But when that comfort zone is not around her,she is shy and nervous. This has been challenging for me at times."Shy" is not a word that I think has ever been used to describe me.But this has been a year of firsts for my girl that has filled her with a new sense of confidence.This year she moved to lap lane in swimming where she was preparing for a swim team.This year she learned to ride a bike without training wheels.And this year she completed her first kids' triathlon . On Saturday,with a thunderstorm coming soon and my son's birthday party later in the day,we all went out in the dark of the morning for Kelly to participate in her first triathlon.We practiced transitions from swim to bike to run with her,we got all the equipment she'd need,and we kept talking about the race.But as we waited the two hours for the older kids to finish before her turn,she held my leg a little harder and told me she loved me a few too many times.She was nervous but trying to keep it together. And then it was her turn.From the second she jumped into the water,my heart soared. My daughter transformed into the most confident human being I had ever seen.She dominated that swim,crushed that bike ride and ran to the finish with the biggest smile on her face. I can honestly say that I never felt so proud of someone in my entire life.It wasn't because she did a sport or anything like that.It was because she was afraid of something and conquered that fear with confidence and a fire I hadn't seen before. All day I would find myself just looking over at her and smiling.She might be wearing the finalist medal but I felt like I won that day.I won the chance to see my girl shine. Shine on,sweet baby. The author "felt like I won that day" because Kelly _ . Answer:
Here's a hotel worth writing home about:a company in Poland plans to build tourist accommodation under the sea.The structure can be dragged to a suitable location and placed on supports on the sea bed. The 'Water Discus' will be made up of an underwater disc containing 22 bedrooms with sea views, connected by lift and stairs to a disc above the surface containing other hotel facilities. Project manager Robert Bursiewicz says:"Nowadays it's possible to build submarilles which go deeper than 500m below the sea surface,so building an underwater hotel is not a problem." In fact,they don't plan to have the hotel very deep.Water acts like a filter for sunlight, and below l5m most colours,apart from blue,are washed out.And we all want to see colourful marine life,don't we? But this isn't the first hotel to offer underwater views from the bedrooms.The two-bedroom Jules' Undersea Lodge,off the coast of Florida,has been taking in guests 10m beneath the surface since 1986. The company that operates the hotel also runs a diving course for beginners to help get guests down and into the hotel.It is accessible only through an opening at the bottom. And you'll find all the usual facilities in the room,according to Teresa McKirma,Jules's chief financial officer.It has a television,air conditioning and wi--fi.But for the staft, simple things like cleaning and making beds can be challenging,since the lodge is in sea water. ''It actually takes quite a lot of work to get anything down there,"she says."We have to put everything in waterproof boxes and attach weights to them to counter their buoymacy ." The hotel has suitably sized waterproof boxes so that pizzas can be delivered by divers to guests wllo order them for their evening meal.And after a meal,if you can't sleep because of the excitement of the experience,you don't have to count sheep.You'll fall asleep quicker if you count fish. Why won't they plan to have the hotel very deep in the water? Answer: In China most people these days know what it means to have an "English teacher", since almost all pupils study English from their third year. In primary school the first English teacher will usually be a young and lovely lady. But my first English teacher is _ . Looking back, I can see that, when I was only a little girl, he created an English environment by providing me with flashcards ,fun English- language toys and even dolls which can sing English songs! My interest in English had certainly been awakened when I began to learn English at school. Just imagine, he went a step further and asked me to learn New Concept English by myself! I was confused and even angry. I could not understand why a father could be so strict with his little girl. All the same, he never gave up and he gently insisted that I follow through with his idea. At first, I read stories with tears and I actually hated them because they were too difficult for me. In the end, I came to love the funny stories and, to be honest, my father was always there with a helping hand. I am sure that my English would never have got so far without his support. And that's why my father is not only my first English teacher but also my lifelong teacher. He is the one who aroused my interest, gave me confidence and offered me much needed help. What would be the best title for the passage? Answer: In a great many cities, hundreds of people ride bikes to work every day. In New York, some bike riders have even formed a group called Bike for a Better City. They declare that if more people rode bikes to work, there would be fewer automobiles in the downtown part of the city and so less dirty air from car engines. For several years, this group had been trying to get the city government to help bike riders. For example, they want the city to draw special lanes for bikes on some of the main streets, because when bike riders must use the same lanes as cars there are accidents. Bike for a Better City feels that if there were special lanes, more people would use bikes. But no bike lanes have been drawn. Not everyone thinks it is a good idea--they say it will slow traffic. Some store owners on the main streets don't like the idea--they say that if there is less traffic, they will have less business. The city government has not yet decided what to do. It wants to keep everyone happy. On weekends, Central Park--the largest place open ground in New York-- is closed to cars, and the roads may be used by bikes only. In New York, a group of bike riders _ . Answer: A new study links heavy air pollution from coal burning to shorter lives in northern China. Researchers estimate that the half-billion people alive there in the 1990s will live an average of 5 years less than their southern counterparts because they breathed dirtier air. China itself made the comparison possible: for decades, a now-discontinued government policy provided free coal for heating, but only in the colder north. Researchers found significant differences in both _ pollution of the air and life expectancy in the two regions. While previous studies have found that pollution affects human health, "the deeper and ultimately more important question is the impact on life expectancy," said one of the researchers, Michael Greenstone, a professor of environmental economics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "This study provides a unique setting to answer the life expectancy question because the(heating) policy dramatically changes pollution concentrations ,,,Greenstone said in an email. "Further, due to the low rates of migration in China in this period, we can know people's exposure over long time periods," he said. The policy gave free coal for fuel boilers to heat homes and offices to cities north of the Huai Rivwhich divides China into north and south. It was in effect for much of the 1950-198,0 period of central planning, and, though discontinued after 1980, it has left a legacy in the north of heavy coal burning, which releases particulate pollutants into the air that can harm human health. Researchers found no other government policies that treated China's north differently from the south. The researchers collected data for 90 cities, from 1981 to 2000, on the annual daily average concentration of total suspended particulates. In China, those are considered to be particulates that are 100 micrometers or less in diameter, sent out from sources including power stations, construction sites and vehicles. Among them, PM2.5 is of especially great health concern because it can go deep into the lungs. The researchers estimated the impact on life expectancies using death data from 1991-2000. They found that in the north, the concentration of particulates was 184 micrograms per cubic meteror 55 percent higher than in the south, and life expectancies were 5.5 years lower on average across all age ranges. It is implied in the passage that _ * Answer: This story is about a young man. He worked hard at his lessons. He was too busy. He didn't have time to rest, so he was ill. Every night, when he went to bed, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep . But he couldn't. He thought: "I must go to see the doctor." He said to the doctor. "I can't go to sleep at night." "Try counting numbers. When you reach one thousand, you'll be asleep." The next day the man came back to the doctor's office. "Well," said the doctor, "How are you today?" "Yes, he said," I tried counting one, two, three. . . up to one thousand. But when I reached five hundred and sixty-nine, I began to feel sleepy . I had to get up and drank some tea. Then I went on counting up to one thousand. But I still couldn't fall asleep. The young man _ in fact. Answer:
Question: When many people see birds cleaning their feathers, . But, in reality, what they are doing is maintaining their wings, the instruments that they depend on for safe flight. If a bird's wings are not in perfect condition, the bird either won't be able to fly or won't be able to control its flight. That is why after a long flight and even throughout the day, you will see them cleaning their feathers. Most birds, if they get a chance, will take a bath at least once a day. They do this to get rid of the dust that has accumulated in their feathers throughout their flight s during the day. In dry or desert areas, birds will not always be able to find water in which to bath, but they still need to clean their feathers. What many birds will do is to take dust baths. They will roll around in dust until it covers their feathers. They will stand up, shaking the dust out, and then clean their feathers with their beaks as usual. Baths are important for another reason. During the course of the day and night, many parasites are attracted to birds. Bugs, mites, fleas and so on will try to reach birds and suck from their blood. Daily baths help to keep the parasites to a minimum. Some birds, especially those that spend a lot of time in or around water, have skin glands that produce oil. After bathing, these birds will squeeze the glands to spread the oil over their wings to keep them free of water. If you are a bird lover and have bird houses in your yard, it can be good to go to the extra step, providing a bird bath. Once the birds in your neighborhood discover it, you will be surprised at how popular it becomes as they periodically stop by to take their daily bath. According to Para 3, birds' feather cleaning _ . A. helps keep them healthy B. keeps them free of any parasite C. makes them more attractive D. helps them relax enough Answer: A. helps keep them healthy Question: Why do so many Americans distrust what they read in their newspapers? The American Society of Newspaper Editors is trying to answer this painful question. The organization is deep into a long self-analysis known as the journalism credibility project. Sad to say, this project has turned out to be mostly low-level findings about factual errors and spelling and grammar mistakes, combined with lots of head-scratching puzzlement about what in the world those readers really want. But the sources of distrust go way deeper. Most journalists learn to see the world through a set of standard patterns into which they plug each day's events. In other words, there is a conventional story line in the newsroom culture that provides a backbone and a ready-made narrative structure for otherwise confusing news. There exists a social and cultural disconnect between journalists and their readers, which helps explain why the "standard patterns" of the newsroom seem alien to many readers. In a recent survey, questionnaires were sent to reporters in five middle-size cities around the country, plus one large metropolitan area. Then residents in these communities were phoned at random and asked the same questions. Replies show that compared with other Americans, journalists are more likely to live in upscale neighborhoods, have maids, own Mercedes, and trade stocks, and they're less likely to go to church, do volunteer work, or put down roots in a community. Reporters tend to be part of a broadly defined social and cultural elite, so their work tends to reflect the conventional values of this elite. The surprising distrust of the news media isn't rooted in inaccuracy or poor reportorial skills but in the daily clash of world views between reporters and their readers. This is an explosive situation for any industry, particularly a declining one. Here is a troubled business that keeps hiring employees whose attitudes vastly annoy the customers. Then it sponsors lots of symposiums and a credibility project dedicated to wondering why customers are annoyed and fleeing in large numbers. But it never seems to get around to noticing the cultural and class biases that so many former buyers are complaining about. If it did, it would open up its diversity program, now focused narrowly on race and gender, and look for reporters who differ broadly by outlook, values, education, and class. What is the passage mainly about? A. needs of the readers all over the world B. causes of the public disappointment about newspapers C. origins of the declining newspaper industry D. aims of a journalism credibility project Answer: B. causes of the public disappointment about newspapers Question: Welcome. You have just entered the largest online museum on the Internet. A work in progress, steadily expanding with thousands of high quality images of the greatest paintings and sculpture in history, the Art Renewal Center is building an encyclopedic collection of essays, biographies and articles by top scholars in the field. ARC is the Eye of the Storm, at the core, hub and center of a major cultural shift in the art world. With a growing body of experts, we are setting standards to become ARC Approved for artists, art schools, systems of training, museum exhibitions and historical scholarship, to bring guidance, direction, goals and reality to an art establishment that has been sailing rudderless for nearly a hundred years. Additionally, the Art Renewal Center is a non-profit educational organization committed to refreshing standards of craftsmanship and excellence. Only by gaining a full command of the skills of the past masters can we create the masters of tomorrow. This is a step forward for our culture. Experimentation and creativity can only succeed and prosper(......) when built on a solid foundation of past accomplishments, with the tools which can make artists realize their visions. Nothing has been more restricting and weakening than the theories of modernism, which got rid of these tools, along with the skills to employ them. We are providing a forum for artists, scholars, collectors and the public to appreciate great art, and to recognize that they're not alone in their doubts about the emptiness of modern and postmodern art. These doubts are fully justified by the overwhelming body of evidence and historical facts. How shall we do to produce tomorrow experts? A. To lay a solid foundation for the tomorrow masters. B. To make refreshing standards of craftsmanship and excellence. C. To obtain a good knowledge of the past experts' skills. D. To accept the non-profit educational organization. Answer: C. To obtain a good knowledge of the past experts' skills. Question: Narayanan Krishnan was a bright, young, award-winning chef with a five-star hotel group in Switzerland. But a quick family visit home before heading for Europe changed everything. He saw a very old man under a bridge eating his own human waste for food while visiting a friend in the south Indian city of Madurai in 502. Shocked by this, Krishnan gave up his job within the week and returned home for good, convinced of his new cause. "That inspiration is a driving force still inside me as a flame--to serve all the mentally ill and the people who cannot take care of themselves," Krishnan said. He founded the organization Akshaya Trust in 503. In Hindu mythology , Goddess Annapoorani's "Akshaya bowl" fed the hungry endlessly, never using up its resources. Now 14, he has served more than 1.2 million meals--breakfast, lunch and dinner to India's homeless and the poor. Krishnan's day begins at 4 a.m. He and his team cover nearly 110 miles, routinely working in temperatures topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The hot meals he delivers are simple, tasty vegetarian food he personally prepares, packs and often hand-feeds to nearly 400 people each day. Krishnan carries the barber's tools and is trained in eight haircut styles that, along with a fresh shave, provide extra dignity to those he serves. He says many of the homeless seldom know their names or birthplaces, and none has the ability to beg, ask for help or offer thanks. They may be unfriendly or ill-willed because of their conditions, but Krishnan says this only makes him offer help more willingly. Krishnan named the organization Akshaya Trust to show _ . A. he is as kind as a Hindu goddess B. he is ready to help anyone in trouble C. he hopes to carry on his career for long D. he was originally inspired by Hindu mythology Answer: C. he hopes to carry on his career for long Question: Casablanca, Sep. 24 A flood swept across the coastal plain about 100 miles southwest of here, killing hundreds of Moroccans in a market place yesterday morning. Reports from the area said 218 bodies had been counted, and many of the people were missing. The flood followed heavy rains, which filled the coastal plain and dry river beds and caused them to overflow. The flood, several feet high, hit the village of Khemis Nagua at midmorning yesterday as farmers from the surrounding area joined town people in an open market place. The roaring waters swept the villager's living places, the market sheds ,shoppers,cattle and farm tools for miles across the plain. The flood was over almost as soon as it started, the reports said, as the water swept out to sea. Rescue workers quickly moved into the area from Safi, about 25 miles further south. You can learn from the text that _ . A. hundreds of people died in the flood B. the flood lasted for several days C. heavy rains followed the flood D. the flood hit the village at midnight Answer: A. hundreds of people died in the flood
Chimpanzees, long considered reluctant to share, apparently can display selfless tendencies, revealing one more key way our closest living relatives are like humans, scientists find. These findings could shed light on the evolution of _ in humans. Previously, a belief was widely held that human altruism evolved only after humans split from their ape cousins about 6 million years ago. In recent years, however, research has revealed just how much chimpanzees have in common with us. They can hunt with spears, play with dolls and mourn their partners' death. "Most of the earlier studies had presented the apes with a complex implement that helped them deliver food to themselves or others, often so complicated that the experiments tested tool skills rather than social tendencies," De Waal told Live Science. "Ours is the first study that uses no such implement at all." In addition to using complex food-delivery systems, past experiments often placed the chimpanzees so far apart that they might not have realized how their actions benefited others. In these new, simplified experiments, two apes were housed next to each other with a screen through which they could see each other. Then, one chimpanzee had to choose between two differently colored tokens from a bin, one of which represented a pro-social option, the other a selfish option. The pro-social option would cause both chimpanzees to receive a piece of banana wrapped in paper. The selfish option only rewarded the ape who made the choice. In a study with seven adult female chimps placed into various pairs, the scientists found all the apes showed a definite preference for the pro-social option. "For me, the most important finding is that like us, chimpanzees take into account the needs and wishes of others," researcher Victoria Horner, said. The chimpanzees behaved especially altruistically toward partners who either patiently waited or gently reminded them that they were there by drawing attention to themselves. They were less likely to reward partners who pressured through making a fuss, begging persistently or spitting water at them. This is opposite to a long-standing view that the chimpanzees only share food under pressure. Recent researches are performed with less complicated implements mainly to _ . test chimps' social tendencies instead of tool skills Students often complain their teachers give them too much homework . Now , two reports show that in America this is not true . The Brookings report shows that most students do less than one hour of homework . The Rand report shows that only 10% of high school students spend more than two hours a night on homework . The Brookings report also talks about a study from 1995 . American students do almost the least homework among twenty countries . Students in France , Italy and South Africa spend more than two hours on homework . The Rand report says there was only one time when homework greatly increased in America .During the early 1960s , Americans were not happy when the former Soviet Union became the first country to reach space . People thought it was necessary to improve education . Parents want their children to have time for sports , music lessons and other things after school. some experts say schools need to give useful homework . Students are not happy about _ . too much homework Different colours can affect us in many different ways; that's according to Verity Allen. In a new programme "Colour me Healthy", Verity looks at the ways that colours can influence how hard we work and the choices we make. They can even change our emotions and even influence how healthy we are. "Have you ever noticed how people always use the same colours for the same things?" says Verity. "Our toothpaste is always white or blue or maybe red. It's never green. Why not? For some reason we think that blue and white is clean, while we think of green products as being a bit unpleasant. It's the same for businesses. We respect a company which writes its name in blue or black, but we don't respect one that uses pink or orange. People who design new products can use these ideas to influence what we buy." During the programme, Verity studies eight different colours, two colours in each part. She meets people who work in the colour industry, from people who design food packages, to people who name the colours of lipsticks. Some of the people she meets clearly have very little scientific knowledge to prove their ideas, such as the American "Colour Doctor" who believes that serious diseases can be treated successfully by the use of coloured lights. However, she also interviews real scientists who are studying the effects of green and red lights on mice, with some surprising results. Overall, it's an interesting show, and anyone who watches it will probably find out something new. But because Verity _ to be polite to everyone she meets on the programme, it's up to you to make your own decisions about how much you should believe. What's the passage mainly about? What happens in a programme. 1During the First World War, some Americans indirectly benefited because of the war. With two million white men fighting in Europe and no new immigrants entering the country, many jobs in the United States became available to blacks and women for the first time. 2Both groups proved their ability to do any kind of job. Women became railway conductors, brick layers, and factory workers. Their presence in traditionally male workplace produced many problems. Men were annoyed by women's higher productivity and willingness to work for lower pay. Working mothers were often criticized for leaving their families. But many women welcomed the responsibilities. "It was not until our men were called overseas," said one woman bank executive, "that we make any real onslaught on the realm of finance, and became tellers, managers of departments, and junior and senior officers." 3Women who did not take jobs helped in the war effort in other ways. They made uniforms, rolled bandages, and campaigned for the sale of Liberty Bonds to help finance the war. 4American manufacturers offered jobs to large numbers of black Americans for the first time as a result of the war. Most factories were located in the North. To take advantage of these new job opportunities, many black families moved from their homes in the South to the Northern cities such as Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo, Chicago, and Detroit. 5White Americans were of two minds about the role of black Americans in the war effort. On the one hand, black workers' ability to learn new jobs quickly and do them well strengthened the home front, and the black men's fighting ability helped the Allies win the war. However, many whites did not want to acknowledge that blacks were capable, effective workers. White soldiers returning from the war had no desire to compete for jobs with blacks on equal terms. At the same time, many blacks were not willing to a lesser role once the war had ended. Which of the following is Untrue according to the above passage? All American women went to work during World War I. Wind is the great maker of waves. There are exceptions , such as the tidal waves sometimes caused by earthquakes under the sea. But the waves most of us know are caused by winds blowing over the sea . Now let's learn some physical things about it. A wave has height, from low point to high point . It has length --the distance from this high point to that of the following wave. The period of the wave means the time it takes for succeeding high points to pass a fixed point. None of these things stays the same--for all depend upon the wind, upon the depth of the water and many other matters. The water that makes up a wave does not advance with it across the sea. Each drop of water turns around in a little circle with the passing of the wave, but returns very nearly to its original position . And it is lucky that this is so. For if the huge groups of water that make up a wave really moved across the sea, sailing would be impossible. If we want to find the speed of a wave, we may use the following way : Speed =" wavelength" x frequency . Here, wavelength is the distance between two high points , frequency means the number of cycles per second The speed of Wave 1 is 100 cm/s, frequency 10. The frequency of Wave 2 is 300, while its speed is twice that of Wave 1. Which of the following is right? The wavelength of Wave 1 is longer than that of Wave 2.
