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A ball is tossed to a person who misses it and is unable to catch it so A. it groans B. it falls C. it runs D. it floats Answer: B. it falls Mr and Mrs Brown come from Sydney . They have two children, Jim and Kate. They are all in Sanya now. Mr Brown likes swimming and reading, too. They often go swimming in the afternoon. Jim and Kate like playing games. They often play games with Chinese boys and girls. Jim's uncle works in a restaurant near Sydney. He likes swimming, too. He wants to work in Sanya and to be a swimmer. But he can't speak Chinese. So he is still there and goes to Chinese classes every week. Jim's uncle likes _ . A. reading B. playing games C. his work D. swimming Answer: D. swimming I'm flying high today after hearing the news that Bamboo People is a top ten book on the Best Fiction for Young Adults 2011 list from the American Library Association. Here are the top ten titles with annotations by YALSA librarians: Bacigalupi, Paolo. Ship Breaker. Little, Brown, and Co. Nailer is a light crew cleaner tearing up old hulks of ships, living day to day, until a rich girl and her gleaming ship run ashore in a storm on the beach and his life gets more dangerous. Donnelley, Jennifer. Revolution. Random House Children's Books/Delacorte. Haunted by the death of her brother, Andi is taken to Paris by her separated father where an encounter with a mysterious diary may bring her back from the edge. Marchetta, Melina. Finnikin of the Rock. Candlewick. Finnikin and his fellow exiles from Lumatere wish to return to their cursed homeland. Finnikin must go on an epic journey with a dumb beginner named Evanjalin to return home. Matson, Morgan. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour. Simon & Schuster. Amy and Roger must both learn to deal with loss while on a road trip across the country which doesn't go as expected. McBride, Lish. Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. Macmillan Children's Book Group/Henry Holt. When Sam discovers he is a necromancer he must learn to control his power in order to defeat a powerful and corrupt opponent and save his friends. Mulligan, Andy. Trash. David Fickling Books. Three garbage-picker boys find an item of great value to a corrupt politician on their rounds, setting off a tense hunt to see who will win. Perkins, Mitali. Bamboo People. Chiko, a Burmese soldier and Tu Reh, a Kerenni refugee meet on opposite sides of war and each must learn what it means to be a man of his people. Reinhardt, Dana. The Things a Brother Knows. Random House Children's Books/Wendy Lamb. Boaz is back and cheered as the hometown hero, but he is not at all the same. Can his younger brother Levi help him truly make his way home? Saenz, Benjamin. Last Night I Sang to the Monster. Cinco Puntos Press, 2009. Weeks in therapy go by and 18-year-old Zach is still unable to remember the monstrous events that left him alone and haunted by nightmares. Sedgwick, Marcus. Revolver. Roaring Brook Press. Sig is alone with his father's body when the lawless man his father had managed to escape appears out of the icy wilderness Which two books are published by the same publisher? A. Ship Breaker and Finnikin of the Rock B. Revolution and Hold Me Closer, Necromancer C. The Things a Brother Knows and Last Night I Sang to the Monster D. Revolution and The Things a Brother Knows Answer: D. Revolution and The Things a Brother Knows Photosynthesis is the process that converts carbon dioxide and water into A. carbon and oxygen. B. sugar and hydrogen. C. sugar and oxygen. D. nitrogen and carbon. Answer: C. sugar and oxygen. Ben: Leo, you work too hard. Let's go and sit in the park. Leo: I can't do _ . I have to study for my English test next week. Ben: But, Leo... You already know that you're going to Tsinghua University! Well, what are you going to major in? Leo: English and management. How about you? Which school are you going to next year, Ben? Ben: Oh, I'm going to work for my dad for a year. Then I'll go to college after _ Leo: What do you want to study? Ben: I'm not sure yet. I'd like to study Chinese. So, do you want to be an English teacher or work for a big company after 4 years in Tsinghua University? Leo: In fact, I hope to go on to study computer science in Beijing University. Ben: Wow. We are quite different! You know, I just want to find an easy job. I guess you will be a computer programmer. Leo: Uh-huh. I'd like to. Ben: Well, I hope to work as a teacher and have a nice family in the future. Leo: Really? I want to make a lot of money. . Who may become an English teacher after 4 years? A. I don't know. B. Leo. C. Ben D. Both of them Answer: B. Leo.
Cassandra Feeley finds it hard to manage on her husband' s income. So this year she did something more than a hobby: She planted vegetables in her yard. For her fist garden, Ms Feeley has put in 15 tomato plants, and five rows of a variety of vegetables. The family' s old farm house has become a chicke n house, its residents arriving next month. Last year, Ms. Rita Gartin kept a small garden. This year she has made it much larger because, she said,"The cost of everything is going up and I was looking to lose a few pounds too; so it' s a win-win situation all around." They are among the growing number of Americans who, driven by higher living costs and a falling economy , have taken up vegetable gardening for the first time. Others have increased the size of their existing gardens. Seed companies and garden shops say that not since the 1970s has there been such an increase in interest in growing food at home. Now many gardens across the country have been sold out for several months. In Austin, Tex, some of the gardens have a three-year waiting list. George C. Ball Jr, owner of a company, said sales of vegetable seeds and plants are up by 40%, over last year, double the averag e growth of last five years. Mr. Ball argues that some of the reasons have been building for the last few years. The big one is striking rise in the cost of food like bread and milk, together with the increases in the price of fruit and vegetables. Food prices have increase of higher oil price. People are driving less, taking fewer vacations, so there more time to garden. Why is vegetable gardening becoming increasingly popular? Answer: Most visitors come to the UK expecting the rain and weather for which the country is famous. However, when summer finally arrives, British people like nothing more than heading for the coast. Here are some of more famous places of interest that you could expect to visit on a trip to Britain. Black pool, in the northwest of England, is the most visited place in the UK. Each year around 6.5 to 7 million people come to enjoy the miles of sandy beaches, the 158m Black pool Tower and the 11km-long Golden Mile, where there are entertainments, pubs, ice rinks and even a zoo. On the south coast of the country you can find Brighton. Until 1786, Brighton was a sleepy village. Then the future king, George IV, decided to build a house there, and now it has become a large, international centre. Apart from the beaches, Brighton is famous for its pier . There are theatres, entertainments and restaurants there. Brighton is also fantastic for shopping. If you want to travel a little further, why not go to Corn-wall in the far southwest of the UK? South Cornwall offers miles of sandy beaches and beautiful scenery. The climate there is warmer than the rest of Britain, and you can even find palm trees. For a bit more excitement, go to North Cornwall. The scenery there is nicer, and the beaches are famous for their powerful waves. As a result, North Cornwall has become the home of British surfing. One word of warning though, if you are using the roads in the UK during holidays, you can expect long traffic jams on the motorways. It might be better to take the train. We may find this passage in a _ . Answer: Mr Smith teaches English in a university . He is often very busy with work. When it's summer or winter holidays, he goes out to take vacations to relax. Usually he goes to France because he thinks it's an interesting country. And he can speak French very well. But last month he said to his wife , "I'm not visiting France this time. I want to go to a different country. I _ Japan. But I can hardly speak Japanese, so I'm going to study it for a month before I go." He studied pretty hard for a month, and then his vacation started. Ten days later, he came back. His wife asked him, "How about your short vacation in Japan? Did you have any trouble with your Japanese there?" "No, I didn't," answered Mr Smith. "But the Japanese did!" Mr Smith stayed in Japan for _ . Answer: We are often asked to make a speech in life. Most of us are afraid of it and don't do a good job. Here are some simple steps to make your speech a successful one. First of all, find out everything you can about your subject and at the same time find out as much as you can about your audience. Who are they? What do they know about your subject? Put yourself in their shoes as you prepare your speech. Then try to arrange your material so that your speech is clear and easy to follow. Use as many examples as possible. Never forget your audience. Don't talk over their heads or talk down to them. When you are giving your speech, speak slowly and clearly, look at your audience and for a few seconds from time to time to give your audience chances to think over what you've said. Just remember: be prepared, know your subject and your audience, say what you have to say and be yourself so that your ideas will bring you and your audience together. During the course of a speech, it is not right for a speaker to _ . Answer: Internet reports of whales sounding like people are not new. But in this case in San Diego, California, scientists for the first time recorded the utterances, did an acoustic analysis and were surprised to find a rhythm similar to that of human speech, Sam Ridgway of the National Marine Mammal Foundation reported on Monday. The sounds marking is quite special : Whales make sounds through the system of the nose, unlike people, who use their throat. So this particular with whale had to make some tricky muscular and blowhole adjustments. "Such obvious effort suggests motivation for relatin", said Ridway, the main author of a study featured in the journal Current Biology. "The sounds we heard were clearly an example of vocal learning by the white whale." The wale, named Noc, died five years ago. Ridgway says that back in 1984, he and others started hearing sounds near the whale and dolphin enclosure that recalled two people speaking in the distance, too far away to be understood. The sounds were later traced to one particular white whale when a diver in its tank came to the surface because he thought he heard colleagues tell him to do so. Noc had lived among dolphins and other white whales and had often been in the presence of humans. The whale made human-like sounds for around four years until it reached the age of sexual maturity, Ridgway said. What would be the best title for the text? Answer:
It's 10:30 p.m. and 11-year-old Brandon Blanco is sound asleep at home. Suddenly, a loud noise wakes him up. Naturally, Brandon reaches for his cell phone. He blinks twice, and the message on the screen becomes clear: " R U awake?" But the late-night text does not annoy Brandon. He gets frequent messages and calls, even after bedtime. And he can't imagine life without them. " If I didn't have a cell phone, I wouldn't be able to talk to my friends or family as often," he told TFK. Brandon's use of technology doesn't stop there. He also has a computer, a TV and three video-game consoles in his room. With so many choices, it is no surprise that when he is not at school, he spends nearly every waking minute using one or more of these devices. Brandon is hardly alone. According to a recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids aged 8 to 18 are spending more time than ever before using electronic devices. How much time? More than seven and a half hours a day on average, the study found. That's about an hour more than just five years ago. The jump is the result of a huge explosion in mobile devices, says Victoria Rideout, the lead author of the study. Today, nearly seven out of ten kids have cell phones. Just five years ago, it was four out of ten. " These devices have opened up many more opportunities for young people to use media, whether it's on the bus, on the way to school or waiting in line at the pizza parlor," says Rideout. Often, kids multitask, or use more than one device at a time. " If you've got a chance to do something on your computer and take a phone call and have the TV on in the background, why not?" Media expert Cheryl Olson says. Most experts agree technology has much to offer kids. But some worry the kids could be missing out on other activities like playing outside or hanging out with friends. " It's a matter of balance," says Olson. " You've got to work on it." Multitasking while doing homework is another concern. Some kids listen to music, watch TV or use the phone while doing their homework. "It's important to make sure that you can stop and concentrate on one thing deeply," says Rideout. Logan Jones, 11, of Maumelle, Arkansas, describes himself as a "game freak". Still, he is glad not to have unlimited time with his PlayStation 2. "I'll tell my mom I'm going to play a game, and she'll say, 'Okay, but only for 30 minutes,'", Logan told TFK. With new and exciting devices hitting stores every year, keeping technology use in check is more important than ever. " Kids should try," adds Rideout. ":But parents might have to step in sometimes." The text is mainly about kids' _ using electronic devices At my school, we have a lot of interesting activities after class. Among these activities, I like the English Party best. Every September, we have an evening party. It starts at 8:00 pm. The students do different things at the evening party. Some sing English songs with our foreign friends. Some girls dance. Some other people play the piano, the violin and the drums when they are singing or dancing. Also, we play some interesting games together. Everyone is happy and has a good time at the party. Usually, the party lasts three hours, but we feel the time is too short. Happy hours always pass so quickly. : When do we usually have the English evening party? In September Yao Ming, the center of the Chinese National Men's Basketball Team, served the Huston Rockets in NBA.The 2.26 m, 120 kg center becomes the first one to come from a foreign team. Yao Ming was born in Shanghai in September, 1980.His mother was a center and captain of the Chinese National Women's Team.His father played basketball, too. Yao Ming is widely known in China.He came to be a very important basketball player in China Basketball Association .It's short for CBA.During the 2000~2001 season, he did very well.He got 27.1 scores for the Shanghai Oriental Sharks in every match. Yao Ming joined the Houston Rockets in November, 2002.He said this was a new start in his basketball life.He would do his best to learn from the NBA and improve himself. Sport analyst Bill Walton said, "Yao Ming has the potential , the capability of changing the future of basketball." The Houston Rockets is the name of a _ team. basketball Breathe, wave and smile. Along with more than 300 other seniors, I marched into the stadium on the afternoon of May 10. The audience burst into deafening cheers. The huge stadium shook with all the whistling and clapping. It was as if a Hollywood superstar had walked on stage. And indeed, every single senior that day was a star of the moment. Each deserved it. The seniors had been preparing for four years for this once-in-a-lifetime moment--the commencement . Seated, I waited anxiously for the opening address. As a foreign exchange student, I was not able to receive a diploma. However, I still had the wonderful feeling of being part of things. Like the other graduates, I was dressed in marron cap and gown . Our principal, Mr. Glover, delivered a short, warm greeting. The US national anthem followed and then, hands on chests, a solemn Pledge of Allegiance . Students who had excelled academically gave farewell speeches. The tears in some eyes convinced me that many had deep feelings about the occasion. It was as the class motto says, "Life brings us tears, smiles and memories. The tears dry; the smiles fade; but the memories last forever." Then came the core of the commencement. Hundreds of names were announced. Each graduate walked across the stage to receive his or her diploma from the principal. From the different cheers each graduate got, we had the funny sense that it was a kind of competition of who could cheer the loudest. To be honest, the presentation of diplomas got boring. A girl sitting next to me even started yawning. But it wasn't boring for those receiving the diploma: they would treasure the moment the principal placed the sacred brown document in their hands for the rest of their lives. A new page in the book of that person's life had turned. They were glimpsing their futures: futures of challenge, hardship, perhaps loneliness too, which would take all of their courage. From the text, we can conclude that _ . the commencement symbolizes the beginning of a new stage in life Britain's private schools are one of its most successful exports.The children of the well-off flock to them,whether from China,Nigeria or Russia :the number of foreign pupils rose by 1.4%in the last year alone. Yet foreign students,whether educated in British private schools or elsewhere,are decreasingly likely to go to English universities.According to the Higher Education Funding Council for England,307,200 overseas students began their studies in the country in 2012-13,down from 312,000 two years earlier and the first drop in 29 years.Student numbers from the rest of the European Union(EU)fell--probably a result of the increase in annual tuition fees in England from PS6,000($10,000)a year to PS9,000.But arrivals from India and Pakistan declined most sharply. In contrast to the visa system for private schools,which is extremely loose(the Home Office counts private schools as favoured sponsors),student visas have been tightened.Foreign students used to be allowed to work for up to two years after graduating.They now have only four months to find a job paying up to PS20,600 if they want to stay in Britain. This change was intended to deal with fake colleges offering two-year work visas.But it seems to have put off serious students too.Nick Hillman of the Higher Education Policy Institute says the government has sent unclear messages about the sort of immigration it wants to restrict.Australia and America,which have more relaxed entry criteria for students,are becoming more favoured destinations. Britain's student-visa system bas become more onerous overall.As a result,Britain is losing out to other countries in the contest for talent.Its unwelcoming attitude will harm its long-term development.And the drift of foreign students from leading British private schools to American colleges may have another, somewhat happier,consequence:America might become rather better at cricket . Why is it easy to get the visa from private schools in Britain? Because private schools turn in more money to the Home Office.[]
Fifty-five years ago Barbie Millicent Roberts first came out in the world of toys. Since then, Barbie doll, as everyone called her, has become the most famous toy doll in history. Her parent, the Mattel Company, said that 90% of all American girls between 3 and 10 have at least one Barbie at home. However, Barbie is facing some trouble at present, There are many similar dolls on the market in competition with her. Another doll named Bratz, for example, came to life fifteen years ago. She looks more like today's pop stars with heavy makeup and miniskirts. It seems that Barbie has lost her magic among older girls. "For young girls, playing with a Barbie is much fun. But when you get older, you want something smarter and more modern," Says Vera Shepherd, a shopkeeper in a New York toy shop. It is good news that on the international market Barbie is still No. 1. Although Mattel is selling fewer Barbies in the United States these years, sales in other countries are still going up. In January 2009, Mattel opened its first Barbie store in Shanghai, where girls can shop, eat, drink or even become _ for their own Barbies. Mattel is planning big celebrations for Barbie's 55th birthday. Fashion designers from all over the world will make new dresses for Barbie. How long will Barbie stay popular in the world of toy dolls? It is hard to say, but 55 is surely not the age to retire . Barbie's trouble is that _ . Recently, an Internet game has become a new fashion among young office workers and students. People can "farm" on a piece of "land" and "grow", "sell" or even "steal vegetables", "flowers" and "fruits" on the Net. They can earn some e-money and buy more "seeds", "pets" and even "houses". Joyce interviewed some young people. Here are their opinions: Harold: I don't quite understand why they are so mad about the childish game. Maybe they are just not confident enough to face the real world. Allan: I enjoy putting some "bugs" in my friends' gardens and we've become closer because of the game. Having fun together is the most exciting thing about it. Laura: You know, people in the city are longing for the life in the countryside. It reduces my work pressure . Besides, it gives me the exciting experience of being a "thief". Ivy: Well, it's just a waste of time. Teenagers playing the game spend so many hours on it that they can not focus on their study. Among the people Joyce interviewed, _ likes the game while _ dislikes the game. Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and one of the largest free-standing mountains in the world, and some say, the most beautiful place on the earth! The mountain towers 15,000 feet above the plains. Mount Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania and it covers an area of 60 miles long and 40 miles wide. Kilimanjaro is an extinct volcano , with 3 peaks. Kibo is the highest one in the center. Because of Kilimanjaro's great height, the mountain influences its own weather. Winds incoming from the Indian Ocean are stopped upward by the mountain and drop their moisture as rain and snow. People have planted coffee, corn, and other crops on the lower slopes . Mount Kilimanjaro now attracts many thousands of walkers each year. Because of a temperature rise in recent years, the beautiful snow cap of Kilimanjaro is retreating fast. A research said that the white snow on the mountain might be gone in 15 years. What a pity! People should _ to stop the mountain's snow cap from melting. what is sonar used for The most daylight is two months after
Question: Paul was dealing with _ . The new girl Linda in class really liked him a lot. Paul was not happy about it. Paul's good friend, Sam, tried to comfort him. "What's the big deal? I think Linda is kind of cute and nice enough." Paul glared at Sam. "Then why don't you ask her to be your girlfriend? There she is, sitting all by herself at the other end of the cafeteria. Go there and ask her to be your honey!" "She's crazy about you, not me," Sam replied. "Well, I don't want any girlfriend, especially not a girl like her! "Paul growled. Sam wouldn't give up. "The only thing pesky about her is that she keeps writing you those notes ." "I don't like notes at all!" Paul interrupted. He took another sip of milk. "Did you notice those strange brown eyes? Why aren't they normal red or pink?" Sam took another look at Linda. "I think her face is a lovely shade of green. And her dark green curly hair is quite pretty. Besides, she's very gentle and that's what really matters." Paul stuck out his tongue. "I think I'm going to be sick! I'd better save my dessert for later." He crammed a small bag of Maggot Munchies into his even smaller shirt pocket. "The fact is, I have a problem. That girl is getting on my nerves! " Sam followed Paul's example and decided to save his dessert for later. However, he carefully placed the bag into his lunch box. "Do you have any ideas about how to solve your problem?" Tremor asked. "I'm going to be mean and rude to her," Paul announced. "I'll call her names and make ugly faces at her." "That's how you treat everyone," Sam reminded his friend. Paul nodded. "It's time that Linda got to know the real Paul !" Sam appreciate Linda in the following aspects EXCEPT _ A. her eyes B. her hair C. her face D. her character Answer: A. her eyes Question: 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. According to the writer, what caused the stranding of dolphins? A. Human interference. B. Sonar exercises of ships. C. Some disease of marine mammals. D. The cause is unknown. Answer: D. The cause is unknown. Question: People who are learning a foreign language should not feel embarrassed because they sometimes use the wrong word. From time to time we all have difficulty even with our own language. If people think that these mistakes are funny, they may laugh; but they do not mean to be rude. The important thing is that they admire people who try to speak their language. Every public speaker knows that mistakes can happen. Even radio announcers will sometimes use the wrong word or call somebody by the wrong name. This happens so often, in fact, that a man in New York is able to make a living by listening to the radio and recording all the mistakes that he hears. Kermit Shafter calls these mistakes "bloopers". In his home, Mr. Shafter has many radios turned to different stations to record every mistake that is made. He puts the funniest ones on records and in books, which have become very popular wherever English is spoken. If Mr. Shafer took his tape recorder into a school where students are learning to speak English, he would very soon have enough bloopers for another book. Mistakes can be fun if we are not easily embarrassed. They also remind us to say something correctly the next time. Which of the following do you think the writer might agree with? A. Native English speakers do not like English learners making mistakes. B. Mistakes are of no help for foreign language learning. C. English learners should be careful not to make any mistakes. D. It is usual that public speakers, even radio announcers, make mistakes. Answer: D. It is usual that public speakers, even radio announcers, make mistakes. Question: Jan was a window cleaner. One morning, Jan was in a lift of a high building with his window cleaning tools when the building was on fire. There were five other passengers in the lift. All of a sudden the lift stopped. Although they didn't know what had happened outside, they had only 100 minutes to get out of the building before it would fall into the dust. Soon smoke began coming into the lift. The men knew that something was wrong. They tried to open the door but found a wall in front of them. The wall had the number 15 on it and they knew they were on the 15th floor. But their lift usually didn't stop there, so there was no opening for them to escape. Jan decided they would have to make their own. Knowing that the wall was made of a material that could be cut through, Jan took out his window cleaning tools, and began knocking a hole through the wall. When he felt tired, others helped. Starting with one small hole, they cut through the three-inch-thick wall. Then they kicked hard at the wall. The wall cracked apart. They saw before them a tile wall! Refusing to give up, they knocked a hole through the tile, then made the opening big enough to get through. Surprisingly, the fire-fighters were outside the hole, they took Jan and his partners to the nearest stairs and they ran down the stairs as quickly as possible. By 10:23, Jan and the others ran out of the building. Five minutes later, the building burned down. From this passage, which do you think is the most important way while in danger? A. Staying calm. B. Running downstairs C. Crying for help. D. Doing nothing. Answer: A. Staying calm. Question: "You're going to the United States to live? How wonderful! You're really lucky!" Does this sound familiar? Perhaps your family and friends said similar things to you when you left home. But does it seem true all the time? Is your life in this new country always wonderful and exciting? A great many facts show that it's not easy for newcomers to adjust to life in a new culture. They have to experience culture shock. What causes culture shock? Maybe the weather is unpleasant. Perhaps the customs are different. Perhaps the public service systems such as the telephone, post office, or transportation are difficult to figure out and you make mistakes. The simplest things seem difficult. The language may be difficult. The food may seem strange to you. If you don't look similar to the natives, you may feel strange. You may feel as if everyone is watching you. In fact, you are always watching yourself. Everyone experiences culture shock in some form or another. But culture shock comes as a surprise to most people. A lot of the time, the people with the worst culture shock are the people who never had any difficulties in their own countries. They were active and successful in their community. They had hobbies or pastimes which they enjoyed. When they come to a new country, they do not have the same positions or hobbies as they already had in their countries. They find themselves without a role, almost without an identity. They have to build a new self-image. Culture shock produces a feeling of disorientation , which may be homesickness, imagined illness, or even paranoia . When people feel the disorientation of culture shock, they sometimes feel like staying inside all the time. They want to protect themselves from the unfamiliar environment. They want to create an escape within their room to give themselves a sense of security. This escape does solve the problem of culture shock for the short term, but it does nothing to familiarize the person more with the culture. Familiarity and experience are the long-term ways to settle the problem of culture shock. The best way for the newcomers to overcome culture shock is _ . A. to stay inside to protect themselves B. to adapt themselves to the new environment C. to make a study of the new hobbies D. to ask people for help when having difficulties Answer: B. to adapt themselves to the new environment
The Periodic Table of the Elements is arranged so that elements with similar characteristics are in the same column. Which element is a highly reactive metal? A chlorine (Cl) B helium (He) C magnesium (Mg) D silver (Ag) Answer: C We are all busy talking about and using the Internet, but how many of us know the history of the Internet ? Many people are surprised when they find that the Internet was set up in the 1960s. At that time, computers were large and expensive. Computer networks didn't work well . If one computer in the network broke down, then the whole network stopped. So a new network system had to be set up. It should be good enough to be used by many different computers. If part of the network was not working, information could be sent through another part. In this way computer network system would keep on working all the time. At first the Internet was only used by the government, but in 1970s, universities, hospitals and banks were allowed to use it, too. However, computers were still very expensive and the Internet was difficult to use. By the start of the 1990s, computers became cheaper and easier to use. Scientists had also developed software that made " surfing " the Internet more convenient. Today it is easy to get on-line and it is said that millions of people use the Internet every day. Sending e-mail is more and more popular among students. The Internet has now become one of the most important parts of peoples' life. Which of the following is true ? A In the 1960s , computer networks worked well . B In the early 1970s , the Internet was easy to use . C Today it's still not easy to get on-line . D Sending e-mail is now more popular among students than before . Answer: D Tricks and Treats Pre-school Program Place: Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Community Center Time: For registration by Oct. 9, 9:30-10:30 am or 1:30-2:30 pm Cost: $5 Children aged 3-6 can show off their Halloween costumes, play games, sing silly songs, and make Halloween crafts . An adult companion must attend. Halloween Haunt Place: Kings Island, 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason Time: Friday Sept. 26th , Saturday Nov. 1st , 7 pm-1 am Cost: $25.99 Saturdays, $19.99 Fridays Thirteen frightening attractions and rides, including Urgent Scare, the new 3,666 square-foot maze and ghost in the wild. Not suitable for children. BooDay Carnival Place: Cincinnati Museum Center, 1301 Western Ave Time: Oct. 24th , 11 am to 5 pm Cost: Free. Games are 25 cents a piece. The Museum Center will change its Changing Exhibits Hall into a Halloween-themed party featuring(...) a variety of games and other contests. Visitors are encouraged to attend in costume and sign up for a costume contest (held at 2 and 4 pm in the Rotunda). Lobenstein Farm Place: 29703 Post Road, St. Leon, Ind. Time: Oct. 2-3, 9-10, 16-17, 10 am to 7 pm daily Cost: Free. Home to one of the region's largest pumpkin festivals (30,000 every year during the first three weekends in October), the farm allows visitors to pick their own pumpkins in the main field, enjoy hayrides and visit craft shops and a zoo for pets. The passage is mainly about _ . A activities for Halloween B activities during Christmas C Halloween costumes D Halloween pumpkins Answer: A Mrs Hunt comes back from work. She tells Mr Hunt about a nice dress. "I see it in the shop every day", she says , "and ..." "And you want to buy it ?" says Mr hunt . "How much is it ?" "Two hundred and sixty yuan." "Two hundred and sixty yuan for a dress ?That's too much !" But every evening when she comes back , Mrs Hunt speaks only about the dress, so at last he says , "Oh ,buy the dress ! here's the money !" She is every happy . But the next evening, when Mr Hunt wants to have a look at the nice dress, Mrs Hunt says ,"I don't want to buy it .""Why not ?" he asks. "Well, it is still in the window of the shop after a week. So I think no one wants this dress . And I don't want it ,either." Mrs Hunt tells Mr Hunt about the dress and she wants him to _ A have a look B buy it for her C make one like that D borrow it from the shop Answer: B Have you ever thought of taking fishing as a hobby? If not, it's time to think about it. Fishing is relaxing and it makes you go out to enjoy the beautiful nature. There are many wonderful websites about fishing. For example, www. Bigfish.com has a lot of forums. There you can share your knowledge about fishing and get helpful advice from other fishermen. Http://fishingforbeginners.com is also a good website. It teaches how to fish. I think there are many advantages of going fishing on the bank of a river under some green trees. You can forget the sad things when you are fishing. If you don't try fishing, you will never know what you are missing. Imagine standing on the bank of a river and catching a lot of fish. Allow the fish to bite the hook before pulling it up. When you catch the fish, you will feel quite happy and excited. You will never have this feeling until you give fishing a try. Now that your interest is motivated, you may be thinking that you don't have a clue about how to fish. If that's the case, these tips will help. If you'd like to learn how to fish, there are a few things you can do. Research the place of fishing. Read a book about fishing. Research online. There are hundreds of websites that give instructions on fishing. According to the passage, if you want to learn fishing, you should _ . A often go to chat with others online B try to fish to get some experience on our own C learn some knowledge about fishing before fishing D often take a walk along the bank of a river after supper Answer: C
Question: April 27 is Take Our Daughters to Work Day in Britain. Started at first in the United States and brought to Britain in 1994, Take Our Daughters to Work Day has become a special day for girls between 11 and 15. On that day thousands of girls take a day off school and go together with one of their parents to their work places. The purpose of this day is to broaden girls' horizons and raise their self-confidence. For many years people have thought that boys can do better than girls in society. But actually, "girls can be whatever they want to be just like boys, whether it is a pilot, a nurse or a chief executive ."says the chairman of the Our Sons and Daughters Charitable Trust, an organization which supported the activity of the Day. "Now the girls have a close look at what their parents are doing and this may help them to be more self-confident when they are faced with a choice of work." Schools and many companies support the activity too. Palmers Green High School for girls in north of London, has made the day a necessary part of careers education. Zarina Bart, 15, from Palmers Green, went with her mother Gwen to her Lawyer's office this year's Take Our Daughters to Work Day. "I learned how to fill in a legal aid form and I read details of a case. Then I went to see the actual trial." she said. Zarina found it interesting to see her mother at work. "It's really strange seeing Mum at work--running around, getting serious and telling people what to do." She has always liked this idea of going into law and thinks it likely that she will follow in her mother's footsteps. Having a chance to see how her mother works has given her more self-confidence. Experts believe that girls with higher self-confidence aim higher and are more likely to be successful in life. Parents have important effect on the confidence of teenage girls. If parents believe in their daughters and show examples both at work as well as at home for them, this will give a lot of help to girls. Take Our Daughters to Work Day is surely a step in the right direction. According to the chairman of the Our Sons and Daughters Charitable Trust, _ . A. girls can do as well as boys in any field. B. girls need more opportunities in society compared to boys. C. girls will follow their parents' jobs after watching them work. D. girls will be more confident than boys due to the special day. Answer: A. girls can do as well as boys in any field. Question: There is a story about a man who lost his legs and left arm in an accident. After the accident, only a finger and thumb on his right hand remained. He was a brilliant, creative, and educated man. He had gained a lot of experience while traveling around the world, so he became very depressed after his accident. He was afraid that he would spend the rest of his life suffering and would no longer be able to spend his life in a meaningful way. Then, he realized that he still had partial function of his right hand and could still write even though it was very difficult. An idea occurred to him. "Why not write to other people who need encouragement?" He wrote to the prison ministry about sending letters to the prisoners. The prison minister replied, "Writing to the prisoners is acceptable, but your letters will not be answered." Filled with excitement, the man knew he could write his letters. He began sending one-way messages of God's love, hope, strength, and encouragement. He wrote twice a week, testing his strength and ability to the limit. He poured his heart and soul into his words and shared his experience, sense of humor, optimism, and faith. It was difficult to write those letters, especially without hope of a reply. One day he received a letter from the prison ministry. It was a short note from the officer who monitored and checked the prison mail. The letter said, "Please write on the best paper you can afford. Your letters are passed from cell to cell until they literally fall to pieces!" No matter what circumstances life may present, we all have unique experiences, abilities, and God-given talents. We can discover ways to reach others who desperately need messages of encouragement and strength. In order to live in a meaningful way, the man began to _ . A. receive the school education B. write to other people who needs encouragement C. meet the people who are depressed D. help other people lost arms and legs Answer: B. write to other people who needs encouragement Question: Today there are policemen everywhere, but in 1700, London had no policemen at all. A few old men used to protect the city streets at night and they were not paid. About 300 years ago, London was starting to get bigger and more and more people began to live there. The city was very dirty and many people were poor. There were so many thieves who stole money in the streets that people stayed in their homes as much as possible. In 1750,Henry Fielding started to pay a group of people to stop thieves. They were like policemen and were called "Bow Street Runners" because they worked near Bow Street. Fifty years later, there were 120 "Bow Street Runners", but London had become very big and needed more policemen. So in 1829 , the first Metropolitan(or London)Police Force was started with 3,000 officers. Most of the men worked on foot, but a few rode horses. Until 1920 all the police in London were men. Today, London police are quite well paid and for the few police officers who still ride horses, the pay is even better than for the others. The "Bow Street Runners" _ . A. stopped people stealing B. stole money C. paid people to steal D. stopped people riding horses Answer: A. stopped people stealing Question: There are many people who say Thomas Edison invented the twentieth century. Although there are those who may disagree, yet Edison was one of the greatest inventors in America. Born in 1847 in Ohio, Thomas Edison attended school for only three months. After his teacher said that he could not learn, Edison's mother decided to teach him at home. There he was allowed to study the subjects that most interested him. By age ten, Edison had built a science laboratory of his own. Edison got his first job at age twelve on the railway selling candy and newspapers. There he once saved a boy whose father was the boss of the railway station. In return the boss helped him a lot. In his late twenties, Edison built an "invention factory" where he and his business partners could devote all their time to inventing. After improving upon the telephone, Edison created the phonograph . Although Edison did not actually invent the light bulb, he did create an electric lighting system which led to its widespread use. Edison set up the first central electric power station in 1882, so New York became the first city in the world to have electric lights. This was the beginning of the modern world in which electricity became a way of life. The following year, one of Edison's engineers discovered electrons , which at last led to electronics. Without electronics, we might not have radio, TV, computers, or space travel. The rest of Edison's life was spent making and improving inventions. Thomas Edison died at the age of eighty-four in 1931. Three days later, much of America dimmed its lights in honor of the inventor--a man who had more impact on the development of present-day civilization than anyone else in history. The best title for this passage is _ . A. Edison, a Poor Man B. Edison, a Great Inventor C. Edison Died at 84 D. Edison and His Childhood Answer: B. Edison, a Great Inventor Question: Why are you study habits different from those of your friends? Why do you seem to learn faster in some classes while more slowly in others? One reason you may not know is that people have different types. Scientists say there are three different learning types: Visual ,Auditory ,and Kinesthetic . Visual learners learn best by seeing. If you seem to easily remember information from pictures, graphs ,and videos, you are probably a visual learner. You're not good at copying down what the teacher says in class. Never mind. You can draw graphs or pictures instead, if you find that works better for you. Auditory learners learn best by hearing. If you seem to easily remember things by hearing them, then you are probably an auditory learner. You must listen carefully while the teacher is speaking because it's the easiest way for you to learn . Sometimes you may find that taking notes tops you from listening carefully. After class, you can write down what you remember or borrow your friend's notes to copy. Kinesthetic learners learn best by doing. If you seem to learn best by working with your hands, you are probably a kinesthetic learner. Taking notes by writing can make you pay close attention to information as you receive it. Of course, you can learn best by making full use of labs or other class activities. Hope you learn better by knowing what your personal learning type is. The best title of this passage may be " _ " A. Study Habits B. Ways to study C. Learning types D. Reasons to learn Answer: C. Learning types
Question: Although women lead healthier, longer lives, the cruel opinion that they become "old" sooner than men is widespread in the workplace , research shows . A survey of more than 2,600 managers and personnel professionals showed that age discrimination is not only common in the workplace , but is shot through with inconsistencies . Six in ten managers reported being a victim of age discrimination--usually because they were turned down for a job for being too old or too young . Yet more than a fifth admitted that they used ages as an important standard . Although the survey found widespread agreement that older workers were better than younger colleagues when it came to reliability , commitment , loyalty and customer service , these qualities were not necessarily considered to be worthy of advancement . A large number of persons believed that workers between 30 and 39 had the best promotion chances , with only 2 percent giving example of 50 year-olds or above. There was evidence that people were considered old at different ages in different jobs . A young man working in IT said he was considered too old by the age of 28. In fact there was no evidence to suggest that older workers were less valuable to companies than younger workers , in fact the opposite was often true because older workers often brought experience . The findings also suggested that the Government's ideas on age in the workforce may also be out of step with reality. Why does the writer mention a young man working in IT ? A. Because the writer thinks it a pity that this young man is old . B. Because it's an example of different age standards in different jobs . C. Because the IT industry is developing too fast . D. Because the writer doesn't think the young man is old . Answer: B. Because it's an example of different age standards in different jobs . Question: Hydrogen is located on the left side of the periodic table in the same column as the alkali metals, but it has characteristics of a nonmetal. Which of the following is a physical property of hydrogen? A. Hydrogen can bond to itself. B. Hydrogen makes positive ions. C. Hydrogen is a gas at room temperature. D. Hydrogen is combustible. Answer: C. Hydrogen is a gas at room temperature. Question: When my first wartime Christmas came, I was in basic training in New Jersey and not sure if I could make it home for the holidays. Only on the afternoon of December 23 was the list of men who would have three-day passes posted. I was one of the lucky soldiers. It was Christmas Eve when I arrived, and a light snow had fallen. Mother opened the front door. I could see beyond her, into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood. There were lights, all colors, and ornaments shining against the green of a pine. "Where did it come from?" I asked. "I asked the Gates boy to cut it," my mother said. "I wouldn't have had one just for myself, but when you called--- oh, such a rush! He just brought it in this afternoon..." The pine reached to the proper height, almost to the ceiling, and the Tree Top Krystal Star was in its place. A few green branches reached about a little awkwardly at the side, I thought, and there was a bit of bare trunk showing in the middle. But the tree filled the room with warm light and the whole house with pleasant smell of Christmas. "It's not like the ones you used to find," my mother went on. "Yours were always in good shape. I suppose the Gates boy didn't know where to look. But I couldn't be picky." "Don't worry, " I told her. "It's perfect." It wasn't, of course, but at the moment I realized something for the first time: all Christmas trees are perfect. From the passage, we can conclude that _ . A. the writer used to cut very beautiful Christmas trees B. his mother didn't like perfect trees C. his mother didn't want to have a tree D. the writer wouldn't have a tree cut by someone else Answer: A. the writer used to cut very beautiful Christmas trees Question: Once there lived a man in a small town. He often said, "If I have lots of gold , I shall be the happiest man in the world." One day he was traveling in North Africa. He lost his way and he was so hungry and thirsty that he couldn't walk any more. There were only stones and sand around. Just then he saw a bag on the sand. He took it up. But when he opened it, he saw it was full of gold. He left the bag on the sand and cried, "What is the use of gold to a hungry man?" When he lost his ways in the desert of North Africa, _ . A. he had nothing to eat or to drink B. he saw a bag full of stones and sand C. he was happy to find a bag of gold D. he found a bag full of drinks Answer: A. he had nothing to eat or to drink Question: Of all the areas of learning the most important is the development of attitudes. Emotional reactions as well as logical thought processes affect the behavior of most people. "The burnt child fears the fire" is one instance; another is the rise of figures like Hitler. Both these examples point up the fact that attitudes come from experience. In the one case the experience was direct and impressive; in the other it was indirect and gradual. The classroom teacher in the elementary school is in strategic position to influence attitudes. This is true partly because children acquire attitudes from those adults whose word they respect. Another reason it is true is that pupils often search somewhat deeply into a subject in school that has only been touched upon at home or has possibly never occurred to them before. To a child who has previously acquire little knowledge of Mexico, his teacher's method of handling such a unit would greatly affect his attitude toward Mexicans. The teacher can develop proper attitudes through social studies, science matters, the very atmosphere of the classroom, etc. However, when children come to school with undesirable attitudes, it is unwise to attempt to change their feelings by criticizing them. The teacher can achieve the proper effect by helping them obtain constructive experience. To illustrate, first-grade pupils, afraid of policemen will probably change their attitudes after a classroom talk with the neighborhood officer in which he explains how he protects them. In the same way, a class of older children can develop attitudes through discussion, research, outside reading and all-day trips. Finally, a teacher must constantly evaluate her own attitudes, because her influence can be harmful she has personal prejudices. This is especially true in respect to controversial issues and questions of which children should be encouraged to reach their own decisions as result of objective analysis of all the facts. The author uses the phrase "the burnt child fears the fire" in order to _ . A. stress the importance of keeping child from the fire B. exemplify the opinion that attitudes come from experience C. illustrate the important role of attitudes towards study in the early childhood D. none of the above Answer: B. exemplify the opinion that attitudes come from experience
Question: Christopher Reeve was born in September, 1952. He was in his first school play when he was eight and he started to act in TV shows and films while he was still in college. He made many successful films and TV shows but he is most famous for his Superman films. Unfortunately, disaster came in 1995 when he fell from his horse and broke his back. The doctors did not expect him to live. However, he made amazing progress. At first, he couldn't breathe without a machine, but he learnt to breathe on his own. He would never walk again but he started a new life with great courage. The second year after his accident, Christopher returned to film making. He also raised a lot of money to promote medical research into back injuries. He made speeches all over the USA about his experiences. This not only drew public attention to research into back injuries but also encouraged a lot of people living with all kinds of problems. From their home, Christopher and his wife Dana spoke about their life after the accident. Could you say something about your life after the accident? "Four days after the accident, I came to understand my situation. The doctors said I was not going to pull through. Those days were terrible. But my wife Dana said, "You are still you and I love you. Be confident in yourself." And that saved my life. Since that moment I have never thought of giving up." What do you think of your family? "Great! Dana is so wonderful.We have always got on really well.My parents often quarreled with each other when I was young.But they've got closer since the accident." How do you spend your time? "I spend most of my time on charity work to improve the life for all disabled people.I think they need my help. With the progress of new medical research, I'm confident that people like me would be able to walk again one day. So you can see _ !" Christopher Reeve died on October 10, 2004. But people all over the world will always remember him as a superhero. Reeve made a lot of public speeches in order to _ . A. make more money B. draw people's attention to his films C. prove he was a superman D. encourage people to be strong in life Answer: D. encourage people to be strong in life Question: Michael and Dick are good friends, but they like to play jokes on each other. One holiday, they decided to go to London together. They went to the station and bought their tickets. Michael got on the train first. He dropped his ticket on the platform when he got into the carriage. Dick, who was close behind, saw the ticket fall and quickly picked it up. He put it in his pocket, but didn't tell Michael. After they had been in the train for a while, they heard the conductor coming down the corridor, shouting, "Tickets, please!" Michael looked for his ticket and of course couldn't find it. "Oh dear, I can't find my ticket, Dick," Michael said. "Look for it carefully, Michael; it must be somewhere." said Dick. "No, I can't find it anywhere. What shall I do?" said Michael. "Perhaps you'd better hide under the seat; then the conductor won't know you are here." So Michael hid under the seat. At this time, the conductor came in. "Tickets, please," he said. Dick handed him tow tickets and said, "This is mine. The other is my friend's. But he prefers to stay under the seat." Where did Michael lose his ticket? A. On the platform B. In the carriage C. In the corridor D. Under the seat Answer: A. On the platform Question: A man lives in a very tall building. He has a lot of money and he has a parrot at home. It's a clever bird. Every morning, after the man gets up, the bird says "hello". When the man comes back from his work, the bird says, "Is that you? Come here. I can see you." One evening, when the man is sleeping, a thief comes into his building by climbing up the window. When he finds some money and begins to leave the house by climbing down through the window again, he hears a voice in the dark. "Hello! Is that you? Come here. I can see you." The thief is so frightened that he falls down from the window. . When does the thief come? A. In the afternoon B. In the morning C. The man isn't at home. D. The man is asleep. Answer: D. The man is asleep. Question: What do you usually do to comfort your friends when they are feeling sad or depressed ? You probably pat them on the back or shoulder , or maybe you give them a big , warm hug . We used to think that knowing when and how to comfort others was an ability that only humans have . But scientists have discovered that apes have this ability , too , according to a study published in the Journal of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . Two researchers from Emory University in Atlanta , US , went to an Ape Protection Centre in Congo to study bonobos , which are closely related to humans . The researchers analyzed the bonobos' reactions after more than 370 cases of stressful situations , such as fights and losing temper , and found that some bonobos rushed to hug those that were screaming after being attacked , just like humans would have done . However , researchers noted hat not all bonobos were capable of comforting others . In the protection centre , many bonobos are orphans whose mothers were killed by hunters . They were found to be more anxious in times of tension and to have greater difficulty controlling their own emotions , making them worse at reaching out to help friends in need . " Orphans , who have not had the benefit of a mother helping them handling their emotions , are much worse at comforting others , " Professor Frans de Waal , one of the researchers , told The Telegraph . " Bonobos with moms were able to curb their negative emotional reactions more quickly . Therefore , they pay more attention to others . " This pattern mirrors the way that human children have been found to react . Those who seem more capable of handling their own emotions - for example , the ones who can calm themselves down more quickly after upsetting experiences - are usually better at expressing their concerns for others . Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage ? A. Orphan bonobos never give a hand to friend . B. There were 370 bonobos involved in the research . C. The ability to comfort others is unique to human beings . D. Moms play a significant role in handling kids' emotions . Answer: D. Moms play a significant role in handling kids' emotions . Question: Which instrument would be used when studying a unit on amphibian anatomy? A. a beaker B. a telescope C. a dissecting kit D. a graduated cylinder Answer: C. a dissecting kit
In the early 1980s, one of our neighbors asked my mom if she would make a few gift baskets for her [:]to give as gifts for the holidays. My mom agreed and news of the unique gift baskets my mum was making spread like wildfire throughout the neighborhood. My mum was busy throughout the holiday season, so she asked a friend to help her. When the orders continued after the holiday season for baby gifts, birthday gifts and more, it occurred to them that maybe this job could be turned into a business and they did it. My mum went into her business because she had a creative idea. She got orders and filled orders. But there was no purpose and no real strategy . In 1991, my mum' s partner got into financial trouble and there was not enough money to support either my mum or her partner. So if you are led by your creativity or enthusiasm, make sure you ask yourself what you want out of your business. If you don't set goals, how will you know what direction to go in? Do you want to create jobs and growth in the economy? Are you looking for a hobby? You can't keep scores if you don' t know what game you are playing. After my mom's partner gave up, she had to abandon her business to support herself. She swore she would run a business again and do it differently the next time. However, there wasn't a "next time" for her. She passed away just after her 51st birthday. She never had someone tell her how important having a goal was. She never had an opportunity to be everything that she could be. There are no right or wrong goals, only the ones that matter to you. Set them so that you can make progress and achieve success, whatever that may mean to you. Which of the following can best describe the author' s mum? Innocent . If you had only three years left to live, how would you spend your time? It's a hard question and few of us would even like to think about it. But 18-year-old Huang Ge has to answer this question and he says, "I want to thank the people who have helped me." At the age of one, Huang's mother left the family. Six years later, he was badly ill. He has been using a wheelchair since 9 years old. Doctors said he would only live to 18.After Huang's story went on TV, hundreds of people sent money to help him. The boy was so moved that he decided to thank every one of them. But he has to be tied to his wheelchair. And the family can only afford a three-wheeled motorcycle . Since 2003, the father and son have traveled 14,000 kilometers, to 10 provinces, and thanked more than 30 helpers. "I am moved by the story of the boy. We need the courage to face death, and we should also show our gratefulness to those who help us," says an online post on CCTV. com. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? Huang Ge was badly ill at the age of one. A pair of giant pandas from southwest China's Sichuan Province arrived at their new home in Belgium's Pairi Daiza zoo, some 60km southwest of downtown Brussels, at around 15:00 local time (1400GMT) on February 23, 2014. About 2,500 people, many of them excited children waving national flags of China and Belgium as well as panda-decorated flags or wearing costume of Panda greeted the pandas along the road to the zoo. Visitors today can only observe the pandas through a closed-circuit television system in the reception. Officials said they wanted the pandas fully adapted to their new home before making public _ in April. The pandas, Xing Hui, the male and Hao Hao, the female, are both 4 years old and are on lease from a breeding center in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The lease term is 15 years, according to officials with the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas, the world's largest research base for the species. "It's a good thing for Belgium." Nicole Duflot, a grandmother coming to the zoo with her husband and her grandson told Xinhua, "We can't see the Panda today but it's a great thing for us to come here." The Pandas will be living in a panda hall of 5,300 square meters within the zoo. "I hope Xing Hui and Hao Hao will enhance friendship between Belgium and China." Liao Liqiang, the Chinese ambassador to Belgium, said during an interview with Xinhua. On the first day of the pandas' arrival, visitors could _ . watch the pandas through the TV system in the zoo This afternoon, I spoke with Governor Daniel Malloy and FBI Director Mueller. I offered Governor Malloy my condolences on behalf of the nation, and made it clear he will have every single resource that he needs to investigate this horrible crime, care for the victims and their families. The majority of those who died today were children--beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old. They had their entire lives ahead of them--birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own. Among the fallen were also teachers--men and women who devoted their lives to helping our children fulfill their dreams. So our hearts are broken today--for the parents and grandparents, sisters and brothers of these little children, and for the families of the adults who were lost. Our hearts are broken for the parents of the survivors as well, for as blessed as they are to have their children home tonight, they know that their children's innocence has been torn away from them too early, and there are no words that will ease their pain. As a country, we have been through this too many times. Whether it's an elementary school in Newtown, or a shopping mall in Oregon, or a temple in Wisconsin, or a movie theater in Aurora, or a street corner in Chicago--these neighborhoods are our neighborhoods, and these children are our children. And we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics. This evening, Michelle and I will do what I know every parent in America will do, which is hug our children a little tighter and we'll tell them that we love them, and we'll remind each other how deeply we love one another. But there are families in Connecticut who cannot do that tonight. And they need all of us right now. In the hard days to come, that community needs us to be at our best as Americans. And I will do everything in my power to help. Because while nothing can fill the space of a lost child or loved one, all of us can extend a hand to those in need--to remind them that we are there for them, that we are praying for them, that the love they felt for those they lost endures not just in their memories but also in ours. Who is the speaker likely to be? The US president. Our school library offers learning services, books and other things that help all members of the school to become good thinkers and clever users of information. It is linked to the larger library in the city and the World Wide Web. All these services are given according to the requirements of the Public Library Manifesto . School library services must be given to all members of the school. Students of any age, class and grade can enjoy them. Different services must be given to those who are unable to use the main library services. Users of the library must follow the rules made by the library workers to keep it clean and tidy. The main rules are as follows: 1. Opening and closing times: Monday --Friday: 9 a.m. --9 p.m. during term time. Saturday: 9 a.m. --1p.m. throughout the year. 2. Admission and borrowing: Only people holding a library card shall be allowed in. Members can borrow 5 books at a time. 3. Behavior in the library: Silence shall be kept as much as possible in the library. No other books can be taken into the library. Library workers can help members use the books and other things in the library. When the library workers and teachers work together, students will get better reading, writing, and problem-solving skills. When can students read in the library? 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Minimalism is a term that describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is reduced to its most basic features. As for me, minimalism functions well not in art or design, but in my daily life. When I was packing for university, I found it extremely difficult to let go of some of the things I owned. I knew I couldn't take everything with me, but I kept asking myself "how could I possibly throw this away?", "what if I need it one day?", and "what about all of the memories?" Now that I've moved, and left that stuff behind, I don't even miss it. Whether or not I got rid of it, it barely makes a bit of difference to me now. I've learned that over time people forget, or their need for a particular object eventually disappears. Either they store it away or they get rid of it. You might think nostalgically about the toys you cared about when you were a child, but what is making you smile now is not the thing itself but the memory of it. 1've heard it a hundred times, "you don't need things to make you happy." It takes something life-changing like moving across the country to realize how true this is. Speaking of which, for a lot of people, minimalism is about able to move. It's about being able to go almost anywhere at any time because you don't have many possessions to carry. When you keep things you don't need they become a burden that ties you to a place. Moving to university was a good time to let go of a lot of stuff. And when I visit for the holidays, I'll probably get rid of even more, to lighten the burden. _ There are some things that are irreplaceable, very rare or expensive or we simply love and cherish for some reason or another, since we are humans. But after we keep those, how much is left that we don't really need? Hence, minimalism. And why does minimalism bring happiness? That was a bit of a roundabout way of saying that, it's because what really makes me happy is freedom. And the key to freedom is minimalism because minimalism reduces our attachment to things. Attachment to too many objects creates a great mess and can severely hold back our freedom to do whatever we want, while minimalism helps us start new projects, move, travel, learn new things, work, expand, be debt-free, be healthy - really living life to our full potential. I left the nest to fly onwards and upwards, I can't do it with old things weighing me down. And that is why I have adopted minimalism with open arms. Which of the following is NOT the reason why the writer favors "minimalism" in life? Answer: No one goes on an adventure tour with the thought that he won't make it back alive. It is unclear what Markus Groh thought when he signed up for a late February dive that could put him face-to-face with killer Sharks--without a cage to separate him from the man-eaters. He surely didn't expect to end up dead. But the 49-year-old man from Australia died on February 24 after being bitten on the leg while swimming with the sharks in the Bahamas. Every year, thousands of people die while living life to the fullest-- battling white-water rapids (every year a great number of people go white-water rafting in states like California and Colorado), climbing the world's tallest mountain peak, or descending to the depths of the ocean. The extreme sports are dangerous and you take your chances. Diving with dangerous sharks without a cage appeals to the thrill seekers. The tour , provided by Scuba Adventurers of River Beach, Florida, promoted its dives as great shark expeditions . "To ensure the best results, we will put fish and fish parts in the water," The Scuba Adventures website stated. "Consequently, there will be food in the water at the same time. Please be aware that these are not 'caged' dives; they are open water experiences. We will have crew members in the water at all times to ensure divers' safety." Rodney Barreto, chairman of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, maintains there's no way the crew could ensure the safety of the divers. "That's not a controlled environment, " Barreto says. In 2001, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission banned the practice of fish feeding off the coast of Florida. Because the tour operator couldn't legally attract sharks with chum in Florida, Groh went to the Bahamas. Barreto says, " We are not discouraging people from going diving. We are telling them to be responsible and obey the law. One of the reasons why they went to the Bahamas was that they were doing something outside the law." What would be the best title for the passage? Answer: Sarah ran in, shouting, "Look what I found!" Over the top of the paper I was reading; came a terrible thing that caused me to jump. It was a snake skin found in our garden. "Isn't it beautiful?" said my seven-year-old daughter. I opened my eyes widely and looked at the snake skin in fear . I didn't think it was beautiful, but I learned never to appear nonchalant with children. Everything they see for the first time is important to their sense of beauty; they see only excellence in the world. "Why does it do this?" Sarah asked. "Snakes shed their skins because they need to renew themselves," I explained. "Why do they need to renew themselves?" Sarah asked. "We often need to shed our skins, those coatings that we cover ourselves with," I said to my daughter. "We leave some things and find other thing unwanted or unnecessary. This snake no longer needs this skin. It is probably too little for him, and he probably doesn't think he looks as smart in it as he once did. " As we talked, I knew that she began to understand. Although she couldn't understand clearly, she would know that renewal is part of progress; that we need to take a good look at ourselves, our rooms, schoolwork and spirit, and see what we need to keep and what we need to leave. I was careful to tell that this is a natural way, not one to be forced. "Snakes don't peel off their skins when they like them. "I explained. "It happens as a natural thing of their growth. " "I see, Dad," said Sarah as she held the snake skin, and then ran off. I hoped she would remember this; we need to throw some away because they are worthless or unnecessary. Then we can store them as memories in our deep hearts. Father jumped up when her daughter came to him with a snake skin because _ . Answer: New rules will let millions of Americans know where more of their food comes from. The law is known as COOL -- Country of Origin Labeling . American congress first passed the law in 2002. Stores have had to label seafood by country of origin since 2005. But industry pressure delayed other requirements until last week. Products that must now be labeled include fresh fruits and vegetables, muscle meats and some kinds of nuts. But the rules are complex, and many foods are not included. For example, organ meats are free to be labeled. So are processed foods, including cooked or smoked foods. The same food may sometimes have to be labeled and other times not. Fresh or frozen peas, for example, have to be labeled but not canned peas. Foods that are mixed with other foods are also excluded. Mixed nuts, for example, do not need to be labeled. The same is true of a salad mix that contains different things like lettuce and carrots. Or a fruit cup that combines different fruits. Also, the law doesn't include restaurants and other food service organizations. Department of Agriculture officials say the law is really meant for larger grocery stores. The United States has imported more and more food in recent years to save money and expand choices. Country-of-origin labeling has become more common lately but has still been limited in many stores. Food safety is one reason why some shoppers pay close attention to where foods came from. For example, when a large number of people recently got sick from salmonella , officials blamed peppers from Mexico. Yet the last big food scare involved spinach grown in California. But labeling is also a way for people to know they are getting what they want. Some want to buy local foods or foods from a particular country. The country-of-origin labeling law gives stores 30 days to correct any violations that are found. Stores and suppliers that are found to be deliberately violating the law could be fined 1,000 dollars per violation. Federal inspectors are not to take action to enforce the law for six months to give time for an education campaign. Some food safety activists say they are generally pleased with the law. They call it a good step that will give people more useful information. Which of the following can be inferred from the text? Answer: What does girth in a flower do? Answer:
Blue Ocean Aquarium is a great place for families to take a holiday. Children love to see the sea animals and watch movies about sharks in it. Last Saturday morning, Mr Jackson took his wife and two little sons to the aquarium. At the ticket office, he asked, "How much shall I pay to get in?" The woman at the ticket office answered, "The price is 20 dollars for each adult or any kid older than five. We let kids in free if they are five or younger. How old are your kids?" Mr Jackson said, "The older one is six and the younger one is thee. I think I must buy three tickets. " The woman was surprised. She said, "Sir, don't you want to save 20 dollars? If you tell me your older son is five, I won't know the difference. " Mr Jackson said with a smile, "Yes, that sounds right, but my kids will know the difference. " From Mr Jackson' s story, we know _ is very important in the modem society. We should tell the truth to the people around us, especially to the kids. Children can see _ in Blue Ocean Aquarium. dolphins Global Positioning Systems(GPS) are now a part of everyday driving in many countries. These satellite-based systems provide turn-by-turn directions to help people get to where they want to go. But, they can also cause a lot of problems, send you to the wrong place or leave you completely lost. Many times, the driver is to blame. Sometimes a GPS error is responsible. Most often, says Barry Brown, it is a combination of the two. We spoke to Mr. Brown by Skype . He told us about an incident involving a friend who had flown to an airport in the eastern United States. There he borrowed a GPS-equipped car to use during his stay. BARRY BROWN: "And they just plugged in an address and then set off to their destination. And, then it wasn't until they were driving for thirty minutes that they realized they actually put in a destination back on the West Coast where they lived. They actually put their home address in. So again, the GPS is kind of 'garbage in garbage out'." Mr Brown says this is a common human error. But, he says, what makes the problem worse has to do with some of the shortcomings, or failures, of GPS equipment. BARRY BROWN: "One problem with a lot of the GPS units is that they have a very small screen and they just tell you the next turn. Because they just give you the next turn, sometimes that means that it is not really giving you the overview that you would need to know that it's going to the wrong place." Barry Brown formerly served as a professor with the University of California, San Diego. While there, he worked on a project with Eric Laurier from the University of Edinburgh. The two men studied the effects of GPS devices on driving by placing cameras in people's cars. They wrote a paper based on their research. It is called "The Normal, Natural Troubles of Driving with GPS." It lists several areas where GPS systems can cause confusion for drivers. These include maps that are outdated, incorrect or difficult to understand. They also include timing issues related to when GPS commands are given. Barry Brown says, " To make GPS systems better we need a better understanding of how drivers, passengers and GPS systems work together." Which of the following statements would Barry Brown most likely agree with? Drivers, GPS systems and passengers should unite to improve GPS systems. We often think of future. We often wonder what the world would be like in a hundred years'time. Think of space,perhaps a permanent station on the moon will have been set up. Perhaps people will be able to visit the moon as tourists. Cheap rockets for space travel will have been developed,permitting long journeys throughout the solar system . When that time comes,people will be taking holidays in space and visiting other planets. Great progress will have been made in medicine,too. Perhaps a cure will have been discovered for the most terrible of all diseases--cancer. Pollution is a problem we must solve. In a hundred years'time it will have been controlled. All the world will have been developed -- even Antarctica. There will be large cities in Antarctica. We already have supersonic flight,but in a hundred years'time we will have supersonic land travel as well. We will have used up most of earth's land to build our cities, so floating cities will have been built. The Japanese already have plans for cities of this kind. And there will be cities under the sea. The first of these will have been completed. The best title for the passage is _ . Future Life Edward Nino Hernandez is 24 years old. In many ways,he is a traditional Colombian man. He loves to dance, dreams of owning a fast car and wants to see the world. However, he has just been officially _ as the world's shortest living man by Guinness World Records with a height of 27 inches( [?]0. 7m). Although he has cataracts in both of his eyes that require an operation that the family can't afford, he said, " I feel happy because I'm special. " He also said he has a girlfriend. Nino works part time as a dancer. Recently, he has won a part in a new film, playing a drug thief. Nino said there are some disadvantages of being the world's smallest man. "It bothers me that people are always touching me and picking me up,"he said. Nino's mother, Noemi Hernandez,has 5 children and Nino is the oldest. She said, " He hasn't grown since he was 2 years old. " She added that doctors could not explain why Nino was so small. She said Nino weighed just 3. 3 lb( 1. 5kg) when he was born and was just 15 inches long. Doctors at first wondered why he was so small and studied him until he was three years old, but then" lost interest" . She and her husband lost a daughter who was born similarly small in 1992. Their youngest child, Miguel Augel, 11, stands 37 inches tall. The other three boys are of normal height and appearance. Nino had to repeat several years of school before dropping out when he was about 13. His mother said he loves to travel, though he hasn't been outside Colombia. The former smallest man in the world was He Pingping of China ,who was 1. 5 inches taller than Nino and recognized by Guinness as the shortest man. He died in March. From the text we can know _ . Nino didn't grow after the age of 2 Teenagers are often a difficult group. With all those hormones flooding their bodies, they can be moody, unpredictable, and tend to make uncertain choices. But however confusing their teenage years are, kids can still be generally happy, depending on their lifestyle choices. According to a new research by British scientists, teens who don't smoke, drink only moderately or not at all, and who don't eat much junk food are likely to be happier than other teens. The study looked at 40,000 British families and came up with some interesting findings. For example, kids who never drank alcohol were up to six times more likely to report higher levels of happiness than kids who drank. And teens who smoked were five times less likely to rate high on happiness charts compared to kids who don't smoke. Same goes for diet and physical activity. The more fruits and vegetables kids eat, and the more hours they spend playing sports, the happier they are. Now, of course this doesn't mean that not smoking or drinking, and playing sports guarantees happiness. It could be that kids who have happy character tend to be more active and less addicted to drinking or smoking. And it could equally be the case that kids who are unhappy are more related to drinking and smoking and eating junk food. Other studies have shown that exercise is a proven way to treat anxiety and depression. Future studies may support the idea that other healthful behaviors, including refraining from smoking, drinking, and eating too much junk, can avoid sadness and increase happiness, too. Which can be the best title for the text? Teenagers' lifestyle and their happiness.
