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Poet Dean Young has dealt with impermanence( )a lot in his career, but it's a particularly strong theme in Young's latest collection, Fall Higher.The new collection was published in April, just days after the poet received a life-saving heart transplant after about a decade of living with a weakening heart condition. Young, whose work is often frank and rich with twisted humor, tells NPR's Renee Montaigne that as he recovers from operation, he's also slowly returning to his everyday writing habits. "I'm getting back to it," Young says."Not with the sort of concentration and sort of flame that I look forward to in the future, but I am blackening some pages." And on those blackened pages you'll find poems like " How Grasp Green," which carries themes of springtime and rebirth.It's one of the first poems Young has written since his transplant. It's easy to spot clues to Young's awful health situation in the lines of his poetry. Fall Higher's "Vintage" opens with, "Because I will die soon, I fall asleep, during the lecture on the ongoing emergency." And the poem "-The Rhythms Pronounce Themselves Then Vanish--published in The /Vew Barker in February --opens with the CT scan that revealed Young's heart condition. Young says "Rhythms" was written about the beginning of his illness. "I had been having a lot of physical pain so that I could hardly walk a block.I got sent to a gastroenterologist and he did a series of tests, and then the tests came back to me and it was all heart related," he says." And the outlook wasn't good. Hearts tend to come up a lot in poetry, and that's especially true of Young's work, which has clearly been influenced by the troubles of his own heart, "A lot of times, it's not just a metaphor ," Young says."For me, it's an actual concern because I've been living with this disease for over 10 years.My father died of heart problems when he was 49, so it's been a sort of shadowy concern for me my whole life. But Young's poems also deal with more abstract matters of the heart.He wrote Fall Higher's, "Late Valentine" for his wife."We've been married since late November and most of it has been spent in the hospital," Young says of his marriage to poet Laurie Saurborn Young, who says " 'Late Valentine' is very sweet. Today, Young says, his friends can't help but comment on how pink his cheeks have become--the result of a new heart and better circulation .But Young wrote the poems of Fall Higher before the transplant, at a time when, at its weakest point, his old heart was pumping at 8 percent of what it should have been. He was staring death in the face--but he was still able to look at his life and see art in it. Young's work also touches on themes of randomness and fate --two factors that contributed to him getting a second chance in the form of a new heart from a 22-year-old student. "Everything in life is molecules bouncing against molecules," Young says, and having a successful transplant is no different." Somebody had to die; it had to be a fit; my blood and his blood had to not have an argument; the heart had to be transported; I had to get it." There were, in short, an amazing number of variables that led to Young being here today. "I just feel enormous gratitude," he says of his donor ."He gave me a heart so I'm still alive-"I'm sure I'm going to think about this person for the rest of my life." The poetry collection Fall Higher _ . A was published in February B refers darkness as its main theme C is Young's latest collection of poetry D was written after Young's heart transplant Answer: C Last summer, two nineteenth-century cottages were rescued from remote farm fields in Montana, to be moved to an Art Deco building in San Francisco. The houses were made of wood. These cottages once housed early settlers as they worked the dry Montana soil; now they hold Twitter engineers. The cottages could be an example of the industry' s odd love affair with "low technology," a concept associated with the natural world, and with old-school craftsmanship that exists long before the Internet era. Low technology is not virtual --so, to take advantage of it, Internet companies have had to get creative. The rescued wood cottages, fitted by hand in the late eighteen-hundreds, are an obvious example, but Twitter's designs lie on the extreme end. Other companies are using a broader interpretation of low technology that focuses on nature. Amazon is building three glass spheres filled with trees, so that employees can "work and socialize in a more natural, park-like setting." At Google's office, an entire floor is carpeted in glass. Facebook's second Menlo Park campus will have a rooftop park with a walking trail. Olle Lundberg, the founder of Lundberg Design, has worked with many tech companies over the years. "We have lost the connection to the maker in our lives, and our tech engineers are the ones who feel impoverished , because they're surrounded by the digital world," he says. "They're looking for a way to regain their individual identity, and we've found that introducing real crafts is one way to do that." This craft based theory is rooted in history, William Morris, the English artist and writer, turned back to pre-industrial arts in the eighteen-sixties, just after the Industrial Revolution. The Arts and Crafts movement defined itself against machines. "Without creative human occupation, people became disconnected from life," Morris said. Research has shown that natural environments can restore our mental capacities. In Japan, patients are encouraged to "forest-bathe," taking walks through woods to lower their blood pressure. These health benefits apply to the workplace as well. Rachel Kaplvin, a professor of environmental psychology, has spent years researching the restorative effects of natural environment. Her research found that workers with access to nature at the office--even simple views of trees and flowers--felt their jobs were less stressful and more satisfying. If low-tech offices can potentially nourish the brains and improve the mental health of employees then, fine, bring on the cottages. What might be the best title for the passage? A Past Glories, Future Dreams B The Virtual World, the Real Challenge C High-tech Companies, Low-tech Offices D The More Craftsmanship, the Less Creativity Answer: C After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. The other woman my wife wanted me to visit was my mother, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it impossible to visit her often. That Friday after work, when I arrived at her house, my mother waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and comfortable. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation, nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you." I agreed. A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place Mother and I had dined. An attached note said "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but, nevertheless, I paid for two plates--one for you and the other for your wife. You w ill never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son." At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time 'I love YOU' and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve because these things cannot be put off till some "other" time. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A the author regretted for not showing much love to his mother B the author was satisfied to do something for his mother C the mother felt happy to pay for the bill in advance D the mother was sorry for inviting her son to have dinner Answer: A Do you know Eskimos? Let me tell you something about their lives. Eskimos live near the North Pole .There are only two seasons there, winter and summer. There is no spring or autumn there. The winter nights are long. You can't see the sun for more than two months, even at midday. The summer days are long. For more than two months, the sun never goes down and there's no night. Eskimos have warm clothes. They make their clothes from the skins of animals. From skins they make coats, caps and shoes. Near the North Pole trees can't grow, for it is too cold there. The Eskimos have to make their houses from skins, snow or stone. When they got out in storms and can't get back home, they make houses of snow. They leave these houses when the storm is over. Life is hard for the Eskimos, but they still like to live there. There are no _ near the North Pole. A days B nights C trees D animals Answer: C There are some places in the world where great cities once stood. There were trees, gardens and grass. But now these cities have gone and the places are like deserts. Scientists began to study this land to find out what happened. Many of them believed the land died when the trees were cut down. Trees help other plants grow and help hold the soil in place. They keep the soil from blowing away. The leaves of trees on the ground keep rainwater from running off. Trees near farms protect growing plants from strong winds. Once there were hundreds of farms in the southwestern United States. Then the farms turned into fields of dry dust. Trees might have saved these farms. But few trees grow in the dry southwest now. Now we try to save trees. In many places, when a tree is cut down , a new tree is planted in its place . We do not want the land to die. The main idea of this passage is _ . A that farms are better than cities B how farms turned into deserts C that trees are important to the land D how people save trees Answer: C
Hector always gave everything he had. But because he was only half the size of the other boys, he mostly had to sit out his high school football games. Even so, Hector's father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game. A few years later, Hector decided to try out for the college team. The coach kept him on because he always put all his heart into each practice. But still, the boy never got to play. Unfortunately, shortly before the big playoff game, Hector was told that his father had died. The coach suggested he shouldn't come to the game. But the boy wanted to be there. On Saturday, the game wasn't going well. Hector kept asking the coach to give him a chance. Finally, the coach gave in. What a surprise! Hector ran, passed, blocked and tackled like a star. His team began to catch up. The score was soon tied . Near the end of the game, Hector took the ball and ran all the way for the winning touchdown . Then the coach came up to him, "Kid, I can't believe it. You were fantastic! How did you do it?" Hector replied, with tears in his eyes, "Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that he was also blind?" Hector's father attended every game _ . A to play football B to cheer Hector C to direct Hector D to pick up the football Answer: B "Indeed"George Washington wrote in his diary in 1785, "some kind of fly,or bug,had begun to eat the leaves before I left home." But the father of America was not the father of bug.When Washington wrote that, Englishmen had been referring to insects as bugs for more than a century, and Americans had already created lightning-bug . But the Enlish were soon to stop using the bugs in their language, leaving it to be the Americans to call a bug a bug in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The American bug could also be a person, referring to someone who was crazy about a particular activity.Although fan became the usual term, sports fans used to be called racing bugs, baseball bugs and the like. Or the bug could be a small machine or object, for example, a bug-shaped car. The bug could also be a burlar alarm, from which comes the expression to bug, that is, "to install an alarm". Now it means a small piece of equipment that people use for listening secretly to others' conversations.Since the 1840s,to bug has long meant "to cheat",and since the 1994s it has been annoying. We also know the bug as a _ n a computer program or other design.That meaning dates back to the time of Tomas Edison.In 1878 he explained bugs as "little problems and difficulties" that required months of stdy and labor to overcome in developing a successful product. In 1889 it was recorded that Edison "had been up the two previous nights discovering'a bug' in his invented record player." The passage is mainly concerned with _ . A the misunderstanding of thr word bug B the deveopment of the word bug C the public views of the word bug D the special characteristics of the word bug Answer: B The first flights of the new airlines that will take tourists into space are ready to take off in 2012, and getting a seat on one is not all that different from booking a trip someplace on Earth. You can sign up on the website of, say, Virgin Galactic,the most wellknown of the new space tourism companies, or go to an approved travel agency and put down a large deposit. Soon you will be able to buy travel insurance,just as you can for any other vacation. Until now,space tourism has been limited to the ultrawealthy. Just seven people have paid tens of millions of dollars each for a trip to the International Space Station aboard a Russian rocket. But that could change this year, when Virgin Galactic intends to start offering flights just beyond the space barrier on a rocket ship it has built, featuring five minutes of weightlessness during a twoandahalfhour tour. At $ 200,000 a seat, this will open the final frontier to far more people. At least two other specialty airlines have jumped in as well, taking reservations and deposits for future space flights.Allianz, the big insurer, will introduce an insurance product in 2012, lending space tourism the _ of the regular travel industry. "Just to be able to sell space travel as a regular part of your business, really, just how cool is that?" said Lynda Turley Garrett, president of Alpine Travel of Saratoga, Calif.,who is one of 58 accredited space agents for Virgin Galactic in the United States. In five years,Ms.Garrett has sold three seats. But she expects that to change once passengers start going up and coming down to tell their friends. "By 2017,it'll be just like scheduling a flight to L.A.," Ms.Garrett predicted. Which of the following is true of Virgin Galactic? A It is one of the approved space agencies. B It is a famous space tourism company. C It sells insurance products to space tourists. D Its rocket has carried space passengers successfully. Answer: B Was the London Olympics a success? Many people hold different opinions. However one thing is certain, London could win a gold medal for hosting the "greenest" Games ever, BBC News reported. Previous Olympic hosts have been criticized for the environmental damage they have caused through construction, waste. and transport. But things had to be different in London because seven years ago it bid for the Olympics through the concept of "a One Planet Olympics". What is most impressive is that London used the construction of the Olympic Park as an opportunity to clean up polluted areas -- 2 million tons of contaminated soil were removed and 200 old factory buildings, were torn down, according to sustainablebusiness.com. But that's not all --. 99 percent of the debris were reused to build the Olympic Park. For example, part of the Olympic Stadium's roof is made from 2,500 tons of steel tubes recycled from old gas pipelines. As well as using recycled materials, all venues were built with green building techniques. The Olympic Stadium is the lightest one ever built, which _ the amount of steel and concrete needed. Also, the handball field has lighting pipes on the roof that reduce electricity use by 40 percent, according to sustainablebusiness.com. The effort that London made to deal with waste also deserves praise. Water used for drinking and watering plants was from collected rainwater or recycled wastewater. In this way. about 30-40 percent less water was used in total. Waste food packages were either recycled or processed and turned into renewable energy. As one of the best connected places in Europe, London tried to solve traffic jams by encouraging the use of public transport. For example, it had trains deliver half of the building materials, instead of cars, which greatly reduced carbon emissions. The clean anti-doping result also added to the greenness of the Games. The International Olympics Committee (IOC) said that the devices used this time were the most accurate and advanced. Only one athlete tested positive for a banned drug on the day of competing, which is why the IOC President, Jacques Rogge, has praised anti-doping efforts at the London Games. What is the best title of the passage? A How to deal with the anti-doping B How to use recycled materials C London's green games D London's public transport Answer: C The winter vacation is coming. I don't want to spend more time playing. I decide to work to make money for the next term. But I don't know what work I can do. Now, my mother is writing a book. She is busy and tired. I want to type for her for pay. When I tell her, she is very happy. She agrees to pay me 5 yuan for 1,000 words. But she asks me to do it carefully. It is a hard job for me. I type so slowly that I can type only 800 words a day. But I don't want to give up. I will keep typing all day long. I think I can type faster and faster. I plan to finish the work in two weeks. Then, I will do my winter homework. I begin to know how hard it is to make money. And I really know the meaning of "Where there's a will, there's a way." How many words must he type if he wants to make 15 yuan? A 1,000. B 2,000. C 3,000. D 4,000. Answer: C
URBANA, ILL. (AP)--Mike dropped out of college to support his pregnant girlfriend and now works as a manager of a trucking company, Lynn graduated with honors from Harvard University and was hired as a lawyer with a top law firm in a major city. What do these two people have in common? Ten years ago they were both high school valedictorians . A University of Illinois study follows the lives of 81 valedictorians and salutatorians who graduated a decade ago from public and private high schools in the state. Tales of Success and Failure The study found tales of success and failure. The research on 46 women and 35 men found that some were doctors and scientists, one was a drug addict, another was a waitress with emotional problems. "There is a popular idea about people who do well in school doing well in life," said Terry Denny, professor of education. Denny conducted the study with Karen Arnold, a former graduate student of Denny' s who is now a professor at Boston College. Denny and Arnold contacted the 81 students before graduation, and then followed up with interviews nearly every other year. They also sent them questionnaires in the mail. Varied Careers One-third of the students are lawyers, or have a doctorate. Nineteen are in business and 15 are engineers or computer scientists. Others include a farmer, a stock broker, and an aerobics instructor. Arnold says many of the students have only average positions in the work world and that "most are not headed for greatness in their careers." Denny, however, says that it is too early to make such predictions. "Who expects someone to be on the Supreme Court at the age of 28 or to be the discoverer of an important scientific invention right after college?" he said. "These students are just getting started in life. They are just beginning to find out what life is all about." What is probably the best title for the article? Answer: High School Honors Not Always Key to Life Success Sam was driving. It was late, it was dark, it was raining, and he was out of cookies. His squirrel was asleep in the passenger seat, as was his hamster, in the back seat. He had gone down to the beach for the day, but it had started raining, so he had started driving back. But he had gotten lost. Now, he thought he was on the right way back. His headlights were not very strong. He could only see a few feet in front of him, except when the lightning hit. When the thunder came after, his squirrel, Joey, and his hamster, Broey, turned over in their sleep. Suddenly, lightning and thunder hit at the same time. There was a bright light and a crunching sound. A tree fell in front of the car! Sam hit the brakes. The car slowed down and stopped, and he got out. Sam walked up to the tree. He tried pushing it. It was too heavy. What would he do? He heard the car door open and shut behind him. It was Joey! And Broey! Together, the three of them pushed. Joey and Broey were small, but strong. And together, they moved the tree. They got back in the car. Sam was wet, and turned on the heater. He was tired, but he knew he would get home now - thanks to his animal friends. Was Sam lost? Answer: Sam was lost but thought he was on the right way back now Students who say they never or hardly ever used dictionaries often speak English well but usually write poorly, because they make many mistakes. The students who use dictionaries most do not learn especially well either. The ones who look up every word do not read fast. Therefore they do not have time to read much .Those who use small two-language dictionaries have the worst problems. Their dictionaries often give one or two words as a translation of English. But one English word has many English translations in Chinese. The most successful students are those who use large college edition dictionaries with about 100,000 words but do not use them often, When they are reading these students first try to get the general idea and understand the new words from the context .Then they read and use the dictionary to look up only key words that they still do not understand. They use dictionaries more for writing. Also if they think a noun might have an unusual plural form or a verb might have an unusual past form, they check these in a dictionary. Which of the following is not talked about in the article? Answer: How to improve spoken English The moment a college student arrives on campus, he or she _ credit card offers. Advertisements for student credit cards are everywhere: in bags at the bookstore, in the campus newspaper, in your regular mailbox, in the residence halls. With so many college students graduating with large amounts of credit card debt (figures vary, but most are at least in the thousands), learning how to manage a student credit card can be an important lesson for any student. While using a card wisely can be an important part of building credit and making it through a difficult time, knowing how to use a card wisely can be the hard part. Stick to the following rules when, and if, you need to use a credit card: You can repay the charge(s) within the card's next billing cycle. You must meet your basic needs, like food, clothing and shelter, but set rules and be aware that you will need to repay those charges at the end of the month. You can talk to the financial aid office in your school for an alternative in "emergency" situations. If you do want a credit card, just be smart about it. (They let you in to that school because of your brain, right?) Don't automatically get the first one you find. Shop around for a card that has the lowest interest rate possible, and consider places that may not be advertising on campus. Additionally, be aware of any card's repayment options: When will payments be due? How much will they be? A credit card is not like a loan that comes with a grace period after you graduate and waits until you are done with school. That new sweater and nice dinner out will need to be paid back right away. If this is a passage of a college newspaper, in which column can we read it? Answer: Economy. Do you know how to tell a story? The following are some tips: Who Will Listen? Will you tell your story to children of your own age? Will they be friends or young people you haven't met before? Perhaps you will tell it to younger children.Or, will it be an audience of adults? Will it be just a few people, a small group, or a large audience? Why Are You Telling It? There are many reasons for telling a story.Knowing why you are telling it may be the most helpful reason for choosing a story for a particular audience. Many storytellers choose tales just to entertain .They tell jokes or silly stories.Others want to teach something, such as how to be kinder to animals, the environment, or other people.One storyteller likes to encourage his listeners to try new things.Some babysitters tell stories to help children feel not afraid of thunder, lightning or scary shadows in their rooms.Others want to make people think or to help people remember.Some like to frighten their audiences with ghost stories. Where Will You Speak? How you tell your story and what story helpers you use depend on where you will be speaking.Will you be talking at an evening party, in your classroom, in a library storytelling program, at a family dinner, at a museum, at a storytelling festival, or during a religious program? The purpose of knowing why you are telling a story is to _ . Answer: choose stories suitable for a certain audience
Question: 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 of the following is the best title of the passage? A. How "at" developed into @. B. How @ came into being. C. How monks invented @. D. How people wrote the cost of something. Answer: B Question: GREENWICH--Recently, a group of concerned Greenwich residents gathered to discuss how they could help those who may be alone during the holiday season.Armed with plenty of ideas and a sincere desire to do good, this group now refers to themselves as "A Random Act of Kindness".As members of this group, we are to put together a Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day that will provide a free meal to those who are alone or can't provide for themselves.This task will require many resources to make it successful.We are gathering a small army of volunteers to devote their time to helping prepare, cook, serve, clean, organize and promote this event.We hope that you can help us.The following is what we have planned to do; A 2 - hour free dinner that will take place at the Greenwich VFW with 2 seatings, one from 1 p.m.to 2 p.m.and the other from 2: 30 p.m.to 3: 30 p.m.by reservation only on Thanksgiving Day. Amy McPhail and Julie Carroll are accepting names of volunteers as well as food donations for the cause; Amy can be contacted at 692 -7841 for donations and Julie can be contacted if you'd like to volunteer at 884 -0658. A bank account has been created through Glens Falls National Bank to accept money donations and checks can be made payable to "A Random Act of Kindness" and sent to Glens Falls National Bank c/o Dan Flynn. Ellen Pemrick ( Caterer) .Beth Anthony ( Beth's Cafe) and David Hughes (Glens Falls Hospital) will be consulted to make sure the highest quality of food can be served. *We are looking to serve between 150 and 250 people at this event.We are serving the following: turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, stuffing rolls, pumpkin pie, apple pie.Beverages will include: milk, water, coffee & apple cider. If you are interested in donating any of the above items, please drop off your donations at the VFW in Greenwich any evening between November 14 and November 24.If you have any problems dropping any items off during that time, please contact George Perkins at either 692 -2367 or 573 -8115.Any non-perishable food donalions not used for the dinner will be donated to the local Greenwich Food Pantry. Any help you can provide for us would be gready appreciated.Everyone's generosity to the Greenwich community and its residents is very much appreciated.Reservations for dinner are now being accepted by calling Pal Perkins at 692 -2367 until November 13. As a volunteer for this Thanksgiving dinner, you can _ . A. contact Julie to make sure of the quality of food B. help make some arrangements for this event C. drop off your donations at the VFW anytime D. donate some money to Glens Falls National Bank Answer: B Question: A new study has discovered that meditation and oxygen sport together reduce depression .The Rutgers University study found that this mind and body combination, done twice a week for only two months,reduced the symptoms for a group of students by 40 percent. "We are excited by the findings because we saw such a meaningful improvement in both clinically depressed and non--depressed students,"said lead author Dr.Brandon Alderman."It is the first time that both of these two behavioral ways have been looked at together for dealing with depression." Researchers believe the two activities have an interactive effect in _ depression.Alderman and Dr.Tracey Shors discovered that a combination of mental and physical training (MAP)enabled students with major depressive disorder not to let problems or negative thoughts defeat them. Rutgers researchers say those who participated in the study began with 30 minutes of focused attention meditation followed by 30 minutes of oxygen sport.They were told that if their thoughts drifted to the past or the future they should refocus on their breathing,enabling those with depression to accept moment-to-moment changes in attention. Shors,who studies the production of new brain cells in the hippocampus--part of the brain involved in memory and learning--says scientists have shown in animal models that oxygen sport exercise keeps a large number of certain cells alive. The idea for the human intervention came from her laboratory studies,she says,with the main goal of helping individuals acquire new skills so that they can learn to recover from stressful life events. By learning to focus their attention and exercise,people who are fighting depression can acquire new learning skills that can help them process information and reduce the overwhelming recollection of memories from the past,Shors says. "We know these treatments can be practiced over a lifetime and that they will be effective in improving mental health."said Alderman."The good news is that this intervention can be practiced by anyone at any time and at no cost." What made the research so different? A. Adopting a way of meaningful talk. B. Combining the two ways to treat depression. C. Treating depression with special medicine. D. Comparing the depressed with the non-depressed. Answer: B Question: Paracutin was born in Mexico in February, 1943. At the end of one week Paracutin was 500 feet high, and it is now over 9,000 feet high. Today Paracutin is asleep. What is Paracutin? It was the first volcano in the world which was seen from its birth right up to the present day. On February 20, 1943, a peasant and his wife set out to work in their corn fields from the Mexican village of Paracutin. They were surprised to find the earth warm under their feet. Suddenly they heard noises deep in the earth and a small hole appeared in their field. In the afternoon there was a sudden loud noise and stones were thrown high in the air. The peasants ran from the field and turned to watch. They saw the birth of a volcano. Large quantities of stone and lava broke out and a little hill began to form. By evening this hill was 100 feet high and hot ashes were falling on the village. At night the strong light of the hot lava lit up the countryside. The trees near the village were killed and the villagers had to leave their houses. When the village was destroyed, its name was given to the volcano. The news quickly reached Mexico City, far to the east. Many people came to watch the scene. The volcano grew and grew for ten years and hundreds of square miles of forest were destroyed. Then Paracutin went to sleep. What was destroyed in the growing up of the volcano? A. The little hill of stone. B. The villagers living close by. C. The forest and fields round Paracutin. D. The Mexican peasant and his wife. Answer: C Question: It's hard when a best friend isn't around--maybe because he or she moved to a different school or a different class. 51 . You want to have new friends, but how do you make them? Maybe it seems like everybody else already has his or her friends. 52 . Start by looking around your classroom--think about which kids you'd like to play with at break. Look for chances to say hi to them, smile, and be friendly. 53 . Invite someone to play with you or say "Do you want to sit here?" in the lunchroom. When you're at break, walk over to kids you want to play with, act friendly, and say "Hi, can I play, too?" or just join in. If you have trouble doing this or if you're feeling shy, ask your teacher to help you make new friends. Teachers are usually pretty good at matching up friends. 54 . Be kind, be friendly, share, say nice things, offer to help--and pretty soon, you'll have one, or two, or even more new friends. But when you see each other, you can share something you didn't have before he or she left: You can introduce him or her to your new friends! A. What's right for me? B. But remember, there's always room for more friends. C. You may feel lonely at break or lunchtime. D. The best way to make friends is to be a friend. E. Offer to share something or offer greetings. F. Make a choice in your life. G. You might still miss that special best friend. Answer: A
Question: In the middle of the first term of school, the entire seventh grade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests, and continued to dream of other things. His heart was not in school, but in the woods. One day, Miss White's impatient voice broke into his daydreams. "Steve! Pay attention!" Steve turned to look at her, fixing his eyes on Miss White, as she began to go over the test results for the seventh grade. "You all did pretty well," she told the class, "except for one boy, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but..." She hesitated, her eyes searching his face. "...The smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class!" She just stared at Steve. Steve dropped his eyes. After that, it was war! Steve still wouldn't do his homework. Even as the punishments became more severe, he remained _ "Just try it! ONE WEEK!" He was unmoved. "You're smart enough! You'll see a change!" Nothing touched him. "Give yourself a chance! Don't give up on your life!" Nothing. "Steve! Please! I care about you!" Wow! Suddenly, Steve got it! Someone cared about him? Steve went home from school, thoughtful, that afternoon. Walking into the house, both parents were out. He, quickly, gathered up a jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, a bottle of water, and this time...his schoolbooks. The following Monday he arrived at school on time, and he waited for Miss White to enter the classroom. She walked in, all smiles! God, she was beautiful! Miss White, immediately, gave a quiz on the weekend homework. Steve hurried through the test and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of surprise, Miss White took his paper. Obviously puzzled, she began to look it over. Miss White's face was in total shock! The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test! From that moment nothing was the same for Steve. Life at home remained the same, but life still changed. He discovered that not only could he learn, but he was good at it! He discovered that he could understand knowledge and translate the things he learned into his own life. Steve began to go ahead! Which of the following descriptions is TRUE according to the passage? A. Steve often helped his parents work in the woods instead of going to school. B. The teacher punished Steve for his failure in the test for the seventh grade. C. Steve not only made progress but finally became a good student of the class. D. Steve was actually a clever boy, but Miss White hadn't realized it at first. Answer: C. Steve not only made progress but finally became a good student of the class. Question: People use their mouths for many things.They eat,talk,shout and sing.They smile and they kiss.In the English language,there are many expressions using the word "mouth". For example,if you say bad things about a person,the person might protest and say "Do not bad mouth me." Sometimes,people say something to a friend or family member that they later regret because it hurts that person.Or they tell the person something they were not supposed to tell.The speaker might say,"I really put my foot in my mouth this time." If this should happen,the speaker might feel down in the mouth.In other words,he might feel sad for saying the wrong thing. Another situation is when someone falsely claims another person said something.The other person might protest,"I did not say that.Do not put words in my mouth." Some people have lots of money because they were born into a very rich family.There is an expression for this,too.You might say such a person,"was born with a silver spoon in his mouth." This rich person is the opposite of a person who lives from hand to mouth.This person is very poor and only has enough money for the most important things in life,like food. Parents might sometimes keep a child off sweet food as a form of punishment for saying bad things.For example,if a child says things she should not say to her parents,she might be described as a mouthy child.The parents might even tell the child to stop mouthing off. But enough of all this talk.I have been running my mouth long enough. By saying"I have been running my mouth long enough",the speaker means " _ ". A. I have run a long way B. I have talked too much C. I have learned a lot D. I have been a mouthy person Answer: B. I have talked too much Question: How men first learned to invent words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a mystery. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to represent those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken, or written in letters we call words. The power of words, then, lies in their combinations - the things they bring up before our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us the glad and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us increases. Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts, but also express these thoughts in words which appeal powerfully to our minds and feelings. This charming and telling use of words is what we call literary style. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music, and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they will make our speech silly and rude. According to the passage, words are _ . A. visual letters B. represented by sounds C. represented either by sounds or letters D. signs called letters Answer: C. represented either by sounds or letters Question: The opera house in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is one of the most beautiful in the United States. It is small and open, with one roof over the stage where singers perform and another roof over part of the audience. This opera house in the mountain is one of the best in the country, which may seem surprising because performances are only given during seven weeks in summer, and because Santa Fe is a very small city. One reason why the Santa Fe Opera is so good is that it attracts many excellent young singers .They all hope to sing in famous opera houses like Metropolitan in New York someday. And they work hard to become well-known during the summer. The musicians and directors are experts who come from the best orchestras and operas in the country during their vacations. They enjoy working there because they like to live in Santa Fe, which is near both the mountains and the desert. It is very beautiful there in summer. The state government of New Mexico advertises the Santa Fe Opera in newspapers all over the country, and a great many tourists come to New Mexico because of the opera ,Still ,most of the audience does come from Santa Fe and other nearby cities. And all the seats in the theater are sold for every show. There is only one thing that some people do not like about the Santa Fe Opera, and that is the cold weather .Because the theater is open, performances cannot start before it gets dark at nine o'clock in the evening, and then the mountain air becomes very cool. Sometimes people complain about the cold air ,but because the opera is good , these people come back again wearing warm coats. It seems surprising that Santa Fe becomes famous because _ A. it is only a very small place B. it is between the mountain and desert C. all the seats are sold for every show D. musicians there are form the best orchestras Answer: A. it is only a very small place Question: Hi ! I'm Tony .I don't like to get up early .In the morning ,I get up at eight . Then I go to school at eight thirty . I don't have much time for breakfast , so I usually eat very quickly .For lunch ,I usually eat hamburgers .After school ,I sometimes play basketball for half an hour .When I get home ,I always do my homework first .In the evening , I either watch TV or play computer games .At ten thirty , I brush my teeth and then I go to bed .Mary is my sister .She usually gets up at six thirty .Then she always takes a shower and eats a good breakfast .After that ,she goes to school at eight thirty .At twelve ,she eats lots of fruit and vegetables for lunch .After lunch ,she sometimes plays volleyball .She always eats ice-cream after dinner .She knows it's not good for her ,but it tastes good !In the evening ,she does her homework and usually swims or takes a walk .At nine thirty ,she goes to bed . How long does Tony sometimes play basketball ? A. For forty minutes B. For one hour C. For thirty minutes D. For one hour and a half Answer: C. For thirty minutes
According to new research,there could be a social hierarchy attached to where people stand in the lift.More senior men stand at the back,young men in the middle and women of all ages at the front. Most people know that awkward feeling when you shuffle into an elevator with other people and try not to make eye contact. But new research suggests it may be down to a subconscious power struggle being played out as you make your way up or down. A study found that people decide where they stand based on a micro social hierarchy,established within seconds of entering the lift. Rebekah Rousi,a Ph.D.student in cognitive science,conducted all ethnographic study of elevator behaviour 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 an established order to where people tended to stand. In a blog for Ethnography Matters,she writes that more senior men seemed to direct themselves towards the back of the elevator cabins. 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 where people directed their gaze half way through the ride. Men watched the monitors,looked in the side mirrors(in one building)to see themselves,and in the door mirrors(of the other building)to also watch others. Women would watch the monitors and avoid eye contact with other users(unless in conversation)and the mirrors,she writes. The doctorate student concluded it could be that people who are shyer stand toward the front,where they can't see other passengers,whereas bolder people stand in the back,where they have a view of everyone else. According to the passage,where do women likes to stand in the lift? Answer: At the front. Norman Bethune Born in 1890 in Canada. A doctor Came to China in 1937. Died in 1939 in China. Thomas Edison Born in 1847, Kentucky, USA Made over 1,000 inventions .Died in 1931. Celine Dion Born in Quebec, Canada In 1997, sang the song My Heart Will Go On for the film Titanic A singer. Bill Gates Born in 1955 in USA Wrote Business @ the Speed of Thought Owns Microsoft Company. Mark Twain Born in 1835 in USA A Writer Died in 1910 Wrote Tom Sawyer My Heart Will Go On is the name of a _ . Answer: song Every time you visit Disney World, there's something new to see. What began in 1971 as theprefix = st1 /MagicKingdomnow includes the high-tech, movie-mad Disney and Animal Kingdom. Each time the park expands, so do your chances to spend money. How can you save? As a family guide to Disney World, I've been to the park more than 25 times with my kids, and I've developed a few money-saving plans. * Buy the five-day All-in-One Hopper Pass . Even if you're visiting for fewer days, it's a deal (the pass costs $ 229 for visitors ages 10 and up, $ 183 for kids ages three to nine and is free for kids under age three). Without the pass, you'll have to pay separately for PleasureIslandand the water parks. A single trip toBlizzardBeach, for example, would cost a family of four $ 100. * Dine out at lunch. The prices at some of the nicer restaurants, especially those in Epcot's World Showcase, are much lower at noontime than at dinner. It's wise to make reservations before you leave home. Call 407-W-DISNEY. * Become a Gold Card Member. For $65, you can get a Magic Kingdom Club Gold Card (call 1-800-56-DISNEY). Card-holders get up to 20 percent off Disney hotel rooms, plus price breaks on character breakfasts, theme park tickets and goods from Disney stores. * Don't pay extra to see a character. Character-theme dinner shows are expensive, costing a family of four about $ 140, and even a character breakfast, where Mickey or Donald Duck joins you for cakes, can _ $ 50. If your budget is tight, try to meet the characters inside the theme parks and at free in-park shows. You can watch the Diamond Horseshoe show, for example, in theMagicKingdomfor no additional cost, while the similarly themed Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue requires expensive tickets. * Wait until the end of your trip to buy souvenirs. By then, the kids will really know what they want, and you won't waste money on expensive things. You should pay more money _ . Answer: if you are not a Magic Kingdom Club Gold Card holder A man made a nice talking machine .It could weigh people's weight .The man wanted to try the machine before he could make a lot of machines. He put the machine into the waiting room of a station .There were always lots of people in and out . The first one who used the machine was an Indian woman. She stood on the machine, the machine thought for a few seconds to decide which language to speak . "Good morning ,Madam ."it said in Indian . "Your weight is 72 kilograms .That's three kilograms more .If you eat more fruit and vegetables ,you will be soon all right .Please have a nice day ." The second one to use the machine was a Chinese girl .She stood on the machine and waited to hear her weight. " Good morning ,Miss ."the machine said in Chinese ."Your weight is 45 kilograms .It's all right for your age. Keep eating what you eat every day .Please have a nice day." The third one to use the machine was a very fat American woman. She thought for a long time to stand on the machine. The machine spoke quickly in English "Good morning .Will one of you get off?" The man put his first machine_. Answer: in the station The teacher was leaving the village, and everybody seemed sorry. The miller at Cresscombe lent him the small cart and horse to carry his goods to Christminster, the city of his destination, such a vehicle proving of quite enough size for the teacher's belongings. For his only article, in addition to the packing-case of books, was a piano that he had bought when he thought of learning instrumental music. But the eagerness having faded, he had never acquired any skill in playing, and the purchased article had been a permanent trouble to him. The headmaster had gone away for the day, being a man who disliked the sight of changes. He did not mean to return till the evening, when the new teacher would have arrived, and everything would be smooth again. The blacksmith, the farm bailiff and the teacher were standing in confused attitudes in the sitting room before the instrument. The teacher had remarked that even if he got it into the cart he should not know what to do with it on his arrival at Christminster, since he was only going into a temporary place just at first. A little boy of eleven, who had been assisting in the packing, joined the group of men, and said, "Aunt has got a fuel-house, and it could be put there, perhaps, till you've found a place to settle in, sir." "Good idea," said the blacksmith. The smith and the bailiff started to see about the possibility of the suggested shelter, and the boy and the teacher were left standing alone. "Sorry I am going, Jude." said the latter gently. Tears rose into the boy's eyes. He admitted that he was sorry. "So am I," said Mr. Phillotson. "Why do you go, sir?" asked the boy. "Well ----- don't speak of this everywhere. You know what a university is, and a university degree? It is the necessary hallmark of a man who wants to do anything in teaching. My scheme, or dream, is to be a university graduate. By going to live at Christminster, I shall be at headquarters, so to speak, and if my scheme is practicable at all, I consider that being on the spot will afford me a better chance." The smith and _ returned. Old Miss Fawley's fuel-house was practicable; and she seemed willing to give the instrument standing-room there. So it was left in the school till the evening, when more hands would be available for removing it; and the teacher gave a final glance round. At nine o'clock Mr. Phillotson mounted beside his box of books, and waved his friends good-bye. It can be inferred that the teacher _ . Answer: had lived a rather simple life in the village
You may know about " junk food" like French fries. But do you know about "junk sleep"? Recently, a British survey found that electronic products in teenagers bedrooms are affecting their sleep. The survey was done among 1,000 British kids from 12 to 16. It found that thirty percent of them got just 4 to 7 hours sleep every day. But doctors say they need 8 to 9 hours. Almost a quarter of the kids said they fell asleep more than once a week while watching TV, listening to music or using other electronic products. "This is very worrying." Said Dr Chris Idzikowski, a British expert, "We call it 'junk sleep', It means you don't get enough sleep and the quality of the sleep is bad, too. If you don't get good rest, you don't perform well in school the next day." The survey found that 40 percent of the kids felt tired each day, with girls between 13 and 16 feeling the worst. Nearly all the teenagers have a phone, Mp4 or TV IN THEIR BEDROOM. And many of them have all three. Junk food and "junk sleep"are similar to each other in the way that _ . A they are both low in quality B they are both produced in factories C people enjoy both in their spare time D they are both good to people's health Answer: A. they are both low in quality Let us begin by saying what does not cause our dreams. Our dreams do not come from "another world ". They are not messages from outside source. They are not a look into the future , either . All our dreams have something to do with our feelings, fears, longings, wishes, needs and memories. If a person is hungry , or tired or cold , his dreams may include a feeling of this kind .If the covers on your body , such as a quilt or a blanket have slipped off your bed , you may dream that you are sleeping on the ice and snow. The material for the dream you will have tonight is likely to come from the experience you have today. So the subject of your dream usually comes from something that has effect on you while you are sleeping (feeling of cold, a noise, a discomfort, etc.) and it may also use your past experiences and the wishes and the interests you have now.This is why children are likely to dream of fairies, older children of school examinations, hungry people of food, home-sick soldiers of their families and prisoners of freedom. To show you how this is happening while you are asleep and how your needs and wishes can all be joined together in a dream , here is the story of the experiment.A man was asleep and the back of his hand was rubbed with a piece of absorbed cotton.He would dream he was in hospital and his charming girlfriend was visiting him , sitting on the bed and feeling gently his hands! There are some scientists who have made a special study of why we dream, what we dream and what those dreams mean.Their explanations of dreams , though a bit reasonable, is not accepted by everyone but it offers an interesting approach to the problem.They believe that dreams are mostly expressions of wishes that do not come true.In other words, dreams are a way of having your wishes carried out. What is the best title for this passage ? A Why People Dream ? B New Findings about Dreams C Dream Makes Hopes D What Dreams Mean ? Answer: A. Why People Dream ? If you are really interested in music festivals, then you have probably heard of the Bestival Music Festival. It takes place every September on the Isle of Wight, the UK. As it is at the end of summer, people think it's their last chance to go to a festival and have fun before going back to boring work. The dream begins as soon as you start traveling to the island. In order to get to the campsite of the Bestival, you have to take the ferry . The ferry is full of happy festival lovers who are ready to take part in the fantastic music party. After you arrive at the campsite, you can put your tent up. There people talk with each other openly. They are not that cold like those you meet in your everyday life. The festival lasts for four days. During that time you forget all your worries and problems, just like living in a dream. And it is really hard for you to come back to "reality" after that. It seems that it is this kind of music event that makes people gather together. It gives people a real sense of unity. I took part in the Bestival with my friends the year before last. It was so exciting and we all lost ourselves in the beautiful music. We are family sung by Sister Sledge was my favorite. I'm really looking forward to joining in it for a second time. Where do people enjoy the music party at the Bestival? A On the island. B On the ferry. C In the hotel. D On the sea. Answer: A. On the island. A strong earthquake has hit the town of Galta 200 kilometres north of Madras. The earthquake hit the town at 7:15 yesterday evening. The earthquake measured 7.2 on the Richter scale , the strongest for five years. The earthquake happened as most people were having their evening meal at home. There were very few people outside in the streets. Buildings fell down and many fires started. The electricity and water were cut off. As it was dark, the emergency services had a lot of problems. There was no electricity for lights, and there was no water to put out the fires. Early this morning, planes flew over the town to see the damage. The emergency services are now trying to reach the town. The nearest airport is at Bandel, about 100 kilometers away. The railway station at Galta is closed, because four bridges fell down in the earth. The nearest train station is 32 kilometres away at Solan. We shall have more reports for you during the day. How far is the nearest airport from the town? A About 100 kilometers away. B 32 kilometres away. C About 72 kilometers away. D 200 kilometres north of Madras. Answer: A. About 100 kilometers away. People People is America's No.1 magazine about fascinating people.It's a guide to who and what's hot in the arts,science,business,politics,television,movies,books,music and sports.It is published weekly. Publisher:The Time Inc.Magazine Company Cover Price:$211.47 Our Price:$117.00 Issues:53 issues/12 months Lucky Lucky is the shopping magazine with the best buys,and the fashion tips you'll need before you hit the stores.What makes Lucky really special is that it gets you the information you need before anyone else has it. Publisher:Conde Nast Publications Inc. Cover Price:$35.40 Our Price:$15.00 Issues:12 issues/12 months Parents The most trusted magazine for parents who want to raise smart,loving and self-confident children.Each issue has age-specific child-development guidance,advice on your child's health and safety,and the best ways to encourage your child's learning. Publisher:Meredith Corporation Cover Price:$42.00 Our Price:$9.97 Issues:12 issues/12 months Entertainment This magazine covers movies,television,music,Broadway stage productions,books,and popular culture.Unlike _ like People,its main concentration is on entertainment media and reviews.It's intended for a more general audience. Publisher:The Time Inc.Magazine Company Cover Price:$199.50 Our Price:$38.95 Issues:57 issues/12 months Which of the following targets common readers? A Lucky. B Entertainment. C Parents. D People. Answer: B. Entertainment.
One day, a man found the cocoon of a butterfly and he brought it home. A few days later, the man saw a small hole in the cocoon. He sat and watched for several hours as a butterfly struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it stopped. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a knife and cut a bigger hole in the cocoon. The butterfly came out of the cocoon but it had a weak body and small, thin wings. The butterfly didn't start to fly. In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a weak body and thin wings. It was never able to fly. The man acted with kindness but he didn't understand that he had done something wrong. When a butterfly crawls out of the cocoon, it must struggle. The hard work of getting out of the cocoon forces the fluid from the butterfly's body into wings. It helps the butterfly be ready to fly. If the butterfly never has to force itself out of the cocoon, its wings never get the fluid and it can never fly. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If we lived our lives without any problems, we would never learn or grow. We would not be as strong as we could have been and we would never fly. So, the next time you are faced with a challenge or a problem, remember the butterfly. Struggle a little - then fly! What happened after the butterfly got out of the cocoon? A. It died soon. B. It had a strong body and wings. C. It could fly after a few days. D. It couldn't fly during the rest of its life. Answer: D. It couldn't fly during the rest of its life. Tour A--Bath & Stonehenge including entrance fees to the ancient Roman bathrooms and Stonehenge--PS37until 26 March and PS39 thereafter. Visit the city with over 2,000 years of history and Bath Abbey, the Royal Crescent and the Costume Museum. Stonehenge is one of the world's most famous prehistoric monuments dating back over 5,000 years. Tour B--Oxford & Stratford including entrance fees to the University St Mary's Church Tower and Anne Hathaway's housePS32 until 12 March and PS36 thereafter. Oxford: Includes a guided tour of England's oldest university city and colleges. Look over the "city of dreaming spires "form St Mary's Church Tower. Stratford: Includes a guided tour exploring much of the Shakespeare wonder. Tour C--Windsor Castle & Hampton Court including entrance fees to Hampton Court Palace--PS34 until 11 March and PS37 thereafter. Includes a guided tour of Windsor and Hampton Court, HenryVIII's favourite palace. Free time to visit Windsor Castle(entrance fees not included). With 500 years of history, Hampton Court was once the home of four Kings and one Queen. Now this former royal palace is open to the public as a major tourist attraction. Visit the palace and its various historic gardens, which include the famous maze where it is easy to get lost! Tour D--Cambridge including entrance fees to the Tower of Saint Mary the Great--PS33 until 18 March and PS37 thereafter. Includes a guided tour of Cambridge, the famous university town, and the gardens of the 18th century.[ Why is Hampton Court a major tourist attraction? A. It used to be the home of royal families. B. It used to be a well-known maze C. It is the oldest palace in Britain D. It is a world-famous castle. Answer: A. It used to be the home of royal families. Hundreds of years ago, life was much harder than it is today. People didn't have modern machines. Life today has brought new problems. One of the biggest is pollution. Water pollution has made our rivers and lakes dirty. It kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us talk louder and become angry more easily. Air pollution is the most serious kind of pollution. It's bad to all living things in the world. Polluted air from cars, planes and factories is so thick that it is like a quilt over a city. This kind of quilt is called smog . Many countries are making rules to fight pollution. Factories must now clean their water before it is thrown away. And they mustn't blow dirty smoke into the air. We need to do many other things. We can put waste things in the dustbin and not throw it on the ground. We can go to work by bus or with our friends in the same car. If there are fewer people driving, there will be less pollution. What is the biggest problem in today's life? A. Dirty water. B. Pollution. C. Noise. D. Too crowded Answer: B. Pollution. Does a drink a day keep heart attacks away? Over the past 20 years, numerous studies have found that moderate alcohol consumption, that's to say, one or two beers, glasses of wine or cocktails daily helps to prevent coronary heart disease. Last week a report in the New England Journal of Medicine added strong new evidence in support of that theory. More important, the work provided the first solid indication of how alcohol works to protect the heart. In the study, researchers from Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School compared the drinking habits of 340 men and women who had suffered recent heart attacks, with those of healthy people of the same age and sex. The scientists found that people who sip one to three drinks a day are about half as likely to suffer heart attacks as nondrinkers are. The apparent source of the protection:those who drank alcohol had higher blood levels of high-density lipoproteins , the so-called good cholesterol , which is known to prevent heart disease. As evidence has mounted, some doctors have begun recommending a daily drink for patients of heart diseases. But most physicians are not ready to recommend a regular happy hour for everyone. The risks of teetotalling are nothing compared with the dangers of too much alcohol, including high blood pressure, strokes and liver troubles--not to mention violent behavior and traffic accidents. Moreover, some studies suggest that even moderate drinking may increase the incidence of breast and colon cancer. Until there is evidence that the benefits of daily dose of alcohol outweigh the risks, most people won't be able to take a doctor's prescription to the neighborhood bar or liquor store. Experiments showed that nondrinkers had _ . A. larger amounts of good cholesterol B. smaller amounts of good cholesterol C. higher blood pressure D. lower blood pressure Answer: B. smaller amounts of good cholesterol Tips for Getting the Most out of a "Photo walk" Photo walks are a great way to get out and get clicking, either by yourself, with a couple of friends, or with a group of people. They can be wonderful for seeing a neighborhood or wild space with new eyes, getting inspired to be more creative with angles and subjects, as well as simply spending time with fun people. Here are a few tips for making sure you get the most out of a photo walk. Pick a spot with lots of interest A photo walk is a perfect excuse to go exploring a new area. However, if you've never been to the scene before, you might be disappointed at the final photos. Base your chosen spot on what you feel like photographing---whether that is buildings, people, busy streets, a festival, nature and so on, and make sure the place you're heading for is filled with what you most want to shoot. It will pay off in a satisfying walk if you research your chosen spot beforehand and know what to expect. Invite anyone, no matter what their skill level is You'll be surprised at what you learn from people who seem to know nothing about photography. Even with a simple camera, they can catch some outstanding photos. So bring Aunt Betty or your 10-year-old nephew or anyone else whose company you might enjoy on a walk and keep an open mind. Don't forget them Be sure to take the important small things, such as an extra memory card (or two), an extra fully charged battery, comfortable shoes and clothing. And remember a notepad and pen for taking down notes about places, times, conditions, the names and information of people you meet and any other information you might want to remember about certain shots. Keep an eye out for danger Apart from watching the sky for rain, you'll want to watch out for other people as well. Smartphones are always a target for thieves but they have become much clearer about the value of digital cameras. Don't make yourself a target by standing for a very long time holding your camera out in front of you. If you're in an area that is really busy or you aren't super comfortable, then just be careful about when to use your camera. Imagine your shot in your head before holding up your camera, or use a camera belt wrapped around your wrist or shoulder. To choose a place for a photo walk, you are suggested to _ . A. spend time discussing with fun people B. decide the place on your interest C. choose famous places D. find a new area Answer: B. decide the place on your interest
Big flowers have more nectar than small flowers do. Because of this, which flowers will get the most bees? A space cadet B smaller ones C bigger ones D dead ones Answer: C Carbon on Earth is found in both living and nonliving matter. In order for carbon to be continuously available, it must be recycled. Through which process is carbon made available in the atmosphere? A formation of fossil fuels B layering of soil C plant photosynthesis D forest fires Answer: D October 15th is Global Handwashing Day.Activities are planned in more than twenty countries to get millions of people in the developing world to wash their hands with soap. Experts say people around the world wash their hands but very few use soap at so-called critical moments.These include after using the toilet, after cleaning a baby and before touching food. Global Handwashing Day is the idea of the Public-private Partnership for handwashing with soap.The goal, they say, is to create a culture of handwashing with soap.The organizers say all soaps are equally effective at removing disease-causing germs.They say the correct way to wash is to wet your hands with a small amount of water and cover them with soap.Rub it into all areas, including under the fingernails.Then, wash well under running water.Finally, dry your hands with a clean cloth. The Partnership says soap is important because it increases the time that people spend washing.Soap also helps to break up the dirt that holds most of the germs.And it usually leaves a pleasant smell, which increases the chances that people will wash again. It also says that washing hands with soap before eating and after using the toilet could save more lives than any medicine.It could help reduce cases of diarrhea, which is the second leading cause of child deaths, killing more than one and a half million children a year, by almost half. Which fact can NOT explain why soap is important? A It gives people a longer handwashing time. B It helps to remove a lot of germs from hands. C It attracts people to do more handwashing. D It gets all people into the habit of washing hands. Answer: D One windy spring day, I observed young people having fun using the wind to fly their kites. Multicolored creations of varying shapes and sizes filled the skies like beautiful birds dashing and dancing in the exciting atmosphere above the earth. As the strong winds gusted against the kites, a string kept them in check. Instead of blowing away with the wind, they arose against it to achieve great heights. They shook and pulled, but the controlling string and the clumsy tail kept them in tow , facing upward and against the wind. As the kites struggled and trembled against the string, they seemed to say, "Let me go! Let me go! I want to be free!" They flew beautifully even as they fought the forced restriction of the string. Finally, one of the kites succeeded in breaking loose. "Free at last," it seemed to say. "Free to fly with the wind." Yet freedom from control simply put it at the mercy of an unsympathetic gentle wind. It flew ungracefully to the ground and landed in a twisted mass of weeds and string against a dead bush. "Free at last". Free to lie powerless in the dirt, to be blown helplessly along the ground, and to settle down lifeless against the first roadblock. How much like kites we sometimes are. There always exist misfortunes and restrictions, rules to follow from which we can grow and gain strength. Prohibition is a necessary counterpart to the winds of opposition. Some of us pulled at the rules so hard that we never fly fast to reach the heights we might have obtained. If we keep all the commandment , we will never rise high enough to get our tails off the ground. Let us each rise to the great heights, recognizing that some of the prohibitions are actually the steady force that helps us climb and achieve. What didn't happen to the freed kite? A It kept flying freely in the air. B It lay powerless in the dirt. C It was trapped in a dead bush. D It was blown helplessly around. Answer: A My mother once was a follower of traditional methods when it came to anything. She cooked traditional food, liked dressing up traditionally and thus was fond of traditional way of shopping. She loved going to the market and going from one shop to another to find out what suited her best. She could walk miles when it came to shopping along with her friends. She was familiar with all the local markets and shops and by now knows very well where she can get best discounts and material. However, now she begins to feel her age and gets tired when she goes out in the market. So one day I decided to introduce a new shop to her, a shop that is much bigger than her usual markets and where she gets better discounts. Yes, I am talking about the online gift stores. She has basic knowledge of computers and can operate a laptop. Initially she was doubtful about shopping from these online gift shops and wasn't too sure about the quality of the products. One fine day I decided to get some branded things for her first so that she could build trust in these shops. I ordered a Timex watch for her along with a Sisley handbag. She never bought things online but when they were delivered as a gift, she jumped for joy. She could not believe that I had ordered these gifts for her despite her being not very positive about online shops. However, after she saw both the products, she believed that these online gift shops would send the promised brand and products. She loved her new watch and the handbag. After this incident she ordered a gift for her friend's wedding anniversary. She chose a gift basket that could be made to her requirements. They sent a beautifully decorated basket with fine wines and chocolates. The basket was so carefully decorated that it immediately became her friend's favorite gift. Since then my mother has been often shopping online. What was the author's mother's attitude to online shopping at first? A She thought it was convenient. B She doubted the quality of online goods. C She thought online goods were cheap. D She thought online goods were second-hand. Answer: B
Question: Corky walked to the store to buy some milk, like he does every Tuesday. On his way, he passed the red house where John lives, the green house where June lives, the white house where Barack lives, the blue hat store, and the orange house where Jessie lives. He finally reached the store at 5 o'clock. Corky thought about buying some other things too. He looked at the potato chips, but didn't like the flavors they had left. All of the normal flavored ones were gone. He never liked hard candy, so he ignored those. He saw the apples, but didn't need one because he had apples at home. So he picked out some cookies instead. Corky thought he'd eat them on his way home. He waited in line until it was his turn, and then paid Abe the cashier. Abe gave him his change and wished him a good day. On his way home, Corky ate his cookies. He had hoped to buy peanut butter cookies, but the store never has those. Instead, he bought sugar cookies. He liked them very much too, so he wasn't at all upset. When he got home, he poured a glass of milk and finished his cookies. Where was Corky going when he passed June's house? A. To the orange house B. To Jessie's house C. To the store D. To the hat store Answer: C Question: Michael Jordan was born on February17,1963,in Brooklyn ,New York . Jordan is the fourth of the five children in his family .His family moved to North Carolina when he was just a baby .As a young boy , his favourite sport was baseball ,but soon he found that he could play basketball as well .At the age of 17, he began to show people just how talented ( )he really was .Throughout his basketball career ( ) , Michael Jordan has won many scoring titles ( ) .many boys and girls look up to Michael Jordan as their hero .Do you know he was a hero ,too , when he was growing up ? He looks up to his older brother ,Larry , Michael Jordan , a basketball superstar , is not just a star on the basketball court .He also works hard to raise money for many children's charities( ) . He encourages children to develop their talents by practice , practice and practice ! At first ,he played _ instead of basketball . A. football B. baseball C. tennis D. volleyball Answer: B Question: Imagine the situation. You are driving along in a desert or on a mountain. You have no idea where you are. You passed the last house two hours ago. Then your car breaks down. It is night and it is cold. You have no mobile phone. What do you do? Well, next time take a GPS with you. This invention may be able to help you. It is a device which uses satellites to find the user's position. It can find your position to within 20 meters. A GPS cannot start your car, but at least you will know where you are. GPS, which means Global Positioning System , is a small radio receiver. It looks like a mobile phone. You can hold it in your hand, or put in you pocket. It is sometimes put into a watch or a telephone. We also find GPS devices in cars, planes, or boats. Some of these devices have electronic maps, so you know where you are. For example, in a city they can tell you the name of the street. There are three parts to the Global Positioning System. The first part is the receiver. You can hold it in your hand, or have it fixed into your car, plane, etc. the second part is a group of satellites orbiting the Earth. The receiver contacts at least four of the satellites and calculates its position. The third part of the system is a network of ground stations. They are all over the world. _ control the satellites and make sure they are working well. Some people think that in the future the GPS will be as common as the mobile. They are becoming cheaper and more and more accurate . There are also new uses for the GPS. Perhaps they will become like watches. Everyone will have one and you will never be lost again.GPS We can learn from the passage that _ . A. there are three parts to the GPS B. a GPS can't be put into a watch C. a GPS can help you start your car D. the GPS are becoming more and more expensive Answer: A Question: If you are hungry, what will you do? Grab a piece of your favorite meal and stay quiet after that? Just like stomach, even your mind will be hungry. But it never lets you know, because you keep it busy thinking about your dream lover, favorite star and many such absurd things. So it silently begins to hide your needs and never lets itself grow. When mind loses its freedom to grow, creativity gets its full stop. This might be the reason why we all sometimes think "What happens next?", "Why can't I think?", "Why am I always given the difficult problems?" Well, this is the after-effect of using our brain for thinking of not-so-worthy things. Hunger of the mind can be actually satisfied through extensive reading. But why is it reading but not watching TV? Because reading has been the most educational tool used by us right from the childhood. Just like that to develop other aspects of our life, we have to turn to reading for help. You have a number of books in the world which will answer all your "how-to" questions. Once you read a book, you just don't run your eyes through the lines, but your mind decodes it and explains it to you. The interesting part of the book is stored in your mind as a seed. Now this seed is unknowingly used by you in your future to develop new ideas. The same seed, if used many times, can help you link and relate a lot of things, which you would never thought of in your wildest dreams! This is nothing but creativity. The more books you read, the wider your mind will become. Also this improves your oratorical (speech-making) skills to a large extent and also makes a significant contribution to your vocabulary. When you start speaking English or any other language fluently with your friends or other people, you never seem to run out of the right words at the right time. Actually, I had a problem in speaking English fluently, but as I read, I could improve significantly. So guys, do join me and give food for your thoughts by reading, reading and more reading. Now what are you waiting for? Go, grab a book and let me know! The purpose of the author in writing this passage is to _ . A. comment and blame B. introduce and describe C. explain and persuade D. advise and inform Answer: C Question: Your next Saturday night takeaway could be brought to you by a robot after a major food delivery company announced plans to use automated vehicles to transport meals. Europe's biggest online takeaway food company Just Eat has partnered with Starship Technologies to deliver food with robots on the streets of London later this month. "Nobody has ever done deliveries with land-based robots," said Allan Martinson, the chief operating officer of Starship. The robot courier can travel up to 4 miles per hour for about 10 miles. It uses a GPS signal and nine cameras to navigate . Instead of a person arriving at their door, customers could find themselves receiving a notification on their phone that says a robot is on its way and a code to unlock the automated courier. "Put the code in, the robot opens up, and there's your food," said David Buttress, chief manager of Just Eat. The robot, which has so far been tested in Greenwich, Milton Keynes and Glastonbury, costs PS1 to transport within 3 miles, compared with the PS3 to PS6 it costs for a human courier. To date 30 robots have driven nearly 5,000 miles without getting into an accident or finding themselves picked on by passers-by. They have driven in more than 40 cities around the world, including London and Tallinn, Estonia. An initial worry was how the public would react to robots. But Martinson said the public has been calm when passing the delivery machine on the streets. "The most surprising reaction has been the lack of reaction," said Martinson. Another significant fear was that people would disrupt the robots, or try to steal them and their contents. To prevent this, the robot is fitted with nine cameras, two way audio, and movement sensors that send a warning if it is lifted off the ground. And it opens only with a pass code provided to the customer via a notification. "It's much easier to shoplift than it is to steal a robot," said Martinson. Which of the following is one of the worries about Starship robots? A. People's indifference to the robots. B. Safety of the robot delivery. C. Accuracy of the robot delivery. D. People's concern about public traffic. Answer: B
My name is Daniel. Let me talk about my day. I get up at 6:30 a.m. and I read English for about half an hour. I eat breakfast at about 7:10 a.m. I go to school by bus at about 7:40 a.m. My school starts at 8:20 a.m. In the morning, I have three lessons. I like English best. At 11:20 a.m., we have lunch at school. After lunch, on Monday and Thursday, I go to the school library. On Tuesday and Friday, I go to the art room. And on Wednesday, I go to English Club. We have our class at 2:30 p.m., and we only have two lessons in the afternoon. School is over at 4:00 p.m. We can go home on the school bus. We always have a good time at school. How many classes are there in Daniel's school every day? Answer: Five At East China University of Science and Technology, students who finish their food in the dining hall can get a coupon when they return their tray . They can exchange coupons for small gifts, such as books, magazines, mobile phone covers and hand warmers. "It's been a big surprise," said Liang Zhaoyun, 19, a student in the university of Shanghai. "It makes us try our best to finish the food!" But some food in the dining hall is so poorly prepared that students are _ to finish it all. Some schools have paid some attention to it. "The dishes in our canteen are all right, generally speaking. We've tried our best to make it tasty. But of course it's difficult to make all the students love it." said Wang. Other universities also pay attention to the size of food. At Nanjing University, rice is divided into three different-sized bowls that students can choose from. "I like to try different dishes at each meal. So I had to throw away a lot of food because the bowls were too big. But now the dining hall offers small sizes. It's great because I can try different dishes at half price and don't waste so much food," said Fan Peng, a student from Nanjing University. But what if you really can't finish all your food? Some universities also provide a take-away service. If you can't finish all your food, you can get a box to take the leftovers home. Even if you feed the cat, it's not wasted. So you see, if we call on students not to waste food, schools should also improve the service and meal quality. Where can we read this passage? Answer: In a newspaper. Mrs. Henderson's class has five small, covered boxes. One contains perfume; another contains dried onions. There is also a box of pine needles, a box of lemon pieces, and a box with a paper towel wet with vanilla flavoring. Which should they do to get the best information about what is in each box? Answer: Smell the boxes. The first Thanksgiving was in 1621. Each year, we celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November. What do American children think of Thanksgiving? This is what some of them wrote. Thanksgiving is a holiday to say "Thank you". It means eating turkey and having a special party with your family. Thanksgiving is giving thanks to people that help you. I think it is a special holiday. You give thanks to your family and your friends. Annie Lots of people have done things for me that I like. Lots of people like to make me happy, like my mum. Many people have done things for me and make sure I am all right. I am pleased that people care about me. Most people I know give me money or presents at Thanksgiving. Sometimes people take me to visit places or ask me to their houses. I like to do nice things for other people. Also I hope people help me when I get old. Jeremy Once we were at my grandparents' house during Thanksgiving and we went to the store to buy a turkey, but they didn't have any, so we had to buy a live one. When we went out to kill it, it had gone! There was nothing left except feathers . That year we had to eat chicken instead of turkey. Eleanor I'm thankful for having a really good mum who looks after me so well and having good teachers and especially Ms. McMillan because she helps to try new things. I love all my family. I enjoy Thanksgiving because I eat turkey with all my family and I love it. Ryan _ makes Ryan love the teacher Ms.McMillan. Answer: Helping him try new things It is easier to go down the hill than to climb up the hill,so it is easier to fall into bad habits than into good ones.Bad habits do not come suddenly. They come little by little without one being aware of their danger. School boys first pick up little bad habits in the school and on the street. When they can't write their lessons,they copy from their schoolmates. If they see bigger boys smoking,they also want to learn to smoke. If they see their friends gambling ,they want to gamble. When they get bigger,the habits become stronger and stronger,so that they can no longer get rid of(,)them. From copying,they learn to steal,from gambling,they learn to cheat. At last they become distrusted by everybody. How necessary it is that we get rid of the bad habits in the beginning. Where do school boys pick up little bad habits first? _ . Answer: In the school and on the street
Question: Will you be excited when you finally get to relax? Here, three of the studetns tell us what they plan to do after the big exam. Li Junzhe, 15, Huaihua, Hunan Province My friends and I will travel to Beijing right after the exam. We planned to go by ourselves but were turned down by our parents. They said we were too young to travel alone. They said they would go with us. I'm okay with it because I've already traveled by myself. Zhu Hangian, 15, Dexing, Jiangxi Province What am I going to do this summer? Of course I'll go to see the Great Wall! But before that, I will watch movies. Because of the big exam, I haven't seen any movies for a long time. I will watch whatever is in the cinema! As for the Great Wall, I can't wait to see the beautiful views. Dong Xu, 14, Dalian, Liaoning Province I will, no doubt, play computer games for days after the big exam. My mother never let me during the past few years. I can't imagine how exciting it will be. Also my friends and I will go to see the Great Wall. Who has the experience of travelling alone? A. Dong Xu B. Nobody C. Zhu Hangjian D. Li Junzhe Answer: D Question: Today, an increasing number of people are always looking at their mobile phones with their heads down. These people are called the "Heads-down Tribe" . Are you a heads-down tribe member? Heads-down tribe members now can be seen everywhere. Using mobile phones may cause accidents and even cost a lot of money. Also, more and more interesting and strange facts happen to the "Heads-down Tribe". Let's have a look at an interesting TV report. A man in America kept using his mobile phone on his way home. As a result, he bumped into a big lost bear on the street. When he lifted his eyes from the phone,he was so scared that he turned around and ran away as quickly as possible. Another fact is that we can often see people in the restaurant eating face to face but looking at their own mobile phones. It's strange that they don't talk to the ones who sit opposite to them during the meal. Some of them even have fun communicating with others on the phone. Mobile phones are helpful and necessary tools for modern life. Are mobile phones good or bad? It depends on how people use them. Let's be "healthy" users and try to be the "Heads-up Tribe". Where did the American bump into the bear? A. In the forest. B. At a zoo. C. On the street. D. At a park. Answer: C Question: "Have you ever been out on a boat and felt it lifted up by a wave? Or have you jumped in the water and felt the rush of energy as waves came over you?" asked Jamie Taylor of the Wave Energy Group at the prefix = st1 /UniversityofEdinburgh."There is certainly a lot of energy in waves," he said.Scientists are working to use that energy to make electricity.Most waves are created when winds blow across the ocean."The wind starts out by making little ripples , but if they keep on blowing, those ripples get bigger and bigger and turn into waves," Taylor said." Waves are one of nature 's ways of picking up energy and then sending it off on a journey. When waves come toward the shore, people can set up dams to block the water and send it through a large wheel called a turbine .The turbine can then power an electrical generator to produce electricity . "The resource is huge," said Janet Swain of the World watch Institute."We will never run out of wave power." Besides, wave energy does not create the same pollution as other energy sources, such as oil or coal.Oceans cover three-quarters of the Earth's surface - that would make wave power seem ideal for creating energy throughout the world, though there are some weak points yet to overcome. Swain said that wave power still costs too much money.She also said that its effects on sea animals are still unknown.What is more, wave power could affect fishing and boat traffic. Traditional sources of energy like oil and gas may someday run out." Demand for energy to power our TVs and computers, drive our cars, and heat and cool our homes is rising rapidly throughout the world," Swain said.In the future when you turn on a light, an ocean wave could be providing the electricity! We can make better use of wave energy if we _ . A. shorten its journey to thousands of homes B. build more small power stations on the oceans C. reduce the cost of turning it into electric power D. quicken the steps of producing electricity Answer: C Question: When I began to move to Auckland to study the law, my mother was a little worried about the uncertainty of living in a place that was so different from India, where we lived. She worried about the shortage of jobs and the cultural differences that I would face. I came to New Zealand in July 2013. I found the people were very nice and supportive. Soon after I arrived, I realized the importance of getting a part time job to make a living. Deciding to do this on my own, I spent a whole day going from door to door for a job. However, I received a little or no reply. This became my daily activity after college for a few weeks. One afternoon, I walked into a building to ask if there were any job chances. The people there were very surprised, and advised me not to continue my job search in that way. As I was about to leave, a secretary in the building came up to me and encouraged me to stay confident. He then offered to take me to the Royal Oak area to search for a job. Along the way, I realized I had run out of copies of my resume . The man stopped at his friend's office to make me 15 extra copies. He also gave me tips on dressing and speaking. I handed out my resume and went home. The following day, I received a call from a store in Royal Oak offering me a job. It seemed that the world always gives back to you when you need it. And this time, it was a complete stranger who turned out to be a real blessing . After staying in New Zealand for a short time, the writer realized _ . A. he needed to find a job to make a living B. people there were not very friendly C. he should always stay confident D. it was easy to get a new job Answer: A Question: Tom was ten years old and he was a very lazy boy. He didn't like doing any work. He had to go to school, of course , but he didn't study hard there and tried to do as little work as possible. His father and mother were both doctors and they hoped that their son would become one, too. But one day Tom said to his mother, " When I finish school, I want to be a dustman." "A dustman?" his mother asked, she was very surprised. " that's not a very pleasant job, why do you want to be a dustman?" "Because then I would only have to work one day a week." Tom answered at once. "Only one day a week?" his mother said, "What do you mean? And how do you know?" " Well," Tom replied, " I know that the dustmen who come to our house to work on Thursday, because I only see them on that day." ,,. What did Tom say he wanted to be when he grew up? A. Tom said that he wanted to be a dustman. B. Tom said that he wanted to be a teacher. C. Tom said that he wanted to be a doctor. D. Tom said that he wanted to be a singer. Answer: A