Tahiti is the largest island of the French Polynesia in South Pacific. It covers 1,045 km and has a population of 183,600.The weather there is neither too hot nor too cold. It's always warm and humid. Tahitian people are very friendly and welcoming. They welcome visitors with music, dance and flowers. The Tiare Tahiti flower, which can only be found in Tahiti, is used for greeting arriving visitors and returning family, It's popular for women and men to wear the flowers behind their left ears. In Tahiti, there are always a lot of things to do and to see. Around the island are hundreds of places perfect for diving. In the waters, you can meet all kinds of colorful fish and many other living things that you can't name. Feeding sharks is another exciting popular activity. You can stand in the water behind a safe rope to watch a shark trainer hand--feed the sharks, or enjoy this fantastic scene from the boat. If you want to find a place to swim, have a sun bath or admire the beautiful sunset, Pointe Venus Lighthouse, a black sand beach, is a great choice. In the evening ,you can have Tahitian food, Chinese food and French--style dishes at To'ata, a square with many small restaurants. All kinds of fruit juice from coconut milk to pineapple juice can be found everywhere. Some hotels in Tahiti are built above the waters. Beautiful fish swimming below can be seen through the glass floor or coffee table. They are really wonderful places to relax and refresh you. Tahiti, an amazing place to do everything or nothing at all, is waiting for you. The weather in Tahiti is usually _ . Answer: A ship leaks a large amount of oil near a coastal area. Which statement describes how the oil most likely will affect the coastal habitat? Answer: Sometimes, the simplest ideas are the best. For example, to absorb heat from the sun to heat water,you need large, flat, black surfaces. One way to do that is to build those surfaces specially, on the roofs of buildings. But why go to all that trouble when cities are full of black surfaces already, in the form of asphalt roads? Ten years ago, this thought came into the mind of Arian de Bondt, a Dutch engineer. He finally persuaded his boss to follow it up. The result is that their building is now heated in winter and cooled in summer by a system that relies on the surface of the road outside. The heat-collector is a system of connected water pipes. Most of them run from one side of the street to the other, just under the asphalt road. Some, however, dive deep into the groun. When the street surface gets hot in summer, water pumped through the pipes picks up this heat and takes itunderground through one of the diving pipes. At a depth of 100 metres lies a natural aquifer into which heat several heat exchangers have been built. The hot water from the street runs through these exchangers, warming the ground-water, before returning to the surface through another pipe. The aquifer is thus used as a heat store. In winter, the working system is changed slightly. Water is pumped through the heat exchangers to pick up the heat stored during summer. This water goes into the building and is used to warm the place up. After performing that task, it is pumped under the asphalt and its remaining heat keeps the road free of snow and ice. For what purpose are the diving pipes used? Answer: They think they're lucky that they're living and it's Christmas again. They can't see that we live on a dirty street in a shabby house among people who aren't much good. Johnny and the children can't see how pitiful it is that our neighbors have to make happiness out of this filth and dirt. My children must get out of this. But how? The money that we've saved isn't nearly enough. The McGaritys have money, but they are show-offs with it. The McGarity girl just yesterday stood out there in the street eating from a bag of cookies while a ring of hungry children watched her. I saw those children looking at her and crying in their hearts, and when she couldn't eat any more, she shrew the rest down the sewer . Miss Jackson who teaches at the Settlement House isn't rich, but she knows things. She understands people. Her eyes look straight into yours when she talks with you. Everybody else here looks away because they're ashamed of their lives. I'd like to see the children be like Miss Jackson when they grew up. The writer thinks Miss Jackson is _ . Answer: Mother's Day is a holiday for mothers. It is celebrated in the United States, English, India and some other countries. In a short time, it becomes widely celebrated. Mother's Day falls on the second Sunday in May. On that day, many people send gifts of love to their mothers. Those whose mothers are still living often wear a pink or red rose or carnation , while those whose mothers are dead wear a white one. The idea of a day for mothers was first given by Miss Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia. As a result of her hard work, the celebration of the first American Mother's Day was held in Philadelphia on May 10,1908. Soon the holiday became popular all over the country and around the world. In China, people do the same on the day for mothers. And , in some cities, people sometimes ask a song to be broadcast for his or her mother only. This might cost a little money for some of them, but, as it is said, "Love is _ ." On May 8,1999, just the day before the Mother's Day this year, a Chinese mother was killed in criminal bombing .Her name is Shao Yunhuan , a heroic mother. All the Chinese will remember her for ever. What was the date of the Mother's Day this year? Answer:
I sat at my seat waiting for the school paper to be passed around. I waited anxiously, knowing that once I received it I would know how good a writer I really am. When the paper arrived at my classroom, I nearly knocked down five of my classmates to get to the first paper. With a school paper in my hands, I returned to my seat. About a month earlier, I had handed in one of, what I believed to be, my best stories. I named it Symbol of Success. The head of the English Department at my school, Professor Cullen had said that she would include some reviews of students' stories in the latest school paper. Professor Cullen was known for her rough criticism. Impressing her was very hard but I wanted to be the first to do so. I sat at the edge of my seat as I read through the other story reviews. There wasn't one story that got more than three stars .I became calm and wasn't anxious to know my review. It was long after that I heard someone shout out "Five stars?! Seriously !" from behind me. I turned around and saw the shocked expression of Gene's face, "Peter, your story got five stars!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I turned my attention back to my story and saw the five stars at the end of the review that I had not read yet. I looked through the review written by Professor Cullen. She wrote that I had a gift for story writing. I was proud that I achieved what I thought was impossible .For so long I believed I wasn't as good as I thought I was and that my talent was not enough to cover up my lack of wring skills .But this review proved that I was truly a good writer and that there was a future ahead of me in the field of fiction writing. The review and the five stars meant the world of me. Those five stars became the symbol of my success. We can learn from this text that Peter _ . A had thought his story was better than those of others B was always anxious to know the review about him C didn't know he got five stars until others told him D looked through a few stories that had got four stars Answer: C Today, people want to keep healthy through sports and exercise. But some of them have some wrong ideas about it. "A plate of chicken is a good meal before games because it has much energy." In fact, the best meal before games should have carbohydrates . Food like potatoes, bread, bananas are rich (......) in it, but chicken and meat are not. "The best time to exercise is early in the morning." No. Morning is a good time to exercise, but it may not be suitable for you. If an afternoon or evening period is suitable for you, and you enjoy the feeling of getting healthier, you can choose any time to exercise. So there is no _ time for you to exercise. "If you drink water when you exercise, you'll feel tired." The fact is that you must have some water during breaks when you exercise. And after exercising, you must have enough water. If you don't drink enough water, then you may feel tired. "Exercising every day is quite important." Wrong. Too much exercise is bad for our health. You need to give your body a day of rest. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A Don't drink water when you exercise, or you'll feel tired. B Evening is the best time to exercise because it's always cool. C You should eat enough meat because they can give you energy before games. D Exercising too much is not good for us. Answer: D In bringing up children, every parent watches eagerly the child's acquisition of each new skill -- the first spoken words, the first independent steps, or the beginning of reading and writing. It is often tempting to hurry the child beyond his natural learning rate, but this can set up dangerous feelings of failure and states of worry in the child. This might happen at any stage. A baby might be forced to use a toilet too early, a young child might be encouraged to learn to read before he knows the meaning of the words he reads. On the other hand, though, if a child is left alone too much, or without any learning opportunities, he loses his natural enthusiasm for life and his desire to find out new things for himself. Parents vary greatly in their degree of strictness towards their children. Some may be especially strict in money matters. Others are severe over time of coming home at night or punctuality for meals. In general, the controls represent the needs of the parents and the values of the community as much as the child's own happiness. As regards the development of moral standards in the growing child, consistency is very important in parental teaching. To forbid a thing one day and excuse it the next is no foundation for morality . Also, parents should realize that "example is better than _ ". If they are not sincere and do not practice what they preach , their children may grow confused when they grow old enough to think for themselves, and realize they have been to some extent fooled. A sudden awareness of a marked difference between their parents' principles and their morals can be a dangerous disappointment. In the process of children's learning new skills, parents _ . A should encourage them to read before they know the meaning of the words they read B should expect a lot of the children C should achieve a balance between pushing them too hard and leaving them on their own D should create as many learning opportunities as possible Answer: C Hi!I'm Lucy. I am a student in Class 5,Grade 7.I have a big schoolbag. It is blue and red. The price is Y=88.1.have a nice pencil box in it. It is Y=10.Its color is white. I bought it in a store. There are four pencils and one pen. Each pencil is Y=1 and the pen is Y=12.My eraser is yellow. The price is Y=2.My ruler is orange and very long. I like them very much. I study very hard. How much are my pencils? A Y=One. B Y=Two. C Y=Four. D Y=Ten. Answer: C On June 30, 2009, a Yemenia airplane from Paris to Comoros, Africa, crashed into the Indian Ocean. There were 153 people on the plane, including some French officials. Though people have been searching since the plane went down, the result looked unpleasant, for most of the passengers might be in bad luck. But a 13-year-old girl called Bahia Bakari was discovered in the water, where she had been staying afloat by holding a piece of wreckage( ) from the plane tightly for over 13 hours. When they found her, the girl was too weak to catch the lifebuoy( ) thrown to her, instead, a Comoran police officer jumped into the water to pull the child onto the boat. Bahia Bakari was injured, especially her collarbone( ).Her father was pleased to see his daughter although his wife had gone away in this _ . He said that his daughter could hardly swim. It was really a miracle for her to escape in this way. In her daddy's warm arms, the girl could soon remember what she had experienced. "I was thrown out of the plane and then I saw the plane fall into the water. Next I found myself in the water. I couldn't swim very well and I caught something but I didn't know what is was," said the girl. "She is really a lucky young girl," said Alain Joyandet, France's minister for International Cooperation. What's the best title for the passage? A A lucky girl B A sad family C A broken plane D A brave police officer Answer: A
James Cooke, of Islip,N.Y.,can't recognize other people. "I see eyes, nose, cheekbones, but no face," he said. "I've even passed by my son and daughter without recognizing them." He is not the only one. Those with prosopagnosia, also known as face blindness, can see perfectly well, but their brains are unable to piece together the information needed to understand that a collection of features represents an individual's face. The condition is a neurological mystery, but new research has shed light on this strange disease. Some scientists had believed that faces and voices, the two main ways people recognize one another, were processed separately by the brain. Indeed, a condition parallel to prosopagnosia, called _ , similarly leaves a person unable to distinguish a familiar voice from an unfamiliar one. But by testing for these two conditions at the same time, researchers at the Max Planck Institute recently found evidence that face and voice recognition may be linked in a unique person-recognition system. The scientists observed the brain activity of 19 healthy volunteers as they were led through tasks that tested their ability to recognize both faces and voices. The researchers found that regions of the brain, associated with facial recognition, are directly linked to regions responsible for voice recognition. This research helps explain why a person with prosopagnosia may still have difficulty determining who a person is even after he has begun to speak. The challenge for scientists is to find out where this system breaks down. Are these connections in the brain missing entirely, or are people unable to recognize faces and voices simply unable to use these links in some way? It is unclear how many people have these conditions. Many don't even realize they have problems with facial or voice recognition. While some develop these difficulties after a brain injury, others develop it in childhood. James Cooke can't recognize other people because _ . A. his eyesight is failing B. he prefers to walk hurriedly C. he suffers from face blindness D. he can't tell facial expressions Answer: C I can still remember the day I met my best friend Judy. She had just moved into the neighborhood and her grandmother brought her down to meet me. I hid behind my mother and she hid behind her grandmother,scared to look at each other. Soon we lost the shyness and started playing with each other. In the 7th grade ,I first lost touch with her. She was going through family problems and I _ her to be with the cooler people. None of my new friends liked her as much as I did because they knew she had problems. However, every summer we would always sit at each other's house, watch soap operas and talk about all the boys we like. It was last year when I noticed the problem. I guess I was too doveted in high school to realizeshe needed someone there. Anyway ,she made a new best friend and so did I. Then I didn't know why, but she started cutting herself! She then was diagnosed with clinical depression .At first, I was very upset, but we still stayed in touch. I wanted to be there with new her best friend basically deserted her and people were calling her crazy. Yesterday she came to me and said,"I never knew what a best friend was until you, the only person, would stop me cutting. I appreciate your help so much, and you didn't even know you were helping me." We both cried. And I guess a kind of lesson from my life so far is never to give up on your friends. Even if they aren't as cool as others, or people think they are crazy, they need someone there. If you desert them, you will only be guilty yourself. The write and Judy both behind because they felt _ when they met for the first time. A. worried B. shameful C. shy D. upset Answer: C Many people like to travel by plane, but I don't like it because the airport is usually far from the city. You have to get there early and wait for hours for the plane to take off. You can't open the windows. You can't choose the food. Planes are fast, but it still takes hours to get out of the airport and into the city. I like travelling by train. I think trains are safe. Railway stations are usually good in cities. When you are late for a train, you can catch another one. You can walk around in the train and open the window. You can see many interesting things on your way, though it takes a little more time. I also like cars. You can start your journey whenever you want to, and you don't need to get to a railway station or a bus stop. Also you can carry many things with you in a car. But sometimes there are too many cars on the road. ,. Which of the following sentences is true according to the passage? A. The writer likes to take a train because it takes a little more time. B. The writer likes travelling by plane. C. The writer thinks it takes a lot of time to go to and get out of the airport. D. The writer likes to take a car because he has a car. Answer: A One day, a poor boy was trying to sell things from door to door to pay for school. He was hungry. Then he decided to ask for a meal at the next house. However, when a nice young woman opened the door, he changed to ask for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry and brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly and then asked, "How much do I pay?" "You needn't do that," she said. "Mother has taught me to be kind." Years later, the young woman became seriously ill. She was sent to a big city. When Dr.Howard Kelly, a very famous doctor now, heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. At once, he got up and went down through the hospital hall into her room. He recognized her at once and decided to do his best to save her life. He did it and they won at last! Before she left, the bill was sent to her. She was quite afraid to open it. Finally, she looked, and to her surprise, she found these words on the bill: "Paid with a glass of milk.Dr. Howard Kelly." Tears of joy came down from her eyes as she said silently, "Thank you, God. Your love has passed through hearts and hands." ,,. (5,2,10) Why was the woman afraid to open the bill? A. She was afraid of the doctor. B. She didn't want to pay anything. C. She was worried about her illness. D. She thought it would cost her a lot. Answer: D which of these will attract a magnet in a student's pocket? A. an old stapler pin B. a piece of gum C. all of these D. a piece of chicken Answer: A