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. According to the writer, when common people ask you "How's it going?" they don't really care what you may answer Research shows that much of our predisposition towards determination, sociability and self - control and sense of purpose is in our genes.In fact, our DNA plays a bigger role in influencing these traits ( characteristics)than our upbringing and the company we keep.Taken together, these aspects of personality can make the difference between success and failure, say the Edinburgh University researchers. They questioned more than 800 pairs of twins about their attitudes to life to tease apart the influences of nature and nurture.Comparing identical twins, who share all their DNA and their up bringing, with non-identical twins, who have a shared background but are no more genetically alike than other brothers and sisters, is a technique often used by researchers to quantify the influence of genetics. The results, published in the Journal of Personality, showed that genes play a much bigger role than lifestyle, with self-control particularly etched into our DNA. Our genes a222so largely determine how determined and persistent we are.This is important in terms of success, as someone who refuses to give up is more likely to achieve their dreams than someone who _ Researcher Professor Timothy Bates said, "Ever since the ancient Greeks, people Lave de hated the nature of a good life and the nature of a virtuous life.Why do some people seem to manage their lives, have good relationships and cooperate to achieve their goals while others do not? Previously, the role of family and the environment around the home often controlled people' s ideas about what affected psychological well-being.However, this work emphasizes a much more powerful influence from genetics." However, those who haven' t been dealt a helpful hand of genes shouldn' t he too depressed.The professor says a sense of purpose is the key and advises those who are eager for success to focus their thoughts on making a difference. According to the passage, the key personality trait is _ . determination Long long ago, there was a scholar who always wanted to gain more knowledge each day even though he had already gained enough knowledge. One day, he came to visit a saint and asked to be his student. The saint offered some tea. He slowly filled the scholar's cup: the cup was full, yet he kept pouring. The scholar couldn't help bursting out, "Stop! You can't add anything to something that's already full!" The saint set down the teapot and replied, "Exactly." Whether it's the silence between notes in music, or some open time in your schedule, you need space to act effectively. Yet most of us, myself included, tend to stuff as much as possible into whatever room is available - closets, schedules, budgets, relationships, and even the mind itself. However, some people know how to avoid overstuffing their life. For example, in Australia, it seemed that most people there operated at about 85% of their capacity, unlike Americans pushing as close as to 100% as possible. So when you run into Australians you know in the street, they have time to hang out and talk with you. Remember the cup: its value is in the space, the emptiness it holds. How to empty your "cup" ? Be mindful of the element of space, openness, and emptiness in your life. This includes room in a drawer, the volume of air in a kitchen, and open-mindedness in a friend. Sometimes you're just stuck with a big bucket of tasks yet to do. But at least empty the bucket faster than you fill it with new tasks. Put some space between finishing one thing and starting another. For example, after sending one email, take a breath before replying to another one. Drop the stuff you can no longer afford to lug around. At sea level, you can run with a brick in your backpack, but if you're hiking on a mountain, that brick has to go. What's the structure of the passage? story - topic - example - advice Join in the holiday fun at the powerhouse this month linked to our new exhibition,evolution Revolution:Chinese dress 17000s to now.DON'T FORGET our other special event,the Club Med Circus School which is part of the Circus !150years of circus in Australia exhibition experience! Chinese Folk Dancing:Colorful Chinese dance and musical performances by The Chinese Folk Dancing School of Sydney.Dances include:The Golden stick dance and the Chinese drum dance.A feature will be the Qin Dynasty Emperor's court dance.Also included is a show of face painting for Beijing Opera performances. Sunday 29June and Wednesday 2July in the Turbine Hall,at 11:30am 1:30pm. Chinese Youth League:A traditional performing arts group featuring performance highlights such as the Red scarf and Spring flower dances,and a musician playing Er Hu. Sunday 6to Tuesday 8July in the Turbine Hall,11:30am to 1:30pm. Kids Activity:Make a Paper Horse:Young children make a paper horse cut-out.(The horse is a frequent theme in Chinese painting,indicating a kind of advancement.) Suitable for ages8-12years. Saturday 28June to Tuesday 8July in the Turbine Hall,12:00pm to 1:00pm. Club Med Circus School:Learn circus skills,including the trapeze,trampolining and magic.Note only for children over 5.There are 40places available in each 1hour session and these must be booked at the front desk,level 4,on the day. Tuesday 1to Saturday 5July at 11:30am 1:00pm. Enjoy unlimited free visits and many other benefits by becoming a Family member of the Powerhouse. Our family membership cover two adults and all children under the age of 16years at the one address. Members receive Powerline,our monthly magazine,discounts in the shops and the restaurants,as well as free admission to the Museum.All this for as little as$50,000a year!Call (02)9217 0600for more details. What is the main purpose of the text? To attract visitors. The idea about the phoenix goes back to Ancient Egypt, where we find the phoenix described as a handsome, eagle-like bird, with part-golden, part-red plumage, that spent most of its life in the Arabian deserts. It was rarely seen and according to one version of the story, only appeared in Egypt once every five hundred years, when it flew to Heliopolis, "city of the sun", and deliberately burnt itself to ashes by settling on the altar flame there! However, it seems it did not really die because from those same ashes a young, fully formed phoenix was born and flew away, apparently back to Arabia. It is pretty obvious that no one has ever seen or will see a living phoenix. The interesting thing is that we can find certain clues which may explain one aspect of the Egyptians' idea. It may sound unbelievable, but some birds are apparently quite charmed by flames and small fires, especially members of the crow family. One zoologist actually proved this by setting fire to some straw near to a tame rook, a large black bird like a crow. Far from becoming nervous and backing away, the bird deliberately stood over the flames, with raised and vibrating wings. It didn't get burnt, but the image it presented by its strange behavior was almost exactly like that shown in illustrations of the mythical phoenix! Why birds should occasionally behave in this strange way is not clear. One idea is that they carefully use the heat of the flames to relieve the annoyance caused by their feather mites which all birds have. Whatever the reason, it is quite possible that the Ancient Egyptians saw birds behaving in this way, from time to time, and used it as the basis of their phoenix myth, adding fanciful details which closely linked it to their worship of the sun and their belief in _ . Nowadays, the phoenix is much less important to us than it was to the Egyptians. But the logo of modern fire insurance companies, which employ the phoenix as one of their symbols, refers that in one sense the idea of it remains. According to the passage, the phoenix _ . has never really existed in the world
My family makes the best chicken salad.Dad prepares all of the ingredients and Mom makes the relish.There are a few things that make this chicken salad different from the other chicken salads.First,we use fruit jam in the relish.You can buy any fruit jam,like banana jam or orange jam.But we have bottles of strawberry jam that my mother made,so we use the strawberry jam.Second,we put some green olives .Green olives give the salad an interesting taste and make a big difference.Now let me tell you how my family makes the salad. First,mix up all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.The ingredients are chicken,tomatoes,green olives,onions and apples.If you like lettuce,you can also put some.Next,make the relish.Please mix the jam,the juice and the salt.Finally,mix the relish with the salad ingredients. Do you have a favorite chicken salad recipe?Please tell us about it.You can write to greensalad@yahoo.com. The passage is mainly about _ . A. the writer's favorite dish B. all kinds of fruit salads C. a different chicken fruit salad D. the writer's family Answer: C Whether you like it or not, your parents are responsible for you, at least until you're out of high school. But does it feel like your parents are stressing you out with their love? Do you often fight with them? Hu Muqing, 16, of Shenyang, complains that his parents only care about his grades and not his other needs. He and his parents fight the most about the time he spends watching TV and on the Internet. "They think because I'm in high school I should concentrate on my work," the Shenyang teenager said. "However, I need to be able to relax. Most of my friends can watch TV and surf the Web a lot. There are times when it's hard to talk to them." After some talks, Hu has been allowed to watch TV for 15 to 20 minutes every night, but has been told to keep away from the computer. Since she feels she's grown up now, Shen Ying, 17, wants more respect from her parents. "My father shouts at me when he's in a bad mood . He doesn't listen to me, but instead acts like, 'I'm the boss'!" said the teenager from Mianyang, Sichuan province. "I'd like my parents to treat me like a friend and understand that respect is a two-way street." "It's the age when teenagers are becoming more independent . But their parents are very concerned about their kids' futures," said Sun Yunxiao, a senior researcher at the China Youth and Children Research Center. Sun suggests that teenagers should learn to communicate with their parents effectively . "Find the right time for a talk. On Mother's Day or Father's Day, say 'Thank you' to your parents or give them a small gift with a letter so they can get inside your head a little," he advised. Sun also believes that teenagers have to work to earn trust and respect from their parents. "You need to make sure they know that you're not going to screw up your exams or let them down. Let them know that you want to do well, and that you will do well," he said. Who do you think the passage is aimed at? A. university students B. senior high students C. professors D. parents Answer: B A boy is waiting to see a full moon. He notes that the full moon is tonight, and looks at it. If he wants to see another, he must wait A. a week B. a day C. a fortnight D. a month Answer: D 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. The writer uses the example of her friend's decision of getting married to show that _ . A. her friend took no account of others's feeling B. her friend decided to marry just to follow the crowd C. her friend was a person who has strong personality D. everybody in the world should marry for others Answer: B "Mom, I can't do this." My teenage son Bret stood in front of me with his hands full of papers. "Can't do what?" I asked while preparing supper. "All these!" he waved his hands up and down. "There's no way I can do everything my teachers are asking me to do." I stopped what I was doing and turned to face him. I had never seen him so upset. He was my jovial son. He made good grades in school and nothing ever seemed to bother him. As I studied his face, I could see his eyes filled with tears. Walking over to the kitchen table, I sat down and asked him to join me. "Show me what you have to do ." Bret sat down in a chair and dropped the papers in front of him. "Mr. Jones, my chemistry teacher, wants me to make a project for the Science Fair." "Okay , And what else?" "I have an algebra test next week, and that will be one-third of our grade this school term!" "And I have to write an English essay. And midterms are the next week! I need to study for them and I have to get help with Spanish. There's no way I can do everything!" His hands shook as he picked up each assignment. It broke my heart to see him so stressed out. I wanted to help him, yet I couldn't do the work for him. I looked at Bret and said. "You don't have to do everything at once. You can do one at a time. Let's make a list of what you need to do." So, one by one, we listed each item. Then we put the due date next to the item. Next we separated the items into parts. For instance, the chemistry project needed supplies. So we put a deadline on getting the supplies. He had a friend who could help him with Spanish, so we had to put that time in. During the process, I saw my son visibly relax. When we finished with the list, I asked, "Do you think you can do this now?" He smiled and I saw his confidence return . "Sure! Thanks, Mom!" There is a saying that asks, "How do you eat an elephant?" The answer is, "One bite at a time." Why was Bret so upset? A. He had quarreled with his chemistry teacher. B. He was poor in many of his school subjects. C. The algebra test would be too difficult for him. D. He felt helpless with the huge amount of school work. Answer: D
Veteran rock climbers are calling her one of the most promising climbers in the world. She flies up, grasping the rock and heading gracefully for practically non-existent holds. She's only 14. Ashima Shiraishi, the New York-born teen, has shaken up the climbing world. At 1.55 meters and 45 kilograms, Ashima might not look like the groundbreaking athlete. But she could be, though still young, the first female climber whose accomplishments go beyond gender. The evidence: At just 14, Ashima has already made history in the sport. She won the American National Youth Bouldering Championship every year from 2010 to 2014. And last March, the young climber completed the "Open Your Mind Direct" course in Spain. It's a very big deal because the course, with a hold broken off near the top, is widely considered one of the hardest in the world. Only one woman and a small number of men have ever conquered it. She first learned to climb on rocks in Central Park when she was only six. Her father, who works as a dancer, is her coach. At age nine, Ashima went on a bouldering trip to Texas. Falling brought tears to her eyes, but she didn't give up. Now, she finds she "couldn't live without climbing." For the past six years, Ashima has been a climbing legend. Her love for the sport has taken her around the world. There have been articles and photo spreads in newspapers and sports magazines, films, countless online video clips, and an appearance on Time Magazine's list of America's most influential teenagers. "I think people are shocked if I do something they can't do or because I'm still very young and I'm a girl," Ashima says. "In most sports, men lead the way. But with climbing, who knows, maybe women will be leading. Doing something that a guy can't do is pretty special." Which of the following is true about the course "Open your Mind Direct"? Answer: Frame construction predominates in the New England area due to the abundance of Answer: Seeing in the darkest of nights with an LED torch necessitates using Answer: After we finished thirteen miles of hiking, we were tired and our muscles ached as we made our way back to New England. The car ride to the airport followed by a two-hour flight left our legs more worse condition than they were when we first came off the mountain we just climbed. When we heard that two seats in first class on our next flight were available for a bit higher price, we jumped at the opportunity. Our spirits lifted immediately. After all, flying first class was a new experience for us, and we would end our adventure in comfort and style. As we boarded the plane, we noticed that the stewardess was working non-stop to ensure the comfort of the first class passengers. She could not walk by a seat without receiving an order. How much she must love her job! She smiled kindly at each one while attending to their needs. As the stewardess walked by our seats near the end of the flight, I looked at her and said, "Thank you and I hope you have a great night." She stopped, bent down, looked at me and said, "Excuse me." I repeated my words and she smiled in a rather funny way, almost as if I had asked her a question that she did not know how to answer. After a few moments she returned to our seats. "I can tell you work with the public," she said. "Why do you think so?" I asked. She answered very quietly, "Because you are the only passenger here to say something nice to me tonight and I really appreciate your kindness." The sense of belonging to the elite group of people in first class disappeared as we heard her words. Our first class seats offered us more than a comfortable ride. We were reminded that without kindness, we would be flying in no class. Where did the writer ever go hiking? Answer: It was a cold evening,the night before Halloween,when something happened in my town that no one will ever forget. During lunchtime at school,some girls who were my brother's friends told him about a plan that they had to toilet paper a guy's house. They had already been playing pranks on this guy,and they were laughing about what his house would look like when they were through with it. My brother told me later that he knew what they were planning on doing was wrong,but he didn't say anything to the girls. _ . That night my brother's six friends stayed overnight at one of the girls' houses. In the middle of the night,they sneaked out of the house. They piled into one of the gifts' small blue car and set off to play their little prank. When they got to the guy's house, everything went as planned---until they got caught. The guy that they were playing the prank on came outside and saw them. Laughing,they all ran to the ear and hopped in,hoping to get away. The guy got into his car and chased after them,trying to identify them. He was right on their tail,and it scared the girls really badly, They were not sure what he would do to them if he caught them, so they went faster. Then,when they were turning on a blind curve in the road,they lost control of the car and hit a tree head-on. Three of the girls were ejected from the car and were killed instantly. The other three girls were seriously injured. One of the girls had just enough strength to get out of the car and go to a nearby house. The people who answered the door were afraid of her and didn't even believe that there had been an accident. They said,"Yeah, right,you really got into a wreck,"and they would not call the police. The three girls that died were all honor roll students and were looking ahead to doing something great with their lives. But all of their dreams were shattered when they hit the tree on that cold night. Only one of my brother's friends was wearing a seat belt,and she was one of the survivors. Now when ever I get into a car, I think about the accident and put on my seat belt. The guy that chased them went to court. All he got was a ticket for running a stop sign and for speeding. I often wonder if he feels anything at all about the death of the girls in that car that he chased. My brother feels bad that he didn't say anything to his friends that day when they told him what they were planning on doing. They still might have gone on their mission regardless of what he said,but he might have saved his friends' lives. We'll never know.So many people have suffered because of a stupid act that was never meant to go wrong. The only good thing that came from this tragic event is that the mother of one of the deceased girls is setting up a teen center in town in memory of the girls who died. Now there will be a place for teens. Maybe that will keep some of them from getting into situations like this by providing a place to hang out and have fan, to talk to each other, and hopefully five them a chance to help them think before they act. The passage is meant to tell us---- Answer:
Americans, generally speaking, make an effort to be friendly with their colleagues, neighbours and other people they often run into. This often takes the form of a simple greeting like "How's it going?" or "What's up ?" This is simply a way of saying I see you and I recognize you. Americans also show this friendliness in "small talk". Small talk is a casual conversation that Americans engage in when they meet on the street, in the shop or in the office before a meeting. Usually the topics of such small talk will be something that everyone is familiar with, the weather, sports, traffic, hobbies or what's on television. The topic of the conversation is not as important as the effort make to spend a few minutes with the other person. Small talk shows that you are a considerate person who is interested in others and who is willing to take the time to get to know people. Small talk is used in the business world to create a friendly atmosphere and to put everyone at ease before the serious matters of business are discussed. Often businessmen will spend a few minutes talking about the weather or sports before a meeting. This form of small talk only lasts a few minutes before the American businessman wants to "get down to business." Asians are very skilled at making casual conversation. However, they often find it difficult to make small talk with Americans because they don't know what to say, how to say it and who to say it to. Americans may see Asians who are reluctant to make small talk as unfriendly and cold. Which of the following is not true according to the passage? Answer: Asians are not friendly and don't like to talk with others Which _ is the most talkative? No matter what you answer, you are partially right. A recent Gallup Poll show that both man and women believe that women possess the gift of talking and some even believe women are biologically built for conversation, but all of this is challenged in research published in the November issue of "Personality and Social Psychology Review". In recent research by Campbell Leaper and Melanie Ayres, they collected all of the available evidence from decades of scientific study and systematically combined the findings into an overall picture of the differences between men and women regarding talkativeness. They found a small but reliable tendency for men to be more talkative than women in certain cases, such as when they were conversing with their wives or with strangers. Women talked more to their children and to their college classmates. The type of speech was also explored in the research. The researchers discovered that, with strangers, women were generally more talkative when it came to using speech to ensure her connection to the listener, while men's speech focused more on an attempt to influence the listener. With close friends and family, however, there was very little difference between genders in the amount of speech. Which of the following statements describes the main idea of the passage? Answer: Women and men are talkative in different cases. Sarah Williams went to a boarding school.Here is one of the letters she wrote to her parents from the school: Wentworth Girls' school Beachside July 20th Dearest Mom and Dad, I'm afraid I have some very surprising news for you.I have been very naughty and the school headmaster is very angry with me.She is going to write to you.You must come and take me away from here.She does not want me in the school any longer. The trouble started last night when I was smoking in bed.This is against the rules, of course.We are not supposed to smoke at all. As I was smoking, I heard footsteps coming towards the room.I did not want a teacher to catch me smoking, so I threw the cigarette away. Unfortunately, the cigarette fell into the waste-paper basket, which caught fire. There was a curtain near the waste-paper basket which caught fire, too.Soon the whole room was burning. The headmaster phoned the fire department.The school is a long way from the town and by the time the fire department arrived, the whole school was on fire.Many of the girls are in hospital. The headmaster says that the fire was all my fault and you must pay for the damage.She will send you a bill for about a million dollars. I'm very sorry about this. Much love, Sarah P.S.None of the above is true, but I have failed my exams.I just want you to know how bad things could have been. The letter before the P.S.was _ . Answer: completely untrue Alexis, 17, sat quietly in the passenger seat of her dad's car.She let her eyes lazily scan the landscape for wildlife.Then a deer came into view about 200 yards in front of them."Dad, there's a deer there!" Alexis said.It was a male deer with sharp antlers on each side of its head. As the car moved closer, Alexis saw that the deer's head was bent toward the ground.Then she heard a scream and saw an arm fly up near the deer's head.Alexis realized the deer was attacking a woman.Sue, a 44-year-old mother, had been out for her morning run.The deer followed her and edged closer."I knew I was in trouble," Sue says.She went to pick up a stick for self-defense, and the deer charged.It lifted her with its antlers and threw her into the air.Sue could feel blood flew down her leg.Within seconds, the deer had pushed her off the road. When Alexis and her father pulled up, the deer was throwing Sue like a doll.Alexis looked into the woman's terrified eyes, and before her father had even stopped the car, the teenager jumped quickly out of the car and ran toward the deer."I was kicking it to get its attention," she says.Then her father, who had followed his daughter, pushed the deer away from the women. Alexis helped Sue into the car, and then applied a piece of cloth to Sue's injured leg."We're going to get you to a hospital," Alexis said.Then she heard her father shout loudly.He had been knocked to the ground.Alexis took hold of a hammer from the car and ran to where her father lay on his back.She beat the deer's head and neck, but the blows didn't scare it away."I was losing faith," she says."A couple more strikes, Alexis," said her father."You can do it." Turning the hammer around, Alexis closed her eyes and beat the deer's neck with all her strength.When she opened her eyes, the deer was running away.Alexis got in the driver's seat and sped toward the nearest hospital. After Sue was treated, she tearfully thanked her rescuers."You expect a teenage girl to get on the phone and call for help," she says, "not to beat up a deer." Which of the following words can best describe Alexis? Answer: Brave. I was 230 pounds this spring and I decided to get down to a healthier 200.In a house full of food,including snacks bought for my 7yearold sons,I had a hard time cutting calories. Then I noticed my neighbors were having diet meals .I decided to do the same,knowing I would never be able to stick to a diet if I had to do the buying and cooking myself. I was looking for food that I could afford but I might take a diet more seriously if it hurt me in the wallet. After online searches,I decided to compare the offerings of four companies:Zone Manhattan,Chefs Diet,NuKitchen and eDiets. All four would send the meals to my door. Three send food daily,while eDiets sends a large package once a week. There were dozens of companies I could have chosen.Research suggests that the economic crisis has made diet programs less _ .Consumers prefer doityourself diets with foods bought from the supermarket. NuKitchen regards itself as the "personal chef".I ordered the fiveday plan ($230.53) and the taste was disappointing. I neither lost nor gained weight on the food. eDiets promises "healthy,delicious meals sent to your door".I ordered five breakfasts,five lunches and five dinners. My total cost was $119.70,or less than $25 a day. Overall,the food from eDiets was better than that from NuKitchen. Chefs Diet charged $380.99 for seven days,making it the most expensive of the four services.I never tasted anything terrible,but I never tasted anything that made me want to renew for a second week. Zone Manhattan charged $349.80,with tax,for a week's supply of food,or about $50 a day.I liked the food so much that I lost six pounds in the first four days on the diet. When the author began to have diet meals,she _ . Answer: didn't believe she could stick to a diet if she had to cook herself
More than ever, kids today have given up reading for activities like watching TV, playing video games and surfing the Internet, but recently a new trend has been _ that will hopefully change that. In fact, book clubs are becoming more popular among American kids. 11-year-old Kenya Debarros read about singer Lena Horne. "It was just amazing to see a black woman as the star and not just a mammy or a maid," she says. But did all these kids come enthusiastically ? No, not exactly. "I like book club, uh, I don't know, but I am just trying it out. My mom didn't make me, but I just tried it out," says 16-year-old Antonio Nash. And if they'll try it, the experts say, there are ways to get them to come back. Make it fun, serve pizza, serve chocolate cakes and have door prizes . It also helps to connect books to the real world. They talk about things that are happening in the community, so they can relate whatever they've read in the book to what's happening now. Here they have long talks about the books they have selected, which most kids don't get to do when they're in school, and these kids say, in book clubs they're learning to love books and love reading. "I feel like I'm actually in the book and doing what the actual main character is doing," says 13-year- -old Justin Woodard. 16-year-old Antonia McManus says reading gives her a nice break from the day, "Sitting down and reading a book gives me some time to get away from the world, and get my mind straight." What is the main idea of the passage? Book clubs are popular among American kids. Code Offence Points What is Driving _ Points System? After the introduction of this system, certain traffic offences will make the driver lose points besides other punishments . A driver makes any of these offences, the points will be recorded.When the driver gets a certain number of points, he will be forbidden to drive for a certain amount of time. what are the purposes of this system? This is a system designed to make road much safer. It can improve standards of driving and reduce accidents. Which traffic offences will result in Driving Offence Points? Of course, not all traffic offences are covered by this system. Only those that have direct effect on road safety are included.There are fourteen items in all. 1 Causing death by dangerous driving 10 2 Dangerous driving 10 3 Careless driving 5 4 Driving after drinking or taking drugs 10 5 Driving over speed limit by more than15 km/hour 3 6 Driving in a motor race on the road 10 7 Failing to stop after an accident 3 8 Failing to give information after an accident 3 9 Failing to report an accident 3 10 Failing to obey directions of police officers 3 11 Crossing double white lines 3 12 Failing to obey traffic signals 3 13 Failing to give way to walkers at a crosswalk. Failing to stop for people walking 3 14 Failing to stop at school crossing 3 What will happen if you have got up to 10 points? If you have got 10 points or above, but still less than 15 points, you will receive a warning letter from the Transport Department. This letter will tell your record of Driving Offence Points and remind you of the result of getting more points. It is hoped that this warning will change your driving behavior for the better. What will happen if you have got 15 points? If you have got 15 points or more within two years, a court will take away your driving license. The first time you are found guilty you will not be able to drive for three months, but if you are caught a second time you will not be able to drive for six months. The Driving Offence Points _ . is a system that helps to improve the driving standards How do you celebrate New Year's Eve? Have you ever imagined how New Year's Eve would look in another country? Examples listed below are four of the top ten "Special New Year Traditions Around the World". 1. Breaking Dishes on Neighbor's Door----Denmark A strange Danish New Year tradition is throwing dishes at neighbor's door. Strangely, this makes them happy instead of annoying them. The family with the tallest tower of broken plates, glasses, cups is considered to be the luckiest one because it means their large number of true friends. 2. Talking to Spirits----Mexico Talking to spirits is a part of Mexican belief. Mexicans strongly believe that they can communicate with the souls of their dead loved ones. New Year's Eve is considered the best time to communicate with dead spirits. 3. Wearing Polka Dots ----Philippines Imagine streets full of people wearing polka dots and dining room tables full of round shaped food and fruits on one single day of the year. This all actually happens in the Philippines on New Year's Eve every year. Philippines believe that this will bring them wealth by relating the round dots to coins and wealth. 4. Mistletoe Leaves Are Placed Under Pillow to Find Husband----Ireland The unmarried women of Ireland wait until 12 for New Year's Eve because it is the night that can bring them the love of their lives. They place mistletoe leaves under their pillow hoping to catch their future husband. It is also believed in the Irish culture that this act will help them stay away from bad luck. No matter how people celebrate the New Year, we all want to start a new, fresh year with renewed enthusiasm. We all want to be happier, find love, renew friendships, increase our wealth and also hope for a little extra luck in the coming new year. From the passage we can see _ . although people celebrate differently, their wishes are nearly the same Oprah Winfrey has come a long way from her poor childhood home in a small Mississippi town. She was an unwanted child whose parents never married. She was brought up on her grandmother's farm. The possibility that she would become rich and famous was slim. Oprah's mother left her child in her mother's care, so she could go to work in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was a strict and difficult life for Oprah. But it also led the way for her future. She was a highly intelligent child. By the age of three, she had learned to read and write. She also made her first public appearance at that age. Oprah's intelligence was resented by other children of her age. They called her unkind names and pushed her away. Oprah felt very isolated and unwanted. It made her feel worse that she didn't live with her mother and father. She felt that no one loved her. This made her angry and rebellious . These feelings brought her much trouble as she was growing up. She often behaved badly, causing her grandmother to punish her. By the age of seven, she was too much for her grandmother to discipline. Then Oprah went to live with her mother, Vernita, who worked very hard as a housekeeper in Milwaukee. It was hard for her to work and take care of her bright, troublesome child. They lived in poverty in a small apartment. Oprah took out all her angry feelings on her mother. When Oprah was eight, Vernita sent her to live with her father and stepmother in Nashville, Tennessee. But she moved again a few months later when Vernita married a man with two children. Vernita wanted Oprah to be with her and her new family. Unfortunately, she felt she didn't belong with them. She believed she wasn't loved by anyone. Her angry and frustration grew stronger. She struck back by misbehaving and running away from home. Her parents found her impossible to discipline. When she was 14, they tried to send her to a special center for troubled girls. But there was no room for her. So Vernita sent Oprah back to live with her father. Vernon Winfrey was by then a successful businessman and family man. He took one look at his daughter and knew she needed love, guidance and discipline. He gave her all three. It was a turning point in Oprah's life. He was strict about his daughter's education. He gave her homework in addition to her schoolwork. She was allowed to watch only one hour of television a day. She became an A student and a popular girl in her class. Oprah watched Barbara Walters, a famous journalist, and decided that was what she wanted to be. When she was still in high school, she got a part-time job reading news on the radio. In her senior year she won a beauty contest and a four-year scholarship to Tennessee State University. While still in college she was offered a job as a news broadcaster at a local television station. She was the first female and the first African-American newscaster in Nashville. She was promoted to anchor, the most important position on the news team, while still a senior. After Oprah graduated she got a job with a Baltimore news station. But she soon realized that broadcasting news wasn't enough for her. She had to let her personality shine through. She wanted to show emotion when she told a story, not just report it. Meanwhile the station managers were thinking the same way. They removed her from the anchor spot and wondered what to do with her. Finally they put her on an early morning talk show called People Are Talking. No one knew what to expect. The show was a great success. In a very short time, the managers and Oprah all knew what she was born to do. She was everything a talk show host should be. She was so successful that she got a show with a bigger station in Chicago. In 1985 the show was changed to The Oprah Winfrey Show. It was broadcast nationally and soon became the most popular talk show on television. By the age of 35, Oprah Winfrey was one of the most famous celebrities in America. Which of the following best describes Oprah? Talented and ambitious. About one million years ago, the Ice Age began. The Ice Age was a long period of time in which four great glaciers pushed southward to cover almost all the upper half of North America, and then melted away. Each glacier was a thick sheet of ice and snow that spread out from a center near what is now Hudson Bay in Canada. The winters were long, and the cool summers were too short to melt much of the ice and snow. The ever-growing sheet built up to a thickness of two miles at its center. As all glaciers do, these great glaciers slid. They pushed down giant trees in their paths and scraped the earth bare of soil. Many animals moved farther south to escape. Others stayed and were destroyed. When winters of little snow came, the summer cut into the edges of the ice sheets. As the glaciers melted, rocks soil and other things that had mixed with the ice and snow were left. New hills, lakes and rivers were formed. The last of the great glaciers began its melting about 11, 000 years ago. Its melting formed the Great Lakes. These lakes today are little changed from their early sizes and shapes. The largest of the North American river systems was also influenced by the glaciers. This is the Mississippi-Missouri-Ohio system. These rivers were miles wide at first. Through the years they settled into _ present channels. From the information in this passage we know that _ . glaciers are destructive
Flickering lights are annoying but they may have an advantage. Visible light communication (VLC) uses rapid pluses of light to transmit information wirelessly. Now it may be ready to compete with conventional Wi-fi. In a recent TED talk, Harald Hasas from the University of Edinburge,UK demonstrated one VLC prototype ,"Li-Fi", transmitting a video from a store-bought LED lamp to a solar cell to a laptop. "Li-Fi is essentially the same as Wi-Fi,except for a small difference- we use LED lights around us to transmit the data wirelessly as opposed to using radio," Haas says. Once established, VLC could solve some major communication problems. In 2009, the US Federal Communications Commission(FCC) warned of spectrum crisis: because our mobile devices are so data- hungry we will soon run out of radio-frequency bandwidth.Li-Fi could free up bandwidth, especially as much of the infrastructure is already in place."There are around14 billion light bulbs worldwide, they just need to replaced with LED ones that transmit data", says Haas. The idea of transmitting data through the visible light spectrum is not new.Alexander Graham Bell transmitted sound via a beam of sunlight in 1880 using a photo phone, a sort of solar-powered wireless telephone. In the past several decades, a number of researchers have looked at using visible light to transmit data. But what Haas seized on is the use of simple LED light bulbs for data transmission. LED bulbs are controlled by a driver, which can rapidly di the light or turn it on or off. Therefore, Haas figured, data could be encoded in subtle shifts of the light's brightness. Eventually, he creaded a working transmitter and receiver system with an IKEA lamp and a solar panel. Li-Fi stands to be much faster than Wi-Fi. According to Haas research, Li-Fi can achieve data density 1000 times greater than Wi-Fi,because Li-Fi signals are contained in a small area, as opposed to the more diffuse ,radio signals.The system wouldn't mean having to keep your lights on all the time either, Haas says---bulbs could be dimmed to such a point that they appear off, but still transmit data. Now, Haas' team hopes that Li-Fi could make its way into homes in a few years. The system can easily network any device with an LED light--an electric kettle, an oven. Eventually, this could bring about the Internet of Things era much faster. Haas also sees Li-Fi as a way to bring internet to remote location, using hilltop transmitters and rooftop solar panels. LED streetlights could even be used to form a network of outdoor Li-Fi, making it possible to stay connected when walking around the city. But some sound a cautious note about VLC's future. It becomes less powerful , for example,when light is blocked, wheather due to fog or other conditions. By saying "There are around14 billion light bulbs worldwide"Haas intended to tell us that _ A mobile devices will consume more data B radio-frequency bandwidth needs to be freed up. C VLC might solve the spectum crisis. D the world has a complete lighting infrastructure. Answer: C. VLC might solve the spectum crisis. The Man of Many Secrets Harry Houdini was one of the greatest American entertainers in the theater this century.He was a man famous for his escapes--from prison cells,from wooden boxes floating in rivers,from locked tanks full of water.He appeared in theaters all over Europe and America.Crowds came to see the great Houdini and his "magic"tricks. 0f course,his secret was not magic,or supernatural powers.It was simply strength.He had ability to move his toes as well as to move his fingers.He could move his body into almost any position he wanted. Houdini started working in the entertainment world when he was 17,in 1891.He and his brother Theo performed card tricks in a New York club.They called themselves the Houdini brothers.When Harry married in 1894,he and his wife Bess worked together as magician and assistant,but for a long time they were not successful.Then Harty performed his first prison escape,in Chicago in 1898.Harry persuaded a detective to let him try to escape from the prison,and he invited the local newspaperman to watch.It was the publicity that came from this that started Harry Houdini's success. Harry had fingers trained to escape from handcuffs and toes trained to escape from ankle chains,but his biggest secret was how he unlocked the prison doors.Every time he went into the prison cell,Bess gave him a kiss for good luck--and a small skeleton key,which is a key that fits many locks passed quickly from her mouth to his. Harry used these prison escapes to build his fame.He arranged to escape from the local jail of every town he visited.In the afternoon the people of the town would read about it in their local newspapers.and in the evening every seat in the local theater would be full.What was the result? Worldwide fame,and a name remembered today. According to the passage,how did Houdini get the key which helped him unlock prison door? A He took the key from his wife's mouth. B His wife passed it to his hand while kissing him. C His wife gave it to him by a magic trick. D He got it in his mouth through a kiss by his wife. Answer: D. He got it in his mouth through a kiss by his wife. I was watching some little kids play soccer. These kids were only five or six years old, but they were playing a real game -- a serious game -- two teams, complete with coaches, uniforms, and parents. I didn't know any of them, so I was able to enjoy the game without the distractionof being anxious about winning or losing. The teams were pretty evenly matched. I will just call them Team One and Team Two. Nobody scored in the first period. Then came the second quarter. The Team One coach pulled out what must have been his first team and put in the scrubs , except for his best player who now guarded the goal. The game _ . I guess winning is important even when you're five years old -- because the Team Two coach left his best players in, and the Team One scrubs were no match for them. Team Two packed around the little guy who was now the Team One goalkeeper. He was an outstanding athlete, but he was no match for three or four who were also very good. Team Two began to score. The lone goalkeeper gave it everything he had, desperately throwing his body in front of incoming balls, trying bravely to stop them. Team Two scored two goals in quick succession. It angered the young boy. He became a raging maniac -- shouting, running, diving. With all the strength he could gather, he covered the boy who now had the ball, but that boy kicked it to another boy twenty feet away, and by the time he repositioned himself, it was too late -- they scored a third goal. I soon learned who the goalkeeper's parents were. They were nice, decent-looking people. I could tell that his dad had just come from the office -- he still had his suit and tie on. They yelled encouragement to their son. I became totally absorbed, watching the boy on the field and his parents on the sidelines. After the third goal, the little kid changed. He didn't quit, but he became quietly desperate and futility was written all over him. His father changed, too. He had been urging his son to try harder -- yelling advice and encouragement. But then he became anxious. He tried to say that it was okay -- to hang in there. He sorrowed for the pain his son was feeling. After the fourth goal, I knew what was going to happen. The little boy fetched the ball from the net and handed it to the referee . He just stood there while huge tears rolled down both cheeks. He went to his knees, and he cried the tears of the helpless and brokenhearted. At that moment, I saw the father start onto the field. His wife seized his arm and said, "Jim, don't. You'll embarrass him." But he tore loose from her and ran onto the field. Suit, tie, dress shoe, and all -- he charged onto the field, and he picked up his son so everybody would know that this was his boy, and he hugged him and held him and cried with him. I've never been so proud of a man in my life. He carried him off the field, and when he got close to the sidelines I heard him say, "Scotty, I'm so proud of you. You were great out there. I want everybody to know that you are my son." "Daddy," the boy sobbed. "I couldn't stop them. I tried, Daddy, but they scored on me." "Scotty, it doesn't matter how many times they scored on you. You're my son, and I'm proud of you. I want you to go back there and finish the game. I know you want to quit, but you can't. And, son, you're going to get scored on again, but it doesn't matter. In my eyes, you are the winner! Go on, now." The little guy ran back onto the field -- and they scored two more times -- but it was okay. Now in all viewers' eyes, he is the Winner. When you're all alone, and you're getting scored on -- and you can't stop them -- it means a lot to know that it doesn't matter to those who love you. In their eyes, so long as you don't give up, you are the winner. And they are always proud of you. Which detail from the story can reflect the little boy's losing confidence? A The lone goalkeeper gave it everything he had, desperately throwing his body. B He became a raging maniac -- shouting, running, diving. C With all the strength he could gather, he covered the boy who now had the ball. D He didn't quit, but he became quietly desperate and futility was written all over him. Answer: D. He didn't quit, but he became quietly desperate and futility was written all over him. How do you usually celebrate your birthday? Playing a soccer game may not be your first choice. But Lu Han, the former EXO singer, did just that and showed has an unusual side of him. Lu Han celebrated his 25th birthday by playing a soccer game with players from Beijing No.47 High School on April 19th in Beijing, a day before his birthday. He scored three goals in the game. Lu Han has often shown on Weibo that he is a big soccer fan and his favorite soccer team is Manchester United. He said more than once that he used to dream of becoming a professional soccer player. So what was Lu Han's performance like on the pitch ?Fan Zhiyi, the former captain of the Chinese national soccer team, played with Lu Han in a friendly match in 2013. He thought that Lu Han is a top amateur player. ,A, B, C, D. What's the best title of the passage? A A Famous Writer. B A Professional Soccer Player C A Popular Singer D A Super Soccer-lover Answer: D. A Super Soccer-lover My name is Dennis. I'm a worker of a big store. I don't work in the morning. I work at night. Every morning I come home at about 6:30. I have breakfast at 7:00. After breakfast I go to bed. I get up at around 2:30. I have lunch at 2:45 and dinner at 7:40. Then I go to work at 8:30. My work starts at 9:00. I look after the store every night. I like my work very much. . When does Dennis get up? A At 6:15 in the morning. B At 6:30 in the morning. C At 2:30 in the afternoon. D At 9:00 in the evening. Answer: C. At 2:30 in the afternoon.