Which mineral has six-sided transparent crystals that will scratch glass? Answer: I was sure that I was to be killed. I became terribly nervous. I fumbled in my pockets to see if there were any cigarettes, which had escaped their search. I found one and because of my shaking hands, I could barely get it to my lips. But I had no matches, they had taken those. I looked through the bars at the guard. He did not make eye contact with me. I called out to him "Have you got a light?" He looked at me, shrugged and came over to light my cigarette. As he came close and lit the match, his eyes unconsciously locked with mine. At that moment, I smiled. I don't know why I did that. Perhaps it was nervousness, perhaps it was because, when you get very close, one to another, it is very hard not to smile. In any case, I smiled. In that instant, it was as though a spark jumped across the gap between our two hearts, our two human souls. I know he didn't want to, but my smile leaped through the bars and caused a smile on his lips, too. He lit my cigarette but stayed near, looking at me directly in the eyes and continuing to smile. I kept smiling at him, now thinking of him as a person and not just a guard. "Do you have kids?" he asked. "Yes, here, here." I took out my wallet and nervously fumbled for the pictures of my family. He, too, took out the pictures of his family and began to talk about his plans and hopes for them. My eyes were filled with tears. I said that I feared that I'd never see my family again, never have the chance to see them grow up. Tears came to his eyes, too. Suddenly, without another word, he unlocked my cell and silently led me out. Out of the prison, quietly and by back routes, out of the town. There, at the edge of town, he released me. And without another word, he turned back toward the town. What is the most important factor in saving the man's life? Answer: A motivational strategy that parents can employ with their kids, is to frame tasks and responsibilities in the context of what the end benefit is for them. I call this strategy WIIFM ("What's in it for me?"). When a teen can combine an understanding of WIIFM with a sense of passion about achieving a goal, barriers will start to fall away. At our teen summer camps, we arrange an event near the end of the 10-day session that helps campers identify an important life goal and mentally break through their biggest barrier to achieving the goal. We pass around 12-by-12-inch pine boards. We tell campers that this activity is not about breaking a piece of wood. It's about how you can get what you want in your life. It's about breaking barriers to grab on to your goals. They have the power to break through any barrier. It has nothing to do with body size or physical condition. The skinniest, smallest teens will break through the board almost as easily as the big ones. We talk to the campers about the reasons they might have had for not reaching their goals in the past. Maybe they got lazy and decided it wasn't worth the effort. Maybe they failed and let their fear of failure hold them back. But this exercise is about putting the past where it belongs. Today is about making new choices. By this point in the program, we ask them to think of the goal they've set for themselves and write their goals on the boards. Then they write the possible obstacles which may hold them back on the opposite sides. An inch of pine now stands between them and their dreams. The facilitators and their teammates gather around. The support is strong. One by one, they break through the barriers and grab their goals! All around us teens are laughing, crying, hugging, and holding up the broken pieces of their boards. The confidence shown on their faces is beautiful. While arranging such an activity in one's home is almost unrealistic for parents, the value of helping a teen break through a personal barrier simply by being there as moral support can not be overestimated. More help for parents in the form of videos and articles is available at our website, in our blogs and in a monthly e-newsletter. We can learn from the passage that through the event the campers _ . Answer: You may never connect the words "good" and "eco-friendly"with plastic.It's time to do a rethink on that as we say hello to hemp plastic.Traditionally,plastics have been made from petrochemicals,which are mainly poisonous.Plants,on the other hand,are also a source of cellulose ,which can be used to make biodegradable plastic.As hemp happens to be one of the richest sources of cellulose,it is only natural that scientists will support its use,considering its ecological benefits. Hemp plastic is biodegradable and recyclable.If you thought being eco-friendly reduced its solidity,you couldn't be more wrong.The hard level of hemp plastic can match that of regular plastic.Hemp plastic is resistant to heat;however,the most outstanding feature of a few varieties of hemp plastic is that they are flame resistant too.Finally,if Henry Ford could imagine creating a car with this material,we can perhaps believe that it indeed is"ten times stronger than steel". It is a pity that with so many useful qualities,we don't see hemp plastic being used in our everyday life,the way it ought to be.Hemp plastic can easily take the place of the exiting plastic in products like cell phone chargers ,laptop covers,etc.Currently,hemp plastic is being used to produce audio ,video,toys,automobile parts and packaging materials. Hemp fiber is one of the strongest natural fibers known to us.As scientists keep looking for ways to solve the ecological damage that traditional plastics have caused,here is a material that can be produced to be 100% biodegradable.Hemp plastic is known to be several times _ as compared to polypropylene plastic,and it comes without all the health and safety threats,It really has long useful life. Plastics keep reminding us of the damage that we have done to our planet,all under the excuse of convenience.As hemp products have become a new choice into our daily life,Please take a green plan now and make your effort to protect the environment. Which aspect of hemp plastic isn't mentioned in the passage? Answer: You may have noticed that the world's population is not evenly distributed around our planet. There are some countries where people seem to be living nearly _ each other because conditions are overcrowded. Then there are others where it seems that hardly anybody lives. What influences this unequal distribution of people? There are specific advantages and disadvantages of *diving in a certain area. The two main factors that influence people`s choice of location are climate and resources. Climate is the usual weather conditions in a region. Areas that have bad weather are generally less deal as places to live in. The north and south poles at the top and bottom of the world may be beautiful in their rugged, natural way, but the disadvantage of the bitterly cold and windy conditions usually keeps people away. When it comes to climate, warm conditions and a normal amount of rainfall are advantages that attract people. Natural resources are things that we get from nature that help us survive. Each region offers different resources, and therefore attracts different groups of people. People who enjoy the beach can make their living by catching and selling the ocean's many fish and other sea creatures. Those who prefer farming can take advantage of rich soil in valleys near rivers. Some people are willing to accept the disadvantages of the terrible conditions of deserts or mountains in order to take advantage of the resources like oil or woods. The writer thinks many people don't live near the north or south pole because _ . Answer:
A bus stops at a small bus stop. A man is hungry and he wants to buy some cakes. It's raining hard, he doesn't want to go out in the rain. He sees a boy. "Come here, boy!" he cries. "Do you know how much the cakes are?" The boy says yes. The man gives the boy four dollars and asks him to buy two cakes. "One is for you and one is for me." Three minutes later, the boy comes back. He's eating a cake. He gives the man two dollars and says: "Sorry, there is only one cake left." What's the result ? A The man eats the cake. B The boy eats the cake. C The boy doesn't eat the cake. D The boy and the man both eat the cakes. Answer: B Sue and Linda usually go to school by car. They drive past a cinema, a supermarket and a food shop. The food shop is next to the supermarket. Jack and Michael usually go to school by bus. They go past a bank and a post office. The bank is next to the post office. Mary usually goes to work by bike. She rides a bike past a police office, a library and a swimming pool. How does Linda go to school? A By bike. B By bus. C By car. D On foot. Answer: C "Tear them apart!" "Kill the fool!" "Murder the referee !" These are common remarks one may hear at various sporting events. At the time they are made,they may seem innocent(,) enough. But let's not kid ourselves.They have been known to influence behavior in such a way as to lead to real violence. Books have been written about the way words affect us. It has been shown that words having certain meanings may cause us to react in ways quite foreign to what we consider to be our usual behavior. I see the term "opponent" as one of those words. Perhaps the time has come to delete it from sports terms. The dictionary meaning of the term "opponent" is "enemy", or "one who opposes your interests." Thus, when a player meets an opponent, he or she may tend to treat that opponent as an enemy. I remember an incident in a handball game when a referee refused a player's request for a time out for a glove change because he did not consider them wet enough. The player went away to rub his gloves across his wet T-shirt and then screamed, "Are they wet enough now?" In the heat of battle, players have been observed to throw themselves across the court without considering the effect that such a move might have on anyone in their way. I have also witnessed a player reacting to his opponent's intentional and illegal blocking by hitting him with the ball as hard as he could during the course of play. Off the court, they are good friends. Does that make any sense? It certainly gives proof of a court attitude which differs from normal behavior. Therefore, I believe it is time we elevated the game to the level where it belongs, setting an example to the rest of the sporting world. Replacing the term "opponent" with "associate" could be a good way to start. The dictionary meaning of the term "associate" is "friend" or "companion." You may soon see and possibly feel the difference in your reaction to the term "associate" rather than "opponent". What can be concluded from the passage? A Players should be educated to respect referees on the court. B Replacing the present terms on the court can help reduce violence. C Raising the referee's sense of responsibility can help reduce violence. D Changing the attitude of players on the sports field can help reduce violence. Answer: B Taking place every spring in the world's leading publishing and cultural capital, it's a unique opportunity to explore and understand the innovations shaping the publishing world of the future. When: 08-10 April 2014 Where: Earls Court Exhibition Centre, Warwick Road, London, SW5 9TA Who Attends? The London Book Fair attracts a global audience of visitors and exhibitors from all areas of the publishing community. * 25,000 Attendees , 113 countries Key visitor audiences include: <> Literary Agents/Scouts <> Publishers <> Booksellers <> Library and Information Professionals <> Production, Distribution, Technical and Creative Professionals * 1,500 Exhibiting Companies The LBF floorplan allows exhibitors to showcase their products and titles by sector: Academic \| Art, Architecture & Design \| Children's & Young Adult \| Digital & Mobile \| General Publishing \| Publishing Solutions \| STM & ELT Earls Court Information The Earls Court Business Centre offers a comprehensive range of business services, including: <> Incoming and outgoing fax and telephone calls <> Photocopying and printing <> Internet access <>Telephone points for laptops <> PC workstations with standard office software <> Courier service Visa Information If you are not a British citizen or a citizen of one of the European Economic Area (EEA) countries, you may need to acquire a visa-entry clearance certificate-before you travel to Britain. Visitors can access the visa letter service only once they have registered for the London Book Fair on line. On completion of your registration you will receive a confirmation email which includes your badge number and a link to the visa letter service completion page. Here you need to complete all your contact and company details, your badge number, your passport number and your date of birth. Once you have successfully submitted this information, it will produce a printable letter that you can take to your nearest British consular. Exhibitors can access the visa letter service via the Exhibitor Portal online. Join us in April 2014 at Earls Court, London, registering as a visitor allows you access to exhibitors, show features and over 250 Love Learning seminars and events. The London Book Fair team is on hand to help you with any questions you may have about visiting or exhibiting at the show. The Earls Court Business Centre _ . A allows companies to exhibit their art products B enables customers to work on the Internet C informs people of the key visitor audiences D offers readers the service of visa application Answer: B Mr. Read has a large farm near a hill. He and his wife are busy all the day. They're often tired but they have a lot of expensive things and they live a happy life. One day their sows had twenty baby pigs. Mrs. Read had to look after them at home. And at that time she had much housework to do. Several weeks later she let the baby pigs come out of the pigsty and look for some food themselves. Her seven-year-old son John came back from school. He was ready to help his mother. The woman was happy and told him to count them and see if they were all there. The boy threw his schoolbag on the table and ran out. About half an hour later the supper was ready, but the boy didn't come back. The woman had to go to see what was wrong with her son. and she saw her son running after a baby pig. "What are you running after it for?" she asked. "Are they all right?" "I counted nineteen, mummy, " said the boy. "But only the fellow is running about so fast that I can't count it all ! " Mr. and Mrs. Read are _ . A workers B farmers C drivers D doctors Answer: B
James Blunt is one of the most popular singers in the UK. His first album, Back to Bedlam, and his number one hit, You're Beautiful, brought him fame in 2005. his music is a mix of pop, rock and folk. Blunt comes to China for the first time this month, he will hold two concerts, one in Beijing and one in Shanghai on April 18 and 19 respectively. Blunt, 34, took an unusual path to stardom. His father was a soldier and so was his grandfather. "The only music he heard growing up was Happy Birthday and Silent Night. His father considered all music, even classical, to be unnecessary noise,' reads Blunt's official website. Even though Blunt did not want to join the military, he eventually followed his father's wishes, and served as a soldier in Kosovo on peacekeeping duty. "Like any parents, mine wanted me to have a secure job with a regular wage and career prospects," Blunt said. "And the one job my father knew of, that he'd had experience of himself, was the army, so he could help me in that direction." Blunt eventually became a Captain. One of his final duties in the army before retirement was carrying the coffin at the funeral of the Queen Mother of England in 2002. But Blunt couldn't escape his love for music. So, after leaving the British Army he moved to Los Angeles and worked on his first album. While in LA, Blunt lived with the actress Carrie Fisher, who played the lead female role in the Star Wars movie. He recorded his song, Goodbye My Lover, in his bathroom, where he kept a piano. Blunt took his new album back to England where it was not very successful. But he kept performing and eventually his song, You're Beautiful, became a number one hit. Now Blunt has won numerous awards, sold millions of records and dated super models. But his greatest accomplishment might be that his father now enjoys music! All of the following belongs to Blunt EXCEPT _ . A Back to Bedlam B Silent Night C Goodbye My Lover D You're Beautiful Answer: B. Silent Night "Depend on yourself" is what nature says to every man. Parents can help you. Teachers can help you. But all these only help you to help yourself. There have been many men in history. But many of them were very poor in childhood, and no uncles, aunts or friends to help them. Schools were few. They could not depend upon themselves for an education. They saw how it was and set to work with all their strength to know something. They worked their own way till they became well known. One of the most famous teachers in England used to tell his pupils, "I can not make worthy men of you, but I can help make men of yourself." Some young men don't try their best to make themselves valuable to the human beings. They can never gain achievement unless they see their weak points and change their course. They are nothing now, and will be nothing as long as they live, unless they accept the advice of their parents and teachers, and depend on their own efforts. Which of the following titles fits this article best? A What Nature Says to Every Man. B How to Be Famous. C Men Must Help Each Other. D Depend on Yourself. Answer: D. Depend on Yourself. Bum rate is the speed at which a startup business consumes money. My rate would be $ 50,000 a month when my new media company started. So, I began looking around for individuals who would be my first investors. "Angel money" it was called. But when I reviewed my list of acquaintances to find those who might be able to help, I found the number got small. With no other choices, I began meeting with the venture-capital companies. But I was warned they took a huge share of your company for the money they put in. And if you struggled, they could drop you cold. As I was searching for "angel money", I started to build a team who trusted me even though I didn't have money for paychecks yet. Bill Becker was an expert in computer programming and image processing at a very famous Media Lab at M. I.T. With his arrival, my company suddenly had a major technology "guy" in-house. Katherine Henderson, a filmmaker and a former real-estate dealer, joined us as our director of market research. Steve White came on as operating officer. He had worked for the developer of a home-finance software, Quicken. We grabbed him. We had some really good people, but we still didn't have enough money. One night, my neighbor, Louise Johnson, came for a visit. She and I were only nodding acquaintances, but her boys and ours were constant companions. She ran a very good business at the time. Louise was brilliant and missed nothing. She had been watching my progress closely. She knew I was dying for money and I had prospects but could offer no guarantees of success. She told me that her attorney had talked to mine and the terms had been agreed upon. She handed me an envelope. Inside was a check for $ 500,000. I almost fell down. I heard her voice as if from heaven. "I have confidence in your plan," she said. "You' 11 do well. You're going to work hard for it, but it' s satisfying when you build your own company." Who would have thought I'd find an angel so close to home? There were no words sufficient for the moment. We just said good night. She left and I just stood there, completely humbled and completely committed. By "Angel money", the author refers to _ . A the money borrowed from banks B the money spent to promote sales C the money raised from close friends D the money needed to start a business Answer: D. the money needed to start a business Tens of thousands of ancient pictures carved into the rocks at one of France's most important tourist sites are being gradually destroyed. Scientists and researchers fear that the 36,000 drawings on rocks in Mont Bego in the French Alps are being damaged so rapidly that they will not survive for future generations. The mountain, believed to have once been a site for prayer, is scattered with 4,000-year-old drawings cut into bare rock. They include pictures of cows with horns, cultivated fields and various gods and goddesses. But as the popularity of the site increases, the pictures are being ruined by thoughtless graffiti . Jean Clottes is the chairman of the International Committee on Rock Art. He says, "People think that because the pictures have been there so long they will always continue to be there. But if the damage continues at this rate there will be nothing left in 50 years." He describes seeing tourists stamping on the drawings, wearing away the rock and definition of the artwork as they do so. Some visitors, he says, even cut off parts to take home as souvenirs. "When people think they can't take a good enough photograph, they rub the drawings to get a clearer picture," he said. "The drawings are polished by the weather, and if the sun is shining and the visitors can't see them properly they simply rub them to make them look fresher." Other researchers describe how people arrive carrying long sticks with sharp ends to scratch their own drawings, or even their names, in the rocks. But experts are divided over the best way to preserve the drawings. Henry de Lumley, director of the Museum of Natural History in Paris, believes that the only way to save the site is to turn the whole mountain into a "no-go" area, preventing the public from going there except on guided tours. Otherwise, he says, not only will the site be completely destroyed but important research work will be reduced. Clottes disagrees, "The measure suggested by Henry de Lumley is the most severe, and while it is the most effective, it is also certain to bring about protests from people who live there," he said. "The site was classified as a historic monument years ago by the Ministry of Culture, and we must do as much as possible to save what is there." David Lavergne, the regional architect, also wants to avoid closing the site. "Henry de Lumley's idea isn't ideal," he said. "Our department feels that the best solution is to let people look at the site, but because the area is very big it is difficult to prevent visitors from damaging it. I would prefer that everyone was able to look at it, but the main problem is money. We do not have the funds to employ the necessary number of guards. We may have to consider charging a fee. It doesn't seem to be possible to get the government support." In Nice, Annie Echassoux, who also worked on researching the site, is alarmed that as the mountain becomes easier to reach -- tourists can now avoid the three-and-a-half-hour walk by hiring vehicles -- the damage will increase rapidly. She thinks that the only solution is to rope off the area and provide guides. "You can't say the plan can't go ahead because there is no money," she said. "That is not good enough. Money must be provided because the Ministry of Culture has classified this area as a historic site. If we don't take steps, we will be responsible for losing the drawings for the next generation." This passage has been written about Mont Bego to _ . A advertise the closing of the site B warn visitors about the dangers of the site C encourage scientists to visit the site D describe fears for the future of the site Answer: D. describe fears for the future of the site Brazil has become one of the developing world's great successes at reducing population growth, but more by accident than design. While countries such as India have made joint efforts to reduce birth rates, Brazil has had better result without really trying, says George Martine at Harvard. Brazil's population growth rate has dropped from 2.99% a year between 1951 and 1960 to 1.93% a year between 1981 and 1990, and Brazilian women now have only 2.7 children on average. Martine says this figure may have fallen still further since 1990, an achievement that makes it the envy of many other Third World countries. Martine puts it down to, among other things, soap operas and installment plans introduced in the 1970s. Both played an important, although indirect, role in lowering the birth rate. Brazil is one of the world's biggest producers of soap operas. Globo, Brazil's most popular television network, shows three hours of soaps six nights a week, while three others show at least one hour a night. Most soaps are based on wealthy characters living the high life in big cities. "Although they have never really tried to work in a message towards the problems of reproduction, they describe middle and upper class values-not many children, different attitudes towards life, women working," says Martine. "They sent this image to all parts of Brazil and made people aware of other patterns of behavior and other values, which were put into a very attractive package." According to the passage, Brazil has cut back its population growth _ . A by educating its citizens B by careful family planning C by developing TV programmes D by chance Answer: D. by chance
A person stranded in the tundra is likely to A. overheat B. feel warm C. fly. D. perish Answer: D All that hard work, all that hardship, all the time spent underground, it was all for the families. It was all for you. For a car in the driveway, a roof overhead. For a chance to give their kids opportunities that they would never know, and enjoy retirement with their loves and lovers. It was all in the hopes of something better. And so these miners lived - as they died - dreaming of the American Dream. There, in the mines, for their families, they became a family themselves -- sharing birthdays, relaxing together, watching Mountaineers football or basketball together, spending days off together, hunting or fishing. They may not have always loved what they did, said a sister, but they loved doing it together. They loved doing it as a family. They loved doing it as a community. That community was showed for all to see in the minutes, and hours, and days after the tragedy. Rescuers, risking their own safety, searching for narrow tunnels filled with methane and carbon monoxide , hoping against hope they might find a survivor. Friends keeping porch lights on in a nightly vigil ; hanging up homemade signs that read, "Pray for our miners, and their families." Neighbors consoling each other, and supporting each other and leaning on one another. I've seen it, the strength of that community. In the days that followed the disaster, emails and letters poured into the White House. Postmarked from different places across the country, they often began the same way: "I am proud to be from a family of miners." "I am the son of a coal miner." "I am proud to be a coal miner's daughter." (Applause.) They were always proud, and they asked me to keep our miners in my thoughts, in my prayers. Never forget, they say, miners keep America's lights on. (Applause.) And then in these letters, they make a simple plea: Don't let this happen again. (Applause.) Don't let this happen again. How can we fail them? How can a nation that relies on its miners not do everything in its power to protect them? How can we let anyone in this country put their lives at risk by simply showing up to work; by simply pursuing the American Dream? We cannot bring back the 29 men we lost. They are with the Lord now. Our task, here on Earth, is to save lives from being lost in another such tragedy; to do what must do, individually and collectively, to assure safe conditions underground -- (applause) -- to treat our miners like they treat each other -- like a family. (Applause.) Because we are all family and we are all Americans. (Applause.) And we have to lean on one another, and look out for one another, and love one another, and pray for one another. God bless our miners. (Applause.) God bless their families. God bless West Virginia. (Applause.) And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.) Why did the White House receive so many emails and letters in the days following the disaster? A. To ask the government to prevent the disaster happening again. B. To ask the Americans to remember the miners killed in the disaster. C. To show their pride in being a family member of miners. D. To keep the miners in their children's thoughts. Answer: A Native American sand paintings are a very beautiful and popular art form for collectors today. But traditionally, the paintings are created to heal a person during a ceremony. The type of image and ceremony used is determined by the disease which the person is suffering from. The sand painting may contain an image of the Holy People. The tribe medicine man may ask the Holy People to help him paint the image and therefore help heal the person in need. When the medicine man finishes painting, he checks its accuracy. The order and the symmetry of the painting symbolize the harmony which a patient wishes to achieve in his or her life. The accuracy of a sand painting is believed to determine its healing effects. In some cases, more than one sand painting might be used in a healing ceremony. During the ceremony, the person who needs healing will sit on the Native American sand painting. The sand painting serves as an entrance for the spirits and through the painting, the person can absorb the healing energies from these spirits. The sand paintings were not originally meant to be sold or hung on the wall. Once the ceremony is completed, the sand painting must be destroyed, thus allowing the sand to return to the Earth. This is necessary because the sand painting is now seen as poisonous, having absorbed the illness, and must be destroyed. The entire ceremony, from the painting to the destroying is usually completed within a 12-hour period. The medicine man never wrote down how to perform the healing ceremony, but it was passed down from generation to generation. The Pueblo tribe was the first tribe to create Native American sand paintings, but the art soon spread to many other tribes. Today, it is the Navajos who are the most active in creating Native American sand paintings. It is believed that it was a medicine man named Fred Stevens who was the first person to create a Native American sand painting for sale in the 1950s. A trader, Rex Bollin, recommended Fred to sell sand paintings since they were so beautiful. After working out how to make the sand stick to the canvas , Fred began selling his sand paintings. According to the passage, which of the following statements about Fred Stevens is TRUE? A. He earned a lot of money from selling sand paintings. B. He was the world's most famous sand painting painter. C. He didn't think sand paintings could cure diseases. D. He was the first man to sell sand paintings in the world. Answer: D Shanghai ---- More Shanghai people are renting cars to travel over the coming National Day holiday, Tom reported today. Most cars in large local car-rental companies such as Yongda,Anji and Dazhong are rented so far with the Buick Sport Utility Vehicle(SUV)in great need. Santana and Jetta were the most popular car models rented by Shanghai people for travel last year,while the high-end Buick models have attracted more people this year. However,the rent on a Buick GL or GS model is between 650 yuanand 750yuana day,nearly double that of Santana or Jetta cars. Compared with Santana,Buick looks better,which has greater capabilities and is safer and more comfortable,said a car renter." I don't mind paying a higher cost for a Buick to enjoy the holiday,"he said. SUV cars are very popular in the car renting market, according to some car-rental firms. "All the 31 Buick GL&SUV cars were rented out several days ago," said a manager in the Shanghai Yongda Car Rental Co. Local people would like to go travel with as groups of friends,so SUV cars are a better choice,said an industry analyst. Moreover, SUV cars are safer on rough roads,the analyst said. According to the data,most people rented cars for seven days,a lesser number rented them for two or three days. What's the best title for the passage? A. How Shanghai People Spend Their Holidays? B. More Shanghai People Rent Cars for Holidays. C. Why So Many Shanghai People Rented Cars For Holidays? D. Shanghai People Rent SUV instead of Santana and Jetta. Answer: B Many people who are overweight have poor digestion . For the most part, poor digestion is not a habit given by our parents. We give it to ourselves through the way we eat. Oh, poor digestion can lead to weight problems. Here's how: When a person feels stressed, the part of the central nervous system that connects digestion switches off. This is called the parasympathetic nervous system . At those times of stress, the body can take in food and process some of it, but digestion doesn't work correctly to digest all the nutritional goodness from the food. Poor digestion is not always obvious by observing symptoms; you can get some illnesses but not always. Poor digestion can be seemingly silent. If you eat when you are stressed, anxious, or nervous, you might as well be eating cardboard for all the nutrients your body gets. Yes, eating when stressed is a gaining situation. Now you might think, well, if I'm not digesting, the calories aren't getting handles, so I should be losing weight. Good idea, but wrong reality. When digestion is not proper, the body starts "starving" from lack of necessary nutrients . Yes, it goes into a starvation problem and starts absorbing fat and energy. It thinks it's in a famine . The good news is that it's easy to make some corrections and get rid of stress at mealtimes. If you feel stressed often, it can be helpful to take other food that contains multiple B vitamins. These help, but you could still find yourself stressed at mealtimes. In what way do poor digestion and stress cause body problems? A. Poor digestion cannot absorb much nutritional goodness from the food. B. People with poor digestion take in food and process all of it. C. When people feel stressed, the parasympathetic nervous system switches on. D. Poor digestion will not lead to overweight problems. Answer: A
Why Melbourne ? Having long lived in the shadow of Sydney ,Melbourne has become a Mecca for fashion and design and cultural centre of Australia, with an enjoyable programmed of festivals. What to see? The City center's grid system of streets conceals a maze of lanes and turn-of-the-century arcades where you will find the best cafes, bars and boutique shopping. The hidden secrets tour (00613 9329 9665,hiddensecretstours.com) guides will make sure you find what you're after ,whether it is fashion ,art and design or wine. From $34 per person. Where to eat ? Melbourne is a paradise for gourmands and its top chefs use fresh produce and have a talent for the experimental .But for something different , indulge your culinary senses with an Australian Wine Tour Company trip. Departing from the city centre daily .You will taste wines at four of the region's best vineyards. It costs from $48 per person, including all wine tasting, lunch and a visit to Damien Chandon (00 613 9419 4444.austwinetourco.com.au). Where to stay ? The nunnery is an old convent on the edge of the city .It has double rooms with breakfast from $54 per night (00 613 9419 8637, nunnery. com.au). How to get there ?Qantas (0845 7747 767,qantas .com.au)flies from Heathrow to Melbourne twice daily from $766 return , including taxes. More information Contact the offical tourism site for Melbourne at visitmelbourne .com/uk. Use the links below for more on Destination guide : Melbourne Click here for our Melbourne page Where can you find the passage? _ A. In a magazine B. On the internet C. In a guidebook D. In a newspaper Answer: B. On the internet Philip likes to play football. He often plays football after school with his friends. Sandy likes to play basketball. She teaches her friends how to play it every Sunday afternoon. Han Mei is very good at the computer. She always uses it to draw pictures three times a week, and she uses it to surf the Internet. She has a good friend in America. Her name is Mary. Lin Tao is also good at drawing pictures. But he never uses computer to draw. Who likes to surf the Internet? A. Philip B. Sandy C. Han Mei D. LinTao Answer: C. Han Mei Justin Bieber may have millions of fans worldwide, but Russia's bears don't appear to admire the pop singer's music --- which proved fortunate for one lucky fisherman. Igor Vorozhbitsyn had his life saved by a Justin Bieber ringtone, when his mobile phone went off during a dangerous attack by a brown bear. The 42-year-old was attacked as he was walking to a favourite fishing spot in northern Russia's Yakutia Republic and firmly believed that he was going to be killed. Wildlife experts believe the ringtone must have frightened the bear into stopping its attack. 'Sometimes a sharp shock can stop an angry bear in its attack and that ringtone would be a very unexpected sound for a bear,' explained one. Mr Vorozhbitsyn suffered from cuts and severe wounds and was rescued when he was found by other fishermen after using the phone to call for help. Mr Vorozhbitsyn ---now recovering from his wounds---explained: 'I had parked my car and was walking towards the spot I'd marked out when there was a tremendous impact on my back and the bear was on top of me.' 'I couldn't believe my luck when the phone went off and it run away.' 'I know that sort of ringtone isn't to everyone's taste but my granddaughter loaded it onto my phone for a joke,' he added. Adult brown bears can weigh as much as 600kg and have been known to kill wolves and even Siberian tigers. Finally, this is a proof that Justin Bieber is unbearable Igor Vorozhbitsyn was attacked when _ . A. he was fishing at his favourite fishing spot. B. he was walking towards his favourite fishing spot. C. he was phoning his granddaughter. D. he was driving to his favourite fishing spot. Answer: B. he was walking towards his favourite fishing spot. Which tool is used to measure the volume of a liquid? A. balance B. ruler C. thermometer D. graduated cylinder Answer: D. graduated cylinder Some time ago I received a gift from both of my children. It had nothing to do with Father's Day. Yet, at the same time it had everything to do with Father's Day. My son was studying in a high school in Colorado. He lived in the school. While we were talking on the phone he shared some wonderful news with me. He said, "You know Dad, I am really happy with my life. I can't think of a thing that I would change about the way that I grew up, or the way that my life is now. " My daughter was living with her mother in Northern California at that time. She said almost the same thing to me just a few days later. Of course, I was delighted to hear this from both of them. And I told them both how happy I was, not only that they were happy ,but that they expressed it to me. And that was the gift that they were giving me ---with the heart to communicate. Certainly I hope for good news when I hear from them. But mostly I love that they will share their real feelings with me. Happy or sad, I love to be touched by their real thoughts and feelings. For a child, Father's Day isn't really about giving Dad a gift. It is about understanding the love that fathers express when they help put food on the table, teach their child to ride a bike, cheer at a soccer game, etc. For a father, Father's Day isn't so much about receiving gifts for a job well done. Remember, the greatest gift that we give our children is the real expression of our love. It isn't enough for them to feel love inside ourselves: we need to express that love. The author is more touched by children's _ . A. good news B. real feelings C. improvement D. gifts Answer: B. real feelings
No matter what he is doing,every human being gives body heat.The usual problem is how to _ it.But the designers of the Johnstown campus of the university of Pittsburg set themselves the opposite problem--how to collect body heat.They have designed a collection system which uses not only body heat but also the heat given off by such objects as light bulbs and refrigerators as well.The system works so well that no conventional fuel is needed to make the campus's six buildings comfortable. Some parts of most modern buildings--theatres and offices as well as classrooms-are more than heated by people and lights and sometimes must be air-conditioned even in the winter.The technique of saving and redistributing it is called "heat recovery".A few modern buildings recover heat,but the university's system is the first to recover heat from some buildings and reuse it in others. Along the way,Pitt has learned a great deal about some of its heat producers.The harder a student studies,the more heat his body gives off.Male students emit more heat than female students,and the larger a student,the more heat he produces.It is tempting to conclude that the hottest prospect for the Johnstown campus would be a hard-working,overweight male genius. From the passage,we can infer that_would produce the LEAST heat. Answer: a thin female who does not study hard Not all think laughter is the best medicine, but it seems to help.So scientists carried on a new study of diabetes patients who were given a good dose of humor for a year to prove it. Researchers divide 20 high-risk diabetic patients into two groups.Both groups were given standard diabetes medicine.Group L viewed 30 minutes of humor of their choice, while Group C, the control group, did not.This went on for a year of treatments. By two months into the study, the patients in the laughter group had lower level of the hormones epinephrine , considered to cause stress, which is known to be deadly.After the 12 months, _ rises 26 percent in Group L but only 3 percent in Group C.In another measure, C-reactive proteins, a maker of heart disease, drop 66 percent in the laughter group but only 26 percent in the control group. "The best doctors believe that there is a physical good brought about by the positive emotion, happy laughter," said study leader Lee Berk of Loma Linda University.And other research has found that humor makes us more hopeful.Still, more study is needed, Berk said.The research by Berk found that humor can bring about similar changes in body chemistry, which was proved in the new study.The research result will be presented this month at the meeting in the US.Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine shows that laughter causes the inner lining of blood vessels to expand, increasing blood flow in a way thought to be healthy. "Lifestyle choices have an important effect on health and these are choices which we and patients should pay attention to, rather than prevention and treatment," Berk said in a statement this week. In what way does laughter benefit people's health? Answer: Laughter makes blood flow fast. Before Alaska became part of the U.S., it had been owned by Russia. Trading posts and small settlements were scattered along the coast. The rest of land was left unexplored. The Russians were mainly interested in the wealth of furs from the vast herds of seals they found there. By the mid-1800's, most of the seal herds had been wiped out, and Russia no longer wanted to keep Alaska. William Seward, Secretary of State for President Johnson, believed the United States should buy Alaska from Russia. President Johnson wasn't so sure it was a wise way to spend U.S. money, but he agreed to let Seward discuss it with the Russians. Acting quickly, Seward made a deal. On March 30, 1867, he signed an agreement for the U.S. to pay seven million dollars for the land. Many people thought it was a foolish waste of America's money. They called the deal "Seward's folly". Then gold was discovered in Alaska and public opinion changed quickly. Seward did not live to see the true value of Alaska. He died in 1872, five years after making the purchase . Each year, Alaska's natural resources have brought in many times the $7,000,000 paid for it. Natural gas, coal, oil, lumber, seafood and other minerals, besides the gold first found, have made it a valuable addition to the United States. In 1959, Alaska be-came the 49th state of the United States. Which of the following things was found first in Alaska? Answer: Gold. When people find out that the product they bought is unsatisfying 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 be 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 . When people find that their purchase is unsatisfying , the first thing they should do is to _ . Answer: show some written proof of the purchase to the store A few years ago, David had the idea of selling CDs over the Internet. He started his work from his home. Now he sells over 500,000 CDs a year and has made himself into a millionaire , at the age of 24. "I could see that this was the future of shopping," says David. "Why should you pay $15 for a CD and spend the time and the money going into the shop? You know sometimes you have to find a place for your car too. You can have the same CD for half of the price by clicking on your computer. And we can find any CD you want and bring it to your door in 24 hours!" David said this is the only beginning, "One day we'll do our shopping over the Internet: it's easier, quicker and cheaper. Shops and supermarkets will be the past." What can we learn from the passage? Answer: Shops and supermarkets will be the past in the future.
Question: Kerry was playing with his toy airplane in the backyard after school one day when he saw something moving in the corner of the yard. He put down his toy and went over to look. He found a small frog, about two inches cross, jumping across the grass. Carefully, Kerry followed the frog as it jumped across the grass. He didn't know where the frog had come from or where it was going, but he knew that frogs needed water. He wanted to help the frog. He ran inside and got a plastic pail that he used to use at the beach for sand. He filled it up with water and brought it to the backyard. It took him some time to find the frog again. It seemed to be moving slower than it had before. He waited for it to pause, then scooped it up with his bare hands and dropped it into the water. He watched the frog swim around for a bit, and then carried the pail around to the front of the house. It was a short way to a nearby creek running through his neighborhood. Kerry walked slowly, trying not to spill the water. The pail seemed to grow heavier and heavier as he walked. Finally, he reached the creek. He set the pail down next to the water and tipped it over until the frog was swimming in the stream. Why did Kerry get a pail full of water? A. to walk slowly B. to play with his airplane C. to water the grass D. to put the frog in Answer: D. to put the frog in Question: The holidays are a time to give. These charities---and many more--are looking for volunteers and donations. World Wildlife Fund The World Wildlife Fund is helping to protect endangered species through the Symbolic Species Adoption program. Those who "adopt" an animal will receive an adoption certificate and a photo of their species. Anyone can support endangered species year round by buying WWF apparel . worldwildlife. Org/giving DoSomething. org This month, Dosomething. org launched their holiday campaign, "Grandparents Gone Wired". The goal of the campaign is to make it easier for senior citizens to keep in touch with their loved ones using the Internet. Teens can volunteer to help seniors in their community. Volunteers are able to win prizes and scholarships. dosomething. org/grandparents Coins for Change Disney's Club Penguin, a virtual gaming site for kids, launched its annual Coins for Change campaign this month. From Dec. 15 to Dec. 27, Club Penguin players can donate virtual coins to real-world causes. If players reach the donation goal, Club Penguin will donate $2 million to charity projects. clubpenguin.com. Toys for Tots Each year, the U.S. Marine Corps Toys Program collects new, unwrapped toys for the holidays. Communities across the nation host Toys for Tots drives around the holiday season. The toys collected are given as gifts to needy children so they can experience the joy of Christmas. toyfortots.org American Red Cross All you need is a pen and a piece of paper. The American Red Cross Holiday Mail Heroes Program is collecting handwritten card to send to members of the U.S. Armed Forces during the holidays. The charity has also set up a Holiday Giving Catalog where you can buy personal gifts, such as babysitting lessons. redcross.org The Warm Coats & Warm Hearts Drive The Warm Coats & Warm Hearts Drive is a non-profit organization sponsored by ABC's Good Morning America and Burlington Coat Factory. During the holiday season Burlington stores collect gently worn coats. The donated coats are given to people in need to keep warm during the winter. onewarmcoat.org Handwritten cards for members of the U.S. Armed Forces are collected by _ . A. Disney's Club Penguin B. the Warm Coats& Warm Hearts Drive C. the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Program D. the American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes Program Answer: D. the American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes Program Question: London's newest skyscraper is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres, it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However, not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better. The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London, Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire * He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren't regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin,sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard. Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts of the ships that were once on the river Thames. The Shard has 87 floors. At the top, there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty, but eventually there will be a five-star hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants, apartments and offices. Before building work began, a lot of people didn't want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York, but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration, only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city. Other critics don't like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor. The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain, however, that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city. The critics who refer to social division think the Shard _ . A. is only preferred by the rich B. is intended for wealthy people C. is far away from the poor area D. is popular only with Londoners Answer: B. is intended for wealthy people Question: An experimental treatment that causes AIDS patients to develop a dangerously high fever has shown promise as a way of prolonging and improving the patients' life.Called the Biologic-HT System, the new treatment lets doctors extract the blood of a patient and heat it before circulating it back into the body. The heated blood causes the patient's body temperature to rise above 42 degrees Celsius. In people with AIDS, that increase in temperature kills some heat-sensitive HIV, the virus, most doctors say, causes AIDS. Heating the blood of AIDS patients has been tried before, say doctors. But during previous attempts, the treatment induced deadly chemical changes in the blood. The Biologic-HT System prevents those changes from happening, allowing the heat to kill viruses with few ill side effects. The new heat treatment cannot be considered a cure for Aids, says president of the company that makes the system. He says the treatment doesn't kill all traces of the virus. However, it kills enough virus particles to give a patient's immune system a reprieve in its deadly duel with HIV. Tests of the Biologic-HT treatment began on 36 patients earlier this year. The treatment takes about four hours, and the patient normally feels well enough to leave the hospital or clinic the following morning. So far, the patients who have had the treatment say they feel better and have developed no new opportunistic infections--disease that strike people with damaged immune systems. The patients also have experienced about a 50 percent increase in the number of T cells in their bodies. T cells are key disease-fighting cells of the immune system and the main target of HIV. The previous attempts to use high temperature for treating AIDS failed because they _ . A. caused chemical changes B. could not kill HIV effectively C. resulted in deaths D. killed both HIV and healthy cells Answer: A. caused chemical changes Question: John is a paper boy. He delivers newspapers to different houses in his street every day. He has about 80 customers . Half of his customers only take the newspapers on weekdays, and about half take the newspapers on weekdays and on Sundays. Two of John's customers only take the newspapers on Sundays. John has to get up at 4:30 every morning to deliver his newspapers. It takes longer to deliver the newspapers on Sundays. The Sunday newspapers are twice as heavy as those on weekdays. John is saving his money to buy a new bicycle. He is also saving money for college . He has already saved 500 dollars. _ of his customers only take the newspapers on Sundays. A. Two B. Eighty C. Forty D. Twenty Answer: A. Two
Question: 14 days from just PS2,090 pp Fully inclusive from the UK Price covers, international airfares, departure taxes, fuel charge, local transportation all meals, entrance fees, guides, daily tours and visas for UK citizens. * Days 1-3: UK-Shanghai Fly to the great city of shanghai and in the evening _ traditional shanghai food. Visit the beautiful Yu Garden, Old Town. Shanghai Museum, cross the Grest Nanpu Bridge and tour the Pudong area. Also explore Xintiandi with its 1920's style Shikomen buildings and end your stay in Shanghai with an amazing Huangpu River evening tour. * Days 4-7: Shanghai-Yangtze River Tour Fly to Yichang and change(approx: one hour)to board your Yangtze River ship for the next four nights. Enjoy a tour of the three Gorges Dam before sailing on the grand Yangtze River, passing through the impressive Three Gorges. We take a side trip to the Lesser Three Gorges or travel up the Shennong Stream in a peapod boat and enjoy various shore trips along the way. * Day 8: Chongqing--Chengdu Get off in Chongqing and drive to Chengdu for an overnight stay. * Day 9-10: Chengdu-Xi'an Visit the famous Panda Reserve to see the lovely animals. We then fly to the historic city of Xi'an for two nights, stay and enjoy traditional Shuijiao. Next day, explore one of the most important discoveries of the 20th century--the Terracotta Warriors ,followed by the ancient City Wall and a performance of Tang Dynasty dancing. * Day11-13: Xi'an-Beijing Visit little wild Goose Pagoda and see the ancient objects at the well-known Shanxi Provincial Museum before walking through the lively Muslim Quarter to see the Great Mosque. Later fly to Beijing for three nights' stay and try Peking Duck. During our stay in Beijing, we stroll through Tian'anmen Square to the Forbidden city, the largest and best preserved collection of ancient buildings in China, and visit the summer palace. Next day we take a walk on the Great wall, tour the unique Temple of Heaven and enjoy an attractive Chinese Acrobatic Show. * Day 14: Beijing-UK Fly back to the UK, arriving home later the same day filled with happy memories. Which of the following is TRUE according to the ad? A. The tourists will have to pay extra for fuel and meals. B. The tourists will visit the 1920's Shikumen buildings in Beijing C. The tourists will stay in Beijing for three nights before leaving for the UK. D. The tourists will take a side trip to the Three Gorges Dam during the tour. Answer: C. The tourists will stay in Beijing for three nights before leaving for the UK. Question: The term "smog" was first used in London during the early 1900's to describe the combination of smoke and fog. What we typically call " smog" today is a mixture of pollutants but is primarily made up of ground-level ozone . Ozone can be beneficial or harmful depending on where it stays. The ozone staying high above the Earth protects human health and the environment, but ground-level ozone is responsible for the choking, coughing, and painful eyes associated with smog. The ozone in smog also prevents plants growth and can cause widespread damage to crops and forest. Major smog occurrences often are linked to heavy motor vehicle traffic, high temperatures, sunshine, and calm winds. Weather and geography affect the position and severity of smog. Because temperature regulates the length of time it takes for smog to form, smog can form faster and be more severe on a hot and sunny day. When warm air stays near the ground instead of rising and winds are calm, smog may stay trapped over your city for days. As traffic and other sources add more pollutants to the air, the smog gets worse. Smog is often more severe away from the pollution sources because the chemical reactions that cause smog occur in the atmosphere while the reacting chemicals are being moved by the wind. Smog is a visible example of air pollution. You can look into the distance during the day to see how much smog there is in the air. In addition, most cities measure the concentrations of pollutants in the air and report the results to the public. Environmental Protection Agency sets national standards for pollutants. Areas that fail to meet the standards for at least one air pollutant are called "nonattainment areas. " New measures are being taken by local governments across the country to reduce air pollution in nonattainment areas. These include: banning charcoal barbecues and wood burning in stoves or fireplaces when pollution levels are high; developing programs to encourage carpooling and voluntary "ozone actions" ; limiting traffic in overcrowded areas; expanding or improving public transportation systems; requiring employers to contribute to employee public transportation costs; assessing " smog fees" on cars according to the number of miles driven and vehicle emissions produced; and even buying and breaking up older " super-dirty" cars. Which indication shows more exact the air is poor? A. Heavy motor vehicle traffic in big cities. B. Widespread damage of crops and forest. C. Clear outlines of hills in the distance. D. High concentrations of pollutants in the air. Answer: D. High concentrations of pollutants in the air. Question: What would be a source of the smoothest rocks? A. a riverbank B. the cliffs C. the desert D. the mountains Answer: A. a riverbank Question: The concept of solar power satellites, or SPS, first put forward in the 1960s, is still not widely known by the general public. For example, at many public exhibitions about energy, SPS is not even mentioned. This is mainly because very little money has been spent on SPS research There are people who claim that SPS is unrealistic - because launch costs are much too high today; or because it is too far away. So why do we believe that it is important to continue to do researches on SPS? The reason is very simple. Humans are going to need huge amounts of electric power in coming decades. Within 50 years the world population is expected to double, while economic growth will continue around the world, especially in the poorer countries. But existing energy sources already face serious problems. They are limited; they are polluted; they are dangerous. So 50 or 100 years from now, where is our power going to come from? Nobody knows. And so we believe that new large-scale possibilities should be studied further. We must remember that humans have some choices concerning our future. To some extent we can choose the direction in which our civilization develops. And choices that are made in the coming decades - such as the energy sources that we will or will not use, will have major, long-term meaning for human life on earth. We believe that if research continues to show that SPS is environmentally and economically attractive, SPS will open the door to a much more attractive future for human civilization than any ground-based energy source, and one that the public will support and that young people will find challenging and exciting. Furthermore energy from SPS can be readily used in developing countries, as the SPS 2000 project will show, thus aiding economic development worldwide. In addition, by creating large commercial fund for space engineering, SPS will open the frontier of space to economic development, thus creating a limitless new field for the growth of the world economy. The writer's attitude towards the research can best be summarized by the saying " _ ". A. In time of peace prepare for war B. Put the cart before the horse C. One man's meat is another man's poison D. Easier said than done Answer: A. In time of peace prepare for war Question: Almost anywhere in the world, you can probably see graffiti . Although it's usually more common in big cities, it can be found in almost any community, big or small. The problem with graffiti art is the question of whether it's really art. This isn't always an easy question to answer, simply because there are so many different types of graffiti. While some simply consists of collections of letters, known as tags, with little artistic value, such examples are easy to find, especially on larger spaces such as walls. If it weren't for the fact that most graffiti is placed on private property without permission, it might be more commonly recognized as a legal form of art. Most graffiti, however, annoys the property owner, who is more likely to paint over it or remove it than accept it as art. Many ways of removing graffiti have been developed, such as paints that dissolve graffiti paint, or make it easy to remove. Community groups and government departments often organize graffiti-removal teams. It hardly makes sense to encourage artists to deface private or public property; but perhaps there are ways to work with them rather than just oppose them. Graffiti artists can, for example, create murals for property owners, and get paid for them. Maybe we need to start at a very basic level, and find a way to encourage the creation of graffiti art on paper or canvas rather than on walls. After all, who would remember Monet or Picasso if they'd created their masterpieces on walls, only to have them painted over the next day? Finding a solution to such a complex problem is never going to be easy, but with more and more graffiti art being recognized in galleries around the world, we do need to try. The reason why people remove graffiti is that it _ . A. makes buildings ugly B. has no artistic value at all C. robs private property D. takes up too much space Answer: A. makes buildings ugly
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. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? My grandmother was a master gardener. She could make anything bloom . Even me. For most of her life, she lived on a farm in the mountains of North Carolina, where she raised four children, buried a husband, and watched the changing of the seasons. After my parents divorced , my dad moved back to the farm. I visited on weekends or holidays. While my dad ate my grandmother's vegetables, I breathed in her flowers. I was a skinny kid, but her flowers filled a thousand hungry places in my soul. When my regular farm tasks were done, I was free to climb the mountain, singing songs and gathering flowers. Sometimes the plants scratched me. My grandmother would say: "Beauty has a price. I hope it was worth it." "Yes, ma'am," I'd say. "It was." Then I'd scratch some more. I loved gathering flowers on my own. But what I loved best was gathering them with her. I walked behind her like a sponge with legs, trying to soak it all up. At the end of the day, we'd sort the flowers and make bouquets : One for the living room, one for the kitchen, and three for the bedrooms. Even then, as a child, I knew what I needed most from my grandmother was not her flowers, but her time. She's been gone for years, but sometimes, when I reach down to pick a flower or pull a weed, I see her hand, not mine. I thought I'd grow up to be a gardener too. I told myself, someday, when my children had children, I'd be a gardening grandma. Then the grandbabies started showing up, and I discovered I'd much rather chase after them than go digging. The truth is, I'm no gardener. I'm a picker, not a planter. I differ from my grandmother in lots of ways, but this: I will always carry within me a heart she made from her own. They don't need to plant a garden. My children are my flowers. Delight and complete me with a beauty that is worth any price. All I need to do is care for them with time, water them with love, and hope that someday, when they hold their first grandchild, they might see my hand. We can infer from the article that the author _ . Marlon Brando is widely considered the greatest movie actor of all time. He was born in Omaha Nebraska in 1924. He was named after his father, a salesman. His mother, Dorothy, was an actress in the local theater. Marlon Brando moved to New York City when he was 19 years old in 1943. He took acting classes at the New School for Social Research. One of his teachers was Stella Adler, who taught the "Method" style of realistic acting. The Method teaches actors how to use their own memories and emotions to identify with the characters they are playing. Marlon Brando learned the Method style quickly and easily. Critics said he was probably the greatest Method actor ever. One famous actress commented on his natural ability for it. She said teaching Marlon Brando the Method was like sending a tiger to jungle school. Marlon Brando appeared in several plays. He got his first major part in a Broadway play in 1947, at the age of 23. He received great praise for his powerful performance at Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams' play, A Streetcar Named Desire. His fame grew when he acted the same part in the movie version, released in 1951. Marlon Brando won the Best Actor Oscar for The God Father, but he rejected it. He sent a woman named Sasheen Littlefeather to speak for him at the Academy Awards ceremony. She said that Brando could not accept the award because of the way the American film industry treated Native Americans. The people at the Academy Awards ceremony did not like the speech. But some experts think the action helped change the way American Indians were shown in movies. Marlon Brando acted in about forty movies. He was nominated for a total of eight Academy Awards. But he earned a "bad boy" reputation for his public outbursts and unusual behaviours. According to Los Angeles magazine, "Brando was rock and roll before anybody knew what rock and roll was". His later life was marked with family tragedies. His son Christian went to prison for killing his daughter Cheyene's boyfriend. Cheyene later committed suicide. Brando became lonely. He worked occasionally for the money. But, in his prime, Marlon Brando was an actor other actors could only hope to become. The speech at the Academy Awards ceremony _ at the time. More than two decades ago, a 10-year-old schoolgirl threw a bottle into the sea off the coast of Hull as she went on a ship on a family holiday, hoping to get a response from a stranger in a faraway land. Inside the bottle was a scrawled letter from Zoe Lemon, a youngster with a love of "ballet, playing the flute and the piano", who had just boarded a ship heading for a holiday in Germany. She told her expected recipients of her pet hamster and fish, both called Sparkle, and her parents who were both teachers. Miss Lemon, of Salford, Greater Manchester, soon forgot about her act of fantastic, eventually marrying and having a child herself. But this Christmas she was extremely surprised to receive a reply after 23 years. It turned out to be a reply to her letter from Piet and Jacqueline Lateur from near Rotterdam. Mr Lateur was walking his dog in the Oosterschelde dykes , near where he and his wife live in Serooskerke, when he found the bottle with Zoe's letter inside. Mrs Averianov, 33, who works in a jewellery shop, said: "It's been a bit crazy really. My parents came to visit on Christmas day and they had this letter from Europe addressed to my , Lemon. Since receiving the letter, Mrs Averianov has been in contact with Mr Lateur via email and asked to see photographs of where the bottle was found. He told her: "I am keeping your little letter on my piano. I know you are no longer a little girl but you asked me to write you so I have." Mrs Averianov's father, John Lemon, 68, had encouraged his daughter to throw the message into the sea on a family holiday and now she is considering doing the same for her five-year-old son Maksim. She said: "I'll probably wait until he's a bit older and can understand and write a letter, but maybe we'll do it by attaching it to a balloon." From , (Jan,2014) Which of the following can be the best title of the passage? My name is Daniel. Let me talk about my day. I get up at 6:30 a.m. and I read English for about half an hour. I eat breakfast at about 7:10 a.m. I go to school by bus at about 7:40 a.m. My school starts at 8:20 a.m. In the morning, I have three lessons. I like English best. At 11:20 a.m., we have lunch at school. After lunch, on Monday and Thursday, I go to the school library. On Tuesday and Friday, I go to the art room. And on Wednesday, I go to English Club. We have our class at 2:30 p.m., and we only have two lessons in the afternoon. School is over at 4:00 p.m. We can go home on the school bus. We always have a good time at school. What does Daniel do after lunch on Wednesday?
Last year more than 13 Korean TV series were introduced in China. Turn on the TV, and Korean beauties are appearing during peak viewing times . Some of the dramas are being _ , but audiences continue to watch them. Why are the South Korean TV series loved by so many Chinese people? Cheng Yiting, a student from East China Normal University, gives us her reasons. She thinks that the good-looking actors with cool clothes and the beautiful sight in the dramas are the selling points for South Korean TV dramas. But what attracted the young audiences most is the pure and moving love stories. And it seems that South Korean TV series has also won the hearts of middle-aged people. They are touched by the morals in the shows. These include the importance of respecting elders and social order. Though some people think South Korean TV series are too slow and too long, most of the Chinese audiences like them. Maybe we are really tired of Western TV series. Compared with that, South Korean TV series are not bad. What is the main reason why South Korean TV series are popular? A. The series are slow and long. B. The actors wear cool clothes. C. The stories with morals in them are pure and moving. D. The actors are cool. Answer: C Thanksgiving is an important festival in North America. We interviewed several students from the US and Canada. Here is what they have told us about their Thanksgiving experiences. Josie from New York, USA "In America, Thanksgiving is celebrated every year at the end of November. It is to remember the first group of people from Europe to live in America. When they first arrived, they found the environment strange. But they learned to survive after some native American friends showed them how to grow and find food. Thanksgiving is meant to be a traditional celebration." Todd from California, USA "Thanksgiving is the first day of Christmas shopping. That means we have four weeks to buy Christmas presents for our families and friends. For me and my friends, the most important part of the festival is the big football game on TV. The match is watched by millions of people all over America. Thanksgiving is seen as an exciting day for football!" Ian from Saskatoon, Canada In Canada, Thanksgiving is held on the 2nd Monday in October. On the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day, many people go to church. Thanks is given for all the good things that happened to them during the year. I always give thanks for the nice big turkey I'm going to have at the family dinner! Like all festivals, Thanksgiving is about food! Katie from Maritimes, Canada On Thanksgiving Day, we have dinner with all our cousins, aunts and uncles. It is always very busy. Sometimes we have two Thanksgiving dinners because we go to both our grandparents' houses. The dinner is usually attended by more than twenty people at each house! My mother and my aunts do all the cooking but the washing-up is done by me and my cousins. And that's not an easy job! But I don't mind because Thanksgiving is meant to be a time to give thanks. For what reasons do people give thanks at Thanksgiving? A. All the good things that have happened B. Presents, a big turkey C. Grandparents, food D. Football, traditions Answer: A For Yali Liu, the hardest thing about UK higher education is having to go to the pub. "It's how much you need to invest socially with other students," she says. "I don't like going to a pub or club, but people just keep going out and I feel the pressure to go out too." This is because, unlike in China, she says, there is so much emphasis during the course on teamwork and group projects, so socialising with other students - especially British people, is crucial. Liu, 23, who is in her final year of a BSc in business administration at the University of Bath, is one of more than 80,000 Chinese students studying in UK universities. They are responsible for a large proportion of the more than PS10bn a year that international students contribute to the UK economy. However, research shows that where their academic attainment is concerned, the picture is not satisfactory. While nearly 58% of all students - and 45% of overseas students graduated with a first-class degree last year, this was true of only 35% of students from China. To find an explanation, Zhiqi Wang and Ian Crawford, lecturers at the University of Bath, compared the performance of Chinese and British undergraduates in each year of their degree. Taking a sample of 100 British and Chinese students and comparing their average marks and final degree classification, they found a dramatic drop in performance among the Chinese students between year one, when they performed better than their UK counterparts, and year two, when they performed worse. They believe the drop results from two factors. First, Chinese students fail to adapt their approaches to learning and so their performance declines in the later years when the complexity of the work increases. Second, many young people in China enroll in higher education due to pressure from family rather than their own motivation. Professor Sedghi thinks part of the problem may be the changing socio-economic background of Chinese undergraduates. While 85% of Chinese students at British universities before 2000 were mature students, often funded by the government, since 2004, however, they have been younger, most funded by their families. Maybe UK institutions need to work harder to take into account what a big challenge it is for young people from a radically different culture and linguistic background to adapt to life in the UK. "We need to do more, contacting students before their arrival, assigning them tutors, encouraging peer-assisted learning, for example," says Sedghi. What can be inferred about Yali Liu from the passage? A. She is not good at socialising with local students. B. She is bored with the teamwork and group projects. C. Her family can't afford her education in the UK. D. The university won't award her a first-class degree. Answer: A The Internet can show you lots of jobs all over the world. If you want to find a job on the Internet, use the words "job search" or "employment " to find the websites you need. You only need to type in what you want and where you want to work. In a few seconds, a list of jobs will appear on the screen. You can also type in the name of a company to learn about jobs there. Many websites list full-time and summer jobs. Job search websites can help you in other ways, too. They show you how to write a good resume and how to get ready for an interview . They also tell you what to say to an interviewer on the telephone. Some websites give you interview conversations to practice. One website even has a dictionary of interview words. A good employment website can be a big help in your job search. Good luck with your job-hunting. What should you do first if you want to find a job on the Internet? A. To type in "job search" or "employment" to find the websites. B. To write a good resume. C. To get ready for an interview. D. To get an English dictionary. Answer: A I am a senior in high school. For four years I have been a member of the marching band at my school---four years of commitment to an organization of 150 kids, four teachers and 100 parents working from August to June of every school year. For four years, my mom has been there for me---never complaining and never receiving a "Thanks, mom." My mom is pretty much a supermom and, unfortunately, it took me some seventeen years to realize it. "Driver" is probably a more appropriate name for her. Every concert, every competition, every football game, my mom was there with a smile, and always stayed to watch. When she couldn't be there, she would be waiting for me when the bus pulled in to the school's parking lot. She actually enjoyed arriving at the school at 10:30 at night just for me to tell her that I was going out with my friends and that I needed twenty dollars instead of a ride home. Now that I'm a senior, I have my own car and drive myself to my football games and concerts. My mother still comes to watch me. Recently, my band was invited to play for a celebration. When the bus pulled up to the flagpole in front of my high school, I had the strangest feeling. Something was missing. I found myself nervously searching for my mom in the parking lot. I needed to tell her I didn't need a ride home; I was going out. I then realized my mother was at home and probably in bed. I never realized how much I took her for granted until she wasn't there. When I got home that night, I woke her up and told her I loved her and I missed her. I told my mom that I really appreciated all the times she had driven me back and forth. I told her I was glad she embarrassed me all those times, because I knew that it just meant she loved me, too. My mom looked back at me with tears and a big smile. The author called his mother a "driver" because _ . A. his mother always drove him to activities B. his mother loved to drive C. his mother had to drive him to school every day D. he didn't like his mother's driving him to school. Answer: A
Baby chicks peck their way out of their shells when they hatch. This activity is an example of which of the following types of behavior? A instinctive B learned C planned D social Answer: A. instinctive Which best describes transportation technology? A a system that is used to move people and products B an enterprise that changes raw materials into goods C the building and finishing of structures D the conversion of mechanical energy into heat energy Answer: A. a system that is used to move people and products Hello, I'm Frank. I'm twenty-four years old. I live in Shanghai now. There are many tall buildings, big houses and busy streets in this city. My flat is on the eighth floor of a ten-floor building. There is a nice park. In the morning, there are many people doing exercise in it. My flat is small. It has no kitchen. There is only one bedroom. It looks nice and tidy. My favorite place is the balcony . I often sit on the balcony to have a rest . I work in a restaurant on a busy street. It is a good place to meet friends and taste nice food. I'm always busy cooking food and making coffee for the customers . When I'm free, I'll help the waiters clean the chairs and tables. Sometimes I feel a little tired, but I'm happy here. What is Frank's flat like? A It's small and busy. B It's big and tidy. C It's small and tidy. D It's big and busy. Answer: C. It's small and tidy. Tomorrow is Mother's Day. Susan wants to give a present to her mother. Father tells her to go to the shop and try to find something. Susan hurries to the shopping center and goes to the women's store. She has $3.00. First she thinks she will get her mother something to wear. Then she thinks she will buy something for her to use . But she only has $3.00. She can't buy any nice dress. She sees a nice red hat. She knows her mother will like it. But it is too expensive. It is $10.00. The saleslady looks at her and then looks at the hat. She takes off the price tag and says, "That's exactly $3.00. " Why doesn't Susan buy the dress? A She doesn't like it. B Her mother doesn't like it. C The dress is not beautiful. D She doesn't have much money with her. Answer: D. She doesn't have much money with her. Gwendolyn Brooks wrote hundreds of poems during her lifetime. She was known around the world for using poetry to increase understanding of black culture in America. During the 1940's and the 1950's, Gwendolyn Brooks used her poems to describe conditions among the poor,racial inequality and drug use in the black community. She also wrote poems about the struggles of black women. But her skill was more than her ability to write about struggling black people. She combined traditional European poetry styles with the African American experience. Gwendolyn Brooks once said that she wrote about what she saw and heard in the street. She said she found most of her materials through looking out of the window of her second-floor apartment in Chicago, Illinois. In her early poetry, Gwendolyn Brooks wrote about the South Side of Chicago, where many black people live. In her poems, the South Side is called Bronzeville. It was "A Street in Bronzeville" that gained the attention of literary experts in 1945. Critics praised her poetic skills and her powerful descriptions about the black experience during the time. The Bronzeville poems were her first published collection. In 1950, Gwendolyn Brooks became the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Literature. She won the prize for her second book of poems called "Annie Allen". "Annie Allen" is a collection of poetry about a Bronzeville girl as a daughter, a wife and a mother. She experiences loneliness, loss, death andpoverty . Gwendolyn Brooks said that winning the prize changed her life. Her next work was a novel written in 1953 called "Maud Martha". "Maud Martha" attracted little attention when it was first published. But now it is considered an important work by some critics. Its main ideas about the difficult lives of many women are popular among female writers today. Gwendolyn Brooks became world-famous because _ . A she was an expert on the language of poetry B she introduced black culture by writing poems C she fought for black rights by writing poems D her poems showed the lives of black women Answer: B. she introduced black culture by writing poems
New York University (NYU) is one of the best universities in the United States and it has just opened a school in Shanghai in partnership with East China Normal University(ECNU). The arrival of the American university on China mainland is an example of what is being called the "globalization" of education and it is hoped that this trend will influence the quality of education in all of China's universities by raising the standard of teaching. NYU Shanghai's class of 2017(students will graduate in 2017) is made up of 295 students from China, America and other countries. The students will study liberal arts courses for two years before choosing a major and when they graduate, they will receive a degree from NYU and a degree from ECNU. All the classes will be taught in English, using the teaching methods in American universities. Students will be pushed to take risks in the classroom, pushed to speak up and pushed to say things that are not completely correct, which can make them understand that it's OK for them to make mistakes in class. This style of learning will be challenging for many Chinese students, because they will be mixed with the foreign students both in the classroom and in the dormitory. Living and studying with foreigners day to day will provide Chinese students with a cultural as well as academic education and it's hoped that this cross-cultural experience will benefit them when they seek jobs in the competitive global market. China's interest in partnering with foreign universities comes at a time when western universities are trying to expand. They realize that information, technology and business are now borderless; they also realize education should be borderless too. This trend will have a deep effect on bringing the world closer together and the students at NYU Shanghai should be excited to be on the leading edge of this trend. Why are the western universities trying to expand? Answer: Because they think the education resources should be shared. The computer keyboard helped kill shorthand---a system of rapid handwriting, and now it's threatening to finish off handwriting as a whole. When handwritten essays were introduced on the SAT exams for the class of 2011, just 15% of the most 1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive .The rest? Block letters. And those college hopefuls are just the first edge of a wave of US students who no longer get much handwriting instructions in the primary grades, frequently 10 minutes a day or less. As a result, more and more students struggle to read and write cursive. At Keene Mill Elementary School in Springfield, all their poems and stories are typed. Children in Fairfax County schools are taught keyboarding beginning in kindergarten. Older students who never mastered handwriting say it doesn't affect their grades. There are those who say the culture is at a crossing, turning from the written word to the typed one. If handwriting becomes a lost form of communication, does it matter? It was at University of Virginia that researchers recently discovered a previously unknown poem by Robert, written in his unique script. Handwritten documents are more valuable to researchers, historians say, because their authenticity can be confirmed. Students also find them more fascinating. The loss of handwriting also may be a cognitive opportunity missed. Several academic studies have found that good handwriting skills at a young age can help children express their thoughts better-a lifelong benefit. It doesn't take much to teach better handwriting skills. At some schools in Prince George's County, elementary school students use a program called Handwriting Without Tears for 15 minutes a day. They learn the correct formation of manuscript letters through second grade, and cursive letters in third grade. There are always going to be some kids who struggle with handwriting because of their particular neurological wiring, learning issues or poor motor skills. Educators often point to this factor in support of keyboarding. The example of Handwriting Without Tears helps to argue that _ . Answer: it doesn't take much to teach better handwriting skills Some countries have a large number of earthquakes. Japan is one of them, while others do not have many, for example, there are few earthquakes in Britain. There is often a great noise during an earthquake. The ground vibrates .Houses fall down. Railways are broken, which causes trains to turn over. Sometimes thousands of people are killed in different ways. About 60,000 were killed in 1783 in the south of Italy. Some people say that earthquakes often happen near volcanoes , but it is not true. The centres of some earthquakes are under the sea. The bottom of the sea suddenly moves. The powerful forces inside the earth break the rocks. The coast is shaken and great waves appear. These waves travel long distances and rush over the land when they reach it, breaking down houses and other buildings. Sometimes they break more buildings than the earthquake itself. A terrible earthquake happened in Assam, India, in 1986.The land near Shillong suddenly moved 1.5 feet to one side, and then back again. It continued to act like this 20 times a minute.Few buildings could stand what was happening and the great stones flew four feet up into the air. What kind of building stays up best in an earthquake? The Americans carefully studied the results of the earthquake at San Francisco(1906) and believed it best for buildings to be made with concrete walls together by steel frames. Such are the buildings that can't burn or fall easily. _ make(s) more loss than the earthquake itself. Answer: Terrible waves by the earthquake The food in America is different from (......) that in China. The American people eat a lot of potatoes. They like to eat them every day. They often eat bread. They eat it with cheese, butter or jam . Cheese and butter are made from milk. The American people drink a lot of milk. They put it in the tea. They also drink coffee. And they like meat or fish with vegetables. After the meal, they have something sweet,it's dessert. Cheese is made from _ . Answer: milk "ABC"and "Banana Persons" You may know the English letters A, B and C. But do you know there are people called "ABC"? You may like eating bananas. But do you know there are people called "banana persons"? If you don't know, I will tell you. They are Chinese people like you and me, but they aren't in China.Why do people call them like that? "ABC" means American-born Chinese. An "ABC" is a Chinese, but was born in the United States. Sometimes, people also call them "banana persons". A banana is yellow outside and white inside. So when a person is a banana, he or she is white (American) inside and yellow (Chinese) outside. They are born in America and they live in America for a long time. Even their nationality is American. So they think like Americans and do things like Americans. But they still have Chinese blood . Their parents, grandparents or even great-grandparents were from China.They all have black eyes and black hair. So they look like us Chinese people. For example, we all know the famous scientist C.N.Yang. He is an "ABC" and he is a "banana person". We like him, although his nationality isn't Chinese. Why do people call an "ABC" a "banana person"? Answer: They look like Chinese but they think like Americans.