The American tradition of Thanksgiving dates back to colonial times, to the Pilgrims of Plymouth rock Colony. To escape religious persecution in England, the Pilgrims journeyed to the New World on their ship, the Mayflower. After a long journey, they finally arrived at Plymouth Rock in autumn of 1620. They could not finish building the settlement before winter, so many froze to death. They ate most of their food on the journey over, so many also starved. However, the Pilgrims met a Native American named Tisquantum, or Squanto as he was better known, who taught them how to plant corn and catch eel . By the same time next year, the Pilgrims had built a steady settlement, and had a bountiful harvest. To thank the Native Americans for their help and to celebrate the harvest, the Pilgrims held a grand banquet . Together, they feasted on corn, yams, fish, and most importantly: roast turkey, which became the highlight of the modern Thanksgiving feast. Schools always make a big deal about Thanksgiving, because they feel that it teaches children how to be thankful and to treat others with kindness. I spent the many years of elementary school making paper turkeys, fake cornucopias(a shell filled with food, a symbol of the holiday), and writing lists of what I'm thankful for. When I grew older, I watched movies and read books about the First Thanksgiving, and completed crossword puzzles and word searches filled with holiday themed words. While the idea for Thanksgiving is great, and it is a wonderful opportunity to instill certain values in children, I don't think we should name a special holiday for being thankful. We should be thankful for what we have every day, not just Thanksgiving. What's the main reason for the English Pilgrims to leave their home country? Answer: Religious beliefs. Ray's wedding had gone off smoothly. Everyone seemed to have had a good time. A few people had too good a time; they went home with designated drivers. All evening, the gift table remained unguarded. Who would steal anything, Ray thought. He had never heard of such a thing happening at a wedding. But his best friend Aaron said there was a first time for everything. He walked out regularly from the inside festivities to check on the gift table, making sure no one doubtful was hanging around it. Ray and Julia went on a 3-week honeymoon to Italy right after the wedding. When they got back, they opened all the gifts and sent out thank-you notes. But there was one problem. A married couple that used to be good friends had obviously given nothing. This surprised Julia, because Walt and Mary said they were excited to be invited. And, they actually seemed to have had a great time at the wedding. Frankly, Ray didn't even care if they hadn't given a gift. He just needed to know whether to send a thank-you note. Ray called Aaron. Aaron said maybe Walt had left an envelope on the gift table like Aaron had. "Yes, but we got your envelope with the cash inside," Ray said. "Maybe my envelope looked too thin, and some thief thought Walt's envelope looked nice and fat." Aaron asked Ray if he had looked everywhere for Walt's gift. Had he called up the wedding site to see if anything had been left behind? Ray said that he had looked everywhere and made a lot of calls that were fruitless. Ray didn't know what to do. If he sent Walt and Mary a thank-you note for a gift they hadn't given, they would be _ . If he didn't send them a thank-you note for a gift they had given, they would get angry. "What would you do?" Ray asked. Aaron said he would call Walt up and tell him the problem. "You can't go wrong with simply being honest," Aaron said. "Oh, yes, you can," Ray contradicted him. "Sometimes it's best to let sleeping dogs lie." But he thought about it, and finally decided that Aaron was right. He called Walt and told him the problem. Walt said that yes, he had given an envelope. In fact, the envelope contained $500 cash. "$500?!" Ray asked. "That's a lot of cash, Walt!" Walt admitted that it was, but he had gotten a fat raise early that year and Ray's was the only wedding he'd been to in quite a while. Ray thanked him very much, and apologized sincerely for someone stealing Walt's generous gift. Walt told him that it was "only money". When Ray told Aaron about Walt's gift, Aaron laughed. "The only thief at the wedding was Walt! I stopped playing cards with him last year because I caught him cheating. And it was only a $10 pot! I'm sure I told you about that." "Yes, you did tell me," Ray said. But, of course, he had to send Walt a thank-you note anyway. What kind of person is Ray? Answer: Thoughtful and polite. LONDON: The Edinburgh Festival, the biggest arts festival of its kind in the world, got under way in the Scotland capital on Sunday with a concert that included Hector Berlionz'sTo Deum, under the direction of Christoph von Dohnanyi. The festival, which runs until August 31 this year, includes as its high points Peter Stein's staging of Wagner'sParsifal, with Claudio Abbado directing the Gustav Mahler youth orchestra. The concert programme includes American pianist Richard Goode, bass baritone Thomas Quasthoff and violinist Christian Tetzlaff. New to the programmes this year will be 25 late evening classical music concerts. Earlier this month, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the largest show-case in the world for performance art, officially got under way with theatre, dance, poetry and music presentations. Many of the fringe artists, who can enter the fringe festival upon payment of a small fee, were inspired this year by the event of September 11. Thousands of people flock to Edinburgh from around the world during the festival, which is over 50 years old. It aims to promote and encourage arts and to reflect international culture. It consists of various dance, music, opera, and theatre presentation taking place across the city during the three-week run. What did the Edinburgh Festival never have before? Answer: Late evening classical music concerts. People in the United States honor their parents with two special days: Mother's Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father's Day, on the third Sunday in June. Mother's Day was proclaimed a day for national observance by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915. Ann Jarvis from Grafton, West Virginia, had started the idea to have a day to honor mothers. She was the one who chose the second Sunday in May and also began the custom of wearing a carnation. In 1909, Mrs. Dodd from Spokane, Washington, thought of the idea of a day to honor fathers. She wanted to honor her own father, William Smart. After her mother died, he had the responsibility of raising a family of five sons and a daughter. In 1910, the first Father's Day was observed in Spokane. Senator Margaret Chase Smith helped to establish Father's Day as a national commemorative day, in 1972. These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care. These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother's Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead.Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery. On these days families get together at home, as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues for Father's Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories. From the passage, we know in the U.S _ . Answer: The purpose to have these two special days is to show love to parents In Asia,there are many places for people to go to teach English. Most of the teachers are young and sociable,and there are a lot of parties there. Korea is usually the place most people go,because they have the most benefits and highest salaries by working only twenty hours a week. Japan is also a good choice,but only if you stay there for a long time will you save some money. China is a new rising star and lots of people are going there. Like Japan,the pay is quite good,but the cost of living in China is much cheaper. You can save a sizable amount and complete all your loans back home. Besides,Chinese people are enterprising and you can learn a lot from them. In China,Taiwan is a good place to go,especially for females who want to earn much,but there are not many adult classes offered. The Middle East offers very high salaries and great packages for teachers,all of which is tax free. However,you must be a certified teacher and have a few years' experience if you want to teach there. Most of the people who tend to teach there are older and more conservative,so they don't expect a party scene. Italy and Spain are two beautiful countries where you can try your fortune. Fashion industry in Milan would love to hire wellknown Englishspeaking people to work with international models and designers. Tourism is another industry in these countries,where English knowledge is useful. Moreover,by teaching in Europe you have the ability to travel every weekend to a new country and visit a new culture besides a good salary. Europe has a lot to offer. Teaching English overseas is a really rewarding experience. It is a great way for people to see a new place,and these countries and places are a great place for you to go if you are interested. What is the purpose of the passage? Answer: To recommend some places to those who want to teach English abroad.
Waiters wanted King Restaurant needs five waiters. If you want to find a new job, you can come here. Please call John at 678-5342. To get to the restaurant, you just have to cross North Road. It's next to the bank. Teachers wanted Do you want to be a teacher? Are you friendly to kids? Can you sing, dance or play the piano? We need a man teacher and a woman teacher to teach music. It's not difficult! Please call Mr. Clark at 415-3440. My lost pet My pet Nini is a small brown cat. I played ball games with Nini in Central Park last Saturday. Then she ran after the ball and did not come back. I am worried about her. If you see her, please call Sara at 283-2585. Thank you! Specials We have some great specials. We have different kinds of noodles, dumplings and soup. Would you like a big bowl of noodles for 12 yuan or a small one for just 8 yuan? You can also order our delicious chicken soup. It's only 9 yuan. Welcome to our restaurant! ,. The bank is next to a _ . Answer: restaurant Sam was outside playing. It was very hot out and he got really thirsty. He saw that Mr. Brown was setting up a table with sodas and snacks down the street. Sam was very excited because this would solve his problem. He checked his pockets. They were empty. Where did his money go? This was a problem. In order to get a soda and snack he would need money. Sam ran home as fast as he could. He was in a rush. He passed by Jim as he was running. He asked Sam why he was running. "No time," Sam Said. When he got inside the house Sam was very happy. His money was on his dresser in his bedroom. Thank goodness. He had enough money to get a soda. Sam ran back outside, but this time he slowed down when he saw Jim. He told Jim to come with him to Mr. Brown's table. He had enough money to buy them both a soda. Why did Sam go back home? Answer: To get money for soda. When I spent the summer with my grandmother, she always set me down to the general store with a list. Behind the counter was a lady like no one I'd ever seen. "Excuse me," I said. She looked up and said, "I'm Miss Bee." "I need to get these." I said, holding up my list. "So? Go get them. " Miss Bee pointed to a sign. "There's no one here except you and me and I'm not your servant, so get yourself a basket from that pile." I visited Miss Bee twice a week that summer. Sometimes she shortchanged me. Other times she overcharged. Going to the store was like going into battle. All summer long she found ways to trick me. No sooner had I learned how to pronounce "bicarbonate of soda" and memorized its location on the shelves than she made me hunt for it all over again. But by summer's end the shopping trip that had once taken me an hour was done in 15 minutes. The morning I was to return home, I stopped in to get some run. "All right, little girl," she said. "What did you learn this summer?" "That you're a meanie!" I replied. Miss Bee just laughed and said, "I know what you think of me. Well, I don't care! My job is to teach every child I meet life lessons. When you get older you'll be glad!" Glad I met Miss Bee? Ha! The idea was absurd... Until one day my daughter came to me with homework troubles. "It's too hard," she said. "Could you finish my math problems for me?" "If I do it for you, how will you ever learn to do it yourself?" I said. Suddenly, I was back at that general store where I had learned the hard way to add up my bill by myself. Had I ever been overcharged since? What did the author's grandmother always ask her to do during her summer vacation? Answer: Buy something in the general store. A baby born in India has been declared the world's seven billionth person by child rights group Plan International. Baby Nargis was born at 07:25 local time (01:55GMT) in Mall village in India's Uttar Pradesh state. Plan International says Nargis has been chosen symbolically as it is not possible to know where exactly the seven billionth baby is born. In addition to baby Nargis in India, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Cambodia have all identified seven billionth babies. The United Nations estimated that on Monday 31 October, the world's population would reach seven billion. Populations are growing faster than economies in many poor countries in Africa and some in Asia. At the same time, low birth rates in Japan and many European nations have raised concerns about labor shortages. Population experts at the United Nations estimated that the world reached six billion in October 1999. They predict nine billion by 2050 and ten billion by the end of the century. China's population of one and a third billion is currently the world's largest. India is second at 1.2 billion. But India is expected to pass China and reach one and a half billion people around 2025. India will also have one of the world's youngest populations. Economists say this is a chance for a so-called demographic dividend. India could gain from the skills of young people in a growing economy at a time when other countries have aging populations. But economists say current rates of growth, although high, may not create enough jobs. Also, the public education system is failing to meet demand and schooling is often of poor quality. Another concern is health care. Nearly half of India's children under the age of five are malnourished . Michal Rutkowski, the director of human development in South Asia at the World Bank, says reaching seven billion people in the world is a good time for a call to action. He says, "I think the bottom line of the story is that the public policy needs to become really, really serious about sex equality and about access to services--to fight against malnutrition, and to provide for access to health services, water and schooling." Which of the following problems do many European countries worry about? Answer: Labor shortage. You have to shake hands when you're coming or going in Germany, but in Britain you usually only shake hands when you meet someone for the first time. You have to give your present in public in the Middle East to show it's not a bribe , but it's good manners to give your present in private in Asia. You mustn't give cutlery in Latin America because it suggests that you want to cut off the relationship. You mustn't give a clock in China because the Chinese word for clock is similar to the word for funeral . "Come any time" means "I want you to visit me" in India. If you don't suggest a time and arrange a visit immediately, an Indian will think you are refusing the invitation. Offices are usually closed on Friday in Moslem countries. It's bad manners to discuss business at social occasion in India. In an English pub, you have to take your turn to buy a "round" drink for everyone in your group. From the passage, in Latin America, _ . Answer: if you want to cut off the relationship with somebody, you can give him cutlery