It seems that beauty and women are twins.You are joking? No,I am not.Watch it for yourself! Ads on fashion TV screens,radio programs,magazines,newspapers,and the streets.Whether they have realized it or not, women are surrounded by a sea of fashion. They are taught to think that without beautiful clothes they will grow old and lose their charm. so who dares to neglect dressing up at the cost of their appearance and youth? But I do not agree with the opinion that women have to show their beauty through their appearances. The richness of their minds proves to be more beautiful and attractive than their appearances. a woman who has experienced many troubles and may be called "aunt" or"granny" can still keep up her beauty if she has such excellent qualities as knowledge,ability,a kind heart,great courage, caring for others, etc. In addition, old and young, beautiful and ugly are relative concepts .People who keep a young mind will never feel old.Interested in new things and eager to learn more,they keep up with the time. plainly-dressed women may have a type of beauty that is pure and real. Reading and learning is the best way to keep one youthful.Good books are rich soil which can feed the flower of one's heart and appearances. In the author's opinion, which of the following is not true? A. even a plainly-dressed woman may have pure and real beauty. B. however old she is, a woman with some excellent qualities can still keep up her beauty C. as a woman grows old, her beauty will completely disappear. D. it is not necessary for women to show their beauty through their beautiful clothes. Answer: C Apollo 11, carrying Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins, was launched on 16 July, 1969. Five days later they stepped down onto the moon. Neil Armstrong On the way there: Of all the wonderful views we had, the most impressive to me was on the way to the Moon when we flew through its shadow. We were still thousands of miles away, but close enough so that the Moon almost filled our window. The moon appeared blue-grey. It seemed almost as if it were showing us its roundness, its similarity in shape to our Earth, in a sort of welcome. I was sure it would be a hospitable host. It had been waiting for its first visitors for a long time. After touch down: The sky is black, you know. It's a very dark sky, but it still seemed more like daylight than darkness as we looked out the window. It's a very strange thing but the surface looked very warm and inviting. It seemed to be tan . It's hard to explain that, because later when I held the material in my hand, it wasn't tan at all. It was black, grey and so on. Edwin Aldrin On the Moon: The blue color of my boots has completely disappeared now into this soil--still don't know what color to describe this other than grayish cocoa. Back on board: The moon was a very natural and pleasant environment in which to work. On the Moon, in one-sixth gravity, you have a strong feeling of being somewhere. As we did our experiments, some objects we threw away would go in a slow, lazy manner. What did Armstrong find very strange on the moon? A. The color of the sky. B. The surface of the moon C. The gravity on the moon. D. The daylight on the moon. Answer: B A robot is a computer-controlled machine that is programmed to move and handle objects. Robots are able to perform repetitive tasks more quickly, cheaply, and accurately than humans. In 1995, about 700,000 robots were used-including over 500,000 in Japan, about 120,000 in Western Europe, and about 60,000 in the United States-all in the industrialized world. Many robots applications are designed for tasks that are either dangerous or unpleasant for human beings. Now, robotic technology can be used in more and more fields. Experts say in the future robots will be able to make new highways, constructsteel frameworks of buildings, clean sewage , and such physical work. Besides, another possibility is the development of robotic technology in medical surgery operations. Perhaps the greatest changes in future robots will improve from their increasing ability to reason. The field of artificial intelligence is moving rapidly from university labs to practical application in industry, and machines of a new kind of robots are being developed, _ can perform something involved in the process of understanding and planning, such as the management of a battlefield. Even the control of a large factory will be performed by intelligent computers. And there might be a possibility that these computers can design and make robots of their own. Is there anything dangerous involved in this artificial intelligence progress then? Robot technology has been making people nervous ever since it was invented. Is it unreasonable to worry that robots will someday become too clever? Is it impossible that these human-like robots will start to think and plan for themselves? Will robots take over the world and force humans to give them energy to survive? In 1995, about 700,000 robots were working in _ . A. Japan B. the United States C. Western Europe D. the industrialized world Answer: D More than 12 300 people were killed and tens of thousands left homeless after a powerful undersea earthquake unleashed giant _ waves that crashed into the coasts of south and southeast Asia. The 8.9 magnitude earthquake that struck off the Indonesian island of Sumatra early on Sunday was the biggest in 40 years.It triggered waves that reared up into walls of water as high as 10 meters(30 feet) as they hit coastlines in Indonesia,Sri Lanka,India and Thailand. Aid agencies rushed staff,equipment and money to the region,warning that bodies rotting in the water were already beginning to threaten the water supply for survivors. Rescue workers also spoke of bodies still caught up on trees after being flung inland by the waves. "I just couldn't believe what was happening before my eyes,"Boree Carlson said from a hotel in the Thai resort of Phuket. "As I was standing there,a car actually floated into the lobby and overturned because the current was so strong,"said the 45-year-old Swede. "I heard an eerie sound that I have never heard before.It was a high pitched sound followed by a deafening roar,"said a 55-year-old Indian fisherman who gave his name as Chellappa. "I told everyone to run for their life." In Indonesia,an archipelago of 17 000 islands,one official said nearly 4500 people had died.The worst affected area was Bands Aceh,the capital of Aceh Province,where 3000 were killed.More than 200 prisoners escaped from a jail when the tsunami knocked down its walls.In Sri Lanka ,the death toll also reached 4500 and 1 million people,or 5 percent of its population,were affected.It was the worst natural disaster to hit Sri Lanka.Hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankans sheltered in schools and temples overnight,and officials expected the death toll to rise further once rescuers resumed searches after daybreak.In southern India,where at least 3000 were estimated to have died,beaches were littered with submerged cars and wrecked boats.Shanties on the coast were under water. Thai government officials said at least 392 bodies had been retrieved and they expected the final toll to approach 1000. The earthquake,of magnitude 8.9 as measured by the U.S. Geological Survery (news-web sites),struck at 7:59 a.m.(1959EST).It was the world's biggest since 1964,said Julie Martinez at the USGS(news-web sites). The tsunami was so powerful it smashed boast and flooded areas along the east African coast,3728 miles away. The sea waves hit coastlines in _ . A. Indonesia B. Sri Lanka C. India and Thailand D. All of above Answer: D It's that time of the year when couples show their love for each other by sending cards, flowers and chocolates. But Valentine's Day is not only about public displays of affection, and in recent years it has also become big business. In the UK alone, more than PS20 million is spent on flowers, while in the United States over $1 billion is forked out on chocolates. Although Valentine's Day has become a global industry with more than 80 million roses sold worldwide, the origins of the day are unclear. Nobody knows exactly who St Valentine was. It is said that the first recorded Valentine's card was sent by the imprisoned Duke of Orleans in 1415. It is believed that he sought solace from his imprisonment by writing love poems to his wife. Valentine's Day is now celebrated in many countries around the world. However, the traditions often differ from place to place. In Japan, for example, it is customary for the woman to send chocolates to the man, while in Korea April 14th is known as 'Black Day' when the unfortunate men who have received nothing on Valentine's Day gather to eat noodles and comfort each other. Technological developments have also played their part in keeping Valentine's Day relevant to the 21st century. Valentine's e-cards have been all the rage in recent years. Valentine's cards can also be used for less than romantic purposes. This year police in Liverpool sent Valentine's cards to criminals who failed to appear in court or have not paid fines. The cards contained the verse: "Roses are red; violets are blue. You've got a warrant and we'd love to see you." Who says romance is dead? Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? A. It is said that Duke of Orleans sent the first Valentine's card to his wife. B. Men are given chocolates by women in Japan on Valentine's Day. C. Disappointed Korean men eat noodles to get over getting nothing on Valentine's Day. D. Valentine's cards have not changed. Answer: D
In 1976, the Viking I Lander was sent to Mars to analyze atmospheric gases and soil samples. The Viking I Lander was most likely a space probe. All day long he flew, and at night-time he arrived at the city. "Where shall I put up?" he said; "I hope the town has made preparations." Then he saw the statue on the tall column. "I will put up there," he cried; "it is a fine position, with plenty of fresh air." So he flew down and settled just between the feet of the Happy Prince. "I have a golden bedroom," he said softly to himself as he looked round, and he prepared to go to sleep; but just as he was putting his head under his wing a large drop of water fell on him. "What a curious thing!" he cried; "there is not a single cloud in the sky, the stars are quite clear and bright, and yet it is raining. The climate in the north of Europe is really dreadful." Then another drop fell. "What is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain off?" he said; "I must look for a good chimney-pot," and he determined to fly away. But before he had opened his wings, a third drop fell, and he looked up, and saw--Ah! What did he see? The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears, and tears were running down his golden cheeks. His face was so beautiful in the moonlight that the little Swallow was filled with pity. "Who are you?" he said. "I am the Happy Prince." "Why are you weeping then?" asked the Swallow, "you have quite wetted me." "When I was alive and had a human heart," answered the statue, "I did not know what tears were, for I lived in theprefix = st1 /PalaceofSans-Souci, where sorrow is not allowed to enter. In the daytime I played with my companions in the garden, and in the evening I led the dance in the Great Hall. Round the garden ran a very high wall, but I never cared to ask what lay beyond it, everything about me was so beautiful. People called me the Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was, if pleasure be happiness. So I lived, and so I died. And now that I am dead they have set me up here so high that I can see all the ugliness and all the misery of my city, and though my heart is made of lead yet I cannot choose but weep." "What is he not solid gold?" said the Swallow to himself. He was too polite to make any personal remarks out loud. The swallow wanted to put up when he arrived at the city because _ . he had a whole-day flight and wanted to sleep. One evening I was on my daily evening return from London to my home. I had got into the habit of sitting in the last carriage at the platform, so I could get off near to the station exit at my end. One evening before getting off the train, I found a purse. I opened the purse and thought this must be my lucky day, for the purse contained some PS80 in cash. Looking further into the purse, I found credit cards, and house keys and a name and address. My first thought when seeing the cash was to pocket it, and throw the other contents away. Now I am not a basically dishonest person, but had developed a hardened attitude over the years that most people were dishonest in some way, and my own personal experience had been that whenever I lost anything of value, that was the last I ever saw of it. And since I was a construction worker at that time, I had been the victim of a great deal of stealing during my working life. Almost as I read the name and address, I had a picture of that woman being struck with terror, when she realized she had lost her purse, and could not get into her home, had no money, and, would have thoughts of someone spending on her credit cards, not to mention the trouble of canceling all the cards. In that same moment I decided to hand the purse over to the train guard. So I told him I would like to see it returned to its rightful owner. He told me would be sent to the lost property office. I arrived at my station and started to walk the five minute journey to my home all the while feeling very pleased with myself that I was going to bring a great deal of happiness to someone I did not know. The author liked to sit in the last carriage because _ . he could get out of the station sooner after getting off The Internet is becoming important in our life. How much do you know about it? The following questions and their answers will help you to know more about the Internet. What is the Internet? The Internet is a large, world-wide collection of computer networks . A network is a small group of computers put together. The Internet is many different kinds of networks from all over the world. These networks are called the Internet. If you have learned to use the Internet, you can have a lot of interest on the World Wide Web . What is the World Wide Web? The World Wide Web has been the most popular development of the Internet. It is like a big electronic book with millions of pages. These pages are called homepages. You can find information about almost anything in the world on these pages. For example, you can use the Internet instead of a library to find information for your homework. You can also find information about your favourite sport or film star, talk to your friends or even do some shopping on the pages. Most pages have words, pictures and even sound or music. What is e-mail? Electronic mail (e-mail) is a way of sending messages to other people. It's much quicker and cheaper than sending a letter. If you want to use e-mail, you must have an e-mail address. This address must have letters and dots and an @ (means "at"). For example: Lily @ Yahoo.com. Write a message, type a person's e-mail address, and then send the message across the Internet. People don't need to use stamps, envelopes or go to the post office because of the invention of the Internet. Quick, easy and interesting -- that's the Internet. The "e" in e-mail means _ . electronic Ann Whimey, a sophomore at Colorado State University, first had a problem taking tests when she began college. "I was always well prepared for my tests. Sometimes I studied for weeks before a test. Yet I would go to take the test, only to find I could not answer the questions correctly. I would blank out because of nervousness and fear. I couldn't think of the answer." The young student was experiencing something called test anxiety. Because a student worries and is uneasy about a test, his or her mind does not work as well as it usually does. The student cannot write or think clearly because of the great nervousness. though poor scores are often a result of poor study habits, sometimes test anxiety causes low scores. Recently, test anxiety has been recognized as a real problem, not just an excuse or a false explanation of lazy students. Special university counseling courses try to help students. In these courses, counselors try to help students by teaching them how to manage test anxiety. At some universities, students take tests to measure their anxiety. If the test shows their anxiety is high, the students can take courses to help them deal with their nervousness. These courses teach students how to relax their bodies. By controlling their nervousness, they can let their minds work at ease, learn information, then come out without difficulty in a test. An expert at the University of California explains, "With almost all students, relaxation is felt after taking our program. Most of them have better control during their test. Almost all have some improvements. For some, the improvement is very great. The title of the passage should be _ Anxiety and Tests
Question: Kids may need to apologize if they do something they know was wrong-like telling a lie or breaking a rule on purpose. When they do something their parents tell them not to do, or they don't do something they are supposed to do, they apologize, too. Grown-ups can apologize,too,to other grown-ups or even to kids. After all,even grown-ups make mistakes sometimes. By apologizing when they're wrong,grown-ups can set a good example and show kids how to do the right thing and apologize when they need to. Saying I'm sorry when you need to is the right thing to do. It does a lot of good. But by itself, _ might not be enough to make everything all better again. Sometimes along with an apology,a person needs to fix the mistake or promise to do better. Sometimes doing a nice thing for the person after you apologize helps show that you really are sorry and want to be friendly again. Sometimes a heartfelt "I'm" sorry fixes everything right away. Other times,it might take a while for someone to feel friendly after you apologize. You might need to give the other person some time. Even after you say you're sorry,you might still feel bad about what you said or did-but you can feel good about apologizing and about making up your mind to do better. When someone apologizes to you,you might not feel like being friendly again right away. Once in a while,if a person doesn't change,you might not want to be friends anymore. You might feel glad that the other person apologized and admitted being wrong. But if someone keeps behaving in mean ways or does something that keeps hurting,you might not feel the same way anymore. Just because someone apologizes to you doesn't mean you have to be friendly again. That part is up to you. The passage mainly deals with a topic about _ . A. politics B. history C. communication D. science Answer: C Question: As one approaches some crossroads, one comes to a sign which says that drivers have to stop when they come to the main road ahead. At other crossroads, drivers have to go slow, but they do not actually have to stop (unless, of course, there is something coming along the main road); and at still others, they do not have either to stop or to go slow, because they are themselves on the main road. Mr. Williams, who was always a very careful driver, was driving home from work one evening when he came to a crossroads. It had a "Slow" sign, so he slowed down when he came to the main road, looked both ways to see that nothing was coming, and then drove across without stopping completely. At once he heard a police whistle, so he pulled in to the side of the road and stopped. A policeman walked over to him with a notebook and pencil in his hand and said, "You didn't stop at the crossing." "But the sign there doesn't say "Stop"," answered Mr. Williams. "It just says "Slow", and I did go slow." The policeman looked around him, and a look of surprise came over his face. Then he put his notebook and pencil away, scratched his head and said, "Well, I'll be scolded. I am in the wrong street!" What do you think the policeman would do in the end? A. Fine Mr. Williams. B. Take him to the police station. C. Apologize to Mr. Williams. D. Give Mr. Williams his notebook and pencil. Answer: C Question: Without most people realizing it, there has been a revolution in office work over the last ten years. Before that time, large computers were only used by large, rich companies that could afford the investment. With the advancement of technology, small computers have come onto the market, which are capable of doing the work that used to be done by much larger and expensive computers, so now most smaller companies can use them. The main development in small computers has been in the field of word processors , or WPS as they are often called. 40% of British offices are now estimated to have a word processor and this percentage is growing fast. There are many advantages in using a word processor for both secretary and manager. The secretary is freed from a lot of daily work, such as re-typing letters and storing papers. He or she can use this time to do other more interesting work for the boss. From a manager's point of view, secretarial time is being made better use of and money can be saved by doing daily jobs automatically outside office hours. But is it all good? If a lot of daily secretarial work can be done automatically, surely this will mean that fewer secretaries will be needed. Another worry is the increasing medical problems related to work with visual display units . The case of a slow loss of sight among people using word processors seems to have risen greatly. It is also feared that if a woman works at a VDU for long hours, the unborn child in her body might be killed. Safety screens to put over a VDU have been invented but few companies in prefix = st1 /Englandbother to buy them. Whatever the arguments for and against word processor are, they are a key feature of this revolution in office practice. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. There are both advantages and disadvantages in using a word processor. B. The British companies care much for the health of the people using word processors. C. The technology in the field of computers has been greatly advanced over the last ten years. D. Using word processors, secretaries can get more time to do more interesting work for their bosses. Answer: B Question: Jimmy doesn't 1ike school and is always looking for excuses not to go.If he coughs,he asks his mother to write a note saying he has a cold . If he has a headache,he asks his mother to take him to the doctor during school hours.He spends more time at home than he does at school. Even when he is at school.he looks for excuses to go home early. One day he came home from school in the middle of the morning.His father was of course surprised to see him back so early. "You're home early.Jimmy,"he said"Is the school closed today?" "No.Dad,"Jimmy said."It's open.But I came home early." "How did you do this?"his father asked him."What did you say to the teacher?" "I told her that I had a new baby brother and I had to come home and help you.'' "But your mother has had twins." his father said."a boy and a girl. You have a baby brother and a baby sister." "Yes.I know, Dad."Jimmy said"I'm saving my baby sister for next week." Jimmy didn't tell his teacher about the twins because. A. he wanted to save one for another excuse B. he didn't know the fact C. he didn't like the baby sister D. his father asked him not to do so Answer: A Question: What do college teachers think of high school English teachers'English teaching? And how should we see it? Let's read the following. A teacher from a community college addressed a sympathetic audience. Heads nodded in agreement when he said, "High school English teachers are not doing their jobs." He described how weak his students were--all high school graduates who can use language only at a Grade 9 level. My topic is not standards nor its decline . What the speaker was really saying is that he is no longer young; he has been teaching for sixteen years, and is able to think and speak like a mature adult. My point is that the frequent complaint of one generation about the one immediately following is natural. It is also human nature to look for the reasons for our dissatisfaction. Before English became a school subject in the late nineteenth century, it was difficult to find the target of the blame for language deficiencies . But since then, English teachers have been under constant attack. The complainers think they have hit upon an original idea. As their own command of the language improves, they notice that young people do not have this same ability. Unaware that their own ability has developed through the years, they assume the new generation of young people must be hopeless in this respect. To the eyes and ears of sensitive adults, the language of the young always seems inadequate. Since this concern about the decline and fall of the English language is not seen as a generational phenomenon but rather as something new and peculiar to today's young people, it naturally follows that today's English teachers cannot be doing their jobs. What can we conclude from the passage? A. Language learning and improving needs time and effort. B. The author disagrees with the speaker over the standard of English at Grade 9 level. C. It is reasonable to include English as one of the high school subjects. D. The English language teaching is by no means an easy job for college teachers. Answer: A
People who breathe infected air from a TB patient can become infected with the tuberculosis bacteria . However, most people with active tuberculosis do not expel (,)very many TB bacteria. So, the spread of the disease usually does not happen unless a person spends a large amount of time with a TB patient. Those most at risk are family members, friends and people who live or work closely with a patient. Tuberculosis can attack any part of the body. However, the lungs are the most common targets of the bacteria. People with the disease show several signs. They may expel air from the lungs suddenly with an explosive noise. This kind of cough continues for a long period of time. People with a more severe case of tuberculosis also may cough up blood. People with the disease often have high body temperatures. They suffer what are called night sweats, during which their bodies release large amounts of water through the skin. TB victims also are tired all the time. They are not interested in eating. So their bodies lose weight. One thing that is especially dangerous about TB is that people with moderate signs of the disease may not know they have had it. They may spread the disease to others without even knowing it. So, it is very important for people to get tested for tuberculosis. Family members are those most at risk to be infected with the tuberculosis bacteria, _ . Answer: because they live in the same room What is great art? On the one hand, we can all see that great art is old art which is called great. But how do we know which art of our own times is great, and which will be forgotten? And who decides? These are important questions, for the great art of the past often was not considered great during its own time. When Shakespeare and Charles Dickens were writing, for example, most critics considered them as hack writers with little or no literary ability. Similarly, Van Gogh and many of the other Impressionist painters of the late nineteenth century were not allowed to participate in events involving what were thought to be the "real" painters of the time, and often they were very poor. Yet today their paintings often sell for millions of dollars, while those so-called "real" painters are now barely remembered. So what makes great art? Can, for example, rock music be great art? Music videos? Cartoons and comics? Those who call themselves critics of the fine arts often have been the last to recognize great art in the past, and we can probably expect this to be the situation today. Critics often don't recognize great art because they tend to be prejudiced against what is popular. Popular works, whether they are novels, movies, or comics, are usually considered to be produced for the sake of money only, and not for the sake of art. But popularity, it seems to me, is one of the three signs that a present-day work of art may come to be thought of as great. The other two are that it is groundbreaking, and that it is inherently beautiful. Many works have one or even two of these qualities of being popular, unusual, and beautiful. But having all the three often will mean that a work of art will someday be seen to be great, though it may take a good spoonful of time, such as a century or two, to know for sure. According to the author, great works _ . Answer: may be presented in different forms Connecticut College senior Paul Dryden has known for years that he'd have lots of competition for an entry--level promotions job inprefix = st1 /New York's music industry. So in a bid to get an advantage last summer, he invented a job for himself. The job, as an intern in Universal MusiCs Buenos Aires office, had never existed before Dryden proposed it. Yet because he was willing to work without pay, he got his foot in the door and was soon translating interviews with American rock stars for his boss, who didn't speak English. "In theU.S., lye done a lot of internships where interns do all the busywork -- copying, stapling, the boring stuff," Dryden says. "But in this position (inArgentina), I felt very valuable to the company." International internships have been around since the 1950s, but they've become much more popular lately. Over the past three years, colleges have on average seen a 6% increase in the number of students doing international internships, according to a 39--college survey in March by the National Society for Experiential Education, an association of campus internship organizers. And the Institute for the International Education of Students says 25% of its 5, 000 annual study--abroad participants now do an internship component, up from 17% in the 1980s and 21% in the 1990s. National data aren't available on the total number of students doing internships overseas, but career--planning experts say such experience is an increasingly popular way to get" resume radiance ." Because 84 % of college students say they'll do at least one internship before graduating, many now aim to distinguish themselves with experience _ to a global economy. Paul Dryden did internship job to _ Answer: gain more experience in finding a better job While I was running slowly one morning, I saw my friend's father sitting alone on the roadside bench. So I crossed the road to wish him a good morning. As I came over to him, he was very happy to see me. He said it was nice of me to come and chat with him. Then he said to me in a low and sad voice: "At this stage of my life, it feels very lonely here. Anybody sharing a few heartfelt moments would mean a lot to me. " I was completely shocked by what he said, and I wondered: What could be that little thing that I can do to make his life different? I knew he was a painter, so I started to ask him about his latest painting experiences. Painting is a passionate topic for him, and he started to talk with me about it. I asked him, "Can you teach me to paint?" He was surprised at first and then agreed instantly. Now, every other day, I go to learn how to paint from him. We paint a lot and talk a lot. He says he feels better, and he waits for me. I say I feel better. After all, I am the one getting so much wisdom from a man who is nearing the horizon of his life with so much experience! What was the friend's father doing when the writer saw him? Answer: He was sitting alone. Many birds migrate. This means that every year they fly somewhere warm in the winter and then return to the place they came from in the spring. One mystery is how birds know how to travel such long distances without getting lost. Scientists have wondered for years whether they are born with the knowledge of where to go or whether they learn it after they are born. Now, researchers have found evidence that shows that one type of bird, at least, learns how to migrate. The bird is the whooping crane , a tall, white bird that lives in the United States. In the 1940s, the number of these birds decreased to fewer than 25 individuals, and many people feared that they would die out. Thanks to efforts to save them, they have now increased to about 600. However, the birds are not very good at taking care of their young. Because of this, eggs are brought to a site in Maryland. There, scientists from the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership raise the baby birds. Later, the young birds are taken from Maryland to Wisconsin, where the scientists teach them how to fly. From there, they fly about 2,200 kilometers south to Florida to spend the winter. The first time, scientists lead the way in a small airplane. From the second year, though, the birds travel by themselves. For 14 years, the scientists have kept a careful record of every flight the birds have taken between Wisconsin and Florida. They have also recorded which birds fly together, the relationships between the birds, and the gender of each bird. When scientists analyzed the data, they were surprised by the results. These showed that each bird took a very different route. However, as they got older, they flew more and more directly between Wisconsin and Florida. This continued until they were five years old. This indicates that the birds gradually learned the best route to take. Moreover, when an older bird was in a group, the whole group flew more directly. This suggests that the older birds taught the younger ones a quicker route. Scientists say that this evidence marks a big step toward solving the mystery of bird migration. What is one thing that scientists want to know about birds? Answer: How they manage to migrate successfully.
We knew Sylvia and Jack had problems with their flats, but we hadn't been told the details. Not until they came for a weekend in October, that is. At dinner on the Friday evening Kitty said, "You wrote that the flat wasn't quite what you expected. Of course it could be too small. You're sharing with another couple, aren't you?" "Were sharing. Mother." Sylvia replied. "It really wasn't necessary." Jack explained proudly, "I've had a big rise, and we can easily manage. It's much better to be independent." "Oh, much," I agreed "What was the trouble?" Kitty asked, impatient and unwilling to let her go. "Nothing much." Sylvia said, "The flat is fine. It was the other couple. Sally and Tom Ford. You've never seen such an untidy pair. We shared the sitting room and the kitchen and the bathroom and got fed up with the mess of it all." "And what made it worse," Jack put in. "was that they accused us of the same sort of thing. Tom and I nearly came to blows when he locked up some of their wedding presents we were all using, as they used ours, naturally." "You take a chance when you make a sharing arrangement." Kitty said. "I am in my own flat." Sylvia said, "Sally and Tom left a month ago." "We could have left instead," Jack said, "But why we should leave? After all, the flat was in out names, not theirs. We were glad to see the back of them." Two weeks later Kitty and I retuned their visit for lunch on Sunday. It was the first time we had been to their flat. To say that we were shocked is not true, because we know our daughter extremely well. The flat had fairly recently been in quite good condition; it was now a chaos. I did not know how anyone could possibly live there. But Sylvia noticed nothing. From the passage we can learn that _ . Answer: Sylvia and Jack were in fact an untidy pair. Family traditions were important in our house, and none was more appreciated than the perfect Christmas tree "Dad, can we watch when you trim the tree?" My eldest son. Dan, nine, and his seven -year-old brother John, asked "I won't be cutting this year," my husband Bob said. "Dan, you and John are old enough to measure things. Do it all by yourselves. Think you boys can handle it? Dan and John seemed to _ in their chairs at the thought of such an amazing responsibility. "We can handle it." Dan promised. "We won't let you down." . A few days before Christmas. Dan and John rushed in after school. They gathered the tools they'd need and brought them out to the yard .where the tree waited. I was cooking when I heard the happy sounds as the boys carried the tree into the lying room. Then I heard the sound that every mother knows is trouble: dead silence I hurried out to them. The tree was cut too short. John crossed his arms tight across his chest. His eyes filled with angry tears. I felt worried The tree was central to our holiday. I didn't want the boys to feel ashamed every tune they looked at it. I couldn't lower the ceiling, and I couldn't raise the floor either. There was no way to undo the damage done. Suddenly, a thought came to my mind, which turned the problem into the solution. www..com "We can't make the tree taller." I said. "But we can put it on a higher position" Dan nodded his head sideways. "We could put it on the coffee table. It just might work! Let's try it!" When Bob got home and looked at the big tree on top of the coffee table, Dan and John held their breath. "What a good idea!" he declared "Why didn't I ever think of such a thing?" John broke into a grin Dan's chest swelled with pride. Who trimmed the Christmas tree this year? Answer: Dan and John Suppose a key man in your firm had just met with a terrible accident. The doctor tell you that this man upon whom you depend for directing sales, checking your books or for performing some other important roles, will be laid up for months, You'd have to replace him, wouldn't you? And probably at a pay about equal to his ? Then you'd be faced with double paying for one job because stopping the pay of an injured man would simply be out of the question. You can prevent this kind of unproductive outgo on your payroll by providing your key man with the protection of Travelers Business Accident Insurance! This insurance provides total medical expense and a weekly income in case a key man is disabled for some time. Should the disability prove everlasting, an income for life is certainty. Why not make out a list of your key men now? Then get together with Travelers Insurance Company, and let us tell you how little it costs to apply this much needed protection to your business. Write and we'll serve you! The above is most probably _ . Answer: an advertisement Gravity lessens as you go Answer: away from a planet For a long time the packaging industry has been attacked for using what is thought as large amounts of packaging, choosing materials which are felt to have high impacts on the environment, and for being responsible for littering and overflowing land fills. In a study performed by WRAP, one of the first to study food waste in the UK in 2012, the most frequent responses when consumers were asked about packaging were "uses too much material" and "bad for the environment". The conclusions of these reports highlighted that the degree of the problem has been largely underestimated:at least 30% of food produced in the world is wasted. These figures are similar no matter if you are in the developed or developing world. However, two publications from cross--industry work groups were published recently, and have managed to reset the discussion to take into account the benefits of packaging for sustainability .The first publication, "The Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability", describes an agreed common approach towards measuring packaging sustainability metrics , so that the industry is not competing based on the definition of a metric, but rather competing based on performance. The second was, "'Packaging in the Sustainability Agenda, A Guide for Corporate Decision Makers", which highlighted the contributions of packaging to the three aspects of sustainability: packaging protects products and prevents waste(environmental aspect); packaging enables efficient business conduct(economic aspect); and packaging provides consumers with the benefits of the products it contains(social aspect). Packaging performs indeed a wide variety of functions throughout the value chain and contributes to reducing food waste by protecting ingredients and products during transportation and by delivering family--sized packages. Food waste could be avoided for single households if they are provided with the choice of pack sizes meeting their consumption patterns and are not forced to buy larger packs that they may not be able to finish before the use--by date. Despite the fact that smaller sized packs use more packaging, the fact that food waste is reduced would nevertheless decrease overall environmental impacts of the packed product. The author's attitude towards packaging is _ . Answer: approving
Ram-raiders armed with hammers smashed their way into an exclusive jewellery store in central Sydney. The thieves used a white four-wheel drive (4WD) to smash through the back window of the Mondial Neuman store in the historic Queen Victoria Building just before 9 a.m. on January 19. Detective Sergeant Paul Dunstan said three or four people were believed to have been in the 4WD. He said two or three people armed with what were thought to be hammers entered the shop through the smashed window, which fronts York St, before taking jewellery and driving away in a red Audi car. It's too early to say how much was taken, police said, but luckily, none of the store's workers was injured in the attack. A woman was working next door to the jewellery store. She saw the drama unfold and called the police. "I was just going to go upstairs when I saw the car stop," she said, "It mounted the kerb and at first Ijust thought it was a bad driver. Then I saw a person who was masked jump out of the back seat and move a cafe table out of the way.The truck just rammed into the window." She said the man then went back to the car and got a bag out of the back seat before going into the store. "I was shaking. I was scared they would see me. I heard screaming from the next door," she said, "you know, this is the second time in several months the store has been robbed." A police spokesman said detectives were still talking to witnesses and the owners of the store. Which of the following statements is TRUE? Answer: The value of the stolen jewellery hasn't been worked out yet. There has been an outpouring of love for a 23-year-old disabled woman whose dog was killed in front of her while a groomer tried to trim its claws. Calls and e-mails came from as far away as the Upper Peninsula and Arizona as well as Oakland and Macomb counties, offering Laurie Crouch, who uses a wheelchair because of multiple sclerosis , everything from dogs to money, such as that from Jason Daly of Roseville who said, " I would like to buy her a new dog." A story about the death of Crouch's pet, Gooch, was printed on the front page of Macomb Daily. Crouch said a man sat on the dog to trim its nails. Gooch died after one claw was trimmed. Crouch yelled at the groomer to stop when she saw Gooch was struggling to breathe, but she said she was ignored. "If I could have walked, I would have put my hands on her and pulled her off my dog and physically stopped her, but I can't do that." Gooch was not a trained service animal, but naturally helped Crouch by picking up things for her. "This case is absolute animal abuse ," Larry Obrecht, division manager of the Oakland County Animal Shelter in Auburn Hills, said. People who read the story contacted Oakland Press to offer help. A message, from Rebecca Amett of Giggles N Wiggles Puppy Rescue, in Roseville, said, "We have puppies to donate ... and want to help the young woman who lost her service dog." "When Gooch was with me, I was happy," Crouch said, "I think I can be happy again but no animal can replace Gooch. There's never going to be another Gooch out there but I think I will find a dog that can bring me joy again." People called and emailed to _ . Answer: offer help and care to Laurie Crouch. The writings of Shakespeare are today little read by young people in Britain. His young readership is limited to those who choose to study literature at university. Shakespeare's work, together with most other classics, is seen as remote, and written in a 400-year-old version of English that is about as inviting as toothache. Still, in Britain schools, it is compulsory to study the bard , and when something is made compulsory, usually the result is boredom, resentment or both. This was my experience of the classics at school. But when I reached my late teenage years, I had a change of heart. Like every other young person since the dawn of time, the world confused me. I wanted answers, so I turned to books to find them. I went on to take a PhD in literature and have taught it in Britain and China. I have never regretted it. There is something in literature that people want, even if they don't read books. You see this in the popularity of TV and movie adaptations of great works, the recent film version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice being _ . These popular adaptations may help increase people's interest in the classics. Reading a simplified Romeo and Juliet may perhaps lead to a reading of Shakespeare's actual play. If that is the case, then I welcome the trend. But do not make the mistake of thinking that it is the same thing. Shakespeare is a poet. His greatness is in his language. Reading someone else's rewriting of his work is like peeling a banana, throwing away the fruit, and eating the skin. Take on the original. It really is worth the effort. The popularity of TV and movie adaptations of great works may help people _ . Answer: become more interested in the classics Grace and I are good friends. We get on very well with each other, though sometimes we fight. I remember last year we didn't talk with each other for a long time before Mid-Autumn Day. But when we met each other that day, we became good friends again. We both study well. We like talking about the problems in our studies.We also like making up stories.We made one up in English last month. It was called "Magic Sunflower Club". I think this is a wonderful name. Grace is tall and active. She does better in P.E. than me. She is good at music. She plays the piano so well that sometimes birds come to listen to her. I'm shorter and quieter than Grace. I know a lot about science. I often have some new ideas. I'm good at math and art. Our teacher says my drawing is getting better and better. If we don't know something very well, we help each other. So we never have any problems. What do they often talk about? Answer: The problems in their studies. Dear Susan, I have been in England for three months now. I hope you don't think I have forgotten you. There have been so many places to see and so many things to do that I've not had much time for writing letters. I shall soon start my studies at King's College. So far I've been learning about British ways of living. I won' tell you about London in a traditional way, because there are plenty of books you can read and plenty of pictures you can look at. I'm sure you'll be more interested to know what I think about the life here. I find some of the customs new and interesting. People here do not shake hands so much as we do in Asia. During the first few weeks I was often surprised because people did not put out their hands when I met them. Men raised their hats to women, but not to each other. Yours ever, Anne According to the passage, the author_. Answer: came to England a few months ago
First lady's campaign brings change WASHINGTON (AP) -- Wal-Mart is putting special labels on some products to help shoppers quickly notice healthier ones. Millions of schoolchildren are helping themselves to vegetables from salad bars in their lunchrooms, and kids' meals at Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants come with a side of fruit or vegetables and a glass of low-fat milk. These changes are taking place due to the campaign against childhood fatness, for which the first lady Michelle Obama began fighting three years ago. Fatness has become a serious problem in the country. About one-third of U.S. children are overweight, which puts them at increased risk for any number of deadly illnesses, including high blood pressure and heart disease. Still, Mrs. Obama faces challenge. Not everyone welcomes her effort. Some blame her for going too far and say she has no right to tell what people should and shouldn't eat. But nutrition supporters and others praise her for using her influence to help bring interests to the table. They said the first lady has raised public awareness about fatness, which will help decrease childhood fatness rates. There is evidence of small decrease in childhood fatness rates in some parts of the country. New York reported a 5.5 percent drop in fatness rates in kindergarteners through eighth-graders between the 2006-07 and 2010-11 school years. In Philadelphia, the drop was 4.7 percent among students in grades K-12. Fighting against children fatness is hard work, but it's well worth the effort. The first lady is planning a promotional tour. She has been talking up the campaign against childhood fatness on daytime and late-night TV shows and on the radio. She also plans discussions next week on Google and Twitter. "We've been spending a lot of time educating and re-educating families and kids on how to eat, what to eat," the first lady said. "We're starting to see some changes and we're starting to show some improvement." What is the purpose of the campaign started by the first lady? Exited about landing your first job after graduation? Good, work hard and get learning. Don't forget to listen to young professional's advice about the "real world" you're stepping into. 1. Keep up with current events. In school, it's easy to live in a cocoon, where you focus on studies and social life. But in the working world, not knowing who Alan Greenspan is or why North Korea is in the news so often can lead to potentially embarrassing conversations. 2. Consider living with parents, even if you have a job. Think it over before you rule it out. Not only can you save a lot of money by living at home, but your parents may provide emotional support that you may need. They can help pave the way for you to move once you are settled into your new life. 3. Don't compare yourself to other people your age. Young adults are good at putting up impressive appearance, but you don't really know what their lives are like. Those who seem to have the perfect job may spend part of the day making coffee and picking up boss's dry-cleaning. 4. Pay attention to small jobs as well as big ones. Don't stress if, in your first job or internship , you get a lot more face time with the copy machine than with clients. You may wonder why you spent so much time studying in school only to do such tasks. But you may also be learning more about your new professional than you realize. 5. Know when it's time to move on. Give a new job a chance, perhaps a year, before you make up your mind to leave, especially if it's your first job out of school. When you're sure that the job isn't for you, figure out what you want to do and how to do it. Zhang Yue, 26, spent three years working as an accountant in Shanghai before becoming a financial planner. He loves his new job and spent 10 months searching for it: "To find something you really want to do takes time." The aim to write the passage is to _ . We send our children to school to prepare them for the time when they will be big and will have to work for themselves.They learn their own language so that they will be able to tell others clearly what they want and what they know,and understand what others tell them.They learn foreign languages in order to be able to understand the people from other countries and make themselves understood.They learn history to know something about human beings they meet every day.What they learn at school is,of course,quite useful,but is that the only reason why they go to school? No.There is more in education than just learning facts.We go to school,above all,to learn how to learn,so that when we have left school,we can continue to learn.A man who really knows how to learn will always be successful,because whenever he has to do something new,he will quickly teach himself how to do it in the best way.The uneducated person,on the other hand,is either unable to do something new,or does it badly.So the purpose of school is not just to teach the students these useful subjects but teach the way to learn. The main idea of the text is that _ . In 50 years of traveling, Colin McCorpuodale has visited every country in the world except three. And everywhere he goes, he sends himself a postcard. He always chooses a postcard with beautiful scenery . Usually he writes just a short message to himself. However, he wrote an interesting story on his latest one, from the Malians Island. Mr. McCorpuodale lives in London. On one of the walls in his room, you can see a large map of the world. There are hundreds of little red pins stuck in it. "These pins mean a lot to me." says Mr. McCorpuodale, "I follow the rule. I'm allowed to stick one in only if I've been in a place for more than 24 hours." Naturally, Mr. McCorpuodale has his favorite places. New Zealand, he describes as "a wonderful country". About China, he says, "This is the country in the world which is completely different. There is no European influence." Wherever he goes, Mr. McCorpuodale takes with him a photo of his wife, a candle, a shirt with a secret pocket and a pen. So why does he do it? For the postcards or the travels? Mr. McCorpuodale laughs, "Neither. Only for the meaningful life." According to Mr. McCorpuodal, there's no European influence _ . Riding was the favourite activity of Thomas Jefferson, who was the third President of the United States. He usually rode good horses. One day, he was riding outside Washington, when a jockey came near. He did not know the President, but his professional eye was attracted by Mr. Jefferson's horse. He stopped and said that he wanted to buy the horse, but Mr. Jefferson politely refused his offer. The jockey offered more money for the horse, because the closer he looked at the horse, the more he liked it. All of his offers were refused, which made him angry. He then became rude, but his rudeness left as little an impression as his money, for Jefferson had a very good temper. At last, he hit Mr. Jefferson's horse with his whip, getting it to run suddenly. This would have thrown a less skillful rider to the ground, but Jefferson stayed on his seat, and controlled his horse well. The jockey then gave up. He rode with Mr. Jefferson side by side and began to talk with him about politics. Jefferson joined in the conversation. When they got into the city and came close to the gate of the presidential mansion , Mr. Jefferson stopped, and politely invited the man to enter. The jockey was surprised and asked, "Why? Do you live here?" "Yes" was the simple reply. "Why, stranger, what's your name?" "My name is Thomas Jefferson." Embarrassed, the man quickly left, while the President looked at him with a smile and then rode through the gate. According to the passage, which of the following statement is true?