Bill Javis took over our village news-agency at a time of life when most of us only want to relax. He just thought he would like something but not too much to do, and the news-agency was ready-made. The business produced little enough for him, but Bill was a man who only wanted the simplicity and order and regularity of the job. He had been a long-serving sailor, and all his life had done everything by the clock. Every day he opened his shop at six a.m. to catch the early trade; the papers arrived on his door-step before that. Many of Bill's customers were city workers, and the shop was convenient for the station. Business was _ by 10 o'clock, so at eleven sharp Bill closed for lunch. It was hard luck on anybody who wanted a paper or magazine in the afternoon, for most likely Bill would be down on the river bank, fishing, and his nearest competitor was five kilometers away. Sometime in the afternoon, the evening paper landed on the doormat, and at 4 o'clock Bill reopened. The evening rush lasted till seven, and it was worthwhile. He lived in a flat above the shop, alone. Except in the very bad weather, you always knew where to find him in the afternoon, as I have said. Once, on a sunny afternoon, I walked home along the river bank from a shopping trip to the village. By my watch it was three minutes past four, so I was astonished to see Bill sitting there on his little chair with a line in the water. He had had no luck, I could see, but he was making no effort to move. "What's wrong, Bill?" I called out from the path. For answer, he put a hand in his jacket and took out a big, golden object. For a moment I had no idea what it could be, and then it suddenly went off with a noise like a fire engine. Stopping the bell, Bill held the thing up and called back, "Ten to four, you see, and this is dead right." I had never known anyone carrying a brass alarm clock round with him before. Bill opened the shop so early in the day because _ . Answer: First lady Michelle Obama has some advice for some Tennessee High School graduates: Strike your own path in college and life and work to overcome inevitable difficulties with determination and courage. The first lady told the 170 graduates that she spent too much of her own time in college focusing on academic achievements. While her success in college and law school led to a high-profile job, she said, she ended up leaving to focus on public service. "My message to all of you today is this: Do not waste a minute living someone else's dream,"she said. "It takes a lot of real work to discover what brings you joy... and you won't find what you love simply by checking boxes or padding your GPA ." She said the school reminded her of her own high school experience in Chicago. "My No. 1 goal was to go to a high school that would push me and challenge me," she said. "I wanted to go somewhere that would celebrate achievement. A place where academic success wouldn't make me a target of teasing or bullying, but instead would be a badge of honour." But Mrs. Obama said pitifully that not all students have the same opportunities. "Unfortunately, schools like this don't exist for every kid," she said. "You are lucky." The first lady told graduates that failure may be a part of their college lives and careers, and that how they respond to any difficulties will define them. "That's when you find out what you're really made of in those hard times," she said. "But you only do that if you're willing to put yourself a position where you might fall." Overcoming difficulties has been the hallmark of many great people, she said. "There's this guy Barack Obama... he lost his first race for Congress, and now he gets to call himself my husband." The first lady joked: "I could take up a whole afternoon talking about his failures." Michelle mentioned Obama as an example of _ . Answer: People have strange ideas about food. For example, the tomato is a kind of very delicious vegetable. It is one of useful plants that can be prepared in many ways. It has rich nutrition and vitamin in it. But in the 18thcentury, Americans never ate tomatoes. They grew them in their gardens because tomato plants are so pretty. But they thought the vegetable was poisonous . They called tomatoes "poison apples." President Thomas Jefferson, however, knew that tomatoes were good to eat. He was a learned man. He had been to Paris, where he learned to love the taste of tomatoes. He grew many kinds of tomatoes in his garden. The President taught his cook a way for a cream of tomato soup. This beautiful pink soup was served at the President's party. The guests thought the soup tasted really good. They never thought their president would serve his honored guests poison apples. Jefferson never spoke to his honored guests about the fact. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true? Answer: Mary got a little white lamb . She tied it to a tree in her field during the day and went to take it home every evening. One evening, she found the lamb gone. Someone had cut the rope and stolen the lamb. When her husband came home, she told him what had happened. Henry at once set out to look for the thief. It was easy to find the thief in the small village. Henry heard that his neighbor Alex got a lamb. He went to the neighbors' house and said angrily, "Return the lamb to me, or I'll call the police." Alex explained that he had bought a lamb, but it was black. Henry looked out of the window. There in the garden was a little black lamb. He felt ashamed. Then he apologized to his neighbour. While they were talking, it began to rain. He stayed in Alex's house until the rain stopped. When he went outside, he was surprised to see the lamb changed. The lamb, which had been black half an hour before, was now almost white. "What colour on earth is the lamb," Henry wondered, "black or white?" Which of the sentences is right? Answer: If a snake bites you, take a photo with your mobile phone! It save your life. This is the surprising advice of a British cook. One day Henry Jackson was working in a restaurant kitchen. He picked up a dish from a table, and suddenly a snake appeared and bit him on the hand. A few days earlier, the snake came to the restaurant from Asia in a box of bananas. It climbed out of the box and hid under the dish. " I tried to pick it up and it bit me. I threw it away, but it landed in the fridge. So I closed the door." Jackson said. Anyway, Jackson was cool and he took a photo of the snake with his mobile phone. Soon his hand began to ache and he went to hospital. Then his chest began to hurt. Doctors couldn't say what was wrong because they didn't know what kind of snake it was. Then Jackson remembered his mobile phone photo. The doctors sent it to London Zoo. When they knew the kind of snake, they could give Jackson the right medicine, and he left hospital the next day. " So my advice is this: If a snake bits you, pick up your phone. Take its photo first and then call the hospital. Show the photo to the doctors," suggests Mr. Jackson. " Oh, and if the snake doesn't smile for its photo, don't worry!" The text tells us if we are in danger and have a phone with us, it will help us to do _ thing. Answer:
Best Ways to Save Money on Holiday Shopping Black Friday and Cyber Monday-that's amateur hour. These holiday shopping tips will help yousave big bucks on your own. Track prices online Websites like Amazon and Bestbuy.com are constantly adjusting the prices of items, meaning knowledgeable shoppers can keep their eye out for savings if they check back frequently. But who hasthe time to refresh every few hours? Try camelcamelcamel.com.Search for any item (say, a Furby for the kids) and track its price history-it' ll show you a graph and the highest and lowest price positionsit' s had over the past several days. Close to the lowest point? Snatch it up now. Believe in the Invisible Hand If you' re big on online shopping, visit getinvisiblehand.com to install(set up for use) the Invisible Hand extension on your computer or download the official iPhone app. Whenever you' re browsing for items online from retailers like Lowe's or Sears, it'll automatically search alternatives and notify you if there's a better deal elsewhere. Try shopping on a Tuesday According to a recent New York Times report, online retailers tend to offer the best deals on Tuesdays .Better yet, try Tuesday morning. That same report suggests sales tend to go live early. You can also try shopping late. It' s true that sales start in the early morning hours. But Business Insider notes that if you shop after 6:00 p.m., some retailers will already have sales for the next day activated, allowing you to get great deals without setting your alarm. If you want to get the latest information on updated shopping lists, you may _ . A come to getinvisiblehand.com B read the holiday shopping tips C visit camelcamelcamel.com D download it from the official site Answer: C He was 11 years old and went fishing every chance he got from the dock at his family's cabin on an island in the middle of a New Hampshire lake. On the day before the bass season opened, he and his father were fishing early in the evening, catching sunfish and perch with worms. Then he tied on a small silver lure and practiced casting. The lure struck the water and caused colored ripples in the sunset, then silver ripples as the moon rose over the lake. When his pole doubled over, he knew something huge was on the other end. Finally, he very gingerly lifted the exhausted fish from the water. It was the largest one he had ever seen, but it was a perch . The boy and his father looked at the handsome fish. Then the father lit a match and looked at his watch. It was 10 P.M.--- two hours before the season opened. He looked at the fish, then at the boy. "You'll have to put it back, son," he said. "Dad!" cried the boy. "There will be other fish," said his father. "Not as big as this one," cried the boy. He looked around the lake. No other fishermen or boats were anywhere around in the moonlight. He looked again at his father. Even though no one had seen them, nor could anyone ever know what time he caught the fish, the boy could know everything by his father's clear voice that the decision could not be changed. He slowly worked the hook out of the lip of the huge bass and lowered it into the black water. The creature swished its powerful body and disappeared. The boy suspected that he would never again see such a great fish. That was 34 years ago. Today, the boy is a successful architect in New York City. His father's cabin is still there on the island in the middle of the lake. He takes his own son and daughters fishing from the same dock. He was right. He has never again caught such a magnificent fish as the one he landed that night long ago. But he does see that same fish---again and again---every time he comes up against a question of ethics . When did the story happen? A Early morning B Late afternoon C Late night D In the bass season Answer: C Dear Jenny, Gary is having a _ party after Month Exam! He invites all of us to come! Since it is a potluck party, I think I will bring some beef noodles. As I know, Lily will take care of the drinks and Gina will bring a big homemade chocolate cake. Can you ask your mom to buy us some KFC fried chicken? You know it is too far for all of us to ride a bike there, but your mom often drives there. We can pay the bill together. Just think about how surprised our classmates will feel when they see what we prepare! Isn't it great? The party will start at noon on March 25, so be sure to be at Gary's place around 11:30 to prepare for the party. By the way, don't forget to invite Amy, who is good at music. If you have any other questions, just call me or write me back. Take care! Leo Why does Leo ask Jenny's mom to buy fried chicken? A Jenny lives close to the restaurant B He is afraid of spending much money C It is far away for them to ride to buy it. D He is busy preparing for the exam Answer: C Don't wash your hair every day. Here's why: It will be easier to style. If you've ever washed your hair just before going to the salon to get another better look, you will be told by the stylist, freshly washed and dried hair isn't as easy to work with as hair that was washed a day or two ago. Your color will last longer. If you color your hair, washing daily can _ your color and lead to more trips to the salon. Keep your hair looking bright by only washing every other day. When you wash your hair, do so with a shampoo so that you can make sure the color doesn't lose. It will be healthier. The more you wash your hair, the more you're removing your hair's natural oil. That's right - too much time with the shampoo can really mean your hair become less soft and shining. Over-washing can dry hair out, which isn't a good idea. Keep your hair healthy by avoiding washing your hair every day. Washing and drying take a lot of time for those of us with long hair. By cutting back on styling time, you will have more time to get ready, sleep or even fit in a quick jog or trip to the gym. In the writer's opinion, washing hair daily is _ . A a waste of time B necessary and important C a good way of saving time D like a quick jog or trip to the gym Answer: A Earthquakes can be very scary . But you need to keep your mind stable in order to make sure you are safe. Be calm and try not to run here and there. If you manage to come out of your house, go to an open space like a garden or a park where you will be a lot safer. If you live quite some floors above in your building, try to find a place near a bulky object such as a bed. Curl up and sit on the floor and make sure you are not near a window, fireplace, gas stove and so on. Remember don't use lifts or escalators. Some people say you should stand on a doorway. That is not true. If the doorway jambs are weak, they might fall on you. Also if people want to pass through that door, you may stop them. Leave all doorways free. Another important thing to keep in mind is that you mustn't climb down the stairs during an Earthquake. If the tremors stop, after a few seconds, just climb down the stairs as quickly as you can and move out of the building, but don't run. Earthquakes usually destroy gas pipes and electrical wires. Turn off the main gas. And don't light candles or lighters and create an even bigger disaster. If you're driving and feel a shake, stop your car at the side of the road and get out. Make sure you are not on a bridge. Bridges and overhead roads have the biggest danger of falling. It can be learned from the passage that _ . A keeping calm in time of earthquake is very important. B measures should be taken to make buildings stronger. C Knowledge of first aid must be used in an earthquake. D lots of things must be done to survive an earthquake. Answer: A
Robots make me nervous-especially the ones which seem to think for themselves.I was embarrassed to admit this till I heard that Bill Gates,the founder of Microsoft,felt the same way.Gates said in an interview with the website Reddit:"I am in the camp that is concerned about super intelligence.First the machines will do a lot of jobs for us and not be super intelligent.That should be positive if we manage well.A few decades after that though the intelligence is strong enough to be a concern." Well,maybe I don't have to worry about my laptop and kitchen appliances yet.After I use them I can always pull the plug.But in the future,machines might find a way to prevent us from switching them off.There's a scary thought! Professor Stephen Hawking warned a few months ago about the possibility that artificial intelligence could evolve and end up beyond human contro1.He suggested that machines could" _ the end of the human race". Maybe the problem with computers too clever for us is not that they are evil or rebellious.What could put us in danger is that they might be too efficient.That's what philosopher Nick Bostrom from the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University believes.He says that machines are indifferent to humans and in pursuit of their own goals,the destruction of people might be just collateral damage.A machine would not take pity on you. I'm glad my machines at home are"dumb".All my vacuum cleaner wants to take over is the carpet in my living room.Let's hope they don't create an appliance which wants to take over the world! What can be inferred about the author? A He doesn't agree with Bill Gates. B He is not content with the present kitchen appliances. C He is scared about the super intelligence of machines. D He expects that machines will take place of humans. Answer: C. He is scared about the super intelligence of machines. To protect you and your fellow passengers,the Transportation Security Administration(TSA)is required by law to inspect all checked baggage. As part of this process. some bags are opened and inspected. Your bag was among those selected for inspection During the inspection,your bag and its contents may have been searched for items forbidden by law such as fireworks,fuels,gun powder, etc. At the completion of the inspection,the contents were returned to your bag,which was resealed with a"special"1ock. If the TSA screener was unable to open your bag for inspection because it was locked,the screener may have been forced to break the locks on your bag TSA sincerely regrets having to do this,and has taken care to reseal your bag upon completion of inspection. However. TSA is not _ for damage to your locks resulting from this necessary security precaution . For packing tips and other suggestions that may assist you during your next trip,visit: WWW. TSATravelTips. us We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. If you have questions,comments,or concerns,please feel free to contact the Transportation Security Administration Consumer Response Center: Phone:toll--free at(866)289. . 9673 Email:TellTSA@tas. dot. gov Section 110(b)of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001,49. U, S. C. SS44901(c)(e) This leaflet is trying to_. A introduce one of the security acts B persuade people to contact TSA C inform people of baggage inspection D warn against the damage of locking the baggage Answer: C. inform people of baggage inspection Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. This is an old English saying. It means that we should go to bed early at night and get up early in the morning. If we do, we shall be healthy. We shall also be rich and clever. Is this true? Perhaps it is. The body must have enough sleep. Children of your age need ten hours' sleep every night. If you do not go to bed early, you can not have enough sleep. Then you can not think properly and you can not do your work properly. You will not be wise and you may not become wealthy! Some people go to bed late at night and get up late in the morning. This is not good for them. We should sleep at night when it is dark. The dark helps us to sleep well. When the daylight comes, we should get up. This is the time for exercise. If the body is not used, it will become weak. Exercise keeps it strong. Exercise helps the blood to move around inside the body. This is very important. Blood takes nutrition to all parts of our bodies. The brains in our heads also need blood. We think with our brains. If we keep our bodies healthy, and take exercise, we can think better! Our bodies also need air to breathe. Without air we will die. Get up early in the morning and we can have plenty of clean, fresh air. That will keep us healthy and happy. It's important for people to have enough sleep. If not, they _ . A may not be strong B may not become wealthy C can not think and do their work properly D will not get up early Answer: C. can not think and do their work properly It is always hard for a small fish to live in a big pond. Pluto's recent departure from the classical planet family clearly proves that size really matters. Astronomers voted on August 24 to create the first scientific definition of the word planet, and Pluto obviously didn't make the cut. It turned out to be only a "dwarf planet" . After weeks of heated debate, over 2,500 astronomers from 73 countries voted on the definition of a "planet" at a conference of the international Astronomical Union (IAU). According to the definition, a planet must have a clear neighborhood around its orbit. Pluto has widely been considered a planet since its discovery in 1930. Unfortunately, it has a special orbit which overlaps with Neptune's. It is all because, compared with Neptune, Pluto is very small. It is attracted by Neptune's gravity when the two planets get closer. According to IAU, a "dwarf planet" should have an orbit around the Sun. It will not have a clear neighborhood around its orbit, and must not be a satellite. The new classification means that the science textbooks will have to be updated. The solar system is now made up of the eight "classical planets," together with a number of dwarf planets. The classical planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The debate over Pluto's status started in 1992. After an advanced telescope was sent into space, astronomers started find a belt of objects, which lies beyond Neptune. The belt contains nearly 1,000 objects, including Pluto. As they continued the exploration, scientists recently discovered at least 41 dwarf planets at the edges of the solar system. There are at least two objects of a similar size to Pluto. It seems that even if the IAU had kept Pluto's status as a planet, the classical theory of nine planets in the solar system would have had to be changed, but the other way around. More dwarf, planets of a similar size to Pluto would join the family of planets. Scientists will probably find many more dwarf planets. The sentence "It is always hard for a small fish to live in a big pond" quoted in the beginning of the passage is used to _ . A tell us a small fish can hardly survive in the big pond B tell us the size of an object really matters C mean that a small planet can hardly exist in the solar system D explain the disappearanee of Pluto in the solar system Answer: B. tell us the size of an object really matters How many ecosystems does the earth contain? A a scant amount B a copious amount C a middling amount D a negligible amount Answer: B. a copious amount
Peter Rabbit is a character in various children's stories written by Beatrix Potter(1866-1943). Peter Rabbit made his first appearance in 1902 in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Peter doesn't obey his mother's orders and goes away. Mr.McGregor spots him and runs after him. Peter manages to escape, but not before losing his jacket and shoes, which Mr.McGregor uses to dress a scarecrow . Peter returns home tired and ill. In the Tale of Benjamin Bunny, first published in 1904, Peter's cousin Benjamin Bunny brings him back to Mr.McGregor's garden and they get back the clothes Peter lost in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. But after they gather onions to give to Peter's mother, they are caught by Mr.McGregor's cat. Benjamin's father arrives and rescues them, but also blames Peter and Benjamin for going into the garden. In this tale, Peter displays fear about returning to the garden. In the The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, first published in 1909, Peter has a small role and appears only briefly. He is grown up and his sister Flopsy is now married to Benjamin Bunny. The two are the parents of six little Flopsy-Bunnies. Peter and his mother keep a nursery garden and the bunnies come by asking him for spare cabbage. In the Tale of Mr. Tod, first published in 1912, Benjamin and Flopsy's children are taken away by Tommy Brock. Peter helps Benjamin run after Brock, who hides out in the house of the fox Mr. Tod. Mr. Tod finds Brock sleeping in his bed and as _ get into a fight, Peter rescues the children. Peter makes cameo appearances in two other tales. In The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, first published in 1905, Peter and Benjamin are customers of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, a hedgehog washerwoman. In The Tale of Ginger and Pickles, first published in 1909, Peter and other characters from Potter's previous stories make cameo appearances. In The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Peter _ . Answer: When I was at university,I studied very hard.But a lot of my friends did very little work.Some did just enough to pass exams.Others didn't do quite enough.Fred Baines was one of them.He spent more time drinking in the Students' Union than working in the library. Once at the end of the term,we had to take an important test in chemistry.The test had a hundred questions. In my room the night before the test,Fred was watching TV.Fred usually worried a lot the night before a test.But on that night he looked perfectly calm.Then he told me of his plan."It's very simple.There are a hundred questions and I have to get fifty correct to pass the test.I'll take a coin into the examination room.I haven't studied a chemistry book for months,so I'll just toss the coin.That way,I'm sure I'll get half the questions right." The next day,Fred came happily into the exam room.As he sat tossing a coin for half an hour he marked down his answers.Then he left,half an hour before the rest of us. The next day,he saw the chemistry professor in the corridor."Oh,good,"he said,"Have you got the result of the test?"The professor looked at him and smiled,"Ah,it's you,Baines.Just a minute."Then he reached into his pocket and took out a coin.He threw it into the air,caught it in his hand and looked at it. "I'm terribly sorry,Baines,"he said,"You failed!" The chemistry exam in fact _ . Answer: Many years ago, my dad was diagnosed with a serious heart condition. He was unable to work a steady job. He would be fine for a while, but would then fall suddenly ill and have to be admitted to the hospital. He wanted to do something to keep himself busy, so he decided to volunteer at the local children's hospital. My dad loved kids. It was the perfect job for him. He ended up working with the seriously ill children. He would talk, play, and do arts with them. One of his kids was a girl with a rare disease that paralyzed her from the neck down. She couldn't do anything, and she was very depressed. My dad decided to try to help her. He started visiting her in her room, bringing paints, brushes and paper. He stood the paper up, put the paintbrush in his mouth and began to paint. He didn't use his hands at all. All the while he would tell her, "See, you can do anything you set your mind to." At the end of the day, she began to paint using her mouth, and she and my dad became friends. Soon after, the little girl was sent home because the doctors felt there was nothing else they could do for her. My dad also left the children's hospital for a little while because he became ill. Some time later after my dad had recovered and returned to work, in came the little girl who had been paralyzed, but this time she was walking. She ran straight over to my dad and hugged him really tight. She gave him a picture she had done using her hands. At the bottom it read: "Thank you for helping me walk." My dad would cry every time he told us this story and so would we. He would say sometimes love is more powerful than doctors, and my dad - who died just a few months after the little girl gave him the picture - loved every single child in that hospital. How did the author's father help the paralyzed little girl? Answer: A proverb says "Time is money." But in my opinion , time is even more precious than money. Why? Because when money is spent, we can earn it back. However, when time is gone, it will never return. This is the reason why we must value time. The time we can use is limited . Therefore, even an hour is extremely precious. We should _ our time to do useful things. As students we must put more efforts into our lessons so as to serve society and our nation in the future. But it is a pity that there are a lot of people who do not know the importance of time. They spend their precious time smoking, drinking and chatting. They do not realize that wasting time is equal , we should form the good habit of saving time. Do not put off what can be done today until tomorrow. Money can't be the same as time because _ . Answer: When buying from a dealer, the law says that a car must be: As described: This includes the history of the car as well as its specification.For example, if the dealer described the car as previously having "one careful lady owner", it shouldn't turn out to have had several previous "boy racer" owners. Of satisfactory quality: It must meet the standard that a reasonable person would regard as acceptable and be free from any quality problem.Also, bear in mind that a second-hand car will have a slightly different definition of what is considered "satisfactory, because there's certainly an element of wear and tear. Fit for the purpose: It must be reasonable fit for any normal purpose and this includes any purpose that you specify to the seller. If any of the above is violated, then in theory, you may have the right to reject the vehicle and get your money back if you're reasonably quick. Alternatively, the dealer might offer to replace or repair the car; reduce the price of offering a partial refund .Once you've informed the dealer that you wish to reject the car , you must stop using the vehicle. If the rejection is not accepted, then it's up to you to prove your case. You'll need to pay for an independent assessment of the car and sue(,)for damages. If you do choose a repair, insist the dealer provide you with a hire car or pay any reasonable traveling expenses thus produced while your new car is in the garage. *If the car is new, it's likely that the claim will be too high to be fought. Using the small claims procedure to you may have to pay for legal representation. All this can be pretty _ and expensive. You need to weigh up the pros and cons before rejecting a car. Would a repair do just as well? Selecting a dealer who offers a clear exchange policy may help. After reading the passage, you will be better at _ . Answer:
Dear Flowermouse, Thank you for your comments on how Americans and Chinese view each other. This is an important subject. Modern technology has given many nations the chance of destroying other nations. This is a cruel picture but it is a realistic one. It means that every nation should make sure that these weapons of great destruction are never used. This requires greater acceptance of differences among people and nations in all parts of the planet. Your letter asks specially about Chinese-American relationships but I want to let you know my feelings on a global scale. Because China and America are the most powerful nations and I believe they have a special responsibility for promoting better understanding and for leading the way toward peaceful solutions to the world's problems. You ask how Chinese and American people view each other. This is an important question. Because I know so little about China that I am not able to judge how Chinese view Americans. I am sure that the view differs according to individual experiences that persons might have. And it is not easy to describe America to foreigners. America is a vast mass of people and cultures. These people came from all parts of the world, from Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe and Australia. Each brought a different culture and a different set of values within a single nation. I believe that the vast majority of Americans like the vast majority of Chinese want peace and friendship between our two nations. Both China and America have suffered through generations from war and violence in our history. And I believe that it is the special responsibility of all Chinese and all Americans to impress this need for mutual understanding on our neighbors in other. So my friend, this is my response. Please know that I write to you as a private person living in America. I do feel strongly that people everywhere have more in common than they have in differences. We all share the same basic needs for existence and we all depend upon the same need for the survival of this beautiful planet earth. Maybe we can begin to encourage better communication and better understanding through my columns. I hope so. From the passage we can know that Flowermouse _ . Answer: On Sept. 11, an unseen enemy launched an attack on economic, military and governmental Landmarks of the United States. Beyond the tremendous loss of innocent lives and physical property, the attack was clearly aimed at the ideals of America--our values and the economic system that has made the U.S. economy the envy of the world. Those responsible for these acts portray the United States as the embodiment of all that is evil With globalization and the worldwide economy it has spawned. They use the failures of globalization as an excuse to exploit their millions of constituents in the underdeveloped world. Sometime soon, the U.S. military will strike back against those who it is determined have committed these acts. A military response is appropriate - some would say overdue . But even if the military objective is achieved, that alone will not get to the heart of the matter. It is crucial that the U.S. economy return to full speed ahead and continue to be the driving force behind expansion of the global economy. Globalization, or at least the present phase of it, generally is viewed as having started with the end of the Cold War in 1989. And for all its shortcomings, the free flow of goods, services, capital and labor across the borders of the world's trading nations -- the process that has come to be called globalization--still offers the best chance to fulfill the dreams of so many of the world's poor. What does the passage mainly talk about? Answer: Facial expressions carry meaning that is determined by situations and relationships. For example, in American culture the smile is in general an expression of pleasure. Yet it also has other uses. A woman's smile at a police officer does not carry the same meaning as the smile she gives to a young child. A smile may show love or politeness. It can also hide true feelings. It often causes confusion across cultures. For example, many people in Russia smiling at strangers in public to be unusual and even improper. Yet many Americans smile freely at strangers in public places (although this is less common in big cities). Some Russians believe that Americans smile in the wrong places; some Americans believe that Russians don't smile enough. In Southeast Asian culture, a smile is frequently used to cover painful feelings. Vietnamese people may tell a sad story but end the story with a smile. Our faces show emotions, but we should not attempt to "read" people from another culture as we would "read" someone from our own culture. The fact that members of one culture do not express their emotions as openly as do members of another does not mean that they do not experience emotions. Rather, there are cultural differences in the amount of facial expressions permitted. For example, in public and in formal situations many Japanese do not show their emotions as freely as Americans do. When with friends, Japanese and Americans seem to show their emotions similarly. It is difficult to generalize about Americans and facial expressiveness because of personal and cultural differences in the United States. People from certain cultural backgrounds in the United States seem to be more facially expressive than others. The key is to try not to judge people whose ways of showing emotion are different. If we judge according to our own cultural habits, we may make the mistake of "reading" the other person incorrectly. What does the smile usually mean in the U.S.? Answer: On June 15th,2012,millions of people watched as 33yearold Nik Wallenda walked across one of the world's greatest waterfalls on a tightrope .What made the 25-minute walk that was televised live and watched by over 13 million people worldwide even more amazing,is that it was done over the Niagara Falls-An action that had never been attempted before. Even though Nik was wearing a harness ,a safety measure provided by ABC,the television network that broadcast the event,his action to keep his balance against the strong winds made for some heart-stopping moments for the audience. Nik,however,never slowed down for even one moment.Wearing special shoes made by his mother,he remained totally focused on the job at hand.It was only when he got to the last stretch near Canada's Table Rock that he knelt down on one knee and finally broke into a smile.Waving and blowing kisses to the cheering audience,he knew he had accomplished a great task,which most people had thought impossible. While he described the whole experience as peaceful and relaxing,Nik said his biggest challenges came from a totally unexpected source-his 40 pound balancing pole.The balancing pole was so heavy that he could hardly carry it on the tightrope. One would think that now that Nik has realized his lifelong dream he would be ready to hang up his "balancing pole".However,the adventurer who already has seven Guinness World Records under his belt,is just getting started-Next up? A 5,000-foot tightrope walk across the Grand Canyon.While the one across the Niagara Falls took years of planning because he had to convince the US and Canadian officials,this one should happen in the very near future.That's because,the Florida resident has already been granted a permit by the Canyon officials.5 What made the audience hold their breath during Nik's performance? Answer: Perhaps you have heard a lot about the Internet, but what is it, do you know? The Internet is a network. It uses the telephone to join millions of computers together around the world. Maybe that doesn't sound very interesting. But when you're joined to the Internet, there are lots and lots of things you can do. You can send E-mails to your friends, and they can get them in a few seconds. You can also do with all kinds of information on the World Wide Web (www). There are many different kinds of computers now. They all can be joined to the Internet. Most of them are small machines sitting on people's desks at home, but there are still many others in schools, offices or large companies. These computers are owned by people and companies, but no one really owns the Internet itself. There are lots of places for you to go into the Internet. For example, your school may have the Internet. You can use it during lessons or free time. Libraries often have computers joined to the Internet. You are welcome to use it at any time. Thanks to the Internet, the world is becoming smaller and smaller. It is possible for you to work at home with a computer in front, getting and sending the information you need. You can buy or sell whatever you want on the Internet. But do you know 98% of the information on the Internet is in English? So what will English be like tomorrow? What does the writer try to tell us in the last two sentences? Answer:
If a thing experiences a burning combustion, then it is Answer: damaged Visiting the forest zoo Come and see the Indian elephants and the new tigers from Northeast of China. The beautiful birds from England are ready to sing songs for you, and the monkeys from Mount Emei will be happy to talk to you. The lovely dogs from Australia want to laugh at you. Sichuan pandas will play balls for you. The giraffes from Africa are waiting to look down on you. Tickets Opening time Grown-ups : 3 yuan 9:00 a.m.--4:00 p.m. (Monday--Saturday) Children over 1.4 m : 2 yuan except Friday (closed) Children under 1.4 m : Free 10:00 a.m. --3: 00 p.m. (Sunday) Keep the zoo clean! Do not touch , give food or go near to the animals. From the passage, we can infer that a giraffe must be a very _ animal. Answer: tall David is a twelve-year-old boy. He is tall and strong with short blond hair. He likes sports and reading. Every week David gets ten dollars from his parents. This money is his weekly pocket money. It's not a present. David must work for the family to get the money. On Monday, David must sweep the floor and walk the dog after he finishes his homework. On Tuesday, David must take out the rubbish bags in the morning and clean the garden after school. On Wednesday, he should wash the dishes and clean the kitchen after dinner. On Thursday, he helps his mother do some cooking. Sometimes he has to go to the supermarket to buy some food and drinks. On Friday, he should water (...... ) the flowers in the garden after school. On Saturday and Sunday, David doesn't need to do the housework, so he goes to the cinema with his classmates or does some shopping in the shopping mall. David wants to buy a new football, but he doesn't have enough money. He is looking forward to getting more pocket money. David has to work for _ days a week to get ten dollars. Answer: five Sunshine Sports Centre One of the most modem sports centers in town, the Sunshine Sports Centre is not just a sports club but much more! Facilities With a swimming pool for adults and teens, and a smaller one for children, our centre has something for all the members of the family.Parents can relax while children play in the water.For anybody who is interested in competitive sports, our volleyball, tennis and basketball courts are the ideal place to work off stress. Whether you just want to keep in shape, lose some weight or build your strength, there's the gym with its super modem equipment and three personal trainers to look after you and answer all your questions.They can also give you general advice about healthy eating and dieting. Lessons It doesn't matter if you' re five or eighty five, there's something for you at the Sunshine Sports Centre! We offer personal training in all sports if you want it, but there are also group lessons for all sports if you prefer teamwork. Kids and teenagers Take advantage of our special offer for younger members.For members between five and sixteen years old, there are special lessons in water polo, competitive swimming and diving.There are many classes for all levels of swimmers, with a lifeguard on duty from 9:00 am when the pool opens until it closes at 7:00 pm. Social events Sunshine Sports Centre is not only for sport! You can enjoy a delicious meal at our restaurant or have a milkshake with your friends on the balcony overlooking the swimming pool and the courts.In addition, there are lovely gardens where families or friends can have a picnic! To celebrate a birthday, there is no better place than the Sunshine Sports Centre. So, come on Sign up for Sunshine Sports Centre today! In Sunshine Sports Centre _ Answer: people can have birthday parties A badger is birthed with behaviors that are Answer: intuitive
When Siva Kalyan was born, his backbone was deformed resulting in a lifelong difficulty in walking. But that hasn't stopped the nine-year-old from becoming a prodigy . Until he was three-and-a-half years old, Siva could not even crawl. Wanting the best treatment for their son, Siva's parents moved with him from India to Australia and later to the USA. In the USA, his parents enrolled him in the second grade based on his age. But his teachers soon realized they had a genius. Siva was then tested for the eighth grade, but it was soon found out that he was actually qualified for college courses. As one advanced course was not enough, the brilliant boy is now taking two courses from Stanford University. Due to the treatment he received, Siva's physical condition has improved as well. But none of _ "just happened". It was his parents' understanding and correct guidance, and the loving care of his grandparents that contributed to the growth of the genius. Siva's highly educated and hardworking family has brought him up on the basis of certain principles. The family believes that once a strong foundation is built for the child in English and mathematics, the child is equipped to master any other subject, law, history, or engineering. It is equally important to recognize the strengths of a child rather than forcing the child to do things that he may not want to do. Siva's parents helped. Siva focus his energies on his strength, which is mathematics. At the same time they took care to see that he had friends to play with and enjoyed a few recreational activities. The only activity that's restricted for Siva is viewing television. Siva watches TV only for 30 minutes a day and video games are a bonus for special occasions. Thanks to his mother who is a singer, Siva has also learned music and even won the first and second prize at two competitions. In sports, he likes to swim. He began to learn swimming to strengthen his muscles, and by the age of eight he was able to swim a kilometer in both the backstroke and the freestyle. The text is mainly about _ . A. the growth of a disabled child prodigy B. certain principles to bring up a child C. the special ways to train a genius D. the influence of parents on their child Answer: A In every school there is a "top" crowd that sets the pace, while the others follow their lead. Let's say the top crowd decides that it is smart to wear bright red sweaters. Pretty soon everybody is wearing a bright red sweater. There is nothing wrong with that, except the fact that on some people bright red sweater is extremely unbecoming. The situation can even become dangerous, if the top crowd decides that it is smart to drink or to drive cars at seventy miles an hour. Then the people who follow the lead are endangering their lives. They are like the sheep being led to the butcher. Now, chances are that you have come across situations like these more than once in your life; chances are that one time or another you probably did something you knew to be wrong. You may have excused yourself by saying, "Gee, the crowd does it." Well, let the crowd do it, but don't do it yourself. Learn to say, "No." Develop your own standards and your own judgment. If you know the crowd is planning something you disagree to, have the courage to bow out mannerly. You'll have the satisfaction of standing on your own two feet. Which is the best title for this passage? A. Follow the Lead. B. Top Crowd. C. Being Yourself. D. Bright Red. Answer: C Food is very important.Everyone needs to eat well if he wants to have a strong body.Our minds also need a kind of food.This kind of food is knowledge . When we are very young,we start getting knowledge.Kids like watching and listening.Color pictures especially interest them.When kids are older,they enjoy reading.When something interests them,they love to ask questions. Our minds,like our bodies,always need the best food.Studying on our own brings the most knowledge. If someone is always telling us answers,we never learn well.When we study correctly and get knowledge on our own,we learn more and understand better. Our bodies need _ . A. books B. rice C. food D. drink Answer: C Tobias rode his bike on a road for a 2 hr period. On average, he passed a 1 km marker every 3 min during this period. Which of the following was his average speed for this 2 hr period? A. 10 km/hr B. 15 km/hr C. 20 km/hr D. 25 km/hr Answer: C John likes chocolates very much, but his mother doesn't give him. They are bad for his teeth, she thinks. But John has a very nice grandfather. The old man loves his grandson very much. And sometimes he buys John some chocolates. Then his mother lets him eat them, because she wants to make the old man happy. On Sunday evening, it is John's seventh birthday. He says, "Please, God , make them give me a big box of chocolates for my birthday,"His mother says, " God can't hear you. Don't shout ." " I know, "says the clever boy with a smile . " But my grandfather is in the next room, and he can!" Which one is right? A. The grandfather is bad. B. John studies hard in his school. C. John is clever. D. John's mother doesn't love him. Answer: C
Our sun is a star, and nine worlds move round it. Worlds like these are planets . But there are other stars, other suns. Not only thousands of them, but millions of them. Do different stars have planets? We can see the planets round our own sun. But we haven't seen any more. The stars are too far away from us. Stars give out light, but the planets don't have any light of their own. So we can't see them. They're too far, and too dark. Still, we can tell that some stars have planets. While a big planet goes round, it pulls its star to one side. And sometimes we can see this, Then we know that the star has a planet. For example, Barnard's Star is a small red star. And it is the quickest star in the universe. But sometimes it moves slower, and then quicker again. We have know Barnard's Star for many years, and now we are sure it has a planet. How can people know that there is a plante round Barnard's Star? A. Sometimes they see that the planet pulls the star to one side and makes it move slower . B. The planet is shining. C. The planet is next to our earth. D. The planet is a red one. Answer: A Adrian's "Amazing Race" started early when his parents realized that he, as a baby, couldn't hear a thing, not even loud noises. In a special school for the hearing-impaired, he learned sign language and got to mix with other disabled children. However, the sight of all the disabled children communicating with one another upset his mother. She wanted him to lead a normal life. So after speaking to an advisor, she sent him to private classes where he learned to read lips and pronounce words. Later on, Adrian's parents decided to send him to a regular school. But the headmaster tried to prevent them from doing so, saying regular school couldn't take care of a special needs students. His parents were determined to take the risk and push him hard to go through his work everyday because they wanted to prove that, given the opportunity, he could do anything. Adrian made the grade and got accepted. It was a big challenge. The pace was faster so he had to sit at the front of the class and really pay attention to the teacher, which wasn't always easy. But he stuck to it and did a lot of extra work after school. The efforts made by Adrian and his parents paid off. Adrian graduated with good grades and got into a top high school. He also achieved a lot in life outside school. He developed a love for the outdoors and went to Nepal to climb mountains. He even entered the World Yacht Race 05/06--- being the first hearing-impaired Asian to do so. But none of these achievements would have been possible without one of the most important lessons from his mother." "If you believe in yourself and work hard, you can achieve great results." she often said. Why is Adrian's life described as an "Amazing Race"? A. He did very well in his study. B. He succeeded in entering a regular school. C. He reached his goals in spite of his disability. D. He took part in the World Yacht Race 05/06. Answer: C One summer night Ludwig Beethoven took a walk in the suburb of Bonn. Suddenly a gentle wind came. He heard some music. He listened carefully and found it was his F sonata. He followed the music and came to a small house. There through the window, he saw a girl playing a very old piano and a young man was making shoes beside her, he pushed the door open and went in. The host received him very warmly and told him that the girl was his sister, who was blind but very fond of music. They couldn't afford to send her to a master. So she was only trying to play some music she heard the neighbors play. She knew it was the work of a great composer. Beethoven was very much moved. Suddenly the candle was blown out. Moonlight struck on the girl's slender figure. Then Beethoven played music for them. He played so wonderful that the brother and sister were amazed. That was his famous Clair de lune. Beethoven heard the music because _ . A. it was played loudly B. there was a slight wind C. the piano was old D. he stopped walking Answer: B Susan 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 bullied because of her different behaviors. Her siblings, 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 idols on the wall and sing popular music into a hairbrush that she pretended was a microphone. One by one the siblings moved away from home and then Susan's father died. This left her alone with an aging mother and a cat. The siblings accused her mother of not expecting more out of Susan. She had seen many professionals and remembered hearing the word "borderline" but didn't know what it meant. 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 compete in the Britain's Got Talent contest, her siblings 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. The writing is supplemented by photos from her albums. 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 inspires us to reach for our dreams -- no matter how impossible they may seem to be! The book "The Woman I Was Born to Be" _ . A. is always a best-seller B. is written in a serious voice C. is full of sad stories D. contains some photos of Susan Answer: D They crossed in front of me as I was driving out of the store parking lot .I would be delayed for a whole ten seconds. However,I realized that it was an elderly couple who were briefly delaying my departure .No more anger. The man leaned on his wife who walked in front of him. He not only used her for support but it was obvious that he was blind. She was his eyes as well. The two of them worked as one--each needing the other to function in this fastchanging world. That little example of true strength that day changed my whole personal perception of life. Suddenly I wasn't so mad about having to work a few extra hours on Saturday. I had my strength,and I was still relatively young. That picture of those two elderly people walking with dignity and strength stayed with me the entire week. My life wasn't so bad after all. I had my health and a good job. My wife always gave me good advice whenever I needed it. I started to think--not only was I lucky to have it all,but so was that wonderful old couple,who,despite the trials and hardships of a long life,still had the love and support of each other to carry them through this world. There are so many people out there just like that couple. My wife and I sometimes picture ourselves in our old age,walking arminarm into the sunset. That image always gives us a warm feeling of comfort. Just remember,none of us would be here if it weren't for our elders. We should spend an extra minute to listen and learn when it comes to helping our elder friends. They need it. What do we know about the author? A. He and his wife are in their old age. B. He has a good but busy job. C. His life is very bad actually. D. He and his wife often walk arminarm. Answer: B
Three years ago I listened to a lecture on cognition that changed the way I think about intelligence. There are two types of cognition, and the first is normal cognition the ability to regain knowledge from memory. The second type of cognition is metacognition the ability to know whether or not you know. Does this affect intelligence? In traditional education, intelligence is measured by cognitive ability. Some people can easily produce everything they know on a test. But others are awarded with poor grades and considered inferior (not as good as). But does this inability make them any less intelligent? If the question came up on a task, they could refer to a book or a quick Google search. In reality they're just as effective as the people that ace a test. They just can't prove it as easily. Metacognition is more important to success than cognition. A person with poor cognitive ability, but great metacognitive ability might do poorly in school, but when faced with a challenge, they understand their abilities and _ . For example, when faced with a question, a person with strong metacognitive ability will deal with it like this. If he knows the answer, but can't come up with it, he can always do a bit of research. If he knows for sure that he doesn't know, then he can start educating himself. Because he's aware of his ignorance, he doesn't act with foolish confidence. These people might not seem intelligent at first glance, but because they know what they know, they make better decisions and learn the most important things. However, people with great cognitive ability but poor metacognitive ability may be considered excellent at a young age for acing every test and getting great SAT scores. Unfortunately, they've been ruined by poor metacognition they think they know everything but they really don't. They are arrogant (overconfident), fail to learn from mistakes, and don't understand the slight differences of personal relationships, showing disregard for persons with lower cognitive ability. They may make the worst decisions. The most important mental power is the ability to know what you don't know .The recognition of a fault is the first step to improvement. Don't try to hide a lack of knowledge. For intelligent people this is the toughest lesson to learn. The author probably supports the idea that _ . the awareness of one's ignorance contributes to one's improvement Inventors are always looking for ways to make our lives easier, greener and a lot more fun.Take a look at 2010's biggest and coolest breakthroughs in science and technology.What in the world will inventors dream up next? Superhero Suit Have you ever dreamed of becoming a superhero? Dream no more.There's a real Iron Man suit, XOS 2, which provides the power to lift 200 pounds with ease .It was designed to help the military with heavy lifting.One person in the suit could do the work of three soldiers. Up, Up and Away! It took him 30 years to develop it, and now Glen Martin's invention is ready to take off.The Martin Jetpack allows its operator to fly 8,000 feet into the air.Unfortunately, you can't soar through the skies too long.The jetpack holds only about 30 minutes' worth of fuel. Hardworking Robot The EMIEW2 robot is the perfect office helper.Need a document delivered? No problem! It can also guide visitors to their destinations.The three-foot-tall robot can identify different human voices and respond to commands.One day, it may serve as a receptionist or a security guard. Green Machine Say goodbye to gasoline! The AirPod car runs on air power.That means this car won't pollute.A high-pressure air tank can fill the car in minutes.The three-wheeler can travel about 130 miles between fill-ups. Beef Power All aboard the beef train! Amtrak's Heartland Flyer runs partly on fuel that is made from cow fat.The goal is to reduce carbon emissions by 10%.The train travels between Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Fort Worth, Texas. Robo-Guard EMILY is a robotic, four-foot-long buoy .She can swim through riptides at up to 24 miles per hour.Her inventor, Tony Mulligan, says that's 15 times as fast as human lifeguards! EMILY is powered by a tiny electric pump and operated by remote. Which invention was made to help the military? XOS2. 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. Jeffries is the name of . the former holder of the record for " longest care on a dog' We've reached a strange--some would say unusual--point. While fighting world hunger continues to be the matter of vital importance according to a recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO), more people now die from being overweight, or say, from being extremely fat, than from being underweight. It's the good life that's more likely to kill us these days. Worse, nearly l8 million children under the age of five around the world are estimated to be overweight. What's going on? We really don't have many excuses for our weight problems. The dangers of the problem have been drilled into us by public-health campaigns since 2001 and the message is getting through--up to a point. In the 1970s, Finland, for example, had the highest rate of heart disease in the world and being overweight was its main cause. Not any more. A public-health campaign has greatly reduced the number of heart disease deaths by 80 per cent over the past three decades. Maybe that explains why the percentage of people in Finland taking diet pills doubled between 2001 and 2005, and doctors even offer surgery of removing fat inside and change the shape of the body. That has become a sort of fashion. No wonder it ranks as the world's most body-conscious country. We know what we should be doing to lose weight--but actually doing it is another matter. By far the most popular excuse is not taking enough exercise. More than half of us admit we lack willpower. Others blame good food. They say: it's just too inviting and it makes them overeat. Still others lay the blame on the Americans, complaining that pounds have piled on thanks to eating too much American-style fast food. Some also blame their parents--their genes. But unfortunately, the parents are wronged because they're normal in shape, or rather slim. It's a similar story around the world, although people are relatively unlikely to have tried to lose weight. Parents are eager to see their kids shape up. Do as I say--not as I do. Which would be the best title for the passage? Actions or Excuses? Turning the lights out or wearing a blindfold while eating could be a quick way to lose weight, according to scientists. The simple trick works because it stops diners eating for pleasure rather than for calories. It also triggers a part of the brain that is worried that unseen food may go bad. An experiment by the University of Konstanz, in Germany, found that people who were blindfolded consumed nine percent fewer calories before they felt full, compared to those who could see. They also vastly overestimated how much they had eaten because they could not see how much was left on the plate. Blindfolded volunteers estimated they had eaten 88 percent more than they actually had. Scientists believe that not seeing food on the table also allows the body to know when it is full in real time rather than remembering past experiences where it might have taken a full plate to feel full. In the experiment, 50 people were blindfolded and 40 were allowed to see their food. All were told not to eat within two hours of the experiment. They were then given three 95g bowls of chocolate ice cream and invited to eat for 15 minutes. Their bowls were taken away and the remaining ice-cream weighed, while the participants were quizzed on how much they thought they had eaten. On average the group who could see ate 116g while the blindfolded groups ate 105g. However, the blindfolded group believed they had eaten 197g while compared with 159g for the non-blind volunteers. They were also asked how pleasant the ice-cream tasted and the blindfolded group rated lower than those who could see. "The experienced pleasure of eating was significantly lower in the blindfolded group. Not seeing the food might have decreased the appetite. Sight plays an important role in the eating experience and in the overall dining experience." Previous studies have shown that the visual influence of food plays a large part in the taste. While restaurants that allow diners to eat in the dark state that it triggers other senses, in fact eating in darkness is likely to taste far milder than usual. With the lights out, diners eat less partly because _ . they worry about the quality of the food
The seeds of an oak come from the ___. fruit Surfing the net when you should be finishing a work report, changing clothes when you have a train to catch, or perhaps even lying in bed when you've promised yourself you'll work out. Sound familiar? You aren't alone. We all procrastinate sometimes, especially when it comes to things we aren't really fond of. And while the number of activities we delay doing in any given week varies from person to person, it's fair to say that none of us is super-efficient 100 percent of the time. A study revealed that we spend about 218 minutes procrastinating every day, which amounts to 55 days of lost time each year. We might not think these figures particularly worthy of worry, but when we look at the overall impact of procrastination on our lives, _ Not only does this cost financial loss, it also affects peace of mind. And procrastination isn't just a money thief ---- it steals time too. In general, people who continually put things off are unhappier, as well as being less wealthy and healthy. So why do we do it? "When we avoid taking action, we're really avoiding pain," explains psychiatrist Phil Stutz. For most of us, pain avoidance isn't limited to one situation. It applies to almost anything that's painful. Most of us try our best never to leave a comfort zone. That's why we sacrifice something much more valuable: time. "Our time on earth is limited," Stutz adds. "Every moment is an opportunity we'll never have again. Procrastinators act as if they have all the time in the world. But deep down, they know they're wasting parts of their life. The trouble is, most of them don't know how to free themselves." One way he says we can reach this level of freedom is by overcoming the pain of avoidance using daily visualization . "Picture the pain you're avoiding as a black cloud in front of you," Stutz says. "Notice how you're fed up with the ways this pain has held you back in life, and tell yourself that you're determined to conquer it. Then it's time to get through the cloud and to the other side -- where you're free." It is obvious that this tool works when we want to procrastinate. We then get into the habit of moving "towards" pain instead of away from it. In addition to the fact that procrastinators suffer more health problems, procrastination also destroysteamwork and personal relationships because it shifts the burden of responsibilities onto others. So next time you think about putting something off, remember the impact it will have. Experts insist: procrastinators can change their behavior, it takes a lot of self-work but in the end, it's worth the effort. And start today, not tomorrow. What's the writing purpose of the passage? To encourage people to defeat procrastination. John liked to wear his hair very long. Some of his friends thought it looked like a girl's hair, but they never made jokes about it, because John was a big strong man and he didn't think jokes about his hair funny. John always went to the barber's twice a month to have his hair cut and washed, and one day the barber said to him. "Now why don't you let me cut most of this hair off and make your head tidy? Nobody will recognize you if I do that. I'm sure." John said nothing for a few seconds and then he said, "perhaps you are right, but I am sure that nobody will recognize you, either, if you do that to my hair." His friends never made jokes about the hair because _ . John didn't like jokes about his hair and they were afraid of him The English test will be removed from China's college entrance exam by 2020, according to the Ministry of Education. The national college entrance exam, known as the "Gaokao" has been used to evaluate Chinese students for three decades. The Ministry of Education has worked out a plan for reforming exams and enrollment. Tests will be held several times a year to allow students to choose when and how often they sit the exam so as to reduce study pressure and change China's once-in-a-lifetime exam system. The decision has aroused a heated discussion among Shanghai educators and parents who doubted the reform would reduce the burden of learning English or if the substitute test could reflect a student's English skills and help students learn English better. Cai Jigang, a professor from Fudan University said, "The reform shows China is to give students more test-taking chances. But more chances might become more of a burden since Chinese students are likely to repeat the test until they get the highest score." "In my opinion, the reform doesn't mean English is no longer important for Chinese students after it will be excluded from the unified college entrance exam," said Yu Lizhong, chancellor of New York University Shanghai, "In a way, English is even more important than before since the test would only serve as reference, while every college and university, even every major, canhave different requirements of a student's English skills under a diverse evaluation system." Yu said some students will have their study pressure reduced if the major they choose doesn't need excellent English while others still need to study hard if they want to be among the best students. The education ministry said the reform would not affect students attending the college entrance exam over the next three years. But parents with younger children are concerned. Zhang Hui, the mother of a fourth-grade girl at Pudong Zhuyuan Primary School, said English was her daughter's strength, so canceling the English test would not favor her child. According to Yu Lizhong, _ . Whether students should study English hard may depend on their major. A peacock and a tortoise were good friends. One day, a bird catcher caught the peacock and was going to sell him on the market. The peacock asked the bird catcher to allow him to say goodbye to his friend the tortoise. The bird catcher agreed. The tortoise asked the bird catcher to let the peacock go, but he refused. The tortoise then said, "If I give you a nice gift, will you let my friend go?" "Certainly," answered the bird catcher. So the tortoise jumped into the river and after some time, he came up with a big pearl . The bird catcher was so surprised. He was so happy that he let the peacock go. A few days later, the bird catcher came back to the tortoise. He thought he didn't get enough for letting the peacock go. He told the tortoise that he would catch the peacock again unless he got another big pearl. The tortoise knew his friend the peacock went to a safe place. "Well," said the tortoise, "please return the pearl that I gave you and I will come back with two." The bird catcher thought for some time and gave the pearl to the tortoise. Then the tortoise swam away and said, "I am not so stupid to take one and give two!" The bird catcher could only stand by the river and feel sorry for being greedy . The passage mainly tells us _ . we shouldn't be greedy
One day an Australian farmer,Joe,saw a bright light in the sky. The light came nearer and nearer and suddenly Joe realized that it was a spaceship. The spaceship landed in a field nearby. The door of the spaceship opened and two strange beings climbed out. They seemed to be half man and half bird. Joe was afraid of them. He tried to run away. But the spacemen walked towards him,picked him up and carried him into the spaceship.They put wires from a machine onto his head and they they began to speak to him in English. They asked him questions about earth."We' re from Venus ,"they said,"But it is getting very hot there. A lot of our people are dying and we have not much time left. We are trying to find a new home." After some time they freed Joe and at last the spaceship took off and disappeared. Joe told his friends about the spacemen,but no one believed his story. "You wi ll believe me one day,"Joe told them."The spacemen will come back again." ,. What did the strange beings want Joe to do? A. Put wires from a machine onto his head B. Speak to them in English C. Answer some questions about the earth D. Find a new home Answer: C. Answer some questions about the earth "Track!" said my master. Like any good tracker-dog who has received the command he most loves, I gave a bark of excitement, put my nose down to the ground and sniffed. The ground was rich with smells. Even in the high-class housing area where we were working, the stones held traces of many sole and confusing scents (smells). As I searched for the scent that would give me a clue to the tail of the guilty man, my tail wagged slowly, thoughtfully, delightedly. Work was like play to me; I enjoyed it. A small group of people gathered behind us. Among these onlookers was the old caretaker of the building next door to ours. He spoke in a scornful voice, "You actually think your dog might catch a thief three days after the event?" My master said nothing, but I'm sure he must have smiled. I did not turn to look. I knew he would not speak unless it was to give me a new command. I needed to concentrate. My task was difficult. I had to pick out one scent among the many that lay about and then tracked it to its source. "You're wasting your time," said the caretaker. I looked at him without raising my head. He was running his hand over his fat stomach. His rough palm and smooth shirt combined to make a slight noise. It was part of my training to be aware--often it is only a little whisper of a noise that alerts you to be drawing of a weapon. But of course the aging caretaker was going to do no such thing. There was no smell of fear or nervousness about him. He was merely being clever and talkative. "I've seen many tracker-dogs in my time," said the caretaker to the onlookers. I served with the police years ago. We would never have thought of using a tracker-dog to find a car thief. Impossible. Everyone knows that dogs are useless in such matters. In a sense he was right. I'm sure there's no need to tell you that, just as a dog's hearing is much better than a human being's, so his sense of smell tells one thing from another far better than a great detective. If Sherlock Holmes could work out that a man had had an egg for breakfast by seeing the yellow stain on his mouth, a trained dog could tell you whether the hen that laid the egg was healthy or not. I know it sounds funny and I mean it to be. But I'm not exaggerating. A dog can tell you--if you understand a dog's way of communicating--all this and more without even setting eyes on the man he is investigating. How did the dog react to the command to track? A. It thought for a while and did what was asked. B. It was happy, even though it wasn't trained for the task. C. It was angry because there were so many smells. D. It was excited because it took pleasure in tracking. Answer: D. It was excited because it took pleasure in tracking. New Annotated Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle Price: PS28.00 Publication Date: 30/11/2006 Publisher's description: Collect Doyle's fifty-six classic short stories, arranged in the order in which they appeared in late-nineteenth-and-early-twentieth-century book editions, in a set complemented by four novels, editor biographies of Doyle, Holmes, and Watson as well as literary and cultural details about Victorian society. Breaking Ground by Daniel Libeskind Price: PS16.00 Publication Date:11/10/2006 Brief description: This is a book about the adventure life that can offer each of us if we seize it, and about the powerful forces of tragedy, memory and hope. For Daniel Libeskind, life's adventure has been through architecture, which he has found has the power to reshape human experience. Although often relating to the past, his buildings are about the future. This biology of one man's journey brings together history, personal experience, our physical environment and a fresh international vision. In the Shadow of No Towers by Art Spiegelman Price: PS16.00 Publication Date:02/09/2006 Brief description: On 11th September 2001, Art Spiegelman raced to the world Trade Center, not knowing if his daughter Nadja was alive or dead. Once she was found safe---in her school at the foot of the burning towers---he returned home, to mediate on the trauma , and to work on a comic strip . In the Shadow of No Towers is New Yorker Art Spiegelman's extraordinary account of "the hijacking on 9.11 and the following hijacking of those events" by America. Light on Snow by Anita Shreve Price: PS14.00 Publication Date:07/10/2006 Publisher's description: This is the 11th novel by Anita Shreve, the critically accepted bestseller. A moving story of love and courage and tragedy and of the ways in which the human heart always seeks to heal itself. Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv Price: PS20.99 Publication Date:11/08/2006 Brief description: Camping in the garden, riding bikes through the woods, climbing trees, picking wildflowers, running through piles of autumn leaves... these are the things childhood memories are made of. But for a whole generation of today's children the pleasures of a free-range childhood are missing, and their indoor habits contribute to obesity, attention disorder and childhood depression. This book shows how our children have become increasingly distanced from nature, why this matters and how we can make a difference. Richard Louv is chairman of the Children and Nature Network and co-chair of the National Forum on Children and Nature. He is the author of seven other books and has written for newspapers and magazines including the New York Times and the Washington Post. Which book is based on a real big event? A. Breaking Ground B. In the Shadow of No Towers C. Light on Snow D. Last Child in The Woods Answer: B. In the Shadow of No Towers Happiness is for everyone . You don't need to care about those people who have beautiful houses with large gardens and swimming pools or those who have nice cars and a lot of money and so on . Why? Because those who have big houses may often feel lonely .and those who have cars may want to work on the country roads at their free time . In fact , happiness is always around you if you put your heart into it.When you are in trouble at school,your friends will help you;when you study hard at your lessons,your parents are always taking good care of your life and your health;when you get success,your friends will say"Cingratulations"to you;when you do something wrong,people around you will help you to correct it.And when you do something good to others,you notice them,and you can see that happiness is always around you. Happiness is not the same as money.It is a feeling of your heart.When you are poor,you can also say you are happy,because you have something else that can't be bought with money.When you meet with difficulties,you can say loudly you are very happy,because you have more chances to challenge yourself.So you cannot always say you are poor and you have bad luck.As the saying goes,"Life is like a revolving door.When it closes,it also opens."If you take every chance to get, you can be a happy and lucky person. Which is TRUE according to the passage? A. When you get success, your friends will be very proud of you. B. You can get help from others when you make mistakes. C. You can still be a happy person even if you have little money. D. All of the above. Answer: D. All of the above. If you are invited to a party by the Austrians and the suggested dress is "informal " (usually marked in the lower left-hand coner of the invitation) , it may mean dark suit and a white shirt for men and cocktail dress( ) for women. Or again, may mean something considerably less formal. "Formal" means a black tie and evening dress for men and a floor-length dress for women. If a man is in doubt about what to wear, he may come slightly overdressed and then take his coat and tie off when he sees that others are wearing sports shirts. National dress is always acceptable. The meaning of "overdressed" is _ . A. dressing oneself a little too formally B. dressing oneself a floor-length dress C. wearing one's tie D. dressing a sports shirt Answer: A. dressing oneself a little too formally
Who are these people rushing by you on the street? More than 250 million people now call America" home" , but most of them can trace their families back to other parts of the world. If you, look at the names on shop windows, you will see that Americans come from many different lands. The idea that these people, who once were strangers to the United States,have lost the customs and cultures of their original countries and have become "Americans"is really not true. In fact, what exists in America is - more often a kind of " side - by - side" living in which groups of people from other countries often have kept many of their own customs and habits. They join the general American society only in certain areas of their lives such as in schools,business,and sportsbut they keep many of their own native customs and manners socially and at home. This " side - by - side" living has both advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes it may cause disagreements to develop between groups whose ways of life are very different from one another. However, there are also great advantages that come from the variety of cultures brought by settlers from other lands. There is great freedom of choice among ideas ' dress, food, and social customs in America. Everyone can find some part of his or her own familiar world in the United States, in churches, music, food, national groups, or newspaper. More than 250 million people call America "home" because . A they have their houses there B they settle there now C they want to make their home there D they like that land very much Answer: B. they settle there now Gabby Douglas stood beneath the Rio Olympic Arena, still in her Team USA leotard, trying hard to understand how she had become the most unpatriotic athlete in Rio. Tears filled in her eyes. She tried hard to talk but no words came out. Her pauses were long and uncomfortable. "I've been trying to stay off the Internet because there's so much negativity," she said. The attacks against her have been everywhere these last few days. The bullies blamed her for not putting her hand over her heart while the US national song played. Besides, some other people attacked her for not jumping up and cheering hard enough for team-mates at the all-around final. All of this prompted her mother, Natalie Hawkins, to tell Reuters this weekend, that Douglas is "heartbroken". It showed on Sunday, in Douglas's final performance of this Olympics and maybe in the Games ever. Douglas finished sixth in the uneven bars, far from the medal stand she owned four years ago in London, and shook her head, confused. What had she done wrong? Nothing made sense. "I mean, you do [Olympics] for your country, and you do it for yourself, how have I offended them? What have I done? I was standing in respect for USA. I'm coming out there representing them to the best of my abilities, so how would I be in disrespect? Which of the following is an improper behavior? A Putting hands over one's heart while the national song played. B Jumping up and cheering hard enough for team-mates. C Taking part in the Olympic Games for one's country. D Attacking athletes who don't win golden medals. Answer: D. Attacking athletes who don't win golden medals. Every winter the Indians caught beavers .They sold these beaver furs to men from France. In the 1600s and 1700s,people in France wanted beaver furs for coats and hats. Other countries wanted these furs, too . Wearing a beaver fur hat became a sign .It said ,"Look at this man! This man is rich!" In the 1800s,men in this country began to wear beaver hats. They too, wanted to wear the sign that said," Look at those men! They are rich!" Soon it was hard to find beavers. To get more beaver furs, traders had to move West. Traders began to explore this new country. They came back with wonderful stories about the new land. Before long, many people wanted to go West to live. Where people go, towns grow. Soon there were new towns in the West. Men looking for beaver for fancy(,) hats helped the West grow. What did the traders do when beavers were hard to find? A To get more beaver furs, traders had to move West. B The traders had to find rich men wearing signs. C The traders had to wear beaver hats out West. D They made friends with beavers. Answer: A. To get more beaver furs, traders had to move West. Basic Study Manual (Hardcover): $37.50...... Here are the answers to the questions most often asked by students. Read this book and learn: What the three barriers to study are and what to do about them What to do if you get tired of a subject you are studying Twenty-six simple drills to help you learn how to study easily, rapidly and with full understanding Buy and read the Basic Study Manual and use it to dramatically improve your ability to study. Study Skills for Life (Hardcover): $31.99 L. Ron Hubbard's study technology for teenagers opens the door to their future success by giving them advice on how to study and learn. Fully illustrated for easy comprehension. Learning How to Learn (Hardcover):$24.99 The basics of effective study for 8 to 12-year-olds, fully illustrated. Children who read and apply the materials in this book can regain their liking for study. Get this book for a child you want to see win at his studies! How to Use a Dictionary Picture Book for Children (Hardcover):$34.90 In spite of billions of dollars spent on "educational research", children are not taught the most basic skills of learning: how to use a dictionary. Written for children 8 to 12-year-old, this fully illustrated book will teach your children: How to find words in a dictionary The different ways that words are used How to use a dictionary to correctly pronounce words At last, you'll just pay 50% for these books before May 1, 2007. (260 words) If you want to improve your ability to study, you'll probably choose_. A Basic Study Manual B Study Skills for Life C Learning How to Learn D How to Use a Dictionary Picture Book for Children Answer: A. Basic Study Manual Burt used a spoon to stir soup that was cooking on his stove. Which spoon will stay the coolest while he stirs? A an iron spoon B an aluminum spoon C a wooden spoon D a silver spoon Answer: C. a wooden spoon
I never thought I would have a life-changing experience at Wal-Mart. Although my thoughts were only on speed, the checkout line I was standing in wasn't moving as quickly as I wanted, and I glanced toward the cashier. There stood a man in his seventies, wearing glasses and a nice smile. I thought, well, he's an old guy! For the next few minutes I watched him. He greeted every customer before scanning the items. Sure, his words were the usual, "How's it going?" But he did something different--he actually listened to people. Then he would respond to what they had said and engage them in brief conversation. I thought it was odd. I has grown accustomed to people asking me how I was doing simply out of robotic conversational habit. After a while, you don't give any thought to the question and just mumble something back. I could say, "I just found out I have six months to live," and someone would reply, "Have a great day!" But that wasn't the end. He gave them the change, walked around the counter, and extended his right hand in an act of friendship. He looked the customers in the eyes. "I sure want to thank you for shopping here today," he told them. "You have a great day. Bye-bye." The looks on the faces of the customers were priceless. There were smiles and some sheepish grins. All had been touched by his simple gesture--and in a place they never expected. They would gather their things and walk out, smiling. Of course, he did the same to me and I got to know his name--Marty. Who was that guy? It was as if Sam Walton had come back from the dead and invaded this old guy's body. I had never walked away from that shop feeling like that. What was most customers' reaction to Marty's behavior? Answer: They were in some way moved. Children at school need this type of memory on a daily basis for a variety of tasks, such as following teachers' instructions or remembering oral sentences. During the study, volunteers were asked to perform one of two simple tasks during which researchers checked to ask if the participants' minds were wandering. At the end, participants measured their working memory ability by remembering a series of letters with simple maths questions. Daniel, a psychologist in the United States, said that those with higher working memory ability reported "more mind wandering during these simple tasks", but their performance did not suffer. The results, published online in the journal Psychological Science, appear to confirm previous research that found working memory allows humans to deal with multiple thoughts at the same time. Dr Smallwood,in Leipzig,Germany,said: "What this study seems to suggest is that, when circumstances for the task aren't very difficult, people who have additional working memory resources arrange _ to think about things other than what they're doing. " Working memory ability is also associated with general measures of intelligence, such as reading comprehension and IQ scores, and also offers a window into the widespread, but not well understood, field of internally driven thoughts. 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. Researcher can learn if the participants' minds were wandering by _ . Answer: asking them while they are performing tasks Greenwood Gazette ................................................................................................................................. To Hire A Quiet flat in Greenwood 2 bedrooms, large kitchen Near shops and restaurants PS600 a month Phone 07348 0848153B Small 3rd-floor flat in central London 1 bedroom 2 minutes from the train station PS650 a month Phone 020 933 9458C House in Hoburn from end of September 3 bedrooms, small garden Near the university PS1000 a month Phone 07122 7476933 Which of the following is TRUE? Answer: You can make phone calls to know about the information above. Water will become vapor quicker in Answer: Mercury Mr. Smith works in an office. He is very busy and has no time to have a good rest. Every evening, when he comes from his office, he's always tired and wants to go to bed early. But his wife often has a lot of interesting things to tell him after supper. She doesn't stop talking until she falls asleep, but it's usually too late and Mr Smith has to get up in time in the morning when she is asleep. One day the man felt terrible and couldn't go to work. He decided to go to see a doctor. And Mrs Smith went to the hospital with him. Before her husband said what was the matter with him, the woman told the doctor all and the man understood why. He wrote out a prescription. And when Mr Smith brought the medicine to the resulting-room, the doctor said to her, "The bottle of medicine is for your husband and the pills are for you." "For me?" the woman said in surprise, "I'm fine. I don't need any medicine!" "I don't think so, madam," said the doctor, "They are sleeping pills, your husband will soon be all right if you take them." Why does Mr. Smith have to get up when his wife is asleep in the morning? Answer: Because he has to go to work.