Katy Marsh is seventy years old now. She stopped working five years ago. Last year she decided to make her dream come true. When she was young, she hoped to travel along a river of Scotland in a small boat. She took her small CD player, her hot water bottle and a bag of books to make her life in the boat wasn't too uncomfortable. We asked her if she was afraid of being on the river for so long. She said, "Well, I'm going to take a good _ . When I'm losing my way during my trip, it can help me a lot. Anyway I'm not afraid of death because I love rivers-I just hope it loves me too. " Katy certainly had lots of energy . In her free time, she enjoyed playing the piano, swimming, hiking, and dancing. She had a wonderful trip in the small boat last year. She is seventy, but she doesn't want to have a quiet and peaceful life. She hopes to have fun in the rest of her life. What's Katy's dream? A To have a trip along a river of Scotland in a boat. B To travel to Scotland by boat. C To have a trip at sea in a boat. D To have a great dream at night. Answer: A. To have a trip along a river of Scotland in a boat. Many areas of cropland in Bangladesh are becoming unfit for farming. The land is becoming salty. It is a big problem for the small country which has more than 155 million people because growing crops is the most common way Bangladeshis support themselves. Farmers in the country are learning to grow vegetables in so-called "vertical gardens. " The soil in these gardens is better because heavy rains have removed much of the salt. Shobitha Debna is a 35-year-old farmer in the village Chandipur is able to grow hundreds of kilograms of vegetables each season in her small garden. This kind of farming is new in Chandipur. But it may spread across the country.Most of Bangladesh is at or below sea level. Rising seawaters linked to climate change has severely affected the country. High water from storms in coastal areas also add salt to soil. High salt content makes crops less productive. The salty sea water flows into rivers, which then flood Chandipur and other villages. Vegetable crops fail. For three years now, hundreds of villagers have grown crops in vertical gardens. From July to October, about l. 5 meters of rain falls in Bangladesh. The seasonal rains remove salt from the soil. At the end of the rainy season, villagers collect the cleaned soil and place it in large containers. They use that soil to grow vegetables. WorldFish Center, a non-profit International group has trained about 200 villagers in southwestern Bangladesh to make vertical gardens. Over the next two years, the center will train about 5,000 people. A vertical garden is easy to make. Villagers fill containers with good soil and natural fertilizers. They put the containers on bricks so they are off the ground. They add pieces of the bricks to the soil to help water flow and drain. Villagers also grow vegetables in containers made from large, thin pieces of plastic supported by bamboo. This is called "vertical tower" which can produce more than 100 kilograms of vegetables each. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A The heavy rain makes the soil salty. B The salty water from the sea makes the sold salty. C Villagers uses bricks to contain good soil. D WorldFish Center has already trained 200 villagers in to make vertical garden. Answer: B. The salty water from the sea makes the sold salty. Colleges may try to do a lot to prepare students for study abroad - telling about culture shock, warning about homesickness, recommending books about the country. But when it comes to adjusting to campus life when they return, schools haven't done as much, even though the transition is sometimes almost as difficult. "They can feel disoriented and depressed. They find things are not exactly the way they were when they left," said Antonio Jimenez, director of the Center for International Affairs at California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, California, US. "They find that people don't care much about their experiences." Some colleges are now rethinking their approach to study abroad, recognizing that students might need almost as much help adjusting to life back home as they did getting ready to leave: students experience a sort of reverse culture shock when they return to the US. They might be troubled by the wealth and waste they see back home or they might feel homesick for their new country and its customs. And when they try to talk about their experiences, people quickly lose interest, especially if they haven't lived abroad themselves. Down the road, they also might find it difficult to translate their time abroad into experience that an employer finds attractive. Some California universities have organized conferences to help students make the most of their time abroad. During a one-day event, students learn how to adjust after living abroad, talk about their experiences and incorporate them into their lives and future careers. Blythe Cherney, 22, a senior who has studied in Thailand and Britain, found the _ helpful. "Any experience abroad does have an effect on you," Cherney said. "When you come back, it's important to talk about it, especially with people who know what you've been through." Yet most universities focus more on preparation than reorientation. When students return, they might have a welcome home reception. But for the most part, universities figure students can fend for themselves. The wrier is _ the help colleges offer for the students when they return from studying overseas? A pleased with B dissatisfied with C indifferent with D proud of Answer: B. dissatisfied with There is a big supermarket near Mrs. Green's home. She usually goes there to buy food. The shop assistants are polite and helpful. The things are cheap, too. One day, Mrs. Green goes to the supermarket. She buys some noodles. Biscuits are also their children's favorite food. And she buys some milk. Her children always have milk for breakfast. Mimi likes fish and Tim likes hot dogs. She buys some fish and sausages for them, too. Mrs. Green doesn't have any rice at home. So she buys a bag of rice, but she can't take it. It is very heavy. Her husband, Mr. Green is coming to the supermarket and carry the rice. . Who helps Mrs. Green take the rice? A Mr. Green. B Mrs. Green. C Mimi. D Tim. Answer: A. Mr. Green. Once there lived an old man in a mountain village. He was a famous hunter. He often went hunting alone in the mountains. He was not afraid of any wild animals, not even a tiger. One night, someone saw a tiger come into the village, and stole two sheep away. The next night the tiger came again. The villagers were frightened. They asked the old hunter to catch it so that they could have a safe life. When the old man heard about the tiger, he thought hard. He wondered why the tiger came at night twice but only stole the sheep. The next night he walked outside the village. Suddenly he saw the tiger coming. He quickly threw himself on the ground. To his surprise, the tiger did not come at him, but went away. He followed it quietly and found it was running on two of its feet just like a man. Then everything was clear. On the fourth day, when it got dark, the hunter took some animal skins with him and hid himself behind a big tree near the village. He was waiting for the "tiger". As soon as the "tiger" came near the tree, the old hunter jumped out, caught the "tiger" by the "leg" and said, "Don't be afraid. I do not mean to hurt you. You know who I am, don't you?" The "tiger" said "Yes" and took off the tiger's skin. "You are poor. But you mustn't steal anything from others. Here are some animal skins for you. You may sell them at the market. With the money, you can buy food and clothes for your family. Work harder and try to make a living. " With tears in his eyes, the poor man thanked the kind-hearted old hunter and walked home. What did the old hunter do when he first saw the tiger? A He was frightened. B He threw himself on the ground. C He ran away. D He hid himself behind a tree. Answer: B. He threw himself on the ground.
Here's a new warning from health experts: sitting is deadly. Scientists are increasingly warning that sitting for long periods, even if you exercise regularly, could be bad for your health. And it doesn't matter where the sitting takes place--in the office, at school, in the car or before a computer or TV. Just the overall number of hours it takes matters. Several studies suggest people who spend most of their days sitting are more likely to be fat, have a heart attack or even die. While health officials have issued guidelines advising on the least amounts of physical activities, they haven't suggested people try to limit how much time they spend in a seated position. "After four hours of sitting, the body starts to send harmful signals," said Ekblom-Bak of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences. She explained that genes controlling the amount of glucose and fat in the body start to shut down. Even for people who exercise, spending long periods of time sitting at a desk is still harmful. Tim Armstrong, a physical activity expert at the World Health Organization, said people who exercise every day but still spend a lot of time sitting might get more benefits if that exercise were spread across the day, rather than in a single hour. Still in a study that tracked more than 17,000 Canadians for about a dozen years, researchers found people who sat more had a higher death risk, whether they exercised or not. Experts said more research is needed to figure out just how much sitting is dangerous, and what might be possible to _ those effects. People should keep exercising because that has a lot of benefits," Ekblom-Bak said. "And when they're in the office, they should try to interrupt sitting as often as possible." Sitting too much is dangerous because it can _ . A increase glucose and fat in the body B make a person become lazy C destroy the balance of glucose and fat in the body D make a person unable to exercise enough in a day Answer: C. destroy the balance of glucose and fat in the body In the future your automobile will run on water instead of gas! You will be able to buy a supercomputer that fits in your pocket! You might even drive a flying car! For each prediction that has come true today, several others have missed by a mile. Many of these predictions didn't consider how people would want to use the technology. Or if people really needed it in their lives or not. Let's look at some predictions from the not - too - distant past. Robot Helpers Where's the robot in my kitchen? Nowhere, of course. And he's probably not coming anytime soon. Robots do exist today, but mostly in factories and other Manufacturing environments. Back in the 1950s, however, people said that by now personal robots would be in most people's home. So why hasn't happened? Probably because robots are still too expensive and Clumsy. And maybe the idea of robots cooking our dinners and washing our clothes is just too _ . At home we seem to be doing fine without them. Telephones of tomorrow? In 1964 an American company introduced the video telephone. They said by the year 2000 most people would have a video phone in their homes. But of course the idea hasn't caught on yet. Why? The technology worked fine, but it overlooked something obvious: peoples desire for privacy. Would you want to have a video phone conversation with someone after you just stepped out of the shower? Probably not - it could be embarrassing! Just because a technology is available doesn't always mean people will want to use it. And finally, how about that crazy prediction of the flying car? It's not so crazy anymore! But a flying car remains one of the most fascinating technology ideas to capture our imagination. Keep watching the news - or perhaps the sky outside your window - to see what the future will bring. Which of the following is probably not the author's belief? A predictions needn't consider people's practical use of technology. B The future isn't always easy to guess. C Not past predictions have come true. D Many of the high-tech things our parents thought we'd be using by now simply never appeared. Answer: A. predictions needn't consider people's practical use of technology. Australia is sometimes called "the lucky country". One reason is the wonderful riches under the earth: gold, silver, iron, coal and many other precious metals. Oil and natural gas have helped to build big industries. Victoria, the southeastern state, has a large number of industries. Oil is no problem for them. The Bass Strait, off the coast of Victoria, has been one of the country's biggest oil fields for many years. South Australia is the driest of all the states, but it does have the Murray River. The river brings greenness and life to the state's southeast corner. In the early days of Australian history, the Murray River was South Australia's main road. Before real roads and railways came, the river carried people and goods from the coast up into the country. Some towns on the Murray still keep the old riverboats, and visitors can ride on them. What do you think of South Australia? A It's a scene of desolation . B It's a scene of desert. C The land is full of life. D The land lies waste. Answer: C. The land is full of life. What is the hottest topic at your school? In Hangzhou Yongjin Middle School, it's money. The school had an activity called "making a living" recently. About 800 Junior 1 and Junior 2 students were divided into 112 teams. They went out to make money by selling things. What did they choose to sell? Some sold newspapers; some chose bottled water; some sold environmentally friendly shopping bags and bamboo baskets. Huqi's team decided to sell educational books in front of the Children Activity Centre. They thought parents would like to buy books for their children. But unfortunately , they came across urban management officers . The officers asked them to leave. "We played hide-and-seek with the officers for the whole morning," said Hu. "Finally we gave up and moved to other place. Wang Yongyi and her team sold ice cream in a square. They didn't meet any officers. But few people were interested in what they were selling. The team then put up a board saying the money was to help the "Project Hope" for country kids. It worked. More people came to their stall. A foreigner even gave them 100 yuan. Meng Zhaoxiang and his team were luckier. They sold all their cakes in four hours, spending 39.5 yuan and getting back 80 yuan. "It was not easy to make the money," said Meng. "Some people just looked. Others just tasted but didn't buy. Now I know how hard it is for our parents to earn the money we need to lead happy lives." The students in Hangzhou Yongjin Middle School had an activity about _ . A earning money B passing exams C helping Project Hope D selling books Answer: A. earning money Name: Off the Beaten Path Cover price: $30.00 Our price: $l9.80 The best-selling Reader's Digest travel book has 40% new content including over 200 new sites, over 200 new full-color1 photographs, and all-new, up-to-date maps. It spotlights over l, 000 of the United States' most overlooked must-see destinations. Name: Container Gardens by Number Cover price: $l5.95 Our price: $9.49 A unique book contains 50 easy-to-follow container designs. Each design provides a simple numbered planting plan that shows exactly how to create each display, with an instruction of the finished planter and in-depth plant information. The plans are easy to follow and for any type of living space or garden. Name: Best Weekend Projects Cover price: $l7.95 Our price: $l3.96 Choose from 80 unique ideas to create an extraordinary living space. The projects are practical, as well as attractive, and will improve your home and yard and can be made in a weekend. These 80 well-designed projects are presented in a clear, easy-to-follow style that addresses readers in an accessible, user-friendly tone. Name: l80l Home Remedies Cover price: $40.00 Our price: $29.96 Plenty of health complaints can be handled at home. Each and every remedy will be tested by a doctor to make sure it is safe and sound. Dozens of conditions are covered, from headaches, sunburn, bad breath, and blisters to allergies , and hiccups . Which of the following could help you to improve your home environment? A Off the Beaten Path & l80l Home Remedies. B Container Gardens by Number & Best Weekend Projects. C l80l Home Remedies & Container Gardens by Number. D Best Weekend Projects & Off the Beaten Path. Answer: B. Container Gardens by Number & Best Weekend Projects.