A four-year-old girl sees three biscuits divided between a stuffed crocodile and a teddy bear.The crocodile gets two; the bear one."Is that fair?" asks the experimenter.The girl judges that it is not."How about now?" asks the experimenter, breaking the bear's single biscuit in half.The girl cheers up: "Oh yes, now it's fair.They both have two." Strangely, children feel very strongly about fairness, even when they hardly understand it. Adults care about fairness too --- but how much? One way to find out is by using the ultimatum game, created by economist Werner Guth.Jack is given a pile of money and proposes how it should be divided with Jill.Jill can accept Jack's "ultimatum", otherwise the deal is off, and neither gets anything. Suppose Jack and Jill don't care about fairness, just about accumulating cash.Then Jack can offer Jill as little as he likes and Jill will still accept.After all, a little money is more than no money.But imagine, instead, that Jack and Jill both care only about fairness and that the fairest outcome is equality.Then Jack would offer Jill half the money; and Jill wouldn't accept otherwise. What happens when we ask people to play this game for real? It turns out that people value fairness a lot.Anyone offered less than 20-30% of the money is likely to reject it.Receiving an unfair offers makes us feel sick.Happily, most offers are pretty equitable; indeed, by far the most common is a 50-50 split. But children, and adults, also care about a very different sort of (un)fairness, namely cheating.Think how many games of snakes and ladders have ended in arguments when one child "accidentally" miscounts her moves and another child objects.But this sense of fairness isn't about equality of outcome: games inevitably have winners and losers.Here, fairness is about playing by the rules. Both fairness-as-equality and fairness-as-no-cheating matter.Which is more important: equality or no-cheating? I think the answer is neither.The national lottery , like other lotteries, certainly doesn't make the world more equal: a few people get rich and most people get nothing.Nevertheless, we hope, it is fair --- but what does this mean? The fairness-as-no-cheating viewpoint has a ready answer: a lottery is fair if it is conducted according to the "rules".But which rules? None of us has the slightest idea, I suspect.Suppose that buried in the small print at lottery HQ is a rule that forbids people with a particular surname (let's say, Moriarty).So a Ms Moriarty could buy a ticket each week for years without any chance of success. How would she react if she found out? Surely with anger: how dare the organisers let her play, week after week, without mentioning that she couldn't possibly win! She'd reasonably feel unfairly treated because _ . To protest against unfairness, then, is to make an accusation of bad faith.From this viewpoint, an equal split between the crocodile and the bear seems fair because (normally, at least), it is the only split they would both agree to.But were the girl to learn that the crocodile doesn't like biscuits or that the bear isn't hungry, I suspect she'd think it perfectly fair for one toy to take the whole.Inequality of biscuits (or anything else) isn't necessarily unfair, if both parties are happy.And the unfairness of cheating comes from the same source: we'd never accept that someone else can unilaterally violate agreements that we have all signed up to. So perhaps the four-year-old's intuitions about fairness is the beginnings of an understanding of negotiation.With a sense of fairness, people will have to make us acceptable offers (or we'll reject their ultimatums) and stick by the (reasonable) rules, or we'll be on the warpath.So a sense of fairness is crucial to effective negotiation; and negotiation, over toys, treats etc, is part of life. The main purpose of the passage is to _ Answer: suggest how to achieve fairness Pollen is necessary for a flowering plant to Answer: reproduce. Sometimes, kindness is a simple answer in a difficult and challenging world. When my granddaughter, Skylar, was young, one day we went out and had a contest called "Who can make the most people smile. " And we continue it today. When shopping, we were walking in the supermarket and noticed someone walking down the aisle with her head down. Skylar walked up to her and gave her a big smile. I watched her walk down the aisle, turned around and smiled at Skylar again or perhaps smiled at someone else. Kindness is a chain that pulls us all together. Every single act of kindness has a ripple effect . In 2002, my dad had a series of strokes and other illness. My dad had been doing nice things for all sorts of people for years, from the street crossing guard, to the waitress in a restaurant, to a friend's mother. That same day, I made cookies for the janitor at the post office. When I gave him the cookies he actually looked a little embarrassed. "Why, Linda?" he asked. "Because I appreciate you!" I answered. "When I get here at 6 am and it is still dark out and it is a little scary, I know you are inside and I feel safe. And when I first moved here and my post office box was always empty, you always cheered me on. And you always keep this place clean." That evening his wife called me and said that he was overwhelmed . "No one even knows his name, let alone bakes him cookies!" she said. (278 words) What was the author's attitude to the contest in the supermarket? Answer: positive Chilean miner Edison Pena plans to run the New York City Marathon on Sunday, less than a month after he was rescued from a collapsed mine that trapped him for 69 days. Pena ran 10 km daily through the mine's tunnels to beat the anxiety, wearing cut-down boots until rescuers sent him a pair of sports shoes through a narrow hole that served as the miners' "lifeline" to the surface. "When I ran in the darkness, I was running for life," Pena told a news conference in New York. "I was running to show that I wasn't just waiting around. I also wanted God to see that I really wanted to live." The New York Road Runners, which organizes the marathon, had invited Pena to be a guest at Sunday's race, but he said last week he did not want to watch, he wanted to run. "I was very eager to take on this big challenge," he said. "I wanted to show the world I could run." He hoped to run the 26.2-mile race in about six hours. "I have a knee injury, but I am eager to cross the finish line," he said. Last year, Meb Keflezighi won the men's marathon in two hours, nine minutes and 15 seconds. An Elvis Presley fan who asked rescuers to send the singer's music down into the mine, Pena broke into song at the news conference with the Presley hit Return to Sender. The miners werediscovered alive on August 22--17 days after the mine collapsed, but it took two months for rescuers to dig a hole big enough to bring them out. Pena can be best described as _ . Answer: strong-willed A young father was visiting an old neighbor. They were standing in the old man's garden,and talking about children. The young man said,"How strict should parents be with their children?" The old man pointed to a string between a big strong tree and a thin young one."Please untie that string," he said.The young man untied it,and the young tree bent over to one side. "Now tie it again,please," said the old man,"but first pull the string tight so that the young tree is straight again." The young man did so.Then the old man said,"There,it is the same with children.You must be strict with them,but sometimes you must untie the string to know how they are getting on. If they are not yet able to stand alone,you must tie the string tight again.But when you find that they are ready to stand alone,you can take the string away." The story is about _ . Answer: how strict parents should be with their children
Tom and his cousin took a boat trip. When they got on the boat, every passenger should answer the keeper a question. If the passenger answered "yes", he or she got one gift; if the passenger answered "no", he or she got two gifts. Tom and his cousin saw all about this. Now it was their turn. The keeper came up to them and asked, "Are you _ ?" Tom wanted to get two gifts, so he answered "no" loudly, at the same time he said, "I have never been a sailor, how could I be a good sailor." The keeper gave him two gifts. His cousin gave the same answer, so, he got two gifts too. The boat started off. The passengers began to open their gifts. Tom and his cousin did the same. They found that one of the two gifts was a small bottle of drinking water, the other was a seasick tablet . Tom had a look at a "yes"-passenger's gift. His was a nice chocolate. Tom shouted at the keeper, "We are never seasick. Why do you give us seasick tablets?" When did the keeper ask the passengers questions? A Before the trip. B After the trip. C During the trip. D Never. Answer: D. Never. The high noise of modern life may affect speech and language development in the very young, according to a study that found the auditory parts of the brains of young mice are slower to organize properly in the presence of continuous sounds. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, reared a group of rats in an environment of continuous background noise and found that their brain circuits that receive and interpret sound did not develop at the same rate as animals that were raised in a quieter environment. Edward F. Chang and Michael Merzenich, co-authors of the study appearing in the journal Science, said that the continuous noise delayed the organization of auditory neurons during a critical two-to-three-week period after the rat pups were born. For rats not exposed to the noise, the auditory cortex neurons during this period gathered into a smaller area and began developing a selective response to sounds. But for the noiseexposed rats, this organization was slowed, causing a delay in the development of the ability to discriminate specific sound tones. The researchers said it took three or four times longer for the rats raised in a noisy environment to reach the basic bench marks of auditory development seen in the rat pups not exposed to noises. Although the rat is not a perfect model for what happens in humans, the authors note, the study does suggest that high levels of noise might possibly affect some language learning in babies. "These findings suggest that environmental noise, which is commonly present in contemporary child-rearing environments, can potentially contribute to auditory and language-related development delays,"the authors wrote in Science. The authors noted that although the brain development was delayed in rats exposed to the noise, their brains did eventually mature normally. The scientists at California University studied rats _ . A of different age groups B with different habits C in different environments D from different areas Answer: C. in different environments I was small for my age. I was shy and sometimes it was hard for me to make friends with the others. However, learning came fairly easy for me. I was the best in most of my classes, but PE class was my nightmare and made me feel that I was not as good as the others. Miss Forsythe was our PE teacher. She was young and energetic. Everyone liked her. She said that we all had to come to her classes. No one could hide from Miss Forsythe! One day she told me that she wanted me to play a game with another girl in a PE show. I was rather worried that I wouldn't do a good job when she explained her idea, but she was excited. With her encouragement, I had no choice but to agree. It was a "boy meets girl" game. I played the boy and my classmate, Margaret Ann, played the girl. We were dressed in evening clothes and danced around the floor. According to Miss Forsythe, I had to pick up Margaret Ann when we finished the dance. Since I was not strong enough to pick the tallest girl up, it was she who picked me up. I suddenly felt ten feet tall! It was a huge success and everybody applauded for our excellent performance. What a wonderful ending! Afterwards, I smiled confidently . Miss Forsythe's understanding and willingness to create a place for me in her show (which certainly did not need me) gave me some much needed confidence. She was and always will be my favorite teacher. How did the author feel about the game at first? A She was excited. B She thought it would be fun. C She was glad. D She was nervous. Answer: D. She was nervous. In the UK, a group of campaigners have declared the last Saturday in November as National Buy Nothing Day. "Our message is clear: shop less, live more!" says organizer Michael Smith. "The challenge is to try simple living for a day. Spend time with family and friends, rather than spending money on them. Anyone can take part, provided they spend a day without spending." On Buy Nothing Day, they take to the streets to tackle consumers . They dress as pigs to symbolize greed . They offer to cut up credit cards and hand out shopping bags with the words "another useless thing I don't need" written on the side. Some hold street parties to show shoppers that it is possible to have fun without spending money. Others go into shops and put notes saying "don't buy me" inside clothes and shoes. Some protestors are working against powerful forces. Many retailers and manufacturers depend on Christmas sales for most of their profits. Around two thirds of GDP in the West is made up of consumer spending. If this drops, many people will lose their jobs. At least that will make it easier for them to buy nothing. And there is also the risk that the campaigners will be seen as killjoys, who want to stop people enjoying themselves. "There's a fun side to this," says Michael Smith. "To some it's a protest, but it's also a street party. We're not saying that people are bad because they go shopping, but we need get the message across for people to consume wisely. And after we're finished, we'll probably go for a drink." The campaigners started National Buy Nothing Day for the purpose of _ . A persuading people to kill time in a different way B persuading people to save money C persuading people to have more parties D persuading people to spend money wisely Answer: D. persuading people to spend money wisely The first newspaper were handwritten sheets which were posted in pubic places. The earliest recorded newspaper was started in Rom in 59 BC. In the 700's the world's first printed newspaper was developed in China. The paper was printed from carved wooden blocks and sent out among the citizens. Europe didn't have a regularly published newspaper until 1609, when one was started in Germany. The fist regularly published newspaper in the English language was printed in 1620. In 1621, an English newspaper was started in London and was published weekly. The first daily English newspaper was the Daily Courant, which didn't appear until March 1702. In 1690, Benjamin Harris printed the first American newspaper in Boston. But the local government soon stopped its publication. In 1704, John Campbell started The Boston News-letter, the first newspaper to be published daily in America. By 1760, the whole America had more than thirty daily newspapers. There are now about 1800 daily papers in the United States. Today, as a group, English language newspapers have the largest circulation in the world. The largest circulation for a newspaper, however, is that of the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, which sells over eleven million copies every day. The first English newspaper printed and sold every day appeared _ . A in 1620 B at the beginning of the 18 th century. C at the end of the 17 th century D in 1609 Answer: B. at the beginning of the 18 th century.
The Smurfs --cute little blue cartoon dwarfs inspired by Nordic fairy tales made their first TV appearance in the US in 1981 and ever since have been childhood friends to many people across. The storyline is quite simple. The Smurfs are living happily in their mushroom houses in the middle of a forest.Then one day the evil wizard Gargamel discovers their village and sends them by magic to present-day New York City. The Smurfs have to find their way home and conquer Gargamel along the way. So, just why, more than half a century later, is the simple story still so beloved by young and old? Mario Cacciolotto, a BBC reporter, believes it is due to the fact that the Smurfs' lives do not have any particular cultural implication and argues that they could offer a model for society. Veronique Culliford, daughter of the Smurfs' creator Pierre Culliford, agrees."They are unique creations," she says, "They do not do politics or religion.They are multi-cultural and everybody around the world can recognize themselves in the Smurfs.Everyone can apply their very nice values of friendship, kindness and helping others to their own lives, regardless of where they come from". In the Smurf world , everyone has their own skill and is willing to use it for the benefit of others without expecting any reward.Their village is run as a collective and has no form of currency. This has even led to debates about whether the artist intended the Smurfs as a metaphor for socialism. "The series wasn't just about sweet-looking dwarfs," said Alan Mechem of the British Smurf Collectors Club.He thought that Culliford wanted it to show things like equality and tolerance. According to Veronique Culliford, why is the Smurfs' story still popular after half a century? Its characters are unique. A child rides a wagon down a hill. Eventually, the wagon comes to a stop. Which is most responsible for causing the wagon to stop? friction acting on the wagon Napoga is a 12-year-old girl in Ghana ,Africa.It is hard for her family to get clean water.Every morning,she leaves home at half past five to get clean water for her family from a village far away.It takes her six hours to get enough clean water for daily cooking and drinking.She has no time to go to school or to play with her friends.Millions of people in the world are like Napoga.They can't get enough clean water to keep healthy. Earth Day is April 22.But on all other days,we must also remember it.The water we use is the most important natural resource on the earth. Water covers 70% of the earth's surface .But most of that is sea water.We can't use it for many things.Fresh water covers only 1% of the earth's surface. You probably feel lucky that your life isn't as hard as Napoga's.But that doesn't mean you don't have to worry about water.We all face serious water problems.One of them is water pollution.All kinds of things from cars,factories,farms and homes make our rivers,lakes,and oceans dirty.Polluted water is very bad for people to drink.And dirty water is bad for fish,too.Now,34% of all kinds of fish are dying out. How do cars and factories make our water dirty?First,they pollute the air.Then,when it rains,the rain water comes down and makes our drinking water dirty.Dirty rain,called acid rain ,is also bad for plants,animals and buildings. Scientists say that in 30 years,more than half of the people in the world won't have enough clean water.We have to learn how to save more water for ourselves and our children.Here is some advice for saving water: * Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.You can save as much as 450 liters each month. * Leaky taps waste a lot of water.Fix them right away! * You can easily cut your 10-minute showers in half--and you'll be just as clean. * When you wash dishes,don't let the water run. * Only wash clothes when you have a lot to wash.If your washing machine isn't full,you're wasting water! On the earth, _ . there is very little water for our living It's seven fifty in the morning . The students are coming into the classroom. A boy is opening the window. Some of the students are laughing and talking. Some others are laughing to them. Some are reading books.Some are doing their homework. Miss White is standing behind the teacher's desk. She is writing on the blackboard. Lucy and Lily are wearing their new dresses today. Mary is cleaning her desk. Jim is helping her. They all look happy. What are John and Tom doing? Oh, dear! They are still playing football on the playground. How many students are playing football now? Two History, as we know, is filled with facts, with places, names, dates, and events. History is also filled with feelings, with pain, joy, excitement, and fear. Facts are set down in books, but what happens to feelings? How can you take the pain, for example, and write it into a history book? You can't. But you can put it to music. Take the blues for example. The blues started when black musicians in the South began to sing about their hard times, those times which made them feel blue. The early blues was the beginning of other musical styles, from jazz to rock and roll. Music, you might say, is a record of feelings. Of course, facts are important: the civil rights movement, the race for space, the Vietnam War. But the feelings behind these events - the pride of being black, the excitement of a rocket blast , the pain of a war - are also an important part of history. In the passage, the word "blue" and the word "blues" are related to _ . a feeling and a kind of music
What's the red star in the sky through a telescope ? It is Mars. Do you want to know more about it? Take the "Mars Orbit Express"! "Mars Orbit Express" is a space probe . It was sent towards Mars by American scientists on August 12th,2005. Its tasks are to study Mars' atmosphere and return photos to Earth. But before that "Mars Orbit Express" must travel about 100 hundred million kilometers and seven months. It reached Mars' orbit in March,2006. Mars and Earth have similar weight and size. However,Mars is closer to the sun than Earth. Mars is very cold. The average temperature is below 50degC. The temperature at noon only reaches 20degC during a Mars day. Its atmosphere is mostly CO2. It has much sand and two moons---Phobos and Deimos. Scientists think Earth and Mars had similar beginnings 4.6 billion years ago. But while Earth supports millions of lives,Mars becomes bad. "Earth easily could have turned out like that." said an scientist, "It is important for us to find out why and Mars Orbit Express' should do that." "Mars Orbit Express" also would help scientists to learn what might happen to Earth in the future. "Mars Orbit Express" would work for about four years. Which might be the proper title for the passage? Answer: A probe:to learn more about Mars Sirs, Your twelve thousand 'Smart' watches were received by our company this morning. However, we wish to make a number of complaints concerning the serious delay in delivery and your failure to carry out our instructions regard to this order. It was firmly pointed out from the beginning that the delivery date had to be less than six weeks from the original order in order to satisfy our own customers' requirements. While we understand that delays in production are occasionally unavoidable, we must point out that the major reason why the order was placed with your company was that we were assured by you of its simplicity, and that your existing stocks were sufficiently high to ensure immediate shipment. Late delivery of the goods has caused us to disappoint several of our most valued customers, and will have an unfavorable effect on future orders. The second complaint concerns the difference in colour between the watches we ordered and those delivered. It was stated clearly in the order that watches in combinations of green/purple and orange/purple only were required. However, only half the watches in the delivery received are of the colours specified. Our Hong Kong agent informed you of the importance of following our instructions exactly, since we consider there to be only a limited market in this country for watches of other color1s at the present time. Any watches that are not of the specified colours will, of course, be returned to you. We are also somewhat concerned about the rather poor quality of the goods received, since it is obvious that the watches that finally arrived have been made from not good enough materials and have been produced to a lower standard than those in the sample. We have also found that a number of the watches do not appear to be working. Whether the latter problem is due to poor production, or damage in transportation is not yet clear, but we should like to point out that we feel this matter to be entirely your fault. As a result of the above problems, therefore, we feel that the most suitable course of action is to return to you unpaid any of the goods considered unsatisfactory. We shall also, of course, be forced to reconsider whether any further orders should be placed with your company. We look forward to your early reply. Yours sincerely, John Smith The general attitude of the letter is _ . Answer: firm but polite Although she's quite young, Drew Barrymore can be a Hollywood legend . She was born on February 22, 1975, in California. Being from a family that produced great actors, she quickly found her way into the spotlight . When she was 11 months old, she made her first advertisement on TV. She made her first movie at the age of 2. Five years later, she acted Gertie in Steven Spielberg's famous film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). However, it wasn't all roses and sunshine when Barrymore was growing up. She was drinking wine by the time she was 9, smoking marijuana at 10. Most kid stars in Hollywood fail to become stars as adults. And most of the time, once they're out of the spotlight, they stay out. But Drew Barrymore doesn't. As she was growing older, Barrymore got to learn that life is more meaningful than dangerous actions in the films. She started to build a career in 1997. She has made many successful films since then, including Charlie's Angels (2000) and 50 First Dates (2004). "In my life, there is darkness and drama, and I 'm trying my best. I just want to challenge myself and prove that I can do more." In fact, if you don't know her _ childhood, you might find it hard to believe she's such a sweet person now. Like many of the characters she plays in her comedy, Drew is easy-going and laughs a lot. In 2007, she was on the cover of People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People issue. "Life is very interesting ... in the end, some of your greatest pains, become your greatest strengths," Drew said. Drew Barrymore made her first movie at _ . Answer: 1977 The World Health Organization (WHO) planned to study the relationship between the eating habits of the people and the disease. Two doctors were chosen to make the study. They flew to Africa south of the Sahara and during the next two months visited ten countries. They found that serious diseases of poor eating, often mistaken for other diseases, existed in all parts of Africa. The diseases were similar and could therefore all be named kwashiorkor. The diseased children are usually from one to four years old. As the illness progresses, the child's stomach becomes swollen by liquid collecting in the body. The skin changes color and may break out in open sores . The hair changes color and starts to fall out. The patient loses all interest in his surroundings and even in food, and becomes so weak that he wants to lie down all the time. Stomach liquids are no longer produced. The doctors reasoned that kwashiorkor was found in the young children of this age in many parts of Africa because of lack of milk or meat. Their mothers, after stopping their breastfeeding, gave them foods full of starches instead of greatly needed proteins. They found that the addition of milk to the food of the children suffering from kwashiorkor saved many lives. The unbelievable thing about kwashiorkor is that the very existence of the disease--which has been killing thousands of children for centuries--was not even recognized in Latin America as recently as ten years ago. The deaths of those children were mistakenly listed as due to other diseases. It was the WHO's work in Africa that led to the discovery of the problem in Central America. What's the best title for the article? Answer: Kwashiorkor and Improper Eating Habits Sam likes eating fish very much. He often buys fish in the shop and takes them home. One day his wife sees the fish and thinks, "Good! Now, I can ask my friends to have lunch and we can eat the fish. They like fish very much." When Sam comes home from work in the evening, the fish is not there and his wife says, "Oh, your cat eats it." And then she gives him some bread for his supper. Sam is angry. He thinks his wife _ . He takes the cat and his wife to a shop near his house and weighs the cat. Then he turns to his wife and says, "My fish weighs one kilo. The cat weighs one kilo, too. My cat is here, you see, then, where is my fish?" Which is RIGHT according to the story? Answer: The friends of Sam's wife eat the fish.
Dear Sir or Madam. Last Thursday. I traveled on the 8:00 a.m. train from Glasgow to London King's Cross and I was quite angry with the service of your company. The train didn't come on time and it was forty minutes late when it left Glasgow. A man at the station said sorry to us, but he didn't give us any reasons for the delay . We then had further delays on the way and had to wait another thirty minutes. As a result, I missed my plane from London to Frankfurt and had to wait for several hours. What's more, the service on the train was also very poor. The trip took more than five hours. Unluckily. we could buy nothing but some soft drinks on the train. Worst of all, something was wrong with the air conditioning and it got hotter and hotter in the train. Before we reached King's Cross, the temperature was over 40degC. Because of your poor service. I feel you should pay me compensation . I am looking forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully, David Roberson Who wrote the letter? A David Roberson B Madam C Sir D The company Answer: A Every year there is the Spring Festival in China. Usually it is in January or February . It is the most important festival in China. So before it comes, everyone has to prepare things. They buy pork, beef, chicken, fruit and many other things. And they often make a special kind of food called "dumplings". It means "come together" in Chinese. On the day before the festival, parents buy new clothes for their children and children also buy presents for their parents. On Spring Festival's Eve, all the family members come back to their home. This is a happy moment. They sing, dance and play cards. Others get the dinner ready. When they enjoy the meal, they give each other the best wishes for the coming year. They all have a good time. is the most important festival in China? A Mid-autumn Day B The Spring Festival C Children's Day D Teachers' Day Answer: B Here is an examination notice . Mrs. Dickson gave it to her students last week. To the students of Class 3 * Examinations start on January 22 and end on June 23. * The time for each of the subject is: English June 22 9:30 A.M.- 10:30 A.M. Math June 22 11:00 A.M.- 12:00 A.M. History June 22 2:30 P.M.-3:30 P.M. PE June 23 8:00 A.M.-10:00 A.M. Music June 23 1:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M. * For the PE test? go to the playground. For the music test, go to the Piano Room. All else are written tests. They will be held in Classroom 3. * No student can get into the examination room more than 15 minutes after the exam starts. * No food or drink during ANY test. * No dictionaries during the English exam. * Wear pants and sports shoes for the PE exam. * If you have questions, go to the Teacher's Office before the tests. Where were the students of Class 3 at 8:30 A.M., June 23? A In the playground. B In their classroom C In the Piano Room. D At the Teacher's Office. Answer: A Our village carpenter ,John Hill, came one day and made a dining table for my wife. He made it just the right size to fill the space between the two windows. When I got home that evening, John was drinking a cup of tea and writing out his bill for his job. My wife said to me quietly, "That's his ninth cup of tea today." But she said in a loud voice, "It's a beautiful table, dear, isn't it?" "I'll decide about that when I see the bill." I said. John laughed and gave me his bill. It said: One dining table 10thNovember,2014 Cost of wood $17.00 Paint $1.50 Work,8 hour( $1.00 an hour) $ 8.00 Total $ 36.50 When I was looking at the bill,John said,"It's been a fine day,hasn't it? Quite sunny." "Yes," I said."I'm glad it's only the 10thof November." "Me too." said John, "You wait--it'll be a lot colder by the end of the month." "Yes, colder--and more expensive! Dining tables will be $20 more expensive on November 30th, won't they, John?" John looked hard at me for half a minute. I gave his bill back to him. "If it isn't too much trouble, John," I said,"please add it up again. You can forget the date..." I paid him $26.50 and he was happy to get it. How much would John ask for if he made a dining table on the last day of December according to his bill? A $36.50 B $57.50 C $56.50 D $26.50 Answer: C We call the Chinese New Year the Spring Festival. There is a name for each Chinese year. We may call it the year of the sheep, the monkey, the snake, the tiger, the rabbit, the horse or the year of the pig. And this year is the year of the Sheep. Before New Year's Day, people are busy shopping and cleaning their houses. They are busy buying new clothes, new shoes, and candies. On New Year's Eve, there is a big family dinner. After the dinner, all the family members stay up late to welcome the New Year. On the first day of the New Year, people put on their new clothes and go to visit their friends. They say "Happy New Year" and some other greetings to each other. And on that day, children can get money in red packets. Besides, children have a lot of candies to eat. People wear new clothes and shoes. People usually have a very good time during the Festival. The best title for this passage is _ . A Good Time B Big Dinner C The Spring Festival D The Year of the Sheep Answer: C
John gets up early from Monday to Saturday, because he must go to school before 7:30 on weekdays and go to the Drawing Club at 8:00 on Saturday mornings. He usually goes to the bookshop on Saturday afternoons, and after supper he watches TV until midnight. He doesn't get up early on Sundays. John's parents both work on Sundays. John always watches TV after he gets up. Then he usually goes to KFC to have a hamburger and some juice for lunch. After that, he goes back home and starts to play computer games until his parents come back. He does his homework after supper. He usually has lots of weekend homework, so he must spend three hours on it. He usually goes to bed at about 11:00 p.m. on Sundays. He often complains he has too much homework to do. How often does John need to get up early? Answer: Every day except on Sundays. Beyond two or three days, the world's best weather forecasts are doubtful, and beyond six or seven they are worthless. The Butterfly Effect is the reason. For small pieces of weather--to a global forecaster, small can mean thunderstorms and blizzards --any prediction becomes worse rapidly. Errors and uncertainties increase, from dust devils and storms up to continent-size eddies that only satellites can see. The modern weather models work with net-like points sixty miles apart, and even so, some starting data have to be guessed, since ground stations and satellites cannot see everywhere. But suppose the earth could be covered with sensors placed one foot apart, rising at one-foot intervals all the way to the top of the atmosphere. Suppose every sensor gives perfectly accurate readings of temperature, pressure, humidity , and any other data a weatherman would want. Exactly at noon a powerful computer takes all the data and calculates what will happen at each point at 12.01, then 12.02, then 12.03... the computer will still be unable to predict whether Princeton will have sun or rain one month away. At noon the spaces between the sensors will hide fluctuations that the computer will not know about. By 12.01, those fluctuations will already have created small errors one foot away. Soon the errors will have added to the ten-foot scale, and so on up to the size of the globe. A weather forecast _ in the world. Answer: is reliable within one or two days You may complain that there are too many tests on the way to college entrance, but an increasing number of students want to take one more. That is the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT, an American test for students who intend to apply for college admission. Chen Huanlu, aged 18, from Shandong Province took part in the SAT subject tests (SAT 2) in Hong Kong on June 2. She has also been scheduled to take the SAT reasoning test (SAT 1) in October. "I hope to study environmental engineering at an American university, where I may have more opportunities to get cutting-edge knowledge in this area," said Chen. However, not all SAT test takers want to apply to American universities. "I wanted to see how I would do when faced with plenty of stress and also to evaluate my scholastic level by an American standard. The SATs made my school life more diverse," said Senior 2 student Zhou Yuxiang from Sichuan Province. Zhou, aged 17, a top student in his school, was inspired by some of his friends. They have taken this test and been admitted to American universities, including Harvard and Yale. Last winter vacation he took a 20-day SAT course at Chengdu New Oriental School. "As I prepared for the test in the following months, I was forced to balance my everyday schedule better. Fortunately I was optimistic enough to have undergone the most difficult time," he said. In May and June, Zhou flew alone to Hong Kong to sit for the SAT1 and SAT2. "They are both the standards which have been set for us to reach. What we should do more sensibly is to try harder to prepare for them. Survival of the fittest is true both in America and in China. That is something I have learnt beyond the SAT itself," he said. What do Chen Huanlu and Zhou Yuxiang have in common? Answer: They both took part in the SAT subject tests in Hong Kong. Sally Ride was born in California in 1951. She was the first American woman to travel into space. She loved to play tennis and wanted to be a tennis player when she was young. But after three months' professional training, she changed her mind. She went to Stanford University and started to study science. She studied stars and planets. She did researches at the university and got her PhD in astrophysics after several years' hard work. In 1977, she took a test to become an astronaut. And then she was picked up from over 8,000 people. In order to realise her dream of going into space, she had to get different kinds of special and difficult training. She learned how to fly a plane, how to jump out of a plane as well as how to operate special machines Sally and four other astronauts flew a spaceship called Challenger on Jun. 18, 1983. She became the first American woman to travel into space. Later, she taught at the University of California. Then she wrote seven books on space for children, encouraging children to study science. Unfortunately, she died in 2012. What did Sally Ride want to do at first? Answer: She wanted to play tennis. Hawking Fever Hit prefix = st1 /China Hawking has left much for Chinese to think about. British physicist Stephen Hawking,possibly the world's most famous scientist after Albert Einstein,gave lectures in Zhejiang and Beijing in August. An illness left him unable to move any part of his body except for the three fingers.But his continuing efforts in the field of science have made many young people take him as their idol. His books,such as A Brief History of Time,become bestseller in Chinese bookstores. "Hawking helps people expand their horizons and become interested in science,"said Pan Yunhe,president of Zhejiang University. Indeed,experts don't think it likely that Hawking's lectures and profound ideas will be easily understood by the average persons.But he has certainly sowed the seeds of science among many young people. And the "Hawking fever" cause by his visit has made people ask:How can China produce more top scientists like Hawking? "Nurturing top scientists will take as much as work to change society as to educate the scientists themselves,"said Zhang Fan.Zhang has studied in the UK since 1999 and will be a sophomore at Trinity College in October. In Britain,Zhang said,teacher inspire students to have a general understanding of the subjects they are interested in.and they encourage students to develop new ideas,which helps them to nurture their creativity. In China,the Ministry of Education has encouraged schools to provide quality education to tap students' potential. "I hope teachers will pay more attention to helping us use our imaginations and solve problems on our own,"said Lu Jie,a Junior Three student in Sanfan Middle School in Beijing. Many young people take Hawking as their idol because or_. Answer: his continuing efforts in the field of science
Canada is a the second largest country in the world. But it has a very small population. There are only about 29 million people there. Most Canadians are of British or French origin, and French is an official language of Canada as well as English. About 45% of the people are of British origin, that is, they or their parents or grandparents, etc. , come from Britain. Nearly 30% are of French origin. Most of the French-Canadians live in the province of Quebec . Over the years, people have come to live in Canada from many countries in the world. They are from most European countries and also from China, besides other Asian countries. However, Canada was not an empty country when the Europeans began to arrive. Canadian Indians lived along the coast, by the rivers and lakes and in forests. Today there are only about 350,000 Indians in the whole country, with their own languages. In the far north live the Inuit. There are only 27,000 Canadian-Inuit. Their life is hard in such a difficult climate. About _ live in Quebec. Answer: 8,700,000 French-Canadians I had the meanest mother in the world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal , eggs or toasts. While others had Cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different from other kids' too. But at least I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mother as I did. My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted if we said we'd be gone an hour, then we be gone one hour or less---not one hour and one minute. And she always insisted upon us telling the truth. Now you can see how mean she was. The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We had to wash the dishes, make beds, and learn to cook. We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath, while the other kids always wore their clothes for days. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us. Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed, "sick" like our friends did, and miss school. Our marks in school had to be up to par. Our friends' report cards had beautiful color1s on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother, being as different as she was, would settle for nothing less than ugly black marks. As the years rolled by, we were one by one put to shame. We were graduated from high school. With our mother behind us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a drop-out. My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four children, a couple of us attained some higher education. And whom do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out? You're right, our mean mother. She forced us to grow up into educated and honest adults. Now I am trying to raise my three children. I am filled with pride when my children call me mean. Because, you see, I had the meanest mother in the whole world. According to the article, the author's mother will ask her children to do all the following EXCEPT _ . Answer: eat as much candy as they want The uninvolved dad, turning up his nose at diapering and too busy to bathe, dress and play with his kids, is mostly a myth , a big government survey suggests. Most American fathers say they are heavily involved in hands-on parenting, the researchers found. The results are encouraging and important " because others have found the more involved dads are, the better the outcomes for their children. " said researcher Jo Jones of the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control Prevention. She co-authored the report released Friday. "Times have changed," said Robert Loftus, 34, of Yonkers, NY. He quit a six-figure sales job a year ago to care for his two young children while his wife works full time. "We are trying to rethink our priorities and family seem to be N0 1 priority while in the past maybe people were more focused on career. " The study involved nearly 4.000 fathers who were interviewed in person between 2009 and 2013. Key findings among fathers living with children younger than 5 : 9 in 10 bathed, diapered, helped them use the toilet or get dressed at least several times weekly . * Even higher numbers played with them and ate meals with them that often * Almost 2 0ut of 3 read to them at least several times weekly. Among dads living with kids aged 5-18. More than 9 0ut of 10 ate meals with them at least several times weekly and talked with them about what happened during the kids' day that often. * Almost 2 0ut of 3 helped with homework several times weekly. * About half took their kids to or from activities that often. Dr. David Hill, a Wilmington, N. C. pediatrician said the survey reflects what he's seen among his patients' fathers. Increasingly, fathers rather than mothers take their kids to the doctor. Some "are anxious about changing a diaper, " he said. Census numbers show that there were almost 190,000 stay-at-home dads nationwide last year versus 93,000 in 2010. Loftus, the New York stay-at-home dad, said, "I feel fortunate to be able to be such a hands-on father. I'm doing the most significant occupation in the world. " Which of the following can be the best title for the text? Answer: American dads more involved in parenting Vance had cheated Dodd in a card game. Angered, Dodd set out for Vance's house with the intention of shooting him. Just as he was about to set foot on Vance's property, Dodd was arrested by a police officer who noticed that Dodd was carrying a revolver. A statute in the jurisdiction makes it a crime to "enter the property of another with the intent to commit any crime of violence thereon." 88 If charged with attempting to violate the statute, Dodd should be found Answer: guilty, because he was close enough to entering the property and he had the necessary state of mind. Just 25 years ago, the top three career hopes for young people in Britain were teacher, banker and doctor.Now, they want to be sports star, pop star and actor, according to survey by the Guardian newspaper. Rachel, a character in the popular TV show Glee, may be said to speak for British teenagers."Nowadays being nobody is worse than being poor." He said. Emma Brockes, a reporter with the Guardian, believes it is "the bad influence of celebrity culture" that is to blame."When children wanted to be doctor, it wasn't because they were really more interested in the functions of human organs than they are now; you go where the respect is." She wrote. It could explain why there has been such an increase in levels of anxiety and depression.Dr Carlo Stranger, of Tel Aviv University, studied the sense of self for his new book The Fear of Insignificance: Searching for Meaning in the 21st Century.He told the Daily Mail that young people now are "affected by the close connection to the global entertainment network, which has turned ranking and rating people according to wealth and celebrity into an obsession ." "As humans, we naturally measure ourselves to those around us, but now we live in a global village.We are comparing ourselves with the most 'important' people in the world and finding ourselves wanting," he said.Today, even high achievers constantly fear that they are insignificant when they compare themselves to success stories in the media. The way out? Simply stop measuring your achievement through a fantasy of wealth and celebrity.Dr Strenger said that it is a process called "active self-acceptance through a constant search for self-knowledge through life." "The fear of insignificance can only be overcome through strong individual and cultural identity over and above measurable achievement," he said. According to Emma Brockes, what causes the increasing level of anxiety? Answer: Bad influences of celebrities.
Question: My father had returned from his business visit to prefix = st1 /Londonwhen I came in, rather late for supper. I could tell at once that he and my mother had been discussing something. In that half-playful, half-serious way I knew so well, he said,"How would you like to go to Eton?" "You bet. " I cried quickly catching the joke. Everyone knew it was the most expensive, the most famous of schools. You should be entered at birth, if not before. I understood my father. He disliked any form of showing off. He always knew his proper station in life, which was in the middle of the middle class; our house was medium-sized; he had avoided joining Royal Liverpool Golf Club and went to a smaller one instead; though once he had got a second-hand Rolls-Royce at a remarkably low price, he felt embarrassed driving it, and quickly changed it for an Austin 1100. This could only be his delightful way of telling me that the whole boarding school idea was to be dropped. Alas! I should also have remembered that he had a liking for being different from everyone else, if it did not conflict with his fear of drawing attention to himself. It seemed that he had happened to be talking to Graham Brown of the London office, a very nice fellow, and Graham had a friend who had just entered his boy at the school, and while he was in that part of the world , my father thought he might just as well phone them. I remember my eyes stinging and my hands shaking with the puzzlement of my feelings. There was excitement, at the heart of great sadness. "Oh, he doesn't want to go away. " said my mother. "You shouldn't go on like this. " "It's up to him. " said my father. "He can make up his own mind." What was the writer's reaction to the idea of going to Eton? A. He was very unhappy. B. He didn't believe it. C. He was delighted. D. He had mixed feelings. Answer: D Question: We answer some questions this week in our series on getting into an American college or university. The first question is about our recent discussion of English language test. Vo Ngoc from Vietnam would like to know about the TOEIC, which is designed to measure skills of English as spoken in the workplace. The Educational Testing Service administers the TOEIC. It says the test measures the language skills of people working in an international environment. American colleges and universities accept scores from the TOFEL and often the IELTS. If you miss our report on these tests, you can find it at our website www. unsv. com.. Tahir Mahood from Pakistan asks how to improve his English before taking these kinds of tests. Well, you can start by looking for ways to use English as much as you can Watch American movies and TV shows and read books in English Look for English speakers to talk to. The Internet has many free materials for Engiish learners. Visitors to www. unsv. com. for example, can read, listen and watch programmes on many different subjects. The U.S. Department of Education recent launched a free website designed to help immigrants learn English. The site is called USA Learns at www. usalearns, org, like www. chinadaily. cn, intended for English learners in China Next,a question from Turkey:Hasan Eker asks about getting a postdoctoral position in the U. S. This is work generally done by a person who recently earned a PhD. The National Post-doctoral Association in Washington has information about international postdocs on its website www. Nationalpostal.org. And, finally, we have questions from Iran, Afghanistan and Indonesia about how to pay an education through jobs. There're rules that restrict the kinds of jobs that foreign students can have while studying in the U. S. What-s the purpose of the passage? A. To attract more people to the website. B. To introduce the TOEIC to readers. C. To ask questions on entering American universities. D. To help deal with some puzzles on entering American colleges. Answer: D Question: This is a picture of a classroom. The classroom is big and clean. You can see a teacher's desk, six desks and seven chairs. You can see a girl and a boy ,too. Four books are on the teacher's desk. A pencil case is on the desk. Two pens and two rulers are in the pencil case .A school bag is under a chair. A ball is on the floor. The girl is Mary, She is 11.The boy is Jack. He is 12.They are is Class Two. They are friends. The teacher is Miss Smith. She is not here. It's a picture of _ A. boys and girls B. desks and chairs C. a classroom D. a bedroom Answer: C Question: Mrs. Sato is sad. It is her birthday, and she has no families with her. Her husband died in 1985. Her daughter doesn't live in the same city. Her son is working. Mrs. Sato goes to the telephone and calls a company in Tokyo, Japan. "Hello", a woman answers. "Hello", Mrs. Sato says. "I'd like to rent a family." "What would you like ?" the woman asks Mrs. Sato. "A son, A daughter ,Some grandchildren. " "I'd like to rent a daughter, a son-in-law, and two grandchildren, "Mrs. Sato says. At seven o'clock that evening, four actors come to Mrs. Sato's house----a woman, a man, and two children. "Happy Birthday!"the actors say. The actors are with Mrs. Sato for three hours. They talk with her, eat dinner with her, and watch TV with her. Then they go home. Mrs. Sato is happy. She makes a telephone call to _ . A. her daughter B. her son C. a company D. nobody Answer: C Question: Which statement is the best description of what happens in the rock cycle? A. Rocks on old mountains are gradually weathered away while mountain building and volcanism form new mountains. B. Once formed, rocks stay in place until rocks above them are weathered away, and they reach the surface. C. As sedimentary rocks are buried deep below other rocks, they are changed by heat and pressure, eventually return to the surface, and are weathered again. D. Younger sedimentary rocks are always deposited on top of older metamorphic or igneous rocks. Answer: C
Question: SAN FRANCISCO -- Sales for Apple's third generation iPad has hit record in the first days after it was on the market, Apple and carrier AT&T said on Monday. The new iPad went on sale on March 16 in the United States along with nine additional countries and areas. "We had a record weekend, and we are thrilled with it," Apple's CEO Tim Cook said Monday at a conference. Shortly after the conference call, AT&T said the launch of the new iPad set a new single-day record for its sales. "On Friday, March 16 AT&T set a new single-day record for its iPad sales, showing strong demand for the new iPad on the nation's largest 4G network," said the mobile carrier in a brief announcement. The new iPad is Apple's first 4G-capable product, featuring retina display, HD camera and faster processor. Before hitting stores, the new iPad pre-sales were sold out worldwide in two days. BEIJING -- A Chinese farmer was sentenced to 13 years in prison Monday for stealing art pieces from the Forbidden City last year, court authorities said. Shi Baikui, 27, was fined 13,000 yuan ($2,059) and was deprived of his political rights for 3 years, according to the ruling announced by the Second Intermediate People's Court in Beijing Monday morning. Shi, from East China's Shandong Province, broke into the heavily guarded former home of Chinese emperors in the heart of Beijing, and stole nine art pieces made of gold and jewels, on May 8, 2011, the court said in a statement. While hurriedly escaping, Shi left behind five of the pieces in the Forbidden City's compound . Failing to immediately sell the treasures, he threw the other four pieces away the next day, the document said. Six pieces were recovered and the three missing were worth about 150,000 yuan ($23,760) in total. Shi was arrested by police at an Internet cafe in Beijing's Fengtai district 58 hours after the theft. Which of the following is true? A. No one guarded the Forbidden City. B. The thief was sentenced to three years in prison. C. The nine art pieces were worth about 150,000 yuan. D. The thief was caught two days later. Answer: D Question: Exhausted,covered in mud and desperately hungry,a team of Swedish athletes sat down for a meal as they prepared to take on a dangerous 20-mile trek through the Ecuadorian rainforest. As they opened their canned meat,a tired Mikael Lindnord noticed a miserable stray dog staring at him out of the corner of his eye. Feeling sorry for him,he fed the dog a meatball and thought nothing of it,but as the team stood up to continue their race the animal started to follow them--and he didn't stop. As the group of four navigated the final two stages of the 430-mile Adventure Racing World Championship,the dog befriended them and was eventually given the name Arthur. Every tiring task the team face,Arthur would do the same.He swam alongside them while they kayaked down rivers,dragged himself up hills during hikes and pulled through knee--deep mud during treks. Even when the team tried to get rid of their new member out of concerns for his safety--he refused to leave.This meant when he was tired they stopped for a break and when he got stuck in the mud they pulled him out. After six days the team finished the race,and the dog had suffered.They therefore decided to take him to a vet while still in South America to have him checked out. During that time Lindord thought to himself that after their experience,they could not leave Arthur,so he decided to adopt him and take him back to Sweden.He applied to the Swedish Board of Agriculture and was made to wait to see if his application was successful.After a tense few days,the team arrived at the airport with Arthur and boarded the plane with him back home. Lindord said:"I came to Ecuador to win the World Championship.Instead,I got a new friend." After meeting the dog,the team _ . A. abandoned the dog immediately B. fed the dog with enough food C. adopted the dog for convenience D. continued the race with the dog Answer: D Question: There is no doubt that to study abroad gives you an excellent opportunity to learn things which are very helpful in your career building. Today Canada has earned a good name in providing quality education and safe healthy environment for its students. That is why more than 130,000 international students enroll every year in famous Canadian universities. It is an ideal education destination and gives students a unique experience of education and its versatile arts and culture. Canada spends a lot on education and is ranked the highest in G-8 countries. To study in Canada is very cost effective. These universities are affordable compared to other universities in the world such as in the US, New Zealand and UK where cost of education and living is very high. According to a survey in 2006, "Canada offered the lowest tuition fees for foreign students compared to UK and Australia." The low rate of crimes and the peaceful safe environment of the country also attracts a lot of international students to Canadian universities. Canada has 92 universities and 175 community colleges and university degrees have three levels--Bachelor's , Master's and Doctoral . A Bachelor's degree in Canada is for three or four years' full-time study depending on the nature of the program you are doing. On the other hand, a Master's degree consists of two years of study. For a Doctoral program in Canadian universities, you require a minimum (/) of three to four or sometimes five years of research and study. You can also find many diploma and certification program in Canadian universities where the time is generally one year. Some of the Canadian universities are well-regarded worldwide and the degree and diploma obtained from these Canadian universities are recognized globally and promise bright future. After the completion of studies, a person could also find great job offers in Canada itself. International students require a work permit to work on campus. What's the author's attitude towards studying in Canada? A. Favorable B. Critical C. Doubtful D. Not mentioned Answer: A Question: Today is Sunday, March 20. We, sixteen boys and seventeen girls, go to school early, but we have no lessons. Our teacher takes us to the zoo. We are very excited about the trip. We get on a bus, it goes fast and at half past nine we get there. How beautiful the zoo is! There're a lot of trees, some hills, and a big lake. The sun is shining and the flowers are coming out. There are all kinds of animals in it, elephants, monkeys, birds, fishes and many other animals. The birds are singing in the trees and the fishes are swimming in the lake. We like to watch monkeys. They are playing on the hill or having oranges, apples and bananas. There are many rules in the zoo. We mustn't do this and we mustn't do that. But we all have a good time. At one in the afternoon we leave the zoo. We stay in the zoo for _ hours. A. four and a half B. three and a half C. four D. five Answer: B Question: Today more and more cars go into families. Which car is the best for people? Different people have different ideas. Some people like the bright colour car made in China. It's really a good choice . The bright colour car made in China is cheap, nice and safe. This kind of cars is suit for the general income family. Some people love famous foreign cars like Japanese cars, American cars and German cars. They're good but too expensive. But most people think famous foreign cars of better quality are better in safety. These are suit for the high income family or for business. Some people like sports cars, because they're fast and exciting. Some sports cars are very nice but very expensive. Only rich people can afford them. Some people like travelling, so they need a travel car. Travel cars are comfortable. But they use much oil . What's the best car for us? Maybe it's a new and popular topic in life. Which is NOT true about cars? A. Cars made in China are cheap. B. famous foreign cars are too expensive. C. Sports cars are also cheap. D. Travel cars are comfortable. Answer: C
One day an old man went for a walk in a park in Washington and when he was tired, he sat down on a chair by a swimming pool. A young person was standing on the other side of the pool. "Oh!" the old man said to the person sitting next to him. "Do you see the person with the loose clothes and long hair? Is it a boy or a girl?" "A girl," said his neighbor. "She is my daughter." "Oh!" the old man said quickly. "Please forgive me. I didn't know that you were her mother." "I'm not," said the person. "I'm her father." Which of the following is true? Answer: Many young people have long hair in Western countries. If a handheld cylinder is allowing people to see in the forest after dusk, then the item likely Answer: hooks to outlets The research carried out by the University of Bari in Italy could help clarify hospitals who are charged with wasting money on art and decoration as it suggests a pleasant environment helps patients overcome discomfort and pain. A team headed by Professor Marina de Tommaso at the Neurophysiopathology Pain Unit asked a group of men and women to pick the 20 paintings they considered most ugly and most beautiful from a selection of 300 works by artists such as Lenoardo da Vinci and Sandro Botticelli. They were then asked to watch either the beautiful paintings, or the ugly paintings, or a blank panel while the team struck a short laser pulse at their hand, creating a sensation as if they had been hurt by a pin. The subjects rated the pain as being a third less intense while they were viewing the beautiful paintings, compared with when considering the ugly paintings or the blank panel. Electrodes measuring the brain's electrical activity also confirmed a reduced response to the pain when the subject looked at beautiful paintings. While distractions , such as music, are known to reduce pain in hospital, Prof de Tommaso says this is the first result to show that beauty plays a part. The findings, reported in New Scientist, also go a long way to show that beautiful surroundings could aid the healing process. "Hospitals have been designed to be functional, but we think that their aesthetic aspects should be taken into account too," said the neurologist. "Beauty obviously offers a distraction that ugly paintings do not. But at least there is no suggestion that ugly surroundings make the pain worse. I think these results show that more research is needed into how a beautiful environment can reduce suffering." Pictures they liked included Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh and Botticellis' Birth of Venus. Pictures they found ugly included works by Pablo Picasso, the Italian 20th century artist Anonino Bueno and Columbian Fernando Botero. "these people were not art experts so some of the pictures they found ugly would be considered masterpieces by the art world," said Prof de Tommaso. According to the research, when designing a hospital, we should consider its _ . Answer: pleasing environment Scientists at Harvard University and Bates College find female chimpanzees appear to treat sticks as dolls, carrying them around until they have children of their own. Young males engage in such behavior much less frequently. The new work by Sonya M. Kahlenberg and Richard W. Wrangham, described this week in the journal Current Biology, provides the first evidence of a wild nonhuman species playing with dolls, as well as the first known sex difference in a wild animal's choice of playthings. The two researchers say their work adds to a growing body of evidence that human children are probably born with their own ideas of how they want to behave, rather than simply mirroring other girls who play with dolls and boys who play with trucks. Doll play among humans could have its origins in object--carrying by earlier apes , they say, suggesting that toy selection is probably not due entirely to socialization. "In humans, there are obvious sex differences in children's toy play, and these are remarkably similar across cultures," says Kahlenberg. "While socialization by elders and peers has been the primary explanation, our work suggests that biology may also have an important role to play in activity preferences." In 14 years of data on chimpanzee behavior at the Kibale National Park in Uganda, Kahlenberg and Wrangham counted more than 100 examples of stickcarrying. Some young chimpanzees carried sticks into the nest to sleep with them and on one occasion built a separate nest for the stick. "We have seen juveniles occasionally carrying sticks for many years, and because they sometimes treated them rather like dolls, we wanted to know if in general this behavior tended to represent something like playing with dolls," says Wrangham, a Professor at Harvard. "If the doll hypothesis was right, we thought that females should carry sticks more than males do, and that the chimpanzees should stop carrying sticks when they had their first child. We have now watched enough young chimpanzees to prove both points." It can be concluded from the passage that _ . Answer: both humans and chimpanzees choose their playthings due to sex difference Owning a smartphone may not be as smart as you think. It may let you surf the Internet, listen to music and snap photos wherever you are...but it also turns you into a workaholic, it seems. A study suggests that, by giving you access to emails at all times, the all-singing, all-dancing mobilephone adds as much as two hours to your working day. Researchers found that Britons work an additional 460 hours a year on average as they are able to respond to emails on their mobiles. The study by technology retailer Pixmania reveals the average UK working day is between 9 and 10 hours, but a further two hours is spent responding to or sending work emails, or making work calls. More than 90 percent of office workers have email-enabled phones, with a third _ them more than 20 times a day. Almost one in ten admits spending up to three hours outside their normal working day checking work emails. Some workers confess they are on call almost 24 hours a day, with nine out of ten saying they make work emails and calls outside their normal working hours. The average time for first checking emails is between 6 am and 7 am, with more than a third checking their first emails in this period, and a quarter checking them between 11 pm and midnight. Ghadi Hobeika, marketing director of Pixmania, said, "The ability to access literally millions of apps, keep in contact via social networks and take photos and video as well as text and call has made smartphones invaluable for many people. However, there are drawbacks. Many companies expect their employees to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and smartphones mean that people literally cannot get away from work. The more constantly in contact we become , the more is expected of us in a work capacity ." Which of the following is true according to the text? Answer: One-fourth check their first mail between 11 pm and midnight.