Question: Just a Little Smile Mark was walking home from school one day when he saw the boy in front of turn fall over and drop all of the books he was carrying, along with two sweaters, a basketball and a walkman . Mark stopped and helped the boy pick up these things. Since they were going the same way, he helped to carry some of his things. As they walked, Mark knew that the boy's name was Bill, that he loved computer games, basketball and history, and that he was having lots of troubles with his other subjects and that he had just _ with his girlfriend. They arrived at Bill's home first and Mark was invited in for a Coke and to watch some television. The afternoon passed happily with a few laughs and some small talk, then Mark went home. They often saw . each other at school, had lunch together once or twice, and then they both finished middle school. They ended up in the same high school where they sometimes saw and talked with each other over the years. At last just three weeks before they finished high school, Bill asked Mark if they could talk. Bill asked Mark if he still remembered the day years ago when they had first met. "Did you ever think why I was carrying so many things home that day?" asked Bill. "You see, I cleaned out my locker because I didn't want to leave anything for anyone else. I had put away some of my mother's sleeping pills and I was going home to kill myself. But after we spent some time together talking and laughing, ! began to understand that if I killed myself, I would have missed that time and so many others that might follow. So you see, Mark, when you picked up those books that day, you did a lot more. You saved my life. " From what Bill was carrying, we can know that he _ . A. was a good student B. liked sports and music C. liked all the subjects in school D. was a g Answer: B Question: Onceupon a time, some visitors went to an island for a vacation, and each was having a good time. Suddenly a warning of a strong storm came to them, so all rushed to their boats. Yet, Love did not wish to run away quickly. There was so much to do. But as the clouds got darker, Love realized it was time to leave. But there was no boat to go into. Love looked around with hope. Just then Richness was passing by in a great large boat. Love shouted, "Richness, can you take me with you? Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold in my boat. There is no place here for you. " Love decided to ask Vanity for help who was also passing by in a beautiful boat. But Vanity said with a cold voice, "No, I can't take you with me. My boat will get dirty with your wet feet. " Sadness passed by after some time. Again, Love asked for help. But it was useless. "No, I can't take you with me. I am so sad. I want to be alone. " When Happiness passed by a few minutes later, Love again called for help. But Happiness was so happy that he didn't hear Love calling to him. Love was becoming restless and hopeless. Just then somebody called out, "Come, Love! I will take you with me. " Love did not know who was so kind, but jumped into the boat happily. After getting off the boat, Love met Knowledge. Love asked, "Knowledge, do you know who was so kind to give me a lift when no one else wished to help?" [:Zxxk.Com] Knowledge smiled, "Oh, that was Time. " "Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?" Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is. " What can we learn from the passage? A. When we are rich, we may pay more attention to Love. B. All the feelings are important in our life except Love. C. As time goes by, we can realize the importance of Love. D. When we are happy and sad, we shouldn't remember Love. Answer: C Question: "Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug. "It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress. "I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all," added little Amy, with an injured sniff. "We've got father and mother and each other," said Beth, contentedly. The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo said sadly: "We haven't got father, and shall not have him for a long time." She didn't say "perhaps never", but each silently added it, thinking of father far away, where the fighting was. Nobody spoke for a minute; then Meg said in an altered tone: "You know the reason mother proposed not having any presents this Christmas was because it is going to be a hard winter for everyone; and she thinks we ought not to spend money for pleasure when our men are suffering so in the army. We can't do much, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought to do it gladly. But I am afraid I don't"; and Meg shook her head, and she thought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted. "But I don't think the little we should spend would do any good. We've each got a dollar, and the army wouldn't be much helped by our giving that. I agree not to expect anything from mother or you, but I do want to buy UNDINE AND SINTRAM for myself; I've wanted it so long," said Jo, who was a bookworm. "I planned to spend mine on new music," said Beth, with a little sigh. "I shall get a nice box of Faber's drawing pencils; I really need them," said Amy, decidedly. "Mother didn't say anything about our money, and she won't wish us to give up everything. Let's each buy what we want, and have a little fun; I'm sure we work hard enough to earn it," cried Jo, examining the heels of her shoes in a gentlemanly manner. "I know I do - teaching those tiresome children nearly all day when I am longing to enjoy myself at home," began Meg, in the complaining tone again. "You don't have half such a hard time as I do," said Jo. "How would you like to be shut up for hours with a nervous, fussy old lady, who is never satisfied, and worries you till you're ready to fly out of the window or cry?" "It's naughty to fret; but I do think washing dishes and keeping things tidy is the worst work in the world. _ and my hands get so stiff, I can't practice well at all"; and Beth looked at her rough hands with a sigh that anyone could hear. "I don't believe any of you suffer as I do." cried Amy, "for you don't have to go to school with impertinent girls, who plague you if you don't know your lessons, and laugh at your dresses, and label your father if he isn't rich." "If you mean libel, I'd say so, and not talk about labels, as if papa was a pickle-bottle," advised Jo, laughing. "I know what I mean, and you needn't be satirical about it. It's proper to use good words, and improve your vocabulary," returned Amy, with dignity. "Don't peck at one another, children. Don't you wish we had the money papa lost when we were little, Jo? Dear me! How happy and good we'd be, if we had no worries!" said Meg, who could remember better times. "You once said you thought we were a deal happier than the King children, for they were fighting and fretting all the time, in spite of their money." "So I did. I think we are; for, though we do have to work, we make fun for ourselves, and are a pretty jolly set, as Jo would say." Jo immediately sat up, put her hands in her pockets, and began to whistle. "Don't, Jo; it's so boyish!" "That's why I do it." "I detest rude, unladylike girls!" "I hate affected, niminy-piminy chits!" "Birds in their little nests agree" sang Beth, the peacemaker, with such a funny face that both sharp voices softened to a laugh, and the `pecking' ended for that time. According to the passage, which of the following is true? A. Their father died when he was fighting with others. B. Their father is away at the war, leaving them at home with their mother. C. The passage is a story about three girls and a boy in a family. D. The four children in the passage all work and earn their own money. Answer: B Question: Norman Bethune Born in 1890 in Canada. A doctor Came to China in 1937. Died in 1939 in China. Thomas Edison Born in 1847, Kentucky, USA Made over 1,000 inventions .Died in 1931. Celine Dion Born in Quebec, Canada In 1997, sang the song My Heart Will Go On for the film Titanic A singer. Bill Gates Born in 1955 in USA Wrote Business @ the Speed of Thought Owns Microsoft Company. Mark Twain Born in 1835 in USA A Writer Died in 1910 Wrote Tom Sawyer Dr Bethune work in China for about _ years. A. 2 B. 4 C. 6 D. 8 Answer: A Question: Where do you think people will live in the future? Can you predict people will work and live in the sea? But how will people go to work then? By submarine! Some scientists believe that some day submarines will be as many as today's cars. A famous French driver says, " One day, man will work on the ocean floor as they do on the street!" If people want to live in the sea, they have to solve a lot of problems first. Some of these problems, similar to those of living on the moon, are lack of oxygen and weightlessness . Many questions are hard to answer. For example, what will happen to our bodies if we live in the sea for a very long time? Scientists are looking for answers. Maybe in 50 years man will be able to live in the sea, away from the crowded and noisy cities on land. Man will find it fun and interesting to live in the sea. And life in the sea is more comfortable. Don't you think so? People have to _ first before living in the sea. A. build houses B. learn to swim C. learn to drive the submarine D. solve some problems Answer: D
Jamie and his friends love playing baseball. They play in the park every morning. One summer morning they lost the baseball. Jamie and his friend Joe went to the store. They bought two baseballs. They also bought colas for the other kids. They spent ten dollars. Jamie and Joe went back to the park. His friend Mike drank his cola and went to bat. Mike hit a home run and rounded the bases. All of Jamie's friends cheered very loudly. The sun was very bright and Jamie had an idea. Jamie and his friends went to the pool in town and swam that afternoon. They met Sally and Jessica at the pool. They also met Jenny at the pool. The lifeguard made them put their sandals, watches and hats by the fence. Jamie went home after swimming. He was very tired. He went to sleep but had a lot of fun that day. Who made Jamie and his friends leave their sandals, watches and hats by the fence? A. Jessica B. Mike C. Joe D. The lifeguard Answer: D It all started a year before when my daughter Suzanne and I were shopping in Sydney. In the window of a sports shop I noticed a photo of a group of young people climbing the rock along a canyon . "That's what I'm going to do next year," I said. Suzanne laughed. "Sure, Mom! Don't forget you're 65 years old. " I didn't feel l was that age! I joined a club and trained weekly. Each day I felt my physical energy increase and, along with it, my confidence. Then Suzanne pointed out, "It's good, but how can you clear away the fear of height?" "I've got it worked out, " I replied bravely. "We're going to the indoor climbing center. " While I was going up the high wall, I was afraid to look down as if a terrible animal was after me. Some time later, as I reached the ground, I sat down heavily on the floor. Later that night, as I lay in bed, I encouraged myself, "You've climbed the wall! You'll certainly make it! " We set off with our packages to the Grand Canyon. When we reached it, I found the canyon was a huge black hole--far deeper than I had imagined. As the guide clipped me onto the rope, _ . Time lost all meaning as I pushed my body forward. Only the strong rope kept me from losing hope. I began to think it would never end when everyone had stopped. "This is as far as we go, and we can climb out after a few steps, " the guide said finally. Two and a half hours later, we returned to the car park at last. I began to shake, one hard step after another. Getting onto the bus, I fell into the seat I had left so confidently a lifetime before. Then, while I was in the seat catching my breath, a feeling of happiness spread through me. I had done it, at the age of 66. ,. At the beginning, what's her daughter's attitude towards her decision? A. Supportive. B. Doubtful. C. Confident. D. Satisfied. Answer: B The food on the moon has come a long way from the freeze - dried bread to half - dried food. They have changed a lot in the past few years. And now US scientists want to grow vegetables in mini - greenhouses on the moon. Scientists say they are looking forward to a time when people on the moon or even Mars will be able to eat green and fresh vegetables. Paragon Space Development Corporation has shown people what it called the first step toward growing flowers - and finally food - on the moon. Paragon, which is a partner of NASA in experiments at the International Space Station, calls it a "Lunar Oasis " This is a closed greenhouse placed in a metal box. It is designed to safely land a laboratory plant on the moon surface, and protect it while it grows. The small greenhouse is to be sent up into space by Odyssey Moon Ltd, which takes part in the Google Lunar X Prize. This competition offers $ 20 million to any company which can send up, land and operate a lunar rover on the moon surface. Leaders of Paragon say future testing of the "Lunar Oasis" will be driven by Odyssey's flight schedule, which will not happen until 2012 at the earliest. When it is sent up, the greenhouse will have the seeds of cabbage inside it. Because they go from seed to flower in just 14 days, they can complete their life cycle in a lunar night. "Growing plants on the Moon or Mars seems so far away, but it is important that we do this research now," Paragon president Jane Poynter said. "It takes a long time to do a lot of research." What do we know about "Lunar Oasis" from the passage? A. It is made of wood by scientists. B. It is open for people who are on the Mars. C. It can carry different kinds of plants to the moon. D. It will protect plats to grow on the moon. Answer: D Which is loudest? A. a soft kiss B. a flea fart C. a whisper D. a motor Answer: D The first time that I had heard the term"EQ"was in the fall of 1995 when the book Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman, was widely covered by the American press. The widespread research presented in the book supported my own observations and doubts about life and emotions, and told me that I was on the right track to go after happiness. The research continues to confirm what I had concluded on my own: These feelings are extremely important to individual health, happiness, and social harmony. This might seem a bit obvious, but it was not always obvious to me. I grew up in a family where we didn't talk about feelings. We talked about ideas, concepts and principles. As a result, I could tell you what I thought about everything, but I couldn't tell you how I felt about anything. After several failed relationships, I took time off to reflect on my life and realized I had made many decisions which resulted in unhappiness for myself and others. After studying the literature on emotions and feelings, I concluded that most of my poor decisions could be directly due to what is now called low emotional intelligence, or low EQ, for short. Previously, I struggled to find happiness through the traditional routes--material success. Now, however, I realize that: There's not much point having either wealth or relationships if you aren't happy. It is hard to be happy with others if you aren't happy yourself. It is hard to be happy alone if you don't feel good about yourself, i.e. have high selfesteem and selfconfidence. It is hard to have good feelings about yourself if you don't have good emotional management skills. Emotional management skills, the main subject of EQ, are, therefore, one of the most basic elements of happiness. The author's family members _ . A. are wise and hardworking B. are wealthy and strong C. are not good at expressing their own feelings D. get along badly with each other Answer: C
Question: Lions are big and strong.They have bright eyes, sharp teeth and black points on their brown bodies.So they look beautiful. Lions can run fast.They are good at catching other animals.Lions like living as a family until baby lions are 2 years old.A lion lives alone during most of its life. Now, many hunters hurt lions for their fur and meat.They sell their meat to people for meals.They use their fur to make clothes and bags.We must stop this.It is wrong for people to kill lions.We can write to newspapers about the danger the lions are facing.We should tell the government and people about the problems.If we do nothing, soon there will be no lions in the world any more! What are lions like? A. Big and strong B. Big and light C. Black and white D. Bright and Slim. Answer: A Question: We can not live a modern life without traveling.The fastest way of traveling is by air.With a plane people can travel in one day to places which it took a month or more to get to a hundred years ago. Traveling by train is slower than by plane, but people can see the country when they are traveling through.Modern trains have comfortable seats and dinning-cars.They make even the longest journey enjoyable. Some people prefer to travel by sea when possible.There are large luxury liners or river boats.They are not as fast as trains or planes, but traveling by sea is a very pleasant way to spend a holiday. Many people like to travel by car.They can make their own timetable.They can travel hundreds of miles or only fifty miles a day, just as their wish.They can stop wherever they want to see something interesting or to enjoy a good meal at a good restaurant, or to spend the night at a hotel.That is why people choose traveling by car for pleasant trips, while they usually take trains or planes for business. People can make even the longest journey enjoyable if they take the _ A. train B. plane C. sea D. bus Answer: A Question: Professor Smith recently persuaded 35 people, 23 of them women, to keep a diary of all their absent-minded actions for a fortnight. When he came to analyse their embarrassing lapses ( ) in a scientific report, he was surprised to find that nearly all of them fell into a few groupings, nor did the lapses appear to be entirely random . One of the women, for instance, on leaving her house for work one morning threw her dog her earrings and tried to fix a dog biscuit on her ear. "the explanation for this is that the brain is like a computer," explains the professor. "People programme themselves to do certain activities regularly. It was the woman's custom every morning to throw her dog two biscuits and then put on her earrings. But somehow the action got reversed in the programme," About one in twenty of the incidents the volunteers reported were these "programme assembly failures," Altogether the volunteers logged 433 unintentional actions that they found themselves doing -- an average of twelve each, There appear to be peak periods in the day when we are at our zaniest . These are two hours some time between eight a.m. and noon, between four and six p.m. with a smaller peak between eight and ten p.m. "Among men the peak seems to be when a changeover in brain 'programmes' occurs, for instance between going to and from work." Women on average reported slightly more lapses- 12.5 compared with 10.9 for men probably because they were more reliable reporters. A startling finding of the research is that the absent-minded activity is a hazar of doing things in which we are skilled. Normally, you would expect that skill reduces the number of errors we make. But trying to avoid silly lapses by concentrating more could make things a lot worse or even dangerous. It can be concluded from the passage that_. A. people should avoid doing important things during peak periods of lapses B. hazards can be avoided when people do things they are good at C. people should be careful when programming their actions D. lapses cannot always be due to lack of concentration Answer: D Question: What's life like on a deserted island? Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona decided to find out. The adventurous senator took a vacation from Capitol Hill and went on a four-day Robinson Crusoe style holiday with his two teenage sons to a remote, uninhabited island in the North Pacific Ocean. The senator and his sons, 15-year-old Tanner and 13-year-old Dallin, traveled 5,200 miles from Phoenix, Arizona to the island of Biggarenn. They didn't carry any food or water. The island is part of the Marshall Islands. It offered no basic facilities, so the Flakes had to catch and cook their own food and purify their water. Their diet was made up of coconuts, crab and fish. They captured the crab and fish themselves and cooked the food over an open fire started with a magnifying glass . The Flakes brought along a lobster trap in hopes of having some delicious treats, but lost it within the first few hours after it was attacked by a shark. They also carried two pumps to remove salt from ocean water. It took them hours each night pumping for just a few gallons of fresh water. One of the most memorable moments of the trip, the father said, was when he and his 15-year-old son were chased by sharks after spearing a fish in the ocean. Still, it was quite an enjoyable holiday for the senator. "For a dad it was a wonderful thing. No video games around, no television, no distractions, no texting," Flake recalled. What kind of water did they drink? A. The purified sea water. B. Water from the river. C. The running water nearby. D. Water they brought from home. Answer: A Question: Shanghai-More Shanghai people are renting cars to travel over the coming National Day holiday, Tom reported today. Most cars in large local car-rental companies such as Yongda, Anji and Dazhong are leased so far with the Buick Sport Utility Vehichle (SUV) in high demand. Santana and Jetta were previously the most popular car models rented by Shanghai people for travel, while the high-end Buick models have generated great interest among locals renting cars these years. However, the rent on a Buick GL or GS model is between 650 yuan and 750 yuan a day, nearly double those of the Santana and Jetta cars. Compared with Santana, Buick looks better, has greater capabilities and is safer and more comfortable, said a car leaser. "I don't mind paying a higher cost for a Buick to enjoy the holiday," he said. SUV cars are very popular in the car renting market, according to some car rental firms. "All the 31 Buick GL8SUV cars were leased out several days ago," said an employee with the Shanghai Yongda Car Rental Co. Local people are more inclined to go travel with groups of friends, so SUV cars are a better choice, said an industry analyst . Moreover, SUV car are safer on rugged and rough roads, the analyst said. According to the data, most people rented cars for seven days; a less number rented them for two or three days. At present for how much money can you rent a Santana or Jetta for a day ? A. Between 650 yuan and 750 yuan. B. Between 350 yuan and 380 yuan. C. About 450 yuan. D. Less than 300 yuan. Answer: B
Question: What causes a free falling object to accelerate? A. inertia B. gravity C. initial speed D. initial direction Answer: B Question: While walking in the park on Monday with my granddaughter Tina, we saw an ice cream truck pull up on the street. "Can we get ice cream, Nana?" asked Tina. "Sure we can!" I answered. As we started heading up the hill to the truck, my granddaughter was scared by a bird who had swooped by her face. "Nana, that bird almost made me fall down the hill!" Laughing at what was said, I answered, "If you fell you might have taken Nana down with you!" Once we reached the ice cream truck, Tina saw that they not only had ice cream but also carried popcorn, hotdogs, juice and soda. "Nana, instead of ice cream may I get popcorn and juice?" she asked. "If that is what you want, you sure can!" I answered. We got our food and headed to the picnic table. On our way over we saw a child who Tina knew from her kindergarten class. "Nana, may we go and say hello to Mary?" "Let's go!" We made it over to where Mary and her family were sitting and Tina saw a bright blue butterfly. She did everything she could to try and catch that pretty butterfly but it kept flying way to high for her to catch. "That is okay", she said, "Butterflies need to be left out to fly free". Mary asked Tina if she wanted to go over her house and play Barbies when we left the park, instead of going home. So we went over and the girls had a wonderful time and were both tired after a long day. We needed to get a good night's sleep to enjoy our camping trip tomorrow. Where did we go when we left the park? A. camping B. home C. Nana's house D. Mary's house Answer: D Question: Having a bit of a temper tantrum , whether at home or in the classroom, is as harmful as you can get and only serves to discourage your teenagers. What they really need at this stage in their lives are words that build them up according to their needs that it may benefit them-that is, words of encouragement, affirmation and a good deal of praise. The benefits to them and us as parents and teachers are quite amazing-harmony, peace and love. When I left my last school where I had been a casual for eight years, I received "thank you" notes from the students. I think these notes illustrate what teenagers want and need from their parents and teachers. Some of the notes mention kindness, patience, thoughtfulness, encouragement and fun. Teenagers value these qualities and what I found was that the more I relaxed and enjoyed their company, the less I had to discipline them. Below I've included a few excerpts from the notes to let the kids speak for themselves. These are teenagers speaking from the heart and show what, according to teenagers, they need and value. Each note began, "Thank you for..." * making each student in the school happy * putting up with us every time you get us (i.e. having patience) * Always giving every student a chance and treating everyone like an adult giving lots of merits and making every lesson fun and enjoyable * Being very kind & for giving me lots of (merit) stickers * You make working be fun * Being a patient and thoughtful teacher Patience is needed as well as kindness, thoughtfulness, a sense of humor and fun and the ability to listen more than talk. When we praise and value our teenagers, the results are nothing short of miraculous. Which is NOT needed by teenagers _ ? A. words of encouragement B. words of affirmation C. words of praise D. words of criticism Answer: D Question: Woodland High School is an international sch ool. We have students from all around the world. As an international student you can get first-class facilities with trained teachers to help. For further information: inf@woodland.uk Subjects We offer a wide choice of subjects for international students, which includes: Arts, IT, French, English, Spanish and other languages. Communication Studies, Social Sciences, etc. For further information: sub@woodland.uk Tuition Fees Tuition fees are different from subject to subject, from PS5,000 to PS6,000 a year. For further information: tui@woodland.uk Accommodation You can have a room in a 4-bedroom flat, which will cost about PS100 a month with other regular living costs of about PS150 a month for one person. For further information: acc@woodland.uk Health The Student Health Service provides excellent medical services for students. The Medical Centre is open five days a week, including student holidays with four doctors and nurses to meet your me dical needs. For further information: heal@woodland.uk Sports The Centre is a great place to have sports activities. Trained exercise teachers can help you work out a training plan and keep you active. The sports hall has volleyball, b asketball and indoor football counts and a swimming pool as well. There are also a large number of sports clubs at Woodland High School. For further information: sport@woodland.uk You have to pay at least _ a year if you study at Woodland High School. A. PS5,250 B. PS8,000 C. PS9,000 D. PS11,000 Answer: B Question: A time capsule buried by Apple founder Steve Jobs 30 years ago has been discovered after its location was long forgotten.In 1983, the young tech innovator was attending a conference in Aspen when he and the group decided to bury as a stunt during a design convention. The tube that was filled with an eclectic collection of goods- ranging from the then-new apple mouse to a six-pack of beer for the people who discovered the time capsule- was meant to be dug up 20 years later. There was a problem with that plan, however, as everyone involved forgot where it was buried. The final discovery happened at the hands of the crew from the National Geographic Channel`s reality show called Diggers.The discovery was well documented and is surely going to be featured on an upcoming episode, and even the experts had problems finding this particular treasure. CNET reports that in spite of their preparations and clear idea of where the 13-foot-long tube was, it still took them two hours to dig it up using heavy machinery. To anyone removed from the tech industry, the accomplishment in finding the tube appears to be the biggest accomplishment. To others, the most interesting object would likely be the `Lisa` mouse placed in the tube by the hands of a then-28-year-old Jobs.The Lisa Mouse, which Jobs named after his daughter, was one of the first commercial computer mice soled publicly, making it a rarity at the time. The Aspen Historical Society is going to help the show creators catalogue the tube`s contents- but no word yet whether or not the Diggers cracked open one of the six bottles of Boddington`s Ale that was left inside for the people who found the tube. Who found the time capsule buried by Steve Jobs? A. Apple founder Steve Jobs himself. B. the crew from the National Geographic Channel`s reality show called Diggers. C. Steve Jobs' friends. D. Steve Jobs' daughter. Answer: B
THIS movie is about an adventure on an island called Skull, where an oversize gorilla named Kong falls in love with a blonde beauty. Nothing much to expect, you might say . But you might be wrong. It has been 72 years since the story was first brought to the screen. But the latest movie version, "King Kong", is a box office hit in the prefix = st1 /US. The film opens inChinaon January 14. Kong himself resonates through American culture: his name known to every 10-year-old boy, his image used to sell everything from insurance to snacks. So what is it that makes the story attractive to generations of Americans? Set in the Great Depression of the 1930s, the film follows New Yorkactress Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), who is kidnapped by movie makers. She was taken to theSkullIsland, where she was caught by the aboriginals, who want to sacrifice her to King Kong, a gorilla. But instead of eating Ann, King Kong saves her. He is captured and dragged back to New York. There he bursts free and climbs theEmpireStateBuildingin search of Ann. Why did King Kong appear in 1933? And why is he back now, in 2005? In 1933 a worldwide economic depression threw the future into doubt. "The monster represents American workers' feelings at being caged by forces beyond their control," says Gerald Molyneaux, La SalleUniversityfilm professor and biographer of Charlie Chaplin. Now, once again, Americans worry about their future in an age of terror, threatened by the presence of "the other" this time by al-Qaida. But some people, on the other hand, see the movie just as what it is. "I am confident the story is not any type of social or political allegory," says artist Dave Dorman, creator of the cover illustrations for the new King Kong comic books. "Sometimes an ape is just an ape." What is the best title for this passage? Answer: BUY A JOINT TICKET AND VISIT THE HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES THE TOWER OF LONDON Royal Palace and fortress for over 900 years, scene of mystery, murder and home to the Crown Jewels. KENSINGTON PALACE Birthplace of Queen Victoria, this royal retreat is home to magnificent State Apartments and the stunning Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, which includes dresses worn by HM Queen Elizabeth II and Diana, Princess of Wales. HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES Hampton Court Palace is part of Historic Royal Palaces, a registered charity ( No: 1068852 ) that receives no public funding. We rely on the income from admission tickets to the palaces to pay for vital protection work, necessary for the preservation of these national monuments and collections for future generations. Please ask at the ticket office for more information or visit www.hrp.org.uk. VISITOR INFORMATION CARRIAGE RIDES Take a trip around Home Park in a horse-drawn carriage. Rides begin and end in Home Park at the entrance by the East Front Gardens. Available all day. 20 minutes duration. PS10.00 per carriage. Subject to weather and ground conditions. ENQUIRIES For details of admission charges, group rates, the Friends of Hampton Court Palace and facilities for disabled visitors, call 0870-752-7777 or visit www. Hampton-court-palace.org.uk. RESTAURANTS & SHOPS Choose from the Tiltyard Tearooms or the Privy Kitchen Coffee Shop. There are also a number of ice-cream kiosks open in the summer. The palace shops offer a wide range of gifts and souvenirs. AUDIO GUIDES Audio guides are included in the palace ticket and are available in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese. Which of the following information is NOT given in the passage? Answer: What are the chances of a 100-year-old chocolate candy falling in your treat bag this Halloween? Though Goo Goo Clusters may not be as familiar as Kit Kat or Hershey bars, people of all ages have enjoyed it for an entire century. In 1901, a 19-year-old named Howell Campbell opened a candy store in Nashville, Tennessee. He made all kinds of sweets and hard candies with just two copper kettles and about a dozen employees. Then, in 1912, he made the first candy to combine chocolate with other ingredients such as caramel, marshmallow, nougat, and peanuts. Originally, these clusters were hand-wrapped and sold under the counter at a few local stores with a sign reading,"A nourishing lunch for a nickel." Now, they are known as Goo Goo Clusters. What else makes a Goo Goo so special?"In addition to it being the very first-ever combination confection created, its shape also makes it quite unique,'' says Beth Sachan, Goo Goo Clusters' senior marketing manager."The Goo Goo Cluster is a big, imperfectly round mound of deliciousness!" The 100th anniversary of the Goo Goo Cluster is being celebrated throughout the month of October, the biggest candy-selling month of the year. About 40 restaurants in the Nashville area have created unique desserts inspired by Goo Goo Clusters to serve to their customers. Additionally, a Goo Goo-sponsored race called the "Jog'n Hog" was held in Nashville on October 13. Adults and children ran three miles to the finish line after eating at least one of six Goo Goo Clusters from a bag they were given at the halfway point. A golden Goo Goo was hidden in one of the bags. The winner received a $100 gift certificate to the candy's website, googoo. com. The 100th anniversary of the Goo Goo Cluster is being celebrated by _ . Answer: We always celebrated Dad's birthday on Thanksgiving Day. even afier he stayed in a nursing home . When we knew it might be his last birthday, the whole family decided to have a big birthday celebration at the nursing home. Dad was a good storyteller. But this time I told Dad to listen to some stories for a change. One after another, people told stories from their hearts , while Dad listened with tears in eyes. People thought of kinds of stories-stories about when they were little, stories about when Dad was young. Everyone seemed to have more than one story. Even the little grandchildren couldn't wait to tell Dad why they loved him. For a man who was kind to so many hundreds of people in his life, here was a change to tell him how much we love him. A few months later, at Dad's memorial service , we fully knew what we gave to Dad that night. Those are the stories people usually tell at a funeral after his or her death . They tell stories, full of tears. But we gave those memories to Dad in his life, and we told them through laughter with hugs and joy. He had them to hold and enjoyed them from time to time in his heart during his last days and months. That's the ways to give back love and that's our chance to celebrate a person in his or her life. They celebrated Dad's birthday by _ . Answer: Many children think mobile phones are cool. They come in fun colours and you can talk with a friend anytime and anywhere. In the USA, more than 90 million people use mobile phones. Many of those people are children. For children, mobile phones are more than phone calls. They are fashionable. Most mobile phone users don't think about the health problems caused by mobile phones. Some scientists say that mobile phones give off radiation that might be bad for users. One recent study shows that mobile phone radiation might raise a person's chance of getting some kinds of cancer. Other scientists say mobile phones are not bad for people's health. They say that they didn't find any link between mobile phone use and cancer. Scientists say that people can protect themselves from mobile phone radiation. One way is to use an earphone, or people can make shorter calls. Which of the following sentences is true? Answer:
Question: 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's the best title for this passage? A. Trees in Shijiazhuang B. Making Our Roads Beautiful C. A College Student D. Tree Hole Paintings Answer: D Question: A species lives in a region that changes over time from temperate to tropical. The survival of the species will be most probable if the species can do which of the following? A. reduce the energy requirements B. adapt to exploit changed resources C. interbreed with similar tropical organisms D. emigrate before the change is complete Answer: B Question: Plaintiff, a jockey, was seriously injured in a race when another jockey, Daring, cut too sharply in front of her without adequate clearance. The two horses collided, causing Plaintiff to fall to the ground, sustaining injury. The State Racetrack Commission ruled that, by cutting in too sharply, Daring committed a foul in violation of racetrack rules requiring adequate clearance for crossing lanes. Plaintiff has brought an action against Daring for damages in which one count is based on battery. Will Plaintiff prevail on the battery claim? A. Yes, if Daring was reckless in cutting across in front of Plaintiff's horse. B. Yes, because the State Racetrack Commission determined that Daring committed a foul in violation of rules applicable to racing. C. No, unless Daring intended to cause impermissible contact between the two impermissible contact between the two horses or apprehension of such contact by Plaintiff. D. No, because Plaintiff assumed the risk of accidental injury inherent in riding as a jockey in a horse race. Answer: C Question: Rhubarb loved everyone and every dog. Whenever someone came to the house, she was always happy. We had an older Samoyed named Willie, and it was important that Rhubarb got along well with him. She wanted to play, but was very respectful of Willie and left him alone when he was tired and needed to rest. Willie was not well and died about a year later, but I believe Rhubarb's interaction helped him keep going for longer than ifhe had been alone. But the interesting thing about Rhubarb was that she never barked. She would sometimes get excited when she saw a mouse and make a little crying sound. One hot night when she was about 4 years old, we went to bed with the windows open and the doors unlocked. At about 3 a.m., I woke up to the sound of Rhubarb barking and growling. I woke Donald and we got out of bed. Rhubarb was coming toward us with her hackles up. We turned on the lights and noticed the door to the kitchen was open. Then we saw the door leading into the house from the garage was also open. We quickly locked all the doors, and we did not get any sleep that night. The next day I called the police to report a break-in. I told them nothing had been taken, but they sent a police officer over to talk with us anyway. While he was here, we found out several local homes had been burglarized over the weekend. Most people had their wallets and purses stolen. My purse was right next to the door, but Rhubarb had scared the robber away before he or she could steal it. When the police officer left, he said we should keep our doors locked and reward Rhubarb with a big steak dinner. Rhubarb lived to be almost 12, but that night was the only time she barked in her entire life. Fortunately, she never saw the need to warn us of any other danger. We loved her like a member of the family and still miss our sweet dog. Why did Rhubarb bark on a hot night? A. She got scared. B. She saw a mouse. C. A thief broke into the house. D. The doors were unlocked. Answer: C Question: Needing to predict planting and harvesting times and when certain food animals would hibernate, early humans learned repeating weather patterns, star formations and time intervals to realize that A. the sky is usually blue at night B. most plants take a year to grow C. one year consists of 365 days and nights D. the sun is still for 12 months a year Answer: C
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." How did the author's father feel when he saw what the children were doing? Answer: If a child has a learning problem before he leaves the Second or Third Grade, it's difficult for him to study well. ADHD is one of the most common learning disabilities. Even with parents and doctors working together without schools' help, it is very hard to get rid of the disability. Sadly, even today, there are many schools that don't know how to deal with the children with these disabilities. Fairfield Primary School is a good place for children that have been diagnosed with ADHD. The teachers really care about all of their students and they are willing to work with parents and doctors in order to help these children. When they see the child want to act up in class, they usually give the child something physical to do in order to get rid of the excess energy. They never punish the child for something that is beyond the child's control. Overall, Fairfield Primary School has all of things that a child with ADHD needs. They provide interesting class games for the child's excess energy. They also provide the school rules the child needs. They give the child a caring environment where they are not kept apart because they are different. This is a very good school for a child who is suffering from one or more of these problems. We believe your child with ADHD can learn, change and succeed if they come to study in Fairfield Primary School. How do the teachers deal with students with excess energy? Answer: What is your favourite colour? Do you like yellow, orange, red? If you do, you must be an optimist , a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer greys and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead. If you love green, you are strong-minded and determined. You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful. At least this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of colour preference, and the influence that colours have on human beings. They tell us that we don't choose our favourite colours as we grow up. If you happen to love brown, you did so as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly. A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and more comfortable than a dark green one, and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is depressing. Light and bright colours make people not only happier but more active. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines and painted orange rather than black or dark grey. Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few colourful things. Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what colours they like and dislike. And don't forget that anyone can guess a lot about your character when you choose a piece of handkerchief . According to the passage, _ . Answer: The following five destination shall never be missed Blue Lagoon : Blue Lagoon geothermal spa is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland. The warm waters are rich in minerals and bathing in the Blue Lagoon is reputed to help some people suffering from skin diseases. The water temperature in the bathing and swimming area of the Lagoon averages 37degC - 39degC(99F -102F). The Blue Lagoon also operates a research and development facility to help find cures for skin diseases using the mineral-rich water. Budapest: Budapest holds the title "City of Spas" since the year 1934, as it has more hot and medicinal water springs than any other capital city in the world. There are 118 springs in Budapest, providing over 70 million liters of hot water a day. The temperature of the waters is between 22degC and 40degC. El Tatio: El Tatio is a geyser field located within the Andes Mountains of northern Chile at 4,320 meters above sea level. With over 80 active geysers, the site is the largest geyser field in the southern hemisphere and the third largest in the world. It is a major tourist attraction in Chile and is among the highest-elevation geyser fields in the world. The temperature of the waters goes between 70degC and 85degC. Hokkaido: Visitors to the Japanese island of Hokkaido have plenty of options. These range from top resorts with thermal baths like the Spa Resort Hawaiians to small traditional inns that have their own small hot pools with water temperature comfortable to skin. Some bathing spots are outdoors and are not associated with any spa or inn. The classic forest and mountain landscapes of this nature-rich island make it a great choice for those seeking a science setting for their baths. Which site of the spring has the greatest gap of water temperature? Answer: Sitting too much is now listed with smoking and junk food as a bad habit that increases your risk of heart disease. New Australian research shows that half-an-hour in the gym will not make up for the waist-expanding damage caused by spending the rest of the day sitting. But the good news is that doing chores in the house or gently walking around the office while on the phone might be enough to keep you fit. The study joins the growing body of evidence suggesting too much sitting might undo the benefits of exercise. The study measured the intensity of physical activities in 168 subjects over seven days. It found that, regardless of how much exercise they did or their total sitting time, those who took more breaks from sitting had lower risk of thick waists and lower levels of blood lipids . "Higher levels of blood lipids have been linked to a heightened risk of heart disease," principal researcher Genevieve Healy of the University of Queensland said. "What the study shows is that there are benefits in just getting up regularly and interrupting your sitting time." Researchers behind the Stand Up Australia project have written to the Rudd Government requesting $3.5 million for a two-year study into the impact how long sitting offects health and productivity of workers. The study would also develop and test strategies for reducing sitting time on the job. The latest study builds on work that is shifting the health promotion focus from purposeful exercise, such as running, to lower intensity activities throughout the day. The Australian research has been backed up by US studies. "To hold a body that weighs 77 kilograms upright takes a fair amount of energy from muscles," said Professor Marc Hamilton from the University of Missouri. "There is a large amount of energy associated with standing every day that cannot easily be replaced by 30 to 60 minutes in the gym." The new Australian research shows that _ . Answer:
Revealed to the world by the famous British explorer, Dr David Livingstone, in 1855, the Victoria Falls are one of Africa's best-known natural wonders. They form a natural border between Zimbabwe and Zambia . The falls are named after Queen Victoria by Livingstone. They were known to the native people in the 18th century as: "the smoke that thunders". The waterfall is formed as the two-kilometer-wide Zambezi River spills over the edge of its giant stone riverbed and falls into the gorge below. At their highest point, the Victoria Falls drop a distance of 108m, almost twice as far as the Niagara Falls. As much as 546 million cubic meters of water per minute falls over the edge from that height. Viewing the falls from the Zambian side means that visitors can follow a path that goes right up to the falls. The falls can also be viewed from the Boiling Pot, right in the depths of the gorge at the bottom of the falls. The 111-meter-high Victoria Falls Bridge, a railway crossing, is now a popular place for Bungee jumping. It can be crossed on foot for excellent views of the falls and the winding blue-green waters of the Zambezi River. It is also possible to see the falls from a plane. The area around the falls is a major game-viewing place. The best time to view the Victoria Falls is between December and July, when the water level is the highest. Contact Addresses Tourist Centre, Livingstone, Zambia Tel: (03) 321 404E-mail: zntb@zamnet.zm Website: www.zambiatourism.com. How many ways did the author mention to view the falls? A. 2. B. 3. C. 4. D. 5. Answer: C. 4. In contract litigation between Pixley and Dill, a fact of consequence to the determination of the action is whether Pixley provided Dill with a required notice at Dill's branch office "in the state capital." Pixley introduced evidence that he gave notice at Dill's office in the city of Capitan. Although Capitan is the state's capital, Pixley failed to offer proof of that fact. Which of the following statements is most clearly correct with respect to possible judicial clearly correct with respect to possible judicial notice of the fact that Capitan is the state's capital? A. The court may take judicial notice even though Pixley does not request it. B. The court may take judicial notice only if Pixley provides the court with an authenticated copy of the statute that designates Capitan as the capital. C. If the court takes judicial notice, the burden of persuasion on the issue of whether Capitan is the capital shifts to Dill. D. If the court takes judicial notice, it should instruct the jury that it may, but is not required to, accept as conclusive the fact that Capitan is the capital. Answer: A. The court may take judicial notice even though Pixley does not request it. It's great fun to explore new places--it feels like an adventure,even when you know you're not the first to have been there. But make sure not to get lost or waste time going round in circles. * Do the map reading if you're being driven somewhere. It'll be easier if you keep turning the map so it follows the direction you're traveling in. Keep looking ahead so that you can give the driver lots of warning before having to make a turn or you'll have to move to the back seat. * Get a group of friends together and go exploring. You'll need a good map, a compass , a raincoat, a cell phone to call for help in case you get lost, and a bit of spare cash for emergencies . Tell someone where you're going before you set out and let them know what time you expect to be back. The test is in not getting lost, not in seeing how fast you can go, so always stick together, waiting for slower friends to catch up. * See if your school or a club organizes orienteering activities, in which you need a map and a compass to find your way. This can be done as a sport, with teams trying to find the way from A to B (and B to C, etc.)in the fastest time, or simply as a spare-time activity. Either way, its not only good fun, but a great way to keep fit. The text mainly talks about _ . A. the fun of exploration B. what to bring for exploration C. the way to use a map in exploration D. how to prevent getting lost in exploration Answer: D. how to prevent getting lost in exploration Should teenagers help their parents do chores? Is it important for us to learn how to do chores? I have a classmate called Li Ting. She is the only child in her family. Her parents love her so much that they don't let her do any chores. On weekdays she gets up, has meals, goes to school, has lessons, she only plays with her friends. So she doesn't know how to do chores. One day, her father was badly ill and was in hospital. Her mother had to take care of her father in the hospital and couldn't cook meals for her for a week. Li Ting didn't know how to cook meals. She had a lot of trouble cooking meals and often felt hungry. She only had instant noodles for her meals. From the story, we know it's very important for us to learn to do chores. How many children are there in Li Ting's family? A. Two. B. Three. C. One. D. Four. Answer: C. One. This is a story from 28 years ago. My dad was a used car salesman. Every Thursday night, he would head off to Shreveport, LA for an auction . Most of the time, I drove a car over there for him so he could sell it at the auction. One day I was riding with my dad when he noticed a hitch-hiker with a backpack. Without hesitation, he pulled the car over and offered him a ride. Dad asked him his name, and proceeded to talk to him about all sorts of things. Dad asked him where he was going. The hitch-hiker told him that he was heading for the west. I can't recall why but he told Dad a lot of things that had occurred to him and that persuaded him to make _ . He talked about the tragic events that occurred to him several years before. He was low in spirits, but t could see that the hitch-hiker's attitude was changing as someone was really listening to him. We drove 45 minutes before the hitch-hiker got off. We pulled over and Dad told him to keep his head up and things would start looking up for him soon. He reached into his pocket and handed the hitch-hiker a twenty-dollar bill. The guy smiled. He nearly lit up right there on the cold, dark highway. We drove on and my dad did not say a single thing. I was still completely amazed by what I had just witnessed. I was always told by everyone never to pick up a hitch-hiker and yet my dad did it every single time he saw one. While reflecting upon that story I came to understand that just one single kind act could change someone's life, and I am sure that my father's deed made that poor man's day. When his father helped the hitch-hiker, the writer _ . A. was deeply moved B. strongly disagreed C. admired his father D. couldn't understand Answer: D. couldn't understand
Question: When the recent research was analyzed , it was found that a lot of people wanted free pictures or free music from the Web. If it couldn't be free, then they wanted it "new" or at least at a low price. It seems that 70 percent of people aged 16 to 24 download music online but only 1 in 40 tracks are bought legally. Thus, some companies are planning to give all of their music away for free. The music will be totally free except that you will have to pay with your time by watching advertisements. This will be perfect for those who have lots of time but little money. The Web has encouraged a belief that things can be free, or at least very cheap. It seems that everyone is looking for a good deal on the Web. The desire for free objects is part of the nature of the Web because the Web is about self-service and self-service is all about being free, cheap, fast and convenient. It's interesting how words change their meaning. Stealing has now become file sharing, but it's not really stealing, is it? Free is a funny word. We all know that very little is really for free. If we go searching on the Web for free music, we know--or should know--that there are risks involved. However, it doesn't matter. We still want free things, or at least the sense that we're getting a real bargain and that at a minimum we're saving time. What can be the worst experience on the Web? A site that charges us high prices and wastes our time. Which of the following can best describe the belief of the Web? A. Risky behaviour B. Stealing C. File sharing D. For fun. Answer: C. File sharing Question: Each year, prizes are presented to adults who make great achievements in art, writing, science, and economics. So why not give awards to kids? Harry Leibowitz asked himself that question in 1996. As an answer, he and his wife, Kay, created the World of Children organization and began handing out awards to kids and adults whose work has helped kids all over the world. The awards the World of Children presents arenicknamed(......)the " Children's Nobel Prize". "You know, children are so important," Leibowitz, a retired business manager, told me. " We should have prizes for children if we're going to have prizes for everything else." Talia Leman, from Iowa, was awarded a Founder's Youth Award for Leadership this year. She is only 13 years old, but she has completed a lot. In 2005, she founded " RandomKid". Since then, it has raised more than$10 million to help kids in 48 states in the U.S. and in 19 other countries. One place helped by RandomKid was a school built in Cambodia to enable 300 kids to go to school. The organization has also helped fix a school for 200 kids in Louisiana, and provided interactive play centers that serve more than 500 kids in hospitals in Iowa. In faraway places like Africa, RandomKid has provided money to buywater pumps . Talia never thought that the organization she founded would be as successful as it has become. She said, " My first goal was to raise $1million. That seemed really high, but when you reach a goal, you always wind up reaching higher, and we actually raised $10 million." I asked her what advice she would offer to other young people who want to help kids in need. " Well, I'd say the first thing would be to find an adult and tell them your idea," Talia said. " They're really the people who can help, and from there I think it can just really take off." The World of Children presents awards to those who _ . A. help the kids in the U.S B. realize the importance of education C. raise a lot of money for the poor D. do a lot to help kids in need Answer: D. do a lot to help kids in need Question: Memory, they say, is a matter of practice and exercise. If you have the wish and really make a self-effort, then you can quite easily improve your ability to remember things. But even if you are successful, there are times when your memory seems to play tricks on you. Sometimes you remember things that did not happen. One morning last week, for example, I got up and found that I had left the front door unlocked all night, yet I clearly remembered locking it carefully the night before. Memory "trick" works the other way as well. Once in a while you remember not doing something, and then find out that you did. One day last month, for example, I was sitting in a barber shop waiting for my turn to get a haircut, and suddenly I realized that I had got a haircut two days before at the barber shop across the street from my office. We always seem to find something funny in incidents caused by people's forgetfulness or absent-mindedness . Stories about absent-minded professors have been told for years, and we never got tired of hearing new ones. Unfortunately, however, absent-mindedness is not always funny. There are times when "trick" of our memory can cause us great trouble. (words: 169) From the sentence "We never get tired of hearing new ones", we can infer that _ . A. we enjoy hearing new stories about absent-mindedness of professors B. we don't want to know anything more about absent-mindedness of professors C. we will never get rid of listening to new stories about absent-mindedness D. absent-mindedness happens not only to professors but to many other people Answer: D. absent-mindedness happens not only to professors but to many other people Question: One day,I received a call from a colleague.He was about to give a student a zero for his answer to a physical problem,while the student claimed a perfect score.I was elected as their arbiter .I read the examination problem,"Show how it is possible to determine the height of a tall building with the aid of a barometer ." The student had answered,"Take the barometer to the top of the building,attach a long rope to it,lower it to the street,and then bring it up and measure the length of the rope.The length of it is the height of the building." The student had really answered the question completely,but the answer didn't confirm his competence in physics.I suggested the student try again.I gave him six minutes to answer the question,warning that the answer should show some knowledge of physics.Five minutes later,he said he had many answers and dashed off one,which read "Take the barometer to the top of the building and lean over the edge of the roof.Drop the barometer,timing its fall with a stopwatch,then use the physical formula to calculate the height of the building." At this point,my colleague had to accept it,and then the student made almost full marks.I couldn't help asking the student what the other answers were.He listed many others,and then added,"Probably the best one is to take the barometer to the administrator and say to him,'Sir,here is a fine barometer.If you tell me the height of the building,I will give it to you.'" Then,I asked the student if he really did not know the conventional answer to this question.He admitted that he did,but said that he was fed up with high school and college instructors trying to teach him how to think. The name of the student was Bohr who later was famous all over the world.He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922. What was Bohr's attitude toward his schooling? A. Optimistic. B. Critical. C. Approving. D. Pessimistic. Answer: B. Critical. Question: We have known for a long time that flowers of different plants open and close at different time of day. Yet no one really understands why flowers open and close like this at particular times. It is not as simple as we might think, as new experiments have shown. In one experiment, flowers were kept in darkness. We might expect that the flowers, without any information about the time of the day, did not open as they usually do. In fact, they continued to open at their usual time. This shows that they have some mysterious way of knowing the time. Their sense of time does not depend on information from the outside world; it is, so to speak, inside them, a kind of "inner clock". This discovery may not seem to be very important. However, it was later found that not just plants but also animals including man have this "inner clock"which controls working of their bodies and their activities. Human beings, then, are also controlled by this mysterious power. Whether we wish it or not, it affects such things in our life as our need for sleep, our need for food. And our ability to concentrate . That flowers have the sense of time is related to _ . A. sunlight B. weak light C. the "inner clock" D. the information from the outside world Answer: C. the "inner clock"
Question: A controversial new study has claimed that men really are more intelligent than women.The study concluded that men's IQs are almost four points higher than women's. British-born researcher John Philippe Ruston says the finding could explain why so few women make it to the top in the workplace. He claims the "glass ceiling" phenomenon is probably due to inferior intelligence,rather than lack of opportunity. The University of Western Ontario psychologist reached his conclusion after _ the results of university ability tests taken by 1 00,000 students aged 17 and 18 of both sexes. A focus on the factors such as the ability to quickly grasp a complex concept,verbal reasoning skills and creativity-- some of the key factors of intelligence --showed the male teenagers had IQs that were an average of 3.63 points higher. The average person has an IQ around 100.The findings,which held true for all classes and levels of education, overturn 100 year opinion that men and women average the same in general mental ability. They also conflict with evidence that girls do better in school exams than boys. But Professor Ruston argues that the faster maturing of girls leads to them outshining boy in the classroom. We can infer that the average woman has an IQ of _ . A. a little less than 100 B. 100 C. more than 100 D. 96.37 Answer: A Question: Now many boys wear the same clothes as girls, and some of them have long hair. So sometimes it's difficult to tell whether they are boys or girls. One Sunday morning, I went for a walk with my grandfather in the park near my house. After a while, my grandfather was tired, so he sat down on a bench near the pool. "Oh," my grandfather said to the person with long curly hair next to him on the bench. "Can you see the person with long hair on the other side of the pool? Is it a boy or a girl?" "Which one?" asks the person with long curly hair. "The one who is eating a hamburger near the pool," said my grandfather. "He is a boy," said the person, "he's my son, Han Han." "Oh," my grandfather said, "I'm sorry, I don't know you are his mother." "No, I'm not his mother. I'm his father." Which of the following is TRUE? A. Han Han is a beautiful girl with long hair. B. Han Han's grandfather likes walking in the park. C. Han Han's father and the writer's grandfather sat on the same bench. D. The writer's grandfather is sure that Han Han is a boy at first. Answer: C Question: For teenagers, it's great fun to explore new places and it feels like an adventure, even when you know you're not the first to have been there. But to make sure not to get lost or waste time going round in circles, the following tips may be helpful. Do the map reading if you're being driven somewhere. It'll be easier if you keep the map following the direction you are traveling in. Keep looking ahead so that you can give the driver lots of warning before having to make a turn, or you'll have to move to the back seat. Get a group of friends together and go exploring. You'll need a good map, a compass, a raincoat, a cell phone to call for help in case you get lost, and a bit of spare cash for emergencies. Tell someone where you're going before you set out and let them know what time you expect to be back. The purpose of the activity is in not getting lost, not in seeing how fast you can go, so always stick together, waiting for slower friends to catch up. *See if your school or a club organizes orienteering activities, in which you need a map and a compass to find your way. This can be done as a sport, with teams trying to find the way from A to B(and B to C, etc. ) in the fastest time, or simply as a spare-time activity. It enables you to be familiar with the use of maps and compass and gain some special skills. In some way, it's not only good fun, but also a great way to keep fit. In the exploration, why do you need to wait for the slower friends? A. To share the fun with him/her in exploration. B. To tell him/her what's going on with group members. C. To avoid yourself or your friends getting lost. D. To show them how fast you can go. Answer: C Question: Can you resist cream cakes? I miss my sugar! I've decided to lose weight and I had to give up cakes. It's difficult because I have a sweet tooth and I love cream cakes. Not having treats can be good for your health. I've heard that the Burts, a family of five in South East England, lived sugar free for a whole year after they found out their daughter had diabetes . It wasn't easy. To avoid temptation, I don't go to any bakeries, but this family actually owns one, which makes up to 3,000 cakes a week. And how does it feel to live without sugar for a while? Jason Burt said that for a month they felt weak. But later on it all changed. He says he feels "more awake" and full of energy. And what about the Burt family business? It had to keep using half a ton of sugar a week and any cook worth his salt knows that you have to taste a recipe to know if it's right. No problem there, says Jason Burt's wife, Clare. She points out that she's got lots of people offering to taste the cakes for them. The family is also thinking about selling more delicious products. I wonder what makes us have a strong desire for sweet food. Anyway, I've decided to forget about the sweet taste of sugar for a while. As British model Kate Moss says: "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." From the passage, what do we know about the author? A. The author is on a diet. B. The author's daughter had diabetes. C. The author runs a bakery. D. The author hates sweet taste. Answer: A Question: When you're an employee of a company, no matter the size, it's common to see co-workers promoted, or transferred to a different department. But there is another way to move around--by creating a new position for yourself. I did this several years ago, though I wasn't actively looking for a different job. In 2007, I was hired at the Transamerica Life Insurance Company, as a customer service representative in the distributions services department. I processed requests for distributions from our annuity policy holders around the country. Someone might have forgotten to sign a form, for example, or might have omitted security information. To solve the problem, I'd mail the person a letter. The company had been through several combinations, so in our department alone we had a collection of about 140 templates for letters related to distributions. The longer I worked with the letters, the more I saw how they could be improved. Some had overlapping information and could be combined. Some had incorrect grammar or needed updating. I also noticed that industry terminology wasn't standard across all the versions. When I told my department supervisor about this in 2008, she agreed that the letters needed _ . She said I should stop what I'd been doing and start the new work. In a relatively short time, I was able to make numerous improvements and reduce the number of letters to 70. It was an informal job change until a managers' meeting several months later. At that meeting, a vice president who was unaware of my new work mentioned that the division's entire stock of 1,700 letters should be reviewed. My manager told her that she knew the perfect person for the job--me. The position was still considered temporary when I took on the extra tasks, but I was able to show that the work had value, and I was officially promoted and given a raise in November 2009. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A. Where there is will, there is a way. B. Creating a position, and earning a promotion. C. Don't let the chance go, when it comes. D. Ways to get a promotion. Answer: B
Hundreds of secondary schools are using a _ reward scheme which "bribes" pupils with iPods and DVD players to turn up in classes and do homework. Almost one million schoolchildren have been issued with supermarket-style reward cards which allow them to collect good-behavior "points" and cash them in for prizes. Schools taking part in the "Vivo Miles" scheme are spending several thousand pounds a year in an attempt to cut truancy and promote achievements. The prizes are ultimately funded by the taxpayer, through school budgets. Nearly 500 secondary schools, one in six, have decided to take part in the scheme, which is intended to replace old-style rewards such as stickers and golden stars. But the extent of rewards being offered in schools brought a warning that a generation of children is growing up expecting to be rewarded at every stage. Many youngsters are collecting points for ordinary achievements such as remembering to bring their PE kit and wearing the correct uniform. Under the scheme, teachers award Vivo points--worth 1 penny each--according to the school's policy. Schools typically spendPS4 toPS6 on prizes per pupil each year, although some commit considerably more. Most pupils accumulate between 400 and 600 Vivos a year. Vivo Miles insists it is "pretty rare" for a pupil to accumulate enough points to buy an iPod, which requires 3,100 Vivos. But Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said the scheme amounted to "bribery". "It misleads children into thinking anything which requires effort has to have a special reward," he said. "This 'all must have prizes' view is damaging to children in the long-term." The scheme amounted to an "admission of failure" by schools. He said. "It shows a school has failed to convince children education is important." The "Vivo Miles" scheme is aimed at _ . encouraging students to perform well at school In terms of tourism .Ohio is a place full of natural beauty and many vacation spots worth Visiting . Coney island-Fun Unlimited ! Coney Island is an amusement park situated in the city of Cincinnati. It has the world's largest recirculating pool . several diving hoards .and an "in pool" slide. For basketball and vol- leyhall lovers . there are special courts available. Apart from this . the park is equipped with 22 classic family and kiddie rides .boating facilities . a golf course . etc Other amusement parks in Ohio include Erieview Park .The Beach Waterpark . Memphis Kiddie Park .etc. Columbus-The Headquarters! Anyhow, your journey would start from Columbus . the capital city of the state ! So spend some quality time roaming around in this beautiful city. Nightclubs . high quality restaurants .and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-For Music Lovers ! If you are a die-hard music lover. then certainly this place wouldn't disappoint you ! Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was opened somewhere around in 1995 .with an intention of celebrating the spirit of rock and roll music .and also studying it. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame offers exhibitions .music events . and also training programs on the subject. This is a perfect stop for every-thing on rock and roll music ! Cleveland-High Class Experience ! One of the oldest cities. Cleveland ranks among the top 20 metros of the United States .With Lake Erie serving as the most popular tourist attraction .Cleveland is also famous for land marks such as Cavaliers Gund Arena , Playhouse Square and Indians' Jacobs Field. Moreover. vibrant nightlife , clubs , restaurants ;large hotels and shopping festivals add co the touristic significance of this place. Lake Erie-The Perfect Holiday ! With nearly 900 miles of shoreline .Lake Erie is one place you have to visit. You can enjooy numerous activities like fishing. swimming. boating . etc. It is also perfect for having a family picnic outing. One can even take a ferry to Kelleys Island where things like cycling and miniature golf can be enjoyed. Besides .it is the perfect place for those who are looking for some quiet and relaxing time. According to the passage a basketball lover is most likely to go to _ . Coney Island Fred went into a _ ."I would like a photo,please,"he said."How much is it?" "$25 for the first one,"the man said."Then $2 for others". "OK,"Fred said."Can you take my photo now?" "Yes,come this way,please." The man took Fred into a room and asked him to sit down.Then he turned on some bright lights and took his photo."Come here and get your photo tomorrow,"the man said. The next day,Fred went to get his photo."Your photo is OK,"the man said. Fred looked at his photo.He was not happy."This photo makes me look very old."he told the man. The man smiled,"With this photo,you don't need to ask someone to take your photo again many years later." Fred thinks _ . he looks old in the photo According to decades-long research, women who took low to moderate daily doses of aspirin had a reduced death rate, especially from heart disease. The research, based on data from a major trial that has tracked almost 80,000 women since 1976, found that women who reported using aspirin on a regular basis had a 25 percent lower risk of death from any cause than women who didn't take the drug. The risk of death from cardiovascular disease was 38 percent lower for aspirin users, and there was also a 12 percent reduction in cancer deaths that took effect after a decade of aspirin use, the researchers found in their report based on the Nurses' Health Study. However, an accompanying editorial in the journal cautioned that the results were open to debate and far from definitive. The dissenting editorial was based on results of an earlier trial by the Women's Health Study, which followed almost 40,000 women for 11 years and found no reduction in overall deaths. Therefore, the new findings "cannot overcome the accumulated evidence that aspirin is not particularly effective for the primary prevention of death from cardiovascular disease in women." "This is a complicated issue," said Dr. Andrew T. Chan, leading author of the new report. "We understand that aspirin has potential health benefits, but who would aspirin therapy be appropriate for?" There are "areas of disagreement that need further study" before that question can be answered, Chan said. But there is information from the two large studies and other trials that can help guide women and their physicians, he said. And anyone who is thinking about daily aspirin "should really talk with doctors about the benefits and risks." Which research does the author seem to support? Neither. One day when some government officials were building a barn , they found a mouse hole in a corner and used smoke to make the mice inside the hole come out. A while later they indeed saw mice running out, one after another. Then, everyone thought that all the mice had escaped. But just as they began to clean up, they saw two mice squeezing out at the mouth of the hole. With some efforts, the mice finally got out. However, it was strange that after they came out of the hole, they didn't run away immediately. Instead, one chased after the other near the mouth of the hole. It seemed that one was trying to bite the tail of the other. Everyone was puzzled , so they stepped near to take a look. They realized that one of the mice was blind and couldn't see anything, and the other was trying to allow the blind mouse to bite on his tail so that he could pull the blind one with him to escape. After seeing what happened, everyone was speechless and lost in thought. During the meal time, the group of people sat down in a circle and started to chat about what happened to the two mice. One serious American official said, "I think the relationship between those mice was that of king and guard ." The other thought for a while and said, "That is why!" A smart Frenchman said, "I think the relationship between those two mice was that of husband and wife." Again the others thought for a while, and all felt it made sense. A Japanese said, "I think the relationship between those two mice was that of mother and son." Once again the others thought for a while, and felt this was more reasonable. So they expressed agreement another time. At that moment, one Chinese asked, "Why did those two mice have to have a certain relationship?" Suddenly, the group looked back at the Chinese and stayed speechless. The American official, the French and the Japanese who had spoken earlier all lowered their heads in shame , and did not dare to answer. In fact, the true love is not built on friendship, loyalty or blood relationship. Instead, it is based on no relationship. The best title for the passage is _ . Love Is All
Life is filled with challenges. As we get older we come to realize that those challenges are the very things that shape us and make us who we are,it is the same with the challenges that come withfriendship.When we are faced with a challenge,we usually have two choices. We can try to beat it off, or we can decide that the thing presenting the challenge isn't worth the trouble and call it quits.Although there are certainly times when calling it quits is the right thing to do,in most cases all that is needed is commitment and communication. When we are _ to something, it means that no matter how painful or howuncomfortable something is,we will always choose to face it through instead of running away from it.Communication is making a space for discussion and talking about how you feel as opposed to just saying what the other person did wrong. If you can say to a friend,"I got my feelings hurt." rather than"You hurt my feelings."you are going to be able to solve the problem much faster. In dealing with many challenges that friendship will bring to you, try to see them for what they are:small hurdles you need to jump or get through on your way through life.Nothing is so big that it is impossible to get over, and hurt only serves to make us stronger.It is all part of growing up,it happens to everyone,and some day you will look back on all of this and say,"Hard as it was,it made me who I am today.And that is a good thing." The writer suggests that _ when faced with a challenge. A one should call it quits B one should temporarily run away from it C one should be committed and communicable D one should lay it a side for a while Answer: C. one should be committed and communicable When tree roots grow, sometimes they A eat worms B form perfect braids C strangle people D break hard objects Answer: D. break hard objects We can offer you a place at one of the best universities in Britain. We'll provide you with a choice of 150 first-class courses developed especially to enable you to study in your own time. All of these courses are backed by the Open University's own special study method -- OU Support Open Learning. We'll give you the support of a personal teacher, and the chance to meet your fellow students. You can study for a diploma, a degree or a postgraduate degree. Subjects available include: Computing, Business Management, Technology, Modern Languages, Social Sciences, English Law, Arts, Science, Mathematics, Education and Health & Social Welfare. Whether you want to study to improve your career prospects or for your own personal interest, there's almost certainly a course for you. If you haven't studied for a while, we will help you get started. No previous training or degrees are required. All that is required is a willingness to learn. The OU is great value for money and you can pay monthly. The OU leads the world in the use of new technology for learning, and a number of courses provide source material on CD-ROM. What else can the Open University offer you? The OU is in the top 15% of all UK universities for teaching quality. 25% of all British MBAs come from the OU. Over 30,000 employers have offered chances for their staff to study OU courses. 40,000 OU students study online from their home. There are 9-month courses and diplomas as well as degrees. Send for your free instructions now. Post to: The Open University, PO Box 625, Milton Keynes MK76 AA, U99LX. If you want to study in the Open University, you need _ . A a good study habit B some previous training C a willingness to learn D a degree from a good university Answer: C. a willingness to learn Alan Tong was the worst driver in town. He had an accident of some kind almost every week. Alan lived with his mother. His mother was always worried about him. Every day she worried that police would turn up to arrest him. This wasn't a foolish worry because they usually called on the Tong household about once a week to deliver a speeding ticket or to serve him notice to appear in court. Most of his accidents were caused by his carelessness. He drove through red lights. He turned right without signaling. He drove at night without proper lights. He overtook other cars on hills and sharp curve. In short there wasn't a traffic regulation Alan had not broken, and he had had so many accidents that it was a miracle he was still alive. But luckily for Alan, he had never hurt anyone in his accidents or even gone to the hospital. Although Alan wasn't popular with the police, he was very popular with his lawyer. Alan's lawyer, Mr.Tsui, had earned a lot of money from Alan's cases and always rubbed his hands expectantly when he saw Alan coming into his office. One day Alan was working in the garage spraying painting his car when his mother walked in. "What are you doing?" his mother asked. "Painting my car," Alan replied. "I can see that," his mother said, "but why are you painting one side of the car red and the other side blue?" "Because every time I have to go to court for a traffic offense, there are always two witnesses . "What color1 was the car?" the prosecutor always asks, and the two witnesses always give the same answer. Well, in the future, one witness will say it was blue. Mr. Tsui will then say to the judge, "Your honor, the witnesses cannot even agree on the color1 of the car involved in the accident." And the judge will have to dismiss the case against me. Why was he doing this? A To confuse the evidence against him. B To help the prosecutor in court. C To make the witnesses agree. D To create a good impression in court. Answer: A. To confuse the evidence against him. It may help you to know that there is no such thing as a perfect speech.At some point in every speech, every speaker says something that is not understood exactly as he has planned.Fortunately, the moments are usually not obvious to the listeners. Why ? Because the listeners do not know what the speaker plans to say. They hear only what the speaker does say. If you lose your place for a moment, wrongly change the order of a couple of sentences, or forget to pause at a certain point, _ .When such moments occur, don't worry about them. Just continue as if nothing happened. Even if you do make an obvious mistake during a speech, that don't really matter. If you have ever listened to Martin Luther King's famous speech - " I have a dream", you may notice that he stumble his words twice during the speech.Most likely, however, you don't remember.Why? Because you were fixing your attention on its message rather than on his way of speech-making. People care a lot about making mistakes in a speech because they regard speech-making as a kind of performance rather than as an act of communication. They feel the listeners are like judges in an ice-skating competition.But, in fact, the listeners are not looking for a perfect performer. They are looking for a well-thought-out speech that expresses the speaker's ideas clearly and directly.Sometimes a mistake or two can actually increase a speaker's attractiveness by making him more human. As you work on your speech, don't worry about being imperfect.Once you free your mind of this, you will find it much easier to give your speech freely. You don't remember obvious mistakes in a speech because _ . A your attention is on the content B you don't fully understand the speech C you don't know what the speaker plans to say D you find the way of speech-making more important Answer: A. your attention is on the content
On my first day in America, I was excited, but nervous as well. It was my dear neighbor Susan who helped me get used to my new life far away from home. There was a knock at the door. When I opened it, Susan came in with a home-made apple pie. She hugged me and said:"You must be the precious Chinese doll!" With a big smile, she went on:"Alice, I am sure you have never, ever tried a home-made apple pie before! You are going to love it so much!" To be honest, I was greatly surprised by this welcome from a stranger. And the apple pie made me feel at home. Susan was very helpful to me. When I was thinking about a costume to wear on Halloween, she suggested I dress up like a traditional Chinese girl. "I happen to have a traditional Chinese dress and guess what, I am a great make-up artist!" she said. Susan didn't hide her excitement, when, after an hour of hard work, she pushed me to the mirror to examine our work. The clothes fit me perfectly! I am sure that I _ from the crowd that Halloween, and I am very grateful to Susan for her help. My first Thanksgiving was another highlight. On the festival morning, I was surprised to find a gift box in my front yard. There was a note on it:"Hello Alice, I am the Thanksgiving bunny! Enjoy your gift!" I looked around and caught Susan looking at me from the porch. Seeing that she had been caught, she awkwardly picked up a newspaper and pretended to read it. I couldn't help laughing. When I walked up to her, she said:"It was not me. It was the Thanksgiving bunny!" Susan is such a lovely person; she is the American above all others I need to thank. I saw that the spirit of the Chinese saying, that "Neighbors carry more weight than distant relatives," is alive and well in America. Susan filled my heart with warmth and joy, just as angels do. This passage is most probably taken from _ . Answer: a newspaper Almost all cultures celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another in some way. Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways, and at different times on the calendar. In Western countries, people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on January 1st. People may go to parties, dress in formal clothes -- like tuxedos and evening gowns, and drink champagne at midnight. During the first minutes of the New Year, people cheer and wish each other happiness for the year ahead. But some cultures prefer to celebrate the New Year by waking up early to watch the sun rise. They welcome the New Year with the first light of the sunrise. It is also a common Western custom to make a New Year's promise, called a resolution. New Year's resolutions usually include promises to try something new or change a bad habit in the new year. Many cultures also do special things to get rid of bad luck at the beginning of a new year. For example, in Ecuador, families make a big doll from old clothes. The doll is filled with old newspapers and firecrackers. At midnight, these dolls are burned to show the bad things from the past year are gone and the new year can start afresh (again). Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a new year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean, or saying special things on the first day of the new year. Other New Year traditions are followed to bring good luck is to eat grapes on New Year's Day. The more grapes a person eats , the more good luck the person will have in the year. In France, people eat pancakes for good luck at New Year. In the United States, some people eat black-eyed peas for good luck -- but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365 of them! Which is probably true about eating black-eyed peas on New Year? Answer: One pea brings one day of luck. If You Decide to Go to the Moon By Faith Mcnulty, Steven Kellogg(illustrator)---This book is written in the second person and tells you the most important information you need to know if you go to the moon. I especially appreciate the information on how to get home. You know, just in case... Discover Space By Cynthia Pratt Nicolson, Bill Slavin---Like its companion book in this series, Discover the Planets, this delightful book provides a fun and educational look at the "final frontier". This book should surely be added to your young reader's library. This Rocket By Paul Collicutt---Here's an excellent book dealing with rockets from where they came from to where they are going. The illustrations will capture younger readers while older kids will enjoy the story. Voyage to the Planet and Beyond By Tim Haines, Christopher Riley---Published to accompany the Discovery television series of the same title, this book is about space travel (based on the experiences of real astronauts) to tell the imagined story of a 6-year space mission. Your future astronaut will get a joy from following the adventures in this book. Space (Our Planet) By Eduardo Banqureri---From the origin of the universe to the international space station, this book gives readers an up-close look at planet Earth and its solar system. Add this one to your space library, in the solar system section. The Planets By Gall Gibbons (illustrator)---This is an excellent kids book that discusses the movements, location, and characteristics of the known planets of our solar system. Which of the following tells us something about the earth? Answer: The Planets and Space Different systems of the human body perform different functions. Which system takes oxygen from the air to be moved by the circulatory system? Answer: the respiratory system Bob was only seven years old. One night Bob was at home alone while his parents were out for a party. He had often stayed alone before,so he wasn't afraid. As he waited for his parents to return home,he watched a film on TV. His eyes became heavier and heavier as time passed by. Suddenly Bob's eyes opened wide--what was the sound in the next room? Bob heard the window being opened slowly. For a minute,Bob was so frightened that he could not move,and his body felt like ice. He knew that he couldn't lose his head and began to think of the things he could do. Again he heard the sound of someone trying to climb into his home through the window. Bob's drums were standing in the corner near the TV. "Wait,maybe there is something I can do,"thought Bob. He beat on his drums as hard as he could. The sound was so terrible that Bob surprised even himself. He also surprised the man in the window,who ran away as fast as possible.How clever he was! What did Bob do when he waited for his parents? Answer: He watched TV.
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. What was Kenny in his first dream? Answer: A great doctor Manners nowadays in metropolitan cities like London are practically non-existence, it's nothing for a big, strong schoolboy to elbow an elderly woman aside in the dash for the last remaining seat on the tube or bus, much less stand up and offer his seat to her. This question of giving up seats in public transport is much argued by young men, who say that, since women have claimed equality, they no longer deserve to be treated with courtesy , ) and that those who go out to work should take their turn in the rat race like anyone else. Women have never claimed to be physically as strong as men. Even if it is not agreed, however, that young men should stand up for younger women, the fact remains that courtesy should be shown to the old, the sick and the burdened. Are we really so lost to all ideals of unselfishness that we can sit there indifferently reading the paper or a book, saying to ourselves "First come, first severed", while a grey-haired woman, a mother with a young child stands? Yet this is all too often seen. Older people, tired and quick-tempered from a day's work, are not angels, either-far from it. Many a brisk argument or an insulting quarrel breaks out as the weary queues push and shove each other to get on buses and tubes. One cannot commend this, of course, but on does feel there is just a little more excuse. If cities are to remain pleasant places to live in at all, however, it seems imperative , not only that communications in transport should be improved, but also that communication between human beings should be kept smooth and polite. All over cities, it seems that people are too tired and too rushed to be polite. Shop assistant's won't bother to assist, taxi drivers growl at each other as they dash dangerously round corners, bus conductors pull the bell before their desperate passengers have had time to get on or off the bus, and so on and so on. It seems to us that it is up to the young and strong to do their small part to stop such deterioration . What is the writer's opinion concerning courteous manners towards women? Answer: Special consideration ought to be shown to them. Most mountains on Earth occur in huge ranges stretching for thousands of miles. Which event is most likely to cause the formation of these mountain ranges? Answer: movement of plates Whether we're 2 years old or 62, our reasons for lying are mostly the same: to get out of trouble, for personal gain and to make ourselves look better in the eyes of others. But a growing body of research is raising questions about how a child's lie is different from an adult's lie, and how the way we _ changes as we grow. "Parents and teachers who catch their children lying should not be alarmed. Their children are not going to turn out to be abnormal liars," says Dr. Lee, a professor at the University of Toronto and director of the Institute of Child Study. He has spent the last 15 years studying how lying changes as kids get older, why some people lie more than others as well as which factors can reduce lying. The fact that children tell lies is a sign that they have reached a new developmental stage. Dr. Lee conducted a series of studies in which they bring children into a lab with hidden cameras. Children and young adults aged 2 to 17 are likely to lie while being told not to look at a toy, which is put behind the child's back. Whether or not the child takes a secret look is caught on tape. For young kids, the desire to cheat is big and 90% take a secret look in these experiments. When the test-giver returns to the room, the child is asked if he or she looked secretly. At age 2, about a quarter of children will lie and say they didn't. By 3, half of kids will lie, and by 4, that figure is 90%, studies show. Researchers have found that it's kids with better understanding abilities who lie more. That's because to lie you also have to keep the truth in mind, which includes many brain processes, such as combining several sources of information and faking that information. The ability to lie -- and lie successfully -- is thought to be related to development of brain regions that allow so called "executive functioning", or higher order thinking and reasoning abilities. Kids who perform better on tests that involve executive functioning also lie more. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . Answer: the older kids are, the more they lie Most of us remember our teachers well. Three successful Americans talk about the teachers who encouraged them. Kevin Henkes is an excellent author and illustrator whose books include Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, The Year of Billy Miller, and Kitten's First Full Moon, which won the Caldecott medal. "I grew up in the school days of silent hallways and desks in neat,evenrows. One day, our forth-grade teacher allowed the class to move the desks out of rows intogroups of four. It might seem like a small thing now, but it taught me that you could do things differently; you could think outside the box. That teacher helped me view my world differently. Good teachers can change lives." Katherine Applegate has won many awards for her books, including the Newbery Medal for The One and Only Ivan. She also created the Animorphs series with her husband, Michael Grant."My sixth-grade teacher in Michigan sensed that 1 wanted to write,so one day she sent me home to write about the word'blue'in as many ways as possible. Because of that,for the first time in my life, I thought of myself as someone with special skills as a writer, someone who was unique. My teacher's actions said'I see something special in you.'" In his role as U.S.Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan is in charge of the department that collects data and directs research on America's schools."My high school English teacher was amazing. She challenged us to express our ideas clearly in class and in our writing. There was no such thing as a bad question. She wanted to hear from us and encouraged us to speak up and express ourselves. She pulled things out of me that I didn't know I had inside. I think that is the genius of good teachers." What does the passage mainly tell us? Answer: The best students learn from the heart,not from the book.