Question: How do you spend your spare time? There will be different answers to it .Most people in Poland have their own ways of spending free time. Sometimes they just want to have a rest, but they try to do something more pleasant most of the time. They have many different hobbies, which help them to get away from their everyday problems and spend their free time happily. Many Polish people like traveling. They look for new places that they have never been to and add new and exciting experiences to their journey. Some of them like to climb mountains,. others like to go to the sea or a lake to swim, because theses can make them get exercise and are good for their health. Many Polish people also like to do sports in their free time. They are usually crazy about football, and football is regarded as the Polish national sport. Many football fans may support a certain team ,so they go to watch every match of the team they support, and they buy many things that have any relation with the team. Watching sport and doing it are both good ways to relax In addition, doctors say that doing sports is very good for the health. Many people in town, especially young men, often go to the gym to attend the exercise classes to keep fit. Besides these ways, Polish people have many other ways to spend their free time . And they really enjoy their free time. Which of the following sports is NOT mentioned in the passage? A. Playing sports. B. Climbing mountains. C. Skating. D. Swimming. Answer: C Question: Folk medicine keeps the body healthy by using medicines taken from surrounding plants and herbs . Since materialsfor making a medicine to cure a sickness can be found everywhere, one can practise folk medicine in any place of the world. The use of folk medicine goes all the way back to the time of the earliest man when both man and animal used plants and herbs to keep healthy. It is usually seen that an animal eat snakeroot after being bitten by a poisonous snake. Because animals seem to have this natural ability for knowing which plants and herbs will cure what sickness, man probably learned how to care for himself by animal watching. Man also learned other things from animals. He observed that wild animals, when sick, kept quiet and rest, getting well with the help of the medicine in plants and pure air. He saw that an animal with a fever could often be found resting in a cool place, eating nothing, and often drinking water until the fever was gone. Some believe that folk medicine deals with a lot of old wives' tales which have something to do with the medical treatment of the body. Stories are told about the powers of a certain vegetable material, which when hung around the neck, brings the wearer good health during the cold winter months. Such a story is simply a fairy tale. It should be separated from the discussion of folk medicine. This passage is mainly about _ . A. animals' natural power to cure diseases B. how the earliest man kept healthy C. a discussion of folk medicine D. what man has learned from animals Answer: C Question: A glass a day keeps obesity at bay. Alcohol has always been thought to cause weight gain because of its high sugar content, but new research suggests a glass a day could form part of a diet. Looking at past studies they found that, while heavy drinkers do put on weight, those who drink _ can actually lose weight. A spokesman for the research team at Navarro University in Spain says, "Light to moderate alcohol intake, especially of wine, may be more likely to protect against, rather than promote, weight gain". The International Scientific Forum on Alcohol Research reviewed the findings and agreed with most of the conclusions, particularly that current data do not clearly indicate if moderate drinking increases weight. Boston University's Dr. Harvey Finkel found that the biologic mechanisms relating alcohol to changes in body weight are not properly understood. His team pointed out the strong protective effects of moderate drinking on the risk of getting conditions like diabetes ,which relate to increasing obesity. Some studies suggest that even very obese people may be at lower risk of diabetes if they are moderate drinkers. The group says alcohol provides calories that are quickly absorbed into the body and are not stored in fat, and that this process could explain the differences in its effects from those of other foods. They agree that future research should be directed towards assessing the roles of different types of alcoholic drinks, taking into consideration drinking patterns and including the past tendency of participants to gain weight. For now there is little evidence that consuming small to moderate amounts of alcohol on a regular basis increases one's risk of becoming obese. What's more, a study three years ago suggested that resveratrol, a compound present in grapes and red wine, destroys fat cells. What can we learn from the passage? A. The specific roles of different types of alcoholic drinks are very clear. B. Resveratrol is proved to increase the risk of becoming fat. C. The research found moderate drinking has a strong protective effect. D. Current data clearly show that moderate drinking increases weight. Answer: C Question: Thousands of people in the world are a hundred years old - or more and certain parts of the world are famous for the long lives of their inhabitants: the Vilacamba Valley in Ecuador, and the home of the Hunzas in the Himalayas. Why do so many people live to a healthy old age in certain parts of the world? What is the secret of their long lives? Three things seem to be very important: fresh air, fresh food and a simple way of life. People work near their homes in the clean mountain air instead of traveling long distances to work by bus, car or train. They do not sit all day in busy offices or factories, but work hard outdoors in the fields. They take more exercise and eat less food than people in the cities of the West. For years the Hunzas of the Himalayas did not need policemen, lawyers or doctors. There was no crime, no divorce and not much illness in their society. They were a happy, peaceful people, famous all over India for their long, healthy lives. Do you want to live to a hundred years old? Here are some rules for success. First, live in the right place. Second, choose the right kind of job. Doctors, dentists and bus-drivers die young. Farmers, priests and orchestral conductors live much longer. If you are in the wrong kind of job, you can still improve your way of life. An old man in the Caucasus was talking about his past life. "I was young then," he said, as he described his 87th year. His secret was: "Think young and stay young." An old woman from Missouri, the USA, gave this advice, "Drink a little whisky and some warm beer every day." An English lady just said, "Take a cold bath every morning." The shortest, simplest piece of advice came from Mr Jim Chapman, aged 103. "Just keep breathing," he told reporters. We can see from the passage that long-lived people avoid _ . A. working hard B. drinking C. eating too much D. taking cold baths Answer: C Question: Which of the following would have best aided a vessel at sea in crossing the sea in the 18th century? A. A radar system B. An old soothsayer C. An experienced navigator D. A crow's nest Answer: C
Question: Farmer Ed Rawlings smiles as he looks at his orange trees. The young oranges are growing well in Florida's weather. Warm sunshine and gentle rains, along with Ed Rawlings' expert care, will produce a good crop of oranges this year. However, Ed has to guard against Florida's changeable winter weather. In January and February, temperatures can destroy Ed's entire orange crop. Having farmed in Florida for the past 35 years, Ed is prepared for the frost . When temperatures drop below freezing, Ed tries to save his crop by watering his orange trees. The water freezes and forms a thin layer of ice around the trees. Strange as it may sound, this thin layer of ice actually keeps the fruit warm. What happens is simple. When the trees are watered, the water loses heat and becomes ice. The warmth of the heat it loses is taken in by the fruit and keeps its temperature at a safe level. Ed has effectively used this method to save many orange crops. But Ed still faces difficulties. The trees must be watered at the exact moment the temperature drops to the freezing point. Also, just the right quantity of water must be used. Too much water can form a thicker layer of ice that will break the tree's branches . Another difficulty is that wind blows away the heat, so Ed has to worry about not only when but also how often his trees should be watered, and how much water should be used. Computer technology may help Ed with some of these worries. With equipment , air and soil temperatures and wind speed can be measured. The information is fed into a computer which can calculate when the temperature will drop below freezing. The computer can correctly decide the quantity of water to be used and how frequently( ) the trees should be watered. Ed finds looking after his orange trees a lot easier with the help of a computer, and, his customers will have the benefits of computer--age oranges. Ed tries to protect his crop by _ . A. using a wind machine to drive away the cold air B. equipping his orange trees with a computer C. watering it at the proper time D. picking his fruit at the first sign of frost Answer: C Question: When we can see well, we do not think about our eyes often: It is only when we cannot see perfectly that we come to see how important our eyes are. People who are nearsighted can only see things that are very close to their eyes. Many people who do a lot of close work, such as writing and reading, become nearsighted. Then they have to wear glasses in order to see distant things clearly. People who are farsighted face just the opposite problem. They can see things that are far away, but they have difficulty reading a book if they don't hold it at arm's length. If they want to do much reading, they must get glasses too. Other people do not see clearly because their eyes are not exactly the right shape. This, too, can be corrected by glasses. Some people's eyes become cloudy because of cataracts . Long ago these people often became blind. Now, however, it is possible to operate on the cataracts and remove them. When night falls, colors become fainter to the eyes and finally disappear. After your eyes have grown used to the dark, you can see better if you use the side of your eyes rather than the centers. Sometimes, after dark, you see a small thing to one side of you. It seems to disappear if you turn your head in its direction. This is because when you turn your head, you are looking at the thing too directly. Men on guard duty sometimes think they see something moving to one side of them. When they turn to look straight at it, they cannot see it anymore, and they believe they were mistaken. However, this mistake happens because the center of the eye, which is very sensitive in daylight, is not as sensitive as the sides of the eye after dark, According to the passage, a _ is more likely to be nearsighted. A. guard B. doctor C. writer D. painter Answer: C Question: Scientists can determine someone's favorite food from their shape. They have discovered that the arrangement of taste buds on the tongue varies for different body types. The scientist team examined 1,000 British adults and divided them into three physiologically recognized body types--ectomorphs, endomorphs mesomorphs. They determined that a person's body type indicated where they were likely to have the most taste buds - on the sweet, bitter or salty areas of their tongues. The study showed that ectomorphs, who make up one in three of the population, usually have a small delicate shape, have a sweet tooth but hate bitter foods. Mesomorphs, who make up 20percent of the population, usually have a muscular shape and prefer salty and bitter foods but dislike sweet foods. Half the British population are endomorphs with soft, rounded bodies, and they like most foods. The findings showed that for two in three people food preference was a physiological rather than a psychological choice. Body shape expert Simon Bradshaw, who takes change of his team, said, "It appears that simply by looking at a person's body shape we can make sure about their taste preferences." But Catherine Collins, of the British Dietetic Association said, "It is difficult to tell whether our body shape dictates the food we like, or the food we like dictates body shape. _ people who prefer most types of foods will be fatter and people who are the endomorph shape tend to find it more difficult to lose weight." It is implied that _ . A. there are only three body types B. ectomorphs enjoy most foods C. Catherine Collins is an expert in body shape D. people who enjoy most foods have trouble in losing weight Answer: D Question: Research has shown that music has an important effect on one's body and psyche . In fact, there is a growing field of health care known as music therapy, which uses music to treat diseases. Even hospitals are beginning to use music therapy. This is not surprising, as music affects the body and mind in many powerful ways. Research has shown that quick music can make a person feel more alert, while slow music can produce a calm, deep thinking state. Also, research has found that music can change brainwave activity levels. This can help the brain to change speeds more easily on its own as needed, which means that music can bring lasting benefits to your state of mind, even after you've stopped listening. Breathing and heart rates can also be influenced by music. This can mean slower breathing, slower heart rate. This is why music and music therapy can help reduce the damaging effects of long-term stress, greatly promoting not only relaxation, but health. Music can also be used to bring about a more positive state of mind by helping to keep worries away. Music has also been found to bring many other benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of strokes. It is no surprise that so many people are considering music as an important tool to help the body become or stay healthy. What can we infer about music therapy? A. It is a type of music. B. It is a research about music. C. It is a kind of musical effect on diseases. D. It is the use of music method to help treat diseases. Answer: D Question: Which of these indicates a physical change that occurs during the process of digestion? A. the addition of acids to create a ball of food B. the secretion of pepsin to change proteins to peptides C. the breakdown of food substances by digestive juices D. the squeezing of food through the intestines Answer: D
More over smart phone, the intelligent watch is about to take your spot as the latest hi-tech current, allowing wearers to glance at messages and even take calls without touching their phones. The i'm Watch, available since 2011, is the flagship product of an Italian company--i'm. This smart watch is an assist to the smart phone, with which it can communicate by Bluetooth wireless technology. It means you can leave your phone in your pocket as you answer or reject a call, review e-mails or read updates from friends on Twitter or Facebook. The i'm Watch also has its own applications, such as i'm Sport, which links with a heart rate detector to allow a runner to check his pulse. Such functions already exist in specialized sports watches but not on watches that are linked to smart phones. With a square shape, a 3.8-centimeter touch screen and various color1s, the i'm Watch sells for a minimum of 300 Euros($390) for the basic model and prices climb to 16,000 Euros for a luxury model in silver or decorated with diamonds. So far, the watch has already found 30,000 buyers, 80 percent of whom are men aged 25 to 50. "Seventy percent are iPhone users, 25 percent Samsung and the rest are other telephones using Google's Android operating system," said Massimiliano Bertolini, a manager of the company, which aims to sell more than 200,000 watches this year. The company's target market is the person who is always glued to his smart phone, even in meetings or at the movies, or people who wish to keep an eye on their heartbeat during exercise. They will especially target women with advertisements emphasizing its design rather than its technology. Why is the i'm Watch superior to other specialized sports watches? Answer: My wife Julie and I were out on the road that runs around where we live, when we saw an old worn-out dog stumbling painfully up the road. We stopped, bent down, talked gently to the dog and patted it. I checked and there was a collar with a phone number. I called but no one answered. The dog was painfully thin. So Julie ran home to get some of our dog's food while I tried to encourage the dog. After Julie came back, we sat down on the sidewalk while our new friend made short work of the food. Eventually we got her home. After trying for many times we got a response from the number. A lady came around with a bunch of flowers for us. She explained that Tara had been her father's dog. She was very old and got lost that morning. So, Tara was safely returned home. Here is the truth of the story: Actually Julie and I were out that morning because I was leaving. She was trying to persuade me to come back, but I wasn't hearing anything that made that sound likely. I was about to turn and go when an old black dog walked between us and almost fell down. Suddenly we had something more important than _ to worry about. There was a creature in need right before us and we had to work together to help it. We did help it. And here I am writing the story in my own home, in my own family. In the song "Love Is Not a Fight" Warren Barfield talks about marriage. At one point he sings, "And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door." Sometimes angels come disguised as dogs. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? Answer: Let's say you have a piece of wood, a nail, and a hammer. Pretend the wood is a person, and the nail is a mean rumor about that person. If you hammer in the nail, you're obviously hurting him or her. If you then pull out the nail, there's still a hole in the wood, and the damage has been done. There are many reasons why that nail of a rumor can be so harmful. Rumors are, quite simply, a form of bullying . When a person or a group makes up a rumor about someone or decides to spread gossip, it's usually to hurt someone, break up a friendship, or make someone less popular. It's the same thing as teasing, only it's done behind someone's back instead of to his or her face. When you spread a rumor about someone, you're sending a signal that the person is outside of the group, and somehow less worthy of friendship than others. You're making fun of that person or pointing out negative things about him or her. This can let others think that it's okay to make the person feel bad, and make him or her an outsider. We need to be able to trust our friends, and gossip and rumors can break this trust. If you tell a personal secret to a friend, and he turns around and tells it to someone else, you might feel like you will get burned if you ever get close to him again. Letting a rumor influence your behavior is like letting someone else make a big decision for you. Let's say you hear that the teacher plans to call a Snow Day tomorrow because a blizzard is coming. Expecting a day off, you don't do your homework. The next morning, the blizzard turns out to be nothing more than a drizzle , and school isn't off after all. You get zeroes on your work. If a rumor is spread about someone, others may _ . Answer: Hans said to his friend Kurt, "I'm going to take my car to drive to London." Kurt said, "Driving to London is very hard. You aren't going to find your hotel." But Hans was not afraid. He drove to Calais, put his car on the ship, took it off at Dover, and drove to London. He stopped near the city and looked at his map. Then he drove into London, but he did not find his hotel. He drove round and round for an hour, and then he stopped and got out of his car. A taxi came, and Hans stopped it. "Take me to the Brussels Hotel," he said. But he did not get into the taxi: he got back into his car. The taxi man laughed, but then he drove to the Brussels Hotel, and Hans followed him in his car. They reached the hotel in two minutes. ,. Hans did not find his hotel because _ . Answer: Christmas,Easter and Birthday parties can be difficult times for grandmothers and parents as they rush around trying to arrange the perfect celebration or making everyone as happy as possible! What's better than a birthday party that makes your grandchild smile throughout or a celebration that impresses relatives and close friends? That is why Granny Look has supplied in this section,one of the most comprehensive guides to making these special occasions that happen perhaps once a year a real success. From a selection of Advent Calendars to party planning or Christmas-stocking fillers we have all the possibilities covered so that your children and grandchildren will really have a memorable time with attractive gifts and original ideas. Bring that festive spirit to all those traditional days,and ensure you are always ready for any possibility. Granny Look's extensive links are bound to make every special occasion an entirely different experience from the year before and allow everyone to feel entertained and content. _ LOOK no further!! Granny Look helps the family to prepare in time for FATHER CHRISTMAS. Give SANTA CLAUS some ideas.He can fill all the children's Christmas-stockings with goodies! Unique Christmas gifts for children-stocking fillers. A Granny Look favorite! _ All children love the build-up to CHRISTMAS! What is better than choosing one of Granny Look's selection of Advent Calendars! Here you will find a list of websites to buy traditional or fun Advent Calendars for children at Christmas time. A Granny Look favorite! _ LOOKING for a SPECIAL BIRTHDAY GIFT? Explore Granny Look's selection of PRESENTS,PARTY PLANNING,PARTY TOYS and PARTY GAMES for your Children and Grandchildren's BIRTHDAYS. Plan and organize the KIDDIE'S PARTIES ahead of time!! Don't forget the PERSONALISED INVITATIONS! _ LOOK and BOOK now!! Granny Look's selection of CHRISTMAS GIFTS for children. Some guides to "What's on in your area"...for the kids.PANTOS,SHOWS,THEATRES...at Christmas time! UNIQUE Christmas gifts for Children.Spend QUALITY TIME with your Children's Children this FESTIVE SEASON! The purpose of the text is _ . Answer:
Harry is a boy with a learning disability. On his fourth birthday, he was given a pug called Millie. Two weeks after the dog's arrival, he was happier and calmer and said his first words, "dog" and "mummy". Just two months later, thieves stole the dog, and now the heartbroken little boy is back to where he started. He has refused to talk since losing his best friend. His mother was worried and gave him another dog, but he just "pushed it away". Mrs Hainsworth, his mother, says, "My son is very sad. He'll go over to her cage and just beat on the bars. There is no word coming out, but you just know he's screaming 'Where is Millie' inside. Millie was really his best friend. They would play together happily for hours. None of his toys has ever held his attention that long. Now he has just completely turned quiet again. "Harry suffers from a condition which affects his ability to speak and move. But the dog's being with him achieved more in days than months of speech therapy and physiotherapy had. Mrs Hainsworth says, "My son was so happy when he saw Millie. Being with Millie changed him, and within two weeks he had said his first words and was working on saying 'dad'. Just last week, his teachers and I were saying how much Millie had helped him. And now this!" Mrs Hainsworth is considering buying another pug in the hope that her son will accept it. Maureen Hennis of the charity, Pets as Therapy, says she has seen many cases of dogs helping people with speech problems. "People may talk to a dog when they wouldn't like to talk to another human," she says. "A dog doesn't care if words come out wrong." Before getting Millie, Harry . A. had never seen a dog B. had never said a word C. had received little treatment D. had never played with toys Answer: B It was hard being the younger of two sisters. I got all the hand-me-downs . I never got to do anything first and my teachers always said, "Oh, you're Jenny's little sister." "No, I am Lauren!" I never liked being the younger. Jenny and I got along with a few fights here and there. Then a few years ago, Jenny and I were in a car accident. She was okay, but I had a large scar on my face. I was very sad. Jenny told me I shouldn't worry about the scar. One day we were riding home from school on the bus. A boy named Jordan made fun of me about my scar. This went on for about a month. Finally I broke down and told Jenny about him. She was angry. When Jordan made fun of me the next time, Jenny stood up, walked to where he was sitting and said something into his ear. I didn't know exactly what she said, but Jordan never said a single word to me again. So, even though getting all of the hand-me-downs might not be the best, I was very happy to have a big sister like Jenny. When anyone asks now, I will tell them, "Yes, I'm Jenny's little sister." ,. When Lauren says, "Yes, I'm Jenny's little sister", she is very _ . A. angry B. sad C. upset D. proud Answer: D Which weather instrument measures air pressure? A. thermometer B. anemometer C. rain gauge D. barometer Answer: D Vintner is the owner of a large vineyard and offers balloon rides to visitors who wish to tour the grounds from the air. During one of the rides, Vintner was forced to make a crash landing on his own property. Without Vintner's knowledge or consent, Trespasser had entered the vineyard to camp for a couple of days. Trespasser was injured when he was hit by the basket of the descending balloon. If Trespasser sues Vintner to recover damages for his injuries, will Trespasser prevail? A. No, unless the crash landing was made necessary by negligence on Vintner's part. B. No, unless Vintner could have prevented the injury to Trespasser after becoming aware of Trespasser's presence. C. Yes, because even a trespasser may recover for injuries caused by an abnormally dangerous activity. D. Yes, if the accident occurred at a place which Vintner knew was frequented by intruders. Answer: B QINGDAO--Water and power supplies have been _ in the East Chinese city of Qingdao, the site of an oil pipeline explosion on Friday, the local government said on Monday. Crude oil began leaking from the pipeline at 3:00 an Friday in Qingdao in Shandong province. The valves of the Huangdao oil warehouse were shut about 15 minutes later. The oil spill then flowed into the city's rainwater pipe network, which empties into Jiaozhou Bay. Explosions occurred at two locations around 10:30 am Friday when workers were clearing the spill. According to the local government, about 85 percent of public heating and 90 percent of the gas supply were also brought back to normal as of Monday. Residents who have been taken to the temporary settlements are receiving bottled water and bread. Many schools and kindergartens have reopened classes after Friday's oil pipeline explosion. No injures and deaths of students or teachers have been reported following the explosions at an underground pipeline operated by Sinopec. The school buildings of one middle school in the district were seriously damaged during the explosions. Education authorities have arranged psychological help for students and teaching staff. All other 18 schools and kindergartens in the district reopened classes on Monday. As of Monday noon, the death toll from the explosion had risen to 55, with 9 people still missing and 136 hospitalized. According to local police, 49 bodied have been identified so far, and 42 of them were male victims. As of Monday morning, the blood supply in Qingdao was enough for the injured after more than 950 people in the city donated more than 340,000 ml of blood in the wake of the incident. We can learn that by Monday noon the deaths in the explosion reached at least _ . A. 64 B. 49 C. 55 D. 42 Answer: C
It is football time again.Currently, the qualifying rounds are being played to decide which countries will send teams to the next World Cup.Some Soccer is becoming more and more popular on a worldwide scale and these qualifying legs are causing much excitement. The game is popular at club level as well.Many fans go every week to support their teams, whether the event is a home or away one, hoping to get a result.They all hope an attacking game, with a lot of goals being scored.Obviously, they do not want to see a boring, defensive match where the players are aimlessly passing the ball to each other. Sadly, not all the action always takes place on the ground.All too frequently, there is action in the stands, too.Football supporters, most of whom declare their loyalty , by wearing their team colors, in the form of shirts, are not known for their quiet behavior.They are often very noisy, shouting noisy encouragement to their team and singing deafening songs. There is much rivalry between supporters.Mostly, this is good-natured, but trouble can easily arise.Fans get angry if they feel that a referee has made a wrong decision, perhaps giving one of their team a red or yellow card unfairly, or perhaps failing to notice a foul committed by a member of the other team. When trouble breaks out in a football crowd, it can be difficult to control.Stadium officials often seat the opposing fans in separate parts of the ground as a precaution against fighting. However, preventing trouble is more difficult outside the ground.In the worst cases, riot police have to be called in. Unfortunately, there are some fans who enjoy this violent aspect of football.These football hooligans really enjoy a running battle with the police, and call up other people to throw stones and bottles at them.They regard football not only as a sport, but as an excuse for trouble makings.Inevitably, their behavior spoils the reputation of the game. Riot police are called in _ . My mother was a housewife. She thought that successful people spent a lot more time reading than watching TV. So she asked my brother and me not to watch too much TV, but to read two books every week in our free time. She would check them with marks, though she couldn't read the book at all. When I went to high school, I was an A-student, but not for long. I wanted cool clothes and hung out with friends. I became a C-student, but I didn't care. One night I complained about not having enough Italian shirts. Then my mother gave me all the money and said I could get the money left to buy shirts if I finished buying all the things the family needed. I was pleased with that, but after I bought those things, there was no money left. I got to know how difficult it was for my mother to do all these. I went back to my studies and became an A-student again. Finally, my dream came true and I became a doctor. My story is really my mother's story----a woman with little education greatly changed my life as a parent. So I believe there is no job more important than parenting. What did the writer's mother do? Steven Jobs, the CEO of Apple, was not a good student when he was in school. At that time, he always got into trouble with his schoolmates. When he went to college, he didn't change a lot. Then he dropped out . But he was full of new ideas. After that, Steven Jobs worked as a video game designer in a company. He worked there only for a few months and then he went to India. He hoped that the trip would give him some new ideas and a new chance to change 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 first Apple Computer with his friend in his garage. He chose the name"Apple"just because it reminded him of a happy summer he once spent in an apple orchard. His first Apple Computer was a great success. Because of this, Steven Jobs soon became famous all over the world. Which of the following statements is NOT true? At 2:30 December 5, 1945, five US Navy training planes took off in clear weather from the base Lauderdale, Florida. The planes flew east over the coast... and disappeared. The group was Flight 19, on a run between Florida and Bahamas. Tailor was the group leader. At about 3:40, Tailor reported that his compasses were not reading properly. The other planes followed their leaders aimlessly, first east, then west, then northeast over the ocean, as Tailor tried to make sure of the direction by radio. Then, suddenly Tailor was heard to give orders to dive... Quickly, two giant Martin seaplanes were sent up to search for Flight 19. Several hours later, the wind became strong and visibility dropped. A return to base was ordered. But only one of the Martin seaplanes landed. Four days later, the Navy and Coast Guard _ a 100,000 square--mile area with more than 100 planes and ships. No sign was ever shown of the missing planes. Today, people have noted the disappearance of many ships and planes in the southwest part of the North Atlantic and began to call this area the Bermuda Triangle. The points of the triangle are Bermuda, Puerto Rico and a particular place in the Gulf of Mexico, west of Florida. It is a two--faced water world of tiny islands, bright beaches and beautiful waters. Yet thick fogs, powerful currents and sudden storms are hidden behind this smiling surface. How many planes disappeared altogether that day? A container is filled with 250 milliliters of water. The total mass of the container and the water is 300 grams. What is the total mass of the container and the water after being in a freezer for 2 hours?
With about 10 million new iPhone 6s ordered in the initial days on the market, a lot of old iPhones are bound to be thrown into the dustbins. Sure, you could sell, donate or recycle your old iPhone, but you probably will not. And there are better things to do with it. One creative example: At the Missouri University of Science and Technology, a biology class is making old iPhones into microscopes. Using less than $10 worth of supplies, the old phones are mounted onto a lens and can magnify an object to 175 times its size. Here are 5 smart-and-cheap uses for old iPhones. Music for your car Take your music library on the road. Some cars are equipped with docking ports for iPhones and have dashboard screens so you can choose your favourite music hands-free. Or you can just use the cigarette lighter for power. Remote Control Televisions, speakers and other devices now have apps that allow users to make their iPhones into fashionable remotes. Carm Lyman, 42, of Napa, California, transformed his iPhone 4 into a remote for his household sound system after his iPhone 5 arrived. Lyman can control the audio levels and activate speakers in various parts of his home as well as access different music services. Cookbook No need to go through recipe books or hunt around for other devices when you have a kitchen iPhone. Download a cookbook app, such as My Recipe Book (99 cents) or Big Oven (free), and just leave the device on the kitchen counter. It takes up almost no space and will hold far more recipes than any book. Baby Monitor Sure, you can spend $100 or more on a baby monitor, or you can just set your old iPhone up to watch video of your baby in real time as well as hear and even talk to him or her. Cloud Baby Monitor ($3.99) also allows parents to receive the signal on a wireless network or on WiFi so they do not have to be within a certain number of feet of the monitor. Vehicle Tracker Whether you need to find your car if it is stolen, record where you have traveled, or spy on your teenage driver, the built-in GPS in your phone can be used as a tracking device. An app like InstaMapper ($2.99) lets you watch the vehicle in real-time and have a record of it. Keep in mind that the phone can still dial 911, even if it does not have cellphone service, Smith said. You can also use your old phone as a back-up in case your new model suffers irreparable harm. That said, the battery of a phone that sits in a drawer unused could be exhausted to the point where it is no longer workable. Which of the following statement is true? Answer: Answering the Community Needs of Our City The Silver City Council recognizes that citizens have certain needs. To better meet your needs, we have made several changes to community facilities in 2004. This chart shows how we have tried to make your life better. Transport Three stations for the suburbs have been added to the western train service.20 new buses for the southern line were purchased in January. 50 percent of city bus-stops have been upgraded . Buses to the eastern suburbs will run every15 minutes. Communication Broadband cable is now available to all parts of the city. All of the new Government buildings are ' smart'-wired for better computer service! Medical Facilities The new state-of-the-art Nightingale Hospital was opened in June. To overcome a shortage of trained medical staff at Dover Hospital, 10 doctors have been employed from overseas.Some facilities at Station Street Hospital have been upgraded. Education Textbooks will be free to all primary students in 2004 ! Rent for private schools has been reduced. Teachers report that the 'no hat - no play' rule has been successful. Protection and Security Extra police now patrol ( ) the tourist areas. 50 new police officers graduated in July and have taken up duties in the city area. Entertainment / Recreation The John Street basketball courts have been re-surfaced ! The new Central Community Building opened in May. 5,000 new fiction books were bought for the Silver City Library. The public notice is from _ . Answer: People all over the world write to Big Ben. They even send birthday presents. Big Ben is not a person. It's a clock. Big Ben is the great clock hanging up in a tower of the parliament building. The people of London like to see Big Ben's four friendly faces. They like to hear the bell striking on the hour. Bong! Bong! Bong! Big Ben's story started in 1834. In that year the old parliament building was burned down. Its clock tower fell to the ground. There had to be a new building and a new clock. Plans were made. They called for a "King of Clock, the biggest and the best in the world". So the clock had to be big. And it had to keep very good time. In two years the big clock was made. Five more years went by before the clock tower was last finished. Then the four bells for the chimes were brought into the tower. And at last the big hour bell was put in place. It rang out for the first time on July 11, 1859. This great bell had to have a name. A meeting of parliament was called to pick one. "This clock is the king of clocks," one man said. "Let's call the bell the Queen of Bells." "Then why not Victoria?" said another (Victoria was the British queen at that time). The talk about names went on and on. Then Benjamin Hall got up to speak. He was a big man. By this time they were all tired. Someone shouted, "Why not call it Big Ben and be done with it?" Everybody laughed, and the meeting was over. But it was called Big Ben from then on. Not just the bell but the whole clock. In 1834, what happened to the clock tower? Answer: Our particular parenting style reflects our own way of "looking". Here's a great piece of writing reflecting parent's particular ways on the parenting style that have become known humorously as helicopter parenting and submarine parenting. Helicopter parents _ their children, managing every aspect of their child's life. On the contrary, submarine parents remain "hidden" coming to the surface when guidance is needed. While helicopter parents may have the best intentions, in reality, they are raising children with few problem solving skills. Children with hovering parents never get the chance to face disappointment and build up their ability to recover from misfortune. Think about your typical submarine. Submarines usually remain underwater. In case of a need for emergency surfacing, submarines can rise so quickly they are driven partially out of the water. Submarine parents also remain out of sight, yet able to pop up in the case of an emergency. I admit I'm a submarine mom. My job as a parent is to have fun with my daughters while letting them explore and learn natural consequences. My older daughter found herself acting in commercials and making more than minimum wage as a teen. To give her a sense of the real world, I insisted she spend three weeks every summer, picking strawberries and earning $3.50 on a good day. When my youngest daughter Sondra was six, she wanted a very expensive American Girl Doll. I cut the full color1 18-inch picture out of the American Girl catalogue and had it laminated . "Here's your American Girl Doll." I said "When you turn nine, I'll buy you the 3D doll on your birthday." Sondra played with her flat doll for months, making clothes and furniture for her. She learned creativity. I saved $88.00. What is the text mainly about? Answer: Tom was the only person alive after a shipwreck, the sea water washed up on a small island.There was nobody on the island,Tom hoped someone could come to save him,and every day he looked at the sea,but he didn't see any ship. A few days later,Tom built a little hut for himself.But then one day, after looking for food,he arrived home and found his little hut was on fire.The smoke went up to the sky,the worst thing happened,everything was lost,Tom was so sad and angry.He cried.Early next day,however,the sound of a ship woke him up.The ship was coming close to the island.It came to save him! "How did you know I was here?"Tom asked the men from the ship. "We saw your smoke,"they answered. It is easy to get sad when things are going bad,but we shouldn't lose hope.Remember,next time little hut is on fire and we lost everything,maybe the smoke is calling for help for us.For all the bad things happen to us,life has good answers for them. Why did Tom cry one day? Answer:
Car Pollution Some cars do not run the way they should. Bad smoke from a car can get into the air. This bad smoke is called pollution. Pollution turns the air a gray color1. It is very dirty. It is not good for people to breathe this dirty air. To keep pollution down, the states tests cars every two years. This test checks to make sure the cars do not pollute the air. If a car does not pass the test, the owner cannot drive it the next year. Some car owners drive their cars even though they cannot pass the test. It is also very bad for the air. People want to find a way to get these cars off the road. So a state program was started that now seems to be helping. In this program the States buys cars that cannot pass the test or will help pay for repairs. This program has been helping people buy better cars or fix their old ones. It has also been helping to cut down on pollution. To meet the needs for the program, a car must be drivable and the owner must meet certain income restrictions . In order to get help from the program, a motorist must have a family income of no more than 185% of the national poverty guidelines . For a family of four, that would be no more than $32,653 each year. The state program that takes polluting cars off the road has just finished its first year, and people say it has been successful. For the past year, the state program has been buying cars that can't pass the test. Some car owners get as much as $1,000 for their old ones, while others receive as much as $500 for repairs. The cars bought by the States through the program are put out of use and sent to dismantlers . After being bought by the government, a car will be _ . Answer: Welcome to the future. It's year 2050 and Scotland is now powered completely by"clean"energy. Homes have entire roofs made of solar materials, rooms are kept warm by wallpaper, and people go to and from work in electric and hydrogen( ) cars. Oil is still being found in the North Sea, but it's not now only used to keep aircraft flying. And a new 500---mile underwater link with Iceland has been built to catch heat from the hot springs. There's still a role for king coal--but _ are now environment---friendly. People will be able to import the electricity they need and export any excess they make through rooftop windmills . New technology will store electricity better and provide it on demand. Heat exchangers will provide heating and hot water. Harmful carbon dioxide waste is being piped offshore to St Fergus and from there into some of the remaining oil--producing fields to be stored safely without entering the atmosphere. Gas remains the preferred energy source of industry and is now shipped in liquid form. But hydrogen is imported through pipelines from France and from a geothermal plant in Iceland. Hydrogen--fuelled cars have become popular. Electric bikes are common in cities using the new urban two--wheel network. Electric vehicles have become common, and their performances have been improved because of the developments in electrical drive technology like high--temperature super conducting motors. Many people leave their vehicles in a giant park where they can be recharged from the national electrical system . Oilseed rape is widely grown to fuel some motors . Which sources of energy play a more important role in people's daily life in the future ? Answer: About fifty years ago, when television first came out, people thought that radio was no longer useful. Television has both sounds and images . It is much more real and interesting to watch television than to listen to the radio. However, fifty years later radio is still very popular and it will be here for a long time. One reason is that we don't need to see an image when we listen to the music on the radio. In fact, listening with your eyes closed is the best way to listen to a piece of music. You can imagine yourself on a sandy beach or up high on a mountain. In other words, you can create your own images. Moreover, while listening to the radio, you don't have to take your eyes off your work. For example, you can listen to the radio and drive at the same time. Or you can read a book and listen to the radio. Television, on the other hand, doesn't have this advantage. A radio is much smaller than a television. You can take a radio anywhere and turn it on anytime you want. In a quiet place you can use headphones to listen to the news or music on the radio. In this way you won't disturb anybody. Moreover, a radio is much cheaper than a television. For less than $ 20 you can buy a small radio and have fun with it. What is the passage mainly about? Answer: Why read, and sometimes even write poetry? That question is not difficult to answer if we change the word poetry to songs. I sing when I feel good. When I sing my favorite songs, I feel even better. Sometimes when I am listening to music and to the song words, I feel that it was written for me. A good song always makes me feel something. There are songs that I sing in my head between classes and songs that I want to sing when the school bell rings by the end of the day. They help me get through the day. _ I like songs about love and friendship. The extraordinary thing is that my feelings are more special when I sing my favorite songs in English. I also like reading. I used to avoid poetry until an e-friend told me I should recite poems and not look up the meaning of the words. Poetry uses many difficult words and idioms, but the best thing is to just forget about them. In the beginning I felt quite strange. Now I always lock the door. Reading aloud gives you a strange feeling, but when you have some practice and fall into the rhythm, and the sounds of the words, it is really a special experience. I started with small poems, but now I think I most like long poems. I have different feelings with different poems. When I have had a bad day at school, I read Keats and forget everything. When I am sad I read Wordsworth by the light of a candle. When the poem is finished, I close the book and my sadness is gone. What can we know about the poems of Keats and Wordsworth through the passage? Answer: As they went to the doors they saw they had the letters A, B, C, and D on them. What did it mean? Alpha, the leader, told everyone to stop and look at the doors, so as to see which door they would go through. The walls were brown and dirty. The lights were yellow. Door A was blue. This was Beta's choice. Door B was red. Door C was the same color as door A. Door D a color no one had seen before. Gamma felt that Alpha needed to make a choice soon before the monsters caught their scent. Delta was the first to voice a choice. He wanted to go in the red door. Alpha told him that the old books said to go in the blue door. This is why it was so hard for Alpha right now. Two doors were blue. Being a good leader, Alpha asked everyone what they wanted to do. The final choice was door D. They went in and enjoyed all of time in a world with odd colors. What color was door A? Answer:
You could have poor eyesight because you didn't spend enough time outdoors as a child, according to the conclusion of some studies on short-sightedness published in the Optometry and Vision Science. Although short-sightedness can easily be corrected with glasses or contact lenses , it's much better to prevent it altogether. This means we should allow the eyes to develop the way they should in childhood. Children need to spend more time outdoors, focusing on distant objects, say the Australian researchers. This gives the eyeballs a chance to develop as they should. According to one study on short-sightedness, the risk of developing short-sightedness is great -- about 60 percent -- in children who get five hours or less per week of outdoor activities. But if they do outdoor activities for 14 hours or more a week, the risk drops to 20 percent. Spending time outdoors can even help people overcome a genetic predisposition to short-sightedness. Children with parents who are short-sighted can bring down their risk by spending a few hours a day outdoors, suggest the findings from another of the studies presented at the conference. It's being in an outdoor environment that seems to be important, not the type of activity. Studies show that both active and passive outdoor activities have the same protective effect. So encourage children to balance the time they spend reading and studying with time outside. Two to three hours a day outside of school hours is the suggested amount by scientists. If it's hard to find that time, then cut the amount of television and reduce the time they spend on computer games and get kids to take frequent breaks outdoors when reading and studying. To protect their eyesight, what are children mainly advised to do? Answer: To spend more time outdoors. How long does it take for Earth to rotate on its axis seven times? Answer: one week I've just got to talk about this problem I'm having with my postman. It all began a year ago, after the birth of his first child. Not wanting to appear rude, I asked him about the baby. The next week, not wanting him to think I had asked out of mere politeness the week before, I asked all about the baby again. Now I can't break the habit. I freeze whenever I see him coming. The words "How's the baby?" come out on their own. It holds me up. It holds him up. So why can't I stop it? The answer is that I want him to like me. Come to think of it, I want everyone to like me. My sister had the same problem with the caretaker of her block of flats: "All he ever does is complain; he talks at me rather than to me, never listens to a word I say, and yet for some reason I'm always really nice to him. I'm worried in case I have a difficulty one day, and he won't lift a finger to help." What about at work? Richard Lawton, a management trainer, warns: "Those managers who are actually liked by most of their staff are always those to whom being liked is not the primary goal. The qualities that make managers popular are being honest with staff, treating them as human beings and observing common politeness like saying hello in the morning." To explain the point, Richard mentions the story of the company chairman who desperately wanted to be liked and who, after making one of his managers fired, said with moist eyes that he was so, so sorry the man was leaving. The employee replied: "If you were that sorry, I wouldn't be leaving." The lesson being, therefore, that if you try too hard to be liked, people won't like you. The experts say it all starts in childhood. "If children feel they can only get love from their parents by being good," says Zelda West-Meads, a marriage guidance consultant, "they develop low self-confidence and become _ ." But is there anything wrong in being a giver, the world not being exactly short of takers? Anne Cousins believes there is. "There is a point at which giving becomes unhealthy," she says. "It comes when you do things for others but feel bad about it." I am now trying hard to say to people "I feel uncomfortable about saying this, but..." and tell myself "Refusal of a request does not mean rejection of a person" and I find I can say almost anything to almost anyone. Why does the author ask the postman about his baby? Answer: He wants to create a good impression. 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. According to the passage, if you want to be a teacher, _ . Answer: passion is the most important When we think of Paris, Rome, Madrid, Lisbon, Athens and other European capitals, we think of them as "cities". When we think of the whole of modern London, that great area covering several hundred square miles, we do not think of it as a "city", not even a city and its suburbs. Modern London is not one city that has steadily grown larger through the centuries: it is a number of cities, towns and villages that have, during the past centuries, grown together to make one vast urban area. London today extends for nearly thirty miles from north to south and for nearly thirty miles from east to west. This is the area known as "Greater London", with a population of nine million. The "city of London" is a very small part of the whole. It is only one square mile in area, and the number of people who live and sleep in the "city" is only about ten thousand. The difference between modern London and other European capitals is that _ . Answer: it is made up of many cities, towns and villages
Question: It was such an extremely freezing day that I decided to get a cup of hot drinking first after work. As my colleague, Ricky, and I were making our way to a coffee shop, I noticed an old gentleman rather poorly dressed sitting on a bench nearby. Obviously he was frozen, seemingly one of the homeless or someone like that. We joined the line and waited to be served. Ricky handed the server a twenty-dollar bill, ordered three cups of hot coffee, and gestured the sever to give one to the old gentleman outside on the bench as a favour. The server looked at Ricky, a little _ , without full comprehension of the request. Afterwards, there was a wonderful exchange between the server and the old man in need of some attention. I only wished I had taken a photo of the smiles on the both faces. As I was thinking about this event later on, I wondered to myself why Ricky didn't perform this act of kindness himself. I suspect that deep down in his heart he was hoping that this act of kindness might inspire others to do something for this old man as well. Absolutely beautiful! There are many ways of thinking when we met someone as the old man in need of kindness and attention. Perhaps he needs a little helping hand and thanks God for my colleague who inspired the others to goodness as well. Oh, by the way, the last words Ricky told the server was, "There go I, but for the Grace of God." What was the author's impression of the old gentleman? A. He was a greedy man B. He took on a sign of poor manners. C. He was in poor health. D. He needed some kind of human care. Answer: D Question: Americans are thinking about national education standards recently developed by teachers and other education experts. The National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) led the effort. The United States, unlike other nations, has never had the same school standards across the country. What is the reason? Education is not discussed in the Constitution. That document limits the responsibilities of the federal government. Other responsibilities, like education, fall to each state. Local control of education probably was a good idea two hundred years ago. People stayed in the same place and schools knew what students needed to learn. But today, people move to different cities. And some people work at jobs that did not exist even twenty years ago. Many American educators say that getting a good education should not depend on where you live. They say that some states have lowered their standards in order to increase student scores on tests required by the No Child Left behind Act. Kara Schlosser is communications director for the CCSSO. She says the new standards clearly state what a student should be able to do to be successful in college and work. Forty--eight states have already shown approval for the standards. Two states refuse to accept the idea. Critics say that working toward the same standards in every state will not guarantee excellence for all. Some educators in Massachusetts say adopting the national standards will hurt their students because the state standards are even higher. Others say the change will be too costly, requiring new textbooks and different kinds of training for teachers. Still others fear federal control. Supporters say the standards are goals and do not tell states or teachers how to teach. They also say the federal government is not forcing acceptance. However, approving the standards will help states qualify for some federal grant money. Why is local control of education no 1onger a good idea today? A. Because local standards are limited. B. Because it is required by the federal government. C. Because people today moves among states more often than before. D. Because America has never had the same school standards throughout the country. Answer: C Question: Dianna was born in a rich family on July 1st,1961. On July 29, 1981, Diana married Prince Charles. Later she gave birth to Prince William and Prince Harry. Dianna enjoyed taking part in international Charities . One day in July 1991, she went to a hospital to see AIDS patients with Barbara Bush, the wife of the president of the United States at the time. Princess Diana talked to an AIDS patient who was unable to stand up. She even hugged him and encouraged him to fight against the illness . The patient was very _ and said, "AIDS patients do need warm hugs." Of course, she made it. Unfortunately, she died in August 1997. British Prime Minister, Tony Blair said in his speech that Diana was the People's Princess. After her death, people set up a fund to remember Diana and help those who need help. Diana was the _ of Prince Harry. A. sister B. aunt C. mother D. wife Answer: C Question: How do successful people think? What drives them? Interviews and investigations show that there are several keys to success that successful people share. First of all, successful people never blame someone or something outside of themselves for their failure to go ahead. They realize that their future lies in their own hands. They understand that they cannot control things in life, such as nature, the past and other people. But in the meantime, they are well aware that they can control their own thoughts and actions. They take responsibility for their life and regard this as one of the most empowering things they can do .Perhaps what most separates successful people from others is that they live life "on purpose"---they are doing what they believe they are put here to do .In their opinion, having a purpose in their life is the most important fact that enables them to become fully functioning people. They hold that when they live their life on purpose ,their main concern is to do the job right .They love what they do ---and _ shows people want to do business with them because of their devotion to their jobs. To live their life on purpose, successful people find a cause they believe in and create a business around it. Besides, they never easily give up. Once they have set up goals in their life, they are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. Top achievers always keep in mind that they don't have forever. Rather than seeing it negative or depressing, they use the knowledge to encourage themselves to move on and go after what they want energetically and passionately. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage? A. How do people live their life on purpose? B. How can people be successful? C. How do people make plans? D. How do people do business? Answer: B Question: How important can a fifteen-year-old boy's work be? Well, Louis Braille's work changed the world. Born in a small town near Paris in 1809, shortly after his third birthday Louis blinded himself in one eye while playing with a sharp pointed tool in his father's workshop. He soon lost the sight in his other eye when the infection spread. He wanted to go to school, but in his small town there was no school for him. At that time, blind people did not get any school education. Braille went to Paris to study, but there were few books for the blind. Louis knew that books were the key to learning. He struggled with ideas for three years. Finally, at fifteen, he invented an alphabet made with raised dots . Blind people could "read" by feeling the patterns of the dots. Being able to read Braille allows blind children to learn together with the sighted at school, and go on to get jobs. It allows people who lose their eyesight to continue to read, learn and get information. Braille got blind as a result of _ . A. an illness B. an accident C. a party D. a fired Answer: B
The thing is,my luck's always been ruineD. Just look at my name: Jean.Not Jean Marie,or Jeanine,or Jeanette,or even Jeanne.Just Jean.Did you know in France,they name boys Jean? It's French for John.And okay,I don't live in France.But still,I'm basically a girl named John.If I lived in France,anyway. This is the kind of luck I've had since before Mom even filled out my birth certificate.So it wasn't any big surprise to me when the cab driver didn't help me with my suitcase.I'd already had to tolerate arriving at the airport to find no one there to greet me,and then got no answer to my many phone calls,asking where my aunt and uncle were.Did they not want me after all? Had they changed their minds? Had they heard about my bad luck--all the way from Iowa--and decided they didn't want any of it to _ them? So when the cab driver,instead of getting out and helping me with my bags,just pushed a little button so that the trunk popped open a few inches,it wasn't the worst thing that had ever happened to me.It wasn't even the worst thing that had happened to me that day. According to my mom,most brownstones in New York City were originally single-family homes when they were built way back in the 1800s.But now they've been divided up into apartments,so that there's one--or sometimes even two or more families--per floor. Not Mom's sister Evelyn's brownstone,though.Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Ted Gardiner own all four floors of their brownstone.That's practically one floor per person,since Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Ted only have three kids,my cousins Tory,Teddy,and Alice. Back home,we just have two floors,but there are seven people living on them.And only one bathroom.Not that I'm complaining.Still,ever since my sister Courtney discovered blow-outs,it's been pretty frightful at home. But as tall as my aunt and uncle's house was,it was really narrow--just three windows across.Still,it was a very pretty townhouse,painted gray.The door was a bright,cheerful yellow.There were yellow flower boxes along the base of each window,flower boxes from which bright red--and obviously newly planted,since it was only the middle of April,and not quite warm enough for them. It was nice to know that,even in a sophisticated city like New York,people still realized how homey and welcoming a box of flowers could be.The sight of those flowers cheered me up a little. Like maybe Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Ted just forgot I was arriving today,and hadn't deliberately failed to meet me at the airport because they'd changed their minds about letting me come to stay. Like everything was going to be all right,after all. Yeah.With my luck,probably not. I started up the steps to the front door of 326 East Sixty-Ninth Street,then realized I couldn't make it with both bags and my violin.Leaving one bag on the sidewalk,I dragged the other up the steps with me.Maybe I took the steps a little too fast,since I nearly tripped and fell flat on my face on the sidewalk.I managed to catch myself at the last moment by grabbing some of the fence the gardeners had put up... According to the author,some facts account for her bad luck EXCEPT that _ . Answer: I cheated on a unit test in math class this morning during second period with Mr. Burke. Afterward, I was too sick to eat lunch just thinking about it. I came straight home from school, went to my room, and lay on the floor trying to decide whether it would be better to run away from home now or after supper. Mostly I wished I was dead. Yesterday Mr. Burke announced there'd be a unit test and anyone who didn't pass would have to come to school on Saturday, most particularly me, since I didn't pass the last unit test. I did plan to study just to prove to him that I'm plenty smart--which I am mostly--except in math. Anyway, I got my desk ready to study on . Just when I was ready to work, Nicho came into my room with our new rabbit and it jumped on my desk and knocked the flashcards all over the floor. What a mess! Nicho and I finally took the rabbit outside but then Philip came to my room and also Marty from next door and before long it was dinner. After dinner my father said I could watch a special on television if I'd done all my homework. Of course I said I had. That was the beginning. I felt terrible telling my father a lie about the homework. It was nine o'clock when I got up to my room and that was too late to study for the unit test so I lay in my bed with the light off and decided what I would do the next day when I was in Mr. Burke's math class not knowing the 8- and 9-times tables. So, you see, the cheating was planned after all. The next day, I'd go into class as usual, acting like things were going