The lights dimmed,the musical hall grew quiet and out walked the conductor shiny and white and 4 feet and 3 inches tall. ASIMO, a robot designed by Honda Motor Co., met its latest challenge Tuesday evening: Conducting the Detroit Symphony , in a performance of "The Impossible Dream" from "Man of La Mancha". "Hello, everyone," ASIMO said to the audience in a childlike voice, then waved to the orchestra. As it conducted, it perfectly mimicked the actions of a conductor, nodding its head at various sections and gesturing with one or both hands. ASIMO took a final bow to excited shouts from the audience. Later, cellist Yo-Yo Ma joined ASIMO onstage to receive an award for his efforts in music education. Honda spokeswoman Alicia Jones says it is the first time ASIMO has conducted an orchestra, and it may be the first time any robot has conducted a live performance. But ASIMO has its limits. ASIMO's engineers programmed the robot to mimic Charles Burke, the Detroit Symphony's education director, as he conducted the piece in front of a pianist about six months ago. But it can't respond to the musicians. "It's not a communicative device. It simply is programmed to do a set of gestures," said Leonard Slatkin, the orchestra's musical director. "If the orchestra decides to go faster, there's nothing the robot can do about it. Hopefully, I keep that under control." But several musicians also said ASIMO was more realistic than they expected. "The movements are still a little stiff , but very humanlike, much better than I thought," Hutchinson said. What's the audience's response to ASIMO's performance? Answer: World Reading Day was set up by the UNESCO in 1995 to encourage people, especially teenagers, to discover the pleasure of reading. It is also the day to honor great writers, for example, William Shakespeare, born or dead on that day. Many countries celebrated World Reading Day. Take the UK as an example, on that day, millions of schoolchildren can buy book of special price, a much lower price than usual, in any bookstore. It has been done every year since 1998. World Reading Day 2010 in the UK will take place on Thursday 4th March. Please note that this date applies to the UK and Ireland only. The goal is so well set in schools there that they want to make sure that the Day happens in term time to really make the most of this opportunity to celebrate books and reading. Most other countries hold World Reading Day on 23 rd April every year. World Reading Day is also celebrated in China. Chinese former premier Wen Jiabao, an avid reader, does lots of reading every day though he is very busy. On World Reading Day 2009 he encouraged citizens to do more reading. Wen suggested that young people should spend more time reading. "Books cannot change the world, but people can change the world by changing themselves through reading." Reading can benefit people a lot. Reading helps us to follow the latest developments of science and technology. Reading gives us information about other cultures and places of the world. Reading is also one of the most important ways to learn a foreign language like English. "Reading makes a full man." (Bacon, 1597) Books, magazines, newspapers and other kinds of reading materials can help us to know more about the outside world and perfect us. Therefore, it is necessary for us to spend time on reading every day. What's the best title for the passage? Answer: While Jennifer was at home taking an online exam for her business law class, a monitor a few hundred miles away was watching her every move. Using a web camera equipped in Jennifer's Los Angeles apartment, the monitor in Phoenix tracked how frequently her eyes moved from the computer screen and listened for the secret sounds of a possible helper in the room. Her Internet access was locked - remotely - to prevent Internet searches , and her typing style was analyzed to make sure she was who she said she was: Did she enter her student number at the same speed as she had in the past? Or was she slowing down? In the battle against cheating, this is the _ and a key to encourage honesty in the booming field of online education. The technology gives trust to the entire system, to the institution and to online education in general. Only with solid measures against cheating, experts say, can Internet universities show that their exams and diplomas are valid - that students haven't just searched the Internet to get the right answers. Although online classes have existed for more than a decade, the concern over cheating has become sharper in the last year with the growth of "open online courses." Private colleges, public universities and corporations are jumping into the online education field, spending millions of dollars to attract potential students, while also taking steps to help guarantee honesty at a distance. Aside from the web cameras, a number of other high-tech methods are becoming increasingly popular. Among them are programs that check students' identities using personal information, such as the telephone number they once used. Other programs can produce unique exam by drawing on a large list of questions and can recognize possible cheaters by analyzing whether difficult test question are answered at the same speed as easy ones. As in many university classes, term papers are scanned against some large Internet data banks for cheating. Which of the following is the best title of this passage? Answer: Drinking cola daily removes layers from the surface of Answer: Sea lions and seals may swim in cold ocean water, but even they get sometimes. Seeing an injured seal wrapped in a blanket at a marine mammal center gave Haley Humes and Hayley Jeffries an idea for a special Girl Scout project. They decided to make blankets to keep injured animals warm. They would give these blankets to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, California. "We knew we wanted to help animals," Haley said. "We went to the center to ask questions about what they needed. They don't have a heated floor, and all the babies crowded together to stay warm." Friends since kindergarten, Haley and Hayley made 12 blankets to keep the Marine Mammal Center's seals and sea lions warm. Using fun images like Winnie-the-Pooh, the girls took two hours to make each blanket. The first sea lion to test out a blanket looked pretty in pink. "It was a sick baby and really liked it," Haley said. "It curled up in it right away." "The blankets are beautiful and the animals love them!" said the Mammal Center's Michele Hunter. "It's nice to see children taking pride in their work and doing something to help animals." During the project, the girls took dozens of pictures for the PowerPoint presentations they gave to Girl Scout leaders. Those presentations helped Haley and Hayley raise $250 to buy additional supplies the center needed. This was the first project the girls ever worked on and took months to plan and carry out. "I learned that in order to make something happen, you have to take it slowly and step by step," Hayley said. Just as important, the girls discovered that two people really can make a difference. "Knowing you're making a difference......with these animals is amazing," Haley said. "It was like the animals became my new friends." The Pacific Marine Mammal Center cares for sea lions and seals, as well as for other marine mammals. Since opening in 1971,the center has saved more than 5,000 injured marine mammals. Which of the following words can best describe the work of Haley and Hayley? Answer:
The Museum: The Charles Dickens Museum in London is the world's most important collection of material relating to the great Victorian novelist and social commentator.The only surviving London home of Dickens (from 1837 until 1839) was opened as a museum in 1925 and is still welcoming visitors from all over the world.On four floors, visitors can see paintings, rare editions, manuscripts, original furniture and many items relating to the life of one of the most popular and beloved personalities of the Victorian age. Opening Hours * The Museum is open from Mondays to Saturdays 10:00-17:00; Sundays 11:00-17:00. * Last admission is 30 minutes before closing time. *Special opening times can be arranged for groups, who may wish to book a private view. Admission Charges: Adults: PS5.00; Students: PS4:00; Seniors: PS4.00; Children: PS3.00; Families:PS14.00( 2 adults & up to five children) Group Rates: For a group of 10 or more, a special group rate of PS4.00 each applies. Children will still be admitted for PS3.00 each, Access: We are constantly working to improve access to the Museum and its collection.Our current projects involve the fitting of a wheelchair ramp for better access, a customer care kit and an audio tour for visitors with impaired vision.Our Handling Sessions are also suitable for the visually impaired.The Museum has developed an online virtual tour through the Museum.Click here to visit all the rooms in the Museum online. Hire the Museum: The Museum can be hired for private functions, performances soirees and many other social occasions. Find Us: The Museum may be reached by using the following buses: 7, 17, 19, 38, 45,46, 55, 243.And by these underground services: Piccadilly Line; Central Line.For a map, please click here.The British Museum and the Foundling Museum are within walking distance. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE? Answer: The Museum is not very far from the British Museum. Young Mister Smith had an idea for his employer. It was an idea for saving money for the company by increasing prices. At the same time, Smith suggested that the company sell goods of less value. If his employer liked the idea, Smith might be given more pay. Perhaps he might even get a better job with the company. Business had been very slow. So Mister Smith's employer thought a few minutes about the idea. But then she shook her head. "I am sorry, Smith," his employer said. "It just will not wash." Now, the meaning of these English words should be, "It will not get clean." Yet, Smith's idea did not have anything to do with making something clean. So why did his employer say, "It will not wash?" Most word experts agree that "it will not wash" means it will not work. In the nineteenth century in England, the expression came to mean an unde-pendable statement. It was used mainly to describe an idea. But sometimes it was used about a person. Happily for the young employee Smith, his employer wanted him to do well in the company. So the employer "talked turkey" to him. She said, "Your idea would be unfair to our buyers. Think of another way to save money." A century ago, to talk turkey meant to talk pleasantly. Turkeys in the barnyard were thought to be speaking pleasantly to one another. In recent years, the saying has come to mean an attempt to teach something important. Mister Smith thought of a better idea after his employer talked turkey to him. He was given an increase in pay. So if your idea "will not wash," try "talking turkey" to yourself and come up with a better idea. Why did the employer refuse Mister Smith's idea? Answer: The idea would do harm to customers. Electricity bills can be highly expensive and the power we consume comes at an even greater cost to the environment when you consider that over 85% of the electricity produced in the United States comes from fuels. Whether you're concerned about cleaning up the environment or you simply want to reduce your electricity bill,residential wind power generators could be a solution. Producing wind power at home will not work for everyone. If you live in a over-populated residential area,there may be certain laws and zoning requirements that prohibit the use of windmills .If you live on 1 acre of land or more,you probably won't have any issues but you should investigate carefully to make sure that wind power generators are both legal and practical where you live. Even if there are no laws or regulations prohibiting wind power generators you still need to be in a location that gets enough wind on a regular basis. Some producers of wind generators recommend that you live in an area with wind speeds that average at least 10 mph. Newer models have been developed recently that can operate with wind speeds as low as 4 mph but maximum efficiency is achieved at higher wind speeds. Before you fix a wind powered system,you will have to determine your power requirements. Will you be using it to charge a small battery for a boat or vehicle or will you need enough power to run your entire household and be completely off the grid ?Once you know what your power requirements are,you can start shopping around for a system that can meet those needs. Wind power generators are a great solution for a lot of people.They're an ideal solution for remote locations where it would be impractical or simply too expensive to tap into the grid.They are quiet and totally clean,producing no pollution. They require no fuel and very little maintenance. Residential wind power offers a lot of benefits but it's not for everyone. You'll have to have some money up front to pay for the system and equipment;however,you could save quite a bit of money if you're able to do much of the work yourself. You'll also need to live in an area that gets enough wind to make the equipment worthwhile. You'll need to do your homework before you make a purchase,but wind power generators could be a great solution for producing clean, low-cost energy. What is the best title for the passage? Answer: Alternative Solution-Wind Power Which is likely true of hurricanes? Answer: a category 5 dies over land Nearly everyone agrees that money doesn't buy as much as it used to, no matter when you want to spend it. This is certainly true of the paper money that passes so quickly through one's hands. But what about coins that seem to do very little except stay in purses and pockets? Unlike notes, metal money becomes more valuable the longer it is held, especially if it is put away where it won't get scratched or worn. Why is this? One reason is that coins, being more durable, fall more readily into a category for collectors. Naturally, the rarer gold pieces must become more valuable as the price of this metal goes up. But, curiously, one of the rarest coins in the world is not made of gold, but of the relatively cheaper silver. In 1840, the United States mint struck 19570 silver dollars. That is what its records show. Today only six of this original number remain and these are unlikely ever to reach the auction market. So what happened to some 19564 large silver coins, not the easiest sort of things to lose? One of the more romantic theories is that they were part of the payment to Napoleon for the American land then known as Louisiana. But they never reached France. Somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico, the ship transporting them was sunk, either by a storm or by pirates. The probable answer to the mystery is that they were melted down -- since the silver value was greater than the actual value of the coin. What really happened to the rest will probably always remain a mystery. What is known is that whoever can come up with one will find himself instantly rich. According to this passage, one of the rarest coins in the world is made of _ . Answer: silver
Every day we go to school and listen to teachers,and the teacher will ask us some questions.Sometimes,the classmates will ask your opinions of the work of the class.When you are telling others in the class what you have found out about these topics,remember that they must be able to hear what you are saying.You are not taking part in a family conversation or having a chat with friendsyou are in a situation where a large group of people will remain silent,waiting to hear what you have to say.You must speak so that they can hear you loudly enough and clearly enough but without trying to shout or appearing to force yourself. Remember,too,that it is the same if you are called to an interview whether it is with a professor of your school or a government official who might meet you.The person you are seeing will try to put you at your ease ordinary conversation but the situation is somewhat different from that of an ordinary conversation.You must take special care that you can be heard. The situation in the class is that in your house. A not very different from B sometimes the same as C sometimes not the same as D not the same as Answer: D The economy has developed a lot while the Internet is still not fully used in China. A study shows that about two-thirds of typical Chinese Internet users use the computer for news, often entertainment-related, or for online games, music or movies, all can be downloaded for free. Most prefers messages to e-mail, seldom makes online shopping at all. Although they are now depending on the Internet more often than before to communicate with others who have the same professions, hobbies and political interests, online shopping still remains unpopular in China. Three-quarters of users surveyed have never bought anything over the Internet, and only 10 percent do shopping even once a month. Among those who do buy online, most pay for entertainment while others buy phone cards, or computer hardware or software. "Many people don't trust the quality of goods bought online," the researcher said, "If they buy it in a store and don't like it, they can easily bring it back." The survey was done in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Changsha. Results do not necessarily project countrywide because Internet use in the countryside is lower than in cities. The study showed that the typical netizens in the five cities are richer and more highly educated. Males make up two-thirds of the group, and more than 80 percent of users are under 24.Surprisingly, with the ages increase, the percentage decreases. China has more than 200 million people online, however, forty-two percent say they do not use search engines. Others seek entertainment news, as well as information useful for work or study on line. Baidu. com was used by half of those surveyed, compared with a quarter for Google, the leading search engine in the United States. A typical Chinese Internet user will be the one who _ . A likes to send e-mails B likes to buy goods online C likes to pay for entertainment D likes the games sites Answer: D Mozart was born on January 27, 1756 and died on December 5 , 1791. When he was three, he often had lessons with his elder sister. His father took him through many different countries, where he played music for lots of people. But some people didn't believe a little boy could write such beautiful music. They asked him to stay in a room all by himself for a week and somebody watched the room all the time . In a week , he finished a new piece of music . After that, people believed that he could write beautiful music. Mozart died when he was still a young man. During his short life he studied music and taught music and played music and wrote music. Even by working so hard, he couldn't make much money . Often he had to borrow money from his friends. But his music made him happy and for more than two hundred years his music has made other people happy, too. His music made _ happy. A both him and other people B only him C other people D nobody Answer: A At times my mom has been uncomfortable seeing these qualities in me. For example,when I was 12,I went to Puerto Rico all by myself to stay with my grandmother for the summer. My mom was extremely nervous about it. She kept telling me how things were different in Puerto Rico,to always put on sunscreen,not to wander away from my grandmother,and other warnings. She helped me pack and did not leave the airport until she saw my plane take off. But despite her worries,she let me go on my own. As I moved into my teens,she continued to give me space to grow and learn,even when it might have been difficult for her. When I reached my senior year,I decided to move away for college. Once again I found that I differed from my peers:While many of them wanted to stay close to home,I couldn't wait to be out in the world on my own. While my mom may not have been happy at the thought of my going away,she was supportive and excited for me. One big thing I realized during my senior year,as my mom granted me more freedom,was that she actually believes in me and trusts me. That means a lot. Most of my life,and especially when I was little,the main person I tried to impress in my schoolwork or other things was my mother. I knew she expected nothing but the best from me. Sometimes it was hard to live up to her standards;getting a single B on my report card would make me feel bad because I knew she wanted me to have all A's. I know that her high standards have helped me stay focused on what's important,like education,and made me who I am. I am thankful for her support and involvement in my life .Most of all I respect her. She is the strongest woman I know and that's why I have turned out so strong and independent. In the passage,the author mainly wants to tell us _ . A his long way to becoming independent B his good relationship with his mother C the importance of a mother's trust and support D his mother's deep love for him Answer: C What does a hand dryer produce? A growth B money C carbs D hotness Answer: D
Question: At EF--English First, we provide the best English language training program available, and teachers are at the heart of our learning center. EF has over 120 schools in 50 cities, and is a very popular name in China. EF is looking for native English speakers with teaching experience to help Chinese people learn English well. While teaching English with EF, you will continue to develop as a teaching profession while experiencing life in this great nation. As soon as you walk into an EF school, you will understand why creating a welcoming learning environment is important for us to teach English. Our schools have modern well-equipped classrooms, computer labs, and teaching preparation areas. Our teachers receive a complete modern teaching program to prepare themselves to teach our high standards. And they've got high salary. EF was set up a year before 1965 with the duty to "break down barriers in language, culture and geography". It has helped over 15 million students to learn a new language and travel abroad. From the passage we can see that EF _ . A. has the most successful teaching ideas. B. has made a great achievement in language training. C. is the largest center of English teachers in China. D. is one of the worst training schools. Answer: B Question: In 1961 Obama was born in Hawaii, US. His father was an African and his mother was a white American. He grew up in Indonesia and Hawaii. When Obama was 10 years old, he was one of the only three black students at his school in Hawaii. He felt very different from most other students. White girls wanted to touch his hair. A white boy even asked him what his father was. "I lied to them that my father was a Kenyan prince. But I kept asking myself who I am," said Obama. However, 37 years later, the boy made history. Obama became the first black president in US history. Obama's unusual background made him wonder who he was. He once turned to alcohol to help forget this question. With the help of his friends, Obama finally turned his life around at college. His hard work made him a star at Harvard. Later, he became the third black senator in US history. "Obama's success has made Martin Luther King's dream come true. That is: A man should not be judged by the colour of his skin, but by the content of his character," wrote ABC news. Which of the following is TURE according to the passage? A. Obama's parents are both African B. Obama was the first black senator in US history C. Obama was once very depressed because of his unusual background. D. No other black students were in the school where Obama studied when he was ten. Answer: C Question: Jane Austen was born in the English countryside more than 200 years ago. She lived a simple life. She seldom travelled. She never married and she died from illness when she was only 41. However, people all over the world remember her. Why? It is because Jane Austen is the author of some of the best-loved novels in the English language. These novels include Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion. Jane completed her last novel Persuasion in 1816, but it was not published until after her death. Persuasion is partly based on Jane's naval brother. Anne, the daughter of Sir Walter Elliot, falls in love with Captain Wentworth, a person of a lower social position. But she breaks off the engagement when persuaded by her friend Lady Russell that such a match is unworthy. The breakup produces in Anne a deep and long-lasting regret. Eight years later, Wentworth returns from sea a rich and successful captain. He finds Anne's family on the edge of financial ruin. Anne and the captain rediscover their love and get married. Jane Austen once compared her writing to painting on a little bit of ivory , two inches square. Readers of Persuasion will see that neither her skill of delicate, ironic observations on social custom, love, and marriage nor her ability to apply a sharp focus to English manners and morals has abandoned her in her final finished work. Persuasion has produced three film adaptations: a 1995 version starring Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds, a 2007 TV miniseries with Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones, and a 1971 miniseries with Ann Firbank and Bryan Marshall. People who are interested in Jane Austen can still visit many of the places she visited and lived. These places include the village of Steventon, although her family house is now gone. Many of the places Jane visited in Bath are still there. You can visit Jane Austen's home in Chawton, where she did her best writing, and Winchester, where she died. The article mainly talks about _ . A. Jane Austen's unique writing style B. the original residence of Jane Austen C. Jane Austen's last novel: Persuasion D. the popularity of Jane Austen's novels Answer: C Question: (Xinhua)The Expo 2010 Shanghai China formally opened its door to the highly public this morning. Top Chinese political advisor Jia Qinglin and International Exhibitions Bureau President Jean-Pierre Lafon activated the opening device together at a commencement ceremony. The Expo, carrying a theme of "Better City, Better Life", reflects the crystallization of wisdom about urban construction and vision of a better future life, Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said while addressing the ceremony. BIE Secretary Teneral Vicente Gonzalea Loscertales said the Shanghai World Expo would be "the most splendid and unforgettable" and would help the world better understand the present, have a glimpse into the future and strengthen cooperation between countries and organizations. Visitors, from home and abroad, are thronging to the gates of the Expo site, waiting for security checks in long queues.Around 300,000 tickets have been sold or distributed for the opening day, organizers said. The Expo is expected to attract 70 million visitors from China and abroad.The Expo site covers an area of 5.28 square kilometers along both sides of the Huangpu River, a tributary of the Yangtze River. What is the best title for this passage? A. Expo site opens to public. B. Expo site covers an area of 5.28 square kilometers. C. The Expo is wonderful. D. The Expo is unforgettable. Answer: A Question: More than one in eight U. S. adults finds it hard to stay away from the Internet for several days at a time and about one in eleven tries to hide his or her online habit, according to a study showed on Tuesday. The study by researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine in California found one in eight adults admitted they needed to spend less time online, saying this showed "problematic Interact use" is present in a sizable portion of the population. The study involved a nationwide telephone survey of 2,581 respondents in the spring and summer of 2004 with researchers then examining the data and preparing the report which appears in the October issue of CNS Spectrums. The survey found that 68.9 percent of respondents were regular Internet users and 13.7 percent of the users found it hard to stay offline for several days at a time. It found 12.4 percent often stayed online longer than intended, more than 12 percent said they saw a need to cut back on their Internet use, and 8.7 percent tried to conceal "non-essential "Internet use from family, friends and employers. A smaller number, 8.2 percent, said they use the Internet to escape problems or a bad mood, while 5.9 percent felt their relationships suffered because of too much Internet use. One report published earlier this year said that 5 percent to 10 percent of the population likely will experience Internet addiction . It said signs include a disregard for health or appearance, lack of sleep and reducing physical activities and social communications with others, as well as dry eyes and juries of hands and fingers. Those who try to hide their habit of addition to the Interact make up of the respondents. A. 12.4% B. 8.7% C. 5.9% D. 13.7% Answer: B
Doctors in Britain are warning of an obesity time bomb, when children who are already overweight grow up. So, what should we do? Exercise more? Eat less? Or both? The government feels it has to take responsibility for this expanding problem. The cheerful Mr. Pickwick, the hero of the novel by Charles Dickens, is seen in illustrations as someone who is plump and happy. In 18th century paintings, beauty is equated (...) with rounded bodies and soft curves. But nowadays being overweight is seen as indicating neither a cheerful character nor beauty but an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. So what do you do? Diet? Not according to England's chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson. He says that physical activity is the key for reducing the risks of obesity, cancer and heart disease. And the Health Secretary John Reid even said that being inactive is as serious a risk factor in heart disease as smoking. So, having bought some _ , how much exercise should you do? According to Sir Liam Donaldson, at least 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week. Is going to the gym the answer? Luckily for those who think that running machines are boring, the Health Development Agency believes that physical activity that fits into people's lives may be more effective. They suggest taking the stairs rather than the lift, walking up escalators, playing active games with your children, dancing or gardening. And according to a sports psychologist, Professor Biddle, gyms "are not making the nation fit", and may even cause harm. There's new scientific evidence that too much exercise may actually be bad for you. Scientists at the University of Ulster have found that unsuitable exercise releases dangerous free radicals that can adversely (oppositely) affect normal function in unfit people. The only people who should push their bodies to that level of exercise on a regular basis are trained athletes. So, should we forget about gyms and follow some expert's advice to reduce sedentary activities and increase exercise in our daily life? After all, getting off the bus a stop early and walking the rest of the way can't do any harm! One final thought. How come past generations lacked gym facilities but were leaner and fitter than people today? According to Sir Liam Donaldson, we should _ . Answer: do regular physical activity When a hammer strikes a nail, the nail Answer: exerts an equal and opposite force back on the hammer. Children are quick to ask "why" and "how'' when it comes to new things, but research suggests that they learn more when teachers turn the questions back on them. "When children explain events, they learn more than when just getting the results,'' said Cristine H. Legare, a professor at the University of Texas. Ms. Legare brought in 96 children aged 3 to 5 and set before them a complex toy made up of colorful, interlocking gears . With the first group, the researchers asked, "Can you explain this to me?" With the second one, they said, "Look, isn't this interesting?'' The two groups of children focused on different things, researchers found. Children who were asked to observe noticed the colors of the toy, while those asked to explain focused on the chain of gears working on each other. Children who had explained the toy were better at re-creating it and not being disturbed by decorative gears, and they were better able to use what they had learned who had observed the toy outperformed the children in the explanation group on a memory task focused on the toy's colors. Dedre Gentner, the director of the cognitive science program at Northwestern University, said that teachers introducing a concept can improve students' understanding by giving examples of close comparisons, and then asking children to explain how concepts are related. In a series of experiments with 3-to 7-year-olds, she focus children can be con be confused by comparisons that focus on a relationship rather than a direct-object match. For example, a 3-year-old shown a picture of two rabbits facing each other and told "this is a toma '' and then asked to find another "tome" will choose a picture of a rabbit over one of two cats facing each other 98 percent of the time. A 7-year-old is more likely to recognize the more abstract comparison of a relationship. However, Ms. Gentner found that 3-year-olds can think more like 7-yesr-olds if they are given more examples. When shown a "toma" with rabbits and another with cats, and then asked, "Can you say why both of these are tomas?" most of the children can give a good explanation. As for the gear toy, the first group _ . Answer: focused on the design of the toy Which of these will always produce a magnetic field? Answer: an electric current Although I started learning English during my college years, when I entered the States, I only understood two English words "Yes" and "No". We learned many grammar rules but we could not make the language connections to the real English world. Language _ worries almost all first generation immigrants. For example, I got a letter from a Chinese-American who has lived in the States for a long time and has a good IT job saying "My 11-year-old girl writes quite well, but as her parents, we could not even read her article."In addition, my Chinese-American professor friend has difficulty reading a novel. Improving our English skills has become a long journey for all of us. Honestly, if I have a chance, I really want to reach out to everyone in the world who has had a similar experience: learning a second language in adulthood. I wish I could encourage them to speak out about the culture shock, frustration they felt about the differences between West and East. I have mainly focused on my English writing since 2008 after I found "Literacy Volunteers", an organization that specially focuses on helping immigrants improve their English. I decided to challenge myself, writing a story like an American. I saw many wonderful Americans there. As soon as I met my teacher Alice, I asked her to be my private language tutor and have taken Tims English class. Every week Alice and I have worked on my English essays sentence by sentence. To observe the culture differences between West and East, occasionally, I posted a few of my English essays online. I mentioned previously about American culture; when people read the same article or even face the same situation, American and Chinese act very differently. In my viewpoint, these differences make America the strongest country in the world. I know you have the right to express your own opinions, but accusing others without proof is not acceptable. In the passage, "Literacy Volunteers" is _ . Answer: of great use to people like the author
Many immigrants to the United States find the decision to seek better lives for their families in America can have an unexpected and tragic consequence . Deep differences with their children develop over language and culture. "Many immigrants arrive here without much education. Their kids soon gain language skills and also street marts on how to live in America, leaving the parents at a disadvantage," Ileana , Roses, pastor of a Methodist church group operating in Virginia, said. "Not only that but they find they cannot relate to children who quickly absorb American culture," she said. According to the US Census Bureau , the number of foreign born or first generation Americans reached 55 million last year, a record one in five of the total population. A government survey of 922 immigrants in 2000 found that nearly 40 percent of those who had been in the United States for more than 15 years would still like to take English classes if they had the time. Two thirds of low income households depended on their children for translation. Psychologists and sociologists say parents can lose their position of authority in a family as a result and the effects of that can be far-reaching. Children exposed to American pop culture that glorifies youth and sexuality often rebel when their parents try to impose the conservative values they brought with them. "Americanization erodes all important aspects of parenting," said Richard Weissbourd, who teaches education at Harvard University. "I feel a part of me is dying with my children. They don't listen to my music. I have to play it on Sunday morning when they are not around," said an immigrant. What troubles the immigrant parents most is _ . A that they can't understand the English language B that they lose their position of authority in their families C that their children have lost sense of their own national values D how they can master the English language as soon as possible Answer: B. that they lose their position of authority in their families One way to sell stuff is to make things that people want to buy. Another way is to offer "free trials" and then hit customers with bills. This brings us to PDC Education Ltd, run by Rebecca Jordan and Kirsty Weir of Leeds, whose website teaching-resources-uk.com offers teaching plans for teachers. Rosemarie Brady, finance manager of Rutlish School in Merton, southwest London, tells us that one teacher called Amanda Seyfried downloaded the "free" resources. "Unfortunately in very small print, they state that unless the free trial is cancelled, then you will be charged," she says. A year has gone by and now they've been sent a second bill for 500 pounds, just because they forgot to cancel the "free trial". Merton Council--and it's not the only one--has sent a warning to all its schools saying: " Only in the very (easily missed) small print of the terms and conditions is it explained that, after the 14-day trial, schools will be automatically signed for a two-year contact with the company." "This will only be stopped if the teacher who requested the trial writes directly to PDC to cancel before the 14 days have expired . The fee can be as much as hundreds of pounds, with the threat of debt recovery if they are not paid." Among the online complaints is this one from a teacher. "How disappointed I am that they will not even consider seriously re-negotiating the invoice ." Rebecca Jordan of PDC Education said, " The whole purpose behind the free trial is that we have confidence in our business. This free trial period gives teachers the chance to see what is on offer without having to commit to a payment." Only a "very small number" of teachers have complained when they receive an invoice, she added. " Their only complaint is that they have not checked what they are signing up to but that is not our fault, the position is totally clear. The prices and the trial terms are clear to see on the online sign up page." It's true the terms and conditions are on their website. But perhaps it's unhelpful that they run to almost 3000 words. What might be the best title for the passage? A An education website B A lesson in "free" trials C A mysterious invoice D Traps on the web Answer: B. A lesson in "free" trials Sir Emest Shackleton was not only a great explorer, but also an intelligent man. He once found himself and two of his men at the top of an icy mountain ridge . They had no way to get down to its side. Their destination had been the tiny Whaling Station of strummers, near the South Pole. Shackleton knew if they didn't get down from the ridge, no one would ever hear from them again. Shackleton knew there was only one thing to do. He explained that they would all have to slide down. He instructed the two men to wind their ropes into a coil .Then each of the men sat down on a coiled and slid down the icy slope into the darkness. When they found themselves at the bottom, unhurt, Shackleton said, "You know, we shouldn't do that kind of thing too often." The laughter broke the tension all the men were feeling. They arrived later than expected, but safely at the Whaling Station. They were all _ when hearing what Sir Shackleton said. A tense B relaxed C worried D nervous Answer: B. relaxed Those who are used to looking through thousands of books in big bookstores may find Japan's Morioka Shoten a little strange. That's because this tiny bookstore that is located in Ginza, Tokyo sells only a single book at a time. Opened in May 2015, Morioka Shoten is the brainchild of Yoshiyuki Morioka. The experienced bookseller began his career as a bookstore clerk in Tokyo's Kanda district before branching out to open his own store. It was here while organizing book readings that he realized that customers usually came into the store with one title in mind. Morioka began to wonder if a store could exist by selling many copies of just one single book. In November 2014, he partnered with his two friends, to establish a unique bookstore with the idea of "A Single Room, A Single Book." Like its offering, the bookstore is simple. The selections that are picked by Morioka change weekly and vary widely to attract customers with different interests. Recent choices include The True Deceiver, an award-winning Swedish novel by Tove Jansson, Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales, and a collection of artist Karl Blossfeldt's photography of plants. Morioka has also chosen books written by famous Japanese authors Mimei Ogawa and Akito Akagi. To highlight his only offering, Morioka often uses clever methods. For example,when selling a book about flowers, he decorated his shop with the ones that had been mentioned in the book. He also encourages authors to hold talks and discussions so they can connect with customers. Morioka says his goal is for the customers to experience being inside a book, not just a bookstore! Risky as the idea might seem, things appear to be going well. Morioka says he has sold over 2,100 books since he opened it. Things can get better considering that his bookstore is becoming increasingly popular not just among the locals but also visitors from other countries. Why does Morioka encourage authors to hold talks? A To introduce his bookstore. B To advocate his philosophy. C To make books better understood. D To help readers connect with each other. Answer: C. To make books better understood. I finished my last evening shift of the week and could hardly wait to get home. I took off my nursing shoes, relaxed and then said goodnight to the rest of the girls and headed out of the door. It was so cold and I could see the ice crystals in the air. As I approached my car, I saw one of my coworkers standing by the bus stop. I thought it would only take a couple of extra minutes to give her a ride home, and besides, it was too cold to be standing outside on the coldest night in January. We chatted as I drove and before we knew it, we arrived at her house. As she headed up the steps to her door she turned around. "Do you know how to get to your house from here?" "How hard can it be? I'll just backtrack the way I came." I started driving. Nothing looked familiar, but at first that didn't bother me since I'd never been to this neighborhood before. I kept driving, and soon I sensed that something was wrong. I recognized nothing, not the neighborhoods, not even the street names. My husband would be worried about me. I looked down at my watch. It was now 2:30. I'd left work at 11:30 pm. I stopped my car. I thought I'd better take stock of my situation. My gas gauge was slowly going down. In total defeat I put my head down on the steering wheel and asked for help. I lifted my head. I saw a shadow down the road in front of me. It was a car. What was a car doing in the middle of nowhere at 2:30 in the morning? Hesitantly, I got out of my car and knocked on the window of the other car. An elderly man slowly rolled his window down. I said, "I'm lost and don't know how to get back into town." In silence, he started driving. I drove behind him. Finally I recognized a familiar street. As I turned to head home, I lost sight of my guiding angel. When I pulled into my driveway the warning light for my gas tank turned on. When the writer got home, _ . A she thanked the old man very much B her husband was waiting for her anxiously C the oil in her car was just going to run out D she was totally frozen on the cold night Answer: C. the oil in her car was just going to run out
Around the world coral reefs are facing threats brought by climate change and great changes in sea temperatures. While ocean warming has been the primary focus for scientists and ocean policy managers, cold events can also whiten corals. A new study by scientists compared damaged to corals exposed to heat as well as cold stress. The results show that cool temperatures can cause more damage in the short term, but heat is more destructive in the long run. Climate change is widely known to produce warming conditions in the oceans, but extreme cold-water events have become more frequent and serious as well. In 2010, for example, coral reefs around the world faced on of the coldest winters and one of the hottest summers on record. During a unique experiment, corals under cold temperatures suffered greater damage in just days compared with heat treated corals. Yet the researchers found that corals were eventually able to adjust to the cold conditions, make their health stable and continue to grow. However, over the long term corals subjected to heat suffered more greatly than those in cold, with evidence of severe whitening and growth stoppage, which leads to death. The coral's ability to adjust to cool temperatures surprised the researchers, who say the study's results show the complexities of monitoring coral health in response to different environmental factors . "Global warming is associated with increases but also decreases of temperatures," said Deheyn, one of the researchers. "Not much has been known about the comparative effects of temperature decrease on corals. These results are important because they show that corals react differently to temperature differences, which is important for future management of coral reefs in the field of climate change." Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: Heat and cold damage corals in their own ways. A food additive is any substance that is added to food. Many people are put off by the idea of "chemicals in food." The truth is that all food is made up of chemicals. Natural substances like milk, as well as man-made ones like drinks on sale in the market, can be described by chemical formulas. Some chemical substances are indeed harmful, but a person who refused to consume any chemicals would find nothing to eat. The things we eat can be divided into natural and man-made substances. Some people feel that only natural foods are healthy and that all man-made ingredients are to be avoided. But many natural chemicals, found in plants and animals, are harmful when eaten, and some laboratory-made substances increase the nutritional value of food. Other chemicals have natural and man-made forms that are exactly alike: vitamin C is vitamin C, whether it comes from a test tube or from an orange. Like "chemical", "man-made" doesn't necessarily mean "not fit to eat". Food additives are used for many reasons. We add sugar and salt and other things to foods we prepare at home to make them taste better. Food producers have developed a range of additives that stabilize, thicken, harden, keep wet, keep firm, or improve the appearance of their products. Additives can make food more convenient or nutritious, give it a longer shelf life, and make it more attractive to the consumer, thus increasing the sales and profits of the producers. Food additives are presently the centre of a storm of serious argument. Food producers have been known to use additives that have not been proved safe; some substances in common use have been proved unsafe and have been taken off the market. Many people feel there's a risk of eating food to which anything has been added. But food additives are now regulated by the FDA of the federal government, and new additives will go through strict testing before they can be placed on the market. For most people, the chances of developing serious side effects from the long-term use of presently approved food additives are very small. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: Food additives can improve the quality of foods in many ways. The young boy saw me, or rather, he saw the car and quickly ran up to me, eager to sell his bunches of bananas and bags of peanuts. Though he appeared to be about twelve, he seemed to have already known the bitterness of life. "Bananas 300 naira. Peanuts 200 naira." He said in a low voice. I bargained him down to 200 totals for the fruit and nuts. When he agreed, I handed him a 500 naira bill. He didn't have change, so I told him not to worry. He said thanks and smiled a row of perfect teeth. When, two weeks later, I saw the boy again, I was more aware of my position in a society where it's not that uncommon to see a little boy who should be in school standing on the corner selling fruit in the burning sun. My parents had raised me to be aware of the advantage we had been afforded and the responsibility it brought to us. I pulled over and rolled down my window. He had a bunch of bananas and a bag of peanuts ready. I waved them away. "What's up?" I asked him. "I...I don't have money to buy books for school." I reached into my pocket and handed him two fresh 500 naira bills. "Will this help?" I asked. He looked around nervously before taking the money. One thousand naira was a lot of money to someone whose family probably made about 5,000 naira or less each year. "Thank you, sir." he said. "Thank you very much!" When driving home, I wondered if my little friend actually used the money for schoolbooks. What if he's a cheat? And then I wondered why I did it. Did I do it to make myself feel better? Was I using him? Later, I realized that I didn't know his name or the least bit about him, nor did I think to ask. Over the next six months, I was busy working in a news agency in northern Nigeria. Sometime after I returned, I went out for a drive. When I was about to pull over, the boy suddenly appeared by my window with a big smile ready on his face. "Oh, gosh! Long time." "Are you in school now?" I asked. He nodded. "That's good," I said. A silence fell as we looked at each other, and then I realized what he wanted. "Here," I held out a 500 naira bill. "Take this." He shook his head and stepped back as if hurt. "What's wrong?" I asked. "It's a gift." He shook his head again and brought his hand from behind his back. His face shone with sweat. He dropped a bunch of bananas and a bag of peanuts in the front seat before he said, "I've been waiting to give these to you." Which of the following best describes the boy? Answer: Honest and thankful. Many years ago, there lived an old man with his three sons, Dharma, Harrison and Keith, in a village. The man worked hard when he was young, son he had the largest farmyard and the most beautiful house in the village. However, his sons were all born to be lazy, which mad him disappointed. He was worried that his sons would use up his money and starve to death. One day, the old man came up with a plan. He called his sons and said to them, "Look, my dear sons: in the land we have at the farmyard, there is lots of hidden gold. If you should work together, you may find it" In a wish to find out the gold, his sons worked hard from the morning to the evening digging and digging all through the land. The days had passed, but they didn't find what were they were looking for. They got frustrated and angry. They decided to give up and returned to ask their father. "There is no gold in the land. We are cheated." "Since the land has been dup soft. Why don't you pant some crops there?" was the reply of the father to the sons. Off went the sons. Soon the whole once-useless land was rich crops. "This if the real gold, my sons." Said the now proud father. After they dug the land , his sons found _ . Answer: nothing What do you use to get around town? A car? A bike? Your feet ? perhaps you should try a segway! The Segway is perfect for short journeys. It's an electric vehicle that consists of a platform between two wheels, with a pole that connects the platform to the handlebars. To ride it , you step up onto the platform, and control the Segway by moving your body. Lean forwards to go faster, and back-wards to slow down. On older models, direction was controlled by a twist grip on the left handlebar. This varies the speeds between the two motors, and a decrease in the speed of the left wheel would turn the Segway to the left . With newer models you simply lean to the left or right. Meanwhile, a gyroscope detects your movements and prevents the machine from falling over. The Segway has a maximum speed of 19 km per hour and a range of about 38 km. after that, you need to plug it and recharge the battery. Segways are used for a variety of purposes. People with mobility problems can now enjoy walks in the country with their friends and family. Some golfers see them as an alternative to the golf cart . And dog owners now have an easier way to take the dog to the park. A few police forces use Segways, too. They allow officers to move quickly while maintaining contact with the public. They're also becoming a common sight on airport . However, the most popular use is in tourism , particularly for city tours . Visit any major tourist city in summer, sit outside a cafe for a while and there's a good chance you'll see a group of tourists passing on Segways. How do you turn to the left on a Segway of the new model? Answer: Lean to the left
(B) What are you going to do if you are in a burning house? Escaping a fire is a serious matter. Knowing what to do during a fire can save yourself. It is important to know the ways you can use and to show them to everyone in the family, such as stairways and fire escapes, but not lifts . From the lower floors of the building, escaping through windows is possible, learn the best way of leaving through windows with the least chance of serious injury . The second floor windows are usually not very high from the ground. An average person, hanging by the finger-tips will have a drop of about six feet to the ground. It is about the height of an average man. Of course, it is safer to jump a short way than to stay in a burning building. Windows are also useful when you are waiting for help. Be sure to keep the door closed, or smoke and fire may be drawn into the room. Keep your head low at the window to be sure you get fresh air rather than smoke that may have leaked into the room. On a second or third floor, the best windows for escaping are those which open onto a roof . From the roof a person can drop to the ground more safely, dropping onto stones might end in injury. From the beginning, we know that it is important to _ . know the way to escape a fire China's economy grows,salaries rise;and more city residents feel the need to hit the road in what has become a symbol of individuality and freedom--a car.China has a growing love affair with the car.This is clear at the Beijing Asian Games Village Automobile Exchange,where more and more people come to look and,increasingly,to buy. The Asian Games Village Automobile Exchange is the biggest car dealership inBeijing.General manager Guo Yong says the business sells more than 2,000 cars each week.Guo says it is much easier for Chinese consumers to buy a car now.Also,the emergence of less expensive domestic brands like Chery and BYD means more Chinese can afford cars. For decades,most Chinese city residents have got about by bicycle or public buses and trains.Now,in many areas,the number of new cars is growing faster than the road system,leaving city streets jammed with traffic. Guo Liang has wanted to buy a car for a decade,and he will be the first in his family to own one.He is not prevented by Beijing's traffic jams.Guo says if the traffic is too bad,he will use the ear for leisure or holidays with his family. World Bank transportation specialist Shomik Mendhiratta says a car is something people in any society would be eager to own."Getting a car makes people feel like they have arrived in the middle class."Mendhiratta said."It has got a huge status associated with it.It's a fantastic thing to have,if you have never had a car.A car gives you a mobility that's unbelievable." What contributes to the affordability of cars,according to the passage? Some domestic cars are not so expensive. Moreno, Stanley, and 23 other students from Westfield State College were on vacation in Acapulco, Mexico. This was the last night in the hotel. It was 4 am, Moreno and Stanley came back from a party. Just as Stanley went to sleep, he heard loud noise outside. From the balcony of their fourth-floor room, Moreno and Stanley saw black smoke out of one window and heard people shouting. Moreno ran out into the corridor and began knocking on doors and shouting, "Fire!" After that, he went upstairs in a hurry to tell other people. At the same time, Stanley was downstairs helping people get through the smoke-filled room. There he joined forces with Nalewanski, a 21-year-old boy who had a room on the second floor. "Let's go," Nalewanski said. He and Stanley wet their shirts in the bathroom and put them around their mouths and noses so they could breathe. Then they ran up the stairs. On the fourth floor they found Moreno feeling terrible (Moreno had made it up to the eighth floor before turning back). But after making sure he could get back down on his own, they continued upstairs, knocking on the doors on every floor. In the end, no one was seriously hurt. Moreno said, "There were hundreds of people in the hotel. It was our duty to help them." Nalewanski and Stanley put their wet shirts around their mouths and noses in order to . stop the smoke from going into lungs John sent his mother expensive presents on his mother's birthday every year. He liked to show her how rich he was. "I must find something wonderful for her, and it must be the only one in the whole world. Then my mother must be very happy." John thought. He advertised in the newspapers. "Wanted--the best present for the woman who has everything. " For many days his telephone did not stop ringing. People phoned him from all over the world. They wanted to sell him "the best present". But they did not have anything that was the only one in the whole world. Then less than a week before his mother's birthday, a man came to his office. He was carrying a cage, and in the cage there was a large bird. "This bird, "the man said, "can speak ten languages and sing any pop song. There is no other bird like it in the world. " "I will listen to it, "John said. "If what you said is true, I will buy the bird from you." The man spoke to the bird. "Talk to me in French, " he said. The bird spoke to him in French. "Tell me a joke in Japanese, " he said. The bird told him a joke in Japanese. "Sing a famous pop song, "he said. The bird sang a famous pop song. "I'll buy it, "John said. "How much do you want?" "One hundred thousand dollars, "the man said. This was a lot of money but John paid him. Then he sent the bird to his mother with a birthday card. The day after his mother's birthday he phoned her. "Well, mother, "he said, "Is the bird wonderful?" "Oh, it was delicious, dear, "she said. Why did John pay the man a lot of money for the bird? Because he thought the bird could make his mother happy. One day Billy and Sandy went to the neighborhood fair. They were so exited because this year Bob the clown was going to be there. They had heard a lot about Bob the clown, he was funny and knew a lot of balloon tricks. He always made the kids laugh and gave out small prizes to many of the children at the fair. Billy and Sandy had even heard that sometimes Bob the clown would give out free cotton candy and candy apples. They had waited all year and were so excited. They did all their chores and cleaned their rooms so they could go to the fair. When they got to the fair they were so happy to see that Bob the clown was handing out cotton candy and candy apples. Billy and Sandy waited in line and then once it was their turn Billy got a balloon in the shape of a dog and Sandy got a big bag of cotton candy. They were both happy and could not wait to tell their friends all about Bob the clown. Where were Billy and Sandy going,and why were they so excited? The fair, and because Bob the clown was going to be there
The world is starting to use oil less and less because it is unable to A cute invention was revealed this month at the International Robot Exhibition (IREX) in Tokyo. It's called Jukusui-Kun ("deep sleep" in Japanese) ---a robotic pillow in the shape of a polar bear. The pillow is in fact a serious technological innovation hidden under a cute cover. It was developed by a group of scientists and engineers at Tokyo's Waseda University to help people suffering from snoring and those who live with them. This is how the robotic pillow works: a microphone detects the noise level of the snoring, and if the snoring becomes very loud, which can be the sign of sleep apnea , the bear will raise its hand and carefully touch the face of the sleeper, leading to a change in the sleeper's position without waking him or her up. This is definitely the world's first anti-snoring machine and an important potential treatment for sleep apnea. This sleeping disorder involves pauses in breathing, and can lead to heart attacks during sleep. In Japan, around 2 million people are struggling with the problem. When a sleeper starts snoring, the sleeper's blood oxygen level drops. The new device tracks the level of oxygen in the sleeper's blood and wirelessly sends the information to the polar bear. But the only problem is that people not only have to sleep on a bear-shaped pillow with robotic hands, but also have to insert their hands into a monitor that keeps track of blood oxygen levels. If these levels fall below a certain point, it gives the bear another cue to lift its hand. The bear is not yet on sale, and it remains to be seen whether a robotic hand reaching up to touch one's face is any more effective than one's partner giving one a good shove . We would find the passage in the _ section of a magazine. From which part of the plant does a bee get food? Hi, I am Grace. I have some nice photos. The first is the photo of my family. The boy is my brother, Bill and the girl is me. And these are my parents. Now we are in Bill's room. We can see his model phone on the bed. His brown trousers are also on it, under his phone. The second is photo of my friend. Her name is Helen. She's 14. And we are the same age. Helen has hat. But the hat is on the floor. It looks like my black cat. In the third photo is my cousin, David. He is in the library. He has some books on the desk. They are all about dogs. Do you know why? Bill's trousers are _ . A student performs an experiment and the results are shown below: Before- Iron filings are brown, small, and magnetic: Copper sulfate crystals are blue, brittle, and not magnetic. After- The copper formed was reddish, solid, and not magnetic: Iron sulfide solution was colorless and not magnetic. Which statement supports that a chemical reaction took place?