In England, people don't often talk much. You can get on a bus or a train,and everyone sits looking out of the window. Often they read books and papers, but they don't talk much. When you meet English people they often talk about one thing--weather . So when you meet somebody in England, you can say, "Nice weather for the time of year!" "But it is a little cold today," somebody may answer. "But it will be a little warmer later,"you can say. Talk like this, and the English people will think," How friendly you are !" Which is right? _ A English people like to talk on a bus. B English people don't like to talk about weather. C English people are not friendly at all. D In England,the weather often changes . Answer: D. In England,the weather often changes . In American crime movies, policemen search crime scenes for anything that might belong to a criminal-- bits of fingernail , blood or hair-- in order to find out who they are. What they hope to find is the key to their identity--their DNA. DNA is the chemical that contains a person's genetic makeup. Every person, except for identical twins, has unique DNA information. That is why we can use it to identify someone. There is no doubt that DNA evidence is becoming a very powerful tool for law enforcement officers. In the US, all 50 states and the federal government keep DNA databases of some criminals after they have been convicted . Whenever a crime happens, the police collect DNA from the crime scene and compare this with samples they already have in the criminal database. If they match any suspect in the database, then they've caught their criminal. Even if they don't, the DNA sample can still be used to determine the person's sex, height, hair and eye color1 and other characteristics. This helps police to create a physical profile of the criminal. Some people feel that the database should be made bigger to contain everyone's DNA and help to solve many more crimes. This would also avoid mistakes when someone is wrongly convicted of a crime. DNA doesn't make mistakes. However, other people are worried that it would violate their privacy. Someone's DNA can be used to gather information such as the person's family and ethnic background, whether he or she has a gene mutation or certain genetic diseases, and other personal issues. People are afraid that this information might be used inappropriately. They may fear that employers might read it and treat them differently. People may also be afraid that personal data might get into the hands of insurance firms or loan companies. For example, if they knew from your DNA that you had a genetic risk of a serious disease, they might be able to refuse you life insurance, a loan, or even a job. Clearly, the use of DNA evidence will continue to help the police solve crimes. However, social and ethical concerns about DNA will also remain a topic of debate. What is the great concern over the DNA database according to the article? A Some people might make use of it to make money. B It would threaten people's individual privacy and rights. C The DNA stored in the database might be labeled wrongly. D The DNA would have a gene mutation and become inaccurate. Answer: B. It would threaten people's individual privacy and rights. Ad.1 Special house in Glebe ($ 160 every month) Reply to: Alatinpolo@yahoo.com Date available : December 9 Looking for a girl student roommate to share a well situated house in Glebe for not less than one month. 2 minutes from the bus stop in a quiet street, double living room etc. Give me a call if interested. The room is ready to be rented from now. Ad.2 Room with own bathroom ($330 every month) Reply to: Katarinakube@yahoo.com Date available: December 17 I've got a big flat in Sandas with own bathroom with two bedrooms and two bathrooms in a safe building with all equipment. I'm looking for a girl student who wants to stay for at least 6 months, easy-going, tidy. There will be only me, so 2 people in total. It's available from Dec. 17 for $330 every month, including bills. Ad.3 One bedroom suitable for one boy ($175 every month) Reply to: Lookforyou@yahoo.com Date available: December 16 We have a bedroom available with a big bed. The living room, kitchen and bathroom will be shared with our roommate, Al, who is a university student. We provide a computer, TV, DVD player, a parking space which are all included in the rent. The apartment is available December 16 at the earliest and for at least 2 months because we won't be back to the town Lading until next April. Ad.4 Room with own kitchen for a girl ($280 every month) Reply to: Everlastingfriend@yahoo.com Date available: December 18 I've got a flat in Patrio with a bedroom available. A kitchen is also available with all equipment. I'm looking for a girl student who wants to stay for at least 3 months. I also provide a PC and a parking place, but the parking place isn't included in the rent. If a boy wants to rent a room, he would send an email to _ . A Everlastingfriend@yahoo.com B Lookforyou@yahoo.com C Alatinpolo@yahoo.com D Katarinakube@yahoo.com Answer: B. Lookforyou@yahoo.com In American schools there is something called the Home-coming Day. Many high schools and colleges with a football team have a home-coming game. This can be the most important event of the year. Students plan the Home-coming Day for many weeks. A few days before Home-coming Day, students start to decorate the school. There are signs to wish luck to the team, and many other signs to welcome all the graduates. Many people still come to Home-coming twenty or thirty years after their graduation . The members of school clubs build booths and sell lemonade, apples and sandwiches. Some clubs help to welcome visitors. During the day people like to look for teachers that they remember from long ago. Often they see old friends and they talk together about those happy years in school. Everyone soon comes to watch the football game. When the game is half over, the band comes onto the field and plays school songs. Another important moment is the moment when the Home-coming Queen or King appears. All the students choose a most popular student the Home-coming Queen or King. It is a great honour to be chosen. The Home-coming Day is a happy day. Even if the team loses, the students still enjoy it. Some stay at the school to dance, and others go to a party. For everyone, it is a day they will always remember. The most important event of the year in high schools and colleges is _ . A the Home-coming Day B the football game C the graduation day D winning the game Answer: A. the Home-coming Day Dear Miss Manners, Friends of mine lost their home in a house fire.It was terrible.Another friend set up a "go fund me" type page for friends and funnily to donate and help the couple.Many friends, including me, helped with money, meals, lamprey and their dog while 'they were getting back on their feet. Last week, they sent thank-you notes.My roommate received one addressed to her and I did not The notes were not in modularized; it was a printed one-size-fits-all message.My roommate realized I didn't receive a thank you, so she sent a private message to the couple just letting them know I had been left out.I didn't know she had done this until later. The next day, I got a text message apologizing and saying that I had been left out because their friend who addressed the notes must have missed me!(Miss Manners, they didn't even address the notes themselves!)It was accompanied by a picture of the thank-you note, which was texted to me with- the message, "Here is a thank you just for you. " I was a little annoyed.I helped them in their fume of need and didn't get a second thought.I have not responded to her text message.Is it fair of me to consider this friendship over? Should I tell her that I am upset, or should I accept that this rude thank you was better than nothing? What does Mary think of the couple she helped? A careless B considerate C unbelievable D unreliable Answer: D. unreliable
The other day at a supermarket, I saw a naughty boy of about six crying loudly, falling to the floor and refusing to move. All the while the troubled mother was trying to persuade him to behave well but failed.A little smack on his bottom would have done the job,I thought. Teenagers also cause discipline problems.As a teacher, I had a 16-year-old student who had fallen in love with a waiter at a fast-food restaurant.In fact,she had left home to stay with him.So we decided to put her in the school hostel.She refused.When she heard her mother begging her to stay in the hostel she turned round and said:"Why don't you stay in the hostel if you like it so much?" My palms were itching to slap her for being so rude but the poor mother continued to _ her,hoping that gentle persuasion would work wonders.It did not.The last I heard,she had run away from home again. The list goes on and on.Could it be that today's parents are softer and believe that they must not rod their children for fear of the bad result? Or do they actually believe that the children will get rid of the bad habits and behave well naturally as they grow older? I beg to disagree.I believe it is the parents' duty to discipline the children even at a young age. My children who are now adults will prove the fact that I used the rod when I thought it necessary.Later when they went abroad,they related to their British university friends on how they were disciplined.Their friends abroad were filled with horror and told my daughter that I could be charged with child abuse .However,my daughter showed great respect for me when she told them that she would not be where she was today if not for my strict discipline. The author would probably _ . Answer: The World Bank has looked at the distinguishing features of successful school system. According to the World Bank's education specialist, Harry Patrinos, this include: improving the quality of teachers and making sure that teachers are highly regarded; providing information to make schools accountable and giving autonomy to schools and head teachers. This matters not only for individual pupils but also for the well-being of countries, he says, because improving educational performance has a direct impact on improving economic performance. China's education performance-- at least in cities such as Shanghai and Hong Kong-- seems to be as spectacular as the country's fast growing economy. Certainly both these open and outward-looking cities consider education to be important and are willing to adopt the best educational practices from around the world to ensure success. In Hong Kong, education accounts for more than one-fifth of entire government spending every year. "Shanghai and Hong Kong are small education systems, with a concentration of ideas, manpower and resources for education," says Prof Cheng. Under the banner "First class city, first class education", Shanghai set about systematically re-equipping classroom, upgrading schools and improving the curriculum in the last decade. It got rid of the "key schools" system which concentrated resources only on top students and top schools. Instead staff were trained in more interactive teaching methods and computers were brought in. About 80% of Shanghai school leavers go to university compared to an overall average of 24% in China. Meanwhile, dynamic Hong Kong was forced into educational improvements as its industries moved to cheaper mainland Chinese areas in the 1990s.Its survival as a service and management hub depends on upgrading knowledge and skills. In the last decade Hong Kong has concentrated on closing the gap for all students, says a report by McKinsey management consultants. The report, How the World's Most Improved School Systems Keep Getting Better, rated Hong Kong's education system among the best in the world. The World Bank's survey about education mainly concentrates on _ . Answer: Cancer researchers urged people on Wednesday to take more vitamin D to lower risk of cancer, saying studies showed a clear link. "Our suggestion is for people to increase their intake, through diet or a vitamin supplement," Dr. Cedric Garland said in a telephone interview. Garland's research team reviewed 63 studies, including several large long-term ones, on the relationship between vitamin D and certain types of cancer worldwide between 1966 and 2004. "There's nothing that has this ability to prevent cancer," he said, urging governments and public health officials to do more to fortify foods with vitamin D.Garland is part of a University of California at San Diego Moores Cancer Center team that published its findings this week online in the American Journal of Public Health. Vitamin D is found in milk, as well as in some fortified orange juice, yogurt and cheeses, usually at around 100 international units (IU) a serving. People might want to consider a vitamin supplement to raise their intake to 1000 IUs per day, Garland said, adding that it was well within the safety guidelines established by the National Academy of Sciences. The authors said that taking more vitamin D could be especially important for people living in northern areas, which receive less vitamin D from sunshine. African Americans, who don't produce as much of the vitamin because of their skin colour, could also benefit significantly from a higher intake, the authors said. Which of the following food can lower people's chance of getting cancer? Answer: There are seabirds as well as land-birds. The most ordinary seabird is the seagull. It has a white body, a white head and a yellow beak. There is a very, very spot of red at the very end of the beak, underneath. All gulls have very strong wings so that they can fly far out to sea. If a gull flies out too far, so that it is too tired to fly back to the shore , it does not get frightened, for it can sit and rest upon the waves . A seagull's wings do not get wet because all its feathers have a kind of oil over them, so that when the water gets on to the feathers, it just runs off again. Gulls can even sleep upon the waves. Sailors know a lot about seagulls and they never kill them. When the gulls fly a long way out to sea, sailors say that it means fine weather is coming. When the gulls stay near the shore, sailors say they there will be much wind and rain, and perhaps a storm, for the gulls know more about the weather than sailors do. Every gull is able to fly far out to sea because it _ . Answer: Alice is an American girl .She is thirteen. She is now in Beijing with her parents .She doesn't know much Chinese. She can't speak Chinese well .Sometimes her friends do not understand her. It's Sunday morning .She's going to the zoo to see the pandas .She is waiting at the bus station .At the bus station she asks a boy how to go to the zoo .But the boy can't understand her .Then she takes out a pen and some paper .She draws a panda on it and shows the picture to the boy .The boy smiles and shows the way to the zoo right now. Alice is in Beijing with her _ Answer:
What kind of animal returns to the same beaches each year to give birth? semiaquatic mammal My name is Valentine. I lived in Rome during the third century. That was long, long ago! At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. I didn't like Emperor Claudius, and I wasn't the only one! A lot of people shared my feelings. Claudius wanted to have a big army. He expected men to volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. As you might have guessed, not many men signed up. This made Claudius furious. So what happened? He had a crazy idea. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought his new law was cruel. I thought it was preposterous! I certainly wasn't going to support that law! Did I mention that I was a priest ? One of my favourite activities was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing marriage ceremonies -- secretly, of course. It was really quite exciting. Imagine a small candlelit room with only the bride and groom and myself. We would whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of soldiers. One night, we did hear footsteps. It was scary! Thank goodness the couple I was marrying escaped in time. I was caught. I was thrown in jail and told that my punishment was death. I tried to stay cheerful. And do you know what? Wonderful things happened. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love. On the day I was to die, February 14, 269 A.D. I left my friend a little note thanking a girl, who helped me keep my spirits up, for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, "Love from your Valentine." The passage mainly tells us about _ . the origin of Valentine's Day Thoughts claim our attention continuously, and waste our time and energy on unimportant and useless matters. They actually rule our life. We have become so used to this slavery, that we take it for granted, and have become unconscious of this habit, except on certain occasions. While breathing, we do not need to pay attention to each inhalation and exhalation. We become conscious of the process of breathing only when we have some difficulty with breathing, such as when our nose is blocked, due to a cold, or when we are in an unventilated room. It is the same with thinking. We become conscious of the constant onslaught of our thoughts, and of our inability to calm them down, only when we need to concentrate, solve a problem or study. We are also aware of them when we have worries or fears. Look at the following familiar situation. You need to study something for an exam. You sit comfortably on the sofa with the book in your hands and start reading. After a while you feel hungry and go to the kitchen to eat something. You return to read, and then hear your people talking outside. You listen to them for several moments and then bring your attention back to the book. After a while you feel restless and switch on the radio to listen to some music. You continue to read for a little while, and then remember something that happened yesterday, and you start thinking about it. When you look at your watch, you are amazed to find out that one complete hour has passed and you have hardly read anything. And at this time, you feel you're thinking. This is what happens when one lacks concentration. Imagine what you could have accomplished if you could control your attention and focus your mind! Where can you most probably find the above passage? In the section of psychology of a magazine. Here are some of the fastest animals in the animal world. Let me tell you that a man can run 20 to 25 miles an hour. Heavy people can not run very fast. But some heavy animals can.Black rhinos are more than 3,500 pounds. They can run almost 30 miles an hour. Cheetahs are the fastest land animal over short distances .They can run over 70 miles an hour. But they get tired quickly and usually stop after a few minutes.Pronghorn antelopes are the fastest animals over long distances. They can run 35 miles an hour for many miles. Their top speed is more than 50 miles an hour.Ostriches can't fly, but they can run faster than other birds. They can run 43 miles an hour for a short distance. And can keep up a speed of more than 30 miles an hour over long distances. Ostriches can run more than _ miles an hour over long distances. 30 How can a creature weighing over 5 tons and normally taking 150 kilograms of food and 120 liters of water per day survive in a desert environment? In the southwest African country of Namibia,and the Sahara lands of Mall further north,the desert elephant _ . Although not regarded as a separate species from the African elephant,the desert cousin differs in many ways.Their bodies are smaller,to absorb less heat,and their feet are larger for easier walking across sandy surfaces.They are taller,to reach higher branches.They have shortertusks ,and most importantly,longer trunks to dig for water in riverbeds. Desert elephants can travel over 70 kilometers in search for feeding grounds and water-holes,and have a larger group of families.They drink only every 3-4 days,and can store water in a "bag" at the back of their throat,which is only used when badly needed.Desert elephants are careful feeders--they seldom root up trees and break fewer branches,and thus maintain what little food sources are available.Young elephants may even eat thedung of the female leader of a group when facing food shortage. During drought they are unlikely to give birth to their young but with good rains the birthrate will increase greatly.Desert elephants have sand baths,sometimes adding their ownurine to make them muddy! As we continue to overheat our weak planet,it can only be hoped that other animal species will adapt as extraordinarily well to change as the desert elephant. What can be inferred from the last sentence in the passage? Not all animal species are so adaptable.
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." ,. Why did Lauren hate being the younger of the two sisters? A Because she could do nothing first. B Because Jenny often beat her. C Because Jenny always made fun of her. D Because Jenny always made her busy. Answer: A Our school doesn't have many parties, but this year Ms Cipriano said we could have one. The fourth grade wanted the theme to be "Under the Sea", but the fifth grade wanted it to be "Outer Space". After a long discussion, it was decided to be the former one. Everyone had to be on a team, and everyone had to help do something. My team was in charge of special effects. Gary came up with a great idea. He got two big, old fishing nets which were once used by his father when he went fishing on the sea. Gary, Jemma, and I used ropes to tie the nets to the ceiling of the dining hall, and it looked really great. Then we cut out fish shapes from colored paper and stuck _ on the nets. Everyone seemed to go to the party in one of three costumes: some kind of fish, a mermaid, or Neptune -- the "King of the Sea". The dining hall looked great. Jemma's father had put up colored lights for us. We were feeling proud of our work when the disaster happened. The nets fell down. We were all caught in the fish nets. We were laughing so hard that we couldn't stand up. We truly felt as if we were "under the sea". This wasn't the effect we imagined, but it was special! ,. . Who wanted the theme to be "Under the Sea" at the beginning? A Ms Cipriano. B The fourth grade. C The fifth grade. D The third grade. Answer: B When you buy cooking oil in the supermarket, you may notice that some brands are labeled as "GM (genetically modified)-free". So, what is genetic modification? Are GM foods safe? These questions have been put back into the spotlight recently. On Nov 19, the Food and Drug Administrati0n (FDA) in the US announced that it had approved the AquAdvantage salmon to go on the market, making it the first genetically modified animal to be approved as food anywhere in the world. GM foods are plants or animals that have been given a gene from another plant or animal to make them stronger in some way. The AquAdvantage salmon contains a gene from another type of salmon that makes it grow faster. Although the FDA has said "food from the fish is safe to eat", some believe that scientists can't completely understand the potential health risks of GM foods, simply because they're so new. Others worry that the fish could escape into the wild and cause ecological problems. GM crops have experienced the same controversy, even though GM technology cuts down on the use of pesticides on crops and increases yields. While GM animals are new, GM crops have already appeared on our plates: A total of 28 countries in the world including the US, Brazil and India planted 181.5 million hectares (1.815 million km2) of GM crops in 2014, according to the International Service for tile Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications. In China, we grow GM cotton and papaya and import GM soybeans, corn, rape, cotton and beets from abroad. Due to safety worries, many countries have regulations for producing and selling GM food. In European Union countries, each GM food must be approved before it can be used. This process can take up to 17 months. The origin of all GM foods must also be traceable, and all food with a GM content of more than 0.9 percent must also be labeled, according to EU website europa.eu. The US is less strict about GM foods. According to FDA regulations, companies introducing new GM foods to the market should report them at least 120 days before release. The labeling is voluntary, except that a product cannot be labeled as "GM-free" if genetically modified materials are used. In China, GM foods can only be produced after strict tests by the Ministry of Agriculture say that they are safe. All food that is made from GM crops or contains GM ingredients must be clearly labeled on the wrapper. According to the text, the AquAdvantage salmon _ . A tastes better than normal salmon B is a product that mixes several types of fish C has a gene from a different type of salmon D remains to be approved in several countries Answer: C At a hospital in Illinois, doctors and patients dress up as clowns and put on little plays to make each other laugh.A hospital in prefix = st1 /New Yorkputs funny books in its library for patients. Can laughter make sick people feel better? Yes, say scientists.Laughter is no laughing matter.Scientists think laughter can help sick people feel less pain and get better more quickly.This new idea is being taught to students in medical school. Doctors have known for a long time that stress and loneliness, lack of friends and family can harm sick people.Now they are learning that laughter can help put people on the road to recovery. Scientists have discovered that laughter gives the body a healthy form of exercise.Also, laughter sets free a chemical in the body that speeds healing. Some doctors are using this new research to make their patients feel like having a million dollars.At a California hospital, people who have cancer tell each other funny stories and perform with a famous actor who has had cancer surgery . Laughter can be good medicine. It can be inferred from the passage that _ . A staying quietly at home will be good to your health B some scientists can help patients become very rich C doctors in Illinoishospitals must be good at acting D laughter will make the body produce a helpful chemical Answer: D Teens naturally ask parents for money for material things and entertainment.But as the need becomes more frequent, why not get a job so you can earn your own money? Working for your own money will give you a sense of accomplishment and the satisfaction of a job well done. Babysitting is a suitable job for teens.They are best suited as a mother's helper while the mother is working in another part of the house.Babysitting is not a job for girls alone.Boy babysitters are popular with families of boys.Parents rely on friends and neighbors' recommendations.Word of mouth is your best form of advertising. Pet-sitting involves caring for people's pets while the owners are on vacation or away for the day.A pet-sitter will be responsible for giving fresh food and water, walking dogs arid cleaning out cat litter boxes.Although the pet-sitter does not spend the night, he is there often enough to bring in the mail, water plants and take the garbage out.Create a flyer with your name, prices and references, and pass it out to the families in your neighborhood.. Yard work can be a seasonal job.Spring cleanup is needed for flower beds and preparing the yard for summer.Summer is the busiest time for yard work with lawn mowing , edging and trimming bushes.Fall is the time for sweeping leaves and planting seeds for spring.If you live in a northern climate, there may be snow that needs shoveling. Odd jobs can mean a variety of things, including painting, washing the pet, weeding the garden, cleaning out the basement, or helping to serve dinner at a party.Doing odd jobs may be a good match for someone with a busy schedule.Most odd jobs only take a few hours to complete. For more information, please click here. Which of the following is NOT true according to the text? A Yard work is more often needed in a northern climate. B Teens are encouraged to get money by working. C A proper ad will help teens find a suitable job. D Most odd jobs can be done in spare time. Answer: A
In the social and economic fields the UN increased its efforts to fight against poverty, ignorance, hunger, and disease and to help raise the standards of living in the newly developing countries. The sixteenth General Assembly placed considerable emphasis on the idea of economic development by planning the current decade as the United Nations Decade of Economic Development. The agreement called upon UN members to help the newly developing countries achieve a minimum rate of growth of 5% by the end of the decade. It also emphasized the need for industrial development and encouraged cooperation with respect to regional-development programs. In the past the organs and agencies of the UN in the economic field have concentrated largely on economic development. Increased attention was directed towards the need for balance and integration in economic and social development. It was emphasized at various UN meetings that particular attention must be given in the new nations to such problems as urbanization, housing, community development, and child welfare. The Assembly has also offered a $100,000,000 world food program designed to use surplus food to encourage the development of needy countries. The program would improve upon the present unsatisfactory method of disposing of surplus food supplies and would enable the poorer nations to use more of their resources for development purposes. Many of the UN specialized agencies increased their budgets. This means that such agencies as the Food and Agriculture Organization, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, the World Health Organization, and the International Labor Organization will be pushing ahead at an increasing rate to deal with problems in their respective fields. The Assembly again set $150,000,000 as the target figure for the work of the UN Technical Assistance Program and the Special Fund. If funds are available, technical assistance will move ahead at a faster speed. The attitude of the author of the above passage is _ . A praising B objective C personal D imaginary Answer: A. praising Have you ever heard the saying, "An elephant never forgets?" I do not know whether it is true or not, but I do think that elephants are certainly very clever. They can be taught to do things. That is really interesting. Once upon a time there was an elephant near a town in India. The elephant went to work with its master every day. It had to go along a certain street. A tailor lived in this street, and used to sit at the door of his shop. Every day when the elephant came to this shop, it would stop and put out its trunk towards the tailor. This was because it knew that the tailor was a friendly man. He would give it something nice to eat. One day it happened that the tailor had nothing to give to his big friend. Perhaps he wanted to make fun of it, because he was not an unkind man. What did he do? When the elephant put out its trunk to the tailor, he pricked the end of the trunk with a needle. The elephant drew back quickly, looked at him angrily and went off down the road. The tailor thought no more about it during the day, but the elephant did! That evening before it went home the elephant filled its trunk with water from a dirty pond. When the tailor saw it coming along the road, he laughed at the trick that he had played on the beast that morning. But he became very sad when he received a trunkful of dirty water between the eyes! What did the writer think about the elephant? He thought it _ . A clever B surprising C silly D funny Answer: A. clever It's high time someone spoke up for today's college students. They're probably the most hardworking, ambitious people in America and their problems are not properly appreciated. People like the Secretary of Education simply don't know what they're talking about when they knock students. Nor do those who complain about falling academic standards. The vast majority of the nation's 12 million students are struggling to pay for their educations. They are part of the invisible workforce. Many hold down full-time jobs. They're frying hamburgers, photographing weddings, working in construction, and waiting on tables. The fact that they even show up for classes is a wonderful event. The financial situation of most students explains a lot about what is happening in schools. Why are the traditional courses so unpopular? Why are students flocking to accounting and computer science and any professional programs that seem to lead to careers? Answer: Today's working student has been forced into a kind of premature matter-of-fact way of viewing things. Romance is gone. The notion of transforming one's self through study alone has disappeared. Today's students seek freedom from manual labor, and the status conferred by a good job. There are other consequences. Today's students don't have much time or energy to be devoted, and carry out independent research or even do serious homework. That's the secret behind falling academic standards. Students have become consumers. They want grades and certifications. Their professors can't be expected to give a grade of failure to students who are clearly tired from the effort to pay their bills. There's a lot wrong with this situation. It's twisting the definition of education out of shape. Worse, it's creating a generation that is totally unpleasant. The brightest students turn out to be yuppies . The vast majority are, at least, good-natured semi-literates. The time has run out for philosophical debates about fixed courses of study. What this country needs is someone to stand up and say that being a full-time student during one's formative years is an honorable calling worthy of support. If families can't or won't give it to their children, then the government should. Which of the following suggestions will the author not agree with? A We should encourage students to give up full-time jobs. B Families should offer their children more help financially. C We should stand up and say something for today's college students. D We should make more strict regulations to force students to study hard. Answer: D. We should make more strict regulations to force students to study hard. Americans can travel almost anywhere they choose. But to protect its people, the government lists a few dangerous places where Americans cannot go. These places are unfriendly countries or countries at war. There, the travelers might not be safe. These countries are listed in a small book called a passport . This passport is a government request for the safety of its traveling people. It is also a government's pledge that the people will obey the rules of the host country. To receive a passport from the government, a traveler must prove that he is an American citizen. An American cannot go abroad without a passport. Only certain close countries such as Canada and Mexico do not ask for passports Stuck inside the passport is the traveler's picture. Children traveling with their parents are included in one parent's book. Thousands of people from the United States visit other countries every year. An American traveler might carry plane tickets, money, clothing and many other things. But the most important thing that he carries in another country is his passport. It can be inferred from the text that _ . A Americans abroad need nothing except a passport B children can't travel to foreign countries C a traveler is not safe in most countries D Americans travel abroad a lot Answer: D. Americans travel abroad a lot There's always something deep in our soul that never dies. I moved to the small, busy town of Edison in New Jersey six years ago. It was during the second term of my fifth grade. My parents got new jobs and higher income, so they decided it was time to move from Woodbridge to a better, more educational town. In the US, it is unnecessary to take a test to get into a "good" middle or high school. You just attend the school close to where you live. So, many parents will think about the quality (,) of the local school when they decide to buy a new house. My parents did the same. We finally chose Edison mainly because of the high quality of its school. In New Jersey, an area with a good school usually means _ Asian people. There are about 300 students in our school. 55% are Asians and just under half of that are Chinese. There are so many Chinese people nearby that we even have our own Chinese school. Edison is an old town, just like thousands of others in the United States. However, I have treated it as my hometown. That's where I spend much of my youth, and the memories there can't be moved at all. How many students are from Asia in the writer's school? A About 80. B About 160. C About 220. D About 300. Answer: B. About 160.
Rescue workers and volunteers in prefix = st1 /Floridaworked non-stop to help as many dolphins as they could to return to deep water. Some dolphins made it. About 24 died. For 35 dolphins in danger there was only one chance for survival--to be sent to the Marine Mammals Care Centre. The dolphins were placed in a water pool where they have been given care _ by hundreds of volunteers who signed up for four-hour shifts . By the second week in April, only 11 of the original 35 were still alive. Each year thousands of dolphins, the lovely marine mammals, are found beached or stranded along coastlines around the world. They can't get back to the sea and will die if they don't get help, according to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society's website. Nobody knows what caused the dolphins to strand themselves, but the US Navy and marine wildlife experts are investigating whether the dolphin stranding was caused by sonar exercises of ships. And some scientists suggest disease, or human interference . The reason for stranding isn't completely understood. In the pool, volunteers hold the dolphins and keep their blowholes out of the water so they can breathe. A vet injects the mammals with vitamin E to help with muscle cramping . Unable to eat on their own, they are fitted with a feeding tube to get them the needed nutrition. "Today we made the first steps in getting them to eat dead fish and to eat them out of our hands," Banick said. It's a race against time and feeding times must be strictly kept to. What would be the best title for this passage? Answer: One day Bob took two of his friends into the mountains. They put up their tents and then rode off to a forest to see how the trees were growing. In the afternoon when they were about ten kilometers from their camp, it started to snow. More and more snow fell. Soon Bob could hardly see his hands before his face. He could not find the road. Bob knew there were two roads. One road went to the camp, and the other went to his house. But all was white now. Everything was the same. How could he take his friends back to the camp? Bob had an idea. The horses! Let the horses take them back! But what would happen if the horses took the road to his house? That would be a trip of thirty - five kilometers in such cold weather! It was getting late. They rode on and on. At last the horses stopped. Where were they? None of them could tell. Bob looked around. What was that under the tree? It was one of their tents! ,. It is clear that they wanted the horses to take them to _ . Answer: Tom:Good evening, Mum. Mum:Good evening, Tom. Tom:Do we eat chicken for dinner, Mum? Mum:No, we eat fish and carrots, dear. Tom:Mum, I don't like carrots. I like chicken. Mum:But we need more vegetables, not only meat . It's not healthy to eat chicken every day. Tom:OK. But dad likes chicken, too. Mum:Well, let's eat chicken and tomatoes tomorrow . Tom:That sounds great! Does Tom's father like chicken? Answer: 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. How did Mrs. Janes sing? Answer: Two years ago my husband bought me a bicycle. If you live in a city, it is often faster than a car and you don't have to worry about parking . You can leave it anywhere. Because it has a seat at the back and a basket at the front, I can take my daughter to school, to the library, to the shops, to anywhere. I use it most in summer when the weather is warm and dry. It can be very unhappy in winter when it is cold and the rain is heavy. Of course, you must be careful on a bicycle. Accidents are not the only problems. One day I went shopping and came back late. I found my front wheel missing. So I have to walk to the bicycle shop. My husband uses my bicycle sometimes for short journeys. He says it is better than waiting for a bus. He still uses his car for longer journeys. I think that all this sitting down is making him fat and lazy. On my bike I get lots of exercise and fresh air, and this makes me feel a lot younger. What's the best title for this passage? Answer:
Question: Sir Steven Redgrave--Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals "In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes , believing the profession trained for the whole of my life ended, I felt very sorry. Then one of my friends said there was no reason why I should stop training. That was it--the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believed in myself. I am not saying that it isn't difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way." Karen Pickering--Swimming World Champion "I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that amount of work by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success--you can't follow a profession in any field without being well-organized. Make a list of what you believe you can achieve. Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you'll be a step closer to achieving them." Kristen Stewart--Actress "When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can't achieve anything. Then, there are other _ , such as family or hobbies. The key is to give most of your attention to one thing. When I feel nervous, it helps a lot to repeat words such as 'calm', 'peace', either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and improves my confidence. This is a habit and is a powerful psychological tool." The best title for the passage is _ . A. Health and Food B. How to Be a Winner C. Difficulties and Habits D. Be a Sportsman Answer: B Question: Once upon a time,the animals decided that they must do something heroic to meet the problems of" a new world".So they organized a training school. They adopted an activity curriculum consisting of running,climbing,swimming and flying.To make it easier to manage the curriculum,all the animals took all the subjects. The duck was excellent in swimming,in fact,better than his instructor,but he made only passing grades in flying and was very poor in running.Since he was slow in running,he had to stay after school and also drop swimming in order to practice running.This was kept up until his webbed feet were badly worn and he was only average in swimming.But average was acceptable in school,so nobody worried about that except the duck. The rabbit started at the top of the class in running,but had a nervous breakdown because of so much make-up work in swimming. The squirrel was excellent in climbing until he developed frustration in the flying class where his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of from the treetop down.He also developed a "Charlie horse" and then got a C in climbing and a D in running. The eagle was a problem child and was disciplined severely.In the climbing class he beat all the others to the top of the tree,but insisted on using his own way to get there. At the end of the year,an abnormal eel that could swim very well,and also run,climb and fly a little,had the highest average and was the one who gave a good-bye speech. The prairie dogs stayed out of the school because the administration would not add digging to the curriculum. What activity curriculums were not offered in this training school? A. Running. B. Swimming. C. Flying. D. Digging. Answer: D Question: On her first morning in America last summer, my daughter went out to explore her new neighborhood alone, without even telling my wife or me. Of course we were worried; we had just moved from Berlin, and she was just 8. But when she came home, we realized we had no reason to panic. Beaming with pride, she told us how she had discovered the little park around the corner, and had made friends with a few local dog owners. When this story comes up in conversations with American friends, we usually meet with polite disbelief. Most are horrified by the idea that their children might roam around without adult supervision. A study by the University of California has found that American kids spend 90 per cent of their leisure time at home, often in front of the TV or playing video games. Such narrowing of children's world has happened across the developed world. But German parents are generally much more accepting of letting children take some risks. "We are depriving them of opportunities to learn how to take control of their own lives," writes Peter Gray, a research professor at Boston College. He argues that this increases the chance that they will suffer from anxiety, depression, and various other mental disorders, which have gone up dramatically in recent decades. I am no psychologist like Professor Gray, but I know I won't be around forever to protect my girls from the challenges life holds in store for them. And by giving kids more control over their lives, they learn to have more confidence in their own capabilities. Hearing the author's daughter exploring the new neighborhood alone, his American friends feel _ . A. worried B. proud C. doubtful D. terrified Answer: C Question: This course is for those who want to learn to type , as well as those who want to improve their typing . The course is not common . You are tested in the first class and begin practicing at one of the eight different skill levels . This allows you to learn at your own speed. Each program lasts 20 hours . Bring your own paper . Course fee : $ 125 Materials : $ 25 Two hours each evening for two weeks . New classes begin every two weeks . This course is taught by a number of qualified business education teachers who have successfully taught typing courses before . UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS This twelve-hour course is for people who do not know very much about computers, but who need to learn about them . You will learn what computers are , what they can and can't do and how to use them . Course fee : $ 75 Equipment fee : $ 10 Jan. 4 , 7, 11 , 14 , 18 Wed. and Sat. 9 ~ 11:30 a.m. The teacher , Joseph Saunders is a professor of Computer Science at New Urban University . He has over twenty years of experience in the computer field . STOP SMOKING Do you want to stop smoking ? Have you already tried to stop and failed ? Now is the time to stop smoking using the latest methods . You can stop smoking , and this twelve-hour course will help you do it . Course fee : $ 30 Jan. 2 , 9 , 16 , 23 Mon. 2 p.m. ~ 5 p.m. ks#5@u Dr. John Good is a practicing psychologist who had helped hundreds of people stop smoking . The STOP SMOKING course will last _ . A. for one week B. for two weeks C. for three weeks D. for four weeks Answer: D Question: When I grew up, all the schools in the village demanded that girls cut their hair. The teachers would measure our hair and make sure it was not too long. I remember crying and begging as the scissors cut my hair. My dad told me that a girl who was in school needed to concentrate on books and that hair was a distraction . I cut my hair all the way through primary school and middle school. Then I went to a high school that allowed long hair but no styles or braids during class hours. Even then, still adhering to my dad's words, I never wore my hair long. When I graduated from high school, I started growing my hair. I spent hours looking in the mirror and shaping my hair. My sister complained, wondering why I had to have two styles in a day. In college I heard the word perm . Girls had some strong chemicals put on their heads and made the hair look beautiful. I quickly sat in a salon and changed my hair. I returned to the salon once every month. Even during the days when I had no money for food, I had to find money for my hair. After college, I was jobless and broke. I had to have my hair cut. At that time I saw a bald black model. Her style shocked me and I admired her so much that I began to follow her. Therefore, there I was. I wore some large earrings and walked around like a model. And many people admired my style. At this point the journey with my hair stopped completely. I decided to have natural hair. I soon found out natural hair is the cheapest, easiest and healthiest way to wear African hair. The author didn't wear long hair in high school because _ . A. her school didn't allow that B. she wanted to follow her father's words C. she was not good at shaping long hair D. her sister didn't like long hair Answer: B
I had once helped a friend of mine run a watermelon stall. I noticed something interesting. Almost every buyer would lift the melon up to their ear,smartly tap it, apparently trying to listen to something. I wondered what they expected to hear. Finally I could no longer hold back my curiosity and made bold to ask a customer--an elderly gentleman--about this. Hearing my question,he roared with laughter. Then he replied in a selfmocking tone."Young lady,I have been doing this for more than fifty years. All I know is that everybody would stare at you as if you were a fool if you just pick up the melon and leave!" Not long after that,my watermelon stall friend unexpectedly sent me an invitation for her wedding,which really surprised me. I asked her, "How come you are seized by a sudden desire to get married? I don't remember ever hearing you mention that yon've got a boyfriend." She answered while counting money,"Everyone has to get married anyway,so it is better to get married sooner than later." I could think of no word to refute her. It seems that everybody is living for everybody else and has forgotten the need of their own heart. It may be safe and save a lot of worries by following others' suit in doing things. The use of We or Us will give one a steady and sure sense of pride. But using the pronoun "I" would often give one a guilty conscience. I find all these things somewhat funny. We have got used to taking cue from others and follow their suit. In turn,we also take it for granted that we should judge the right and wrong of others by our own standard. As a matter of fact,this massive practice is still wrong though we all follow others' suit like this, but we feel at ease and, _ simply because this is the way of us, and so we can have an easy conscience because this has been practiced by so many people. In which section of a magazine can you read the passage? A Art and Life B Sport and Health C Culture and Society D Science and Technology Answer: C. Culture and Society Larry Bird was born in 1965 in a small town in the Middle Western State of Indiana. He was tall, and good at playing basketball. He attended Indiana State University. Bird led the team into the College Basketball Championship Game. After completing his college studies, Larry Bird began playing professional basketball for the Boston Celtics. He remained with the Celtics for all his professional career. During those 13 years, Larry Bird was named the Most Valuable Player of the Year three times. He _ more than 21, 000 points, and he played in 13 of the highest scoring games in his team's history. Once he scored 60 points in just one game. During his very successful basketball career, Larry Bird suffered a number of injuries. In 1989, he stopped playing because of pain in his feet. He returned in 1990, but the pain in his feet returned too. In the next two years he experienced more medical problems, and he missed many games. Larry Bird did play on the Dream Team-the first Olympic Team with professional players. However, after winning the gold medal in Barcelona, he announced that he would retire from professional basketball. Larry Bird said he would have liked to play a little longer, but he could not because of his health problems. He also said it was a good time to leave the game. He wanted to be remembered as a winner. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A Larry Bird began his career after his graduation from the college. B He lost interest in playing basketball after he retired. C Though he left the team, he didn't feel too much regret. D He thought it a right decision to leave the team. Answer: B. He lost interest in playing basketball after he retired. Tu Youyou, a scientist at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, has no postgraduate degree. She has never studied or done research abroad. She is neither a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences nor the Chinese Academy of Engineering. However, the 81-year-old pharmacologist has become the first scientist on the Chinese mainland to win a Lasker Award, the medical prize of the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation. The Lasker Awards have existed since 1945. The winners are always people who have really helped us to understand, recognize, treat, cure and prevent disease. Tu was presented the 2011 Lasker Clinical Medical Research Award on September 23. She discovered a drug called artemisinin . The drug is now widely used against malaria . Tu and her colleagues joined a government project to find a new malaria drug in the late 1960s during the "cultural revolution" (1966~1976). They made 380 herbal extracts from 200 potential recipes. The recipes came from traditional Chinese medical books. The team then tested them on malaria-infected mice. Finally Tu became interested in an extract of the plant qinghao, or sweet wormwood . According to an ancient Chinese medicine book, qinghao was once used to treat malaria. However, the extract they made in the lab didn't work well. Tu thought the effective ingredient in qinghao may be destroyed by high temperatures. Therefore, Tu tried to make the extract with ether which has a much lower boiling point than water. In 1971, after more than 190 failures, Tu finally got an extract that was 100 percent effective against the malaria parasites . The extract was called qinghaosu, later renamed artemisinin. According to a statement on the Lasker Foundation website, during the past four decades, Tu's drug has saved millions of lives. It is especially important for children in the poorest and least developed parts of the world. However, not many people knew of the scientist until she won the Lasker Award this month. Lasker Awards are known as "America's Nobels" for the reason that in the last two decades, 28 Lasker Prize winners have gone on to receive the Nobel Prize, and 80 since 1945, according to Xinhua News Agency. "The discovery of artemisinin is a gift to mankind from traditional Chinese medicine, " Tu said when she received the award. "Continuous exploration and development of traditional medicine will, without doubt, bring more medicines to the world. " In the process of discovering artemisinin, Tu _ . A began with a private project B succeeded during the first experiments C faced many different opinions D made extracts in a creative way Answer: D. made extracts in a creative way BEIJING--Family planning officers will handle the illegal birth case of film director Zhang Yimou by following legal procedures, a government spokesman said on Tuesday, December 10, 2013. When asked to comment on Zhang's case at a press conference, Yao Hongwen, spokesman for the National Health and Family Planning Commission(NHFPC), said "Every citizen is equal before the law and nobody is allowed to have privileges to give birth to more children than allowed." Yao's comment came after media stories claimed that Zhang had remarried and fathered a total of seven children: one with his former wife, three with his present wife, Chen Ting, and another three from two lovers. "The NHFPC's attitude towards citizens' birth violations is consistent and clear...Every Chinese citizen should obey and safeguard the seriousness of laws and regulations." NHFPC spokesman Yao Hongwen said. China's family planning policy, introduced in the late 1970s to slow down the country's growing population, limits most urban couples to one child and most rural couples to two. The policy was recently relaxed, allowing couples to have two children if one of them is an only child. Those who break the policy face severe fines. The amount of the fine is generally several times the yearly annual income of the two spouses . Some media calculations put the fine that Zhang may face at as much as 160 million yuan(over $26 million). Zhang's birth case has caused criticism online about famous people who have more children than the policy allows. In an open letter on December 1, Zhang admitted that the couple has two sons and daughter and they are willing to accept investigation and punishment according to China's laws and regulations. He apologized to the public. However, the letter denied that Zhang had lovers and was father to as many as seven children from various mothers. Zhang, one of the "fifth generation" of Chinese filmmakers, made his first directorial work in 1987 with "Red Sorghum" and has won a number of award worldwide. He was chief director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games. Judging from the recent relaxed policy, a couple _ A can have as many as three children if they live in a rural area B will definitely be fined if they have two children nowadays C can give birth to two children if one of them is an only child D can only give birth to two children if they live in an urban area Answer: C. can give birth to two children if one of them is an only child Programs may already be installed on the computers at your school or university. If not, you can consider looking at catalogues to see what is available on CD-ROM. Some people question whether computers can really help you to read, any better than picking up a book. There is some justification for this, but listen to the arguments from people who believe that computers have something to offer. The first argument relates to motivation. Anything that makes you spend more time reading will be helpful, so if you are someone who likes to turn on your computer as soon as you walk into your room, then you could find yourself motivated to spend more time on your foreign-language reading if it appears on your screen. There is more to computers than motivation, though. You need to make use of all the technical possibilities, because good programs allow things to happen which are not possible with a book. This leads on to the idea of autonomy in language learning. We have already seen many times in this book that you, the language learner, will make a far bigger difference to your ultimate success than your teacher will. With a computer, you can decide how many repetitions to have and how to respond to the commands. In some programs you also shape the direction of the story you are reading by the selections you make. In other words, you don't have to move along at the pace of the rest of the class, which you may find too slow or too fast. The flip side of learner autonomy is learner misuse of programs. Some programs allow short-cuts which give you a sense of having finished, but without actually having done much learning. _ At the end of a session using well-designed materials, you should learn more than some new vocabulary and sentence patterns; you should also learn more about the reading process. As with all aspects of your language learning, you can finish your session with a critical eye to what you have learned from the program. This will include thinking about whether to repeat it or move on to another level. From the passage we learn the author _ . A advises us to use computers at work. B persuades us to do some reading in the books C has improved reading ability helped by computers D dislikes reading materials on the computers Answer: C. has improved reading ability helped by computers
A child sits at his desk waiting for the teacher to hand back his test and praying that it is not sprayed with red marks. Fellow students in the classroom know a paper that has several red markings on it will usually receive a lower grade. The child with many red markings on his test will quickly fold the paper and stuff it into his desk in the hope that no one will see his test. There is an education movement to retire the reds for softer color1s of purple, green, and blue pens to mark students' work. Many educators understand the psychological harm the constant red markings on the paper do to a child's self-esteem. After a child receives his test back with countless red markings there is a rare chance that he will bother to find out his errors. It is too embarrassing in the classroom to examine his errors and also many children do not want to show their parents their red stained test. The purpose of grading a paper or test is to identify the child's weakness and offer suggestions to improve their ability in a specific subject. Red markings are too for the student to calmly understand their errors ; instead they become upset and begin their self-critical dialogue. No student wants to fail; they just do not know how to excel. All color1s have an influence on our state of mind. Red is a powerful color1 that gives us energy. Colors such as blues and greens are calming color1s to the body. Hospitals often have doctors wear blue or green scrubs because it relaxes the patient on a subconscious level. I have never seen a doctor wear red scrubs because it will stress the patient. Remember this when you decide to mark a child' paper with red, the color1 of blood. A child with many red markings on his test will_. Answer: hide his paper from others Going whitewater rafting in North Carolina (N.C.), you are cutting bonds to the every-day troubles and for a short time you are back in the natural world with your co-travelers. Rafting in N.C. has the added benefit of a long, warm rafting season, beautiful scenery, and amazing history. Only twenty minutes from Asheville, N.C., whitewater rafting on French Broad River in N.C. still has the flavor wilderness and adventure. Half Day Trip: This N.C. whitewater rafting trip begins at Barnard and finishes at Stackhouse. Typical time on the river is 1.5 to 2 hours. A couple of factors that affect the time on the river are the size of the trip and the level of the river. A small trip at high water will move faster downstream than a larger trip at lower levels. $44.00 per person. Half Day with Lunch: This rafting trip travels the same section of the French Broad River as above. The lunch is served riverside. The time frame for this trip is the same as the half day trip. Add about an hour for lunch and a more leisurely pace. $51.00 per person. Full Day Trip: This rafting starts at Barnard and finishes 8 miles downstream in Hot Springs. This is one of the best whitewater rafting trips in N.C. and gives you a chance to spend a big part of your day on the French Broad River. There is a stop for lunch, served riverside. Time on the river for the full day trip can range from 3-5 hours depending on the size of the trip and the river level. Please be aware that summer-time river levels may make it necessary to alter this trip and make it a half-day with lunch trip. Surely you will be refunded the price difference. $62.00 per person. Float Trip: Rafting in N.C. does not necessarily mean only whitewater rafting. Some of North Carolina's best rafting is just the classic, lazy float trip. This trip floats through a beautiful section of the French Broad River valley. There are plenty of places to swim. It's good for those who are too young or too old. $44.00 per person. Trip Times: Typical morning trip time is 9:00 and afternoon 2:00. There's usually an hour of getting ready and transportation before putting on the river, and an hour of transportation, changing clothes, photo show, etc after taking off the river. If you are just looking for a mild scenic river experience, which type of trip should you choose? Answer: Float Trip. While researchers have long shown that tall people earn more than their shorter counterparts, it's not only social discrimination that accounts for this inequality but tall people are just smarter than their height-challenged peers, a new study finds. "As early as age three, before schooling a child has had a chance to play a role, and throughout childhood, taller children perform significantly better on cognitive tests," wrote Anne Case and Christina Paxson ofprefix = st1 /PrincetonUniversityin a paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The findings were based primarily on two British studies that followed children born in 1958 and 1970, respectively, through adulthood and aU.S.study on height and occupational choice. Other studies have pointed to low self-esteem, better health that accompanies greater height, and social discrimination as criminals for lower pay for shorter people. But researchers Case and Paxson believe the height advantage in the job world is more than just a question of image. "As adults, taller individuals are more likely to be selected into higher paying occupations that require more advanced verbal and numerical skills and greater intelligence, for which they earn handsome returns," they wrote. But the researchers said the differences in performance _ long before the tall people enter the job force. Prenatal care and the time between birth and the age of 3 are critical periods for determining future cognitive ability and height. "Prenatal care and prenatal nutrition are just incredibly important, even more so than we already knew," Case said in an interview. What can we learn from the study of Anne Case and Christina Paxson? Answer: Taller children perform significantly better on cognitive test. Workplaces all over the UK are preparing for Christmas and all the traditions and customs that come with it. But will Christmas be a cause for happiness and celebration or embarrassment and disappointment? One way that colleagues in Britain show their appreciation of each other at this time of year is by doing "Secret Santa" present giving. At that time, people who work together buy each other gifts without saying whom they are from. Co-workers all write their names on a piece of paper and then organize a lottery in which each workmate takes another colleague's name at random . Each person then has to buy a present for the colleague whose name they have picked, usually with an agreed price set at a small amount of money such as five or ten pounds. As the gifts are given without knowing the names of the gift givers, the quality of the presents can be very different; gifts that people received are from tickets to the opera to an air-freshener for a car. Another common seasonal workplace tradition is the office Christmas party, when workmates put on their most attractive clothes and enjoy lots of free wine. Although most parties are held _ , sometimes the effects of alcohol cause party goers to regret their drunken antics . The BBC invited people to share their most embarrassing Christmas office party stories, and received hundreds of funny stories, such as the man who split his trousers back to front with his strange dance moves or the drunken lady who spent the entire night with back of her dress tucked into her pants and saw the photos that proved it later at work. But the worst story must surely come from Stuart Vaines, who got so drunk that he put his boss's head into the toilet. Unsurprisingly, he lost his job the very next day. Which of the following might be the best title for the text? Answer: Celebrations in Workplaces at Christmas Li Ming is staying with the Wang family for the weekend.Today it is warm and fine.The family are having dinner in the garden.They often have dinner in the garden on a warm and fine spring day.Now Mr and Mrs Wang are sitting at the table with Li Ming under a tree. "It's great to have dinner out here on such a lovely day,"Mrs Wang says."What's the weather like in your hometown,Li Ming?"Mr Wang asks."It's not very warm in spring.But I like the spring there best,"Li Ming says."Help yourself to some cakes,Li Ming,"Mrs Wang says."Thanks,"says Li Ming."The cakes are very nice.I enjoy the dinner very much." How does Li Ming like the dinner? Answer: He enjoys the dinner very much.