just great. I'd sit down next to Stanley Plummer--he is so smart in math it makes you sick--and from time to time, I'd glance over at his paper to copy the answers. Lying on the floor of my room, I begin to think that probably I've been bad all along. It just took this math test to clinch it. I'll probably never tell the truth again. I tell my mother I'm sick when she calls me to come down for dinner. She doesn't believe me, but puts me to bed anyhow. I lie there in the early winter darkness wondering what terrible thing I'll be doing next when my father comes in and sits down on my bed. "What's the matter?" he asks. "I've got a stomachache," I say. Luckily, it's too dark to see his face. "Is that all?" "Yeah." "Mommy says you've been in your room since school." "I was sick there too," I say. "She thinks something happened today and you're upset." That's the thing that really drives me crazy about my mother. She knows things sitting inside my head the same as if I was turned inside out. "Well," my father says. I can tell he doesn't believe me. "My stomach is feeling sort of upset." I hedge. "Okay," he says and he pats my leg and gets up. Just as he shuts the door to my room I call out to him in a voice I don't even recognize as my own. "How come?" he calls back not surprised or anything. So I tell him I cheated on this math test. To tell the truth, I'm pretty much surprised at myself. I didn't plan to tell him anything. He doesn't say anything at first and that just about kills me. I'd be fine if he'd spank me or something. And then he says I'll have to call Mr. Burke. It's not what I had in mind. "Now?" I ask surprised. "Now," he says. He turns on the light and pulls off my covers. "I'm not going to," I say. But I do it. I call Mr. Burke, and I tell him exactly what happened, even that I decided to cheat the night before the test. He says I'll come on Saturday to take another test, which is okay with me, and I thank him a whole lot for being understanding and all. "Today I thought I was turning into a criminal," I tell my father when he turns out my light. Sometimes my father kisses me good night and sometimes he doesn't. I never know. But tonight he does. After the author cheated on the math test, he felt _ . Answer: It was really an unforgettable day all his life for Andy, for it changed him a lot. After school, Andy walked by the sports shop on the street corner. He stopped to look at the tennis bats in the shop window, and then turned over and walked away. Tomorrow was his birthday. He really wanted to have such tennis bats for his birthday gift. But when he thought of his parents he felt sorry for himself. They would like to give him what he likes. But they were both out of work for a long time. Hanging out in the street, Andy didn't want to go home. Sorry and tired, he sat in the street corner. "What are you doing here, Andy?" cried his brother Michael. "Dad was badly hurt and he is in hospital now," his brother said sadly and loudly. When they arrived, dad was lying in bed with white cloth on the head. Beside him were his sad mother and a pair of tennis bats. Andy felt too sorry to move. What he wanted to do was to cry and slap himself on the head hard. How did Andy feel when he saw the pair of tennis bats beside his father? Answer: Earth orbiting what causes seasons to change? Answer: Winter begins in the north on December 22nd. People and animals have been doing what they always do to prepare for the colder months. Squirrels , for example, have been busy gathering nuts from trees. Well, scientists have been busy gathering information about what the squirrels do with the food they collect. They examined differences between red squirrels and gray squirrels in the American state of Indiana. The scientists wanted to know how these differences could affect the growth of black walnut trees. The black walnut is the nut of choice for both kinds of squirrels. The black walnut tree is also a central part of some hardwood forests. Rob Swihart of Purdue University did the study with Jake Goheen, a former Purdue student now at the University of New Mexico. The two researchers estimate that several times as many walnuts grow when gathered by gray squirrels as compared to red squirrels. Gray squirrels and red squirrels do not store nuts and seeds in the same way. Gray squirrels bury nuts one at a time in a number of places. But they seldom remember where they buried every nut. So some nuts remain in the ground. Conditions are right for them to develop and grow the following spring. Red squirrels, however, store large groups of nuts above ground. Professor Swihart calls " _ ". Gray squirrels are native to Indiana. But Professor Swihart says their numbers began to decrease as more forests were cut for agriculture. Red squirrels began to spread through the state during the past century. The researchers say red squirrels are native to forests that stay green all year, unlike walnut trees. They say the cleaning of forest land for agriculture has helped red squirrels invade Indiana. Jake Goheen calls them a sign of an environmental problem more than a cause. The study done by Rob Swihart and Jake Goheen is to _ . Answer:
When it comes to film, people usually favor good over evil, focus on the main characters and ignore the supporting characters. But when it comes to the Minions , these conventions go right out of the window. Originally comedic background characters in the Despicable Me series, these yellow pill-shaped screwballs have totally stolen the show. This summer the characters appeared in their own self-titled movie in theaters abroad, having the second biggest opening weekend of all time for an animated film, according to USA Today. Recently, McDonald's has been including Minion toys with kids' meals in some regions, causing loyal fans to go to the restaurant to collect them all. Related video games, clothing, toys and other merchandise are sweeping the world. The movie's huge popularity even surprised its writers. "We never knew the Minions were going to be so popular. It just became a force of nature," the film's co-writer, Cinco Paul, told the Los Angeles Times. So, what makes the banana-loving Minions a big hit? For many, the most attractive is obviously their cuteness. Their simple, graphic nature can easily transcend cultures and age groups. "Even children can draw them", Los Angeles Times reporter, Rebecca Keegan, wrote. But there's more than just cuteness. US entertainment website, HitFix, explains that their way of communicating makes the creatures infectious as well. They largely speak in nonsense words. But it seems everyone can understand them through their exaggerated movements and expressions. They desire nothing more than to serve their most despicable master, Felonious Gru. And this evil characteristic strikes a chord with humans. "Perhaps we love Minions because they remind us of ourselves," Huffington Post associate Web editor, Sara Boboltz, wrote. Which of the following is NOT the reason why the Minions are so popular? Answer: Robert Burns, the son of a hard-working and intelligent farmer, was the oldest of seven children. Although always hard pressed financially, their father encouraged his sons with their education. As a result, Burns not only read the Scottish poetry of Ramsay and the collections by Hailes and Herd, but also the works of Pope, Locke, and Shakespeare. By 1781, Burns had tried his hand at several agricultural jobs without success. Although he had begun writing, and his poems were spread widely in manuscript , none were published until 1786, when Burns published Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect (1786), which was an immediate success. Later Burns brought out a second edition of his poems at Edinburgh in 1787, and for two winters he was socially active in the Scottish city. In 1788 he retired to a farm at Ellis land. By 1791 Burns had failed as a farmer, and he moved to Dumfries, where he held a position as a tax collector. He died of illness at 37. Burns's art is at its best in songs such as My Heart's in the Highlands. Some of his songs, such as Auld Lang Syne and Comin' thro' the Rye, are among the most familiar and best-loved songs in the English language. But his talent was not limited to songs; two descriptive pieces, Tam o' Shanter and The Jolly Beggars, are among his masterpieces. Burns had a fine sense of humor, which was reflected in his satirical , descriptive, and playful poems. His great popularity with the Scots lay in his ability to describe the life of his fellow rural Scots. His use of dialect brought an energetic, much-needed freshness into English poetry. We can conclude from the passage that Robert _ . Answer: Have you ever heard of e-waste(electric waste,), which can be produced every day? How do you deal with your computers, MP4 players and mobile phones when they're broken or you want a new one? Most people just throw them away. With the development of electric industry, e-waste pollution has become a serious problem. According to the United Nations, in 2014, people around the world produced 41.8 million tons of e-waste and only recycled 6.5 million tons. The US was the biggest waster, producing 7.1 million tons. China came second, with 6 million tons. It's important to pay attention to e-waste. It can either be valuable or harmful , depending on how we deal with it. E-waste is a valuable urban mine . The value of the metals, like gold and silver in the waste around the world, is amazing. And the metals can be reused. But if people throw them away, the toxic chemicals can get into the earth or air, effecting the environment and people's health. Apple, for example, now recycle people's used products in China when they are buying new ones. The company will test and repair the used ones and sell them at lower prices. To help reduce e-waste, we can also take computers and phones to see if companies offer recycling programs. The following can become e-waste EXCEPT _ . Answer: One Tuesday morning, Harry saw an ad in a window. It said, "Wanted. The Best Salesman in the World Top Pay." Harry thought he was a great salesman and went to ask for the job." I am the best salesman in the world," he said to the manager, "Give me the job." "You must prove you're the best," the manager said. "OK, I will!" Harry answered. "Good!" The manager took a box of sweets out of his desk." Last week I bought a thousand boxes of sweets. If you can sell them all before the end of the week, you can have the job," said the manager. "That's easy." Harry said. He took the boxes of sweets and left the office. Every day and all day, he went from shop to shop, trying to sell the boxes of sweets. He couldn't sell one. The sweets were too bad for him to sell. At the end of the week he went back to the manager. "I'm sorry, sir." He said. "I was wrong about myself. I'm not the best salesman in the world, but I know who is." "Oh," said the manager. "Who?" "The person who sold you a thousand boxes of these sweets." Harry said. Harry went to ask for the job because he was _ himself at first. Answer: Whenever someone begins to talk to me about how horrible it is to eat meat and suggests that a nice piece of tofu would be just as good, I just smile and show them those nice pointy teeth we all have in the corners of our mouths. They are called canines , and they are there only for the purpose of eating meat. When it comes to satisfying this kind of desire, soy food can never match a well-prepared tri-tip (also know as triangle beef steak ). Just the thought of the beef, burning on the grill with the smell of wood smoke gets the mouth watering and brings back memories of summer barbecues. When the knife cuts through the tri- tip, exposing the red meat bursting with juices, it's more than just cooking. It's a cultural event, showing we are at the top of the food chain, like no other food can. Nutritionally speaking, the tri-tip is one of the better cuts of beef. It is lower in fat than many other cuts, and the proteins you get from eating meat are more complete than those that come from vegetables, making meat a better choice for building and keeping up your muscle tissue healthy. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, one thing to be aware of with soy products in general is that while they are high in iron, a necessary mineral for the body, they also contain something that blocks the body's absorption of iron. We can cook them in various ways to make them tasty. Anyway, the tri-tip goes a lot better with ice-cold beer than a large piece of bean-curd cheese would, no matter how you cook it. I guess I should say at least e good thing about tofu. If you cook it just right, you can make it taste a little like the tri-tip, but only a little. The best title of the passage is _ . Answer:
Dear friend, For the past 17 years, you have been my best friend. I remember that you told me you were called Cigarette because of your features. You have seen me through difficult times, happy times and just about every stage of my life. You have always been here when I need you. Some of my family and friends didn't like you so much, but I've always been on your side. I thought you were a great friend, and I _ you at all times, especially when I was not very happy. It's hard for me to tell you this, but in the past few months, I have been seriously thinking about ending our relationship. I think that I've just been too dependent on you, and I feel that at the age of 35 I should start being more independent. I thought about just maybe seeing you once in a while, but I don't think that would work. Eventually, I'd start relying on you all the time again. I feel the only way to end our relationship is to end it forever. I've always included you in everything I've done. But next week, I'm going on a trip, and I've decided not to take you along. I feel this would be a good time to break up. I will be gone for a whole week without you and if I can make it on my own for that week, I know I can make it forever. It is a little sad for me knowing that I won't be able to rely on you any more, but I think I will be a better person in the end. According to the passage, the "letter-receiver" _ . Answer: has done harm to the author for years Cyril was a small town. The houses there were all made of wood; almost everything in the houses such as cupboards, tables and chairs were made of wood, too. And all the houses faced south. The town was never peaceful. Fire broke out once a week on summer afternoons. Residents were puzzled who the real firebug was. One day a big fire broke out. It was said that a Negro had jumped out of the house on fire, so the police arrested all the Negroes in the street. However, fire never stopped to breaking out when the Negroes were in prison. Mauson, a physics teacher didn't believe that the Negroes were the firebugs, for he really knew about those Negroes, He made up his mind to find out who the real firebug was. One day he was invited to drink in a pub and happened to notice that many bottles and plastic plates were baked by the hot sunrays. Suddenly he realized what the actual fact was. He jumped with joy, saying, "I've got the answer!" Mauson dashed out of the pub to his friend's house nearby, which also faced south. He made an experiment there to confirm his idea. The next Saturday afternoon, Mauson asked some policemen and newsmen to come to the house. They were told that the real firebug would be shown there. At that time the sun was shining full into the house and it became hotter and hotter inside the room. Someone wanted to draw the curtains together, while another was going to use a bottle to drink water, but neither got permission from Mauson, who wanted to let the firebug in. "Now," said Mauson, "this house will soon catch fire." People looked at each other in surprise. Mauson asked them to look at the bottles and focus on the table cloth. After a while the cloth gave off a burning smell and began to catch fire! The mystery of fire was discovered, but the police wouldn't believe him and insisted that Negroes had been the firebugs. Instead they arrested Mauson and put him into prison. But Mauson said he would never turn against science. Drinking in a pub, Mauson realized what the actual fact was _ . Answer: by accident Is your TV connected to the Internet? What about your chair or your fridge? It is possible that they are not. But in the future, most things in your home may be connected, as the so-called "Internet of things" is developing. The Internet of things may be coming sooner than you think. It is reported that during his speech earlier this year, Samsung CEO BK Yoon spent a lot of time talking about the Internet of things. He said that five years from now,every Samsung product will be part of the Internet of things, whether it's a washing machine or a vacuum cleaner . So, how do household objects that are part of Internet of things work? Well, think of a usual chair. When connected to the Internet, the chair warms up when it knows that the user has just walked into the room and is feeling cold. An Internet-connected camera, like a smart-home camera, could help people feel safer in their homes. It can recognize people's faces, and even can see when someone passes by in the dark. Then it can send you a message on your smartphone to let you know who's there. If the person is someone you don't know, it can tell you that, too. But according to MIT Technology Review, whether companies are connecting dog food bowls or security systems to the Internet, there may be problems. For example,many early connected-home devices don't have much built-in security, which means they could be hacked ,In addition, it could be difficult to get these devices to work together because they are made by different companies. To fight this, many companies have joined the Open Interconnect Consortium, which had 45 members by late 2014. So, picture this: you walk in through the front door of your home. The temperature changes to make you feel comfortable after a long day at school. Your favorite music starts playing for you. Do you think that this would be a good thing? It may happen sooner than you think. What's the problem about the Internet of things? Answer: Connected-home devices may not work together and can easily get hacked. If a diver surfaces too quickly, he may suffer the bends. Nitrogen dissolved in his blood is suddenly liberated by the reduction of pressure. The consequence, if the bubbles accumulate in a joint, is sharp pain and a bent body -- thus the name. If the bubbles form in his lungs or brain, the consequence can be death. Other air-breathing animals also suffer this decompression sickness if they surface too fast: whales, for example. And so, long ago, did ichthyosaurs . That these ancient sea-animals got the bends can be seen from their bones. If bubbles of nitrogen form inside the bone they can cut off its blood supply. This kills the cells in the bone, and consequently weakens it, sometimes to the point of collapse. Fossil bones that have caved in on themselves are thus a sign that the animal once had the bends. Bruce Rothschild of the University of Kansas knew all this when he began a suty of ichthyosaurs bones to find out how widespread the problem was in the past. What he particularly wanted to investigate was how ichthyosaurs adapted to the problem of decompession over the 150 milllion years. To this end, he and his colleagues traveled the world's natural-history museums, looking at hundreds of ichthyosaurs from the Trassic period and from the later Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. When he started, he assumed that signs of the bends would be rarer in younger fossils, reflecting their gradual evolution of measures to deal with decompression. Instead, he was astonished to discover the opposite. More than 15% of Jurassic and Cretaceous ichthyosaurs had suffered the bends before the died, but not a single Trassic specimen showed evidence of that sort of injury. If ichthyosaurs did evolve an anti-decompression means, they clearly did so quickly -- and, most strangly, they lost it afterwards. But that is not what Dr Rothchild thinks happened. He suspects it was evolution in other animals that caused the change. Whales that suffer the bends often do so because they have sufaced to escape a predator such as a large shark. One of the features of the Jurassia oceans was an abundance of large sharks and crocodiles, both of which were fond of ichthyosaurs lunches. Trassic oceans, by contrast, were mercifully shark-and crocodile-free. In the Trassic, then, ichthyosaurs were top of the food chain. In the Jurrasic and Cretaceous, they were prey as well as predator --and often had to make a speedy exit as a result. Rothchild's finding stated in Paragrapg 4 _ . Answer: disagreed with his assumption The summer of 1975 I'd just graduated from college in Southern California and received a 1968 Ford Capri for a graduation present. I had my first job, in Los Angeles. One Sunday night, thinking myself a very independent gown-up, I left my uncle's place in South Laguna after a visit, without admitting to him that I had less than an eighth of a tank of gas and no cash to buy more on the way to L.A. I pulled onto the Pacific Coast Highway and watched the needle move down as I headed north. When the engine started giving off strong smells, I pulled into a gas station. There was no self-serve then; there were no credit cards, no ATMs. I begged the guy at the station. I could write him a check for gas, I said, or I could sleep in my car and try to walk to a town with a bank the next morning. As he was informing me that I could sleep in my car but he'd have me arrested, a station wagon pulled up to the next pump. The driver--a thin, plain, middle-aged guy--overheard the tail end of my failed request. As the attendant went to serve him, he nodded at me. "Fill her tank first," he said. "Really?" I said. Hope bloomed. "Oh, thank you. Thank you. But please. I just need two bucks' worth. I just need to get home." "Fill it," he repeated to the attendant. Then he turned to me, "You'll do the same one day, for someone else." The author had hoped that the gas station attendant would allow him to pay _ . Answer: by check

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