Man has been to the moon. It has been the first step towards future exploration in space. When compared with the distances between Earth and the other planets, the distance between the Moon and Earth is very short indeed. Mars, the nearest planet to Earth is millions of miles away! Traveling to the planets will be man's next step. Such travels will be more challenging than the trip to the moon and certainly more exciting and dangerous. Recently, two American spaceships, Viking 1 and 2, landed on Mars trying to discover whether that planet has any life on it. So far the signs of life on Mars has neither been confirmed nor ruled out . Russians have discovered that the surface of Venus is so hot that it is almost certain that there is no life there. Also the atmosphere of Venus is extremely dense and the pressure is nearly a hundred times greater than that of the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists believe man may find planets which have the same conditions as those we have on Earth, but man should realize Earth will be his only home for a long time and begin to love and care for it. Which of the following is Not true? A. Mars is nearer to the earth than the moon. B. The moon is much nearer to the earth than Mars. C. Of all the planets, Mars is the nearest to the earth. D. All the planets are much farther to the earth than the moon. Answer: B. The moon is much nearer to the earth than Mars. March 22, 2011---Most restaurants in the United States offer their customers a glass of tap water at no charge with their meal, but this week many restaurants are asking dinners to pay a dollar, or more, for a glass of water. Cards on their tables explain that this small amount helps bring clean water to children around the world. It's called the UNICEF Tap Project. "UNICEF's Tap Project is really all about bringing attention to the fact that over 900 million people around the globe do not have access to good, clean, healthy drinking water," says Cary Stem, who heads the US Fund for UNICEF. She adds that water-borne illness is the second-highest cause of preventable childhood death in the world. "Each and every day approximately 4,100 children die just because they don't have that access - 4,100 every single day." The public service campaign encourages people to help change that statistic with a simple, affordable action: paying a dollar to get a glass of tap water at a restaurant. "One dollar buys enough good, clean water for a child for 40 days," Stem says. "The tap project has expanded since it began five years ago with 300 restaurants in New York City. This year, Stem says, about 3,000 restaurants across the country are participating in the campaign. We raised about $2.5 million over the last five years of this campaign," says Stem. "Last year, we raised over $1 million for the first time. This year we're hoping to top that." Stem credits the continued success of the campaign to an army of volunteers who support the tap project and raise money in their communities. The UNICEF Tap Project is promoting its efforts with a simple motto: when you take water, give water. Currently, UNICEF works in more than 100 countries around the world to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities in schools and communities. Stem hopes that, by participating in the project, more Americans will realize that what they often take for granted is a precious and scarce resource in many other parts of the world. It can be learned that _ . A. the Tap Project began in 2006 B. America suffers a serious problem C. 4,100 children die of water pollution every year D. water-borne illnesses are the biggest killer of children Answer: A. the Tap Project began in 2006 Chilean miner Edison Pena plans to run the New York City Marathon on Sunday, less than a month after he was rescued from a collapsed mine that trapped him for 69 days. Pena ran 10 km daily through the mine's tunnels to beat the anxiety, wearing cut-down boots until rescuers sent him a pair of sports shoes through a narrow hole that served as the miners' "lifeline" to the surface. "When I ran in the darkness, I was running for life," Pena told a news conference in New York. "I was running to show that I wasn't just waiting around. I also wanted God to see that I really wanted to live." The New York Road Runners, which organizes the marathon, had invited Pena to be a guest at Sunday's race, but he said last week he did not want to watch, he wanted to run. "I was very eager to take on this big challenge," he said. "I wanted to show the world I could run." He hoped to run the 26.2-mile race in about six hours. "I have a knee injury, but I am eager to cross the finish line," he said. Last year, Meb Keflezighi won the men's marathon in two hours, nine minutes and 15 seconds. An Elvis Presley fan who asked rescuers to send the singer's music down into the mine, Pena broke into song at the news conference with the Presley hit Return to Sender. The miners werediscovered alive on August 22--17 days after the mine collapsed, but it took two months for rescuers to dig a hole big enough to bring them out. Asking for Presley's music mainly shows that _ . A. Presley gave him hope to live B. he has a positive attitude towards life C. being a singer is his biggest dream D. music is more important than life to him Answer: B. he has a positive attitude towards life Which of the following processes is responsible for changing liquid water into water vapor? A. photosynthesis B. condensation C. evaporation D. precipitation Answer: C. evaporation Chemicals used for industrial processes often create dangerous forms of waste. The amount of these chemicals has risen heavily in the past few years, as more areas of the world industrialize and new products are produced. Over 80,000 different chemicals are used in industries world wide. Around the world hundreds of millions of tons of harmful waste are produced each year. Often, it is difficult and expensive to get rid of these chemicals or to store them in a way that does not endanger human life and the environment. Every year, major health problems result from harmful waste. Sadly, it is often when someone has died or, become seriously ill that governments will take action and reduce levels of dumped harmful waste. In 1989, a school inprefix = st1 /New Jerseyhad to be closed because students there had suffered too much exposure to chromium. It was later learned that large amounts of chromium had been dumped nearby and blown over to the school area. Research has been done to provide information on the effects of every chemical. Because waste chemicals often mix together, it will also be necessary to learn how the combinations of these chemicals affect human health. Some governments have realized how serous the problem is and are making laws to get rid of harmful waste. They are also trying to limit the amount of waste industries are allowed to produce. Not only governments but the public as well must form part of the solution. They can choose not to buy those products which require the production of harmful waste, attempt to affect policymakers, and produce less harmful waste themselves. Many scientists think that waste production can be cut. The waste can be reduced by at least one-third using existing technologies and methods. From the text we know that _ . A. chromium can poison people when there is a wind B. chromium pollution makes the local government close the school C. Some governments don't realize how serious the problems are until people suffer a lot from harmful waste D. about two-thirds of the waste can pollute the environment Answer: C. Some governments don't realize how serious the problems are until people suffer a lot from harmful waste
The host poured the tea into the cup and placed it on the small table in front of his guests, who were a father and daughter, and the cover on the cup. Apparently thinking of something, he hurried into the inner room, leaving the thermos on the table. His two guests heard a cupboard opening. They remained sitting in the sitting room, the ten-year-old daughter looking at the flowers outside the window, the father just about to take his cup, when the crash came, right there in the sitting room. Something was hopelessly broken. It was the thermos, which had fallen to the floor. The girl looked over her shoulder, shocked, staring. It was mysterious. Neither of them touched it, not even a bit. True, it hadn't stood steadily when their host placed in on the table, but it hadn't fallen then. The explosion caused the host to rush back. _ the steaming floor, the host said, "It doesn't matter! It doesn't matter!" The father started to say something. Then he said softly, "Sorry, I touched it and it fell." "It doesn't matter," said the host. When they left the house, the daughter said, "Daddy, did you touch it?" "No, but it stood so close to me." "But you did not touch it. I saw your reflection in the window glass." The father laughed. "What would you give as the cause of its fall?" "The thermos fell by itself. The floor is not smooth. Daddy, why did you say that you..." "That won't do, girl. It sounds more acceptable when I say I knocked it down. There are things which people accept less the more you defend. The truer the story you tell, the less true it sounds." The daughter was lost in silence for a while. Then she said, "Can you explain it only in this way?" "Only in this way," her father said. It can be inferred from the story that the father _ . A didn't know the host well B didn't think the host would believe the truth C was sorry that he told the truth D felt satisfied that he didn't tell the truh Answer: B. didn't think the host would believe the truth Sammy, Kate and Ben were planning a birthday party for their friend Stew. This party was going to be a surprise. They were going to have the party in Stew's house. Sammy's job was making the house look nice. Kate's job was to get a clown to come to the party. Ben's job was to make enough food for all of the guests. Also, each of the three friends got Stew a gift. Sammy got Stew a few goldfish in a bowl. Kate got Stew a really cool little tree in a pot. Ben got Stew a new shirt with people from Stew's favorite television show on it. His favorite television show is Crazy Town, by the way. On the day of the party, Sammy was taping signs on the walls, Kate was on the phone with the clown and Ben was cooking in the kitchen. There was a storm outside, so they were worried that all their friends might not show up. There was thunder and lightning, wind and rain. They even lost power for a little bit! But everything turned out okay in the end. All their friends showed up and Stew was very surprised. He loved all of his gifts and he thought the clown was funny. Everyone loved the food Ben made, too. What was Ben's job before the party? A Stopping the storm B Getting a clown C Cooking food for the guests D Calling all the guests Answer: C. Cooking food for the guests Many of us have had this annoying experience:You are waiting at a bus station when someone near by begins to smoke a cigarette.You frown and move,but it seems that there isn't much you can do about it. The situation is changing now,as in Beijing,a new ban is set to fight against smoking.Seen as the toughest anti-smoking regulation in China's history,the law makes smoking in Beijing locations such as offices,restaurants,hotels and hospitals punishable by fines. Businesses that fail to rein in smoking can be fined up to 10,000 yuan and repeat offenders could have their licenses revoked . Individual smokers themselves can be fined up to 200 yuan.As well as indoor smoking,the law prohibits lighting up in some openair spaces close to schools,hospitals,and sports stadiums.Tobacco advertisements are not allowed to appear outdoors. Health commission inspectors will be in charge,carrying out spotchecks and acting on tip-offs from the publicposters in the capital advertise a hotline number,and the city government has launched a social media account allowing observers to upload images of smokers caught in the act. "Since previous anti-smoking laws have been poorly enforced ,we don't expect it will be en-tirely smooth running,"said Bernhard Schwartlaender,the WHO's representative in China."Key pointis...enforcement." "I don't think you can just rely on policy,"Yang Gonghuan,deputy head of the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control,said of the law."Parents and teachers who smoke have a strong influence on children.Smoking scenes in films and TV programs also make young people wrongly connect tobacco use with glamour and a cool image." The best title for the passage is probably * A No More Smoking,Beijing B Anti-smoking Movement C Fight against indoor smokers D Get rid of tobacco in China Answer: A. No More Smoking,Beijing It was a long week for Amanda at school. She stayed after school to work on a special project three days in a row. When she got home on Friday, she dropped into the chair with a sigh. "What's going on, Amanda?" her dad asked as he was reading the newspaper. "I have to create a webpage for my technology class, and it is taking a lot more time than I thought it would," Amanda answered. Her dad looked over his newspaper and asked Amanda what the webpage was about. "It's about the difference between newspaper news and Internet news," Amanda said and added, "I have to provide information, examples and illustrations ." "Sounds tough; do you have someone to help you?" her dad asked. "I have a partner named Zach," Amanda replied. "We did research on the Internet today and found some pictures to use." Then Amanda explained to her father the main differences: newspaper news is printed on paper, and Internet news is published online; newspaper news is only available once a day, and Internet news is published almost as soon as the news happens; many newspapers don't even print a daily paper, and Internet news is published around the clock. Amanda's dad asked, "Which type of news do you like better?" "I like Internet news better because I like to learn about the news when it happens," she answered. Her dad said, "I still like newspaper news better because I like to hold the paper in my hands and turn the pages." Amanda dropped into her chair again and said, "You are so old school, Dad." What kind of person is Amanda's father? A He is a man who misses the past. B He is a man who cares little about news. C He is a man who knows the computer well. D He is a man who cannot live without the Internet. Answer: A. He is a man who misses the past. Teenagers in the UK and the US get to watch some wonderful TV shows. Why not have a look at a few of them yourself and take the chance to practice your English at the same time? Modern Family Network: ABC Number of seasons: 3 The TV drama features two families, modern and traditional. The first is a typical American family with 3 adolescent children. Claire is a traditional mom, while Phil, the father, wants to be friends with his three children; he can name all the songs in the hit film High School Musical. The second family is made up of a 60- year-old man, Jay, his attractive young Latin American wife, Gloria , and her 11-year-old son, Alex. Jay is 30 years older than Gloria and everyone thinks they are father and daughter. 2 Broke Girls Network: CBS Number of seasons: 1 Max Black is a cafe waitress and babysitter in Brooklyn, New York; Caroline Channing is the daughter of a Manhattan millionaire. Neither of them ever imagined making friends with the other. But when Caroline loses all of her fortune after her father goes to prison, she applies for a job as a waitress in the same cafe and has to learn from Max. Problems are unavoidable, but luckily, kind-hearted girls can always make things work out. They turn out to be great at helping each other out in their endless struggle against strange customers and picky bosses. Gradually a friendship develops. True Blood Network: HBO Number of seasons: 4 Vampires live on in countless books, movies and television shows. If the Twilight series got you interested in vampire myths, then look no further than True Blood for another exciting adventure. Sookie Statckhouse is a small-town waitress. She is also telepathic . A meet with Bill Compton in a bar turns her life upside down. Bill is a vampire and that night Sookie saves him from a murder attempt. Sookie then becomes involved in a series of murder cases. The love between Sookie and Bill adds a touch of romance to a thrilling story. Merlin Network: BBC Number of seasons:4 King Arthur is one of the most important mythical figures in England. But the BBC tells a slightly different story from the legend. Instead of focusing on Arthur, it is Merlin, the wizard who helps Arthur all the way through his adventures, who takes the lead role. Rather than the wise old wizard who instructs Arthur in the legend, the TV dram turns him into a handsome young man. Merlin meets Arthur in the kingdom of Camelot and believes that he is an arrogant bully . Arthur, likewise, has a less than great opinion of Merlin. The series focuses on how a friendship grows between the two. The TV drama Modern Family probably tells _ . A the way that friendship develops in different families B the idea that people need to be appreciated one way or another C what life in the US is like and an image of contemporary US society D the message that it is good to be who you are, regardless of what others think Answer: C. what life in the US is like and an image of contemporary US society
Chopsticks Brothers, China's Internet singing stars, will sing their hit Little Apple at the 2014 American Music Awards. Chopsticks Brothers are known as director Xiao Yang and musician Wang Taili. They played a middle-aged singing group in the film Old Boys: The Way of the Dragon. In the film, they sang Little Apple when they took part in an American music talent show and they succeeded. Now, life is following art. Chopsticks Brothers will really go to America to sing their song. They will join well-known singers including Taylor Swift. "I did not expect the _ in our film to come true in real life," Xiao Yang said during an interview. "It doesn't seem real. This is another story of dreams coming true for 'old boys'," said Wang Taili. This is the first time a Chinese Internet song will be on the international stage. Little Apple has been more and more popular on China's Internet. Its MP3 received 579 million hits. And people have watched the music videos 823 million times on China's Internet. The song has had at least 500 million listeners around the world. China's famous singer and songwriter Liu Huan said he liked Little Apple during an interview. "Everybody's singing and dancing with Little Apple and I think that's a good phenomenon . And I'm glad I can see Taylor Swift and Chinese singers sing on the same stage." What will Chopsticks Brothers do? Being safe in your everyday life needs knowledge . If you remember the following information, your life will be much safer. l Always notice the environment around you. You shouldn't walk alone outside. Make sure where the public phones are. If anything dangerous happens, you can find them easily. l Your bag should be carried towards the front of your body instead of putting it on your back. When a bus is full of people, it is easy enough for a thief to take away the things in the bag on your back. l If you are followed by someone you don't know, cross the street and go to the other way, let the person understand that you know he or she is after you. Next, don't go home at once. You are safer in the street than you are alone in your home or in a lift . l If you have to take a bus to a place far away, try to get to the stop a few minutes earlier before the bus leaves. This stops other people from studying you. On the bus, don't sit alone. Sit behind the driver or with other people. Don't sleep. Which of the following is NOTsafe when you are out? Sea anemones Look at the picture. Who is the girl? She is my friend. Her name is Alice Black. She is an English girl. Alice has a big family. Her grandparents have two daughters and one son -- her father. Alice lives with her grandparents, parents, two brothers and one sister. Alice has two dogs -- Bobby and Tony. Bobby is black and Tony is white. Alice likes them very much. Alice is a middle school student. She has a good friend at school. Her name is Helen. They are cousins, too. Alice's grandparents have _ children . "USA? Britain? Which country is better to study in?" We often hear such discussions. As China opens its doors, studying abroad has become a dream for many Chinese students. They want to learn about the world. It's true that studying abroad can help students develop themselves. Language skills will improve and it may be easier to find jobs. But there are problems that should be considered. Language is the first. Students must spend a lot of time learning another language and getting used to a different culture. Students must also learn to live without parents' care and deal with all kinds of things they haven't had to do before, like looking after themselves. There are reports about Chinese students abroad sinking into an ocean of difficulties and giving up easily. When they have to take care of themselves, it is hard for students to study well. Finally, studying abroad brings a heavy burden to the family. For most Chinese parents, the cost of studying abroad is very high. But is it worth it? We know that there are many famous people who succeed in great things through their hard work in China. Liu Xiang is a good example. Once an American teacher invited him there but he refused. He kept training hard with his Chinese teacher. He surprised the world when he won a gold medal at the Athens Olympics. So when you wonder which country is better to study in, consider whether studying abroad is the right choice. The writer mentions Liu Xiang in the passage in order to tell us that _ .
An 80-year-old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45-year-old highly educated son. Suddenly a crow perched on their window. The father asked his son, "What is this?" The son replied, "It is a crow." After a few minutes, the father asked his son the 2 time, "What is this?" The son said, "Father, I have just now told you 'It's a crow'." After a little while, the old father again asked his son the 3 time, "What is this?" At this time some expression of was felt in the son's tone when he said to his father. "It's a crow, a crow, a crow." A little after, the father again asked his son the 4 time, "What is this?" This time the son shouted at his father, "Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again, although I have told you so many times 'IT IS A CROW'. Are you not able to understand this?" A little later the father went to his room and came back with an old tattered diary, which he had maintained since his son was born. On opening a page, he asked his son to read that page. When the son read it, the following words were written in the diary: "Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa, when a crow was sitting on the window. My son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied to him all 23 times that it was a crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question again and again for 23 times. I did not at all feel irritated, I rather felt affection for my innocent child." What would the son probably say after reading the words in the diary? Answer: Nothing but felt rather ashamed. Robert Frost was one of America's best known and most honored serious writers. But his fame came late in his life. He was born in San Francisco, California in 1874. He lived in California during his early childhood. He was named after the chief Southern general in America's Civil War. The general's name was Robert Edward Lee. The poet was named Robert Lee Frost, because his father wanted to honor the general. Someone once asked another American writer, Ernest Hemingway, how to become a writer. The best thing, he said, was to have an unhappy childhood. If this is true, Robert Frost's childhood was unhappy enough to make him a very good writer. Robert Frost's father was a reporter who wanted to be a politician. He often drank too much wine and became angry. Robert was the victim of his anger. Robert Frost finished high school in 1891. After high school, Robert's grandfather offered to pay his costs at Dartmouth College. But Robert left the school after a few months. He did not like it. He spent the next few years working at different jobs. At one time, he worked in a factory. Later, he repaired shoes. He was a teacher. He was a reporter. Always, he wrote poetry. Robert Frost attended Harvard University for two years. After that, he returned to the many jobs he held before. For a while, Frost tried to take care of a farm in the state of New Hampshire. He was not a successful farmer. And he continued to write poetry. He said that until 1930, he earned only about ten dollars a year from writing. In 1912, he decided to try to make a new start. He took his family to Britain. The cost of living was low. In Britain, Frost found a publisher for his first book of poems. The book was called A Boy's Will. When it appeared in 1913. Frost received high praise from British readers. Praise was something he had not received in his own country. Ezra Pound, another American poet living in Britain, read the poems and liked them very much. He wrote a magazine article about Frost. He also helped get Frost's second book of poems published in America. That book was called North of Boston. The followings are writers EXCEPT _ . Answer: Robert Edward Lee Dog, Cat and Fox are friends. One day, Dog and Cat see some apples. They don't want to tell others. At this time, they meet Fox. They ask him not to tell others. But Fox tells other animals. The animals eat up all the apples. Dog and Cat are not happy. The next day, Dog and Cat find some food again. But Fox tells it to other animals again. Dog and Cat decide to teach Fox a lesson. They say to Fox, "We have some fish." Fox tells it to other animals, but they don't find the fish. They beat Fox. Who eats the apples? Answer: Other animals. Have you ever stayed in a hotel? Most Chinese hotel often provide guests with things like disposable toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and slippers. Many guests like the idea because they don't have to bring their own. But ,if you travel to Beijing, remember to bring your own things. Starting from June, some hotels in Beijing will no longer provide guests with these disposables. They want to ask people to use fewer disposable things. Many disposable things are made of plastic. People throw them away after only using them once. It is a waste of natural resources and is very bad for the environment. Do you know that one Chinese person makes as much as as 400kg of waste a year? Most of that waste comes from disposable things. In Beijing, people throw away about 19,000 tons of plastic bags and 1,320 tons of plastic lunch bowls every year! Plastic can take between 100 and 400 years to bread down. So wherever you travel, bring your own things and use them again and again. Back at home and school, you can also do something to make our world a better place. Try to do these things in your daily life: use cloth shopping bags, not plastic ones. After using a plastic bag, wash it out and let it dry. Then you can use it over and over again. Do not use paper cups. At your school canteen . use your own bowl and chopsticks instead of disposable ones. What can we do to make our world a better place at home and school? Answer: Using everything over and over again. He lost his arms in an accident that claimed his father's life--who was the main source of support for the family. Since then, he has had to depend on the arms of his younger brother. For the sake of taking care of him, his younger brother became his shadow, never leaving him alone for years. Except for writing with his toes, he was completely unable to do anything in his life. One late night, he suffered from diarrhea and had to wake up his younger brother. His younger brother accompanied him into the toilet and then went back to dorm to wait. But being so tired, his younger brother fell asleep, leaving him on the toilet for two hours till the teacher on duty discovered him. As the two brothers grew up together, they had their share of problems and they would often quarrel. Then one day, his younger brother wanted to live separate from him, living his own life, as many normal people do. So he was heart-broken and didn't know what to do. A similar misfortune happened to a girl, too. One night her mother, who suffered from chronic mental illness, disappeared. So her father went out looking for her mother, leaving her alone at home. She tried to prepare meals for her parents, only to overturn the kerosene light on the stove, resulting in a fire which took her hands away. Though her elder sister, who was studying in another city, showed her willingness to take care of her, she was determined to be completely independent. At school, she always studied hard. Most of all she learned to be self-dependent. Once she wrote the following in her composition: "I am lucky. Though I lost my arms, I still have legs; I am lucky." Though my wings are broken, my heart can still fly." One day, the boy and the girl were both invited to appear on a television interview program. The boy told the TV host about his uncertain future at being left on his own, whereas the girl was full of enthusiasm for her life. They both were asked to write something on a piece of paper with their toes. The boy wrote: My younger brother's arms are my arms; while the girl wrote: Broken wings, flying heart. They had both endured the same misfortune, but their different attitudes determined the nature of their lives. It is true that life is unpredictable. Disasters can strike at any time. How you handle misfortune when confronted with it actually is the true test of your character. If you choose only to complain and escape from the misfortune, it will always follow you wherever you go. But if you decide to be strong, the hardship will turn out to be fortune on which new hopes will arise. The girl refused her elder sister's help, because _ . Answer: she wanted to be self-dependent rather than rely on others
Welcome to our homepage! We've teamed up with two travel agencies to give members of our club the chance to win a holiday to the South of France or one to the Maldives. The winner and their three guests will enjoy a seven-night getaway at the Villa Le Priotlet -- a centuries old stone villa set on the banks of the Dordogne River. This property has been lovingly restored and furnished, and is ideal for small families to relax surrounded by peaceful views and gentle countryside. The beautiful gardens surrounding the property are full of seasonal treats for you to pick and enjoy, including figs, pears and grapes. The property is also situated just 15 minutes from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Saint-Emilion, which has been producing some of the world's best wine since Roman times. We'll also give another lucky member a seven-night stay for two people on their island tour to the Maldives. With white sand beaches, coconut trees and blue warm seas, the Maldives is a must-see destination. Accompanied by a local guide, guests have the chance to combine island life with cultural activities, as well as experiencing all those things for which the Maldives are famous: diving and snorkeling and relaxation. The guesthouse accommodation is handpicked to provide a balance of comfort, good service and local atmosphere. To enter this competition, click on "enter competition" in the information box below. What can people do in the Madives if they win the holiday there? Like many lovers of books, Mary and her husband, Richard Goldman, seldom walked past a bookstore without stopping to look inside. They often talked of opening their own store one day. When Mary was hospitalized with heart trouble in 1989, they decided it was time to get serious. Richard, who worked for a business company, was eager to work for himself, and Mary needed to slow down from her demanding job. They started by talking to bookstore owners and researching the industry. "We knew it had to be a specialty store because we couldn't match the big chains dollar for dollar," says Mary. One figure caught her attention: She'd read somewhere that roughly 20 percent of books sold were mysteries , and many buyers spent more $300 a year on books. She and Richard were themselves mystery readers. On Halloween 1992, they opened the Mystery Lovers Bookshop and Cafe near their home. With three children in college, the couple could not spend all the family's money to start a shop. To cover the $100,000 cost, they drew some of their savings, borrowed from relatives and from an bank. The store merely broke even in its first year, with only $120,000 in sales. But Mary was always coming up with new ways to attract customers. The shop had a coffee bar and it offered gifts to mystery lovers and served dinners for book clubs that met in the store. She also invited dozens of writers to discuss their stories. Today Mystery Lovers makes sales of about $420,000 a year. After paying taxes, business costs and the six part-time sales clerks, Richard and Mary together earn about $34,000. "The job you love may not go hand in hand with a million-dollar income," says Richard. "This has always been about an enjoyable life for ourselves, not about making a lot of money." How did their bookstore do in the first year? Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a _ .From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money.There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered.This was one of those "don't want to be bothered times". " I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought. He didn't.He came and sat on the edge of the pavement in front of the bus stop but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.After a few minutes he spoke. "That's a very pretty car," he said. He was in rags but he had an air of dignity around him.His badly-grown blond beard kept more than his face warm. I said, "thanks," and continued wiping off my car.He sat there quietly as I worked.The expected plea for money never came.As the silence between us widened, something inside said, "ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice. "Do you need any help?" I asked. He answered in three simple words that I shall never forget.We often look for wisdom in great men and women.We expect it from those of higher learning and achievements.I expected nothing but an outstretched dirty hand.He spoke the three words that shook me. "Don't we all?" he said. Why did the writer parked his car before the mall? "How are you?" is a nice question.It's a friendly way that people in the United States greet each other,but "How are you?" is also a very unusual question.It's a question that often doesn't have an answer.The person who asks "How are you?" hopes to hear the answer "Fine", even if the Derson's friend isn't fine.The reason is that "How are you?" isn't really a question and "Fine",isn't really an answer.They are simply other ways of saying "Hello!" or "Hi!". Sometimes,people also don't say exactly what they mean.For example,when someone asks "Do you agree?".the other person might be thinking,"No,I disagree.I think you're wrong."But it isn't very polite to disagree so strongly,so the other person might say "I'm not so sure."It's a nicer way to say that you don't agree with someone. People also don't say exactly what they are thinking when they finish talking with other people.For example,many talks over the phone finish when one person says "I have to go now."Often,the person who wants to hang up gives an excuse:"Someone's at the door.""Something is burning on the stove."The excuse might be real,or it might not.Perhaps the person who wants to hang up simply doesn't want to talk any more,but it isn't polite to say that.The excuse is more polite,and it doesn't hurt the other person. Whether they are greeting each other,talking about an idea,or finishing a talk,people often don't say exactly what they are thinking. It's an important way that people try to be nice to each other,and it's part of the game of language. When a person says "I have to go now.Someone's at the door.",the person may be _ . 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 was probably the most difficult period for the Flakes during the holiday?
For many people, the name Baskin-Robbins is connected to sweet memories of eating ice cream. Irvine Robbins, who helped create this famous company, died in May at the age of ninety. His career of making fun and exciting ice cream flavors changed the way Americans enjoy this food. Irvine Robbins opened his first ice cream store in 1945 in California. At the time, there were no stores that sold only ice cream. His sister's husband, Burton Baskin, also opened his own ice cream stores. In 1948 they combined their six stores into one business. Baskin and Robbins realized that they were too busy to operate each store well. So, they decided to sell part of each operation to the manager of that store. This permitted the company to grow quickly. By 1953, they renamed their company Baskin-Robbins. They advertised that they sold 31 kinds of ice cream to show the many choices buyers had. There was one flavor for every day of the month. Robbins and Baskin sold "Lunar Cheesecake " the day after astronauts landed on the moon in 1969. Other flavors included "ChaChaCha", for cherry chocolate chip, and Robbins' personal favorite "Jamoca Almond Fudge". They said, "We sell fun, not just ice cream." By 1967, there were 500 Baskin-Robbins stores in the United States. The business partners sold their company that year. Today, there are more than 5,800 Baskin-Robbins stores around the world. It can most deeply remain in Americans' good memories that Baskin-Robbins _ . Everybody makes decisions in daily life. They can be as important as what you will do in the future or as simple as what you will eat for breakfast. Any decision could be the turning point of your life. I made an important decision when I was in Junior 3. Before I made that decision I was one of the boys who tried too hard to act as an adult. I didn't know that only kids want to show themselves as adults. I didn't listen to my parents and teachers, and my grades became poor. Then came the high school entrance exam. At the turning point of my life, my mom wanted to have a conversation with me. I wanted to turn it down but when I looked at her eyes, I felt I couldn't refuse. Instead of asking me to study hard, to my surprise, Mom just asked what I wanted to do in the future. Without thinking too much, I just said I would like to study hard. Mom smiled and asked again: "I asked: what do you WANT to do?" I never seriously thought about the question. So, I kept silent. "Whether you want to go on studying or enter the society," she went on, "it is your own decision. Your life ought to be decided by you, not by anyone else, including me. " After saying that, she had tears in her eyes. For the first time in my life I was asked to make my own decision. I sat in my chair and thought about myself, my life and what kind of person I wanted to become. It took me what seemed to be ages to make the biggest decision so far in my life--I wanted to be a man who makes a difference in the world. To achieve that, I needed to study hard. The path to my future became clear to me. I didn't act rebelliously any more. With passion in my heart, I studied hard. Now, I'm 17 and I'm in one of the best schools in my city, in one of the best classes at the school and I am one of the best students in the class. Thanks to that decision, I have become what I am today. What was the writer like before the decision? Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own. My mom was one of those people. My father died when I was nine months old, making my mom a single mother at the age of eighteen. While I was growing up, we lived a very hard life. We had little money, but my mom gave me a lot of love. Each night, she sat me on her lap and spoke the words that would change my life, "Kemmons, you are certain to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it." At fourteen, I was hit by a car and the doctors said I would never walk again. Every day,my mother spoke to me in her gentle,loving voice, telling me that no matter what those doctors said, I would walk again if I want to badly enough. She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her.A year I returned to school--walking on my own ! When the Great Depression hit, my mom lost her job. Then I left school to support the both of us. At that moment, I was determined never to be poor again. Over the years, I experienced various levels of business success. But the real turning point occurred on a vacation I took with my wife and five kids in1951. I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was angry that they charged an extra $2 for each child. That was too expensive for the average American family. I told my wife that I was going to open a motel for families that would never charge extra for children. There were plenty of doubters at that time. Not surprisingly, Mom was one of my strongest supporters. She worked behind the desk and even designed the room style. As in any business,we experienced a lot of challenges. But with my mother's words deeply rooted in my soul, I never doubted we would succeed.Fifteen years later,we had the largest hotel system in the world--Holiday Inn. In 1979 my company had 1759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $1billion a year. You may not have started out life in the best situations. But if you can find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself, nothing can stop you. What caused Kemmons to start a motel by himself? Bend over, take a deep breath and drink some water! This is just one of hundreds of tips you might get if you have the hiccups .Hiccups are so mysterious.We really don't know why they start and why they stop. Everyone has a favorite cure for a case of the hiccups.Some people think that a good scare is necessary to get well.Others eat a teaspoon of sugar.Still others drink a glass of water with a knife in it. An American man named Jack O'Leary said he had hiccupped 160 million times over a period of eight years.He tried 60,000 cures, but none of them worked.At last he prayed to Saint Jude, the saint of Hopeless cases, and his hiccupping stopped immediately. It took a British plumber eight months to cure his hiccups.People from all over the world wrote him letters with suggestions for getting well.He tried them all, but the hiccups continued.Finally, he drank a "secret" mixture someone had sent him.By that evening his hiccups were gone. Why did these cures work for these two men? No one really knows.But people who have studied many cases of hiccups have an idea--hiccups usually go away if you believe in the cure. _ might be the best cure for hiccups according to the passage. If we are to help students develop reading skills in a foreign language, it is important to understand what is involved in the reading process itself. If we have a clear idea of how "good readers" read, either in their own or a foreign language, this will enable us to decide whether particular reading techniques are likely to help learners or not. In considering the reading process, it is important to distinguish between two quite separate activities: reading for meaning (or "silent reading") and reading aloud. Reading for meaning is the activity we normally engage in when we read books, newspapers, road signs, etc.; it is what you are doing as you read this text. It involves looking at sentences and understanding the message they convey, in other words "making sense" of a written text. It doesn't normally involve saying the words we read, not even silently inside our heads; there are important reasons for this, which are outlined below. Reading aloud is a completely different activity; its purpose is not just to understand a text but to convey the information to someone else. It is not an activity we engage in very often outside the classroom; common examples are reading out parts of a newspaper article to a friend, or reading a notice to other people who can't see it. Obviously, reading aloud involves looking at a text, understanding it and also saying it. Because our attention is divided between reading and speaking, it is a much more difficult activity than reading silently; we often stumble and make mistakes when reading aloud in our own language, and reading aloud in a foreign language is even more difficult. When we read for meaning, we do not need to read every letter or every word, nor even every word in each sentence. This is because, provided the text makes sense, we can guess much of what it says as we read it. We can conclude that _ .
So you think you know your dog. But how well does your dog know you? She probably recognizes you when she sees you. But can a dog tell by simply looking at you whether you have a happy or an angry expression on your face? Researchers in Austria have taught pet dogs to know the difference. Dogs are very mindful of sound. When dog owners shout or speak in a strong, unkind voice, dogs often act ashamed and quietly move away from the area. Recently, researchers found that dogs can look at our faces, and tell the difference between a smile and a frown . The animals were able to recognize a look of praise from one of blame. Researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna performed a series of experiments. They taught dogs to recognize facial expressions. They showed the dogs two pictures of either the upper or lower half of a person's face. On one picture, the person looked happy. The other appeared angry. The dogs were then shown images of the eyes or mouths of people they had never seen before. They were also shown the left half of the faces used in training. Corsin Muller led the study. "We were really speaking, do they realize that smiling eyes have the same meaning as a smiling mouth, or angry eyes have the same meaning as an angry mouth? And it turned out that they really did perform very well in these research experiments." Once the dogs learned to recognize which image was happy or angry, they could easily find the same expressions in pictures of any face. Corsin Muller says future studies will try to show whether dogs can learn the meaning of facial expressions--for example, whether a frown shows that someone is angry. In the experiments, researchers found the dogs were slower to link a reward, or prize, with recognition of the angry face. This suggested that dogs had an idea people with angry faces were best avoided. Hearing its owner's strong, unkind voice, a dog is likely to _ . Answer: Where do plants get energy from to make food? Answer: Elizabeth and I are 18 now, and about to graduate. I think about our elementary school friendship, but some memories have blurred . What happened that day in the fifth grade when Beth suddenly stopped speaking to me? Does she know that I've been thinking about her for seven years? If only we could go back, and discover what ended our relationship. I have to speak with Beth. I see her sometimes, and find out school is "fine". It's not the same. It nvever will be. Someone says that she's Liz now. what happened to Beth? I can't call her. Should I write? What if she doesn't answer me? How will I know what she's thinking? Yes, I'll write her a letter. These things are easier to express in writing. "Dear Be-," no, "Dear Li-" no, "Dear Elizabeth," I begin. The words flow freely, as seven-year-old memories are reborn. I ask her all the questions that have been left unanswered in my mind, and pray she will answer. I seal my thoughts in the perfect white envelope, and imagine Beth looking into the mailbox. Will she know why I'm writing? Maybe she once thought of writing the same letter. As the mailman takes my envelope from me forever, I wonder if I've made the right decision. Do I have the right to force myself into Beth's life again? Am I simply part of the past? I have taken the first stop. _ One day has passed. Are my words lying on the bottom of the post office floor. Two days are gone. I'm lost in thought and don't even hear the phone ring. "Hello? It's Elizabeth" What can we learn about Beth? Answer: Officials of the Chicago Transit Authority said they were investigating. The child, Nicole Hobson, was being taken by her mother to Children's Memorial Hospital about 11 P. M., Wednesday to check her recently inserted pacemaker. The child was stricken about a mile from the hospital. Her mother, May Hobson, 40, said, "I told the bus driver that my baby had just had heart operation and that she was having a heart failure. He said he couldn't go through the traffic." Ted Garretson, 28, a passenger who had tried to bring back Nicole's life, said the driver did nothing to help and stopped once to pick up more passengers. When the driver reached a corner where he was to make a turn, a block from the hospital, he told Mrs. Hobson to get off, she said. A transit spokesman said the driver should have made radio call to the control center for help. A pacemaker is _ . Answer: Last weekend marked one of the nicest days so far this spring. It was warm with a tiny wind, the sun streamed through lightweight sweaters to warm the skin; the male choir was warming up, and the students were moving around the lawn behind the huge crowd of six-thousand-plus observers. With all of the parents, sisters, brothers, grandparents, aunts and uncles, the state university was a center of activity. My nephew was going to receive his bachelor's degree. Who would have guessed that four years would go by so quickly? As the crowd of freshly polished candidates wandered, joked, hugged and chatted behind the bleachers , I heard several cell phones ring. There were several casual conversations going on with the accompanying giggles of the not-quite-mature students, but then one conversation in particular caught my attention: "Yes, Grandma, I'm really graduating. I can't believe it, either! I never thought I'd be here today, you know? Really! Like, I know it! Yes, it's a very special day. Oh, what did the doctor say? He did? I know, Gran... I know you wanted to come... It's okay... No, really, please don't cry...It's a very happy day, you know? "Hold on, we're lining up okay, all set... yes, the center aisle ... the grass is awesome! Smells really good, too... Oh wow, they've got like a million balloons they're going to release! Yes, Kelly's here... Okay, I'll give her your love... here we go! Gran, I'm graduating! "Love you, too, Gran. I'm so glad you could be here with me!" And somehow, my initial dislike at the use of cell phones and the casual conservations during such a serious occasion left me. For these little representatives of modern technology had joined a young woman and her fond Gran to share a very special moment in time. Where did the story take place? Answer:
Which is true Scattered throughout the various reports on sleep research are several that describe some unusual behavior by people who are sleepwalking. These include eating, making phone calls and even murder. Now, there's a new case appearing in one more study on this strange phenomenon: sleep e-mailing. In an article published in journal Sleep Medicine, prefix = st1 /SetonHallUniversityresearchers document the following case of a 44-year-old woman: This woman received a puzzling phone call from a friend who said she was accepting her dinner invitation -- an invitation that the woman could not remember having made. The friend reminded the woman of the e-mail she had sent the night before -- an e-mail of which the woman also had no recollection . However, a quick search through her sent e-mail folder did turn up one strange e-mail. She had apparently sent it to her friend -- at 11:47 the previous night. The puzzling message said: "I don't get it. Please explain Lucy! Come tomorrow and sort this out! Dinner and drinks, 4 pm? Wine and caviar to bring only. Everything else, a guess? There were two other e-mails sent to her friend at 11:50pm and 11:53 pm, each of which seemed to be written in a strange language, full of capitalization errors and phrases that didn't make sense. According to Dr Fouzia Siddiqui, lead author of the case study, this particular sleepwalking case was unique and was the first and only published account of "sleep e-mailing". "Sleepwalking has occurred in the past where people would undertake other activities such as cooking or moving furniture around," Siddiqui said. " But this case is unique in that she wasn't just sleeping but doing complex things like turning on her computer, remembering her user name and password and typing entire e-mails." Just what is sleepwalking? It is actually a kind of sleep disorder. Studies have found that somewhere between 5 and 10 percent of people are sleepwalkers. It comes from a mixture of wakefulness and non-REM sleep. Sleepwalkers can carry out complex behavior such as driving, walking, e-mailing and telephoning in a sleep-like state. People with high levels of stress and anxiety, or those who have a family history of sleepwalking are more likely to experience it. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text? I will never forget the year when I was 12.My mother told us that we would not get Christmas gifts because there was not enough money .I felt sad and thought, "What shall I say when the other kids ask me about my gifts?" I started to hope the Christmas wouldn't come that year. Just then three women came to our house with gifts for all of us. For me,they brought a doll .I felt so happy. Years later, my life changed a lot. So one Christmas, I wanted to do something special. I asked forty friends to help me. We visited 125 orphans to come to our Christmas party. For every child, we prepared a beautiful gift. Finally the moment came. I called out," One, two, three. Open your gifts!" As the children opened their boxes, the whole room was full of their bright smiles. The feeling I got from that Christmas so long ago came again. Which of the following is WRONG according to the passage? In the middle of a dark forest, there lives an owl . All the animals know that he is the wisest among all of them. So they often go to him and tell him their troubles. Then the owl always teaches them what they should do. One day, a little bird goes up to the owl. She is crying. "what's wrong with you?" asks the owl. "I'm not happy at all. I don't want to be a bird," the bird says. "Why don't you want to be a bird?" asks the owl. "I am so small, weak and useless," she cries. "I want to be big and strong like the lion. He is very important, but I am not" Then the owl whispers something in her ear. At once the bird dries her _ and goes away. One week later, the bird came back. "Oh, thank you very much. You are a very wise owl," she says to the owl. "I am very happy now. Every day, I sit on top of the tallest tree and watch for lions and tigers. When they come near, I shout at the top of my voice. Then my friend all run and hide. They are very thankful to me. I am useful and important now" The wise owl smiles and says, "No one in this world is useless." The little bird is not happy because _ The whole morning we just checked our own things. We were looking for items to give away. We thought of blankets, food and clothing. Our aim was not to find things we no longer wanted, but things we use every day and would be useful to others. We made up boxes with the things and added some small toys. Inside the boxes a simple letter was placed, reading: "Please take these items and know that your life is important. Times are difficult but they will pass. We share what we have, believing it will matter. Use the blanket to stay warm. Be safe and know that the human spirit can overcome anything. Don't hold your head down. Someday please do the same when you can. How you do it and when, your heart will tell you. This kind act was not because the phone rang or for any reason. It was simply because it was the right time to do. We have often seen homeless people at the park where we left the belongings. The city would say that it isn't a problem but I see the lives walking to and from it. I noticed that my wife had put her favorite green coat into one of the boxes. I asked if she was sure about it and she simply replied that it had a hood . She liked the coat but knew the hood could shelter someone from the rain. We don't know where these gifts of compassion will go. We never go back and see what happens. It's unimportant. The right things will find the right people and that is all that counts. On the way my wife started to cry. When I asked why, she said because some things felt so right. The couple liked this kind act because _ .
When you're lying on the white sands of the Mexican Rivera, thestresses of the world seem a million miles away. Hey, stop! This is no vacation--you have to finish something. Here lies the problem for travel writer and foodcritic Edie Jarolim. "I always loved traveling and always liked to eat, but it never occurred to me that I could make money doing both of those things," Jarolim said. Now you can read her travel advice everywhere--- inArts and Antiques, inBrides, or in one of her three books,The Complete Idiot Travel Guide to Mexican Beach Resorts. Her job in travel writing began some eight years ago. After getting a PhD in English in Canada, she took a test for Frommer's travel guides, passed it, and got the job. After working at Frommer's, Jarolim worked for a while at Rough Guides in London, then Fodor's where she fell so in love with a description of the Southwest of the U.S. that she moved there. Now as a travel writer, she spends one-third of her year on the road. The rest of the time is spent completing her tasks and writing reviews of restaurants at home in Tucson, Arizona. As adventurous as the job sounds, the hard part is fact-checking all the information. Sure, it's great to write about a tourist attraction, but you'd better get the local museum hours correct or you could really ruin someone's vacation. What is most difficult for Jarolim? Answer: Checking all the facts to be written in the guides. The huge thirst for jobs in the civil service has made the national civil servant exam one of China's most competitive tests. The first exam was held in 1995, and since then more and more people have signed up for it, with applications reaching a peak over the last two years. The latest online survey, carried out by China Youth Daily and www.qq.com, found that more than 73 percent of young people want to work as civil servants. Of the 17,330 respondents, about 83 percent said they were attracted by the job's stability, guaranteed health care and pension . Meanwhile, 55 percent said it could bring "practical profits". Nearly 1 million people applied to take the exam last year, yet only just over 10,000 were finally employed. This year the competition continued. The exact number of applicants is not known, with the final day for applications today. But the flood of applicants has already broken the exam's website once. China Youth Daily reported that the site was forced to close for _ due to unusually high traffic on the night of October 16, which has never happened in the past. In a typical year several hundred applicants will apply for many of the jobs listed. For example, the five job vacancies provided by the secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPC have attracted more than 3,880 applicants this year. Positions as civil servants are attractive, not only because of the stable income and good health care, but also because of the low risks compared with the power and resources the positions enjoy. Among the total 6 million public servants, around 20,000 were dismissed between 1996 and 2007. What would be the best title for the passage? Answer: Civil servant exam turns tougher Jack is the name of a game. It is quite popular with children. To play jacks, you will need a small ball and ten small metal objects called jacks. The rules for this game are quite easy. To begin with, put the ten jacks on the floor or ground in front of you. Toss the ball high, pick up one jack and then catch the ball. Keep the jack in your hand and go on to pick up the other jack one at a time. You lose your turn if you do not catch the ball, or if you do not pick up a jack, or if you drop any of the jacks from your hand. When you finish all the ten jacks, you now try to do the same thing again but with two jacks at one time. This is more difficult, of course. You lose your turn if you make any of the above three mistakes or if you do not pick up two jacks each time. The word "toss" here means _ . Answer: throw From New Delhi to Beijing,commuters spend a lot of time stuck in traffic.In the United States,Los Angeles(L.A.)and San Francisco tie for second place for having the worst traffic problems.Washington,D.C.is in first place with the worst traffic,according to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute. In L.A..drivers spend sixty-one hours every year stuck in traffic.These drivers know all too well how bad the traffic can be.Professor Cyrus Shahabi also knows about traffic jams.He said,"It's a prison of cars.There are too many cars,you can't move around a lot.I live more than 65 kilometers from my office at the University of Southern California.in L.A..I'm always late even with the help of a navigation system.I thought it would be appropriate to do something to solve it." Therefore,he and PhD student Ugur Demiryurek decided to develop an app for that.The ClearPath app claims to do what other navigation systems cannot.Professor Shahabi says his program uses historical data to predict traffic conditions even before the driver leaves the house. ClearPath uses two and a half years worth of traffic data from 9,000 sensors on the roads of L.A..It also collects information on accidents. Professor Shahabi says his system does more than just respond to current traffic conditions.With ClearPath,he says,a driver can enter what time he wants to leave on a specific time and date,and ClearPath will give the fastest route.It looks at the entire road network,including surface streets as well as highways,before the driver hits the road. Ugur Demiryurek says they will launch the free ClearPath app for roads in L.A.in two months.In a year,he and Professor Shahabi hope to have ClearPath available nationwide and overseas once they can collect traffic data from other cities. "I thought always that L.A.had the worst traffic,but now I know that Shanghai,Beijing,Seoul,Tokyo,believe it or not,Singapore,Hong Kong definitely are examples that can immediately use this." The ClearPath app can mainly be used to _ . Answer: avoid the traffic accidents Hello, dear friends! I'm Jenny. Please look at this photo. The girl in red is me. I'm 13. I have a sister and two brothers. My sister, Linda, is 15. She likes red and green. She has two red rulers and a green pencil case. She also likes sports and she has a great sports collection. She has five baseballs, three basketballs and two volleyballs. The baseballs and basketballs are under her bed. The volleyballs are under her chair. . And she is in the baseball club. My brothers are Alan and Tom. Alan is 14 and Tom is 8.Alan likes English very much, and he is in the English club. He has many English books and English tapes. But Tom only likes watching TV. He watches it every evening. ? Answer: Tom is the youngest of the four children.
Samuel Osmond is a 19-year-old law student from Cornwall, England. He never studied the piano. However, he can play very difficult musical pieces by musicians such as Chopin and Beethoven just a few minutes after he hears them. He learns a piece of music by listening to it in parts. Then he thinks about the notes in his head. Two years ago, he played his first piece Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. He surprised everyone around him. Amazed that he remembered this long and difficult piece of music and played it perfectly, his teachers say Samuel is unbelievable .They say his ability is very rare, but Samuel doesn't even realize that what he can do is special. Samuel wanted to become a lawyer as it was the wish of his parents, but music teachers told him he should study music instead. Now, he studies law and music. Samuel can't understand why everyone is so surprised. "I grew up with music. My mother played the piano and my father played the guitar. About two years ago, I suddenly decided to start playing the piano, without being able to read music and without having any lessons. It comes easily to me ---I hear the notes and can bear them in mind---each and every note," says Samuel. Recently, Samuel performed a piece during a special event at his college. The piece had more than a thousand notes. The audience was impressed by his amazing performance. He is now learning a piece that is so difficult that many professional pianists can't play it. Samuel says confidently," It's all about super memory---I guess I have that gift." However, Samuel's ability to remember things doesn't stop with music. His family says that even when he was a young boy, Samuel heard someone read a story, and then he could retell the story word for word. Samuel is still only a teenager. He doesn't know what he wants to do in the future. For now, he is just happy to play beautiful music and continue his studies. What is special about Samuel Osmond? When I was a kid, my only interest was watching television. But now, my interest is reading, thanks to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer s Stone, the first book I ever read that inspired me to read. This wonderful book pulled me in with its adventure. It's about a boy, Harry Potter, who discovers he's a wizard . After this, his life becomes full of uncertainty. He starts his new school and makes two best friends. Then Voldemort, the man who killed Harry's parents, comes to steal the stone that will extend his life. The three bravely defeat the bad guy. This was a life-changing book for me. After finishing it, I really started to enjoy reading. Ever since then, I don't ever put a book down before I'm finished with it. When I read a book, it inspires me and shows me a different world. It makes me excited. When I read, I never get bored. Books can also change my state of mind. Regardless of whether I'm angry, depressed, or stressed, a book will make me happy. Books took me out of my comfort zone. Since I started reading, I have learned that even if I'm not comfortable with something, I should try it out. It might turn out to be something I love doing. It might even become another one of my interests. Interest is a factor that can turn a job into a career. Hopefully, one day, I will get my dream job at a publishing house. Then, my interest would become my life, and I would have lived my life to its fullest. What is the author's attitude towards Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone? According to the Big Bang Theory, which element most likely formed first? In the early days of nuclear power, the United States make money on it. But today opponents have so complicated its development that no nuclear plants have been ordered or built here in 12 years. The greatest fear of nuclear power opponents has always been a reactor "meltdown". Today, the chances of a meltdown that would threaten U.S. public health are very little. But to even further reduce the possibility, engineers are testing new reactors that rely not on human judgment to shut them down but on the laws of nature. Now General Electric is already building two advanced reactors in Japan. But don't expect them even on U.S. shores unless things change in Washington. The procedure for licensing nuclear power plants is a bad dream. Any time during, or even after, construction, an objection by any group or individual can bring everything to a stop while the matter is investigated or taken to court. Meanwhile, the builder must add nice-but-not-necessary improvements, some of which force him to knock down walls and start over. In every case when a plant has been opposed, the Nuclear Regulation Commission has ultimately granted a license to construct or operate. But the victory often costs so much that the utility ends up abandoning the plant anyway. A case in point is the Shoreham plant on New York's Long Island. Shoreham was a virtual twin to the Millstone plant in Connecticut, both ordered in the mid-60s. Millstone, completed for $101 million, has been generating electricity for two decades. Shoreham, however, was singled out by antinuclear activists who, by sending in endless protests, drove the cost over $5 billion and delayed its use for many years. Shoreham finally won its operation license. But the plant has never produced a watt power. Governor Mario Cuomo, an opponent of a Shoreham start-up, used his power to force New York's public-utilities commission to accept the following settlement: the power company could pass the cost of Shoreham along to its consumers only if it agreed not to operate the plant. Today, a perfectly good facility, capable of servicing hundreds of thousands of homes, sits rusting. Governor Mario Cuomo's chief intention in proposing the settlement was to _ . "Yes, I'll be ready at nine in the morning. Goodbye, dear, and thanks again." It had not been an easy telephone call for Mrs. Robson to make. Her daughter had been very kind, of course, and had immediately agreed to pick her up and drive her to the station, but Mrs. Robson hated to admit that she needed help. Since her husband had died ten years before, she had prided herself on her independence. She had continued to live in their little house, alone. On the evening, however, she was standing at her living room window, staring out at the SOLD notice in the small front garden. Her feelings were mixed. Of course, she was sad at the thought of leaving the house, as it was full of so many memories. But at the same time she was looking forward to spending her last years near the sea, back in the little seaside town where she had been born. With the money from the sale of the house, she had bought a little flat there. She turned from the living room window, and looked round at the walls. There was a small fish tank, with two goldfish in it. When asked why, here husband used to say, "It's nice to have something alive in the room." Since he had passed away, she had always kept some goldfish, had always had "something alive in the room". The next morning, as her train was pulling out of the station, Mrs. Robson called to her daughter, "Kate, you won't forget to collect the goldfish, will you? The children will love them. It's ..." "I know," Kate interrupted gently. "It's nice to have something alive in the room." According to the passage, we know that Mrs. Robson _ .