After my brother died in an accident, my mother was in deep sadness. I was only a four-year-old girl at the time, but I still understood the sudden shift in my mom's attitude towards safety. Suddenly everything around us was potentially dangerous. Overnight, the world had gone from a playground to a dangerous zone. I grew up with a lot of limits and rules. I couldn't walk home from school by myself, even though everyone I knew already did. I couldn't go to summer camp because what if something happened to me? As I got older, the list of things of fear got longer. My whole life was divided into "things you should avoid", and "things you needed to do in order to have a good, long life." I became a natural worrier. I worry about things like getting cancer, losing my wallet, car accidents, earthquakes, and losing my job -- disasters big and small, real and imagined. The funny part is that you'd never know it by looking at my life. In fact, I've developed a rule for myself: If it scares me, then I have to do it at least once. I've done lots of things that my mom would have worried about: I've ridden a motorcycle; I've traveled --a lot. I've performed stand-up comedy, and I'm planning my second wedding. There's something else I don't usually talk about, but it's a cornerstone in my belief: When I was 14, my mother died suddenly in a car accident. At my mom's funeral I remember making a choice. I could either live out the rest of my life trying to be "safe" or I could be brave enough to live out a fulfilling, exciting and, yes, sometimes dangerous life. I worry that I may have betrayed my mother by writing her in this light, but she has been a driving force in my life and, in the end I think she would have been proud of me. Courage isn't a natural character of human beings. I believe that using courage is like developing a muscle. The more often I do things that scare me or that make me uncomfortable, the more I realize that I can do a lot more than I originally thought I could do. Even though I inherited my mother's cautious nature. I've also come to believe that fear can be a good thing, if we face it. Believing that has made my world a less scary place. From the passage, we can learn that _ . the writer failed in her first marriage When I was young, my family got our first computer. As years went by, I wanted to get a new one, and my father agreed. We went to many stores and looked at many flyers . At last we bought an HP computer. During the first week, I noticed that our computer had some problems. I tried to fix it, but failed. Finally I had to phone the HP company. After five hours' hard work, the computer still did not work. My dad didn't have a choice but to return the whole thing. A few days later, we decided that I should go on the internet and order some parts to build a new computer by myself. It was not an easy thing for me to deal with it, but in the end I finished. From these setbacks , I have learned, and now believe if the computer that I bought from the store didn't have problems, then I would not learn how to build a new one. Even though I spent lots of time on it, I know it wasn't a waste of time. I now have a self-built computer, and I am very pleased. _ , they telephoned the HP computer company. A week after they bought the computer As we have seen, the focus of medical care in our society has been shifting from curing disease to preventing disease--especially in terms of changing our many unhealthy behaviors, such as poor eating habits, smoking, and failure to exercise. The line of thought involved in this shift can be pursued further. Imagine a person who is about the right weight, but does not eat very nutritious foods, who feels OK but exercises only occasionally, who goes to work every day, but is not an outstanding worker, who drinks a few beers at home most nights but does not drive while drunk, and who has no chest pains or abnormal blood counts, but sleeps a lot and often feels tired. This person is not ill. He may not even be at risk for any particular disease. But we can imagine that this person could be a lot healthier. The field of medicine has not traditionally distinguished between someone who is merely "not ill" and someone who is in excellent health and pays attention to the body's special needs. Both types have simply been called "well". In recent years, however, some health specialists have begun to apply the terms "well" and "wellness" only to those who are actively striving to maintain and improve their health. People who are well are concerned with nutrition and exercise, and they make a point of monitoring their body's condition. Most important, perhaps, people who are well take active responsibility for all matters related to their health. Even people who have a physical disease or handicap may be "well" in this new sense, if they make an effort to maintain the best possible health they can in the face of their physical limitations. "Wellness" may perhaps best be viewed not as a state that people can achieve, but as an ideal that people can strive for. People who are well are likely to be better able to resist disease and to fight disease when it strikes. And by focusing attention on healthy ways of living, the concept of wellness can have a beneficial impact on the ways in which people face the challenges of daily life. Traditionally, a person is considered "well" if he _ . is free from any kind of disease The young policeman, Constable Rider, walked more quickly than usual, because of the cold, but he did not consciously neglect any part of his work. His torch flashed on doorways and windows as he looked for anything that was at all suspicious, and when he ever thought that anything was unusual, he went to try the door and window, probably unheard by the people sleeping in the room just above his head. As he turned a corner, he heard a slight rustling sound -- it might be a cat, it could even be a dog, although few dogs wandered about at night. Rider saw nothing. A cat then? Usually if you disturbed a cat, it ran off and jumped, and you heard or noticed something else. By doing a lot of night, you learned to notice these things, but now all Rider noticed was the silence which had followed the rustling sound. So he acted cautiously. He did not flash his torch about the houses near the corner but walked on, and, a little way from the spot where he heard the sound, stopped and bent his head, as if he was lighting a cigarette. A policeman who stopped to light a cigarette seemed the most unsuspicious policeman in the world. There was still no sound. There were bushes in the garden of the house where Rider had first heard it and he knew that a man could hide there out of sight. But if he went back, it would warn any such man. So instead he stood and shone his torch at the window nearest him, and as if he had noticed something unusual, he walked towards it and opened the wooden gate, which made no sound at all. He reached the entrance and shone the torch on the keyhole of the front door -- and as he did so, the rustle came again, this time much more softly. He looked round quickly. What was Constable Rider doing on this very cold evening? Looking for anything out of the ordinary. A primary school teacher asked her students to write a composition about what they would like God to do for them. At the end of the day, while marking the compositions, she read one that impressed her deeply. Her husband, who had just walked in, saw her crying and asked her, "What happened?" She answered, "Read this. It is one of my students' compositions." "Dear God, tonight I ask you for something very special: Make me into a television. I want to take its place and live like the TV in my house. Have my own special place, and have my family around me. To be taken seriously when I talk. I want to be the centre of attention and be heard without interruption or questions. I want to receive the same special care that the TV receives even when it is not working. Have the company of my dad when he arrives home from work, even when he is tired. And I want my mom to want me close when she is sad and upset, instead of ignoring me. And ...I want my brothers to fight to be with me...I want to feel that my family just put everything aside, every now and then, just to spend some time with me. And last but not least, make sure that I can make them all happy and entertain them. God, I don't ask you for much. I just want to live like our TV. " At that moment the husband said, "My God, poor kid, what horrible parents!" .The teacher looked up at him and said, "That composition is our son's!" According to the article, we can know the boy is _ . lonely
If you have no special plans for your free time, why not spend your time helping others? Don't listen to people who say that young people today often think only of themselves. It is not true at all. More and more young people in the United States volunteer(,) to spend their school holidays working for others. And they don't do it for money. Here are some of their stories. Alice Hamiton, 17 I'm going to help the Forest Centre build new hiking paths in the mountains. It sounds terrible. I'll spend the whole summer living in a tent and breathing the clean mountain air. I'm going to sleep under the stars. It will be nice, and I'll be able to do something good at the same time! Jason Moore 18 This summer, I'm going to volunteer with Special House Program.They build good, low-cost houses and sell them to families that are not very rich. They'll teach me what to do, so I'll help people and also have a chance to learn how to build houses. Trish Anderson, 16 I'm going to teach kids who have trouble in reading. I'll work for a program called Reading For Life. Every day, I'm going to help kids choose and read books that they like. I want to be a teacher, and I love children and reading, so this is going to be a great experience for me. ,. Which of the following is the most possible title of this passage? A. Reading for Life B. A Special House Program C. The Forest Center D. Young American Volunteers Answer: D. Young American Volunteers I first went to Harrow in the summer term.The school had the biggest swimming pool I had ever seen.It was a good joke to come up behind a naked boy, and push him out the pool. I made quite a habit of this with boys of my own size or 1ess. 0ne day I saw a boy wrapped in a towel on the side of the poo1.He was no bigger than 1 was,so I thought him _ .Coming secretly behind,I pushed him in,holding on to his towel so that it would not get wet.1 was surprised to see an angry face come out from the water, and being of great strength making its way by face strokes to the shore.I fled,but didn't succeed.He overtook me,pulled me hard,and threw me into the deepest part of the poo1.I soon climbed out on the other side,and found myself surrounded by a crowd of younger boys."Do you know what you have done? " They said."It's Amery:heis in Grade Six.He is champion at gym.he has won his football award." 1 was frightened and felt ashamed.How could I tell his position when he was wrapped in a bath towel and so small.He didn't seem pleased at all.so I added in a most brilliant word."My father.who is a great man.is also small."At this be laughed,and after some general words about my rude behavior and how I had better be careful in the future,expressed all was over. The writer felt "ashamed" because _ . A. He was laughed at by other boys B. Amery turned out to be in the same grade C. He pushed Amery hard and hurt him D. He played a joke on an outstanding athlete Answer: D. He played a joke on an outstanding athlete The American humorist,Will Rogers,used to say,"All I kown is what I read in the newspapers".This was an exaggeration for humorous purposes,but it is true that newspapers are an important source of information.Many people begin their day by reading the paper.In this way they learn what is going on in the world.Sometimes,however,they don't have time to read the news carefully and must be satisfied with a quick look at the front page;at other times they may be in such a hurry that they have time only to glance at the headlines. There are newspapers to satisfy every reader.In the big cities there are many types of papers,with several different editions every day. In small towns there are fewer newspapers and perhaps only one edition each day.In some areas the paper is printed weekly. Most newspapers have several sections,especially on Sundays when the edition is larger than usual.There are,in addition to the front page with the most important news,the sports section,the society page,the comics,the amusement section,a business page,and the editorials. Another type of publication which helps keep the population informed is the magazine. Some magazines are published weekly,others are put out monthly.There are news magazines,literary magazines,and magazines for such special interests as photography,sports,art,and music,Some are primarily for men,others for women,and there is a selection of children's magazines,too. In the United States, there are publications for every taste and interest. When Will Roger said that all he knew was what he read in the newspapers,his real purpose was _ . A. to tell you that the real source of his knowledge was from the newspaper B. to show that newspapers helped to get him well informed C. to show that he was very learned through reading newspapers D. tell you that he was interested in reading newspapers Answer: B. to show that newspapers helped to get him well informed In 1834, the clock tower in London was burned down. People planned to build a new clock which would be the biggest and best in the world. So the clock had to be big and keep very good time. The big clock was made in two years. Five more years later the tower was finished. Then people put the big clock in the tower, and made it ring out for the first time on July 11, 1859. In order to give the bigclock a good name, people held a meeting. Someone wanted to call it the Queen of Bells, and someone thought Victoria was good. At last, a man named Benjamin Hall stood up. He was a big man. Before he started to speak, someone shouted, "Why not call it Big Ben? "Everybody laughed and agreed with him. From then on, Big Ben became its name. And it also became a famous building of London. People all over the world write to Big Ben. They even send birthday presents--bottles of oil-to help keep Big Ben running. Big Ben is not only a clock but also a dear friend ofpeople. Big Ben's birthday is _ . A. July 11, 1854 B. 1834 C. July 11, 1859 D. July 11, 1852 Answer: C. July 11, 1859 Have you ever heard a news reporter talk about DNA?Reporters talk about DNA found at the scene of a crime.They talk about police finding DNA "fingerprints".Police sometimes use DNA as a clue to find out who committed the crime. DNA is a substance that makes up genes.Everything alive has genes.Plants have genes.Animals have genes.You have genes. Genes are the basic units of heredity .Heredity means all the characteristics you inherit from your parents.You get your genes from your parents.You inherit half of your genes from your mother.You inherit half of your genes from your father. Genes are a kind of code.A tree's genes tell what shape its leaves will be.A cat's genes tell what color its fur will be.Your genes tell what color your eyes will be.Your genes tell what color your hair will be.Everything about you comes from the code in your genes. Genes line up on strands called chromosomes in cells.Everything alive is made up of cells.Chromosomes are in the center,or nucleus of cells. Different parts of you are made of different kinds of cells.Your muscles are made of muscle cells.Your skin is made of skin cells.The code in your genes tells your body to make different kinds of cells.The genes in each cell tell the cell how to work.They tell the cell when to make new copies of itself. An Austrian monk named Gregor Mendel first saw inherited patterns in pea plants.He experimented with pea plants in the 1860s.One of the things,or traits Mendel studied was what makes some pea plants tall and some short.He said that the traits must come from units of heredity passed from the parent plants.These units were later called genes. In the mid-1900s,scientists discovered that genes are made of DNA.In the 1970s,scientists learned how to change DNA with genetic engineering.Scientists also learned that problems with certain genes cause diseases.Muscular dystrophy,cystic fibrosis,and hemophilia are some genetic diseases--diseases caused by problems in genes.Today,scientists are looking for ways to cure genetic diseases by changing genes through a process called gene therapy. We can conclude that _ . A. scientists were less intelligent than monks in the 1900s B. some genes are bad and can cause diseases C. we don't need to worry about genetic diseases any longer D. the discovery of genes may be of great help in our daily life Answer: D. the discovery of genes may be of great help in our daily life
Five years ago ,David Smith wore an expensive suit to work every day. "I was a clothes addict ," he joked . "I used to carry a fresh suit to work with me so I could change if my clothes got wrinkled." Today David wears casual clothes--khaki pants and a sports shirt--to the office. He hardly even wears a necktie. "I'm working harder than ever," David says, "and I need to feel fortable." More and more panies are allowing their office workers to wear casual clothes to work. In the United States, the change from formal to casual office wear has been gradual. In the early 1990s, many panies allowed their employees to wear casual clothes on Friday (but only on Friday). This became known as "dress-down Friday" or "casual Friday" . "What started out as an extra one-day-a-week benefit for employees has really bee an everyday thing." Said business consultant Maisly Jones. Why have so many panies started allowing their employees to wear casual clothes? One reason is that it's easier for a pany to attract new employees if it has a casual dress code . "A lot of young people don't want to dress up for work," says the owner of a software pany, "so it's hard to hire people if you have a conservative dress code." Another reason is that people seem happier and more productive when they are wearing fortable clothes. In a study conducted by Levi Strauss and pany ,85% of employers said that they believe that casual dress improves employee morale. Only 4% of employers said that casual dress code has a negative impact on productivity .Supporters of casual office wear also argue that a casual dress code helps them save money . "Suits are expensive ,if you have to wear one every day," one person said. "For the same amount of money ,you can buy a lot more casual clothes." David Smith refers to himself as having been "a clothes addict" because_. A he couldn't stand a clean appearance B he often wore khaki pants and a sports shirt C he wanted his clothes to look neat all the time D he didn't want to spend much money on clothes Answer: C Lion is a special animal to Chinese people. A couple of stone lions, a male and a female , can often be seen in front of the gates of old buildings. The male lion is on the left with his right paw on a ball, and the female on the right. And her left paw is touching a baby animal. The lion is the king in the animal world because he is powerful. The ball shows the country or the family will be together forever, and the baby animal with the female shows that you will have many children. The stone lions were also used to show the families were powerful. If you had no money or power, you couldn't put the stone lions in front of your houses. It was also popular to make bridges with stone lions. The best known of this is the Lugou Bridge (also as Marco Polo Bridge), built from 1189 to 1192. The stone lions on the bridge are most famous. Maybe there are 485 lions in all, maybe there are 498 or 501. A famous saying is that "the lions on the Lugou Bridge are uncountable ." Which is NOT right below about the stone lions in front of the gates of the old houses? A The male lion is on the left with his right paw on a ball. B The female is on the right with her left paw touching a baby animal. C The common people couldn't put a pair of stone lions in front of the gates of old buildings. D If someone puts a pair of stone lions in front of the gate, he must have a lot of babies. Answer: D If you go into the forest with friends, stay with them. If you don't, you may get lost. Sit down and stay where you are. Don't try to find your friends, but let them find you instead . You can help them find you by staying in one place. There is another way to help your friends or other people to find you. You can shout or whistle three times. Stop for a while. Then shout or whistle three times again. Any signal given three times is a help. Keep up shouting or whistling. Always three times together. When people hear you, they will know that you are not just making a noise for fun. They will let you know that they have heard your signal. They will give you two shouts or two whistles. When a signal is given twice, it is an answer to a call for help. If you don't think that you will get help before night comes, try to make a little house with branches . Make yourself a bed with leaves and grass. When you need some water, you have to leave your little branch house to look for it. Don't just walk away. _ When you are lost, the most important thing to do is stay in one place. When you hear two shouts or two whistles, you know that _ A someone is afraid of an animal. B people will come to help you. C someone needs help. D something terrible will happen. Answer: B Bill,a 13-year-old boy, thought he had grown up to be a man. But his parents told him, "You won't be a real man until you begin to think about helping others." One moming, his parents gave him some money to buy some milk. Outside a shop he saw a homeless old~man who looked very sick. Bill went to him and asked. "what's wrong with you?" The old man answered, "I'm hungry,I haven't had any food for two days". "Let's go to the restaurant." When they got there, Bill asked the waiter to bring out bread and coffee to the old man. The old man finished the meal quickly. Afier the waiter took away the plate and the cup, the old man said, "Sorry for giving you too much trouble. I'm fine now. I'Il never forget your kindness! You're a very good young man." Bill was happy when he heard this. Just when he wanted to pay for the meal, the waiter came.To their surprise, Bill and the old man leamed that their food was free because it was the birthday of the boss, and they were the first customers that day. The food in the restaurant is free because that day was _ birthday. A Bill's B the old man's C the waiter's D the boss's Answer: D The state of Green imposes a tax on the "income" of each of its residents. As defined in the taxing statute, "income" includes the fair rental value of the use of any automobile provided by the taxpayer's employer for the taxpayer's personal use. The federal government supplies automobiles to some of its employees who are resident in Green so that they may perform their jobs properly. A federal government employee supplied with an automobile for this purpose may also use it for the employee's own personal business. Assume there is no federal legislation on this subject. May the state of Green collect this tax on the fair rental value of the personal use of the automobiles furnished by the federal government to these employees? A No, because such a tax would be a tax on the United States. B No, because such a tax would be a tax upon activities performed on behalf of the United States, since the automobiles are primarily used by these federal employees in the discharge of their official duties. C Yes, because the tax is imposed on the employees rather than on the United States, and the tax does not discriminate against persons who are employed by the United States. D Yes, because an exemption from such state taxes for federal employees would be a denial to others of the equal protection of the laws. Answer: C
Starting from April, 2010, you won't be hearing the word "NBA" on sports programs on CCTV. Instead, sport host will give the full Chinese name when they refer to the NBA - National Basketball Association. You also won't hear any other English abbreviations on CCTV's Chinese programs, such as GDP (gross domestic product), or WTO (World Trade Organization). You will hear their Chinese translations. CCTV received a notice from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television telling it to avoid using English-language abbreviations in their reports to protect the "purity" of the Chinese language. A few other TV stations also received the notice. Fu Zhenguo, an editor of People's Daily, is one of the people who suggested the change. "Firstly, using English in a Chinese-speaking environment is against Chinese law," he said. "Then, using English on Chinese TV programs is unfair to people who don't understand English. What's worse, it will have a bad language influence on kids and teenagers." A lot of netizens have criticized the move, saying that it will cause problems for them. "I understand what CD, VCD and DVD mean when I hear them. But I won't know what the TV programs are talking about if I hear those products' full Chinese names," a netizen wrote in a BBS post. Following the same post, another netizen wrote jokingly: "I'm not listening to my MP3 now. I'm listening to my Moving Picture Experts Group-1 Audio Layer 3 ." How many reasons did Fu Zhenguo list to show his support for the change? Answer: Even though multiple generations have now grown up glued to the flickering light of the TV,we still can't let go of the belief that the next generation of technology is going to doom our kids. I've spent over a decade observing young people's practices with technology.When I began my research,I expected to find lots of teenagers who were escaping"real life"through the Internet.That was certainly my experience.As a geeky,queer youth growing up in the early 1990s,the Internet was the only place where I didn't feel judged.I wanted to live in a digital-only world. To my surprise-and,as I grew older,relief-that differed from what most youth want.Early on in my research,I met a girl who told me that she'd much rather get together with her friends in person,but she had so many homework demands and her parents were often concerned about her physical safety.This is why she loved the Internet:She could hang out with her friends there.For many teenagers,technology is a relief valve.I've heard this reasoning echoed by youth around the country. This is the Catch-22that we've trapped today's youth in.We've locked them indoors because we see the physical world as more dangerous than ever before,even though by almost every measure,we live in the safest society to date.We put heavy expectations for our kids,maxing them out with structured activities and homework.And then we're surprised when they're worn out and addictive. If we truly want to reduce the amount young people use technology,we should free up more of their time.For one thing,we could radically reduce the amount of homework and tests American youth take.Finland consistently outperforms the U.S.in school,and it emphasizes student happiness,assigning almost no homework.When I lecture in Finland,parents don't seem nearly as anxious about technology addiction as Americans.We should also let children roam.It seems like every few weeks I read a new story about a parent who was visited by child services for letting their school-aged children out of their sight.Indeed,studies in the U.S.and the U.K.consistently show that children have lost the right to roam. This is why many of our youth turn to technology.They aren't addicted to the computer; they're addicted to interaction,and being around their friends.Children,and especially teenagers,don't want to only socialize with parents and siblings; they want to play with their peers.That's how they make sense of the world.And we've robbed them of that opportunity because we're afraid of evil spirits. We're raising our children in captivity and they turn to technology to socialize,learn and decompress .Why are we blaming the screens? The main purpose of this passage is to . Answer: Last spring, I was fortunate to be chosen to join in an exchange study program. The moment I arrived in Paris, I was greeted by a nice French couple who would become my host parents. The bit of French I had taken in high school began coming out of my mouth; speaking the language would only become more natural over the course of the term. At the airport, we all got into the couple's car and began the journey to their townhouse. We talked the whole way, getting to know one another. Every day afterwards, I would eat breakfast with the two of them, and then we'd all go our separate ways for the day. In the evening, my host mother would make delicious dinners for the three of us. My experience was exciting until I received some shocking news from my program coordinator : There had been a death in my host parents' family and they would have to go away for several weeks to deal with all the business that arises from the death. That afternoon, I had to move out of one family's house and into another. The coordinator told me I'd have a roommate and asked whether I would mind sharing a bedroom with an English speaker. To avoid speaking my native language, I asked not to be placed with an English-speaking roommate. When I got to my new room, I introduced myself to my new roommate Paolo, a Brazilian , the same age as I, whom I was surprised to find playing one of my favorite CDs on his computer! In just a few hours, we knew we'd be good friends for the rest of theterm. I left France with many stories, so when people ask me what my favorite part of the trip was, they always hear about my Brazilian friend Paolo and the weekdays in class, weeknights on the town, and weekends exploring France we enjoyed together. I would recommend an exchange program to anyone who wants to experience foreign cultures and gain meaningful friendships. What helped start the author's friendship with Paolo? Answer: Ever wonder how much a cloud weighs? What about a hurricane? A meteorologist has done some estimates and the results might surprise you. Let's start with a very simple white puffy cloud -- a cumulus cloud . How much does the water in a cumulus cloud weigh? Peggy LeMone, senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, did the numbers. "The water in the little cloud weighs about 550 tons," she calculates. "Or if you want to convert it to something that might be a little more meaningful ... think of elephants." The thought of a hundred elephants-worth of water suspended in the sky begs another question -- what keeps it up there? "First of all, the water isn't in elephant sized particles , it's in tiny tiny tiny particles," explains LeMone. And those particles float on the warmer air that's rising below. But still, the concept of so much water floating in the sky was surprising even to a meteorologist like LeMone. "I had no idea how much a cloud would weigh, actually, when I started the calculations," she says. So how many elephant units of water are inside a big storm cloud--10 times bigger all the way around than the "puffy" cumulus cloud? Again, LeMone did the numbers: About 200,000 elephants. Now, ratchet up the calculations for a hurricane about the size of Missouri and the figures get really massive. "What we're doing is weighing the water in one cubic meter theoretically pulled from a cloud and then multiplying by the number of meters in a whole hurricane," she explains. The result? Forty million elephants. That means the water in one hurricane weighs more than all the elephants on the planet. Perhaps even more than all the elephants that have ever lived on the planet. The weight of _ is NOT mentioned in the passage. Answer: Chester City Library offers a range of Library Special Needs Services to people who don't have access to our library service in the usual way. As long as you live in Chester City, we'll provide a wide range of library services and resources including: * Large printed and ordinary printed books * Talking books on tape and CD * DVDs and music CDs * Magazines * Reference and information requests Home delivery service Let us know what you like to read and we will choose the resources for you. Our staff will deliver the resources to your home for free. We also provide a service where we can choose the resources for you or someone instead of you choose the things from the library. You can also choose the resources you need personally. Talking books and captioned videos The library can provide talking books for people who are unable to use printed books because of eye diseases. You don't have to miss out on reading any more when you can borrow talking books from the library. If you have limited hearing which prevents you from enjoying movies, we can provide captioned videos for you at no charge. Languages besides English We can provide books in a range of languages besides English. If possible, we will request these items from the State Library of NSW, Australia. How to join? Contact the Library Special Needs Coordinator to register or discuss if you are eligible for any of the services we provide - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9am - 5pm on 4297 2522 for more information. To get home delivery service, you must _ . Answer:
There is a boy in my gym class (I'll call him Bill) who has unbearably yellow teeth that almost make everyone feel unpleasant. Recently another boy told Bill that he should "go Ajax" his teeth. Bill was crushed. Had the other boy been thinking, he would have realized that there is a better way to handle such a situation. He could have dealt with it with tact. He could have showed this hurtful truth in a more careful, sensitive way--that's "tact". If a person isn't sensitive to another's feelings, there is no way he or she can be tactful. Yesterday, my 5-year-old brother proudly announced that he had cleaned the screen on our television set. Unfortunately, he used furniture polish , which produced an oily film on the television screen. My mother smiled and thanked him for his efforts--and then showed how to clean the screen properly. Her sensitivity enables my brother to keep his self-respect. Yet, sensitivity alone does not make tact. "Tactfulness" also requires "truthfulness". Doctors, for example must be truthful. If a patient has just been disabled in an accident, a tactful doctor will tell the truth--but express it with sensitivity. The doctor may try to give the patient hope by telling them curing techniques under study or about advanced equipment now available. Doctors must use tact with patients relatives as well. Instead of bluntly saying, "Your husband is disabled," a doctor might say, "I'm sorry, but your husband has lost feeling in his legs and..." Tact should not be confused with trickery. Trickery occurs when a nurse is about to give a patient an injection and says, "This won't hurt a bit." Instead of trickery, the nurse might guarantee the patient that the discomfort of the injection is a small thing compared to the benefits of it. It would also be thoughtful for the nurse to tell the patients about some of these benefits. Tact is a wonderful skill to have, and tactful people are usually admired and respected. Without tact our society would become an intolerable place to live in. When told he should "go Ajax" his teeth, Bill probably felt _ . Answer: painful October sixteenth is World Food Day.This day is also the anniversary of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization(F.A.O.).The UN agency leads international efforts to defeat world hunger.It was created in 1945. The F.A.O.says more than one hundred fifty countries are to hold special events to celebrate World Food Day.At F.A.O.headquarters in Rome,for example,runners will compete in a five-kilometer race through the city's historical area.Events in other countries include discussions among experts,press conferences and musical programs. The message of this year's World Food Day is"investing in agriculture for food security".The F.A.O.says,"During the early 1990s,the foreign aid for agriculture was nine thousand million dollars each year.But now, it has declined to less than five thousand million dollars a year."Yet, the F.A.O.estimates that more than eight hundred and fifty million people around the world do not get enough food. The UN agency notes that seventy percent of the world's hungry lies in the farmers who grow small amount of food.Many also face problems of feeding themselves.The F.A.O.says agricultural aid could help small farmers make a profit from their crops.Farmers would also be able to feed their families throughout the year and re-invest in their farms.They could buy better seeds,equipment and chemical fertilizers to help their crops grow. Muhammad Yunis.the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to improve the lives of poor people,as well as his Bangladesh microfinance organization,the Grameen Bank,has lent small amount of money to poor people who are unable to get traditional loans,especially women.Minister Yunis says that he plans to give his share of the one million three hundred thousand dollars Nobel award to good causes.He says he wants to establish an eye hospital and start a project to produce low-cost food for the poor. The writer wrote the passage mainly to _ . Answer: appeal for more investment on agriculture A pulley is used to lift what on a flagpole? Answer: banner Dear Parents, It is almost a week since school began. I hope that you and your child are settled and comfortable in the arrangement of the new school year. I would like to take this opportunity to give you news about the art project that the eighth grade students and I will be working on during this unit. My name is Molly Atkinson and I am a new middle school teacher here at MSAE in Kauai. I feel that it is important for you to know that my approach to classroom management is inspired by Maharishi's Principle of Ideal Teaching. I believe that it is the most positive method for guiding our students' education. I also believe that by keeping the lessons interesting, the classroom will be a creative environment for the students to explore the artistic process. My experience with the class this week makes me believe that the students and I will have a fruitful and caring experience in our time together. The students' first project is a three-part work that begins with the creation of a collage . A pencil drawing of the collage will follow. The third part of the project will be a geometrical three-dimensional drawing of the collage. The students have jumped right into the project with enthusiasm and focus. I can tell that we are going to have a very productive unit. On October 30th, the students will have a showing of their work for you. I look forward to meeting all of you that day. If you would like to get hold of me before _ I will be here after school until 4:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays and can be available on other afternoons by appointment . I may also be reached at my e-mail address: matkinson@kdsi.net. I am very happy to be here and look forward to working with the eighth grade students. Sincerely, Molly Atkinson It can be learned that the letter was written _ . Answer: at the beginning of the new school year Eating a diet high in processed food increases the risk of depression , research suggests. What's more, people who ate plenty of vegetables, fruit and fish actually had a lower risk of depression, the University College London team found. Data on diet among 3,500 middle-aged civil servants were compared with their emotional state five years later, a British journal reported. They split the participants into two types of diet--those who ate a diet largely based on whole food,which includes lots of fruit, vegetables and fish,and those who ate a mainly processed food diet, such as sweetened desserts, fried food, processed meat,refined grains and high fat dairy products After accounting for factors such as gender, age, education, physical activity, smoking habits and chronic diseases, they found a significant difference in the future depression risk with the different diets. Those who ate the most wholefood had a 26% lower risk of future depression than those who ate the least wholefood. By contrast, people with a diet high in processed food had a 58% higher risk of depression than those who ate a diet low in processed foods. Study author Dr. Archana Singh Manoux pointed out there was a chance that the finding could be explained by lifestyle factor they had not accounted for. He also pointed in a paper that a Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower risk of depression, but the problem with that is if you live in Britain, the likelihood of you eating a Mediterranean diet is not very high. Dr.Andrew McCulloeh, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said, this study adds to an existing body of solid research that shows the strong links between what we eat and our mental health. He added people's diets were becoming increasingly unhealthy. The UK population is consuming less nutritious, fresh produce and more saturated fats and sugars. Dr. Andrew McCulloch agrees that _ . Answer: our diets are closely related to our mental health
It seems that all your friends' names on MSN have added a little green "I'm" symbol overnight. If you ask what is going on, someone will tell you it's a charity activity. Though this charity program has not yet officially begun for Chinese users, this little green symbol has proven popular among Chinese Windows Live Messenger users. Windows Live Messenger's official blog announced on March 1 that Microsoft was beginning an "I'm" program in the United States. Every time someone starts a conversation using "I'm", Microsoft shares a part of the program's advertising income with nine organizations devoted to social causes. With every instant message a user sends, it helps deal with things one feels most interested in, including poverty, child protection, disease and worsening environment. One only has to add a certain code next to one's name for the organization one would like to support. "red'u" is for the American Red Cross, "bgca" is for Boys & Girls Clubs of America and "*unicef" stands for the American branch of UNICEF. After a Chinese blogger named "hung" introduced this program on his blog on March 2, "I'm" entered the Internet in China with no actual support from Microsoft. Beijing-based Youth Weekend reported that famous IT blogger Keso regarded this program's rapid spread as a successful virus marketing case. He thinks that the success of the "I'm" program is because it's spread by users without being a bother to others. This answers why "I'm" has spread so rapidly across the Internet like a virus with almost no advertisement. However, Feng Jinhu from the press center for Microsoft China toldYouth Weekendthat the "I'm" project is only for Messenger users in the United States. Instant messages sent by Chinese users would not count. This has not affected Chinese Messenger users' interest in the little green symbol. These users hope their instant messages will actually contribute to charitable organizations someday. The following descriptions about the "I'm" program are correct EXCEPT _ . Answer: Young adult filmmakers all hope to show their works in international festivals like Sundance and Toronto. But what about young filmmakers who aren't in film school yet and aren't, strictly speaking, even adults? They are at the heart of Wingspan Arts Kids Films Festival, tomorrow, in a setting any director might envy: Lincoln Center. Complete with "red carpet" interviews and various awards, the festival has much in common with events for more experienced moviemakers, except for the age of the participants: about 8 to 18. "What's really exciting is that it's film for kids by kids," said Cori Gardner, managing director of Wingspan Arts, a nonprofit organization offering youth arts programs in the New York area. This year the festival will include films not only from Wingspan but also from other city organizations and one from a middle school in Arlington, Virginia. "We want to make this a national event," Ms. Gardner added. The nine to be shown range from a Claymation biography of B.B. King to a science fiction adventure set in the year 3005. "A lot of the material is really mature," Ms. Gardner said, talking about films by the New York City branch of Global Action Project, a media arts and leadership-training group. " is about the history of a family and is about the dangers of secondhand smoke." describes young immigrants' feelings of both belonging and not belonging in their adopted country. The festival will end with an open reception at which other films will be shown. These include a music video and full-length film whose title is . Movies to shown in the festival _ . Answer: She had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful brown haired, freckle-faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Wal-Mart. We all waited, some patiently, others irritated, because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always memorized by rainfall. I get lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child come pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day. Her voice was so sweet as it broke the trance we were all caught in, "Mom, let's run through the rain." she said. "What?" Mom asked. "Let's run through the rain!" She repeated. "No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit." Mom replied. This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain." "We'll get soaked if we do." Mom said. "No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she pulled her Mom's arm." "This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?" "Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, if God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!" _ No one came or left in the next few minutes. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's lifetime when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith. "Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If get wet, well maybe we just need washing." Mom said. Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they ran past the cars . They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked but they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing. Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories. So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories every day! Which of the following can be the best title of the story? Answer: Hi, boys and girls! Welcome to our museum. It's free. You don't have to pay any money. But we have some rules for you. Please remember them and do as I say. Firstly, don't have food or drink here. You may make our museum dirty. Secondly, you can take photos here, but don't touch the things here. Thirdly, keep quiet in the museum. Don't talk loudly. Fourthly, the museum is not open after five o'clock in the afternoon. Please leave before five. Have a good time here! Thank you. Students can stay in the museum _ . Answer: All the housewives who went to the new supermarket had one great ambition: to be the lucky customer who did not have to pay for her shopping.For this was what the notice just inside the entrance promised.It said: "Remember, once a week, one of our customers gets free goods.This May Be Your Lucky Day!" For several weeks Mrs. Edwards hoped, like many of her friends, to be the lucky customer.Unlike her friends, she never gave up hoping.The cupboards in kitchen were full of things which she did not need.Her husband tried to advise her against buying things but failed.She dreamed of the day when the manager of the supermarket would approach her and say: "Madam, this is Your Lucky Day.Everything in your basket is free." One Friday morning, after she had finished her shopping and had taken it to her car, she found that she had forgotten to buy any tea.She dashed back to the supermarket, got the tea and went towards the cash-desk.As she did so, she saw the manager of the supermarket approach her."Madam," he said, holding out his hand, "I want to congratulate you! You are our lucky customer and everything you have in your basket is free!" Mrs. Edwards must have been _ . Answer:
Question: Cooking food over a smoky fire is found everywhere in the world. It is often difficult to find wood for the fire. People who do not have wood must spend large amounts of money on cooking fuel. However, there is a much easier way to cook food using energy from the sun. Solar cookers, or ovens, have been used for centuries. A Swiss scientist made the first solar oven in 1767. Today, people are using solar cookers in many countries around the world. People use solar ovens to cook food and to heat drinking water to kill bacteria and other harmful organisms. There are three kinds of solar ovens. The first is a box cooker. It is designed with a special wall that shines or reflects sunlight into the box. Heat gets trapped under a piece of glass or plastic covering the top of the cooker. A box oven is effective for slow cooking of large amounts of food. The second kind of solar oven is a panel cooker. It includes several flat walls, or panels, which directly reflect the sun's light onto the food. The food is inside a separate container of plastic or glass that traps heat energy. People can build panel cookers quickly and with very few supplies. They do not cost much. In Kenya, for example, panel cookers are being manufactured for just two dollars. The third kind of solar oven is a parabolic cooker. It has rounded walls that aim sunlight directly into the bottom of the oven. Food cooks quickly in parabolic ovens. However, these cookers are hard to make. They must be re-aimed often to follow the sun. Parabolic cookers can also cause burns and eye injuries if they are not used correctly. You can make solar ovens from boxes or heavy paper. They will not catch fire. Paper burns at 232 degrees Celsius. A solar cooker never gets that hot. Solar ovens cook food at low temperatures over long periods of time. This permits people to leave food to cook while they do other things. To learn more about solar cooking, you can write to Solar Cookers International. The postal address is nineteen-nineteen Twenty-First Street, Sacramento, California, nine-five-eight-one-one, USA. Or you can visit the group's Internet Web site. The address is www.solarcooking.org. Which of the following could be the best title of the passage? A. Different Ways of Cooking B. The History of the Solar Cookers. C. How to Choose Solar Cookers. D. Cooking Meals with the Sun for Fuel Answer: D. Cooking Meals with the Sun for Fuel Question: The following notice is posted in the bus station. Time Table: Buses leave the Railway Station, New York City, from7:00 a.m. and every half-hour thereafter, until 11:30 p.m. (7 days a week) Buses leave Brennan Station 20 minutes before and after every hour from 6:20 a.m. to 11:40 p.m. (7 days a week) Evening rush hours (5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.); Buses leave the Railway Station, New York City every 15 minutes.(Monday--Friday) Holidays Buses leave every hour on the hour, each direction.(Trip time:30minutes each way) *All tickets must be bought at Window 12, the Railway Station, New York City, or at the Brennan Station Window BEFORE boarding buses. You'll go back home from work in Brennan. Which of the following bus will you take? A. 7:30 p.m. B. 6:00 a.m. C. 5:45 p.m. D. 6:20 p.m. Answer: D. 6:20 p.m. Question: An old woman went out shopping last Tuesday. She came to a bank and saw a car near the door. A young man with dark glasses got out of it and went into the bank. She looked into the car and found some keys in it. The man took a gun out of his pocket and said to the man in the bank, "Give me all the money." But the woman didn't see this. She went to the young man and put the keys in his hand, "My boy," she said, "Don't leave your keys in your car! Someone is going to steal it." The young man looked at the old woman for a few minutes. Then he took his keys, ran out of the bank, got into his car and drove away quickly without taking any money. When the young man got his keys ,he was very _ A. glad B. surprised C. excited D. frightened Answer: D. frightened Question: Teenager Jake Deham was skiing with his family in the US when he fell over and lost one of his skis. His family didn't know that he had a problem. They kept on skiing. When they got to the foot of the mountain, there was no sign of Jake. Jake couldn't find his ski anywhere. In the end, he decided to take off his other ski and walk down the mountain. But he couldn't work out the right way to go. It was now getting dark and he was a long way from any place of safety. He knew that he might die that night in the cold temperatures. But Jake kept calm. At home, Jake watched a lot of programmes about living in difficult situations. He remembered the advice from these programmes and knew that he should build a hole in the snow. He made a hole so the wind couldn't blow into it. Outside his hole, the temperature fell to a dangerous -15degC that night, but inside it Jake was safe from the cold. After the long evening passed, Jake began to think his way out. He had to get down the mountain. The TV programmes always said, "If you are lost, you should find someone else's tracks through the snow and follow them." "I wanted to live my life." remembered Jake, "So I got up and I found some ski tracks and I followed those." He walked and walked and finally saw lights... His mum was very happy when she heard her son was saved. Amazingly, Jake didn't even have to go to hospital. He got through the terrible experience without any injuries. So, the next time someone says that watching TV is a waste of time, think of Jake. Sometimes TV can save your life! . Jake's parents didn't know that he was missing until _ . A. Jake contacted them on the phone B. they began to ski down the mountain C. they reached the foot of the mountain D. Jake lost one of his skis Answer: C. they reached the foot of the mountain Question: Fossil fuels A. are a renewable resource B. have an unending supply C. can last for eons in the future D. are a dwindling commodity Answer: D. are a dwindling commodity
Question: Angela Chang didn't know it would be so hard to turn her singing hobby into a career. Her agent used to take her to lots of auditions at different recording studios but the Taiwanese girl was always turned down for looking too young and small. Chang' s talent was finally recognized in 2002 by the Decca Record Company. When she was offered a contract she burst into tears. Two years later Chang, 21, is a star. With the release of her debut album "Over the Rainbow" this year, she won the "Most Promising New Artist in Taiwan" at the CCTV-MTV Music Awards in July. In September she won the "Best New Artist" in the Fourth Chinese Music Billboard Awards. "You just can't believe that such an amazingly powerful voice comes form such a small body," said musicians after hearing Chang sing "Over the Rainbow." "It's such a special voice. You cannot forget it." Chang can hit very high motes clearly and beautifully. Her tunes make Chang stand out from the numerous newcomers in the music world. But mainland fans also know her for her girl-next-door performances in Taiwanese TV dramas, "My MVP Valentine" and "At Dolphin Bay". But few people know that while filming her first TV series, Chang acted so badly that the director wanted to fire her. _ "I cried my heart out when I went back home." Change said, "But I know that defeat is often a temporary condition. By giving up you remain defeated." Though she looks very girlish, Chang said she has a boy's personality. "The way I release pressure is to have a sound sleep. When I wake up, everything is new." The author thinks Chang _ . A. should take up singing instead of acting B. begins to be familiar to audience in the mainland by her performances C. has made some achievements in acting D. takes pride in her talent in singing and acting Answer: C Question: Which would likely reproduce? A. copiers B. waterfowl C. rocks D. rivers Answer: B Question: Dolphins call out the specific names of loved ones when they become separated, a study finds. Other than humans, they are the only animals known to do this, according to the study. The big difference with dolphins is that these communications consist of whistles , not words. Earlier research found that dolphins have a "signature whistle" that would be somewhat like human shouting, "Hey everybody! I'm an adult healthy male named George, and I mean you no harm. " The new finding is that dolphins also say the names of certain other dolphins. "Animals produced copies of the same sound when they were separated from a close partner. This supports our belief that dolphins copy another animal's signature whistle when they want to reunite with that animal," Stephanie King, who led the study, says. King and her colleagues collected acoustic data from wild dolphins around Sarasota Bay, Florida, from 1984 to 2009. The researchers also studied four adult male dolphins _ at the Seas Aquarium, also in Florida. Those males are adults that keepers named Calvin, Khyber, Malabar and Ranier, all of whom, as well as all of the wild ones, developed their own signature whistles that served as names in communication with other dolphins. "A dolphin uses its signature whistle to broadcast its identity and announce its presence. The signature whistles allow animals to identify one another over long distances and allow animals to recognize one another and to join up with each other," King explains. "Dolphin whistles can be heard up to 20km away, depending on water depth and whistle frequency ." The researchers said dolphins copy the signature whistles of loved ones, such as a mother, when the two are separated. These "names" are always used in positive situations, and are only directed toward loved ones. While researchers are often unwilling to apply the word language to non-human communications, dolphins clearly have a very complex communication system. Which of the following plays a part in whether dolphin whistles can be heard over a distance? A. The dolphin's identity. B. The water temperature C. The whistle frequency. D. The dolphin's age. Answer: C Question: Welcome to Franklin Hotel! We will make your stay here as enjoyable as possible. We hope we will give you the best service. Room Service: You can use the service 24 hours a day. Dining Room: You can have three meals a day in the dining room. Breakfast is from 8:00 to 9:30. Also the room waiter may bring breakfast to your room at any time after 7:00. If you need, please fill in a card and hang it outside your room before 6:00. Lunch is from 12:00 to 14:00. Dinner is from 18:30 to 20:30. Telephone: There is a telephone in your room. Dial "0" before you make a call. We will tell you to wait a moment if the lines are busy. Shop: The hotel shop is open from 9:00 to 17:30. Coffee House: You can drink coffee here at the following times: 12:00 to 14:00, 20:00 to 23:30. Other services: There is a cinema in the hotel. A film begins at 19:00 on Sundays and Wednesdays. Hot water is offered 24 hours. When can you use the room service? A. Only in the day time. B. Only at night. C. Only some time. D. Anytime during a day. Answer: D Question: It is not a good idea for children to have to work hard. Children should study in school as hard as they can. They should not have to do heavy work with their bodies. When parents or others force their children to work hard, the results are never good. Many may be very bad. If a farmer makes his son work like a man, he may easily learn to hate farming. Children sometimes do too much in gardens, in shops, or even in their own homes. They soon begin to hate such work with a force, because that can destroy their happiness. But there may be a worse loss, child's love for its parents. The feeling may become something different. When that happens, the old kind of love never returns. Children should study in school _ . A. hard B. easy C. happy D. early Answer: A
Alex Rawlings, from Oxford University, Has been named the UK's most multilingual person. The 21-year-old British student can speak 11 language and is learning a 12th, He knows English, Greek, German, French, Dutch, Afrikaans, Spanish,Catalan,ltalian, Russian and Hebrew.Rawlings' mother, who is half Greek, spoke to him in English, Greek and some French when he was growing up. Rawlings is studying German and Russian at university now. He taught himself other languages like Dutch because he wanted to talk to people on his travels or simply because he thought the language was interesting or beautiful."When I was a kid, I always wanted to speak different languages," Rawlings said. "My parents often took me to my mom's family in Greece. My dad worked in Japan for four years. I was always frustrated that I couldn't talk to other kids in those countries because of the language. " Thanks to his talent for languages, Rawliings has made many friends. He also thinks that picking up new languages getseasier over time.Rawlings plans to perfect his Russian while studying in the small Russian city of Yaroslavi and the next language he plans to learn is Arabic."No matter how many languages I Iearn, my favorite language is always Greek because I have spoken it since childhood," he said. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: E-book is short for electronic( ) book. It is usually read on personal computers. Some mobile phones can also be used to read e-books. Earlier e-books were written for a specific group of readers and were about only a few subjects. With the development of the internet, knowledge and answers to a lot of questions mainly come from e-books. This is why the e-book business is increasing quickly E-books have many advantages. First, they save time. We don't need to go to a bookstore to buy books, besides, we can find the topic we want to know about on the Internet, and then we can quickly get many e-books on similar topics. Second, e-books save money. Some e-books cost a little money, and there are millions of e-books on the Internet that we can get for free. Third, more trees are saved because e-books don't need to be printed on paper. Fourth, e-books make reading more convenient. You can carry a whole library of hundreds of books with you in a small computer or any e-book reader without worrying about their weight. But e-books have certain disadvantages. They need a personal computer or an e-book reader and the information can be lost if its file format is not supported or changed in the reader's computer. However, e-books provide us with a new way of reading. That is good. ,. What is the disadvantage of the e-books? Answer: After having more than a few acquaintances online, _ might come a blow to keen social networkers like Barack Obama, or even Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg himself.[:Zxxk.Com] According to a research, the average person has in fact twice as many online friends as physical ones. Users of social-networking sites have on average 121 online friends as compared with physical ones. The study also claims that people tend to be more open, confident and honest with their virtual friends than their "real" ones. "For most people , the Internet is a way of keeping in touch with loved ones and friends, but for people who are isolated due to illness, it plays a more vital role, and can often act as a lifeline." says Helen Oxley, a psychologist at Wythenshawe hospital. "People with illnesses often rely on the Internet to facilitate friendships, since they blog and use networking sites as a way of dealing with their illness. It can foster a sense of social connection for those who frequently feel isolated, which is important to psychological well-being." In wider society, the ways in which friendships are formed are changing, with people recognizing that they can develop deep and meaningful connections with others that they've never met, and may never meet. About one in 10 people has either met their best friends online, or believes they can make lifelong friends on the Web. The findings highlight how social introductions are also changing. Only five percent would ask for someone's phone number, while 23 percent are now likely to ask for an email address or a full name with the intention of adding the person to their social network. At the same time, however, a questionnaire completed by 4,427 suggests that 20 percent of parents believe their children's education is affected by surfing the Net. They think their children are doing poorly at the school due to the amount of time they spend on non-educational websites. We can infer from the text that _ . Answer: Dear Zhang Qian, Thanks for your letter. You want to know about my favorite sport and instrument . Now let me tell you. I like swimming very much, and I like volleyball, basketball, and ping-pang, too. Swimming is my favorite sport. I am good at playing the guitar and the violin, too. My favorite instrument is the violin. I often play the violin on weekends. What about you? What's your favorite sport? Do you like to play the violin or the guitar? Please write to me soon. Yours, Li Ping Li Ping often plays the violin on _ . Answer: A little boy went to a telephone booth at the cash counter of a store and made a phone call. The store owner looked at him and listened to the conversation. Boy: "Lady, can you give me the job of cutting your lawn ?" Woman (at the other end of the phone line): "No, thank you. I already have someone to cut my lawn." Boy: "Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price the person who cuts your lawn now." Woman: "I'm very satisfied with the person who cuts my lawn." Boy (with more perseverance ) : "Lady, I'll even sweep the floor and the stairs of your house for free."[:Zxxk.Com] Woman: "No, thank you." With a smile on his face, the little boy hung up the phone. The store owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy. Store owner: "Son... I like your attitude . I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job." Boy: "No, thanks." Store owner: "But you were really asking for one." Boy: "No, Sir. I was just checking my performance at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady I was talking to." The best title for the story is " _ ". Answer:
Some people may be born happy, while others are genetically negative, scientists have suggested in a study published late February in a British journal. Earlier research had already established that the gene known as 5-HTTLPR plays a key role in determining how the neurotransmitter serotonin works within the brain. Serotonin, a hormone , passes chemical messages between nerve cells. It has been closely linked to mood. Several anti-depressant drugs regulate serotonin levels. Scientists had also identified three variants of the gene. Two so-called "short" variants were linked to a higher risk of depression and suicide attempts. Unlike the two "short" variants, the "long" variant of 5-HTTLPR showed a clear dislike of negative images, such as fierce animals, and a clear liking for positive ones, such as flowers. Researchers from the University of Essex in Britain showed participants a series of images, which were divided into three kinds: negative ones aimed at inspiring fear or stress such as a snake or person about to commit suicide, pleasant ones and neutral ones. The participants who had the long variant of the 5-HTTLPR gene "showed a clear dislike of negative material alongside a careful attention for positive material," the researchers found. They paid close attention to the pretty pictures, and ignored the frightening ones. On the other hand, the short variant groups had the opposite reaction. In January, the Australian government organized "happiness workshops", teaching government staff how to be happy. The department that held the "happiness workshops" said unhappy staff weren't productive staff. Australian political opposition parties have argued that the "happiness workshops" are probably a waste of money and couldn't increase productivity as intended. However, whether the workshop will have a happy or disappointing result, we will have to wait and see. The article is mainly about _ . Answer: the link between people's mood and their gene Alice, 35 years old I like shopping, but shopping with young children is not a good thing. I have to look after them while I'm shopping. I go shopping with my husband only when I want to buy something for him. When I look at a cheap dress, he always says, "It's nice on you." But when I have an expensive one in my hands, he always says, "I don't think it fits you well." So I often go shopping with my friends. It's fun. Maria, 26 years old I like shopping very much, but I never go shopping on weekends. There are too many people in shops. I don't like shopping with other people. It usually takes me much time to buy things because I never buy the first thing I see. I always look around other shops to find the same thing cheaper. I'm good at finding cheap things. I don't like buying food in small shops or street markets. I think food in the supermarkets is fresh and cheap. Alice's husband says, "I don't think it fits you well." It really means " _ ". Answer: it's too expensive Once there was a group of adventurers who went on an adventure in a place named Hyperion where there was a lot of snow. Their names were Thor, Bravos, and Pierre. Thor and Bravos were from Norway, but Pierre was from Paris, France. Because of where he was from, he wasn't used to the cold. To stay warm, Pierre wore three jackets. One day during their adventure the men saw a strange cave. Thor and Bravos wanted to go inside, but Pierre was afraid. He had heard that a horrible bug monster named Vlastos lived in the caves of Hyperion. Thor and Bravos told him that was only a fairy tale. They told him the only thing he really needed to worry about was hitting his head on a rock in the cave. Finally they got Pierre to go into the cave. Inside there were lots of tunnels. They chose the middle tunnel. The tunnel went down into the earth. After a long time it ended. The men were in a huge room. There were beautiful ice shapes on the walls. Where did the adventurers go on their adventure? Answer: Hyperion It was several years since Adolf Hitler came into power in Germany. And now his army was marching into some parts of Europe. He must be in the prime of his career. One day Hitler went to an exhibition where the works of school children were on show. He seemed to have great interest in the exhibits--inventions as well as carvings, drawings. After having walked around the hall and examined everything, he said he was ready to meet the young artists. And soon a group of children came into the room to salute(-----) him. "Well, well. You did very good work." nodded Hitler in satisfaction. "I promise on my honor I'd satisfy you with whatever you want. What'd you wish to be if I were your father?" "A sailor sailing the sea." one of the boys answered. "Good. I'll have you join my navy and some day you will rule the oceans." "Ask for anything? What'd you wish to be if I were your father?" he asked a second boy. "A painter as great as Rembruant." "Good. You are to be sent to the Fine Art School and surely you will make an even greater painter." When Hitler caught sight of a sad-looking boy he frowned , then quickly forced a smile, "There my boy, in spite of my point of view towards the Jews, I'd do you a favor and your dream will come true. What'd you wish to be if I were your father?" The boy looked straight at the man. "An orphan(the child who has no parents)." he murmured. Hitler promised to satisfy the children with whatever they want because _ . Answer: he wanted to make a good impression on the children Everything that humans hear is in the form of waves. Just as the eye sees light waves in the form of color1s, the ear hears sound waves in the form of noises. The ear and the eye turn these different waves into signals that the brain can make sense of. The ears and brain have an amazing ability to recognize particular sounds. For example, a mother often can tell when her baby is crying even if there are other crying babies in the same room. This is because the sound of her baby's cry has special meaning to her and the brain has recorded its importance. The ability to recognize sounds improves with experiences. As the brain receives information about sounds from day to day, it stores the information in its memory. When the brain hears new sounds, it gives meaning to them based on the information already in the memory. This is why certain words or songs can make a person happy. Often it is not the words or songs themselves that cause this feeling. The sounds are connected to happy memories for that person. Another hearing process controlled by the brain is to decide where a sound is coming from. One ear is usually closer to the source of a sound than the other ear is. Sound waves are stronger when they reach the ear that is closer. They also reach the closer ear first. The brain recognizes these differences and uses them to decide the location of the source of the sound. What is the best title for this passage ? Answer: How Do Humans Hear
Doctors' moonlighting is becoming popular in hospitals around China. It has not only raised a lot of heated discussions in the media, but also caught the attention of the central government in Beijing. On December 26, a spokesman of the Ministry of Health stressed that the ministry was firmly against doctors' moonlighting, while strict regulations should be applied to doctors taking part-time jobs, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Last year, the Ministry sent out a notice to a variety of health organizations to speed up the reform of their personnel system. According to the notice, medical organizations can hire medical experts as part-time doctors but such activities should take place under the hospital's management and regulations . As for moonlighting--meaning that the doctor provides medical service without the permission of the original hospital--such activity goes against China's Practicing Doctor Law, Xinhua reported. In China, doctors used to be controlled by hospitals and they could work for only one hospital. However, as China's medical personnel system reform developed, it has been recognized that medical human resources, just like human resources in other areas, should be shared by the whole society. But on the other hand, doctors' taking part-time jobs should follow the relative regulations applied in the medical field. First of all, they should follow relative government laws and regulations. They should also follow the rules and regulations set by the medical organizations they work for. In addition, they should pay taxes for their income from the part-time jobs. What matters most is that they should first finish their regular jobs as required and be responsible for patients to ensure qualified and safe medical treatment. The passage is taken most probably from _ . Answer: a magazine or a newspaper Sam told Horace, his neighbor, that he was going away for two weeks and asked Horace to keep an eye on his house. Horace agreed. Sam gave Horace a key to use to check on the house. Horace decided to have a party in Sam's house. He invited a number of friends. One friend, Lewis, went into Sam's bedroom, took some of Sam's rings, and put them in his pocket. Which of the following is true? Answer: Lewis is guilty of larceny and Horace is not guilty of any crime. We Love Gadgets If you love the latest gadgets or you want to be the next James Bond, come to Gadgets in the Garden Shopping Mall. Gadgets is a cool new shop. It sells all the latest gadgets and toys from MP3 players and cameras phones to toy robots. It's a great place to go to check out the latest things. Jon Lee and his best friend Tom Green own Gadgets. They love gadgets and toys very much. They are already running a successful Internet shop but want to give their customers a chance to play with all the latest gadgets before they buy. Jon says, "Tom and I are always buying the latest gadgets. We love new ideas and we know that our customers love them too." They both think their new shop will be a big success and we think so too! Gadgets opens at 9 0'clock on Wednesday August 1st, 2012. John and Tom are planning a fantastic opening. Don't miss it. Why do Jon Lee and Tom Green open the new shop? Answer: Because they hope their customers can play with gadgets before they buy. Years ago, I owned the very best dog in the world. I was a child when we got her. She grew up with me, and was always there when I needed her. She died during one of my college vacations. My heart broke then, and I knew that there would never be another dog like her. However, I was wrong. My next dog came into my life when I was married. My husband traveled for a living. and I was often lonely. This dog taught me to be patient. He always stayed at my side until the children were born, and then he became their guardian , too. When he passed away, my heart broke. I was sure I would never love another dog as much as I loved him. I was wrong again. We got the next one when the children were little. When he played with the children, he made them laugh. These days he spends more time with me since the children aren't around so much. He is, of course, the very best dog in the world. I wonder if that's part of the lesson: To teach us that love has a spirit that returns again and again and never really dies. It's amazing. _ And they fit into our families, our lives, and our hearts-- because they always have been and will be the best dogs in the world. What does the writer think about the third dog she owns? Answer: He brings happiness to the children. What is your favorite holiday? Here are some students' opinions. Sandy from Taiwan says: My favorite holiday is the Mid-Autumn festival. I always visit my grandfather and grandmother, and we always go to the same restaurant on the mountain. At night, we always have a picnic, and watch the moon together. I enjoy it a lot. Yagna from India says: My favorite day is Deepavali , which is also called Festival of Lights. People do some cleaning at home and light their oil lamps to thank for the defeat of the bad king. To celebrate it, we also eat sweets and delicious food, wear new clothes, and give presents to our friends and relatives. Pat from Thailand says: My name is Pat. My favorite holiday is _ It takes place from the 13th to 15th of April. On the holiday people pour water on each other. It is a lot of fun. People also buy new clothes and they have big parties. Which of the following is TRUE? Answer: Songkran takes place from the 13th to 15th of April.
Some people learn a second language easily. Other people have trouble learning a new language. How can you help yourself learn a new language,such as English? There are several ways to make learning English a little easier and more interesting. The first step is to feel confident about learning English. If you believe that you can learn,you will learn. Be patient. You do not have to understand everything all at once. It is natural to make mistakes when you learn something new. We can learn from our mistakes. The second step is to practice your English. For example,write a journal every day. You will get used to writing in English,and you will feel comfortable expressing your ideas in English. After several weeks,you will see that your writing is improving. Besides,you must speak English every day. You can practice with your classmates outside class. You will all make mistakes,but gradually you will become comfortable communicating in English. The third step is to keep a record of your language learning. You can write this in your journal. After each class,think about what you did. Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher explained? Perhaps the lesson was difficult,but you tried to understand it. Write these achievements in your journal. You must be positive about learning English and believe that you can do it. It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements. You will enjoy learning English,and you will have more confidence in yourself. What is important to learn English? Being shy keeps many Chinese people from getting to know westerners. You may feel nervous about making language mistakes in front of a native English speaker. But remember, westerners living in Asia know how it feels to try to communicate in a foreign language. They have made many mistakes when speaking Chinese! So don't worry about speaking imperfect English. The important thing is just to communicate. Start talking, and make some foreign friends! Many westerners value their privacy . Don't be surprised if your new friend doesn't want to include you in everything he does. This may seem strange to Chinese who worry about that their friends will get lonely. Chinese people often expect their good friends to give advice and take care of them in many ways. If you expect this kind of care from westerners, you may be disappointed. Why? Because most westerners value _ . They feel insulted if others think they can't take care of themselves. They will assume you feel the same way. Of course, these tips are just rules of thumb and may not apply to all westerners. Each person you meet will have his or her own ideas about friendship. When you get confused , don't be shy and worry to ask questions. Your new western friends may also have many questions about Chinese culture, and they may be hesitant to ask. So encourage them to ask questions, too. Be honest and open to your friends. Respect each other's differences. The friendships you make can be lifelong treasure both for you and your new friends. .What do you think the foreigners may not be insulted with? Put an ice cube from your fridge into a glass of water. You have a piece of string 10 centimeters long. The problem is to take out that piece of ice with the help of the string. But you must not touch the ice with your fingers. You may ask your friends to try to do that when you are having dinner together. There is a saltcellar on the table. You must use salt when you carry out this experiment. First you put the string across the piece of ice. Then put some salt on the ice. Salt makes ice melt . The ice round the string will begin to melt. But when it melts, it will lose heat. The cold ice cube will make the salt water freeze again. After a minute or two you may raise the piece of string and with it you will raise your piece of ice! This experiment can be very useful to you. If, for example, there is ice near the door of your house, you must use very much salt to melt all the ice. If you don't put enough salt, the water will freeze again. What is the task of this experiment? "I stepped out and was _ ," local journalist Bahram Baloch told the BBC. "I could see this gray, dome-shaped body in the distance, like a giant whale swimming near the surface. Hundreds of people had gathered to watch it in disbelief." This island has become a global curiosity. How was it formed in just a few minutes? As you might already know, many islands in the sea are formed by volcanoes. There are numerous volcanoes under the sea. As the hot lava erupts and cools down, it piles up and forms the shape of a mountain. When the mountain "grows" to higher than the sea level, the part that's above the water is what we call an "island". This is how the island was formed after the Pakistan earthquake, except that instead of a regular volcano, it was a "mud volcano" that brought about this island. Lava is not the only thing that's locked under the Earth's crust -- there is also gas. When an earthquake happens and breaks part of the crust, the gas is released at an extremely high speed, pushing mud up to the surface, according to National Geographic. But only earthquakes that are extremely powerful can cause mud volcanoes to push up enough mud to produce islands -- and this 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Pakistan was strong enough. The island is about 20 meters high, up to about 90 meters wide and 30 meters long, nearly the size of a soccer field. In fact, mud volcano islands aren't new. This is the fourth island of this kind in the region since 1945. But those islands usually didn't last long. "It will probably be gone within a couple of months," said Bill Barnhart, a researcher with the US Geological Survey. After all, "it's just a big pile of mud that was on the seafloor that got pushed up". We can infer from the article that _ . 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. Most people can't be creative geniuses because they _ .
Uganda is a country in East Africa and,as in many such countries,a high percentage of the population,about 80 percent,are village-dwellers living in huts,which are often no bigger than a garage. The walls of the huts are made of mud,which is held together by reeds and sticks,and the roofs of the older ones are thatched with grass,although an increasing number of newer village houses have roofs made from corrugated iron. Several generations of the same family live together in the huts,which are usually divided into two sections by a curtain. The inner section,the one furthest from the open door of the hut,is where everyone sleeps and food is prepared and served in the outer part. If the family owns chickens or goats,they are kept in a small room attached to the main house. Food is usually prepared on open fires although some people prefer to cook inside. However,this is quite dangerous and also means that the walls of the hut are stained by smoke and the atmosphere is acrid. The family sit in a circle on mats while they eat. Newer village houses are almost always made of corrugated iron and are bigger,with one or two separate bedrooms and the kitchen in a smaller building beside the main house. But,old or new,the houses are not powered by electricity,and all homes are lit by paraffin candles called "tadobba". Nor is there any running water in the houses. Some villages have their own well,but in many cases,collecting water involves a long and arduous walk to a river or spring,carrying plastic containers or pots made of clay. Children are the ones who have to fetch water,and they have to do this early in the morning before they go to school,or in the evening when they come home. They often have to climb high hills or walk through valleys with narrow paths through dense vegetation. It is no surprise that they grow up muscular and fit after such daily exercise,walking for several kilometres carrying such heavy weights. Where is food usually prepared? A In the kitchen. B On the floor in the middle of the house. C On fires in front of the hut. D In a small room attached to the main house. Answer: C My friend Jack is a taxi driver. He has done this job for ten years. It's a nice job most of the time. He can meet a lot of people every day. He always works late into the night because there are lots of people calling his taxi during the night. He usually goes home after two o'clock in the morning. There are some very strange things, which often happen at night. One day Jack was taking a young lady back home from a party at three o'clock in the morning. She had her little dog with her. When they got to her house, she found that she had lost her key. So Jack waited in the taxi with the dog while she climbed into her house through the window. Jack waited for about half an hour outside, but the young lady didn't show up . So he decided to find out what was going on. He tied the dog to a tree and started to climb in through the window. At that moment some policeman came. They thought Jack was a thief who wanted to get into the house to steal things. Luckily, the young lady came downstairs. She must have gone to sleep and forgotten about my friend and the dog. Jack has been a taxi driver for _ years. A five B ten C fifteen D twenty Answer: B Scientists from China, Sweden and the United Stated have developed a high-producing rice that can reduce methane emission , a major greenhouse gas blamed for global warming, from rice fields, according to a paper published on the latest issue of Nature. By inserting a barley gene into rice, Sun Chuanxin and his colleagues created SUSIBA2 Rice, which stores more starch in the section of the rice above ground, according to a paper published on the latest issue of Nature.This means the grains will have more starch while the root will exude less nutrients that will later be turned into methane by microbes in the soil, Sun, who works with Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, told Xinhua. "It solves two major problems mankind faces at one time: environmental degradation and the need for increased grain output," Wang Feng, another scientist, said, adding that the rice can cut methane discharge by more than 90 percent during summer and more than half during autumn, as "the rice displays a greater emission reduction effect in high temperatures." Meanwhile, small-scale trials have also suggested an increased output: a single plant of the new breed has 300 more grains with a starch content 10 percent higher. Wang said the team is working on applications for the rice in different areas, seasons and using different farming techniques. "It's still far away from mass application, but at least we see the light of hope." Human-induced methane, though less abundant than carbon dioxide in the air, is responsible for 20 percent of the global warming effect. Rice paddies are the largest single source of methane linked to human activity. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, China produces 209 million tons of rice in 2014, or 28 percent of the world's total of 734 million. SUSIBA2 Rice will be a major breakthrough because _ . A it tastes with a barley flavor B it well balances environmental protection and grains increase C it contains more starch than the ordinary rice D it gives off less methane in summer than in winter Answer: B Shower Radio --- Warranty and Directions Introduction Congratulations! You are now the owner of a So Fine Shower Radio! It is sure to provide entertainment for many hours. In addition, the radio features a timer for those days when you are in a hurry. Before using the radio, please read all directions, fill out and mail in the warranty card, and put warranty information in a safe place. Although we do not expect problems with the radio, you may need to refer to the warranty information at a later time. Warranty This radio is warranted for a one-year period that begins on the date of purchase. If it fails to work because of a problem of materials, please return it to the following address: So Fine Radio Corp, 1279 Delta Way, Monga. We will not pay shipping costs for returning the radio to us. We will either repair or replace the radio. Please allow at least four weeks for looking at the problem and repairing the radio. If you have not heard from us within six weeks, call our customer service department at 1-800-123. Radios that are returned to us for problems other than a problem of materials will be subject to service fee as well as the cost of the repairs. Customers will be informed of the charge by postcard. Radios will not be returned to customers until these fees are paid. Directions Please read all directions before using it. Please note that this radio is designed and built to operate well in a damp environment. The self-contained batteries and circuits are contained in the enclosed space that will bear heat and humidity. To Operate the Radio 1. Put two AA batteries in the enclosed space at the back of the radio. Be certain to follow the diagram, or the batteries will not provide electricity. The radio should NOT be adapted in order to be fixed into the wall; this will damage the waterproofing . 2. Turn the POWER dial in a clockwise direction until it clicks. Continue turning the dial until the desired volume is achieved. 3. To find the desired station, press the station selector button. The tuner will automatically go to the next highest signal. The station's call number will be visible in the digital screen. When the station with the highest frequency has been reached, the selector will start again at the lowest frequency. 4. To switch between AM and FM stations, move the sliding AM/FM switch. To Operate the Timer 1. Press the Timer Set button. Each time the button is pressed, five minutes will be put on the timer. The amount of time on the timer will be visible for five seconds on the digital screen. 2. When the time on the timer doesn't work, a beep will sound for ten seconds. The timer may be reset again one minute. Troubleshooting Before returning the radio for service, please check the following items: Problem: Radio cannot be heard. 1. Check batteries to be certain that they still have power and are put in correctly. 2. Check Power/Volume Control. Problem: Timer does not work. 1. Check batteries to be certain that they still have power and are put in correctly. 2. Follow directions above for setting timer. 3. Turn the power control on. The timer will not work when the radio is not on. 4. Adjust the volume control which regulates the volume of the beep as well as the radio volume. According to the text, what should you do before returning the radio for service? A Contact the store where you purchased it. B Check whether certain problems exist. C Call the producer for a repair number. D Consult the telephone book for local repair service. Answer: B Nanjing and Hangzhou summer camps offered We are looking for hard-working and open-minded English teachers to join the Nanjing ( Jiangsu Province) and Hangzhou ( Zhejiang Province) summer camps ! Both of the summer camps will run from the beginning of July to the end of August. You will be expected to teach spoken English to Chinese students of different ages. We encourage you to bring your own culture to the classes to make things more interesting. The information of the Nanjing camp: * Working hours: 40 hours per week, 5 working days per week. * Salary: about 7, 000 RMB per month. * Accommodation: free (single room). The information of the Hangzhou camp: * Working hours: 5 hours per day ( = 50 min./class x 6 classes), one day rest per week. * Salary: 20,160 RMB in total (420 RMB per day = 70 RMB/class x 6 classes). * Accommodation: free (shared room). The requirements of the summer camps: * Native English speakers (US, England, Canada, Australia, New Zealand). * A university degree. * Teaching experience. Please send us your resume , copies of certificates and passport if you are interested in the camps. E-mail: teacher1324@ sina. com. cn For more information you can visit our website at http://www. English summer camps. com. cn. Look forward to hearing from you soon! How long will a teacher work for the summer campsa? A Less than one month. B About five weeks. C About eight weeks. D More than two months. Answer: C
Did you get a flu shot this year?For the first time,the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US is recommending that all children aged from 6 months to 18 years receive the flu _ . Vaccines battle diseases caused by bacteria and viruses.A weakened form of the germ is introduced into the body.The body makes special substances called antibodies to fight the germs.If the actual germs were to attack,the antibodies would fight.Because there are many kinds of flu viruses,scientists must create a new vaccine formula each year.Researchers must make a prediction. It is like forecasting the weather.Sometimes they are right on,and sometimes they are off.But even when the vaccine does not closely match circulating flu types,it can make the illness less serious. "The flu vaccine is not as effective as the polio vaccine or the measles vaccine," says Dr.William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine."It's not a great vaccine,but it is in fact quite a good vaccine." But a flu vaccine doesn't work for everyone.There are certain people who should be careful about taking it,because the vaccine is produced in eggs.Those who are allergic to eggs should not take it.If you have a fever,you should wait until you recover. Some people are afraid that they might get the flu from the flu shot.Scientists say that it is not possible,because the viruses in the flu shot are inactivated.But some minor side effects such as lowgrade fever and body ache could occur.If they do,they begin soon after the shot and usually last only one to two days. Did you know?Smallpox was the first disease people tried to prevent by putting a virus into a healthy person.In 1796,English scientist Edward Jenner placed some infected material under a boy's skin. When people take the flu vaccine, _ . Answer: It must have been around nine o'clock when I drove back home from work because it was already dark. As I came near to the gates I turned off the head lights of the car so as to prevent the beam from swinging through the window and waking Jack, who shared the house with me. But I needn't have done so. I noticed that his light was still on, so he was awake anyway--unless he had fallen asleep while reading. I put the car away and went up the steps. Then I opened the door quietly and went to Jack's room. He was in bed awake, but he didn't even turn towards me. "What's up, Jack?" I asked. "For God's sake, don't make a noise," he said. The way he spoke reminded me of someone in pain who is afraid to talk in case he does himself serious injury. "Take your shoes off, Neville," Jack said. I thought that he must be ill and that I had better give way to him to keep him happy. "There is a snake here," he explained. "It's asleep between the sheets. I was lying on my back reading when I saw it.I knew that moving was _ . I could not have moved even I'd wanted to." I realized that he was serious. "I was depending on you to call a doctor as soon as you came home," Jack went on. "It has not bitten me yet but I dare not do anything to upset it. It might wake up. I'm sick of this," he said."I took it for granted that you would have come home an hour ago." There was no time to argue or apologize for being late.I looked at him as encouraging as I could and went to telephone the doctor. The reason why Neville thought that Jack must be ill is that Jack _ . Answer: Life has changed in Mexico City. Streets normally filled with people are empty. One of the most popular professional soccer teams recently played a game in an empty stadium that can seat more than100,000 people. It's swine flu that has made life in Mexico City grind to a halt . Seemingly out of nowhere, swine flu has caused confirmed deaths in 12 countries as of April 30. It has sent a wave of alarm around the world. Governments are trying to find ways to prevent further out-breaks. The World Health Organization has raised its swine flu global threat level to five out of six. People may be familiar with bird flu, but they know little about swine flu. Swine flu is a contagious respiratory disease in pigs. It is caused by a type-A influenza virus. Humans can also catch swine flu. The virus causes regular outbreaks in pigs, but people usually do not catch it. However, there have been cases of the virus spreading to people, and then from one person to another. The symptoms of swine flu are similar to the common flu. They include fever, lethargy , lack of appetite, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, nausea , and vomiting . The high proportion of young adults among the deaths is one of several mysteries about this virus. Most of the dead had lung damage. What caused it is not yet known. The virus spreads the same way the common flu does. When an infected person coughs or sneezes around another person, the latter is put at risk. People can get the disease by touching something with the flu virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose or eyes. There are medicines to treat swine flu. Doctors suggest using anti - viral drugs. They keep the virus from reproducing inside the body. Although there are no vaccines for it now, several everyday steps can help prevent the spread of the virus: washing hands frequently; avoiding close contact with people who are sick; and avoiding touching surfaces that might have the virus on it. People may worry that they will get swine flu from eating or preparing pork. In fact, you cannot catch the virus from pork products if they have been properly prepared and cooked. Cooking food at temperatures of 71degCkills the virus. The following tips can protect us from swine flu EXCEPT _ . Answer: Most people know that theprefix = st1 /United Statesis made up of fifty states . However , few people know a lot about all fifty of them , Sufjan Stevens is a young American musician . He wants to change this situation Sufjan Stevens plans to make an album about each of the fifty American states . During college he played in several musical groups and recorded an album of his own music . However , he wanted to be a writer , not a musician . So after college he moved toNew York Cityto study writing. In New York , Stevens had trouble writing stories , He discovered that he missed music , He also discovered that most of the stories he did write were about his home state ofMichigan. So , Sufjan Stevens decided to make an album of songs aboutMichigan " Greetings fromMichigan: The Great Lakes State " was released three years ago . Here is the song " Say Yes toMichigan" ( music ) The album was a big success . Many young people and music critics liked it . Before long , Stevens announced that he wanted to make an album for every state . He called it his " fifty states project " Stevens choseIllinoisas his next state . He read many books aboutIllinois. He studied police documents and old newspapers . He talked to people who lived in the state . The CD "Illinois" was released last year . Critics loved the album , It won many awards awards . " Illinois " became popular at colleges throughout theUnited States. People said the CD sounded different form anything else they had ever heard . Here is a song called "Chicago" . (music) sufjan Stevens is keeping his next state a secret from reporters . People have said that he is writing about Oregon , Rhode Island , orMinnesota. However , no one but Stevens knows for sure . We leave you with the song " Decatur " or " Round of Applause For Your Stepmother ," from the CD "Illinois" (music) Which of the following statements about Sufjan Stevens is NOT true? Answer: Mathilda,15, is Turkana, a native people that has survived by raising cattle in a semiarid region. Mathilda's school, like most schools in the area, doesn't have access to clean water and sanitation facilities for its students. So instead of spending their whole school day learning, Mathilda and her classmates start their day by spending two hours to the closest river fetching water ---water that is anyway most likely not safe to drink. They do the same thing again in the afternoon, so they often lose around half of their school day fetching water. Mathilda has to do the same thing outside of school hours to get the water her family needs at home, leaving her little time for studying. Because of rising temperatures, water has become harder and harder to find here, and people have to spend more and more time trying to find it. This is just one small example of how climate change is making it harder to realize people's rights to water, education and security. Unfortunately, most higher-income countries remained silent on the issue. This is despite studies showing that communities already facing marginalization ,such as women and children, mostly suffer from climate change. This is especially the case for those in countries with limited resources and fragile ecosystems. Meanwhile, women consist of the majority of the world 's poor,and so are more dependent for their livelihood on natural resources that are threatened by climate change. And around the world, women and girls are the most likely to be responsible for fetching water for their families. This exposes them to danger and leaves them with less time to attend school, earn money, or simply to rest. But the fact is that the effects of climate change will be felt globally. Despite the difficulties she is facing, trying to get an education, Mathilda says she hopes to serve her community in a leadership role when she grows up. "All of the world's leaders need to work together to solve this problem that we are all facing," she said. The passage is mainly about the problem caused by _ . Answer:
In Vietnam, two members of a family of street vendors are finding a way to help the poorest students in Hanoi. Pham Minh Dap and his brother are providing the students with mostly free English and Japanese lessons at a learning center they created. The men want to help people who would not normally have a chance to learn a foreign language. Some education experts in Vietnam say such knowledge may help college graduates get jobs. The country's economy has improved. But many graduates continue to have a hard time finding employment. Local media reported ten percent of university graduates do not have a job. Earlier this year, 24-year-old Pham Minh Dap and his brother established a school they call "Stand By You". Volunteers teach poor students English and Japanese. Many classes are free. Students with some language knowledge pay 25 to 50 cents per class. Mr. Dap pays about $ 500 to rent the language center space and for other costs. He gives about $ 150 from his earnings as a street Vendor and private language teaching. His brother gives the same amount from the money he earns as a secretary. Friends provide the rest. Mr. Dap and many of his family members have sold things outside HoaBinh Park in the center of Vietnam's capital for five years. They come from a village of rice farmers in Thanh Hoa Province. Twenty-four-year-old Pham THi Trang is one of 600 students at the language school. She is finishing her university studies. Her parents work in a market in a village in Ha Nam Province. She says life is hard in the city. She earns about $50 a month from a part-time job, and her parents give her $ 75. But this is not enough to live on. She has said she has to be very careful with money so she can pay her bills. Demand for the school is growing. About 1,000 people are on a waiting list to enter. Ten people have offered to teach for free. And Mr. Dap says he is hoping to raise money to pay for a bigger place. He wants to open more classes. Stand By You is established _ . by two brothers They are out there. They may be your friends, your teachers or your parents. Anyone can be a difficult person to someone else. It is important to see if you are with a difficult person. The first solution to any problem is that you realize the problem. Most of the time, difficult people do not realize they are difficult. They think what they do is just normal. But do you know how to cope with difficult people? The best way is not to care what they said. If this does not help, think about the following: Difficult people are easy to be very angry, and you just happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Difficult people do not even hear the words you say, but are only guessing the meaning of your words according to their own thought. So when you really look at it deeply, it is not wise to take things personally. The best way to cope with difficult people is _ not to mind their words. Once there was a guy who lived in a giant red mitten. He was always mad because the old woman in the shoe down the road got all the attention for living in a giant piece of clothing. One day he made a plan to play a joke. He took a cookie and with it in his hand went to dig a hole under the old lady's shoe. When he finished digging he hid the cookie in the hole and then went to the zoo. He stole a bunch of monkeys which he took back to the lady's shoe house. The TV news team was talking to her on camera that day outside her house about how great she was for living in a shoe and how smart and cool she was. The guy stood there listening with his bag of hungry monkeys. At the very second the news team took a close up of the shoe with their big camera the guy opened the bag and freed the monkeys. He had told them earlier that hidden somewhere in the house was a cookie. He laughed very loud as he imagined them tearing up her house on live TV. But instead of doing that, they stood around looking bored because monkeys like bananas not cookies. What was his plan for a joke? He dug a hole under the old lady's house. He put a cookie in a hole. He stole some monkeys and told them about the cookie and set them free outside the woman's shoe. A consequence of creating thousands of notebooks is habitat change Once upon a time, an old woman had two large water pots. Each hung on the end of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect, From the river to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. And the other pot was always full. The perfect pot took pride in its talent. But the poor cracked pot felt sad for its own disadvantage. One day by the river the cracked pot said to the woman, "I feel bad about myself, because the crack in me causes water to come out all the way back to your house." The old woman smiled and said, "Why are there flowers on your side of the road, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your crack. So I planted flowers on your side of the road, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my house, There would not be this beauty without you. Each of us has our own cracks. But the cracks make our lives so interesting and beautiful." So, to all the cracked pot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the road! What can we learn from the story? Everyone has a talent.
One of the most difficult problems a young person faces is deciding what to do. Some people, however, from the time they are six years old "know" that they want to be doctors or teachers or firefighters, but most of us do not get around to making a decision about a job until someone or something forces us to face the problem. Choosing a job takes time, and there are a lot of things you have to think about as you try to decide what you would like to do. You may find that you will have to take special courses for a particular kind of work, or you may find out that you will need to get enough knowledge for a particular job. Fortunately, there are a lot of people you can turn to for advice and help in making your decision. At most schools, there are teachers to give you information about jobs. And you can talk over your ideas with family members and friends who are always ready to listen and to offer suggestions. The passage tells you that _ for a particular job. A you should have ideas when you are a child B it's impossible for you to get enough knowledge C you have to face the problem D you may enter a class to study Answer: C. you have to face the problem With the development of technology, WiFi is becoming more and more popular and important in people's daily life.But have you ever experienced it? Just imagine what life will be like if there is no Internet.Maybe you won't be able to talk with friends, play video games or search for information for your homework on the Internet. But in fact, only one third of the world's population are able to get information on the Internet.The rest are too poor to buy WiFi access or they live in _ areas.As a result, they live without the Internet. Google and Facebook, two world-famous technology companies, have decided to do something about it.Google's Project Loon will try to send balloons which are 15 meters wide into our Earth's stratosphere in 2015.The balloons are made of a special material that is three times thicker than the plastic bag we use every day.Each balloon will carry a minicomputer and a WiFi radio.The WiFi radio will send the Internet over the areas it is floating over.Then people can get up-to-date information on weather or news. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? A The balloons are 15 meters long. B People can do lots of things on the Internet. C The WiFi radio can send the Internet without any help. D The material of the balloons is not as thick as our usual plastic bag. Answer: B. People can do lots of things on the Internet. The earth is not the only body that travels around the sun. With it are eight other planets, fellow members of the sun's family. Two of them, Mercury and Venus, are nearer while the other six, namely Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, also in their given order from the sun, are farther from the sun than the earth is. The farther they are, the longer trips they make around the sun. People noticed long ago that these traveling bodies moved around in the sky in definite paths. It is a force called gravity that holds them in their paths. We know that every little bit of matter in the universe pulls upon every other bit of matter. The pull between two bodies is proportional to the product of their masses. Because the sun is so large the pull between the sun and the planets are thus great. If it were not for this pull, the planets would fly off into space. In the same way there exists a pull between the earth and the moon, which keeps the moon traveling in its orbit around our planet, the earth. Gravity holds you to its surface, and pulls back to it the ball which you throw into the air. Of course the ball also pulls on the larger earth but the earth is so much larger that the pull is not noticed. Now remember that large bodies exert a greater pull than smaller ones which contain less material. But each object in the universe, no matter how small, pulls on all other objects to some degree. From the sentence "The pull between two bodies is proportional to the product of their masses." We can infer that the pull between _ A the sun and the moon is greater than between the sun and the earth B the earth and the moon is greater than that between the sun and the earth C the sun and the earth is greater than that between the earth and the moon D the sun and the earth is the same as that between the earth and the moon Answer: C. the sun and the earth is greater than that between the earth and the moon Last week, my granddaughter started primary school. And I wished her every success. But part of me didn't. I really wanted her to fail in some ways because I believe that failure can be good for us to grow up. Success is that you can do something that you already know you can do, or doing something correctly the first time. First -time success is usually a luck. First-time failure, in fact, is supposed to be the natural order of things. Failure is how we learn. I make my living by writing articles for a daily newspaper. Each week I thought that the article that I write would be the worst. I try my best every day. A successful article usually means that I am discussing the subjects I know well, writing in the way I am used to or saying the same things as anyone else but in an excellent way. My younger daughter is a trapeze artist.she spent three years putting together a show, and she did it successfully for years. There was no reason for her to change it but she did anyway. She was afraid to be bored. She met failure when she tried some new ways in her show. But she did his only in order to feed her soul. My granddaughter is a perfectionist. She will feel her failures, and I will want to _ her. But I will also, I hope, remind her of what she learned, and how she can do better next time. I hope I can tell her, though, that it's not the end of the world. With luck, it is the beginning. the writer develop the article mainly by _ A giving examples B following the time order C comparing different ideas D presenting the reasons of failure Answer: A. giving examples Raising pets is not a new thing in China , but recently it has taken on a new meaning . As a famous Chinese saying goes, pursuit of petty (,) pleasures weakens one's will to make progress . The saying has been so popular that even today many people still consider raising pets as a hobby of the idle . Things have changed much recently and now raising pets has become a popular pastime , resulting in a successful pet care industry . Pet food is sold in almost all supermarkets and many special stores for pet needs have been set up . Animal hospitals provide various medical services for sick dogs and cats , and pet exchange fairs are held regularly . At the China International Pet Show which took place recently in Beijing , more than 100 factories from across the country exhibited their products . Thousands of dealers and pet owners went to the show. "People's swollen pockets make it possible for many to raise pets , a hobby that used to be enjoyed only by the wealthy ," said Wang Wei , who works with the National Kennel Association of China . Wang Yuyan , vice president of the Small Animals Protection Association , agreed , " In many films and novels , having a pet is used as a symbol of wealth . That's not a complete picture . " Wang added that pets are friends in a real sense of the word , not just playthings . " Anyone with a loving nature can raise pets . " Still the high cost of keeping a pet is something many people have to think about . "I like dogs and cats , but I have neither time nor money to raise them , "said Li Jun , in her 40's , a civil servant from Beijing . The cost of raising a dog is high in Beijing , where registration is a must for all dogs and costs 5,000 yuan for each animal . In addition , pet owners must pay for regular injection of vaccines . Most of all , dog food is quite expensive . Unlike his mother , Li Jun's 10-year-old son, Li Qiyu, dreams of the day he will have his own pet . "I hope I can have a dog in my house , " he said . In big cities in China today , raising pets _ . A has changed people's life B has destroyed some families C has met much difficulty D has brought much business for some people Answer: D. has brought much business for some people
HANGZHOU, April 4 (Xinhua) --Another H7N9 bird flu case has been confirmed in east China's Zhejiang Province, the provincial health department said Thursday, bringing the country's total number of cases to 10. The patient is a 64-year-old man from Huzhou City. He became ill on March 29 and was admitted to a hospital in Huzhou on March 31. On Thursday, medical experts confirmed that he was infected with the H7N9 bird flu strain after the provincial center for disease control and prevention said late Wednesday that he tested positive for the virus. An investigation has found that all 55 people who had close contact with the man have not showed any abnormal clinical symptoms, the department said. So far, China has confirmed 10 H7N9 cases -- four in Jiangsu Province, two in Shanghai Municipality, one in Anhui Province and three in Zhejiang. The two patients in Shanghai and one in Zhejiang have died. Health authorities and hospitals in many Chinese provinces have been on high alert for H7N9 cases. In Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi Province, which neighbors Zhejiang, five hospitals have been selected and ordered to be ready to treat H7N9 patients, though no cases have been reported there. China's health authorities have promised transparency and cooperation to the World Health Organization (WHO) in regards to human infections of the new strain of bird flu. On Wednesday afternoon, the National Health and Family Planning Commission distributed prevention and control plans and technique directives to health institutions nationwide. "So far, the sources of infection have not been clear, but based on past experiences and recent epidemiological studies, the sources could be poultry or the secretion and excrement from poultry," according to the plan. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that no human-to-human transmission of H7N9 has been discovered and no epidemiological connection between these cases has been found. We can learn from the passage that _ . A. H7N9 bird flu can spread from human to human. B. Poultry are the sources of H7N9 bird flu. C. All the cases confirmed are not connected. D. Experts don't definitely know the sources of H7N9 bird flu. Answer: D. Experts don't definitely know the sources of H7N9 bird flu. When Mencius was a little boy, his father died. Mencius and his mother were quite poor. One day Mencius returned home from school and found his mother making some cloth. It was very beautiful and expensive. "How much of the book have you read today?" Mencius' mother asked him. "I haven't read any of it yet." Mencius replied, "I played with some friends of mine in the fields." When his mother heard this, she picked up a pair of scissors and cut the cloth. "Why did you cut your cloth?" Mencius asked, "It was beautiful but now you've wasted it." "You have wasted your time," his mother said, "now I have wasted mine. Look what terrible things we have done." Mencius learnt a lot from this lesson. After that, he always studied hard. ,. How did Mencius' mother feel when she knew Mencius haven't read any book? A. She felt very happy. B. She felt very sad. C. She felt very excited. D. She felt very pleased. Answer: B. She felt very sad. 'As I stood in front of the grave of President Richard Nixon, I was thinking about the time 25 years ago when this president helped bring the United States and China closer together. Young people of our two countries should help this relationship grow.' This remark was made by a Shanghai student when speaking to his fellow students at the Nixon Library in California, U.S.A. He was one of 80 middle school students from China attending a month-long 'Youth Summit'. The Summit was to mark the 25th anniversary of President Nixon's journey to China, which was the turning point in China-U.S. relations. The Youth Summit was aimed at increasing understanding and friendship between young students of the two countries through visits and discussions. Seventy-five American students were selected to visit China. They also visited the Nixon Library on July 21 before leaving for Beijing the next day. The head of the Library said he was pleased to see the American and Chinese students talking and laughing together. One Chinese student said, 'I didn't find it particularly difficult to talk with Americans. We have our differences, but we have a lot in common. Dialogue is good for us.' The words 'Youth Summit' in the text refer to _ . A. visits to the Nixon Library B. the Chinese students' visit to the U.S. C. a meeting discussing relations between China and the U.S. D. activities to make the ties between the Chinese and American students stronger Answer: D. activities to make the ties between the Chinese and American students stronger Amelia Earharl was born on July 24,1897 in Atchison, Kansas at her grandparent's house. Soon after her birth, Amelia's parents separated. The girl lived with her grandparents until she was 10. In 1917, Amelia entered a nursing school and witnessed the horrors of war. She served as a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse at a military hospital until Novermber,1981,. She later said,"There for the first time I realized what the World War meant... I saw only men without arms or legs...". In 1920, Amelia's parents had reunited in California. Amelia decided to leave Columbia and join them. Amelia's love for flying was born when her father took her to an aerial show, in which she got to ride in a flight over Los Angeles. Amelia started taking flight lessons with Anita Snook at Kinner Field near Long Beach, California. Amelia _ quickly and soon became an excellent pilot. In July of 1920, she purchased her first plane. She named it "The Canary". In October of 1922, just a few years after taking up flying, Amelia began attempting to break records. She first broke the height record of 14,000 feet. In 1925, Amelia took a position at Dension House in Boston as a social worker. While there, Amelia got a call that would change her life forever. On April 27th, 1926, Captain Hill Railey called Amelia to take part in a flight across the Atlantic Ocean. She would only be a passenger. Wilmer Stultz and Louis Gorden flew the plane, but Amelia became the first woman to make the trip across the Atlantic. Amelia didn't think she deserved the attention she received but was more determined than ever to make the trip herself. While in London, and back in the United States, Amelia toured the country, giving lectures and speeches. Most likely, Amelia began to take flight lesson at the age of _ . A. 20 B. 23 C. 26 D. 28 Answer: B. 23 A group of graduates, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain,plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite -- telling them to help themselves to the coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best foryourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups. And then you began eyeing each other's cups. Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position insociety are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us." God brews the coffee, not the cups. Enjoy your coffee! "The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything." Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God. The purpose of this writing is _ . A. about how to complain about stress in work and life B. to enjoy the present life and get happiness from it C. to enjoy the coffee with expensive cups D. to prove the power of the God Answer: B. to enjoy the present life and get happiness from it
"I'd be better off dead." he said, without any hesitation . Hearing those words come out of my best friend's mouth tore my heart apart. He has repeated that phrase more than once, and my mind continually plays it over like a voice recording. I met him about three years ago. After knowing me for six months, he told me about his struggles with depression . Sadness was not the only feeling that came over me; I was shocked. He seemed so outgoing and happy all the time. I soon learned that he was hurt physically and mentally as a young child, causing him to have the thought of killing himself. He refuses to talk to others about his depression because he now distrusts adults, especially those in his family. However, he feels as if I understand him and that I know the right words to speak. Therefore, when it comes to helping him, convenience is not in my vocabulary. It does not matter where I am or what I am doing, for he always comes first. Many students at his school laugh at him when they notice scars on his arms from cutting. As he sees it, other kids have every right to make fun of him. But no one holds such a right, so I encourage him to ignore the heartless kids who treat him badly. When he feels the weight of judging eyes or hateful voices, I always remind him that I care about him unconditionally. Just hearing me say I will always be his best friend seems to give him the safety he needs to keep on going. My best friend once told me that if he had not had me, he would not be alive. He said that my encouraging words helped him not to take his life. Our friendship has taught me that a single kind word can influence someones life. Life is not easy for every one, which makes me strongly believe in the necessity of encouragement. The authors friend got into depression mainly because _ . Answer: Which celestial object is the shortest distance from earth? 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Or call the number below 1-800-372-1589. Call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. www. Harcourt-learning. com E-mail:Harcourt@learning. com. How many ways are mentioned in the ad for people to get in touch with the Harcourt Learning Direct? Answer: Generations of Americans have been brought up to believe that a good breakfast is essential to one's life. Eating breakfast at the start of the day, we have been told, and told again, is as necessary as putting gasoline in the family car before starting a trip. But for many people, the thought of food as the first thing in the morning is never a pleasure. So in spite of all the efforts, they still take no breakfast. Between 1977 and 1983, the latest year for which figures could be obtained, the number of people who didn't have breakfast increased by 33%--from 8.8 million to 11.7 million--according to the Chicago-based Market Research Corporation of America. For those who dislike eating breakfast, however, there is some good news. Several studies in the last few years have shown that, for grown-ups especially, there may be nothing wrong with omitting breakfast. "Going without breakfast does not affect work," said Arnold E. Bender, former professor of nutrition at Queen Elizabeth College in London, "nor does giving people breakfast improve work." Scientific evidence linking breakfast to better health or better work is surprisingly inadequate, and most of the recent work involves children, not grown-ups. "The literature," says one researcher, Dr Earnest Polite at the University of Texas, "is poor." What is implied but not stated by the author is that _ . Answer: Mr. Rock has some apple trees in his garden . He looks after them carefully . Now there are very good apples on the trees and Mr. Rock is happy. This afternoon when he looks out of the window, he sees a boy in one of his apple trees. He is eating the nice apples! Mr. Rock opens the window and shouts. "Hey! What are you doing there? Come down and go away, or I'll go to see your father!" "Dad!" the boy looks up and cries , " Mr. Rock wants to see you!" The boy in the tree _ . Answer:
Flat A:Lovely double bedroom with own store space in the house, garden, garage and parking space. 5 minutes to the library,18 minutes to the bank. TV broadband available. 115 pounds per week including all the bills. Four weeks rent ,four weeks deposit required. Tel:07912100237 Flat B:A double room available to rent atPS420 per month in a 2-bedroom new apartment located in London. It's ideal for students (5 minutes to University of Greenwich, Avery Hill campus) and professional people for short term. 2 minutes walk to the train station and local town centre. There are fast trains to London Bridge(15 minutes)and Cambridge Cross Station(20 minutes)in London. There are public buses to Cambridge, Greenwich etc. Features: entrance hall, modem kitchen and bathroom, living room and parking space. Tel: 17912100273 Flat C:Shared flats available for rent, weeklyPS80 including breakfast and dinner;dailyPS20 including breakfast. Wireless Internet is provided for free. Central location in London, ideal for holiday makers and students. Tel: 0791 2305237 If you are a student of University of Greenwich, which flat would you better rent? A. Flat A B. Flat B C. Flat C D. None Answer: B. Flat B The first grade class went on a bus to visit a farm. The farm was a long ways from their school. The farm was also far away from any other farms or houses. The farmers who lived there were the Nixon family. They grew corn. Sometimes when the weather was right, they would plant wheat, too. The fields were so large that the class could not see where they ended. Mr. Nixon gave all of the children a long ride in the fields on his tractor. The Nixon family also had a lot of farm animals. In the red barn next to their home, they kept a few cows and horses. Everyone fed hay to some of the cows. The farmers got milk from their cows. Some of the class got small bottles of fresh milk to take home with them. All the kids got to ride on the big brown horses the Nixons had. They went up into the nearby hills, where they could look down on the farm below. Around the farmyard there were many goats and chickens, who wandered around as they wished. The Nixon children liked to play with their goats, feed them peanut shells and pet them, like the first grade kids did with their dogs and cats. The smallest tried to bump the children with their hard heads and tiny horns! When it was almost dark, the school kids got back on the bus to go home. They were a little sad to leave the fun life of the farm children. But they brought back stories for all the rest of the school to hear. What did the Nixon family grow on their farm? A. corn and wheat B. vegetables C. peanuts D. apples and oranges Answer: A. corn and wheat Look at the keyboard of any standard typewriter or computer."Q,""W,""E,""R""T"and"Y"are the first six letters.Who decided on this arrangement of the letters? And why? People tried for centuries to invent the typewriter.In 1714 in England,Henry Mill filed a patent for a machine called An Artificial Machine Or Method for the Impressing or Transcribing of Letters,Singly or Progressively one after another, as in Writing,whereby all Writing whatsoever may be Engrossed in Paper or Parchment so Neat and Exact as not to be distinguished from Print.That machine probably didn't sell because no one could remember its name! The first practical typewriter was patented in the United States in 1868 by Christopher Latham Sholes.His machine was known as the type-writer.It had a movable carriage,a lever for turning paper from line to line,and a keyboard on which the letters were arranged in alphabetical order. But Sholes had a problem.On his first model,his"ABC"key arrangement caused the keys to jam when the typist worked quickly.Sholes didn't know how to keep the keys from sticking,so his solution was to keep the typist from typing too fast.Sholes asked his brother-in-1aw to rearrange the keyboard so that the commonest letters were not so close together and the type bars would come from opposite directions.Thus they would not clash together and jam the machine.The new arrangement was the QWERTY arrangement typists use today.Of course,Sholes claimed that the new arrangement was scientific and would add speed and efficiency.The only efficiency it added was to slow the typist down,since almost any word in the English language required the typist's fingers to cover more distance on the keyboard. The advantages of the typewriter outweighed the disadvantages of the keyboard.Typists memorized the crazy letter arrangement,and the typewriter became a huge success.By the time typists had memorized the new arrangement of letters and built their speed,typewriter technology had improved,and the keys didn't stick as badly as they had at first. Sholes decided the QWERT arrangement of the keyboard in order to _ . A. arrange the letters in alphabetical order B. cause the keys to jam when the typist worked quickly C. solve the problem of the keys jamming D. compete with"ABC"key arrangement Answer: C. solve the problem of the keys jamming Hanukkah Hanukkah is a Jewish festival. It is celebrated on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev , which is usually sometime in December. It is often called the festival of lights. The festival celebrates the time, over 2,000 years ago, when the Jewish people fought against an emperor who would not let them follow their own traditions and religion. When the Jewish people won back their temple in Jerusalem, they found there was only enough holy oil to keep the sacred light burning for one day. However, to their surprise, this small amount of oil kept the light burning for eight days and nights, until the people had time to make more oil. At the center of the Hanukkah celebrations is a candlestick (called a Menorah) that holds nine candles. On the first night of Hanukkah the first candle is lit, and each day this candle is used to light another candle, until on the eighth day, the last day, all the candles are lit. During Hanukkah, people go to the synagogue to pray and to remember the miracle of the holy oil. Hanukkah is a time for family and friends to come together. People exchange gifts and greeting cards, and children go to parties. Parents often give their children money at Hanukkah. Potato cakes, called latkes, are a traditional Hanukkah food. According to the passage, what is necessary when celebrating Hanukkah nowadays? A. Candles. B. Money. C. Oil D. Cards. Answer: A. Candles. Computer programmer David Jones earns $35.000 a year designing new computer games. yet he cannot find a bank ready to let him have a credit card Instead he has been told to wait another two years until he is 18. The 16-year-old works for a small firm in Liverpool where the problem of most young people of his age is finding a job David's firm releases two new games for the fast growing computer market each month But David's biggest headache is what to do with his money. Even though he earns a lot he cannot drive a car take out a mortgage ,or get credit cards David got his job with the Liverpool-based company four months ago ,a year after leaving school with six O-levels and working for a time in a computer shop. "I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs" he said David spends some of his money on records and clothes and gives his mother 50 pounds a week But most of his spare time is spent working. "Unfortunately, computing was not part of our studies at school " he said "But I had been studying it in books and magazines for four years in my spare time I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school Most people in this business are fairly young, anyway" David added :"I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement is a possibility You never know when the market might disappear." What is one of the problems that David is facing now? A. He is too young to get a credit card B. He has no time to learn driving C. He has very little spare time D. He will soon lose his job Answer: A. He is too young to get a credit card
I was fortunate to begin my day camp career at Ramaquois as a four-year-old in 1984. I can clearly remember my first bus ride to camp, sitting next to my older sister. Stepping out of the bus, and into a new, strange world, there was no way I could comprehend how important that moment was for me. Ramaquois would become my summer home until this day. My first summer at day camp was definitely a new experience for me. I had never had a "bunk " or a "cubby " before. My counselors sort of reminded me of my pre-school teachers, but they were...different somehow... I didn't usually enjoy new things and I was slow to warm up to camp. From what my parents tell me, my counselors were very patient with me. When I needed a friend, a counselor was there. When I needed words of encouragement, they got into conversation with me. When I was too shy to ask, they offered help. I don't remember the specific moment when things changed, but I know that at some point that summer, things just became different. I couldn't wait for the bus to arrive in the morning. I feared the weekends. And on the last day of camp, I cried--just like the first day. I was attracted. Ramaquois was a part of my life. I spent 11 summers as a camper at Ramaquois. I had no idea that those summers were just the beginning. I remained at camp for seven years as a counselor, five years a division leader and now I am lucky enough to be an assistant director working with the most unique and talented administrative team in the summer camp industry. I am one of the lucky people that truly enjoys going to work each and every day. From the test, we know that the day camp _ . A. was organized by pre-school teachers. B. gave children something to do together with their parents. C. operated Monday through Friday D. was close to the author's home Answer: C Bill Fulton doesn't remember losing his wallet, but its return helped him remember the past. The leather stayed smooth and the cowboy design unblemished . And when he looked inside, the contents brought back memories from 1946, when he apparently dropped the wallet behind the balcony bleachers in the Baker Middle School gym. Fulton's Social Security Card and bicycle license, bearing the address where he lived during his teenage years, were positioned in their respective compartments, apparently untouched since the year after World War Il ended. Worker Nathan Osborne found the wallet -- along with old homework, lost library books and a 1964 talent show program -- while removing the bleachers for renovations on June 17. It was brought to Fulton's door the following day by Melanie Trindle, the Baker Middle School secretary. Middle School Principal Mindi Vaughan said the brown pine bleachers were connected to the gym balcony's brick wall and had remained in the same place since the school, known as the Helen M. Stack Building, opened in 1936. Fulton, 78, said he probably lost the wallet while cheering for the Baker High basketball team with a group of friends. Fulton said the bicycle ID was needed because he delivered medicine for Rodamar Drug. He was surprised, however, that his bicycle ID wasn't inside. He said he always kept it there. But rather than focus on what was inside the wallet, Fulton said the recovery has led him to reflect on his life -- one that took him to the Korean War and Berlin before the return to Baker City. He worked at Ellingson Lumber Company for 30 years, from March 1964 to April 1994. Since his retirement, Fulton has enjoyed spending time with his 11-year-old black dog, Smokey. The two often hike the nearby mountains. Trindle's knock on the door, wallet in hand, induced a slight ripple in his life, prompting him to consider the times he hadn't thought about in many years. "Where did all the times go?" Fulton said with a deep sigh. "It' s hard to believe that the times have gone so fast." Which of the following best describes Fulton's feeling when the wallet was returned? A. Thankful. B. Overjoyed. C. Surprised. D. Doubtful. Answer: C ScienceDaily (July 5, 2009) -- Researchers from the University of Haifa-Oranim have managed to make out the "self-irrigating" mechanism of the desert rhubarb , which enables it to harvest 16 times the amount of water collected by other plants in the Negev Desert. This is the first example of a self-irrigating plant worldwide. The desert rhubarb grows in the mountains of Israel's Negev desert, where average rainfall is particularly low (75 mm per year). Unlike most of the other desert plant species, which have small leaves so as to reduce water loss, this plant is unique in that its leaves are particularly large; each plant's rosette of one to four leaves reaches a total diameter of up to one meter. Prof. Simcha Lev-Yadun, Prof. Gidi Ne'eman and Prof. Gadi Katzir came across this unique plant while studying the field area with students of the Department of Science Education-Biology of the University of Haifa-Oranim, and noticed that its waxy leaves are unusually large. They observed an exceptionally ridged structure on each leaf. The scientists explained that these deep and wide depressions in the leaves create a "channeling" mountain-like system by which the rain water is channeled toward the ground surrounding the plant's deep root. Other desert plants simply absorb the rain water that goes through the ground in its immediate surroundings. The desert rhubarb is able to harvest quantities of water that are 16 times the amount of water harvested by the small-leafed plants of the Negev desert region. When the research team watered the plant artificially, they observed how the water flows along the course of the leave's depressions to the ground surrounding the plant's single root and then goes through the ground to a depth of 10 cm or more. Under the experimental conditions, water goes through the ground only as deep as 1 cm. "We know of no other plant in the deserts of the world that functions in this manner," the researchers concluded. What is the best title for the passage? A. How plants' "self-irrigating" mechanism works B. How plants growing in the desert survive C. The desert plants growing in the Negev Desert D. The world's first "self-watering" plant discovered Answer: D Does money buy happiness? Not! Ah, but would a little more money make us a little happier? Many of us smirk(,) and nod. There is, we believe, some connection between financial fitness and emotional fulfillment. Three in four American college students--nearly double the 1970 proportion-- now consider it "very important" or "essential" that they become "very well off financially". Money matters. But a surprising fact of life is that in countries where nearly everyone can afford life's necessities, increasing wealth matters surprisingly little. The connection between income and happiness is "surprisingly weak," observed University of Michigan researcher Ronald Inglehart in one 16-nation study of 170,000 people. Once comfortable, more money provides diminishing returns . The second piece of pie, or the second $100,000, never tastes as good as the first. Even lottery winners and the Forbes' 100 wealthiest Americans surveyed by University of Illinois psychologist Ed Diener have expressed only slightly greater happiness than the average American. Making it big brings temporary joy. But in the long run wealth is like health: its complete absence can create suffering, but having it doesn't guarantee happiness. Happiness seems less a matter of getting what we want than of wanting what we have. Has our happiness, however, floated upward with the rising economic tide? Are we happier today than in 1940s, when two out of five homes lacked a shower or tub? Actually, we are not. Since 1957, the number of Americans who say they are "very happy" has declined from 35 to 32 percent. Meanwhile, the divorce rate has doubled, the teen suicide rate has increased nearly three times, the violent crime rate has gone up nearly four times, and depression has mushroomed. Economic growth has provided no boost to human morale. When it comes to psychological well being, it is not the economy. I call this soaring wealth and shrinking spirit "the American paradox." More than ever, we have big houses and broken homes, high incomes and low confidence, secured rights and reduced civility. We are good at making a living but often fail at making a life. We celebrate our prosperity but long for a purpose. We treasure our freedoms but long for connection. In an age of plenty, we feel spiritual hunger. According to the passage, people do well in making a living but don't _ . A. have any primary aim B. know how to spend money C. know how to enjoy life D. keep in touch with other people Answer: C In the past, young people inprefix = st1 /Japanwere expected to take on responsibilities to support their parents and grandparents. Now they expect to be supported well into young adulthood. The "New breed", born since the 1960s, have never known anything but richness. Youth are seen as resistant to entering society as mature adults, to becoming social citizens. Once the great objective of reconstruction after the Second World War was accomplished, a new generation lost the motivating power that had untied the nation together. Japan's birth rate has been falling rapidly, partly because of the recession , and the job and financial insecurity that it has caused. In 1999, the figure was 1. 38 children per woman, the lowest ever recorded. At the same time, youth crime, although still especially low by western standards, rose to its highest level since record-keeping began 32 years ago. Likewise, the percentage of students dropping out before graduating, at 2. 5% also very low by western standards, has been rising. Entrepreneurial ( ) role models are few and far between. Bill Gates is often mentioned, but a foreign model can only have so much influence. The problem is that Japanese culture discourages people from revealing details of personal life, including such ordeal as starting a company. In the past, successful companies such as Honda or Hitachiprovided role models of a sort. But today they have been faded by the downturn, and few others have risen to take their place. Young people also quite often feel isolated from their fathers, who worked too hard at their jobs to establish much of a relationship with their children. "The one thing they're sure of is that they don't want to be like their fathers. And the girls don't want to be with boys who are like their fathers, so the boys are sure not to be," says Professor Morishma. According to the passage, former young people were expected to _ . A. to enter the society before adulthood B. to hold together C. to work hard and support their family D. to study hard and find a good job Answer: C
The plane landed with a gentle stop at the airport in Paris. I looked out of the window and noticed the boiling hot sun was shinning down on the city. I stepped down the stairs into the luggage room, and my family were practically busy. I walked down to the convey belt and waited for my suitcase to come along. I must wait there for about ten minutes before it actually came, by then my family had signed forms so we could be let into the country properly. I met up with my dad by the main entrance. My extremely annoying sister Talia was waving at us from the exit of the airport. My dad and I walked over and left the airport. We walked around for an hour before we actually found our hotel. The French taxi driver had dropped us off at the wrong hotel, and we found out the hotel he had dropped us off about an hour away from where our hotel was. We walked around different streets. We walked into different shops, but they all had the same answer "sorry". My mom was so annoyed that she took about several mouthfuls of her vodka she'd bought at this alcohol shop before. When we finally made it to the hotel, we checked in and made our way to our rooms. We were on the 17th floor, so the elevator ride up was rather long. I also had to share a room with Talia, which didn't really make my day. Ks5u I got into my room and sat on my bed. I took my shoes and socks off and rubbed my hurt feet. Could this day get any worse? Well it could. "Let's go," my mom said excitedly. "Go where?" I said unwillingly. "Outside of course, we're in France! I want to taste the snails, the frogs' legs, the ... French wine!" she said. We stepped out of the hotel entrance and lights came from everywhere. It looked wonderful and a bit like New York, but the building weren't as high and everyone looked so kind. We walked down to the Eiffel Tower which was amazing, it was beautiful. I know I had to see this again, but maybe when I wasn't so tired. I sat down on the grass, and looked up at the sky, Paris looked wonderful at night, and the stars in the sky added to the effect. I looked back down and someone caught my eye, his face was not very familiar... From the passage, we can know the author must feel _ before they left their hotel. Answer: tired "What is success"? Mr. Black asked his 6th grade business class. It was his opening conversation for the first class of the term. "Success is riding in a sweet car, watching an 80-inch( TV, and living in a place with at least twelve rooms." One student answered, earning laughs from all the students. Mr. Black smiled, but shook his head. "Tom, that is excess . That is not success." "How about being able to provide for your family?" A blonde girl named Sandy in the front suggested as an answer. "Now we're getting closer," Mr. Black smiled, "but try thinking about what you need and what you want." "Getting everything you want." Tom shouted out an answer again, trying for more laughs. Mr. Black sighed ." I believe we've already talked about excess versus(...) success." "Getting everything you need, but some of what you want?" James, sitting in the back wondered aloud. "Quite right!" Mr. Black clapped. "Success is getting everything you need and some of what you want. The more you get that you want, the more successful you are. You do reach a point where you are living in excess, though." "What does this have to do with business?" Tom asked. It seemed if it wasn't funny, he wasn't happy. "Well, Tom, think of it this way: the point of business is to make a living to support your family. Once you have properly seen to their needs, you can then seen to getting the extras that you want." "What if I don't have a family?" he continued to be difficult. "Then you have to provide for yourself, a family of one." "He has goldfish to think about!" Peter, Tom's friend, shouted out. "Then he needs to provide for a family of one with a fishbowl." Mr. Black corrected himself. Tom nodded, satisfied with that answer. "So in the next nine weeks, we're going to study basic business situations, like having a checking account and understanding credit cards ." Tom rubbed his hands together excitedly. "When do we get to start spending?" "You already are, Tom. You're spending time with us!" Mr. Black laughed. "Now, let's see what you guys know about credit cards..." How do you like Mr. Black according to the passage? Answer: Patient In the late nineteenth century, ^5,000 pianos were sold in the United States each year and, with over half a million youths learning to play the instrument, there was a huge demand for sheet music .Indeed the demand was so huge that publishers rushed to enter the profitable market.During the last fifteen years of the century, many publishers began to set up shops in New York, the center for the production of the musical arts By the turn of the nineteenth century many important publishers had their offices on 28thStreet between Broadway and 5th Avenue, and this Is the area that became known as Tin Pan Alley.It was here that publishers adopted new, aggressive business practices and marketing techniques to achieve great sales. How it became to be known by that name is unclear, but the general opinion is that it is down to a visiting journalist by the name of Monroe Rosenfeld.He described the area as being drowned in the noise coming from the producers' offices, sounding as though hundreds of people were hitting tin pans .He used it several times in his newspaper articles in the early twentieth century and the term stuck.With time this name was popularly embraced and many years later it came to describe the U.S.music publishing industry in general. The start of Tin Pan Alley is usually dated to about 1885,.but the end of Tin Pan Alley is less clear-cut .Some date it to the start of the Great.Depression in the 1930s when the phonograph and radio replaced sheet music, as the driving force of American popular music, while others consider Tin Pan Alley to have continued into thel950s when earlier styles of American popular music were upstaged by the rise of rock & roll. There's a plaque on the sidewalk on 28th Street in honor of the influence of Tin Pan Alley on American popular culture, but the buildings that were home to the legendary Tin Pan Alley publishers and songwriters are up for sale and may be torn down to make room for modern high-rise buildings. We can learn from the passage that _ . Answer: the term " Tin Pan Alley" was perhaps first used by Rosenfeld. Silence is unnatural to man.He begins life with a cry and ends it in stillness.In between he does all he can to make a noise in the world, and he fears silence more than anything else.Even his conversation is an attempt to prevent a fearful silence.If he is introduced to another person, and a number of pauses occur in the conversation, he regards himself as a failure, a worthless person, and is full of envy of the emptiest headed chatterbox .He knows that ninety-nine percent of human conversation means no more than _ , but he is anxious to join in the buzz and to prove that he is a man and not a waxwork figure . The aim of conversation is not, for the most part, to communicate ideas; it is to keep up the buzzing sound. There are, it must be admitted, different qualities of buzz; there is even a buzz that is as annoying as the continuous noise made by a mosquito .But at a dinner party one would rather be a mosquito than a quiet person. Most buzzing, fortunately, is pleasant to the ear, and some of it is pleasant even to the mind. He would be a foolish man if he waited until he had a wise thought to take part in the buzzing -with his neighbors. Those who hate to pick up the weather as a conversational opening seem to me not to know the reason why human beings wish to talk. Very few human beings join in a conversation in the hope of learning anything new. Some of them are content if they are merely allowed to go on making a noise into other people's ears, though they have nothing to tell them except that they have seen two or three new plays or that they had food in a Swiss hotel. At the end of an evening during which they have said nothing meaningful for a long time, they just prove themselves to be successful conservationists. By "the buzzing of a fly"(Para.1), the author means" _ ". Answer: meaningless talk sound I climbed the ladder, heard my dive announced, and began the moves that would push me into the air. Pushing off the diving board with my legs, I lifted my arms and shoulders back, and knew immediately I would be close to the board and might hit my hands. I tried to correct myself as I turned, spreading my hands wide apart. Then I heard a strange sound and my body lost control. Moments later I realized I had hit my head on the board. At the beginning, I felt embarrassed. I wanted to hide, to get out of the pool without anyone seeing me. Next I felt intense fear. Had I cut my head? Was I bleeding? Was there blood in the pool? Swimming to the side, I noticed many shocked faces. People were worried about my head; I was worried about something far more threatening. An official examined my head. In a hurry, I pushed him away, and everyone else who approached me. "Don't touch me!" I felt like screaming. "Get away from me!" These were the trials for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea. Until this dive, I had been ahead. But now, something else was more significant than winning. I might have endangered other divers' lives if I had spilled blood in the pool. For what I knew--- that few others knew - was that I was HIV-positive. According to my mother, my natural parents were Samoan and only teenagers when I was born, so they gave me up for adoption. When I was only eighteen months old, I started gym classes. At ten, I explored doing gym exercises off the diving board at the pool. Because of my dark skin, kids at school called me names. My diving made me feel good about myself when my peers made me feel stupid. At sixteen, I knew I had a shot at the 1976 Olympics. Everyone was alarmed when I hit my head on the board in Seoul. Regardless, I made it to the finals. During my last dive in the finals, I enjoyed for the last time the quietness underwater and then swam to the side of the pool. The crowd cheered, and I knew I'd won --- two gold medals. AIDS forced me to stop diving; I had to give up diving professionally after the Olympics. The writer's natural parents put him up for adoption because _ . Answer: they were too young to raise him
When he was driving home one evening on a country road,he saw an old lady,stranded on the side of the road.He stopped in front of her car and got out.Even with the smile on his face,she was worried.He looked poor and hungry.He knew how she felt.He said,"I am here to help you,madam.Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Joe." She had a flat tire.Joe crawled under the car,changed the tire.But he got dirty and his hands hurt.She could not thank him enough and asked him how much she owed him.He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back,the next time she saw someone who needed help,she could give that person the assistance they needed,and Joe added,"And think of me." She drove off.A few miles down the road the lady saw a small restaurant.She went in.The waitress had a sweet smile,and was nearly eight months pregnant .The old lady wondered how someone like her who seemed poor could be so kind to a stranger.Then she remembered Joe.After the lady finished her meal,the waitress went to get her change from a hundred--dollar bill.But she stepped right out the door. When the waitress came back,she noticed something written on a napkin,"I am helping you because someone once helped me.If you really want to pay me back,here's what you do---Do not let the chain of love end with you." That night when she got home,she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written.She and her husband needed money with the baby due next month.She knew how worried her husband was,and as he lay sleeping next to her,she whispered,"Everything's going to be all right.I love you,Joe." Which of the following statements is true? A Joe's boss fired him. B Joe worked as a driver. C Joe's wife was a waitress. D Joe had an unhappy marriage Answer: C. Joe's wife was a waitress. If you are like me and you love drawing a lot, then I'm sure you'll love "Drawing With Mark". "Drawing With Mark" is a great show and Mark is really helpful. He gives kids some tips on how to draw and often teaches kids some history about the things they draw. Kids can also learn three or four fun facts about what they are drawing. "Happy Tails" is about cats and dogs. Mark shows how to draw them and talks about how to look after them, too. In "A Day With The Dinosaurs", Mark visits the Museum of Boston and speaks to an expert to learn how the dinosaurs lived, what they ate and how long they lived. In "Reach For The Stars", Mark is also at the Museum of Boston. He speaks to another expert about the stars. I learned how far we are from the stars. I thought that the stars were just about 100 miles from us, but they are millions of miles from us. That's really far! If you love drawing, you can watch this show. You can have fun with the tips Mark gives you. The tips will help you to become an artist. How does Mark learn how long the dinosaurs lived? A By reading a book. B By talking with an expert. C By surfing the Internet. D By watching TV. Answer: B. By talking with an expert. The Beijing Hutong (old lane) areas have a very special and important position in the rich history and culture of Beijing. While visiting the Beijing Hutong, you can appreciate the dramatic changes that the rest of Beijing has undergone. You can see evidence of the history of Beijing, experience the old way of life and experience traditional Beijing culture. The Beijing Hutong is made up of lanes or alleys formed by lines of pre-modern quadrangles (siheyuan), four-sided dwelling compounds or quadrangles consist of one-story courtyard houses, which make up old Beijing, and feature typical Chinese residential architecture. Beijing road classification was once s follow: A 36-foot-wide road was called a standard, street, an 18-foot-wide one was a small street and a 9-foot-wide lane was named a hutong. In fact, the Beijing Hutongs are unclassifiable by the traditional standard, ranging from 40 centimeters to 10 feet in width. The longest hutong has more than 20 turns. It is easy to get lost in the maze of winding lanes hat is the hutong, with the gray-tiled houses and deep alleys crossing each other, all identical in appearance, with many blind hutongs or culdesacs. Hutongs were first named as such in the Yuan Dynasty(1271-1368), with its Mongolian rulers having an influence on the Chinese language. However, siheyuan or quadrangles have probably been around much longer. The name of a hutong represents its origin, location or history. It is in the gray-tiled deep lanes that families play, travel, buy goods, gossip and connect. In beijingers'eyes, hutong means a period of history, a cordial lifestyle and even an "encyclopedia of Beijing". When urban construction threatens the existence of these hutongs, Beijingers become worried. Beijing still has about 400 000 residential quadrangles now, mainly distribute over the East, West, Xuanwu and Chongwen districts. The municipal government has marked a number of these compounds for protection. If you would like to have a glimpse into Beijing' Yesterday, you are highly recommended to have a short adventure trip to the Hutongs. Beijing Hutong Tour (Rickshaw Hutong, Bike Hutong and Walk Hutong) is organized by Beijing Xinhua International Tours. What will happen to Beijing hutongs? A All the hutongs will be protected. B All the hutongs will become places of interest. C Government has taken measures to tp protect some of the hutongs. D Some of the hutongs will be rebuilt. Answer: C. Government has taken measures to tp protect some of the hutongs. Mary Moe may look like an average grandmother.But she is not.She just learned how to fly an airplane,a dream she has had since she was a little girl.But Mary Moe could not find time to make her dream come true.At age 34,she was just too busy to think about flying a plane.Lessons were costly.Everything seemed to be working against Mary.So her dream had to wait. Mary Moe has done a lot during the past 91 years.For much of that time,she wanted to fly,but never had the chance--until now. Ms.Moe learned about Wish of a Lifetime, a non-profit organization.Its goal is to change the way our society thinks about aging and older adults.Sally Webster works for the group.She said Ms.Moe's wish is one of hundreds they receive each year. Wish of a Lifetime helps older people to enjoy a dream.It also sends the message that it is never too late for a dream.But Ms.Webster says it also wants to send another message to society that older Americans can achieve things just like younger Americans can. Susie Danick also believes in this goal.She founded TAD Relocation,a business that helps senior citizens when they move.Ms.Danick gave $5,000 to the Wish of a Lifetime to help seniors realize a dream.Mary Moe was one of them. Mary Moe received three flying lessons.And on the big day of her first flight,her family and friends all came to cheer her on.Mary's success made everyone around her excited and proud.It was just a great event,a great day.Flying teacher David Waksberg says she was very calm,which is always important when you're flying. It is never too late to spread your wings and try something new.You are never too old to try to make your dreams come true. From Mary Moe's success,we can know she is _ . A determined B stubborn C unrealistic D delicate Answer: A. determined As civilization proceeds in the direction of technology, it passes the point of supplying all the basic essentials of life--food, shelter, clothes and warmth. Then we are faced with a choice between using technology to provide and fulfill needs which have now been regarded as unnecessary or, on the other hand, using technology to reduce the number of hours of work which a man must do in order to earn a given standard of living. In other words, we either raise our standard of living above that necessary for comfort and happiness or we leave it at this level and work shorter hours. I shall take it for granted that mankind has, by that time, chosen the latter alternative. Men will be working shorter and shorter hours in their paid employment. It follows that the housewife will also expect to be able to have more leisure in her life without lowering her standard of living. It also follows that human domestic servants will have completely ceased to exist. Yet the great majority of the housewives will wish to be relieved completely from the routine operations of the home such as scrubbing the floors or the bath of the cooker, or washing the clothes or washing up, or dusting or sweeping, or making beds. By far the most logical step to relieve the housewife of routine is to provide a robot which can be trained to the requirements of a particular home and can be programmed to carry out half a dozen or more standard operations, when switched by the housewife. Now most housewives wish to _ . A stop doing their housework B do more housework to improve their life C get rid of the heavy burden of their housework D do only simple and light housework Answer: C. get rid of the heavy burden of their housework
I am a mother of three children and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was social study. The last project of the term was called "Smile". The last class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. Soon after we were given the project, my husband, my youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one cold March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back way. I turned around and found there standing behind me were two poor homeless men with a horrible "dirty body" smell. The short gentleman, close to me, was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of light as he searched for acceptance. The second man played with his hands uneasily as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation . The short man just asked for a coffee because that was all they could afford. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the men's table. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand. He looked up at me with tears in his eyes and said "Thank you". I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, "That's why God gave you to me, Honey. To give me hope." On the last evening of class, I turned in "my project" and the instructor read it. Then she looked up at me and said, "Can I share this?" I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read and we all knew that we need to heal people and to be healed. I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn: UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE. "LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS---NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE." After the author handed the meals to the homeless men, she _ . A talked with them for a while. B went back to her husband and son C turned in her project D regretted and cried Answer: B New research is strengthening evidence that eating vegetables may be some of the best health advice. A study of 500, 000 Americans has found that just one extra serving of fruit or vegetables a day may reduce the risk of developing head and neck cancer. Many studies have shown that diet plays a role in cancer. Cancer experts now believe that up to two-thirds of all cancers come from lifestyle such as smoking, diet and lack of exercise. Tobacco and alcohol use increases the risk of head and neck cancer, which affects the mouth, nose, sinuses and throat. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute asked men and women aged 50 and older about their diets, then followed them for five years to record all diagnoses of head and neck cancer, the sixth-leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The study found eating six servings of fruit and vegetables per day per 1, 000 calories cut the risk of head and neck cancer by 29 percent compared to eating one and a half servings. An adult needs around 2, 000 calories a day. "One more serving of fruit or vegetables per 1, 000 calories per day reduced head and neck cancer risk by 6 percent,"said Neal Freedman, a cancer prevention fellow at the NCI. A second study in 183, 000 people of California and Hawaii found a diet high in flavonols might help reduce pancreatic cancer risk, especially in smokers. Flavonols are common in plants but highest in onions, apples, berries, kale and broccoli. The study found that people who ate the most flavonols reduced risk of developing pancreatic cancer by 23 percent than those who ate the least. The main idea of the passage is _ . A about the head and neck cancer B the pancreatic cancer C the diet and health D the healthy diet Answer: C Timothy likes to play sports. He spends his time after school playing basketball and baseball. Sometimes Timothy pretends he is a famous baseball pitcher for his favorite team with his friends. He plays with his friends Mandy and Andrew. Timothy also plays pretend when he is alone. He has an imaginary friend named Sean. Sean is an elephant who watches television with Timothy. Mandy likes playing baseball but she also likes to paint. Mandy's favorite class at school is art. She likes making pictures of flowers. Her teacher says she is a good artist. She painted a picture of a tree for her teacher. There were red and yellow leaves on it. It had apples on it. When Andrew goes home after baseball, he likes to eat a snack. He eats carrots and bananas. If he is a good boy his mom, Mrs. Smith, sometimes gives him milk and cookies. Afterwards, Andrew finishes his homework. Who is Sean? A Mandy's friend B Andrew's mom C Timothy's imaginary friend D Mandy's teacher Answer: C Dear Sir, I read your ad in the newspaper yesterday. I'm writing to tell you I'd like to work as a volunteer for the 2008 Olympics. My name is Fanny. I am 16. I study in No.46 Middle School from September, 2002. I love sports , and table tennis is my favorite . I can speak English very well and I am quite healthy. If I am lucky enough to become a volunteer for the 2008 Olympics, please call me as soon as possible. My telephone number is 028-84661314. I will try my best to do the job well. Best wishes! yours Fanny Where did Fanny get the ad.? _ A In the newspaper. B Somebody told her. C On TV. D On radio. Answer: A One morning, Wu Li discovered that her classroom had changed. She found that the desks were no longer in rows , but pushed together to make eight bigger desks. She was too excited about it for the first two days and she couldn't listen to the teachers carefully. But soon she and her classmates got used to this new classroom arrangement . "Now our class is quieter," said Wu. "What's more, we can come up with our own ideas and learn more through discussion. It's a better way to study." Li Yu liked it, too. He said, "Group members first discuss, and then show ourselves in front of the whole class. It makes us believe in ourselves." It was part of a reform at Li's school--Baita Secondary School. The school made this reform because they wanted to provide students with easier ways to study and more chances to discuss. "Our school hopes it can improve students' abilities to study by themselves and work in groups," said Zhang Yong, the principal of the school. However, the reform has demanded more from teachers. Now they have only about 15 minutes to give the lesson which should be taught in 45 minutes before. It is difficult to teach in such a short time. The teachers have to find better ways to teach more _ . "The reform demands more, but I'm sure it is helpful," added Mr Zhang. The school made the reform to provide students with _ to study. A noisier classes B easier ways C more seats D fewer chances Answer: B
When I was young, my father used to grow carnations -- a kind of flower that was red, pink or white. He took care of them with much love and devotion. Every day he came home from work, he would enjoy watching them. And he used to tell us, "No one should touch my flowers." One day, my younger sister Clemence, who loved dad very much, wanted to help him. So she cut the carnation from their stems one by one and arranged them on the ground. She believed that dad would be very happy to see them that way. When mom and I realized what my sister had done, we became completely silent. However, my sister didn't know why no one showed her any appreciation . When dad arrived, he went as usual straight to watch the flowers. Seeing his flowers lying on the ground like dead animals, he was shocked at first. He looked towards the street to see if it was any of the neighbors' children who could have done it. Then he looked at mom in silence. Finally mom, who always taught us to tell the truth no matter what, said, "No bad neighbors did this great job, only your lovely daughter Clemence." Dad's face changed into a smile and then he said, "Do I have better flower than my lovely daughter?" My younger sister smiled and hugged dad strongly. ,. What caused my younger sister to smile and hug dad strongly? A Clemence's words. B Mom's words. C Dad's words. D My words. Answer: C A woman in blue jeans stood at the window of expensive shop. Though she hesitated for a moment, she finally went in and asked to see a dress that was in the window. The assistant who served her did not like the way she was dressed. Glancing at her scornfully , he told her the dress was sold. The woman walked out of the shop angrily and decided to punish the assistant the next day. She returned to the shop the following morning dressed in a fur coat, with a handbag in one hand and a long umbrella in the other. After searching out the rude assistant she asked for the same dress. Not realizing who she was, the assistant was eager to serve her this time. With great difficulty, he climbed into the shop window to get the dress. As soon as she saw it, the woman said she did not like it. She enjoy herself making the assistant bring almost everything in the window before finally buying the dress she had first asked for. The woman went to the shop again the next day in order to _ . A get the dress she loved B teach the assistant a lesson C ask for the same dress D search out the rude assistant Answer: B I think that the most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention and especially if its given from the heart. When people are talking, there's no need to do anything but receive them. Just take them in. Listen to what they're saying. Care about it. Most times caring about it is even more important than understanding it. When we interrupt what someone is saying to let them know that we understand, we move the focus of attention to ourselves. When we listen, they know we care. I have even learned to respond to someone crying by just listening. In the old days I used to reach for the tissues , until I realized that passing a person a tissue may be just another way to shut them down, to take them out of their experience of sadness and pain. Now I just listen. When they have cried all they need to cry, they find me there with them. This simple thing has not been that easy to learn. It certainly went against everything I had been taught since I was very young at school. I thought people listened only because they were too timid to speak or did not know the answer. A loving silence often has far more power to connect and to heal than the most well-intentioned words. What is probably the best title for this article? A Listening and talking B Listen, just listen C Listening is not easy to learn D How to comfort others Answer: B What do butterfly wings have to do with computer screens? What do birds have to do with high speed trains? These may sound like strange things to put together. But scientists, inventors, and designers are doing just that. They are learning from nature to create new technology. The word biomimicry combines two words: biology and mimicry. So people using biomimicry try to use examples in nature to design new technology. Biomimicry is not a new idea. People have been studying nature for hundreds of years. Leonardo DaVinci used birds as models to invent his flying machine. And when the Wright Brothers made the first successful airplane, they also studied birds. In 998, Janine Benyus, a natural science writer and teacher, wrote a book about biomimicry. To develop her interest in the subject, Janine Benyus started the Biomimicry Institute. The Biomimicry Institute is a non-profit organization. It brings together scientists, designers, inventors and many other people. It offers classes to teach people biomimicry. It provides money for people to research and test new technologies. And it wants all people, from children to adults, to think about new ways to learn from nature. People involved with the Biomimicry Institute believe that biomimicry can help solve many of the world's problems. Often, new technologies can harm nature, but this is not true for biomimicry. Let's look at some examples. Butterflies have colorful wings because light shines off them in a special way. Scientists want to copy these same ways to make light shine off computers. They hope this will make for more colorful screens. Another example of biomimicry is the bullet train. It travels at speeds of over 250 kilometers per hour! But it had a problem: it made too much noise! Through the observation of birds, scientists thought about a kind of bird, the kingfisher . The kingfisher can dive into water without making any noise because of the shape of its beak . Researchers thought that if they could design the front of the train like this beak, the train would be quieter. Well, it worked! Why did Janine Benyus set up the Biomimicry Institute? A To honor the Wright Brothers. B To show her recent inventions. C To gather talented people for her research. D To explore the link between nature and technologies. Answer: D When Denton heard that his neighbor, Prout, intended to sell his home to a minority purchaser, Denton told Prout that Prout and his wife and children would meet with "accidents" if he did so. Prout then called the prospective purchaser and told him that he was taking the house off the market.If Prout asserts a claim against Denton for intentional infliction of emotional distress, Prout will A recover if Prout suffered severe emotional distress as a consequence of Denton's conduct. B recover, because Denton intended to frighten Prout. C not recover, because Denton made no threat of immediate physical harm to Prout or his family. D not recover if Prout suffered no physical harm as a consequence of Denton's conduct Answer: A
In Britain you're allowed to drive a car when you're seventeen. You have to get a special two-year driving license before you can start. When you're leaning, someone with a full license always has to be in the car with you because you aren't allowed to drive the car on the road alone. You don't have to go to a driving school --- a friend can teach you. The person with you isn't allowed to take money for the lesson unless he's got a teacher's license. Before you're allowed to have a full license, you have to take a driving test. You can take a test in your own car, but it has to be fit for the road. In the test you have to drive round for about half an hour and then answer a few questions. If you don't pass the test, you're allowed to take it again a few weeks later if you want to. In 1970 a woman passed her fortieth test after 212 driving lessons! When you've passed your test, you don't have to take it again, and you're allowed to go on driving as long as you like. Britain's oldest driver was a man who drove in 1974 at the age of 100. Before 1904 everyone was allowed to drive, even children. Then from 1904 car drivers had to have a license. But they didn't have to take a test until 1935. On the early days of car driving, before 1878, cars weren't allowed to go faster than four miles an hour and someone had to lead the car with a red flag. Which of the following is NOT necessary for a young man who wants to drive a car alone? Answer: He should learn to drive in a driving school. There are plenty of creams etc on the market that help you look younger, but today, Dr Oz is going to show how some people are actually living longer. "We are going to talk about extreme life extension," he says. "I am talking in details about allowing us to go into our second century of life with the energy that you have when you are a young person." Owing to advances in technology and research on how diet affect the aging process, Dr Oz says it might be possible for some people to live to see their 120th birthdays. There's one man in Oprah's audience who Dr Oz says may become the first man in history to live to be 150 years old. Joe Cordell is one of thousands around the world who believe they've found the key to an extreme long life --- calorie restriction leads to a longer, healthier life. At 59 Joe weighs 130 pounds. He may not look like a person who needs to count calories, but as part of his life extension program, he inspects every mouth of food that passes through his system. Every day for the past seven years, Joe has limited himself to about 1,950 calories. He believes that by eating less and restricting his caloric intake, he will _ a genetic switch that slows the aging process. Joe doesn't take away himself of food. Instead, the then 52-year-old father filled up on natural fruits, vegetables and lean proteins that were packed with necessary vitamins and nutrients. "Whenever you are thinking about calorie restriction, you should continually think about getting the most nutritional amount per calorie," Joe says. In keeping with this principle, Joe starts every morning with three apples...but he only eats the peels. "Most of the fiber is in the peel, and more importantly, most of the nutrients are in the peel," he says. "It is important to eat some nuts with breakfast so that you do take in some fat, some healthy fats," he says. "I think it helps the absorption of the nutrients, and it is very filling." For lunch, Joe usually eats a large salad, loaded with vegetables. At dinnertime, he and his family enjoy lean meat or fish and more vegetables. When Joe started practicing calorie restriction, he weighed 175 pounds. Since then, he has lost 45 pounds, and he says he hasn't had a cold in seven years. Though he is in his "golden years", researchers studying Joe say he has the body of a 20-year-old athlete. What can we learn about Joe since he started the calorie restriction program? Answer: Joe has never had a cold Now more and more foreign families move to Yiwu. The Kings is one of them. The King family is from an Arabic Country. Mr King is a businessman. Mrs King is 35 years old , five years younger than her husband. She is a teacher. They have two children. Tony, their son,is a student. He is 10. He studies in Wuai Primary school. Tony has got a sister, Alice. She is 5 years old. They like Yiwu very much. What is the passage about ? Answer: A family. As a middle school student, you are in an age group that is both fascinating and complex. You are no longer a "baby", but you are not yet an adult. You are experiencing biological, physical, and behavioral and social changes. Relationships with your friends and family take on new meanings. This time period, called adolescence, can be joyful and painful at the same time. However, it is always a time of growth. You will be dealing with more complex intellectual tasks. You will be expected to behave in a more mature manner and you will be held more responsible for your actions. In other words, you are growing up. Use your curiosity, imagination, energy, and idealism to make your school an exciting place to learn and play. As an adolescent, you now have more control over how you apply yourself to your school work and on the kinds of friends you make. As an intelligent and thinking adolescent, be aware of health risks to avoid such as involvement with drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and sexual activity. This involvement reduces your quality of life. Be kind and gentle to yourself, seek the advice and wisdom of your parents/guardians regularly, and talk with your teachers and school counselor. Middle school students are expected to be respectful and considerate of others. You are responsible for your behavior. Think of ways to improve your behavior ^in your classroom ^in the lunchroom ^on school grounds ^during school activities ^on the school bus ^in your community If you need assistance in working on ways to improve yourself as a person, contact your counselor. The counselor is trained to help students solve personal problems. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? Answer: It's hoped that middle school students will improve their behavior after school. What's your opinion about gun control in the US? Figures tell a different story: Countries that allow their citizens to carry guns seem to have more killings than those that do not allow them. It's easy to kill with a gun. The media is filled with violence. People, especially young people, watch television. Having a gun does not cause someone to kill. The problem is within that person's mind. Controlling guns will not control killing. Changing the mindset will, however. --- Bobby Walker, U.S. Guns are deadly to all others who are near or know someone who has one. People don't understand the danger it holds, and don't realize what will happen just by cleaning it of if a younger child gets a hold of it. This weapon is dangerous and we don't need teens, kids, anyone to have them. Society can get along without guns. ---Ann Miller, U.S I have a very large farm near Austin, Texas, USA. Because it is far from the city, I need to protect my property and cattle from thieves and wild dogs. The wildlife, such as coyotes and puma , can feed on deer, mice, rabbits--they don't bother me and I don't bother them. I lost 45 animals to thieves that cut a fence. This will never happen again. You ask if I would shoot--of course--that's why I carry a gun. --- Texas Rancher, U.S Some people think guns are very bad because they lead to violence. In my opinion, when people kill themselves or others, they do not have any feelings because they do not know anything about love, sympathy , and promise. The only way those persons can get these feelings is when they keep close to family, friends and people who matter to them. Now, having a gun is not a problem: the problem is what the people feel when they use one. ---Connie Faille, Colombia Bobby Walker's attitude towards the media might be _ Answer: negative
It was the summer of 1965. Deluca, then 17, visited Peter Buck, a family friend. Buck asked Deluca about his plan for the future. "I'm going to college, but I need a way to pay for it," Deluca recalls saying. "Buck said, 'you should open a sandwich shop.'" That afternoon, they agreed to be partners. And they set a goal: to open 32 stores in ten years. After doing some research, Buck wrote a check for $1,000. Deluca rented a storefront in Connecticut, and when they couldn't cover their startup costs, Buck kicked in another $1,000. But business didn't go smoothly as they expected. Deluca says, "After six months, we were doing poorly, but we didn't know how badly, because we didn't have any financial controls." All he and Buck knew was that their sales were lower than their costs. Deluca was managing the store and to the University of Bridgeport at the same time. Buck was working at his day job as a nuclear physicist in New York. They'd meet Monday evenings and brainstorm ideas for keeping the business running. "We convinced ourselves to open a second store. We figured we could tell the public, 'We are so successful; we are opening a second store.'" And they did--in the spring of 1966. Still, it was a lot of learning by trial and error. But the partners' learnasyougo approach turned out to be their greatest strength. Every Friday, Deluca would drive around and handdeliver the checks to pay their supplies. "It probably took me two and a half hours and it wasn't necessary but as a result, the suppliers got to know me very well, and the personal relationships established really helped out," Deluca says. And having a goal was also important. "There are so many problems that can get you down. You just have to keep working toward your goal," Deluca adds. Deluca ended up founding Subways Sandwich, the multimilliondollar restaurant chain. Deluca opened the first sandwich shop in order to _ . pay for his college education Andrew wanted to make some extra money to buy a toy truck that he really wanted but didn't get for his birthday. The truck cost thirty dollars and it made four different noises. The truck also had a ladder that was three feet long. Andrew had asked for it for his birthday but didn't get it. He did get a camera from his uncle and a puzzle from his friend. In order to make the money his mom told him that he needed to do chores around the house. His mom told him that he could make five dollars by mowing the lawn. He chose to do this chore and it took him three hours. She then gave him the money. He also chose to walk the dog every day for a week which made him one dollar a day. His grandpa gave him a late birthday present for his birthday. His grandpa's gift was twelve dollars. He spent the afternoon counting his money and found that he was still short of his goal. How much more money does Andrew need to make to buy the truck? six dollars Gaudi Nanda sees a wearable computer as a handbag --- one that's built out of four-inch squares and triangles of fiber, with tiny computer chips embedded in it. It looks, feels and weighs like your typical leather purse. That's where the similarities end: this bag can wirelessly keep track of your belongings and remind you, just as you're about to leave the house, to take your wallet. It can review the weather report and suggest that you take an umbrella. This purse can even upload your favorite songs onto your scarf. Surely, a computing purse and scarf set may seem like the stuff of science fiction. But these devices, part of next generation of wearable computers, could become commonplace within a few years. Dupont created new super strong fibers that can conduct electricity and can be woven into ordinary-looking clothes. And the chipmaker developed chip packaging allowing wearable computers to be washed, even in the heavy-duty cycle. As a result, these new wearable devices are different from the heavy and downright silly versions of the recent past, which often required users to be wrapped in wires and type on their stomachs. Unlike their predecessors, these new wearable computers also make economic sense. When her bag becomes commercially available in two to three years, Nanda expects it will cost around $ 150, which is the price of an average leather purse. Here's how the bag works: You place a special radio-signal-transmitting chip onto your wallet. A similar radio in your purse picks up the signal and notifies you that you've forgotten to take your wallet. In turn, sensors on your purse's handles will notify the computer that you've picked up the purse and are ready to go. Already, these new kinds of wearable devices are being adopted for use in markets like auto repair, emergency services, medical monitoring - and even, increasingly, for consumers at large. _ The purpose of the passage is to _ introduce a new kind of computer When I was six, my mother placed me in a boarding home. For the next nine years, I never slept in a room that contained less than 30 other kids in it. So, when I was promoted to senior at the high school for my final year there, I had the greatest pleasure of rooming with just one other classmate, and the added feature of a semi-private bathroom. We seniors also had the feature of walking around the campus in special hats, we called senior bonnets. So all the other kids would know we were the highest in the high school. As seniors, we frequently went on field trips outside the campus, including city museums, city hall, colleges and theatres. The highlight was a senior class trip to Washington, D.C., where we sat in on a session of Congress, visited the monument and many other government sites around the city. Another benefit of being seniors was that many of us on athletic and other extra-curricular teams were elected to high ranking for the year. I had the honor and pleasure of being chosen captain of our state championship swim team, while my roommate was voted president of the drama club. Graduation services were on a sunny day in June. Each of us had looked forward to this moment for ten years. Now we were going out on our own to complete freedom, and we should have been flooded with joy. However, to my surprise, I found myself crying, something I hadn't done for years. I noticed many of my classmates usually proud of their macho guy attitudes, were also wiping away tears. We knew we would never be together again as we were on that graduation day. Our senior year ended with deep feelings of sadness for our loss, as well as joy for our emerging into a new world beyond the school campus. What made the author feel most pleasant after becoming a senior for his last year? He would share a room with only one classmate. Body language is a very powerful tool of communication, not only between people but in the animal world as well. In many instances, we produce idioms (,)which are all understandable by borrowing examples from animal communication. For example, we know that a frightened cat will arch its back high in rigid curve . From this starting-point we might hear the expression, "He gets my back up!" meaning "He makes me angry." In the same manner, we know that many animals, if challenged by attackers, will not turn and run away because this will encourage the attacker to attack them more forcefully. Instead, they will move backwards slowly to get out of harm's way, always still facing their attacker.We call this action " _ " and it can be used just as well with humans as with animals. In the case of humans, however, the back-off may not be physical but oral, as in using a kinder tone of voice and gentler words instead of fighting against the attackers. What most probably can we get from animals' body language? Idioms
After spending three days in a wheelchair, I was ready to quit. Not only did I have to battle cracked and uneven pavements, I had to deal with the bad attitude of pedestrians and a cold rain. But I didn't give up because of people like Tiffany Payne. Payne, who has been using a wheelchair for 18 years, laughed at me, "Imagine trying to get around town in the winter," she said. I could see her point: You're battling to get to a doctor's appointment, but no one has shoveled after a big snowfall. Your choices: Move out and risk getting stuck, or reschedule the appointment. Those of us fortunate enough to get around on our own two legs don't give a second thought to the person in a wheelchair next to us at a crosswalk. That would require us to look down. So I decided to try using a wheelchair to get a sample of what their lives are like. It wasn't long before I saw that people who use wheelchairs are forced to deal with a lot of trouble. During my experiment, I was ignored by store staff while shopping and bumped into by inattentive walkers without so much as an apology. Some people even gave me angry looks as if I were the one at fault. Once in a store, a woman bumped into me trying to get to the new iPad. She didn't say, "Excuse me." When salespeople did offer assistance, they talked to people who were with me, instead of me. I wanted to yell, "Hey, I'm down here!" Some salespeople talked to me as though I were a child or acted like they didn't want to be bothered with me. People who use wheelchairs want to be treated like everyone else. They also comprehend, so you don't have to speak to them in a childlike, sing-song voice. It's not very appealing, especially when the person is an adult. And most importantly, remember they have feelings that can be hurt just like yours. Spending three days in a wheelchair made me look differently at those who have to use one. I hope you do the same. Which of the following statements would the author agree to? 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. In which part of a newspaper would you most probably read this passage? A woman renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office was asked to state her occupation.She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do you have a job, or are you just a ..." "Of course I have a job," said Emily."I'm a mother." "We don't list 'mother' as an occupation... 'housewife' covers it," said the recorder. One day I found myself in the same situation.The clerk was obviously a career woman, confident and possessed of a high sounding title."What is your occupation?" she asked. The words simply popped out."I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations." The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair. I repeated the title slowly, and then I stared with wonder as my statement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire. "Might I ask, " said the clerk with new interest, "Just what you do in this field?" Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn't), in the lab and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out).Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it).But the job is more challenging than most careers and rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money." There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and showed me out. As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants---ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (a 6 month old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt proud! I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another mother." Motherhood...What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door. How did the female clerk feel at first when the author told her occupation? This is a plan that Jim has made on Thanksgiving 00:00--00:30 Get up and go to store to buy fruit,vegetables and food by car . 1:20--4:30 Start doing a big turkey for ten people.It is interesting 2:00--2:30 Do broccoli salad and dessert,Kids really love them . 2:30--3:00 Put fifty strawberries in the turkey .They are nice! 3:00--3:30 Put some vegetables in the turkey.Kids don't like vegetables ,so just a little. 3:45--4:10 Call my father ,mother,grandparents and cousins to come and join us . 4:15 Play the Thanksgiving music,it's relaxting. 4:30--5:30 Eat a great Thanksgiving dinner. 5:30--6:30 Play family games. They are exciting. 6:30--9:00 Go out and watch the Thanksgiving movies .They are fun . 10 :00 Go to bed. What time does Jim gets up on Thanksgiving Day? American middle school students don't seem to care that they're worse at maths than their counterparts in China's Hong Kong and Finland. "I don't need it," my student says, "I'm going to be a basketball star." Or a car mechanic, or a singer. Middle school students' maths skills were tested by the International Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The United States ranked 28th out of 41 countries tested. After all, when was the last time you used algebra ? But maths isn't just about training Americans to become scientists. It has its own value. It helps you see patterns and develops your logic skills, and it teaches you to concentrate and to separate truth from falsehood. Maths helps you make wise financial decisions, so you can avoid false claims from advertisers, politicians and others. It helps you determine risk. For example, after an airplane crash, studies show that people are more likely to drive than to take a plane in spite of the fact that they are much more likely to be killed or injured while driving. Planes are not like criminals who repeat the same crime over and over. One plane is not more likely to crash just because another plane recently did. In fact, the most dangerous time to drive is probably right after a plane crash because so many people are on the road. It is not possible to really understand science and the scientific method without understanding maths. A rainbow is even more beautiful and amazing when we understand it. The precision of maths helps us think in a very special way. How do we bring the learning of maths back to life? I don't have the big answer. I try my best to help pupils find answers to some maths problems. When I can get one to say, "Wow, that's great," I feel the joy of a small victory. The writer would agree that _ .
The Spotlight in Rio Phelps puts spotlight on cupping Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps fed American swimmers to 8 gold medals in the 4x100-meter relay, but what grabbed media attention and led to stories and photos around the globe were the purple and red circles on his back. Michael Phelps of the USA is seen with red cupping marks on his shoulder as he competes during the 2016 Rio Olympics men's 200m butterfly in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil , Aug 8,2016 . Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui goes viral China's women's swimmer Fu Yuanhui has created a hit online not just by winning the bronze medal in the 100m backstroke competition, but also by her facial expressions during the post semi-final interview with China Central Television (CCTV) on Monday . When asked whether she held back for the final, Fu replied, "No, I used my 'prehistorical power'.What she meant was that she had spared no efforts in the semi-final.Since then, the so-called "prehistorical power" has gone viral and become a new Internet meme. Britain wins first Olympic diving gold in men's synchronized 3m springboard( 3 ) Britain's Jack Laugher and Chris Mears ended China's gold medal monopoly over diving events at the Rio Olympics by winning the men's synchronized 3m springboard final On Wednesday, the country's first-ever Olympic gold medal in diving . Laugher and Mears finished with a six-round total of 454.32 points, just 4.11 points ahead of silver medallists Mike Hixon and Sam Dorman of the USA at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Center.China's Cao Yuan and Qin Kai took the bronze with 443.70 points. What can we learn from the third news? Back in old times, people had little knowledge about the universe and nature. Things we now consider to be common sense were mysteries to our ancestors. Over the years, major breakthroughs have been made in science and many phenomena have been explained. But still, there are always questions we can't yet answer, and The Guardian has listed some of them. 1. What makes us human? Just looking at your DNA won't tell you - human DNA is 99 percent _ to that of the chimpanzee and, believe it or not, 50 percent identical to a banana's! A lot of the things we once thought were unique about us - language and tool use, recognizing ourselves in the mirror and so on - have since been seen in other animals. Perhaps it's our culture that makes the difference or maybe our ability to use fire. It's also possible that our capacity for co-operation and our trading skills are what make us unique. 2. Why do we dream? Given the fact that we spend around a third of our lives sleeping, shouldn't we know everything about it? Unfortunately, scientists are still searching for a complete explanation of what happens when we sleep and why we dream. Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud believed dreams were the expressions of wishes that we can't fulfill in our real lives. Others have wondered whether dreams are just random "noise" coming from a sleeping brain. 3. Could we someday live forever? Apart from accidents, most people die because of diseases that can be treated and aging. And since many diseases, such as diabetes and cancer, are diseases of aging, treating aging itself could be the key to extending our lives. Our knowledge of what causes us to age - and what allows some animals to live longer than others - is expanding rapidly. And though we haven't quite worked out all the details, we've worked out some pieces of the puzzles such as DNA damage and metabolism , which are all leading to the invention of drugs that can slow down the aging process. If we're lucky enough to lengthen our lives, we might even get to see the day when all of these questions are answered. Chimpanzees and bananas are mentioned as examples to prove that _ . The idea of sailing west to reach the riches of the East Indies and the Asian mainland was much in fashion with cultured Europeans during the late fifteenth century. Learned people agreed that the earth was round: their only questions were how long and how dangerous would be a trip to reach the Orient. Christopher Columbus, the son of an unknown weaver, and himself a weaver of ambitious dreams, made his historic voyage to the New World in 1492. He didn't go to school very much, but be learned to read and write Spanish during his travels. He also taught himself Latin because all the geography books were written in Latin. Sailing with a tiny fleet of three ships, the Santa Maria and two smaller ships, the Pinta and the Nina and a crew of ninety sailors, be found the thirty-three-day crossing easier than his nearly-decade-long effort to find royal sponsors willing to support it. The trip drew not only on his own skills as an expert ship's captain, but also on his ability to plan such an expedition, obtain governmental approval and financing, and finally, demonstrate its success so that such explorations could continue. He tried for years to get King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to supply him with ships and money. Finally they agreed, but he made more demands. He wanted to be made a knight, admiral of the Ocean Sea. He wanted to be the viceroy and governor general of all lands he would discover. Also he wanted one-tenth of everything he found of value in the new lands. The explorations that followed Columbus-those of Cabot, Verrazano, Cartier, and many others-benefited from a new maritime technology borrowed from Arab sailors and from a variety of new vessels (,) such as the light-weight caravels employed by Columbus. Sailors also perfected sails and various types of riggings that gave ships added stability and greater maneuverability on the open seas. And when leaving sight of the coast, new navigational aids-charts, compasses, and astrolabes-permitted them to determine their position with some, though not perfect, accuracy. Columbus himself made a total of four voyages to the New World but he did not become rich as he had hoped. At the end of his life he only had a pension the king and queen had given him because he was the first to reach the New World. He spent the last few months of his life in bed because of the pain of arthritis . Columbus not only discovered a New World, but led the way for other explorers. In the passage, the author mainly tells us _ . Have you ever read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland? It was written by Lewis Carroll. He was an English writer, poet, scientist, photographer, and priest. His real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, and Lewis Carroll was his pen name. He was born in 1832 and died in 1898. He is most famous for writing two children's fantasy books about a young girl called Alice. They were titled Alice's Adventures in Wonderland(1865) and through the looking-Glass(1872). He also wrote two famous poems called "The Hunting of the Snark" and "The Jabberwocky". What is important about these poems is that he made up many new words to use in them. He was an expert at "word play" and used words in many different ways. Some of these ways were quite new. And this has influenced members of the literary elite who are well educated about English. Many people still study his work and his life today. Although they seem to have been written for children, Lewis Carroll's books and poems have been enjoyed by people of all ages. If you have not read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which is also referred to by the short title Alice in Wonderland, you should read it soon. No matter how old you are, you will find it exciting and enjoyable. Who wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland? In the UK, most children have their lunches at school, but in some schools, parents can choose what their children eat. The children can have a school dinner-a hot, cooked meal; or they can take a packed lunch with them, which usually includes cold food like sandwiches. Often parents know what their children want. Cath, a mother of three children, told us, "My children have packed lunches because they say they don't like to have school dinners. So I make three packed lunches every morning." However, another mother, Susan, made a different choice. She said, "My daughters have a always had school dinners. I think they probably get healthier food at school than a few sandwiches I make for them." But how healthy are school dinners? Kaz, a father, thought poorly of them. He said, "Fizzy drinks were offered and I think there were a lot of chips." Jamie Oliver spent a year working in a school kitchen. He was worried about the unhealthy food which included burgers, pizzas and chips. So he tried to cook healthy food such as good stews and curries for the children instead. So Jamie improved the school dinners, and trained the dinner ladies to cook healthy food in that school. Then he advised the government to improve school food across the country. And it seems that the changes have begun. Anna, a pupil, told us, "We used to have a fast food window where you got chips and coke, but they stopped that this year. There's a salad restaurant, which is good, so it's healthier than it was." ,. What is the best title for this text?