33 Chilean miners were trapped nearly a half-mile underground after the mine accident. They had no real hope that they'd ever be found. Luckily, though, the men had Luis Urzua. They were rescued to safety on October 13, 2010.Urzua, 54, was the shift leader at the time of the disaster, and used all his wisdoms and his leadership talents to help his men stay calm and in control for the 17 terrible days it took for rescuers to make their first contact with them. It was no surprise that Urzua was the last of the 33 miners to leave the mine. Urzua --- after shaking hands with rescue workers ---- climbed into a capsule barely wider than a man's shoulders at 9:46 and was hauled up from a narrow hole drilled through 2,000 feet of rock. He arrived at the top 11 minutes later. "We have done what the entire world was waiting for," he told Chilean President Sebastian Pinera immediately after his rescue. "The 69 days that we fought so hard were not in vain." Pinera greeted Urzua, saying "You have been rescued, coming out last like a good leader... You have no idea how all Chileans share with you your hardships, your hope, and your joy. You are an inspiration." With Urzua by his side, the president led the crowd in singing the national anthem.Robinson Marquez once worked with Urzua in a nearby mine. He described Urzua as a calm, professional person and a born leader. "He is very protective of his men and obviously loves them. He wouldn't have left until all of his men were safely above ground," Marquez said. Under Urzua's leadership, the men stretched an emergency food supply meant to last just 48 hours over two and a half weeks, taking tiny sips of milk and bites of fish every other day.He described the difficulties of the first days, saying that it took about three hours for the dust to settle before the men could inspect where tons of collapsed rock sealed off the main way out. When the rescuers first made contact by drilling a narrow hole into their refuge , the miners were so excited that everyone wanted to hug the drill hammer.After the collapse, Urzua was the first to speak to Pinera and to urge him not to let him and his men down. "Don't leave us alone," he asked the president, who assured the workers that they would not be abandoned, telling them he would do everything he could to get them back to the surface. The mine collapsed on _ . August 5 In a world where work-related stress has rocketed, could the most intelligent option be simply to find the least-taxing, most profitable job on offer? Could the smartest choice for a future career be the path that requires the least amount of effort? And what's so wrong with applying yourself to seeking out a low stress option anyway? We looked to question-and-answer site Quora for some suggestions for the best jobs for smart but lazy people. Here's what the masses had to say: If you're unwilling to work far from your home office, Paul Denlinger suggested: "Computer programmer: It is a continuous learning process, but you really don't have to work that hard and gradually you learn that many of the challenges are repetitive ." Even the nature of the work itself lends itself to doing less, he indicated, "Good programmers write as few lines of code as possible, and it is one of those professions which pays well, while at the same time, encouraging laziness, Denlinger wrote. "At the same time, you get to work with other reasonably intelligent, technical people, while the investors throw money at you for their next great idea." However, Chris Leong a programmer in Sydney suggested "working for the government -- most roles have 35-hour weeks in Australia -- unless you become senior." Matthew Kuzma wrote: "My personal opinion is that the best possible job for someone who is intelligent but lazy would be to be a professional 'expert' at something, to get paid to just share your thoughts and opinions about things with people who will do the heavy lifting." He advises the lazy bones to "identify the activities you don't consider work and find a career that will pay you for those. Chances are, the things you consider fun and easy are things someone else finds so hard that they're willing to pay you to do them." As it happens, taking a calm and relaxed approach to dealing with a project is not always a negative either. Arvind Krishnan quotes billionaire Bill Gates as saying "I will always choose a lazy person to do a difficult job, because he will find an easy way to do it." So lazy-but-intelligent people of the world :"Look like you have a shot at Microsoft," wrote Krishnan. According to Matthew Kuzma, the key to finding an ideal job is to _ . figure out what you really enjoy and specialize in This March, the H7N9 virus hit Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang and so on. It seemed that most people who were infected with H7N9 had the common flu, Some people suffered from a fever or a cough.. Don't be afraid ----- it's not easy to be infected with the virus. Here are some suggestions to help you protect yourself when it comes. Wash your hands. You need to wash your hands with soap and hot water before you eat, after you use the toilet, and after you touch animals, because your hands may carry viruses. Cover your nose and mouth.. When someone sneezes or coughs, flu viruses can travel as far as one meter through the air, so you'd better stand a proper distance while talking to someone who has a cold. And always cover your mouth and nose with a piece of paper when you sneeze or cough, and then clean your hands. Wear a mask. Some doctors say that masks can stop the flu as much as 80%, but if you don't wash your hands often, it's no use wearing a mask. And it's necessary to wear the mask in the groups of people. Do sports often. Exercises will help make your body strong enough to the virus. How many ways to stop the virus are mentioned in the passage? Four A bird that finds itself endangered is unlikely to meet more of its type Which of the following is an example of the formation of a mixture? sugar crystals dissolving in water
Baseball is one of the favorite sports in the USA. Children play baseball in sports fields or parks. At summer picnic, there is often an informal baseball game. Boys and girls, young and old take turns to bat. There are nine players on each team. The baseball season goes from April to September. During this time, baseball matches are showed on TV and members of the important baseball teams become America's heroes . At the end of the season, the two top teams play against each other. Many baseball fans go together to watch the game. Millions of others listen to the radio or watch the television. People seem to talk only about the game. Even long after it is over, they still talk about the result and the players. American football is perhaps the most popular sport in the USA. The football season begins when the baseball season ends. More people are interested in football than baseball. When there is an important game, thousands of people sit beside radios or in front of television sets to get the result. ,. According to the passage, which is NOT true? Answer: A baseball match has nine players. My name is Donna and I have two sisters, Liza and Rita. We like hamburgers and milk for lunch. Lisa and I like chicken, but Rita doesn't. I don't like noodles for breakfast, but Liza and Rita do. I like porridge for breakfast. We really like vegetables and eggs for dinner. I like _ for breakfast. Answer: porridge The Elysee Palace in France enjoys equal popularity in the world with the Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom, the Kremlin in Russia as well as the White House in the U. S. It is the residence of the president of the French Republic and the symbol of the supreme authority in France. The Elysee palace, with an area of 11,000 square metres, is at the eastern end of the Champs Elysee in the city of Paris proper and backed by a large and peaceful garden of more than twenty thousand square metres. Its main building, quite handsome and graceful, is a two-story classical stone architecture of European style, and beside it are two side buildings facing each other and with an extensive rectangular courtyard in the middle. There are altogether 369 halls and rooms of different sizes. The Elysee Palace, built in 1718, has a ling history of close to300 years to date. This house was at first a private residence of a count named d'Evreau, so it was called Hotel d'Evreau. It had later gone through many changes and its owners had been changed for many times, but all the residents in it were distinguished persons and high officials. The house was renamed Bonaparte Mansion when it was owned by Louis X V and Louis X VI successively when they acted as emperors. Napoleon I signed his act of abdication here when he had suffered defeat in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Nopoleon III moved in the Mansion in 1848 when he was elected president, and the house became a Royal Palace when he declared himself as emperor. The Third French Republic issued a decree in 1873, appointing officially the Elysee Palace as the residence president of the French Republic. Over the hundred years since then, almost all the president of the French Republic worked and lived there. Starting from 1989, the Elysee Palace is open to the public every year in September on the French Castles Day. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage? Answer: The reason why there's the French Castles Day. A new book written by a Chinese American on her super-strict parenting - "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" has raised fierce debates in the US. Amy Chua is a Yale Law School professor and the mother of two teenage girls. She is the daughter of Chinese immigrants. In the Chinese culture, the tighter represents strength and power. In her book, Ms. Chua writes about how she demanded excellence from her daughters. Chua writes that her daughters, Sophia and Louisa, were never allowed to go on a date, be in a school play, watch TV or play computer games. They couldn't choose their own after-class activities or get any grade less than an A. They had to play piano or violin - and no other musical instruments. She writes that if a Chinese child gets a B - which she says "would never happen" - there would be "a screaming, hair-tearing explosion." She describes making her 7-year-old daughter play a piano piece perfectly - yelling and not letting her leave the bench even to use the bathroom - until it was. Many people have criticized Amy Chua. Some say her parenting methods were abusive. She even admits that her husband, who is not Chinese, objected to her parenting style. But she says that was the way her parents raised her and her three sisters. Stacy Debroff, who has written four books on parenting, says Amy Chua's parenting style is not limited to Chinese families. She says it represents a traditional way of parenting among immigrants seeking a better future for their children. But she also sees a risk. When children have no time to be social or to follow their own interests, they might not develop other skills that they need to succeed in life. Stacy Debroff advises parents not to just repeat the way they were raised. Alison Lo, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Washington's Bothell campus, said. "I don't think Amy is advocating a best practice of parenting style, or that success and achievements are critical yardsticks of a good life. But I can imagine how strong her daughters' college applications are going to be. For many parents whose dreams are seeing their kids graduating from a competitive university, Amy is sharing with the readers that it is achievable by persistent, dedicated parental guidance," Lo said. "In that sense, a young adult's giftedness can be born, or made." Stacy Debroff advises parents to _ . Answer: develop their own style of parenting prefix = st1 /SPAIN is unique. Enough sunshine, gorgeous beaches and delicious food make it a favourite holiday spot for millions of Europeans. But eating and sunbathing is not all this Mediterranean country has to offer. Its wild nightlife has given Spaniards a well--earned reputation as non-stop party animals. The traditional afternoon nap known as a "siesta" means millions of Spanish people can live a crazy life every day. Not into drinking and dancing? Take a look at the vibrant arts scece, with numerous galleries and museum featuring Spain's many famous artists like Salvador Dail, Pablo Picasso and Antonio Gaudi. Take our tour around the country. Barcelona, located on the Mediterranean sea, is famous as the host city for the 1992 Olympic Games. It is Spain's second largest city, afterMadrid. Barcelona is filled with landmark places and world-class museums, including Antonio Gaudi's famed La Sagrada Familia cathedral, the Museu Picasso, and the Las Ramblas street. Barcelona also has great nightlife. There are many outdoor squares in the city. So when the weather is good, which it usually is, there are also popular places for people to get together. Nightlife kicks off from about 8 or 9 pm. Then things quiet down until a second surge of energy brings out the post-dinner crowds from 11pm to midnight. Madrid, the capital of Spain, located in the center of the Iberian Peninsula , has a number of places, castles, museums and other unique places, such as the Plaza Mayor, the Cibeles Fountain, and the Palacio Real, as well as the fantastic bullring , Las Ventas. The city of 3.5 million people also has many theatres, live music venues and nightclubs because dinner is served late in Spain, usually around 9 pm, nightlife doesn't really get under way until after 11 pm. Native people are so fond of wandering around at night that they are known in Spain as gatos(cats.) Young people love to meet in nightclubs to drink and sing together. Valencia, on the Mediterranean coast, isSpain's third--largest city. It is usually a quiet city with a population of half a million. But during the Las Falls Festival in March, the number can reach 3 million.Valenciais famous for its nightlife and bars. In the summer, people enjoy gathering at open--air bars. The bars play music, often have dance floors, and are open from late May to September. The nightlife lasts from 7 or 8 pm to 2 am on weekdays, and 5 am on weekends. What do three cities in this passage have in common? Answer: They all have wonderful nightlife.
Dar and I loved to dance. It was probably the first thing we did together, long before we would share our lives. We grew up in a small Oregon mountain community where dances were held almost every Saturday night. Dar was seventeen and l was thirteen when we first danced. He was one of the best dancers on the floor, and so was I. We always jitterbugged. No slow dancing for us; nothing remotely romantic. Our fathers would stand along the wall and watch. Every once in a while, Dar's dad would smile a little and say, to no one in particular, but my dad could hear, "Boy, my kid can sure dance." _ he acted like he'd never heard. But a while later he would say, to no one in particular, "That girl of mine can sure dance." Our dancing together stopped for five years while Dar was in the South Pacific in World War II. When we met again, Dar was twenty-two, and l was eighteen. We began to date and dance again. We were as good together as we remembered, and this time we added slow dancing. For us, life is a dance, a movement of rhythms, directions, stumbles, missteps, at times slow and precise, or fast and wild and joyous. We did all the steps. Two nights before Dar died, the family were with us. We all ate dinner together, and Dar sat with us. He hadn't been able to eat for several days. After dinner, I put on a Nat King Cole tape. Dar took me in his arms, weak as he was, and we danced and smiled. No tears for us. We were doing what we had loved to do for more than fifty years. It was our last dance---forever unforgettable. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Which of the following can be the best title for the text? A My Unforgettable Dancing Partner B Dance Together to the Last C My Last Dance with Dar D The Best Dancers Answer: B The "melting pot" in American cuisine(. ) is a myth, not terribly unlike the idea of a melting pot of American culture, notes chef Dan Barber. "Most cultures don't think about their cuisine in such monolithic terms," he says. "French, Mexican, Chinese, and Italian cuisines each consist of dozens of distinct regional foods. And I think 'American' cuisine is moving in the same direction, becoming more localized, not globalized. " American cuisine is shaped by the natural wealth of the country. Having never faced agricultural hardship, Americans don't have to rely on rotating crops, such as the Japanese, whose food culture now showcases buckwheat alongside rice, or the Indians, or the French and Italians, who feature beans alongside wheat. "That kind of negotiation with the land forced people to incorporate those crops in to the culture," says Barber. And so eating soba noodles becomes part of what it means to be Japanese, and eating beans becomes part of what it means to be French. So if what we eat is what we are, what are Americans? Well, meat. "If Americans have any unifying food identity, I would say we are a mostly white meat culture," says Barber. "The protein-centric dinner plate, whether you're talking about a boneless chicken breast, or a 16-ounce steak, as an everyday expectation is something that America really created, and now exports to the rest of the world." Every single culture and religion uses food as part of their celebrations, says Ellen Gustafson, co-founder of the FEED Project and The 30 Project, which aims to deal with both hunger and overweight issues globally. "The celebratory nature of food is universal. Every season, every harvest, and every holiday has its own food, and this is true in America as well. It helps define us." We can conclude from the article that _ has become part of what it means to be American. A eating rice B eating beans C eating white meat D eating soba noodles Answer: C In 2004,the World Health Organization,WHO,warned of a possible outbreak of another serious disease which may be even more deadly than SARS.The WHO believes that it is likely that bird flu will spread to human beings in the next few years.If it does,up to seven millions people could die from the disease. Diseases like bird flu are caused by viruses,that is,tiny things which change and be come more dangerous over time.When a new type of a common virus changes,it may be able to get past the body'S immune system.If that happens,humans are in great danger until a cure or treatment becomes available. There have always been viruses and people always get sick,of course,but as we saw with SARS,the situation is more difficult today.People travel more than ever before,which means that disease can spread quickly and across large areas----in fact the whole world. Scientists are already working on drugs that will prevent or limit the effect of a new virus,but the process takes time.It is just as important to make sure that countries,especially poor countries,are prepared to deal with the disease. New disease usually affect poor areas the most,so we must help develop health care in all countries. The possible title of this passage is A The Work of WHO B Scientists Are Working Hard on Drugs for Diseases C What Is a Virus D Virus Changes and Causes New Diseases Over Time Answer: D LONDON (Reuters)--New faces given to a Chinese man after a bear tore off part of his face and a FrenchCaribbean man disfigured by a rare tumor show that such transplants can work and are not medical oddities ,researchers said. The findings give hope to some people with severe facial disfigurement and suggest the transplants could prove longlasting without major problems.Despite the tissue rejection in the first year after their transplants,neither men had psychological problems accepting their new faces and have been able to rejoin society,they reported. Only three people have received face transplants.The world's first was carried out on French woman Isabelle Dinoire in November 2005 after she was disfigured in an attack by her dog.In 2007,her doctors reported that she had recovered slowly and steadily,overcoming two periods of rejection. In 2006,Chinese doctors performed a face transplant on a 30yearold hit by a bear.While there were some complications with tissue rejection following the operation,two years later the man was doing well,his doctors said."This case suggests that facial transplantation might be an option for _ a severely disfigured face,and could enable patients to bring themselves back into society," Shuzhong Guo and colleagues at Xijing Hospital in China wrote. A French team described their work on a 29yearold man who suffered from Von Recklinghausen disease,an illness that changes the shape of his face."The man,who was not named,was given a new nose,mouth and chin in a 2007 operation.He began to work 13 months after the transplant has more function in his face and has not rejected the new tissue," his doctors said. "Our case confirms that face transplantation is practical and effective for the correction of specific disfigurement," Dr.Laurent Lantieri and colleagues at the HenriMondor hospital outside Paris wrote. What happened to the Chinese patient mentioned in the passage? A He got a strange illness when he was young. B He received several operations in hospital. C He was the first person to receive a face transplant. D He was once attacked by an animal. Answer: D There is a lot of talk these days about how kids should be interested in science. Here's an area of science for everyone, and these cool new books might inspire you to discover your inner scientist. Scaly Spotted Feathered Frilled by Catherine Thimmesh, 58 pages, ages 9-12 Seeing a picture or a model of a dinosaur, do you wonder how anybody knows what they look like? After all, nobody has seen a living dinosaur. This book explains how scientists and artists work together to re-create dinosaurs. As scientific discoveries have been made, the models have changed. Scientific tests may one day expose what a dinosaur's coloring was, but now artists have to use their imagination to determine how these huge creatures looked. Beyond the Solar System by Mary Kay Carson, 128 pages, ages 10-13 This book takes readers back to the beginnings of space exploration--thousands of years ago, when people began star observation--and forward to today's search for planets in distant parts of the Milky Way. Along with history lessons, readers get 21 activities, such as making a black hole and creating a model of Albert Einstein's universe using a T-shirt. The activities are perfect for cold winter days. Ultimate Bugopedia by Darlyne Murawski and Nancy Honovich, 272 pages, ages 7 and older If you're always on the lookout for butterflies, this book is for you. Hundreds of color photos of common and unusual insects fill this hardcover. There are fascinating stories related to the photos. For example, do you know an insect feeds on the tears of Asian cattle? There's a question-and-answer section with an insect scientist and advice on how to help preserve endangered insects. Journey Into the Invisible by Christine Schlitt, 80 pages, ages 9-12 If you use a magnifying glass, you know a leaf looks quite different. This book explains what microscopes do and then shows what happens to things around the house when watched with this amazing scientific tool. The bacteria in your mouth, when magnified 20,000 times, look a bit like swimming pool noodles. Fascinating photos are paired with suggestions about how to learn about the world around you, just by looking a little closer. Kids interested in pre-historical animals might read _ . A Ultimate Bugopedia B Beyond the Solar System C Journey Into the Invisible D Scaly Spotted Feathered Frilled Answer: D
Question: Like many lovers of books, Mary and her husband, Richard Goldman, seldom walked past a bookstore without stopping to look inside. They often talked of opening their own store one day. When Mary was hospitalized with heart trouble in 1989, they decided it was time to get serious. Richard, who worked for a business company, was eager to work for himself, and Mary needed to slow down from her demanding job. They started by talking to bookstore owners and researching the industry. "We knew it had to be a specialty store because we couldn't match the big chains dollar for dollar," says Mary. One figure caught her attention: She'd read somewhere that roughly 20 percent of books sold were mysteries , and many buyers spent more $300 a year on books. She and Richard were themselves mystery readers. On Halloween 1992, they opened the Mystery Lovers Bookshop and Cafe near their home. With three children in college, the couple could not spend all the family's money to start a shop. To cover the $100,000 cost, they drew some of their savings, borrowed from relatives and from an bank. The store merely broke even in its first year, with only $120,000 in sales. But Mary was always coming up with new ways to attract customers. The shop had a coffee bar and it offered gifts to mystery lovers and served dinners for book clubs that met in the store. She also invited dozens of writers to discuss their stories. Today Mystery Lovers makes sales of about $420,000 a year. After paying taxes, business costs and the six part-time sales clerks, Richard and Mary together earn about $34,000. "The job you love may not go hand in hand with a million-dollar income," says Richard. "This has always been about an enjoyable life for ourselves, not about making a lot of money." When Mary was in hospital, the couple realized that _ . A. they had to put their plan into practice B. health was more important than wealth C. heart trouble was a serious illness D. they both needed to stop working Answer: A Question: Three wishes A man and his wife were very poor. They kept hoping for new clothes and good food. The man enjoyed eating, and he especially liked cakes. One night an old woman came to their house and told them she would let them have three wishes. They could wish for anything they wanted. The man had just finished eating a piece of bread for his dinner, but he was still hungry. He said, "I wish I had a big cake!" Suddenly a cake appeared on his plate. "You fool!" His wife cried. "You could have wished for a house full of wonderful food, but you wished for a cake. I wish that cake was on the end of your foolish nose! " Immediately the cake stuck to the end of his nose. Then the man and his wife started blaming each other. "It's your fault!" the man cried. "No, it's your fault!" she answered. What could they do? The cake was still stuck to the husband's nose. "Oh!" the wife cried. "I wish none of this had ever happened!" Immediately the cake was gone, and the man was saying, "I'm still hungry. How I wish I had some cakes! " But of course nothing happened. The man quarreled with his wife because _ . A. he always enjoyed eating B. his wife hoped that he asked for a house C. the cake stuck to the end of his nose according to his wife's wish. D. he didn't want anything except cakes Answer: C Question: Four men who would become fathers were in a hospital waiting room while their wives were going to give birth to their babies. The nurse arrived and proudly said to the first man, "Congratulations, sir. You're the father of twins!" "What a surprise! Believe it or not! I work for the Minnesota Twins Baseball teams!" Later the nurse returned and congratulated the second father on the birth of his triplets . "Wow! That's unbelievable! I work for the 3M Company." An hour later, the nurse returned to congratulate the third man on the birth of his quadruplets . Surprised, he only could answer, "I don't believe it! I work for the Four Seasons Hotel!" After this, everyone turned to the fourth man who had just fallen down. The nurse ran fast to his side. As he slowly came to himself, they could hear him speak in a very low voice over and over, "I should never have taken that job at 7-Eleven. I should never have taken that job at 7-Eleven. I should never have taken that job at 7-Eleven." Which of the following is true about the third man? A. He thought the nurse made a mistake. B. He was very surprised at the nurse's words. C. He didn't want to have these babies. D. He should never have worked at 7-Eleven. Answer: B Question: Imagine someone has crossed the seas joining five continents by swimming. It is a major success for anyone. But it is an even greater success for Philippe Croizon, who has no arms, and no legs! His achievements show that we can all achieve great things--no matter who we are. Philippe Croizon was 26 years old when he had an accident. The doctors had to remove both of his arms and legs. "When they cut off my last leg I wanted to die. I suffered great depression and my spirit was as low as you can get. But you have to choose--and I chose to live!" said Croizon. While he was recovering in hospital, Croizon saw a television programme about a woman who had been swimming across the English Channel. After watching the programme Croizon decided to do it. He began to exercise every day to make him strong and it took him two years to prepare. Finally in 2010, Croizon was ready. He entered the cold, grey sea of the English Channel. He was now 42 years old. It took him from early morning until night to swim the distance. He felt a lot of pain. But he had become the first person without arms and legs to swim between France and England. Croizon had achieved his dream, but he did not stop there. He looked for a new goal. Early in 2012 he planned to swim across the seas that join five major continents. During the next few months he swam between the four continents of Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe and finally in the cold waters of the Bering Strait between the continents of Asia and the Americas. "We want to show people something. If disabled people have courage and a lot of training they can do the same things as those who are not disabled," said Croizon. Which of the following can best describe Philippe Croizon's story? A. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. B. Where there's a will, there's a way. C. Actions speak louder than words. D. The finest diamond must be cut. Answer: B Question: There is no excuse for not doing yourassignments . If you can't come to school, you should call your teacher or your classmate and ask about homework. It is yourresponsibility to find out what homework you have missed. It is not the teacher's job to remind you of the missed assignments. You must not be absent on a test day. If you are seriously ill, call and let the teacher know you will not be there for the test. If your teacher allows amake-up test ,you should take the test within one or two days after you return to class. Serious illness is the only reason for missing a test. Be on time! It is impolite to be late. Also, it bothers other students. If you must come in late, be sure to do it quietly. Have your books and papers out of your bag before you come into the room. Then go to your seat and sit down quietly. In the USA, it is not necessary to knock before you enter the classroom. Most teachers will give you a low grade if you are often late. In America, you should call your teacher by his or her last name instead of " teacher". Also you should use Mr, Miss, Ms or Mrs before the last name ( such as Mrs Smith or Mr Jones). This is polite. The teacher will tell you the title that he or she likes. It is impolite in the USA to eat, drink or chew gum during class. Don't do these until the break. Also, removing your shoes in the classroom is not polite. In America, if your teacher's name is Susan Black, what should you call her politely? A. Ms Black B. Ms Susan C. Susan Black D. Teacher Black Answer: A
The constant demands, together with the exhausting effects of interrupted sleep, can make it hard to find the time and energy to exercise or prepare healthy meals. Here are some tips for common problems new moms face: Problem: No time to cook proper meals. When you're caring for a baby, cooking proper meals seems like a luxury. Instead you rely on convenience meals and processed foods. Solution: Try to get more support. Friends, family members, and neighbors are often delighted to help, so don't feel you have to do everything yourself. Use the extra time to prepare some healthy meals. Follow the basic rules of cutting down on fat and increasing fruit and vegetable intake. Problem: Sugary or high-fat snacks. Tiredness can leave you feeling sleepy, run-down, and in need of an immediate help from sweets and high-fat snacks. Solution: Turn snacking to your advantage. Eat high-fiber, low-fat, low-sugar snacks; these will fill you up without adding too many calories. For an energy boost, eat a banana, which is high in potassium -- a mineral essential for muscle and nerve function -- or try a handful of raisins , which are high in iron but low in fat. Problem: No time or energy to exercise. A baby is a constant demand on your time, so you're too tired or busy to exercise. Solution: Increasing activity levels will help you obtain a net calorie loss, while toning exercises will tighten your muscles. Though you may feel too tired to do any exercise, it is worth persevering (,) because in the long run your energy levels will increase. Involve your baby in your postnatal exercises; start by walking with the child in a carriage or sling(;). Swimming is another aerobic exercise that you can both enjoy by joining a mother and baby class. Many pools have childcare facilities, so you can swim a few laps on your own. Problem: Lack of sleep. The new baby interrupts your sleep, _ your energy and leaving you tense and exhausted. Solution: Practice some relaxation techniques whenever you have a few free moments. Meditation, visualization, or yoga can help your body recover and give you more energy. What's the subject of the text? Answer: Weight-loss solutions for new moms A cloud that begins to precipitate onto the ground is Answer: leaking On April twenty-second, some American children stayed out of school but they were not punished. They were with their parents. As Faith Lapidus tells us, it was Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. The Ms. Foundation for Women started the program seventeen years ago, in 1993. At first it was just called Take Our Daughters to Work. Gloria Steinem and other foundation leaders pointed to studies showing that self-image suffers as girls become teenagers. They can lose trust in their abilities and intelligence, especially in areas like science, math and technology. So the Ms. Foundation planned a day for parents in New York City to show girls all the possibilities for them in the professional world. But there was so much interest, the organizers decided to make it national. At first, girls mostly followed their mom or dad around at work to learn about their jobs. Later, employers and schools began to offer organized activities. But from the beginning there were protests from parents and others about the exception of boys. So in 2003 the day was renamed Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work. 2007 was the last year that the Ms. Foundation for Women headed the program. Now, the event is run by a twelve-person group called the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation. The event is connected with Mattel, the company that makes Barbie dolls. Carolyn McKecuen is president of the foundation. She says a total of about thirty-three million children and adults are involved in the program. About one-third of the adults work at large companies or nonprofit organizations. Another third are in small businesses. The rest work in education. Carolyn McKecuen says the numbers from this year's event are not final yet. But early reports suggest that participation was up at least ten percent from last year. And she says the foundation is hoping to find support to expand the program internationally. She says there are lots of requests from other countries for information about how to set up similar programs. From this passage we can learn _ . Answer: Lots of other countries want to set up similar programs for parents and children Scientists fear rising energy bills may lead to an increase in obesity after discovering a link between poorly-heated homes and higher body -fat. Researchers from the University of Stirling's Behavioural Science Centre set out to explore claims that warm indoor temperatures have contributed to rising obesity levels in winter.Instead, the team found that people who live in well-heated homes are more likely to have low body mass index levels while those who keep their heating turned down or off tend to be heavier. Dr Michael Daly, behavioral scientist and senior lecturer, said: "We set out to investigate the scientific claims that cooler indoor temperatures help us maintain a healthy weight by pushing our bodies to use up more energy. In fact, the research suggests people may eat less and burn more energy when in a warmer indoor environment. The 13-year study, published in the journal Obesity, involved more than 100,000 adults across England. Researchers found reduced weight levels among people living in homes heated to above 23degC(73F), which involved about 15,000 of the households studied. Dr Daly said: "As national gas bills continue to rise faster than the rate of inflation, this research suggests the obesity could worsen where heating is turned down below comfortable levels or off for long periods to cut costs." This is not just about people who live in well-heated homes being in the financial position to afford more expensive low-calorie foods, exercise classes and sporting activities, and therefore finding it easier to maintain a low BMI level.The study took age, sex, social class and other factors into account. "The comfortable temperature of 20degC -23degC is where we feel comfortable in our clothes and are neither hot nor cold.At temperatures above this, we use more energy and we eat less because our appetite is affected." The findings of the research can be described as _ . Answer: surprising A good joke can be the hardest thing to understand when studying a foreign language. As a recent article in The Guardian newspaper noted, "There's more to understanding a joke in a foreign language than understanding vocabulary and grammar." Being able to understand local jokes is often seen as an incredible ice-breaker for a language learner eager to form friendships with native speakers. "I always felt that humor was a ceiling that I could never break through," Hannah Ashley, a public relations account manager in London, who once studied Spanish in Madrid. Told The Guardian, "I could never speak to people on the same level as I would speak to a native English speaker. I almost came across as quite a boring person because all I could talk about was facts." In fact, most of the time, jokes are only funny for people who share a cultural background or understand humor in the same way. Chinese-American comedian Joe Wong found this out first-hand. He had achieved huge success in the US, but when he returned to China in 2008 for his first live show in Beijing, he discovered that people didn't think his. Chinese jokes were as funny as his English ones. In Australia, meanwhile many foreigners find understanding jokes about sports to be the biggest headache. "The hardest jokes are related to rugby because I know nothing about rugby," said Melody Cao, who was once a student in Australia. "When I heard jokes I didn't get, I just laughed along." In the other two major English-speaking countries, the sense of humor is also different. British comedian Simon Pegg believes that while Britons use irony-basically, saying something they don't mean to make a joke-every day, people in the US don't see the point of using it so often. "British jokes tend to be more subtle and dark, while American jokes are more obvious with their meanings, a bit like Americans themselves," he wrote in The Guardian. The writer quoted the sentence, "There's more to understanding a joke in a foreign language than under standing vocabulary and grammar." to show that _ . Answer: to understand its jokes, you'd better lean the culture.
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. Wang Yue paints the tree hole paintings to . Answer: make the ugly tree holes beautiful Watching TV is a very popular pastime in the prefix = st1 /UKbut what kind of programmes do British people like to watch? Well, the most-watched TV programmes every week are very popular dramas that are usually on at least four times every week. They are dramas based in one neighbourhood that try to describe ordinary life in theUK--- we call these dramas 'soap operas' or 'soaps'. In the early days of TV, there were often dramas on during the day. Back in those days, it was traditional for the husband to go out to work and for the wife to stay at home and look after the house and the children. Most of these daytime dramas were aimed at entertaining the housewives who would traditionally be at home, probably doing the washing. Companies selling washing powder would advertise their products at times when these dramas were on, and sometimes those companies would even sponsor the drama. Hence the word 'soap'. So what about the word opera? Well, that's because these dramas are often an exaggeration of real life. They are supposed to represent ordinary life but to make them entertaining, lots of dramatic events like murders, divorces, affairs etc. all happen probably much more regularly than they would in a normal neighbourhood. Most soap operas these days are shown in the evening. Each show will have several different storylines happening at once that continue over several shows. The same _ will appear in every show too. There are lots of different soaps on in theUKon different channels but there are three main popular ones. 'Coronation Street' has been on since 1960. It is set in a suburb of Manchester and it's supposed to represent working class life in the north ofEngland. Then there's 'Eastenders' which started in 1985, set in the East End of London and 'Emmerdale', which is set on a farm in Yorkshire, in the north of England. Which opera should you watch if you want to learn about people's life in London? Answer: Eastenders. Why jump with us? We are the only skydive centre in Byron Bay - Australia's most easterly point. Get a bird's-eye view and experience the magic of Byron Bay from 14,000 feet! With Skydive Byron Bay. We have the most experienced staff and the best safety record in Australia. We welcome fun jumpers from around the world. We offer the AFF (Accelerated Freefall) course for people who want to learn to skydive solo . We have the best videos, the best views over Byron Bay and the best prices. Owner and chief instructor, Ray Palmer, has done over 11,500 jumps and has represented Australia in the world championships 7 times! He was the original skydiver from the Coca Cola Skysurfing commercial in 1991. So for Byron's original and most experienced skydive centre, come and see us! Tyagarah Airport Phone: (02) 6684 1323 PO Box 1615 Fax: (02) 6684 6323 Byron Bay NSW 2481 Free call: 1800 800 840 Australia info@skydivebyronbay.com JUMP THE BAY Incredible! Words can never describe how brilliant it is! The staff were great, easy to talk to and made it more awesome than I could have imagined. Thank you for the BEST experience of my life!--Kylie, UK Make sure you go with these guys at Byron Bay. The whole experience was FANTASTIC! The sky was awesome! The staff were tremendous! The view was incredible and the video, something to treasure!--Grace, Australia What is the purpose of the text? Answer: To attract more skydivers to the centre. It was on the early afternoon of a mid-October day in 2012. Bismark Mensah, who came to America several months ago, was collecting carts outside a Walmart in Federal Way. It was a part-time job for him. He earned $9.05 an hour in charge of getting carts out of the parking lot. He was used to finding stuff in carts that customers had somehow forgotten -- keys, credit cards, wallets. And he turned them into a customer service. But a particular item stood out. It was a white envelope with a clear window in the middle, and there was a lot of cash in it, around $20,000. Mensah turned them into customer services. Because of what he did that afternoon, Mensah is now the winner of Walmart's national 2013 "Integrity in Action Award". Bismark Mensah says that since the story ran, he has become the model the youth in Ghana (his native country). He is now employed full-time at the Federal Way Walmart, earning $10.95 an hour, up from the $9.05 an hour he earned working part-time. Mensah, 33, no longer collects carts and such. He is in the backroom, dealing with inventory . "I want to learn everything about operating a store like Walmart store," he says. He plans to return to Ghana to run some shops owned by his family. He also plans to go to college and earn a degree in business administration. What lesson can we learn from the story of Mensah? Answer: Honesty is a valuable quality. Of the six-billion-plus people in the world,600 million live on islands.In other words,one in ten of the world's population is an island dweller.This is not so hard to imagine when you consider that more than 200 million people live in Indonesia alone--and about 60 million more live on the island of Britain. No island,or group of islands,is the same.Indonesia,for example,is a nation which consists entirely of islands,nearly 14,000 of them,of which 6,000 are inhabited.Britain is a small, crowded island,with a population density of 243 people per square kilometer,almost twice as much as China.Britain is also the only island in the world which is connected to a continent by a tunnel,the Channel Tunnel between southeast England and North France. If you ignore Australia,which is an island-continent,the largest island in the world is Greenland,an unusual name for a place which is almost permanently covered in ice! On the other hand,Iceland,which is Greenland's ly near neighbor to the east,is much greener. Why is this?Iceland is far enough north,like Greenland,to be entirely covered by ice,but more than one third of Iceland is volcanically active.Magma,which is molten volcanic rock below the surface of the ground,heats the terrain above it,keeping it green.The story goes that an early settler from Iceland gave Greenland its name in order to encourage more people to live there! Even the smallest islands have a story to tell.The remotest inhabited island in the world is Tristan da Cunha,which is in the South Atlantic Ocean.Fewer than 250 people live there and they are all related to each other,with only seven surnames between them.The island capital has the romantic name of Edinburgh of the South Seas. What is the topic of the text? Answer: Islands around the world.
In 1977 , a dead author of detective stories saved the life of a nineteen-month-old baby in a most unusual way. The author was Agatha Christie, a gentle married lady and one of the most successful writers of detective stories in the world. ks5u In June 1977 , a baby girl became seriously ill in Qatar , near Sandi Arabia . Doctors were unable to find out the cause of her illness, so she was flown to London and sent to Hammersmith Hospital. A team of doctors hurried to examine the baby only to discover that they, too, were puzzled by the very unusual signs of illness. While they were having a discussion about the baby's illness, a nurse asked to speak to them. "Excuse me," said Nurse Marsha Maitland, "but I think the baby is suffering from thallium poisoning ." "What makes you think that?" Dr. Brown asked. "Thallium poisoning is very rare." "A few days ago, I was reading a novel called 'A Pale Horse' by Agatha Christie," Nurse Maitland explained. "In the book, somebody uses thallium poison, and all the signs are exactly the same as the baby' s . " "You are very careful and you may be right," another doctor said. "we'll carry out some tests and find out whether it' s thallium or not." Tests showed that the baby had indeed been poisoned by thallium. Once they knew the cause of the illness, the doctors were able to give the baby the correct treatment. She soon recovered and was sent back to Qatar. Later on it was proved that the poison might have come from an insecticide used in Qatar. What did the doctor think of the suggestion which Nurse Maitland made? Answer: They thought it was a possibility worth considering. It was Mother's Day morning last year and I was doing my shopping at our local supermarket with my five-year-old son, Tenyson. As we were leaving, we found that only minutes earlier an elderly woman had fallen over at the entrance and had hit her head on the concrete. Her husband was with her, but there was blood everywhere and the woman was embarrassed and clearly in shock. Walking towards the scene, Tenyson became very upset about what had happened to the couple. He said to me, "Mum, it's not much fun falling over in front of everyone." At the front of the supermarket a charity group had set up a stand selling cooked sausages and flowers to raise funds. Tenyson suggested that we should buy the lady a flower. "It will make her feel better," he said. I was amazed that he'd come up with such a sweet idea. So we went over to the flower seller and asked her if we could buy a flower for the lady to cheer her up. "Just take it," she replied. "I can't take your money for such a wonderful gesture." By now paramedics had arrived, and were attending the injured woman. As we walked up to her, my son became _ by all the blood and medical equipment. He said he was just too scared to go up to her. ZXXK Instead I gave the flower to the woman's husband and told him, " My son was very upset for your wife and wanted to give her this flower to make her feel better." At that, the old man started crying and said, "Thank you so much, you have a wonderful son. Happy Mother's Day to you." The man then bent down and gave his wife the flower, telling her who it was from. Though badly hurt and shaken, the old lady looked up at Tenyson with love in her eyes and gave him a little smile. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? Answer: Tenyson's idea of buying a flower gained his father's support. It is well known that the Japanese people's love of fish is almost as a bee's interest in honey. As fish populations were decreasing, fishing companies were forced to fish further and further away from the shore. Then they had a big challenge -how to keep the fish fresh for longer. So they decided to keep the fish stored in freezers on the boats. But the public did not like frozen fish. So again the fishing companies had a new bigger challenge. What they decided to do was to have fish tanks on their boats. After catching fishes, they would put them in the tanks and keep them living there until they got back to shore. But in this protected environment, lacking predators ,the fish stopped moving around. The Japanese public felt these dull fish did not taste fresh, which had an unpleasant effect upon sales. Once again the fishing companies had an even bigger challenge. Stop for a minute! Before we go any further, I would like to ask "What are your challenges? How do you handle an unexpected challenge?" May I think it this way that you should try to attack your challenges? Conquer them with a Swiss Army knife. Take the most proper and simple tool that you can adopt to deal with your situation. Now back to our story. How did the Japanese finally figure out the fresh fish problem?Sharks! You might think the same. Sharks were caught and put into the tanks with other fishes. Don't sharks eat fish? Well, they do eat a few fish, but they did also keep more fish active and alert . The fish stay fresh because they are challenged. _ to offer yourself a challenge in your own business and career. The main reason for the fishing company to fish in the far sea was that _ . Answer: the fish resource near the shore was on the decrease Baths and bathing have been considered of an important medical therapy to man. In Greece there are the ruins of a bath tub and water system built over 3 000 years ago. The Romans had warm public baths. In some public baths as many 3 000 persons could bathe at the same time. Treating diseases by bathing has been popular for centuries. Modern medical bathing, or _ , first became popular in Europe and by the late 1 700's also became popular in the United States. For many years frequent bathing was believed to be bad for one's health. Ordinary bathing just to be clean was avoided, and perfume was used to cover up body and smell. By the 1 700's doctors began to say that soap and water were good for health. They believed that it was good for people to be clean. Slowly, people began to bathe more frequently. In the United States ordinary bathing was slow to become popular. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, many Americans were known as "the great unwashed". In one American city, for example, a person could only take a bath every 30 days! That was a law. Frequency of bathing today is partly a matter of habit. People know that bathing for cleanliness is important to health. Doctors know that dirty bodies increase that chance of disease. Therefore in the United States people generally bathe often. The passage is mainly about _ . Answer: the history of bathing The idea of being able to walk on water has long interested humans greatly. Sadly, biological facts prevent us ever accomplishing such a thing without artificial aid--we simply weigh too much, and all our mass pushes down through our relatively small feet, resulting in a lot of pressure that makes us sink. However, several types of animals can walk on water. One of the most interesting is the common basilisk. Basilicus, a lizard native to Central and South America. It can run across water for a distance of several meters, avoiding getting wet by rapidly hitting the water's surface with its feet. The lizard will take as many as 20 steps per second to keep moving forward. For humans to do this, we'd need huge feet that we could bring up to our ears in order to create adequate "hitting. " But fortunately there is an alternative: cornflour. By adding enough of this common thickening agent to water (and it does take a lot), you can create a "non-Newtonian" liquid that doesn't behave like normal water. Now, if the surface of the water is hit hard enough, particles in the water group together for a moment to make the surface hard. Move quickly enough and put enough force into each step, and you really can walk across the surface of an adequately thick liquid of cornflour. Fun though all this may sound, it's still rather messy and better read about in theory than carried out in practice, if you must do it, then keep the water wings handy in case you start to sink--and take a shower afterward! What is the function of the cornflour according to the passage? Answer: To create a thick liquid.