She is a cute , quiet girl. As a daughter, she has no secrets from her mother, who is very pleased with her. But recently she has become somewhat mysterious, not so open as before: what if she falls in love, which is too early for a girl of her age. After all, she is reaching the "dangerous stage". These thoughts have caused trouble in the mother' mind. One weekend the girl came to tell her mother that she was going to the cinema with her schoolmates and would return late. This was the first time her mother had agreed , and she couldn't help worrying because her daughter had never been away at night before. The mother waited till nine and her uneasiness got the upper hand over her. She decided to go out to meet her daughter. Just at that moment the noise of a car pulling up drew her to the window and ------there was her daughter, waving goodbye to a boy. Her heart missed a beat. When the girl came in, the mother was watching TV, pretending nothing had happened. "Mum, I'm back." "Yeah." "Sorry to be late. Still sitting up?" "Yes, Oh, that... Who's that boy?" The daughter was stunned for a moment. "Ah. It's my monitor. He gave a lift on his way home. Mum, I'm going to bed" "All right. Go to sleep early." Next morning, when the mother went to the daughter's room to do some tidying, she found her diary left at her pillow. After a few minutes' hesitation she finally opened it to the entry of the night before. It read: Mum, it was love that made you ask, but it would show your understanding of me if you hadn't. Holding the diary, the mother fell in thought. The main purpose of this article is to show that parents should _ . Answer: care about what their children really think and how they feel There once was a very wealthy man who had made great achievement. He had more money than he could ever spend, and he was admired and looked up to by his neighbors. Still,he knew that something was missing in his life. He wasn't happy. All his life he had been striving for happiness, but he had never been able to find it. Then one day, he heard about a hidden temple in Nepal that had a special room that contained the secret of happiness. He immediately sold all that he owned and set out to find this hidden temple. After many years of searching and countless hardships he arrived there. He was tired and penniless, but he knew that none of that was important now because he had found the temple. He asked a wise, smiling monk if he could enter the special room. The monk agreed and showed him the stairs leading to the room. He climbed them with legs shaking with expectation and slowly opened the door. He stared into the room with sunlight streaming through the window and saw what he had come so far to find. There hanging on the wall was the secret of happiness. The man gazed at himself in the mirror and laughed. It is time that we all realized that we were the secret of our own happiness. Happiness is a choice that we can make. Don't spend the rest of your life searching the world for happiness then. Just look in the mirror and laugh. Just let the happiness flow from your heart, mind, and soul until it fills your life and the lives of all those around you. The purpose of the author's writing the text is to_. Answer: tell us what is the real secret of happiness An air mass in a valley travels up a mountainside. What causes the movement of this air? Answer: warming by solar energy re-radiated from the ground Smith and Penn were charged with murder. Each gave a confession to the police that implicated both of them. Smith later retracted her confession, claiming that it was coerced. Smith and Penn were tried together. The prosecutor offered both confessions into evidence. Smith and Penn objected. After a hearing, the trial judge found that both confessions were voluntary and admitted both into evidence. Smith testified at trial. She denied any involvement in the crime and claimed that her confession was false and the result of coercion. Both defendants were convicted. On appeal, Smith contends her conviction should be reversed because of the admission into evidence of Penn's confession. Smith's contention is Answer: correct, unless Penn testified at trial. Great Yarmouth is an English seaside town situated at the mouth of the River Yare, about 120 miles to the northeast of London. Around 5 million people visit Great Yarmouth every year, making it one of Britain's most popular seaside resorts. Formerly the home of one of the most profitable fishing industries, Great Yarmouth is a busy and very popular seaside resort. Undoubtedly, one of the most popular attractions is Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, a historic free entry pleasure park, which draws annually 1.5 million visitors. The two piers , Britannia Pier and Wellington Pier, both contain family-orientated entertainment. As well as the usual thrills one would expect on a classic British seafront, Great Yarmouth also has a quieter side, with a fascinating heritage quarter to explore. Not many people know that Great Yarmouth has the most complete city walls after York, with heritage walks to help you discover this medieval attraction along with several museums and houses dating back to many centuries. If ghost walks are more your cup of tea, Eerie Tales and Yarmouth Yarns is the tour for you. Great Yarmouth is also a centre for the North Sea oil and gas industry and increasingly for offshore wind power. The Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour is a huge development currently taking place which can see larger ships coming to the town. The Great Yarmouth Maritime Festival in September each year celebrates Great Yarmouth's maritime heritage. Over the past few years, Great Yarmouth has seen significant construction spending to improve and modernize the popular seafront area and to ensure it is linked to the town centre. Regent Road has a brilliant ceiling of light which is lit up in the evenings and is now a lovely street leading from the town centre to the seafront area. What can we infer about the tour of the heritage area? Answer: The visitors must love peace.
I felt excited, curious and nervous at the same time. I was excited because I would be skipping two grades. I was curious because I didn't know how high school students were taught. However, I was most nervous at the idea that I would be doing high school homework. I had just walked into the class when the bell rang. This wasn't a good start. But the kid in front of me looked very friendly. Luckily, since it was the first day of school, my teacher talked for about half of the period and we just had the rest of the period to start the class. I didn't know what he was saying at first, but when I saw the problems on the paper, I knew what to do. The next day, the kid said hi and I said hi back. We got into a conversation. It seemed that whenever I was talking to my friend, everyone stopped staring at me. Then the class started. It was easy. But I was still uncomfortable because I couldn't look around without meeting others'eyes, so I just kept my eyes on the whiteboard and on my textbook. However, my friend didn't show up the next day, and the eighth graders just kept on staring at me. I didn't know why. The next day everything changed. My friend was back to school. I was praised for my homework. Everyone stared at me less. Some started to be a little friendlier towards me. I felt at home at last here. My teachers also seemed pretty nice. According to the passage, we know that the author _ . I was off to go back to work one evening and my two children were busy sewing things on the sewing machine. My 11yearold daughter was, in the midst of her project, going to help her older brother in making a little cushion . I left, and in a few hours returned to find a mess in the kitchen, front room, and both children sitting in front of the television. Having had a long day, I was very short with my greeting to them and then I noticed the material my daughter had used. It had been bought to make a baby blanket, and now had chunks cut out of almost every piece of cloth. Not stopping to listen, I _ at the children and explained how angry I was at what had been done. My daughter listened to me sheepishly, not trying to defend herself at all, but the pain could be seen written across her face. She went back to her room quietly, and spent some time in there alone before she came out to say good night and once again apologize for the mistake she had made. A few hours later, as I was preparing to go to bed, there on my bed lay a beautiful, little cushion made out of the forbidden cloth, with the words"I LOVE MOM". Alongside it was a note apologizing again, and the innocence in which she had taken the cloth. To this day, I still get tears in my eyes when I think of how I reacted and still feel the pain of my actions. It was I who then sheepishly went to her and apologized for my actions. I display with great pride the cushion on my bed, and use it as a reminder that nothing in this world is greater than a child's love. Why was the author angry with her daughter? Some scientists have suggested that it might in some cases be ethically acceptable to clone existing people. One possibility is generating replacement for a dying . All such possibilities, however, raise the concern that the clone would be treated as less than a complete individual, because he or she would likely suffer from limitations and expectations based on the family's knowledge of the genetic "twin." Those expectations might be false, because human personality is only partly determined by genes. The clone of an extrovert could have a quite different way of behavior. Clones of athletes, movie stars, or scientists might well choose different careers because of chance events in early life. Some people have also put forward the belief that couples in which one member is infertile might choose to make a copy of one or the other partner. But society ought to be concerned that a couple might not treat naturally a child who is a copy of just one of them. Because other methods are available for the treatment of all known types of infertility, the traditional choice seems more appropriate. None of the suggested uses of cloning for making copies of existing people is ethically acceptable to my way of thinking, because they are not in the interests of the resulting child. It should go without saying that I am strongly opposed to allowing cloned human embryos to develop so that they can be tissue donors. In spite of this, it seems clear that cloning from cultured cells will offer important medical opportunities. Predictions about new technologies are often wrong: societal attitudes change; unexpected developments occur. Time will tell. But biomedical researchers looking into the potential of cloning now have plenty to do. It can be inferred from the text that a clone will _ . It's because college kids today can't do math, one line of reasoning goes. Or they don't know science. These are all good theories, but the problem with these young adults' unemployment goes way beyond a lack of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills. A survey by the Workforce Solutions Group at St. Louis Community College finds that more than 60% of employers say applicants lack the ability to communicate and get along with others--- a jump pf about 10 percentage points in just two years. A large number of managers also say today's applicants can't think creatively, solve problems or write well. Jobs are going unfilled as a result, which hurts companies and employers. The annual global Talent Shortage Survey from ManpowerGroup finds that nearly 1 in 5 employers worldwide can't fill positions because they can't find people with soft skills. One thing that does appear to make a difference is internships . More than 80% of employers want new graduates they hire to have completed a formal internship, but only 8% of students say having an internship in a field related to their major is something they spend a lot of time doing. Instead, the top extracurricular activities are hanging out with friends, working in an unrelated job and eating out. And all internships are not created equal. Overall, only about half of college grads say they're prepared for the work---and the number of bosses who think they're prepared is lower than 40%. Among students who don't have an internship, only 44% consider themselves ready for the job market. That improves for students with unpaid internships; 58% say they're prepared for the workplace. But among students who compete paid internships, that number jumps to 70%. None of the students think they're entirely prepared for the workforce, but they are a lot more confident than the managers surveyed. Part of the problem is that "you don't know what you don't know", as the saying goes. Harris Interactive found a huge gap between students' view of their abilities and managers' view of those same skills such as financial skills. It's just harder to teach these skills, experts say. "It is hard to correct a lifetime of bad habits in a short period of time," Roderick Nunn, vice chancellor for economic development and workforce solutions at St. Louis Community College, tells the St Louis Beacon. What do most new graduates think of their internship? Of course,the main difference on the Chinese dinner table is chopsticks instead of knife and fork,but that's only superficial.Besides,in decent restaurants,you can always ask for a pair of knife and fork,if you find the chopsticks not helpful enough.The real difference is that in the West,you have your own plate of food,while in China the dishes are placed on the table and everyone shares.If you are being treated to a formal dinner and particularly if the host thinks you're in the country for the first time,he will do the best to give you a taste of many different types of dishes. The meal usually begins with a set of at least four cold dishes,to be followed by the main courses of hot meat and vegetable dishes.Soup then will be served (unless in Guangdong style restaurants) to be followed by staple food ranging from rice,noodles to dumplings.If you wish to have your rice to go with other dishes,you should say so in good time,for most of the Chinese choose to have the staple food at last or have none of them at all. Perhaps one of the things that surprises a Western visitor most is that some of the Chinese hosts like to put food into the plates of their guests.In formal dinners,there are always "public" chopsticks and spoons for this purpose,but some hosts may use their own chopsticks.This is a sign of genuine friendship and politeness.It is always polite to eat the food.If you do not eat it,just leave the food in the plate. People in China tend to over-order food,for they will find it embarrassing if all the food is consumed.When you have had enough,just say so.Or you will always overeat! According to the passage,we can infer that _ .
Were you born in the 1990s? Do you think you are different from older generations? As there has been considerable discussion about "the post1990s" in newspapers and on the Internet recently, people including the group themselves, have begun to look at some things that help shape their culture. Do you find them true? 1. Jay Chou He is not handsome. When he hums no one can understand him. But the 28yearold Taiwan singer has stolen the hearts of many boys and girls who were born in the 1990s. They are crazy about him. Huang Kaiqin, a 16yearold Shanghai student, said,"I love him! I love everything from his lyrics to his melody , and to his attitude toward the life. " 2. PSP Its full name is Play Station Portable and it's a Sony product for game fans. Teens love it because PSP is better than the Game Boy in terms of pictures, controls and choices of games. With a PSP you can also play MP3 or MP4, watch movies and so on. 3. Naruto Among all the popular cartoons and comic books, the Japanese manga series has been this generation's favorite read. Naruto, who was orphaned at birth, grows from being a naughty boy to a powerful ninja . Naruto teaches readers that honor is very important and not to give up, even if something is hard to achieve. 4. iPods MP3s are not in any way, shape or form. But the iPod is amazing because it is a complete library of music in your hand. Post90s are always excited about the latest product. 5. Tuzki Tuzki, the white and hairy baby rabbit, was not born until January this year. But Tuzki's popularity has been spreading quickly among post90s who like QQ and MSN. Wang Lin, a college student, created the cool little rabbit. 6. Chat lingo On the Internet, the chat lingo is cool and convenient. But one day, teachers notice a new generation of errors entering their students' essays. Words such as "3Q","ORZ" and "b4" confuse adults but are part of teens' everyday lives. Why does the author write the passage? A. He wants to make teens born in the 1990s understand more. B. He criticizes the teens born in the 1990s. C. He doesn't understand the young at all. D. He feels worried about the young. Answer: A. He wants to make teens born in the 1990s understand more. I'm Leo. There is a great artist in my family. She is Lisa. Lisa likes drawing a lot. Here are her three drawings. There is an animal in the first drawing. It has two big eyes, a big mouth and two small ears. It has long arms and long legs. It is black and white. There are some apples in its hands. It looks very happy. What is it? I don't know, but Lisa says it is a panda. There is a woman in the second drawing. She is thin. She has straight blonde hair, a small mouth, a big nose and two big eyes. She looks angry. Who is she? Lisa says she is our mom. But Mom has curly blonde hair, small eyes and a small nose. There is an animal in the third drawing, too. Its head is an apple. Its hair and tail are leaves. It has a long mouth, and _ is a banana. Its two legs are carrots. What is it? Lisa says it is a horse, but it doesn't look like a horse. Lisa is really a great artist, isn't she? . Leo's mom has _ . A. a big mouth B. curly blonde hair C. two big eyes D. a big nose Answer: B. curly blonde hair Luo Jingyu, 19, has four years of experience of running business. He is also a freshman in the arts department of Hubei University. Luo Jingyu is from an ordinary family. He said, "My parents told me if I wanted something I should make an effort to get it, so I earned pocket money by doing housework when I was little." The dream of running his own business grew in his heart. He said, "I want to be a successful person, like Alibaba's Ma Yun." When Luo was a junior student, he had the idea of selling lanterns when he saw many people flying Chinese lanterns in a square. Luo bought some lanterns from a store, but the sales were not as good as he had expected. Then he found another way to do business. He bought lanterns on the Internet at a very low price. Finally he easily made 5,000 yuan in two days. With a happy beginning, Luo planned to open a dress shop. "My parents didn't support me opening a dress shop, so I had to borrow 120,000 yuan for it." Although he did market research before starting, the business wasn't very good because his taste in fashion wasn't accepted by customers. The shop eventually closed down after half a year. After experiencing a big loss, he decided to do something he was familiar with --- selling painting tools. As a fine arts student, he knew the market. He convinced his friends to invest one million yuan in his shop. With a good business mind and a lot of effort, the sales of the shop reached six million yuan in a year. Even though Luo is rich, he uses a cheap cell phone and does not wear luxury clothes. He has a simple lifestyle. "It isn't easy to make money, so money should be used on something worthwhile," he said. Which of the following words can describe Luo best? A. Talented but lazy. B. Rich but mean. C. Optimistic and generous. D. Hard-working and plain-living. Answer: D. Hard-working and plain-living. My husband, Micheal, and I were at a restaurant with his boss, a rather stern elderly man. When Micheal began a story I was sure he had told before, I gave him a kick under the table. There was no response, so I gave him another kick. Still the story went on. Suddenly he stopped and said with a smile, "Oh, but I've told you this one before, haven't I ?" We all chuckled and changed the subject. Later, on the dance floor, I asked my husband why it had taken him so long to get my message. "What do you mean?" he replied. "I cut off the story as soon as you kicked me." "But I kicked you twice, and it still took you a while to stop!" Suddenly we realized what had happened and returned to our table. The boss smiled and said, "Don't worry. After the second one I thought it wasn't for me, so I passed it along!" It took Micheal so long to stop his story because _ . A. he wanted to finish the whole story B. he got a kick only after a long while C. he didn't understand at once why he was kicked D. the two kicks given were not heavy enough Answer: B. he got a kick only after a long while Why are people interested in eating raw foods or whole foods? One reason is that eating these types of food reduces the risk of acid accumulation in your body. Raw and whole foods are usually digested more efficiently than cooked and refined foods. When we cook foods, we destroy the natural enzymes that are part of the food in its raw form. These enzymes were intended by nature to help us digest the food. When we consume food without these natural enzymes, our bodies either digest the food improperly or allow too many nutrients to be absorbed into the bloodstream. In both instances, the result is obesity. When too many nutrients are absorbed at once, the body grows fat. Improperly digested food moves slowly through the digestive tract, where it becomes increasingly acidic . To protect its vital organs from this acidic waste, the body changes the acid into fat and stores it safely away from the organs. Processed foods contain chemical elements, which might confuse the appetite mechanism that tells us when we've had enough to eat; as a result, people often overeat . Processed foods also upset the digestive cycle. The body will either identify these foods as allergens and then store them safely away from the organs as fat, or the remains of undigested food will become acidic and enter the bloodstream as acid waste, which will stick to the blood vessel walls and block the passage of vital oxygen and nutrients heading for the body's cells. The body's metabolism becomes inactive, and then result is weight gain and obesity. The accumulation of acid in the digestive tract makes digestion increasingly inefficient. When that happens, even healthy foods can become acidic and the food allergies will become more common. To stop this vicious circle in its tracks, people need to consume food and supplements that will neutralize (...)the acid already accumulated in body. Eating the right types of raw and whole foods can help. it's also important to restore your enzyme balance. You need to identify and avoid the foods that cause acid accumulation and consume the foods that increase enzyme production. If you truly want to change and help your body heal itself , you need to take an active approach.. . What is the main purpose of this passage? A. To advocate eating more raw and whole foods B. To tell the differences between raw and processed foods C. To inform people of the harm of processed foods D. To warn people of the problem of obesity Answer: A. To advocate eating more raw and whole foods
With online courses, anyone can gain knowledge in any field of interest for free. All you need is a computer, laptop or Smartphone, internet connection and a self-made schedule. You can even get a certificate on completing the course. Udemy Its goal is to promote the world of education by enabling anyone to learn online. It seeks to dramatically change education by inviting millions of experts worldwide to teach and share what they know. Whether you want to learn excel, business, academics, the arts, health, music or technology, there is a comprehensive course for you. See more at https://udemy.com iTunes U If you're a student who uses Apple devices, you will be happy to know that you have access to iTunes U, which gives you access to different educational courses from all leading universities for free! Did you dream of studying at MIT, Oxford, Yale, or Cambridge? This is your chance to learn various subjects from the best colleges and universities in the world. Learn more at https://iTunesU.com Skillfeed If you are looking to learning a new skill, or improving on your skills in Photoshop, or HTML, it offers unlimited access to high-quality video courses from a worldwide community of instructors. You have a month's free trial, after which you will pay a monthly fee to gain unlimited access to all courses. See more at https://skillfeed.com Academic Earth It has linked to over 750 online courses and 8,500 individual online lectures, giving students of all ages access to college courses they may otherwise never experience. Whether learning existing coursework, or learning for the sake of learning, anyone has the freedom to learn at their own pace from world-famous experts, without being charged more. Learn more at http://academicearth.com UC Berkeley It offers courses in bioengineering, Japanese, legal studies and public health. Since they are recordings of actual lectures, they lack lecture notes and extra materials. However, each course has audio recordings of lectures via iTunes or video recordings of lectures via YouTube. Learn more at https://ucberkeley.com If you want to improve your skill of Japanese language, you can visit _ . Answer: A group of graduates, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain,plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite -- telling them to help themselves to the coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best foryourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups. And then you began eyeing each other's cups. Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position insociety are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us." God brews the coffee, not the cups. Enjoy your coffee! "The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything." Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God. What is the function of the more expensive cup from the passage? Answer: The Bay Hotel. It's a quiet, comfortable hotel overlooking the bay in an uncommercialised Cornish fishing village on England's most southerly point. If pop music is no longer your strong point, and you are considering a relaxing holiday where the scenery is breathtaking and the sound of the sea is live music to your ears, come and stay with us. For adults only. Sssh! Don't tell everyone! 01326 280464 Willapark Manor Hotel. Peaceful situation in 14 acres of separated gardens and woodland, overlooking picturesque bay. Close to coastal path and beach. Excellent cuisine. Our excellent service brings our guests back year after year. Children (reductions) and pets welcome. 01840 770782 The Country Garden Hotel. Delightful hotel set in lovely gardens; calm Island of Wight near Tennyson Downs, Great food! Garden, sea view and ground floor rooms. Please call for brochure and sample menu. Adults only and pets welcome. 0800 980 1943 Boscastle. Romantic 17th Century farmer's cottage in countryside with splendid coastal views. Well- equipped. Sleeps 5. Regret no pets/smoking. Garden with furniture. Brochure: 01633 450417 Godshill. 4 star self-served units. Non smoking. Sleeps 2 - 4. Open all year. Good walks. Close to pubs. Peaceful. Cosy. No pets. Brochure: 01983 840371 The Blakeney Hotel. Overlooking harbour, traditional privately owned friendly hotel with bedrooms, lift, heated indoor pool, spa bath and saunas. Relax, walk, sail, play golf, explore the villages, countryside and coast. Special seasonal midweek price for aged citizens. 01263 7407 S W France. Rural setting near Cordes. Two beautifully repainted old houses, sleeps 4/5, Gardens, woodland, pool, views, excellent walks. Available all year round. Outstanding. 01962 776967 One of the hotels offers special price for _ Answer: The children often play football in the garden and sometimes break Mr. Black's windows. One afternoon Mr. Black is at home and reads a book. In a minute he closes his eyes and goes to sleep. At that time a little boy knocks at the door. Mr. Black opens the door and asks, "Do you break my window again ?""Oh, no"says the boy, "Your window is open this time and our football is in your room. May I get it please?" Sometimes the children break _ windows. Answer: A farmer is getting a worse crop yield every year, what method might be causing this? Answer:
Welcome to Phillip Island Nature Park and the penguin Parade . You will see the world's smallest penguins-- the little penguins appearing from the ocean and crossing the beach to their home in line. It's a natural experience. Remember the Little penguins are wild. You are a visitor to their home. Making the most of your visit Here are some helpful hints : The Penguins Parade last 50 minutes from the time penguins first cross the beach. Dress in warm clothes, for the Paradeis in the open air on the beach. It is best to get down to the beach at least 15 minutest before the parade begins. Protecting the Penguins We do have some simple rules--designed to protect the penguins and make your visit more enjoyable. Photography--including video cameral is not allowed. Photography during the Parades. Make sure that your cameral is placed inside your bag, or in a bag provided, before walking down to the beach, Photographs can be bought at proper price in the gift shop. Smoking is not allowed anywhere. And remember, the penguins are wild birds so please don't try to touch them. Which of the following statements is WRONG? A The Little Penguins go back home in line. B The whole Penguin Parade lasts 50 minutes. C People have a chance to touch the penguins. D The Penguin Parade takes place on the beach. Answer: C A shiny aluminum screen can be placed on the windshield of a parked car. This screen helps to keep the car cool because it A reflects the sunlight B absorbs heat C causes evaporation D conducts electricity Answer: A Six chimps were introduced to a slot machine called the Chimp- O- Mat, which would give out one grape when a white coin was insert into the slot. When Dr Wolf showed a young chimp named Moos how he could win himself a grape by inserting a coin, Moos immediately picked up another coin, pushed it into the slot, then stuck out his paw and waited for a grape to drop out.. Besides white coins, the chimps were given yellow coins to insert into the slot, but nothing came out because they were worthless. The chimps soon learned this fact. When a handful of white and yellow coins were thrown into the cage housing, Bula, Bimba and Alpha, the three chimps rushed for the white coins and never touched the yellow ones. Now the chimps were madly in love with money. Would the six chimps value money enough to work for it? To find the answer, Dr Wolfe designed a work machine. The chimps were shown that when a large handle was lifted, they could pick one grape. When they had learned the skill of lifting the handle to get the grape, Dr Wolf made a change to the machines so that instead of the grape they would find a white coin. This coin would still buy them one grape at the Chimp- O- Mat. Thus the complexity of getting a grape was not only doubled, but also the money to buy the grape could be achieved only by honest work. The handle they had to lift to get the coin weighed eighty pounds. Great effort is needed for a young chimp to raise that weight, yet the formerly lazy chimps not only quickly mastered the new operation, but also showed great eagerness to work for money. The passage showed that _ . A Dr Wolfe was disappointed with his experiment B The chimps could do everything if taught C The chimps were willing to work if something was paid back D The chimp's understanding was as good as a man's Answer: C As your charming child changes into a rebellious teenager, take a deep breath and have a good look at the situation before you throw up your arms in anger or distress. Your teen takes a vital step towards adulthood by way of fighting against your rules, regulations and attitudes. Moving beyond their previous dependence on parents, teachers and other adults, teens learn to make decisions, understand the consequences of their behavior and get ready to take on adult responsibilities. The growing need for independence sits at the heart of teenage rebellion. Many teens prefer to use peers as role models and often begin to question the reasoning behind home and school boundaries as they step closer to adulthood. The physical changes involved in adolescence coincide with(...) emotional, intellectual and moral growth, points out Kids Health---all of these can affect teenagers strongly and leave them feeling at a loss and stressed. They test different types of behavior, and it's through this testing and boundary pushing that they learn what works and what does not from their own successes and mistakes. Changes to a teenager's hair and clothing emphasize her growing independent tastes and highlight her _ a group of friends. Her opinions may begin to differ from yours as she develops her own values, leading to potential conflicts on subjects ranging from television programs to world affairs. A teen may break family rules regarding chores, loud music and schoolwork and find herself facing unwelcome punishment as a result. These acts of rebellion normally occur from time to time rather than continuously. They give teenagers the chance to see the results of their decisions for themselves and learn when rebellion may be a mistake. Unhealthy patterns of rebellion can include acts of rebellion that increase in frequency. Violent bursts of anger, physically and emotional destructive behavior and offensive language may indicate that your teen feels bitter hatred towards adults and authority and needs help in navigating those feelings. Watch for falling grades, frequent truancy from school or sudden changes to friendship, as these could indicate a variety of problems, including drug, alcohol or tobacco abuse. A rebellious teenager has the following characteristics EXCEPT _ . A dependence on parents B disobeying rules and regulations C making his own decisions D preparing to undertake adult duties Answer: A Dear Sir, I have to travel every day from Souk Road to the airport. Two buses travel along their route : the number 49 and number 16. But by the time the number 16 bus reaches Souk Road it is always full, so I can't get on it. I have to wait for the number 49, because sometimes there are empty seats on it. The timetable says that there are buses from Souk Road to the airport every ten minutes. If this is so, why do I have to wait half an hour for a bus nearly every day? The regulations say that if there are empty seats on a bus, the bus must stop at every stop where people are waiting. Why do the half-empty buses go straight past me when I am standing at the bus stop? The regulations say that no bus may carry more than 40 seated passengers and 20 standing passengers. Yesterday I was the first to get off the bus when it reached the airport. I counted the other passengers as they got off. There were 129 of them. It is clear that our bus companies break the regulations and think little of their passengers. Can nothing be done to make your service better? Yours Tired passenger The regulations say that each bus may carry _ passengers at most. A 20 B 40 C 60 D 129 Answer: C
Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia .This name is a combination of"wiki" and "encyclopedia". Wiki is the Hawaiian word for quick. Wiki websites are designed to enable users to make addition or edit any page Of the site. Wikipedia has been accused of exhibiting systemic prejudice and mistakes.Critics argue that Wikipedia's open nature and a lack of proper sources for much of the information makes it unreliable, Mention Wikipedia within the walls of academy and you'll find no shortage of opinions.That-s no surprise.Can an online encyclopedia that is edited by anyone be trusted as a credible information source? Should students be encouraged to use this tool? And is it even possible to discourage its users? To find out, we performed a simple experiment.We selected 100 terms from the U.S.history textbooks, We chose a mix of items that students might be asked to research for a test or paper and we entered each item into Google to find out which websites the search engine suggests as the most useful links. The results are shocking. Google listed Wikipedia as the number one: 87 times out of 100. Several conclusions can be drawn from this finding. First, people searching for information about these historical terms are finding the entries from Wikipedia helpful.Second, 6'banning" the use of Wikipedia appears hopelessly simple-minded.Jimmy Wales, one of Wikipedia's founders, told the New York Times, "They might as well suggest not listening to rock & roll either". To our untrained eyes, the information from Wikipedia appeared just as reliable.The reason why the content is mostly reliable is probably that these terms are rather mainstream.The high-school level content is less likely to be wrong than the subjects studied in graduate schools. So when primary and secondary students are researching history, Wikipedia is still a proper place to start. Which of the following can best describe Wikipedia? Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia edited freely. There are fifty states in the United States. The largest in population is California,the largest in area is Alaska. Alaska is the smallest in population and Rhode Island is the smallest in size. The oldest states are the ones along the Atlantic coast. The newest states are Alaska and Hawaii. Alaska is also the coldest state. California and Florida are the warmer. Henry and his family live in Seattle, a big city, on the Pacific coast. But Los Angeles and San Francisco, also on the Pacific coast, are larger than Seattle. Henry's cousin, Susan, lives in New York. It is the largest city in the United States. Thousands of people visit New York each year. The most important city in the United States is Washington D. C. It is the capital, but it is much smaller than New York. Which of the following is true? New York is the largest city in the United States. The Internet is full of headlines that grab your attention with buzzwords . But often when we click through, we find the content hardly delivers and it wastes our time. We close the page, feeling we've been cheated. These types of headlines are called "click bait". A headline on Busin,esslnsider.com reads: "This phrase will make you seem more polite". First, when you click through, you find another headline: "Four words to seem more polite." Then, on reading the article, you find it's actually an essay about sympathy. And what are the four words? They're "Wow, that sounds hard." On some video websites, you might encounter headlines such as "Here's what happens when six puppies visited a campus". Turns out it's just some uneventful dog footage . Nowadays, with the popularity of social media, many news outlets tweet click bait links to their stories. These tweets take advantage of the curiosity gap or attempt to draw the reader into a story using a question in the headline. These click bait headlines are so annoying that someone is attempting to save people time by exposing news outlet click bait through social media. The Twitter account @SavedYouAClick, run by Jake Beckman, is one such example. Beckman's method is to grab tweets linking to a story and retweet them with a click-saving comment. For example, CNET tweeted "So iOS 8 appears to be jailbreakable but...", with a link to its coverage of Apple's product announcements. Beckman retweeted it with this comment attached: "... it hasn't been jailbroken yet." Since founding the account, Beckman's Twitter experiment has brought him more than 131,000 followers. Beckman said that @SavedYouAClick is "just my way of trying to help the Internet be less temble." Asked about his goal, he said, "I'd love to see publishers think about the experience of their readers first. I think there's an enormous opportunity for publishers to provide readers with informative updates that include links so you can click through and read more. Beckman attached his comment to CNET's tweet to _ save readers' time People travel for a lot of reasons.Some travelers go to see battlefields or religious shrines.Others are looking for culture,or simply want to have their photos taken in front of famous places.But most Europeans are willing to pay a lot of money and put up with a lot of inconveniences for the sun because they have so little of it.Residents of cities like London,Copenhagen,and Amsterdam spend a lot of their winter in the dark because the days are so short and much of the rest of the year is in the rain.Every summer,more than 25 million people travel to Mediterranean resorts and beaches for their vacation.They all come for the same reason: sun. The huge crowds mean lots of money for the economies of Mediterranean countries.Italy's 30,000 hotels are booked every summer.And 13 million people camp out on French Beaches,parks,and roadsides.Spain's long sandy coastline attracts more people than anywhere else.37 million tourists visit yearly,or one tourist for every person living in Spain. But there are signs that the area is getting more tourism than it can handle.The Mediterranean is already one of the most polluted seas on earth.And with increased tourism,it's getting worse.The French can't figure out what to do with all the garbage left by campers around St.Tropez.And in many places,swimming is dangerous because of pollution. None of this,however,is damaging anyone's fun.The Mediterranean gets more popular every year with tourists.Obviously,they don't go there for clean water.They stand traffic jams and seem to like crowded beaches.They don't even mind the pollution.No matter how dirty the water is,the coastline still looks beautiful.And as long as the sun shines,it's still better than sitting in the cold rain in Berlin,London,or else. In Para.1,cities like London,Copenhagen,and Amsterdam are mentioned to show that _ . they are not good cities in climate. Ma Yun was born on October 15,1964 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. He is the founder of Alibaba Group. At the age of 10, Ma Yun took an interest in English. Each morning, he rode his bike to Hangzhou Hotel to talk with foreigners. In 1988, he became an English teacher. Then Ma Yun met Bill Aho, an American businessman, in Hangzhou. In 1995, he visited the United States for the first time. He stayed with Mr. Aho's family. There, he was introduced to the World Wide Web. Then he returned home and set up one of China's first web companies , China Yellowpages in the same year. On February 21,1999, he _ Alibaba. He chose Alibaba as the name because everyone knew the story of Alibaba. Ma Yun had problems along the way. But his hard work made Alibaba an online success. Ma Yun became an English teacher at the age of _ . 24
Question: Something that makes sense is happening in Washington, D.C! Public school kids surrounded by museums and monuments are putting the ready-made learning tools to use -- and actually learning. A trip to see painter Jacob Lawrence's Migration Series is one of almost 200 trips that Wheelock will organize this year through the nonprofit group Live It Learn It. "For many kids, school is disconnected," says one of four full-time workers and tour leaders. "With the program, they see how what they are learning is connected to their communities." Seven years ago, Wheelock changed a job as a lawyer for one as a four-grade teacher. When he learned that D.C.'s public schools ranked behind those of other cities in many ways, he knew he had to do something different. He took his class to Capitol Hill for a lesson on the three branches of government -- and saw his students' interest develop quickly. With seed money from a local couple, Wheelock developed detailed lesson plans for trips to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Lincoln Memorial. The group also has classes for trips to the Anacostia River, boat rides to historical forts. Word spread, and now fourth, fifth, sixth graders from the neediest public schools in the District participate. "I'm not brave enough to take my class to a museum for over an hour!" says teacher Cathy McCoy, gesturing toward her students. "But look With Live It Learn It, what the kids learn today they'll remember for a lifetime." Matthew Wheelock once had an occupation as a _ . A. teacher B. printer C. leader D. lawyer Answer: D. lawyer Question: Which statement correctly describes why there are fewer than 24 hours of daylight in Alaska during each day in April? A. Earth's rotation slows during the day. B. Earth's rotation slows during the night. C. Earth's rotation causes both day and night. D. Earth's tilt on its axis causes both day and night. Answer: C. Earth's rotation causes both day and night. Question: A man enters a store to buy milk. He walks out of the store with milk. That is all--milk. At the same time, a woman enters the same grocery store also to buy milk. She buys it. But, she also buys chicken and lemons to make dinner that night. She also gets a bottle of wine for drinks with friends and a birthday card for her husband's niece. And that is the difference between the female and male brains simply explained in a grocery store. Generally speaking, men do one thing at a time. Women do many. Doing many things at one time is often called "multi-tasking," a very popular word these days. Now scientific research supports this theory about male and female brains. A recent study has confirmed what we have known all along--men and women think differently. Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania studied brain images of 949 people aged from 8 to 22 years old. They found that male brains have more connections on one side of the brain, or hemisphere. In the female brain, they found more activity and connections between the right and left sides of the brain. The left side of the brain is known as the side of "reason". The right hemisphere is known as the "creative" side. Regina Verma is a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. She co-wrote the report. She says when women are asked to do something complicated they might use different parts of the brain. But men generally use just one. As a result, men generally deal directly with a problem. There is a strong connection between the "understanding" and the "action" parts of their brains. Women, however, might include other parts of the brain, like the part connected with "reason" and the part connected with sensitivity when solving a problem. Women take a less direct path to find a solution. Thanks for your listening. I'm your announcer Anna Matteo. Where does this passage probably come from? A. A textbook. B. A newspaper. C. A radio report. D. A popular magazine. Answer: C. A radio report. Question: When we think of Hollywood, we think of films and famous film stars. They are part of Hollywood' s history. Today people make films in other places, too. Not all famous film stars live in Hollywood. But Hollywood is still a very special part in Los Angeles, California. You can easily see where Hollywood is in Los Angeles. There is a big sign on the hills. It says "HOLLYWOOD". The white letters are fifty feet tall. You can see the sign from far away. The Hollywood sign is a famous Hollywood landmark in Los Angeles. Many postcards show this famous Hollywood landmark. In the hills of Hollywood, there is also the Hollywood Bowl. This is an open-air theatre. It is one of the biggest open-air theatres in the world. It has seventeen thousand seats and a very different stage . The design of the stage was by a great American called Fran Lioyd Wright. You can listen to all kinds of concerts at the Hollywood Bowl. The best title for the reading should be _ . A. Hollywood B. Famous Films and Film Stars C. The History of Hollywood D. Famous Hollywood Sign Answer: A. Hollywood Question: Which is activity is least likely to be inherited? A. how to taste food B. how to hear sound C. how to breathe oxygen D. how to cook pasta Answer: D. how to cook pasta
Question: Americans think a great deal about time. From childhood they learn to value time. As children, they are taught to be on time to go to school, to do work and to do everything. When they are having a good time, they say that time flies. When a person is dying, they say he is living on borrowed time. Time is money. Time is knowledge. Time is everything in America. A working America has to work hard for 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week. This is the working time. In his free time, he also works hard for more money. Even Saturday and Sunday are filled with activities. In the street you can hardly see a man who walks slowly. They walk very fast. In fact, they are running. They love time because time brings them money, comforts and progress. But sometimes they also hate time, for they feel they have become servants of the clock. He is living on borrowed time means _ . A. He is dead B. He has little money. C. He has no time D. He is dying Answer: D. He is dying Question: Nancy is an English school girl. She studies in a middle school. She has a little brother. His name is John. John is only four. Nancy likes him very much. Today is Sunday. Nancy wants to do her homework. She takes out her pencil-box and opens it. "Oh, dear! Where's my pen?" She can't find her pen. She goes to ask her brother in his bedroom. "John! I can't find my pen. Can you see it? Oh, what are you doing with my pen? " "I'm writing to my friend, Peter." John answers. "But how can you? You don't know how to write! " "It doesn't matter. Peter can't read. " John says. ,. _ can't find her pen. A. Nancy B. Peter C. John D. Friend Answer: A. Nancy Question: I was just out of college, only three days into a graduate year in England,and I was pulling a heavy bag and suitcase through the London Underground. I was also crying out of control. The day before yesterday, my uncle told me never to speak to him, his wife, or my two cousins again.Earlier, I made a joke. I didn't mean to hurt my aunt's feelings, but it did.I spent the evening in an ugly blue telephone booth . crying as I spoke to a family friend who lived in England. When I left the phone booth, I went back to a silent house with three closed bedroom doors. In the morning, I heard everyone get up and leave for work and school. I wrote a note to say sorry and pulled my bags to the train station. When I got into London, I had to take the underground to Angel Station to get to my family friend's house. I was familiar with the underground, but at the time, it was just endless white tiles .Coming to England seemed like a bad decision. Crying yet again, I tried to lift my suitcase up the stairs. When I was trying hard to walk forward, there were hands. Each time I faced another group of steps,a hand would lift the suitcase. At the top of the steps, the hand would let go, and I'd pull the suitcase to the next group. And just as I wanted to try again,another hand would appear. It happened several times. I never looked up, because I couldn't stop crying.Each hand looked different, and many different people helped me, without asking or saying anything. I couldn't look up. I wasn't able to say thank you. I went on to have an amazing year studying in England, but that was the last time I saw or spoke to any of my uncle's family. Yet when I think about _ in 2008, I remember those strangers' hands. They were there when I needed them, and even now, they help me out of the sadness of that memory. I think of them as I ride the underground in Washington D. C. today, and I watch the citizens and tourists to offer hands at any time. What is the passage mainly about? A. It tells us a story about an unlucky and homeless college student. B. It.describes the writer's experience through the underground. C. It expresses the idea of giving hands to strangers who are in need. D. It shows the helping hands that writer got from strangers. Answer: D. It shows the helping hands that writer got from strangers. Question: Before you hit 'Enter' on MSN, read this It is often said that the language we use online is less formal than that we use in a letter, or in direct speech sometimes. This is true, but it can also make us in trouble sometimes. The thing about online communication is that you have no idea what the person who is reading your messages is feeling. For this reason, it is always a good idea to be polite and cautious when writing e-mails or messages to your friends. Chinese can be a direct language, but in English, people often talk about a subject in another way. So instead of saying "Please meet me here" or "Do this for me now", English speakers usually go for indirect phrases like "Would it be possible", "if you have time" or "It would mean a lot to me if..." If you have a close friend, you may still run into trouble because of your jokes. If you have asked someone to do something and they need a bit more time, you might joke with him: "What? You still haven't done it yet? What's wrong with you?" While this seems funny to you, your friend may feel unhappy. If you have foreign friends in different countries, the time difference can also be a factor. While you are waking up for class on Friday morning, they may be having a party on Friday night. You will be serious and they will, probably, be excited. So don't be angry if they seem not to care about you. Just try to message them at the proper time. As a language, Chinese is _ , but English is not. A. polite B. rude C. direct D. formal Answer: C. direct Question: It is an agreed fact that all creatures want happiness instead of pain and grief. However, what is happiness? Some thinkers say "Happiness doesn't lie in objects of enjoyments ; happiness or unhappiness lies in imagination". To prove their belief, they give examples like the following one: A man has a two-storey house; on the right is a five-story building on the left a cottage. When he sees the right he feels unhappy and when he sees the left he feels happy. It is unreasonable to hold this point. It is unkind to regard one as happy by imagining that one is better than the other. Some people ask others to do this and that and say, "This way your desires would be satisfied. You would get the desired objects and become happy". People holding this view regard happiness as satisfaction of desires. But it isn't possible to satisfy one's desires because there are countless desires of countless people and material things are limited. New desires arise the moment the previous ones are satisfied. Therefore, desires, changing all the time, can never be satisfied. Happiness in fact is a condition that must be prepared for, cultivated, and defended privately by each person. People who learn to control their inner experiences will be able to determine the quality of their lives, which means that any of us can reach happiness. Happiness lies in helping others. Happiness stands for forgiveness and justice. Happiness is the name of struggle and courage. Happiness may be found in the search for knowledge and the rule of wisdom. Happiness may be shared in service and duty. This life is a combination of joys and sorrows and honest efforts must be made to make this life a journey of happiness, love, peace and harmony. The writer doesn't approve of the idea that happiness consists in the satisfaction of desires because _ . A. the desires of a person can't be satisfied at all. B. ever-changing desires can never be satisfied. C. there isn't enough money to meet people's needs. D. the desires of a person are limited. Answer: B. ever-changing desires can never be satisfied.
The year is 2094,It has been announced that a comet is heading towards the Earth.Most of it will miss our planet, but two pieces will probably hit the southern half of the Earth. On 17 July, a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth's atmosphere with a massive explosion.About half of the piece is destoryed but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200times the speed of sound.The sea boils and a huge gole is made in the sea bed.Huge waves are created and spread outwards form the hole.The eall of water,a kilometer high,rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour.Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned. Before the waves reach South America.the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina.Earthquakes and volcanoes are set off in the Andes Moutains.The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean. The cities of Los Angeles,San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes,Millions of people in the southern half of the earth are already dead,but the north won't eacape for long.Because of the explosions the sun is hidden by clouds of dust,and temperatures around the world fall to almost zero.Crops are ruined.The sun won't be seen again for many years.Wars break out as countries fight for food.A year later,no more than 10 million remain laive. Could it really happen?In fact,it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth.The dinesaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years,Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared.Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of object in space. The dinosaurs couldn't live through the cold climate that followed and they died out .Will we meet the same end ? By giving the example if dinosaurs,the author tries to prove _ . Answer: the Earth could be hit by other objects in space In today's class, I will teach you how to send birthday e-cards to friends anywhere in the world without leaving our classroom.I'll show it to you on 123 Greetings, which is one of the most popular free-card websites. Step 1 Connect your computer to the Internet and go to 123 Greetings.Click "Happy Birthday".You will see hundreds of e-cards.Choose the card you'd like to send. Step 2 Design your e-card.After clicking the card you want, you'll see the "Design" menu.In it you can find many things you can change to suit your taste, such as the colors and music. Step 3 Add your message in the message box.The message box provides space for you to type a message.Think of something special and type the message into the box. Step 4 Enter your e-mail address.Then enter the e-mail address of the recipient.Choose whether you want to be notified when your birthday e-card has been read.You can also choose whether to send the card immediately or at a later time. The writer is most probable a _ . Answer: teacher Shopping green can make an important contribution to protecting the planet and conserving its resources. Today's consumer faces a wider range of choices than ever before, Add to that the steady stream of sales campaigns, and shopping smart only gets harder. To buy economically and reduce waste, safeguard health and protect the environment, you'll need to follow some basic principles and have a clear idea of what you want. 1. Do Your Homework Before making any major purchase, take the time to research it. Plentiful resources are usually available online. Avoid buying in a hurry, and don't be persuaded by overenthusiastic salespeople. _ it if necessary--you won't regret giving yourself some extra time to think. 2. Take the Long View Consider the running costs as well as the initial price of any item you buy. Many environmentally friendly products cost more to buy, but save you money in the long run. Choose items that are made to last. For example, pick a sofa that has a hardwood or steel frame rather than one made of softwood, which may break easily. 3. Skip the Disposable Option Buy reusable products like washable cloth towels, handkerchiefs, serviettes and cleaning cloths rather than paper, single-use varieties. Avoid other disposable supplies like cups, glasses, and chopsticks, too. 4. Take the Local Route Buy local products that are in season. It's usually cheaper and fresher and has less harm to the environment. Markets and roadside stands are good sources. Some supermarkets also buy from local producers. Support it if you have one. 5. Avoid Wasteful Packaging Better not buy products that have too much packaging. It's estimated that approximately 10 percent of every shopping bill is actually paying for packaging--which you normally just throw away! Moreover, significant amounts of energy are used in the production of packaging. Purchasing refillable and renewable containers can also help cut this kind of waste. What could be the best title for this passage? Answer: Green Shopping Principles London--A morning train rides away, across the channel. English kids discuss the Liverpool's football team in a Paris pub. Some Parisians have started to travel to work in London. In the 19th century, Charles Dickens compared the two cities, London and Paris, in A Tale of Two Cities. These days, it might be A tale of One City. As there are few jobs at home over recent years, perhaps 250,000 Frenchmen moved across the channel. With an undersea tunnel, they could travel between cities in three hours. The European Union freed them from immigration and customs. Paris, rich in beauty, is more stylish. But London feels more full of life, and more fun until the pubs shut down. "For me, the difference is that London is real, alive," said Trevor Wheeler, a financial expert. Chantal Jaouen, a professional designer, agrees. "I am French, but I'll stay in London," she said. There is, of course, the other view. Julie Lenoux is a student who moved to London two years ago. "I think people laugh more in Paris," she said. "Both cities have changed _ ," said Larry Collins, an author and sometimes a Londoner. Like most people who know both cities well, he finds the two now fit together comfortably. "I first fell in love with Paris in the 1950s. Things are so much more ordered, and life is better." But certainly not cheaper. In some parts of London, rents can be twice those on Avenue Foch in Paris. Deciding between London and Paris requires a lifestyle choice. Like Daphne Benoit, a French journalism student with perfect English, many young people are happy to be close enough so they don't have to choose. "I love Paris, my little neighborhood, the way I can walk around a centre, but life is too organized," she said. "In London, you can be whoever you want. No one cares." According to this passage, which of the following is TRUE? Answer: People can find any job in London. As students, you may have many dreams. They can be very big like becoming Superman, or they can be small. You may just want to become one of the ten best students in your class. If you find a dream, what do you do with it? Do you ever try to make your dream come true? Follow Your Heart by Australian writer Andrew Matthews tells us that making our dreams come true is life's biggest _ . "You may think you're not very good at some school subjects, or that it is impossible for you to become a star. These ideas stop you from getting your dream," the book says. In fact, everyone can make his dream come true. The first important thing you must do is to remember what your dream is. Don't let it leave your heart . Keep telling yourself what you want. Do this step by step and your dream will come true faster. A big dream is, in fact, many small dreams. Never give up your dream. There will be difficulties on the road. But the biggest problem comes from yourself. You need to decide what is the most important. Studying instead of watching TV will bring you better exam points. Saving five yuan instead of buying an ice cream means you can buy a new book. When you get closer to your dream, it may change a little. Then you will be able to learn more skills and find new interests. Follow Your Heart is _ . Answer: the name of a book by Andrew Matthews
Question: Having a hobby helps to make you a more interesting person and gives you something fascinating to talk about with others. It can also help you to avoid feeling bored and often provides the opportunity to meet new people with similar interests. Learning something new is always good for keeping the mind alert and active, as is maintaining a long-term interest in something that attracts you. This will also make your more of an interesting person than a person who is addicted to Facebook, watching TV, or doing other time wasting and unhealthy tasks. Think of a hobby that might interest you. It might be an interest that you always wished you had time to explore, but never had the time or money required to pursue your interest. Collect things for a fashion magazine. Look at the walls in your post office, and think about collecting stamps and what you might need to do to start and maintain a stamp collection. Think of other items you might like to collect, for example, coins, dolls or chocolate wrappers. _ . Have you ever gone to a museum, looked at the paintings on the walls, and wondered if you could do the same thing? How about trying painting for yourself -- in oils or watercolors? Or maybe try drawing with charcoal or colored pencils. Enjoy sport as a hobby. Watch soccer, basketball, golf, athletics or tennis tournaments on television or at your local sports ground. Do you feel that a sport is something that you would love to learn? Think about what it would cost, and the time it would take to learn and play. Do you have the funds available for this type of hobby? Would you have the patience it would take to really learn to play or train for any of these sports? Would you rather play a team sport or an individual sport? Maybe there are friends or family members who already have equipment and uniforms you can have, as well as tips for how to begin your chosen sport. Ask them about their experiences and listen to their suggestions. The purpose of writing this passage is to _ . A. teachushowtofindahobby B. explainhowahobbyisdeveloped C. introducetheimportanceofahobby D. provetheeffectofahobbyonaperson Answer: A Question: What happens to mother-daughter relationships when girls become teenagers. It seems that girls go from playing "dress up", to arguing with their mothers about how they should dress. When a girl is 3-4 years old they love to "dress up" in their mothers' clothes, put on their mothers' makeup, cook, and do whatever else their mother does. This is the time when she can be classified as being a mama's girl. How come girls change so much from childhood to the teenage years? Many parents seek the answer when their daughter becomes a teen. Often when a girl enters high school her behavior changes as well as her physical appearance. When I was young I always liked playing "dress up". It made me feel older and more like my mother. Even when I entered middle school, I still depended a lot on my mother to choose and buy my clothes. Once I entered high school there was a big change. To me, my mother's clothes were no longer "in fashion", and neither was her opinion. I started becoming interested in boys and tried to improve the way I looked. It was not that I wanted to look cool, I just wanted to look my age. This is the time that the mother-daughter relationship can take a turn. It's difficult for a mother to know that her daughter is no longer totally dependent on her. When the daughter starts wearing revealing clothing, dating, and just wanting to be more independent, a mother starts to feel left out, or not needed. The number of arguments increases, and the number of times when the mother and daughter get along happily decreases. When these things start to happen, it is a sign that the daughter wants her independence and the freedom to grow up. When you notice how much your relationship had changed, try to believe positive things come out of the change. Put all the negatives aside and concentrate on what your mother is feeling instead of just on what you're feeling. When it seems too hard to handle, take some quiet time and write out your feelings. Maybe at another time, you can share them with your mother and try to find a way to better your relationship as mother and daughter. If you don't feel comfortable sharing your feelings, at least write them down so you can get them out. It's better than keeping them bottled up inside. A "mama's girl" will Not _ . A. dress up in her mother's clothes B. depend a lot on her mother to choose and buy her clothes C. like wearing revealing clothing D. think her mother's clothes are in fashion Answer: C Question: Most people like bikes. Perhaps you ride a bike to school. Riding a bike can be great of fun.Do you know how to ride a bike safely? Careful boys and girls learn to ride their bikes well before they go out on the road.How can you tell whether you are a good _ If you can ride a bike in a straight line,you can ride well .If you can't ,you should practice riding a in a safe place. To be safe on a bike, you need to use both hands and both feet. Keep your feet on the pedals and your hands on the handle bars. You know that your bike is only for one person. It's not safe to carry anyone with you. Keep yourself safe when you ride on a bike.Watch where you are going all times. The best title for the passage is " _ ". A. How to have a basket on your bike B. Ride a bike to school C. Ride in a straight Line D. Don't carry anyone on your bike Answer: B Question: Dear Economist, My newly-wedded wife and I are deeply in love.There is, however, one issue that threatens the happiness of our marriage.I absolutely insist on shopping at Walmart.My wife, meanwhile, would rather avoid Walmart at all costs. I have recently tried to convince her that not only does Walmart offer the lowest prices known to man, but that the chain is also a force for good--lower prices mean better standards of living for all consumers, increased global trade means a tighter-knit international community, and efficient operations translate into higher productivity growth for the economy.My wife complains about poor labour policies, the "fact" that Walmart squeezes suppliers, and that it puts local shops out of business. Who is right? Will our marriage survive? Brian Gee Dear Brian, I have to agree with you about Walmart.Jason Furman, then an economist at New York University, now an adviser to President Obama, famously argued in 2005 that Walmart was unwittingly a progressive success story.The chain's prices don't much affect me (I prefer Whole Foods) but Furman estimated that they benefited low-and-middle-income Americans to the sum of around $250 billion a year. Walmart does not pay much, so it may depress wages.Then again, it may increase wages by offering jobs to the otherwise-unemployed.Either way, the benefits of low prices to Walmart shoppers far outweigh any seemingly reasonable costs to Walmart employees.And while it is true that Walmart employees tend to be poor, the same is true of Walmart shoppers. Armed with this information you can face your wife with confidence.You are sure to win the conversation.The divorce is likely to be more argued. Economist What concerns Brian Gee so much that he wrote the letter? A. His wife refuses to shop at Walmart. B. They are faced with a divorce. C. They can't afford the costs of shopping at Walmart. D. They are in conflict about shopping at Walmart. Answer: D Question: Freedom and Responsibility Freedom's challenge in the Digital Age is a serious topic. We are facing today a strange new world and we are all wondering what we are going to do with it. Some 2,500 years ago Greece discovered freedom. Before that there was no freedom. There were great civilizations, splendid empires, but no freedom anywhere. Egypt and Babylon were both _ , one very powerful man ruling over helpless masses. In Greece, in Athens , a little city in a little country, there were no helpless masses. And Athenians willingly obeyed the written laws which they themselves passed, and the unwritten, which must be obeyed if free men live together. They must show each other kindness and pity and the many qualities without which life would be very painful unless one chose to live alone in the desert.The Athenians never thought that a man was free if he could do what he wanted. A man was free if he was self-controlled. To make yourself obey what you approved was freedom. They were saved from looking at their lives as their own private affair. Each one felt responsible for the welfare of Athens, not because it was forced on him from the outside, but because the city was his pride and his safety. The essential belief of the first free government in the world was liberty for all men who could control themselves and would take responsibility for the state. But discovering freedom is not like discovering computers. It cannot be discovered once for all. If people do not prize it, and work for it, it will go. Constant watch is its price. Athens changed. It was a change that took place without being noticed though it was of the extreme importance, a spiritual change which affected the whole state. It had been the Athenian' s pride and joy to give to their city. That they could get material benefits from her never entered their minds. There had to be a complete change of attitude before they could look at the city as an employer who paid her citizens for doing her work. Now instead of men giving to the state, the state was to give to them. What the people wanted was a government which would provide a comfortable life for them; and with this as the primary object, ideas of freedom and self-reliance and responsibility were neglected to the point of disappearing. Athens was more and more looked on as a cooperative business possessed of great wealth in which all citizens had a right to share. Athens reached the point when the freedom she really wanted was freedom from responsibility. There could be only one result. If men insisted on being free from the burden of self-dependence and responsibility for the common good, they would cease to be free. Responsibility is the price every man must pay for freedom. It is to be had on no other terms. Athens, the Athens of Ancient Greece, refused responsibility; she reached the end of freedom and was never to have it again. But, "the excellent becomes the permanent", Aristotle said. Athens lost freedom forever, but freedom was not lost forever for the world. A great American, James Madison, referred to: "The capacity of mankind for self-government." No doubt he had not an idea that he was speaking Greek. Athens was not in the farthest background of his mind, but once man has a great and good idea, it is never completely lost. The Digital Age cannot destroy it. Somehow in this or that man's thought such an idea lives though unconsidered by the world of action. One can never be sure that it is not on the point of breaking out into action only sure that it will do so sometime. Why does the author refer to Aristotle and Madison? A. The author is hopeful about freedom. B. The author is cautious about self-government. C. The author is skeptical of Greek civilization. D. The author is proud of man's capacity. Answer: A
Question: The English language started about 1500 years ago in England.Three groups of people came to the country.They were the Angles,the Saxons,and the Jutes.These three groups brought their languages with them to England.After some time,the three languages became one new languageEnglish.The name "English" comes from the Angles.They lived in most of England."England" means "Angle Land" or "Country of the Angles". The language that we speak todayModern Englishis not the same as the English that people used 1500 years ago,including Old English(before 1150)and Middle English(up till 1500).That languageOld Englishsounds different,and it has some different rules of grammar. There were only a few thousand words in Old English.But Modern English does come from Old English,and it is still like it in many important ways. Which language did the name "English" come from? A. Modern English. B. The Angles. C. The Jutes. D. The Saxons. Answer: B. The Angles. Question: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to _ death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed. A-myo-trophic comes from the Greek language. "A" means no or negative. "Myo" refers to muscle, and "Trophic" means nourishment--"No muscle nourishment." When a muscle has no nourishment, it "atrophies" or wastes away. "Lateral" identifies the areas in a person's spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that signal and control the muscles are located. As this area degenerates it leads to scarring or hardening ("sclerosis") in the region. As motor neurons degenerate, they can no longer send impulses to the muscle fibers that normally result in muscle movement. Early symptoms of ALS often include increasing muscle weakness, especially involving the arms and legs, speech, swallowing or breathing. When muscles no longer receive the messages from the motor neurons that they require to function, the muscles begin to atrophy (become smaller). Limbs begin to look "thinner" as muscle tissue atrophies. What Types of Nerves Make Your Body Work Properly? The body has many kinds of nerves. There are those involved in the process of thinking, memory, and of detecting sensations (such as hot/cold, sharp/dull), and others for vision, hearing, and other bodily functions. The nerves that are affected when you have ALS are the motor neurons that provide voluntary movements and muscle power. Examples of voluntary movements are your making the effort to reach for the phone or step off a curb; these actions are controlled by the muscles in the arms and legs. The heart and the digestive system are also made of muscle but a different kind, and their movements are not under voluntary control. When your heart beats or a meal is digested, it all happens automatically. Therefore, the heart and digestive system are not involved in ALS. Breathing also may seem to be involuntary. Remember, though, while you cannot stop your heart, you can hold your breath-so be aware that ALS may eventually have an impact on breathing. Although the cause of ALS is not completely understood, the recent years have brought a wealth of new scientific understanding regarding the physiology of this disease. While there is not a cure or treatment today that halts or reverses ALS, there is one FDA approved drug, riluzole, that modestly slows the progression of ALS as well as several other drugs in clinical trials that hold promise. Importantly, there are significant devices and therapies that can manage the symptoms of ALS that help people maintain as much independence as possible and prolong survival. It is important to remember that ALS is a quite variable disease; no two people will have the same journey or experiences. There are medically documented cases of people in whom ALS 'burns out,' stops progressing or progresses at a very slow rate. The passage most probably comes from _ . A. Health Magazine B. News report C. Travel Guide D. English textbook Answer: A. Health Magazine Question: Going whitewater rafting in North Carolina (N.C.), you are cutting bonds to the every-day troubles and for a short time you are back in the natural world with your co-travelers. Rafting in N.C. has the added benefit of a long, warm rafting season, beautiful scenery, and amazing history. Only twenty minutes from Asheville, N.C., whitewater rafting on French Broad River in N.C. still has the flavor wilderness and adventure. Half Day Trip: This N.C. whitewater rafting trip begins at Barnard and finishes at Stackhouse. Typical time on the river is 1.5 to 2 hours. A couple of factors that affect the time on the river are the size of the trip and the level of the river. A small trip at high water will move faster downstream than a larger trip at lower levels. $44.00 per person. Half Day with Lunch: This rafting trip travels the same section of the French Broad River as above. The lunch is served riverside. The time frame for this trip is the same as the half day trip. Add about an hour for lunch and a more leisurely pace. $51.00 per person. Full Day Trip: This rafting starts at Barnard and finishes 8 miles downstream in Hot Springs. This is one of the best whitewater rafting trips in N.C. and gives you a chance to spend a big part of your day on the French Broad River. There is a stop for lunch, served riverside. Time on the river for the full day trip can range from 3-5 hours depending on the size of the trip and the river level. Please be aware that summer-time river levels may make it necessary to alter this trip and make it a half-day with lunch trip. Surely you will be refunded the price difference. $62.00 per person. Float Trip: Rafting in N.C. does not necessarily mean only whitewater rafting. Some of North Carolina's best rafting is just the classic, lazy float trip. This trip floats through a beautiful section of the French Broad River valley. There are plenty of places to swim. It's good for those who are too young or too old. $44.00 per person. Trip Times: Typical morning trip time is 9:00 and afternoon 2:00. There's usually an hour of getting ready and transportation before putting on the river, and an hour of transportation, changing clothes, photo show, etc after taking off the river. If a family of 3 reserves a full day trip and they have to change it to a half-day with lunch trip, how much will they get back? A. $33.00 B. $11.00 C. $54.00 D. Nothing. Answer: A. $33.00 Question: A ban on smoking in public places has come into force in China - home to a third of the world's smokers. The move is aimed at controlling the number of deaths from smoking-related diseases, running at a million a year. But the rules have been criticized, because they do not include punishments for those who choose to ignore them. Many business owners hate rules that force them to ban smoking on their premises because many customers do not like the rules and complain. The rules do not allow smoking in places like restaurants, hotels, railway stations or theatres, but not at the office. Employers have a duty to warn staff off the dangers of smoking but do not have to forbid them from lighting up at their desks. Shanghai introduced similar rules a year ago, but people do not seem to take much notice of them. Often you find people smoking at the next table while you are eating your meal or having a drink in a bar. The problem is that the rules do not include punishments for businesses or individuals who ignore them. It appears that many Chinese people _ the dangers of smoking. Research suggests that only one in four knows the harm cigarettes of second-hand smoke can cause. Officials say they have to try to persuade people not to smoke to reduce the numbers dying from smoking-related diseases. At the same time the government makes a lot of money from the sales of cigarettes by the state-owned firm that makes and sells all tobacco products throughout the country. If the government wants to ban smoking in public places, _ . A. only rely on educating people B. take more effective measures C. do punish those who ignore the rules D. let people know more about the dangers of smoking Answer: C. do punish those who ignore the rules Question: American nutrition expert Professor Barry Popkin says that the number of overweight people in the world is now bigger than the number of people who don't have enough to eat. A billion people worldwide now weigh too much and the number of obese people is now more than 300 million. "Obese" means at least 15 kilos heavier than you should be. However, there are also 800 million people in the world who don't have enough to eat. Professor Popkin says that the number of hungry people is falling slowly but the number of overweight people is rising fast. The main reasons for this are: * People are doing less hard physical work * More people worldwide now eat too much fatty food * Too many people are driving cars instead of walking * People spend too much time in front of a television The United States has the highest rate of obesity in the developed world and Japan has the lowest. Professor Benjamin Senauer is absolutely certain of the reasons for this. "Japanese people are fit. They use public transport and walk," he said. "The average American drives to work and drives to supermarket. When he gets home, he sits on a couch in front of the TV and eats junk food." In Britain and many other European countries, there are three times as many obese people as there were 20 years ago. About two thirds of British adults are overweight or obese. "The effects of this are clear," said London doctor Elena Power. "We have more illnesses related to weight and fewer fit people. China used to be one of the slimmest nations in the world. However, Professor Wu Yangfeng from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing recently estimated that 20 percent of the world's overweight people live in China. The Chinese government is especially worried about the increase in obesity among schoolchildren. "We have a serious problem," said Professor Wu. "It requires an improvement from everyone, or it will get worse. How many people weigh too much in the world now? A. A billion. B. 20 billion. C. 300 million. D. 800 million. Answer: A. A billion.
A ball rolling over carpet will go ______ than a ball rolling over concrete. slower Humans have been keeping animals as pets for tens of thousands of years, but Dr Jean-Loup Rault, an animal scientist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, believes new companions are coming: robot pets. "Technology is moving very fast," Rault told ABC News, "The Tamagotchi in the early 1990s was really the first robotic pet, and now Sony and other big companies have improved them a lot." This may not _ pet lovers. After all, who would choose a plastic toy over a lovely puppy? But Rault argues that the robotic kind has a lot going for it: "You don't have to feed it, you don't have to walk it, it won't make a mess in your house, and you can go on a holiday without feeling guilty." The technology also benefits those who are allergic to pets, short on space, or fearful of real animals. It's not clear whether robot pets can replace real ones. But studies do suggest that we can bond with these smart machines. People give their cars names and kids give their toy animals life stories. It's the same with robots. When Sony stopped its repair service for its robot dog Aibo in March 2014, owners in Japan held funerals. As an animal welfare researcher, Rault is concerned about how robotic pets could affect our attitudes towards live animals. "If we become used to a robotic companion that doesn't need food, water or exercises, perhaps it will change how humans care about other living beings," he said. So are dogs and cats a thing of the past, as Rault predicts? For those who grew up with living and breathing pets, the mechanical kind might not do. But for our next generation who are in constant touch with smart technology, a future in which lovely pets needn't have a heartbeat might not be a far-fetched dream. The passage mainly tells us _ . robot pets are coming The great Snipe is a little shore bird-not one that would be considered a great athlete. However, a recent study has shown that these slightly fat birds not only fly nonstop for long periods of time during their annual migration, but do so at record speeds. The brown migratory birds that are about the size of a pigeon spend their summers in Eastern Europe and winters in Central Africa, a distance of about 2,800 to 4,000 miles. In May 2009, a team of researchers led by Dr. Raymond Klaasen from Sweden's Lund University fitted ten Great Snipes with tiny geo-locating devices that allow scientists to figure out when and where the birds travel, and let them loose. The following year they found three of the birds and took back the devices. What they discovered was quite _ . All three birds had flown nonstop to Central Africa in August of 2009-one had flown 4,225 miles in just 3.5 days. The second one had covered a distance of 3,833 miles in three days, while the third had managed to fly 2,870 miles in a mere 48 hours or two days. Even more surprising was that these birds had traveled at speeds that averaged about 50 miles per hour-making it the fastest known migration ever. While many birds migrate longer distances, they do so over a period of a few months, resting and feeding in between. However, despite the fact the Great Snipe has plenty of opportunities, it does not stop. And they do the entire flight with their own power, with no assistance from the wind. The tiny bird is able to make this unbelievable direct flight because of all the fat it gradually gathers in its body, which it then uses as fuel. Native no North Eastern Europe, Great Snipes live in marshlands and wet meadows . But they are also on the list of endangered animals because of loss of habitat. What is the text mainly about? An unusual species of migratory bird Vitamin D helps bones and muscles grow strong and healthy. Low levels of vitamin D can lead to diseases such asrickets , mainly found in children. The thinning of bone is a common problem as people, especially women, get older. But more and more research is suggesting that vitamin D might also help prevent many diseases. The easiest way to get vitamin D is from sunlight. The sun'sultraviolet rays react with skin cells to produce vitamin D. But many people worry about getting skin cancer and skin damage from the sun. As a result they stay out of the sun. Also, darker-skinned people produce less vitamin D than lighter-skinned people. The amount also decreases in older people and those living in northern areas that get less sunlight. Not many foods naturally contain vitamin D. Foods high in this vitamin include oily fish andfish liveroils . Farmed fish have only about one-fourth as much vitamin D as wild fish. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese and egg yolks. But most of the vitamin D in the American diet comes from foods such as milk. Research in the last several years has shown that low levels of vitamin D may increase the risk of heart attacks in men and deaths from some cancers. More doctors are now having their patients tested for their vitamin D levels. But as research continues, some experts worry that if people take too much vitamin D, it might act as a poison. Also, skin doctors warn people to be careful with sun exposure because of the risk of skin cancer. People can get the most vitamin D from _ . wild fish What can technology do to make the world better? Three young people are starting new businesses to answer the question. Eighteen-year-old Mach was the youngest person in Poland to receive money from others to develop his company. He started FIVE, a mobile messaging app , for deaf people. The app lets deaf people create their own hand signs to communicate with friends. The app now has more than 10,000 deaf users. And Mach thinks there will be about 150,000 more deaf users next year. Mach says, "I love to create. I will stick to it to the end of my life." William Zhou was born in Beijing and grew up in Canada. He strongly wanted to make a change in education. So he created CHALK. It is a group of programs that supports individual teaching and learning. CHALK is now used in 20,000 schools by more than 100,000 users worldwide. Zhou says you have to find something you truly care about. Or you may just end up giving it up. George was born in Tanzania . He learned about renewable energy in Europe and began thinking about using solar energy in Africa. Tanzania is a place with bright sunshine, but more than 90 percent of people have no electricity to use. After graduation, George returned to Tanzania and started his own company, SunSweet Solar. It has found early success in rural areas. George hopes to create jobs and help build his country. He understands the process will take time. "But I think we are on the right way." What do the three young people have in common? They are creative.

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