Currently, Antarctica is the coldest and driest place on Earth. Paleontologists have found dinosaur fossils in rock layers below the ice. Based on this evidence, which is a reasonable conclusion about the climate of Antarctica in the past? At some time in the past, Antarctica was much warmer and wetter. People call the Winter Olympics the White Olympics. At this time, they publish many stamps to mark the great games. The first stamps came out on January 25th, 1932 in the United States for the 3rd White Olympics. From then on , publishing stamps during the White Olympics became a rule. During the 4th Winter Olympics, people published a group of stamps in November 1936. They drew five rings of Olympics. It was the first time that the rings appeared on the stamps of the White Olympics. In the 1950s,the stamps of this kind became more colorful. When the White Olympics came, the host countries as well as non-host countries published stamps to mark those games. China also published four stamps in February 1980 when the Chinese sportsmen began to take part in the White Olympics. In Asia, Japan was the only country to hold the White Olympics. They sold 14,500 million stamps during the Olympics. People drew different kinds of sports on these small stamps, and they enjoyed the wonderful sports and some excellent players. The White Olympics and the Winter Olympics _ . are the same thing A person can charge something which passes energy through it by hooking it up By the mid-nineteenth century, the term "icebox" had entered the American language, but ice was still only beginning to affect the diet of ordinary citizens in the United States. The ice trade grew with the growth of cities. Ice was used in hotels, taverns , and hospitals, and by some forward-looking city dealers in fresh meat, fresh fish, and butter. After the Civil War (1861-1865), as ice was used to refrigerate freight cars, it also came into household use. Even before 1880, half of the ice sold in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and one-third of that sold in Boston and Chicago, went to families for their own use. This had become possible because a new household convenience, the icebox, a precursor of the modern fridge, had been invented. Making an efficient icebox as not as easy as we might now suppose. In the early nineteenth century, the knowledge of the physics of heat, which was essential to a science of refrigeration, was rudimentary . The commonsense notion that the best icebox was one that prevented the ice from melting was of course mistaken, for it was the melting of the ice that performed the cooling. Nevertheless, early efforts to economize ice included wrapping up the ice in blankets, which kept the ice from doing its job. Not until near the end of the nineteenth century did inventors achieve the delicate balance of insulation and circulation needed for an efficient icebox. But as early as 1803, and ingenious Maryland farmer, Thomas Moore, had been on the right track. He owned a farm about twenty miles outside the city of Washington, for which the village of Georgetown was the market center. When he used an icebox of his own design to transport his butter to market, he found that customers would pass up the rapidly melting stuff in the tubs of his competitors to pay a premium price for his butter, still fresh and hard in neat, one-pound bricks. One advantage of his icebox, Moore explained, was that farmers would no longer have to travel to market at night in order to keep their produce cool. What can we infer from the text? Knowledge of the physics of heat plays an important part in inventing a good icebox Many people may think that animals in the zoo are happy, free and lucky, but most of them are sad. Do you know why? Animals like tigers, lions, and bears usually live in forests or mountains. They run, jump, play with their children and catch small animals for food. But now they have to stay in cages ,small rooms in the zoo. They don't have to find food by themselves because the zoo keepers feed them. They do nothing but eat, walk and sleep every day. Their life in the zoo is quite different from that in the forest because they are not free. Maybe they miss their mothers and their friends, in fact, they feel lonely. Which is the best title? Animals In the Zoo
Acting is such an over-crowded profession that the only advice that should be given to a young person thinking of going on the stage is "Don't!". But it is useless to try to discourage someone who feels that he must act, though the chances of his becoming famous are slim. The normal way to begin is to go to a drama school. Usually only students who show promise and talent are accepted, and the course lasts two years. Then the young actor or actress takes up work with a repertory company, usually as an assistant stage manager. This means doing everything that there is to do in the theatre: painting scenery, looking after the furniture, taking care of the costumes, and even acting in very small parts. It is very hard work indeed. The hours are long and the salary is tiny. But young actors with the stage in their blood are happy, waiting for the chances of working with a better company, or perhaps in films or television. Of course, some people have unusual chances which lead to fame and success without this long and dull training. Connie Pratt, for example, was just an ordinary girl working in a bicycle factory. A film producer happened to catch sight of her one morning waiting at a bus stop, as he drove past in his big car. He told the driver to stop, and he got out to speak to the girl. He asked her if she would like to go to the film studio to do a test, and at first she thought he was joking. Then she got angry and said she would call the police. It took the producer twenty minutes to tell Connie that he was serious. Then an appointment was made for her to go to the studio the next day. The test was successful. They gave her some necessary lessons and within a few weeks she was playing the leading part opposite one of the most famous actors of the day. Of Course, she was given a more dramatic name, which is now world-famous. But chances like this happen once in a blue moon! According to the passage, the main reason why young people should be discouraged from becoming actors is _ . A actors are very unusual people B the course at the drama school lasts two years C acting is really a hard job D there are already too many actors Answer: D. there are already too many actors A victim of climate change A polar bear's dead body found on the Arctic island of Svalbard, the northernmost part of Norway, has shocked experts who say climate change may be to blame for the death. The starved polar bear in Norway was said to be in good bones by the time a group of explorers came across its body in July. The bear is thought to have been heading north in a desperate search for sea ice that would allow it to hunt for seals."From his lying position in death, the bear appears to simply have starved to health in April when the Norwegian Polar Institute examined and labeled it. However, the animal was reduced to skin and bones and died where he dropped," polar bear expert Dr. Ian Stirling, a professor at the University of Alberta said, "He had external suggestion of any remaining fat, having been reduced to little more than skin and bone." Stirling believes the bear starved to death as a result of a lack of sea ice which the animals use as a platform for hunting seals. That may also explain why the 16-year-old male bear was found about 155 miles north of where it was seen in April. Arctic sea ice reached a record low in 2012, according to a report released this week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that pointed to continued signs of climate change. The International Union for Conservation of Nature currently classifies polar bears as _ e on its Red List of Threatened Species. How did Stirling know the reason for the death of the polar bear? A By the food he ate. B By doing further experiments. C By observing other polar bears. D By his lying position in death. Answer: D. By his lying position in death. Born in Ghana,West Africa,in 1989,Freddy Adu has become one of the most promising young soccer players in the world.Soccer fans have been crazy about him since 2003,when he became the youngest player to join a professional sports team in the United States.The next year,he became the youngest athlete ever to play in an allstar game,a match in which the best players from many professional teams compete. As a child,Adu did what many children in Ghana love to do--play soccer.His mother recognized her son's talentand encouraged it by providing soccer balls,which were expensive for them.Since he had soccer balls,other children always came looking for him and played together. Education was very important to Adu's mother,and she wasn't sure that her son could receive a good education in Ghana.So she tried hard and moved to Maryland,U.S. in 1997,when he was eight years old.His new school friends soon noticed his talent for soccer,and the parents of one friend encouraged him to join a soccer club.This was his first time playing organized soccer,and he helped his team from the Potomac Soccer Association win a tournament in Italy in 2000.One professional Italian team was so impressed by Adu that they offered him $750,000 to play for them.Adu's mother refused the offer and thought that her eleven-year-old son needed to finish school first. Adu did finish high school at the age of 14.Nowadays,he is playing professional soccer and living with his mother in a house he bought for her.His salary with the D.C. United team is $500,000 a year,and Adu is also paid to advertise products such as sports shoes and drinks.Adu is happy that his mother no longer has to work at two jobs,and his fans are happy that they can watch him play their favourite sport for many years to come. What is the secret of the success of Adu according to the passage? A His mother noticed his talent and encouraged him all the time. B He received a good education in the United States. C The parents of his friend encouraged him to join a soccer club. D All of the above Answer: D. All of the above China is a country with a large number of disabled persons. Almost 60 million people have vision, hearing, speech, limb, intellectual or mental disabilities. There is one disabled person in every 20 Chinese, and one out of every five households on average has a disabled family member. According to nationwide surveys of the disabled children under 14 account for 16 percent of the total disabled population, and they display the greatest need for rehabilitative training as they display the highest recovery rates after early treatment. Those disabled between the ages of 15 and 59 account for 44 percent, but often their disabilities are not very serious. Although they are more or less able to work, they require vocational training, cultural education and special employment. The disabled over 60 years of age account for 40 percent. Many of them become disabled due to illness or loss of various functions. Some live alone without any income, and therefore their insurance, rehabilitation, and medical needs have become a social issue. The illiterate and semi-illiterate suffer from limited employment opportunities, and often they become socially disabled as well. These people, often neglected , pose another social problem. According to the passage, some of the disabled people, though more or less able to work, they need to receive_. A vocational training B cultural education C special employment D all of the above Answer: D. all of the above Warley Woods Community Trust Welcome to our third newsletter of the year! Our main activity for March is our Walk for the Woods fundraising events on Saturday,17thMarch,starting any time between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. We will be walking the distance between Warley Woods and Tipperary. It is indeed a long way-80 miles. The more people that you can get sponsor you,the more money we can raise to help look after our beautiful woodland. More information is available at our website. The Sunday volunteers planted two beeches and on oak last week. This was thanks to the money fro the Big Tree Plant and to Lisa and Gordon Whitiker,whose friends gave money for the big trees instead of for their wedding presents. Thanks to everyone who took part. There were 15 volunteers at the Oral History Training Day which was led by vey ably by Julia Letts. The group will be meeting again and will start to interview the local people who have offered to tell their stories. We are happy to hear from others who would like to be interviewed about their memories of the Woods for the project. If you or anyone you know is interested,please call Viv Cole at the office. This project is financed by Heritage Lottery Fund. There was a huge response to the Forest Schools activities held at half term. These will be held again during the Easter holidays on the following dates: 4thApril from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for over 8s. On 12th April form 10 a.m. to 12 noon,there will be a Teddy Bears' Picnic for the under 8s. All these must be booked in advance. Finally,don't forget the Easter Egg Roll on Bank Holiday,9th April,staring at 11 a.m. Bring your own hard-boiled and decorated egg to roll down the hill in the woods. The first past the finishing line will win a large chocolate egg! This year,due to popular demand,there will also be an Adults' Easter Egg Roll following the children's competition. We look forward to seeing you all soon,at one of our many events. Heritage Lottery Fund provides money to A help look after the wood land B collect stories about the community C hold activities for the Forest Schools D organize the Easter holiday competition Answer: B. collect stories about the community
The television news feature about Ben Heckmann, an eighth grader from Farmington, Minn, was breathless in its praise. "At 14, he has accomplished something many adults can't achieve," the reporter said, "Ben is a twice-published author." But Ben's two "Velvet Black" books, describing a fictional rock band, were not picked from a pile of manuscripts by an eagle eyed publisher. They were self-published, at the cost of $400 by Ben's parents. Over the past five years, print-on-demand technology and a growing number of self publishing companies whose books can be sold online have inspired writers of all ages to avoid the traditional gatekeeping system for determining who could call himself a "published author." The mothers and fathers who foot the bill say they are simply trying to encourage their children, in the same way that other parents buy equipment for a promising baseball player. But others see self-publishing as a lost opportunity to teach children about hardship and perseverance. Mr. Robbins, a critic, thinks it is wonderful to start writing at a young age, but worries self-publishing sends the wrong message. "There are no prodigies in literature," he said. "Literature requires experience, in a way that mathematics and music do not." Alan Rinzler, a publishing industry veteran, suggested parents hire a professional editor like him to work with their child to tear a manuscript apart and help make a better. Ben's father, Ken, said Ben's ambitions "weren't to knockHarry Potteroff the list," but "to get that good feeling inside that you've done something." Ajla Dizdarevic, 12, who has self-published two books of poetry, has been on television and in local newspapers. "Being a published author," she said, "was always a dream of mine." Her new dream: three books by age 15. Why do some parents pay the self-publishing bill? Once there was a poor farmer and his farm belonged to a rich man. One day he brought a basket of apples to the rich man's house. On the doorsteps, he met two monkeys dressed like children. They jumped onto the basket to eat the apples and threw some on the ground. The farmer politely took off his hat and asked the monkeys to get off. They obeyed and the farmer went into the house. He asked to see the rich man. A servant took him to the room where the rich man was sitting. "I have brought you the basket of apples you asked for," he said. "But why have you brought a half-empty basket?" the rich man asked. "I met your children outside, and they stole some of the apples." Why did the farmer bring apples to the rich man? Because Many people like spring, because they can go out and do many kinds of activities. We made a survey about the activities that people like to do in spring. Here are the results. Scott: In spring, I often visit my uncle and I like fishing with him. I also like boating and enjoy the beach. Last spring my uncle and I went boating. The dolphins came so close to us. It was very amazing. I hope that I can go there again soon. Linda: My favorite spring activity is gardening . I think it is relaxing to work in the garden. I grow many flowers in my garden every year. They are so beautiful. Nancy: I love spring. I love going to the beach and spending a whole day there. It is so relaxing to lie on the beach. I also like surfing in the sea. James: I am twelve years old. My favorite spring activity is swimming. I started to learn swimming when I was seven years old. I always have a good time with my friends in the river. The passage is mainly about _ . One day I walked down to get to my car, thinking about what I had to accomplish and scolding myself for being late for work, but surprisingly the car was nowhere to be found. This was at 8 a.m. in the morning. I made trips to all the towing places and police stations, all the time thinking that it was towed by cops .By around 10 a.m., the cops decided that it was actually stolen. After filing a report with them, I finally got to work thinking how my day was completely messed up. Later in the day I went to pick up a rental car at Enterprise only to realize that my license was missing, too, along with my car. I told the enterprise guy the whole story and he offered to take me to the closest DMV and get a duplicate license. 1 was totally shocked. I did not know why this complete stranger would want to take some time off his day to help me. He actually took me to DMV, got a duplicate and then rented me a car. I was upset the whole day because of the events happening to me but somehow this simple act of kindness from a complete stranger made it all worth it. It cheered me up and made me forget all the troubles of the day. I was so moved by this kind act that the next day I made sure someone else got a similar surprise. I took some smiley shaped chocolates and left them on some of my colleagues' desks. There is still a lot of goodness out there in the world. We just need to take the time to notice it. I hope that this story would inspire many others like me to do more acts of kindness. Why did the author put some chocolates on his colleagues' desks? I was doing my last-minute Christmas shopping in a toy store, looking at fashion dolls. A nicely-dressed little girl with her father was excitedly looking through the same dolls as well. As she was looking, a boy wandered in and sorted through some of the video games. He was dressed neatly, but in clothes that were obviously rather worn. He, too, had money in his hand, but it seemed to be no more than five dollars or so at the most. He was with his father as well, but each time he picked one of the video games and looked at his father, his father shook his head. The little girl had apparently chosen her doll, a beautifully-dressed glamorous creation that would have been the envy of every little girl on the block. However, she stopped to watch the little boy and his father. Then, the little girl put her carefully-chosen doll back on the shelf, and ran over to the video games. She excitedly picked up one that was lying on top of the other toys and raced towards the reception desk after speaking with her father. I picked up my purchases and waited in line behind them. Then, much to the little girl's obvious delight, the little boy and his father stood behind me. After the video game was paid for and bagged, the little girl handed it back to the cashier and whispered _ in her ear. The cashier smiled and put the package under the counter. I paid for my purchases and was rearranging things in my purse when the little boy came up to the cashier. The cashier rang up his purchases and then said, "Congratulations, you have been selected to win a prize!" With that, she handed the little boy the video game, and he could only stare in disbelief. It was, he said, exactly what he had wanted! The little girl and her father were standing at the door-way during all of this, and I saw the biggest, prettiest smile on that little girl's face that I have ever seen in my life. The little girl and her father stood, at the doorway during all of this because _ .
Tony has always loved going to the beach. He spends as much time there as he can. It was a bright, sunny day. The beach was full by the time Tony and his mum got there. It seemed that everyone had the same idea today. When they found a spot , Tony sat down and began to relax. Soon Tony noticed something strange. There was an empty water bottle in the sand. Then, a paper bag was blowing down by the water. People had littered all over the beach! Tony was mad. His mum explained that a lot of people littered instead of using garbage cans . If Tony wanted to stop it, he would have to work to save the beach. He worked hard. Tony got a group to help clean up. He put up signs saying" _ " and got his town to add more garbage cans in the area. Most of all, he let people know how bad littering is for the environment. Tony worked hard to make a difference! What did the signs that Tony put up say? Answer: While sweet treats can be hard to resist, the World Health Organization(WHO) has set new guidelines for people around the world. The guidelines, released on Wednesday, advise that both adults and children cut back on their sugar intake to stay healthy. In a statement, Francesco Branca, director of the WHO's nutrition department, said there is evidence that reducing daily sugar intake reduces the risk of being overweight and tooth decay . The guidelines do not apply to the sugars in fresh fruit and vegetables or those that are naturally present in milk. According to the WHO, there is no reported evidence of negative effects of consuming those sugars. Instead, the new guidelines focus on "added" or "free" sugars. These include sugars that are added to processed foods and drinks such as candy and soft drinks. Added sugars are sometimes described as " hidden" sugars because they exist in foods we might not think of as sweets, such as honey and ketchup . Health experts advise that consumers look at ingredients on food packages to help make better-informed decisions. The WHO recommends that people in the United States, Europe and other Western societies should cut their average sugar intake by about two-thirds, or down to just 10% of their overall calories. For developing countries, where dental care is less advanced, the WHO recommends that sugar intake be reduced to 5%. Scientist Kieran Clarke, of the University of Oxford, notes that for those people who can't shake their love for sweets, getting more exercise is a good solution. "If you get enough exercise, you can eat almost anything," she said "But it's very hard to avoid large amounts of sugar unless all you're eating is fruit and vegetables." What can we learn from the guidelines released by the World Health Organization? Answer: Hong Kong, major commercial center for Asia, and with a population which has grown at an alarming rate to over 5 million, is a city highly dependent on mass (, ) transit of all sorts, both local and long distance. An ordinary Hong Kong worker or businessman, going about his daily activities, simply must use transportation at one time or another. Because Hong Kong is in two parts, Kowloon, on the mainland side, and Hong Kong, the island, with Hong Kong's harbor in between Hong Kong's mass transit systems, in addition to going over land they must also cross water. Going from home to work, or going shopping from one side of the harbor to the other, the Hong Kong resident has three choices. One way is to take a bus which will cross the harbor through an under water traffic tunnel moving slowly through bumper- to-bumper traffic.Another way is by ferry boat , a pleasant ride which crosses the harbor in from seven to fifteen minutes. But by far the fastest way of crossing the harbor is the newly built underground electric railway, the Hong Kong Metro . If one gets on the train in the Central District,the commercial area of Hong Kong on the island side, he can speed across the harbor in an astonishing three minutes. On the other side of the harbor the railway continues, snaking back and forth through the outlying districts of Kowloon, allowing one to get off a short distance from his destination. The story of the Metro is an encouraging one for supporters of mass transit. Although building the system was certainly a challenging task, the Japanese firm hired to construct it did so in record time. Construction got underway in 1979 and it was completed in 1980. For the average commuter the system has only one disadvantage; it is more expensive than by bus or ferry. One can ride the bus across the harbor for half as much or he can ride the ferry across for less than one-fifth as much. Hong Kong public transportation extends _ . Answer: The island Fiji has always been around me in my life. My parents met in Fiji when my father was a teacher as a Peace Corps volunteer and my mother a student. They taught me about its people, culture, foods and religious beliefs. At the age of two, I made my first trip across the Pacific Ocean to Fiji. My mother and I made that trip unexpectedly because my grandma was ill and longed to see her American granddaughter. Although I have few memories of that first trip, I do remember grandma braiding my hair every day. The brush gliding through my hair is a feeling I will treasure forever because she passed away soon. I returned to America when I was five years old. This time I had a brother, Martin, who was two. I resisted my third trip to Fiji when I was 15, being a teenager who did not want to spend the summer away from friends. It was this trip, however, that made me realize that Fiji is not just a place to visit but a part of who I am. The smells and sounds and sights came back to me, but the best part was getting to know my relatives. Vishal was one cousin I quickly bonded with. Born two days before me, I had only known him through pictures before. Though raised oceans apart in different cultures, we talked and laughed about everything from American sports to Fijian dancing. I was able to form close ties with all my cousins, and when I talk about them now, it's as if I have known them my whole life. Spending time with them helped me understand the traditions and values my mother grew up with. Hospitality and care and respect for family members are central values in Fijian culture. I truly enjoyed learning about my roots during this trip. Fiji is just like a second home, and I will never forget the time I have spent there. The author resisted her third trip to Fiji because _ . Answer: Going to college and living away from home for the first time can be terribie.Students tend to have higher academic achievements in college when they enjoy living in the dormitory.Most colleges and universities have many programs that help first-year students adjust to studying and living in a new community.Take advantage of these programs and make new friends as you adjust to your college life. _ .Greet and meet everyone in the dorm.Find out their class schedules and hobbies.You may be able to find study partners this way.Most students are just like you being away from their home the first time.Don't be afraid toknock on your neighbors'doors and introduce yourself.The residence staff will also help you in adjusting tocollege iife.Get to know them as soon as possible. Get along with your roommate.Your roommates can be eitherr your lifelong friends or enemies.Try to be friends to them.Respect each other, including their space.Do not use your roommates' belongings without permission.Communicate among each other regarding your daily schedule, study or sleep habits and off campus guest visits. Always say hello. Get involved.To adjust to college life away from home,you need to got involved in college activities.Join clubs.Attend events that are hosted by your residence life and academic departments.Attend those events with your new friends. Most colleges have many events throughout the semester.Student union is a great place to meet new friends and learn about the upcoming events. Call home when you need to.College life can be very exciting in the beginning. Most students get lonely and homesick during the middle of the semester or during festivals,It is normal to feel sad.Call home or even visit home when you need to. Talk to your friends back home.Understand that many people love and support you and they are very proud of you. Which of the following is not proper in getting along with your roommates? Answer:
For the last seventeen years CPSB has had the pleasure of hosting a learning event we call a Forum. We started offering programs inprefix = st1 /Sarasotain February in 1991 and our first Forum was held in 1992 as a small group meeting. Being from the Northern USA, this was a particularly good time to go South for the warmth of our friendship with Dr. Treffinger and Dr. Noller and to keep away from the cold winter. The Forum is the only chance to learn about various topics of the creativity and innovation from those who have rich experience and interest in the field. The theme of the 2009 Forum includes searching for a few new methods, sharing lessons from experience, and learning and exchange ideas on _ research. Space is limited, so early registration is welcome. Meeting the Innovation Challenge February 6 and 7,2009 The Lido Holiday Inn Sarasota,Florida $ 750(registration includes some meals and materials) Interested in becoming qualified to use the VIEW assessment of Problem Solving Style? The two days just before our Forum provides you just that chance. For more information on VIEW see pages 24-25. VIEW Qualification Course February 4 and 5, 2009 The Lido Holiday Inn Sarasota,Florida $650(registration includes lunch and course materials) Special Offer: If you would like to attend the VIEW qualification course and the Forum, you can register for both events for $ 1,050. The main purpose of this advertisement is to _ . Answer: A long time ago, there was a seed and because he was only a seed, nobody noticed him.Thus, feeling inferior , the seed gave no importance to his existence . Then one day, a wind picked him up and threw him on an open field under the sun.Later, he was given rain. Years later he saw a traveler sitting by his side."Thank God for this.I really need some rest," he heard the traveler say. "What are you talking about?" the seed quickly asked.He thought the man was making fun of him.No one ever spoke to him like that. "Who just spoke?" the shocked man asked. "It is me.A seed." `"A seed?" The man looked at the big tree."Are you joking? You are not a seed.You are a big tree!" "Really?" "Yes! Why else do you think people come here?" "What do they come here for?" "To feel your shade ! Don't tell me you didn't know you had grown over time." A moment passed before the traveler's words brought him pride. The seed thought and smiled for the first time in his life.The years of torture by the sun and the rain finally helped him grow up. "Oh! That means I'm not a little seed anymore! I was actually born to make people feel comfortable.Wow! That's great!" The traveler sat by the seed's side to _ . Answer: Spiderman is one of the most famous comic book heroes of all time.He was created by Stan Lee in 1963 and was first introduced to the world in the pages of Marvel comic books. Spiderman's story is the story of Peter Parker,a child who lost his parents and lives with his aunt and uncle.Peter is a shy,quiet boy wearing glasses and has few friends.One day,on a high school class trip to a science lab,he gets bitten by a special spider.Soon Peter realizes he has amazing powers:he is as strong and quick as a spider and also has a type of sixth sense.He no longer needs his glasses and he can use his super power to fly through the city streets! Remembering something his Uncle Ben has told him,that"with great power,there must also come great responsibility ,"Peter decides to use his powers to fight enemies who do cruel things to people.And so,Spiderman is born. Life is not easy for Peter even though he is a superhero.He is in love with Mary Jane but cannot tell her about his amazing powers.Besides,his best friend Harry hates Spiderman! Peter is also short of money and time.He has to sell photos of Spiderman(himself!)to a newspaper and he keeps losing his other jobs because he's so busy saving people! Yet he has to fight different kinds of cruel enemies. What does"with great power,there must also come great responsibility"mean? Answer: Pasta is the world's favorite food. Asurveytaken in 17 countriesconfirmedthat pasta is what people like to eat most. Not only is pasta the number one food in its home country -Italy, but is alsoenjoyedin faraway places like the Philippines, Mexico andSouth Africa. Pasta has become popular, for one thing, because it is cheap and easy to prepare. Just cook noodles or other forms of pasta, make a sauce to go with it and you're finished. Many different types of meals can becreatedwith pasta. It tastes good and fills your stomach. It produces energy in the form ofcarbohydrates , which is whyathleteseat pasta regularly. Pasta can also be kept for a longer time. You don't have to use it up at once. Pasta has also become popular because it stands for the Italian way of life. People all over the world like it because it's so simple. It has two basic ingredients , wheatand water, just like bread. Legend has itthat Marco Polo brought pasta back to Italy with him but this is not true. Arabs probably brought a noodle-likedishtoSicilyin the 8th century. Farmers have been growing wheat, the mainingredientof pasta, there for ages. The worldwide sales of pasta have risen sharply over the past decade. Italy leads the pasta-eatingcommunityof the world. The Italians are the number one consumers followed by Venezuela and Tunisia. In which country do people eat pasta most? Answer: In our city, there is a big zoo. There are a lot of different animals in it. There are some scary tigers and lions. They like eating meat and they eat much meat every day. There are also two big elephants and a baby one. Children like to ride one of them. The elephants are very kind and friendly. They eat much grass and bananas. In the zoo, we can see different kinds of bears : brown bears, black bears and white bears. They are all shy and clumsy . They stand on their back legs and lift their front legs to ask for food They like cakes very much. Do you like pandas? There's only one in the zoo. Her name is Lingling. She is very cute. She likes eating bamboos a lot. She is kind of shy, She's very interesting and lovely. Bears stand on their _ legs and lift their _ legs to ask for food. Answer:
Question: Scientists from the Max Plank Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tubingen, Germany, have presented the first experimental evidence that people do end up walking in circles if lost in unfamiliar areas.The study, published in the journal Current Biology, examined the tracks of people who walked for several hours in the Sahara desert in Tunisia and in the Bienwald forest in Germany.Researchers Jan Souman and Marc Ernst said the scientists used the global positioning system (GPS) to record these paths.The results showed that the walkers were only able to keep a straight line when the sun or moon was visible.As soon as the sun disappeared behind some clouds, people started to walk in circles without even noticing it. Souman said one explanation offered in the past for people walking in circles was that most people have one leg longer or stronger than the other, which would produce a systematic bias in one direction.To test .the researchers asked people to walk straight while blindfolded which removed the effects of vision.They found that these circles were rarely in a systematic direction, with the same person sometimes switching to the left and sometimes to the right. "Most of the participants in the study walked in circles, sometimes in extremely small ones.Walking in circles is therefore not caused by differences in leg length or strength, but more likely the result of increasing uncertainty about where straight ahead is," said Souman, "Small random errors in the various sensory signals that provide information about walking direction add up over time, making what a person perceives to be straight ahead drift away from the true straight ahead direction." What is the probable reason for people's walking in circles? A. The invisible sun or moon. B. The increasing uncertainty about directions. C. Differences in leg length or strength. D. Wrong signals providing information about areas. Answer: B Question: Criticism is judgement.A critic is a judge.A judgement study and think about the material presented to him, accept it, correct it, or reject it after thinking over what he has read, watched or heard. Another word for criticism is appreciation.When I criticize or appreciate some objector another, I look for its good points and bad points.In reading any printed or written matter, I always have a pencil in hand and put any comments in the book or on a separate paper.In other words, I always talk back to the writer. That sort of critical reading might well be called creative reading because I am thinking along with the author, asking him questions, seeing whether he answers the questions and how well he answers them.I mark the good passages to store them in my memory piece of writing; where, how and why could or should I improve upon it? You might think that doing what I suggested is work.Yes, it is, but the work is a pleasure because I can feel my brain expanding, my emotion reacting and my way of living change. Reading exercises is a great influence on a person.If pictures, still or moving, accompany the reading, the memory will retain the material for a long time. Just as evil books can corrupt, so also can good books gradually work a change on a corrupt person. Let's get back to the beneficial effects of thinking while reading.It helps us to enlarge our minds.We understand more about the universe, its people and many of its wonders.We learn to think and observe in new ways.We certainly do get a feeling for the language we are reading.All good writers in any language have been readers who read critically and continuously. We can learn from the passage that all good readers _ . A. understand more about their surrounding than others. B. have a thorough insight to the problem in life. C. have the feeling of the language they read. D. have read extensively and critically Answer: D Question: Parents genes will determine the rabbits A. mate B. food preferences C. fur color D. habitat location Answer: C Question: Laura wanted to go to the park and play because she wanted to see her friends. When she got to the park Laura did not see anyone. After looking, she saw her friend George by the basketball hoop. George was playing all by himself. George was happy when he saw Laura. Laura and George played basketball they saw the ice cream man driving in his truck. George asked Laura if she wanted him to buy her an ice cream cone. Laura said she would like him to do that. Laura sat on the bench as George walked to the ice cream truck. Laura looked in the sky and saw a pretty bird flying in a large circle. The bird flew away. George came back with two ice cream cones. One of the ice cream cones had rainbow sprinkles on it. George gave the ice cream cone with sprinkles to Laura. George and Laura sat on the bench and watched a group of boys play football as they ate their ice cream cones. One of the boys broke his leg. When George and Laura were finished with their ice cream, Laura ran home before the street lights came on. What sport was George playing by himself? A. football B. baseball C. basketball D. soccer Answer: C Question: A rainfores is an area covered by tall trees with the total high rainfall spreading quite equally through the year and the temperature rarely dipping below 16degC.Rainforests have a great effect on the world environment because they can take in heat from the sun and adjust the climate. Without the forest cover, these areas would reflect more heat into the atmosphere,warming the rest of the world .Losing the rainforests may also influence wind and rainfall patterns, potentially causing certain natural disasters all over the world. In the past hundred years, humans have begun destroying rainforests in search of three major resources : land for crops, wood for paper and other products, land for raising farm animals. This action affects the environment as a whole. For example,a lot of carbon dioxide in the air comes from burning the rainforests. People obviously have a need for the resources we gain from cutting trees but we will suffer much more than we will benefit . There are two main reasons for _ . Firstly, when people cut down trees, generally they can only use the land for a year or two. Secondly, cutting large sections of rainforests may provide a good supply of wood right now, but in the long run it actually reduces the world' s wood supply. Rainforests are often called the world's drug store. More than 25% of the medicines we use today come from plants in rainforests. However, fewer than 1% of rainforest plants have been examined for their medical value. It is extremely likely that our best chance to cure diseases lies somewhere in the world's shrinking rainforests. .What might be the best title for the text? A. How to Save Rainforests B. How to Protect Nature C. Rainforests and the Environment D. Rainforests and Medical Development Answer: C
To "sacrifice" means to give up something for the sake of something else. We decided to sacrifice our luxurious city life to move to a seaside village with our children aged 9 and 3. In the city, we had a beautiful home and plenty of money but little real security because crime was on the increase every day. We never knew if we would all make it home safely each night. We were very happy in the new town but life was very difficult economically. Our income was very much dependent on tourism and the jobs at other times are few. Although many of the long-standing residents live well, it is a very competitive environment for newcomers. Reading the newspapers from the big cities assured us that we had made the right choice. There is so much violence and crime there! However, it was not always easy to explain .to the children why they could no longer have what they used to have, especially when our "rich" friends came from the city to visit. One day, one of our "rich" friends came to visit us. His son preferred riding in the back of our _ truck to his father's modern car. Our little daughter called me and said, "Mom, please help me explain to James why he is wrong. He said, 'today, if you don't have money you are nothing.' I know that is not true. If you do have money you share it with your friends and if they don't have money, you share it with them. That is what makes us all rich." This made me realize that the sacrifice was well worth it. Our kids have a solid set of values and they know that our most precious gifts are our good friends and a wonderful environment. What assured the author that they had made the right choice according to the passage? A. What she read in the newspapers. B. The beautiful scenery of the countryside. C. The residents' living conditions. D. The fact that they had been used to the new place. Answer: A. What she read in the newspapers. Which of these is less likely to cause pollution A. mountain bike B. motor bike C. dirt bike D. chopper Answer: A. mountain bike Customs are social habits. They have been handed down through generations among groups, social classes, etc. Customs can be described as ways of doing things. They are particularly strong in social practices on the occasions of births, marriages and deaths. In China, these days, some people in cities are learning from Western customs. For example, some brides dress in the long white dress that is usual bridal wear in many Western countries. Every people has special customs for New Year. The Han people have many interesting Spring Festival customs. And now, quite a number of people living in the cities have followed the Western customs of sending New Year greeting cards for January 1st. One interesting custom in China is that mothers wrap up their babies tightly .This is not the custom in Western countries, where babies are usually dressed in loose garments. In this passage, the word "garment" is_. A. a kind of food B. a bed C. a sort of clothes D. a room Answer: C. a sort of clothes My father had returned from his business visit to London when I came in, rather late, to supper. I could tell at once that he and my mother had been discussing something. In that half- playful, half-serious way I knew so well, he said, "How would you like to go to Eton?" " You bet, " I cried quickly catching the joke. Everyone knew it was the most expensive, the most famous of schools. You had to be entered at birth, if not before. Besides, even at 12 or 13, I. understood my father. He disliked any form of showing off. He always knew his proper station in life, which was in the middle of the middle class; our house was medium-sized; he had avoided joining Royal Liverpool Golf Club and went to a smaller one instead; though once he had got a second-hand Rolls-Royce at a remarkably low price, he felt embarrassed driving it, and quickly changed it for an Austin 1100. This could only be his delightful way of telling me that the whole boarding school idea was to be dropped. Alas ! I should also have remembered that he had a liking for being different from everyone else, if it did not conflict with his fear of drawing attention to himself. It seemed that he had happened to be talking to Graham Brown of the London office, a very nice fellow, and Craham had a friend who had just entered his boy at the school, and while he was in that part of the world he thought he might just as well phone them. I remember my eyes stinging and my hands shaking with the puzzlement of my feelings. There was excitement, at the heart of great sadness. "Oh, he doesn't want to go away , " said my mother, " You shouldn't go on like this. " "It's up to him, " said my father. "He can make up his own mind. " How did the author react to the idea of going to Eton? A. He didn't believe it. B. He was very unhappy. C. He was delighted. D. He had mixed feelings. Answer: D. He had mixed feelings. One day in my class, Maria shared her feelings about money, "Money worries me. I think I want to live without money because I hate it. I HATE MONEY." We were all touched by Maria's words as they reminded us of the spiritual burdens that money managing can bring to us. After class I offered to help Maria deal with her financial problems. She hesitated to accept my offer, and I could see from the expression on her face that she was afraid of what it might involve. I quickly promised her that I wouldn't make her do more than she was able to. I told her frankly that I didn't enjoy managing my money any more than she did hers and wouldn't burden her with guilt, judgments, or impossible tasks. All I would ask her to do was to let me help her look at her fears and try to make some sense of them. Maria still resisted my offer, and I can remember the excuses she gave me as they were the repeated complaints I had heard from so many people. "I'11 never understand money," she said. "My facts are meaningless." "I don't deserve to have money." "I never have enough," "I have too little to manage." "My financial position isn't worth looking at." and the most _ one of all, "I just can't do it." Going home that day, I couldn't get Maria out of my mind: Her attitude conveyed the same negativity and fear that I believed annoyed many people. I was sure it was this attitude that prevented people from managing their money effectively. My counseling has taught me that these anxieties are inseparably connected to our self-doubts and fear for survival. Many of us are terrified of handling our money because we don't believe we can do it well, and to do it wrong would put our very existence at risk. On a deeper level we know that money is not the source of life, but sense of worth drives us to act as if it were. It locks us up in self-doubts and prevents us from tapping into the true source of our management power, our spirit. Maria wouldn't take the author's offer of help for fear of _ . A. being forced to share her money with others B. having to do something beyond her reach C. being found guilty of making impossible errors D. showing her judgment about money Answer: B. having to do something beyond her reach
The emotions of the athletes in the prize-awarding moments are often some of the most unforgettable images of the Olympics.Yet, a number of people have noticed some strange things.Yes, the gold medal winner is filled with pride and excitement, which is to be expected.Yet often, it seems the bronze medal winner is happier than the silver medalist.It is strange that the 3rd place contestant might be happier than someone who did better (the 2nd place).How can this be so? "What if reasoning can help to explain this interesting effect. In order to understand our world and our choices, we often imagine how things could have been different.A wife may ask, " Would I be happier today if I had married someone else?" Likewise, a student may think, "If 1 had chosen another major, maybe I would have a better shot at getting into graduate school." In short, " what if thinking allows us to mentally create alternative to our reality. In the Olympics, the "what ifs" of the winners are different.Clearly, the "what ifs" for the gold medalist involve not being No.1--this thought makes this athlete realize how fortunate he or she is.For the bronze medalist, the "what ifs" involve not being on the medal list at all, producing positive feelings.However, for the silver medalist, the "what ifs" can easily make the athlete ponder how things could have been different if he or she has won the gold medal (e.g.what if I practiced harder, and what if I had not made the small error in my routine).Thus, the "what ifs" that come to mind of the 1st and 3rd place finishers are positive, but the 2nd place finishers have a number of dissatisfying alternatives to reality that can make them feel less happy. According to the passage, "what if reasoning means _ . A imagining what things could have been or would be in another situation B making the best choice in a very difficult situation C doing the same thing using several different ways D looking forward to being in a better situation Answer: A Dinner customs are different around the world. If you are a guest in Ghana( ), this information will help you a lot. In Ghana, dinner is usually from four in the afternoon to six in the evening. But there are no strict rules about time. Whenever a guest arrives, a family offers food. When you go to a home, the person who receives guests takes you to the living room first. At this time everyone welcomes you. Then you go to the dinning room. There you wash your hands in a bowl of water. All the food is on the table. In Ghana you usually eat with your fingers. You eat from the same dish as everyone else .But you eat from one side of the dish only. It is not polite to get food from the other side of the dish. After dinner, you wash your hands again in a bowl of water. Most meals in Ghana have a dish called fufu. People in Ghana make fufu from the powder of some plants. Sometimes they cut the fufu with a saw because it is very hard. You must chew fufu well, or you may get sick. You eat fufu with the fingers of your right hand only. From the passage we know that in Ghana _ . A the rules for dinner time are not strict B dinner is always at six in the evening C a family offers food only at four in the afternoon D people usually invite their guests to dinner late in the evening Answer: A In England people don't usually talk too much .You can go on a bus, or in a train, and everyone sits looking out of the window. Often they read .They read books and papers .But they don't talk much. When you meet English people, they often talk about one thing, the weather. So when you meet somebody in English, you can say, "Nice weather for the time of year!" "But it was a little cold yesterday, "somebody may answer . "But it got a bit warmer later!" you can say. Talk like this, and the English will think ,how friendly you are ! English people always hope the weather will get _ . A better B warmer C colder D hotter Answer: A Allen : I've never been a big fan of the bears , especially the vacation show . On my last trip to Disneyland (1999) we passed it by , because we didn't want to spend the time on something we didn't really enjoy. If we'd known it would be closed by our next visit , I'm sure we would have watched it one more time . I was just making the point that it wasn't until Disney announced the closing that this feeling suddenly sprang up for the Country Bear show at Disneyland . But I think the idea of keeping some attractions open forever regardless of the number of visitors it gets is a mistake . We all have great memories of the Bears , but clearly very few kids today (or I should say families today ) are making those same memories from this show . That may be a sad fact , but it's a fact . For whatever reason , the show doesn't pull in the numbers . Isn't it right to use the Country Bear space to bring in a more popular attraction so that more kids today can make those magic memories of an attraction THEY like ? Otherwise aren't we just telling kids today that they "have to" make great memories of the Bears , when it's obvious that the kids themselves are not enjoying the Bears like we did ? Roger : I am very disappointed that they have decided to retire the Country Bear Playhouse . I remember going to the show as a child , and still enjoyed it as a teenager , and now young adult . It is true that there aren't a lot of shows left at DL and with this one closing even less . Being at DL does require a lot of walking , and it is nice to have a few attractions that are a place to sit and enjoy a good show . I understand that DL has to develop , but there has to be some history to the Disneyland that Walt Disney first designed . There should be some parts of DL that just never go away , and this is one of them . By the time I have children it looks like there won't be any attractions that I can say I went to as a child at the rate they are going . Now the Bears are leaving . What I want to say is: stop trying to compete with everyone ! DL is the best , because of attractions like the Country Bears . If DL insists on destroying all of its magic to make way for the latest , well , then it might as well be just another theme park . What news might get people talking about the problem of the Country Bears ? A The Country Bear Playhouse will be closed . B There will be a new attraction for our guests at Disneyland C The number of visitors to the Country Bear Playhouse is falling . D The Bears will retire because of old age and can't give shows any more . Answer: A Breakthroughs in science and technology are paving the way for modern cities to support bigger populations. Now, we see the most exciting urban innovations to show you exactly how they'll improve your city's infrastructure . Lighting Up The Night Anthony Di Mari dreamed up an electric tree to help irrigate public parks and light them at night. These electric trees contain a special infill that collects water from rainfall. The water is then distributed through a shallow underground irrigation system with the help from the trees' swaying movement. An electric motor turns energy from the waving of the artificial trees into electricity, which is used to light up the trees' outer LEDs. Thinking Outside The Box As more people flock to urban areas, city planners will need to get increasingly creative about how to satisfy residents' health and transportation needs within decreasing available space. One way to achieve this is by updating infrastructure to support biking and walking by building suspended roundabouts like hovering in the Netherlands. By lifting bicycle and pedestrian traffic above busy roadways, cities can significantly decrease over-crowded traffic condition. Waving Hello To Clean Energy Cities that don't receive enough sunlight may find an attractive alternative in wave power. Since ocean waves rarely experience disruption , electric engines driven by their clockwork push-and-pull can reliably provide power throughout the year. Further, thanks to advances in wave power technology, engineers have been able to move wave power engines farther offshore, where the waves pack the most punch, making the engines extremely efficient. So in the future, heavily populated coastal cities may use wave to meet their energy needs. What is the special infill used to do? A To make the trees beautiful. B To produce electricity. C To help the trees' swaying. D To collect water from rainfall. Answer: D
The creation of a Chinese Green Card in 2004 was a milestone in the country's immigration law. Five years on, the card is an increasingly sought-after document. On August 15, 2004, the Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence oAliens in China created a Green Card system granting qualified foreigners the right to live in China permanently. Liu Lili, who works in the Exit and Entry Administration of Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, has watched the Green Card system develop since its inception. She said nearly all applications received by the Bureau are approved. So far, 323 people have been granted a "Green Card" qualifying them for permanent residence in Beijing. Another 15 are awaiting final approval. It takes around 6 months to process each application. Of the 323 Green Card holders, 94 are wives or husbands of Chinese citizens; 50 are minors dependent on their parents; 20 are senior citizens returning to live with relatives; 114 are individuals who have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China (another 7 are their family members); and 23 are high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses (another 15 are their family members). Liu said the authorities had been granting residence to returning senior citizens for some time before the Green Card system was formally launched .The government has approved permanent residence for over 3,000 foreigners since the implementation of the Law on Control of the Entry and Exit of Aliens which was adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in November 1985. Four groups of people are eligible for permanent residence: high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses that promote China's economic, scientific and technological development or social progress; foreign citizens who make large direct investments in China; persons who have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China; and people who come to China to be with family, such as husbands and wives, minors dependent on their parents, and senior citizens dependent on their relatives. Liu said that most applications she dealt with were from American citizens. Why do overseas citizens apply for permanent residence status in China? The main concern, aid Liu, is the political factor. Once people have a "Green Card", they feel they are accepted and trusted by the Chinese government. The "Green Card" also facilitates entry and exit. With permanent residence status, visas are no longer needed and people can enter and leave the country using only a valid passport. China offers outstanding career opportunities and is seen by many as safer and more secure than many other countries, said Liu. Liu said that Green Card holders have the same rights and responsibilities as Chinese citizens. However the card is not equivalent to Chinese nationality and holders are not allowed to vote in elections, hold political office, or serve in the military. Obtaining a Green Card is not easy. The qualifying conditions are tough. Unless you are a close relative of a Chinese citizen,you will either have to invest a substantial amount of money in the country or make a genuinely outstanding contribution to the country's development. To meet increasing demand, he authorities are considering making the Green Card more available by broadening the range of applicants without lowering the requirements, aid Liu, but she gave no further details. Which of the following can't get a green card? Answer: There are a lot of reasons why growing your own food is a good idea. GIY helps reduce carbon dioxide(CO2) emissions . Food in supermarkets travels a long way and that produces a lot of CO2. If you grow as many vegetables as you can at home, you can help save the earth. Vegetables you grow are also good for your health because they have more nutrients than supermarket vegetables and they don't have chemicals. How much money can you save? First of all, seeds are a lot of cheaper than vegetables, and secondly, you can save more by planting the most expensive and the most productive vegetables. You can give your vegetables to fiends and neighbors. It can make you very popular. Don't worry if you don't have much space. To GIY, you don't even need a garden. You can use pots on your balconies . And don't worry if your space doesn't get much sun. You can plant vegetables that don't need a lot of sun to grow. Grow your own vegetables now. You will have both a healthier body and a healthier social life. From the passage, we can learn that _ . Answer: When I was a boy,I belonged to the Boy Scouts ,so I used to go camping every summer,and once something happened which I have never been able to explain. We were camping in a place above a river. After arriving,we all rushed down to the river and had a swim. Standing by the river,we noticed that it was surrounded by cliffs . If someone wanted to reach the river at this point,he had to walk past our camp. Several days later,the scoutmaster had to he away for a day. That afternoon,we had supper early. We were sitting round the fire,eating and talking,when a man walked past and went down towards the river. We all felt that this man looked very strange,but,because each of us was afraid of looking very stupid,no one said anything. We ate rather slowly,taking as long as possible. After finishing,we collected our plates together so that we could take them to the river where we always washed them. But no one moved towards the river-- we stood looking at each other ashamed. Then all shouting at once, we began talking about the man who had walked past us. We agreed how strange he looked and we wondered what he could be doing by the river. We knew that he could only return by passing through our camp. An hour passed. Then one of the boys suggested we should creep down by the river so that we could see what the man was doing. Moving very slowly and keeping in the shadow, we crept down towards the bank. One boy climbed a tree so that he could see everything clearly. He called to us that there was no one there,so we ran down to the bank, looking every-where carefully. We could not understand where the man had gone. When it got dark,we went back to our camp feeling bewildered. We told the scoutmaster what had happened in the evening. Smiling,he doubted that we had seen the man,but finally suggested we go and look again. We did,but there was no one there. Many years have passed,but I still remember it as if it were yesterday. What did we see?I do not know. Why did the boys eat their supper slowly? Answer: Human beings are the most intelligent of all animals because we are gifted with the ability to think and reason logically. Scientists and even common people with special intelligence have made a lot of inventions and contributions to modern lifestyle in the past. "Houses" have been the most popular area for discoveries and inventions in the past and even now. Many household items have been the result of inventions of people who desired better functioning of the existent products. Every individual has intelligence and if it is used properly for the right purpose it leads to invention of a new tool or device. Many new household inventions are made almost every day and there are specific companies, which particularly keep a record of all these inventions. A lot of inventions have been made recently in the household field. These products are patented and have trade mark licenses . The patented sliding cinch is a very simple but effective method to prevent shoulder stress and injury for those who work before computers all day long. Vanity PC is a type of computer furniture that specifically hides all the computer wires and keeps a clean and good look. All the outdoor dust, mud and snow can be kept out of the house by installing the dirt drain at the entrance of the door. Another important invention is the automatic toilet night-light, in which a small light starts when the lid of the toilet seat is opened and closes as soon as the lid is closed. These are some of the new household inventions invented mostly by common people. Thus, a variety of new household items are invented every day, which helps in a better functioning of household chores and in a more useful manner. Common people can also make good inventions because _ . Answer: Over a hundred years ago people in London were surprised to see a very unusual boat come sailing up the Thames River.The boat was eighty feet long flat-bottomed,with big wooden eyes on both sides in the front and was colorfully painted at the back. People came to know that it was a sailing boat from Fuzhou in distant China.The boat had sailed round the Cape of Good Hope up the western coast of Africa,and finally to England.It had covered fifteen thousand miles--more than half of the distance round the world. Although it was unexpected,the Chinese were warmly welcomed.The boat carried goods such as silk and tea as well as a number of gifts from the Emperor of China for the Queen of England. People had always mistakenly thought of the Chinese as a people not used to sea.However,from centuries of trading and sailing in dangerous seas,the Chinese had learned how to build good boats and sailed them well.The coming of this sailing boat to London proved once again that the Chinese could sail to distant countries in the world. The boat reached London by sailing _ . Answer:
People use money to buy food, books and hundreds of other things they need. When they work, they usually get paid in money. Most of the money used today is made of metal or paper. But in the time long ago, people used to use all kinds of things as money. One of the first kinds of money was shells. In China, cloth and knives were used as money. Elephant tusks , monkey tail and salt were used in some parts of the world. Rice was also a kind of money used by the people in some islands. Some animals were used as money, too. The first copper coins were made in China. They were round and had a square hole in the center. Different countries have used different metals for their money. Later, some countries began to make coins of gold and silver . But gold and silver were heavy to carry when people needed a lot of coins to buy something expensive. The Chinese were the first to use paper money. The first paper money looked more like a note from one person to another than the paper money used today. Money has had an interesting story from the days of shell money till today. _ was also a kind of money used by the people in some islands. A. Gold B. Animals C. Rice D. Knives Answer: C. Rice When a first-time father saw his newborn son, he immediately noticed the baby's ears obviously standing out from his head. He expressed his concern to the nurse that some children might be made fun of his child. A doctor examined the baby and reassured the new dad that his son was healthy---- the ears presented only a small problem with its appearance. But the nervous father continued. He wondered if the child might suffer psychological effects of ridicule, or if they should consider plastic surgery . The nurse assured him that it was really no problem, and he should just wait to see if the boy grows into his ears. The father finally felt more optimistic about his child, but now he worried about his wife's reaction to those large ears. She had been delivered by operation, and had not yet seen the child. "She doesn't take things as easily as I do," he said to the nurse. By this time, the new mother was settled in the recovery room and ready to meet her new baby. The nurse went along with the dad to lend some support in case this inexperienced mother became upset about her baby's large ears. The baby was in a blanket with his head covered for the short trip through the cold air-conditioned corridor. The baby was placed in his mother's arms, who eased the blanket back so that she could look at her child for the first time. She took one look at her baby's face and looked to her husband and gasped, "Oh, Honey! Look! He has your ears!" No problem with Mom. She married those ears...and she loves the man to whom _ are attached. The poet Kahlil Gibran said, "Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart." It's hard to see the ears when you're looking into the light. What is true about the baby's mother? A. She blamed her husband for the baby's big ears. B. She was the first to discover the baby's large ears. C. She suggested having an operation on the baby immediately. D. She found something similar between the baby and its father. Answer: D. She found something similar between the baby and its father. Do you always understand the directions on a bottle of medicine? Do you know what is meant by "Take only as directed"? Read the following directions and see if you understand them. "To reduce pain, take two tablets with water, followed by one tablet every eight hours, as required. For night-time and early morning relief, take two tablets at bedtime. Do not take more than six tablets in twenty-four hours. For children six to twelve years old, give half the amount. For children under six years old ,ask for your doctor's advice. Reduce the amount if you suffer from restlessness or sleeplessness after taking the medicine". What is the advice for one who cannot sleep well after taking the medicine? A. Stop taking the medicine at bedtime B. Continue to take the normal amount. C. Take more than the normal amount. D. Take less than the normal amount. Answer: D. Take less than the normal amount. Recently, China Dream has been the subject of a public topic. Although it is quite common for Chinese people to dream of a developed China, most people also have their own dreams. I interviewed several young Chinese students with higher US educational backgrounds. They all had their own dreams for their native country. Fred Wang, an MBA student in the US, said, "I dream of equal chance for the young in China. Equality means all young people can compete fairly, based on the rule-of-law no matter whether they are rich or poor." Yujie Zhao, another MBA student in California, said, "I dream of having the best education for my children so they will not lose at the starting line, and I dream of being able to take good care of my parents after they return home from work." Yiqiong Zhang, an MBA graduate from the US, shared her dreams. "I have a dream which I have been holding for many years, that is after working hard for about 20 to 25 years, I can have enough money to build and manage a bookstore or a flower shop. Besides working hard, I am able to enjoy life, to play the piano, to hike and to enjoy a two-month-long vacation every year. This may be a common dream among young Chinese students." There is no doubt that all of these young students have their own China Dream. They all love chasing their dreams. The beautiful China Dream requires everyone's hard work. Everyone should work hard to make their dreams come true. Which one is Yiqiong Zhang's dream? A. Having an equal chance for the young in China. B. Having the best education for her children. C. Managing a bookstore or a flower shop in her middle ages. D. Taking a four weeks' vacation every year. Answer: C. Managing a bookstore or a flower shop in her middle ages. More than two million Americans above 65 years of age suffer from depression. And in the next 35 years, twice as many people will find themselves in that age range --including me, and probably you too! So, what activities can prevent depression as we get older? Researchers at UCLA turned to a gentle "Westernized" version of tai chi, the 2,000-year-old Chinese martial art . When a group of adults over 60 on antidepressant drug therapy attended a weekly tai chi exercise class, standard rating scales showed greater improvement in their level of depression, along with improved quality of life, better memory and cognition , and more overall energy when compared to study participants taking the same medicine but going to a weekly health education class. "This is the first study to prove the benefits of tai chi in the management of late-life depression, and we were encouraged by the results," said Dr Helen Lavretsky, a UCLA professor. "We know that nearly two-thirds of elderly patients who seek treatment for their depression fail to achieve relief with a prescribed medication ." In the study, 112 adults above 60 with major depression were treated with the prescription antidepressant medicine for approximately four weeks.Among those participants, 73 who showed only little improvement continued to receive the daily medication but were also assigned to 10 weeks of either a tai chi class or a health education class for two hours per week. "Both groups showed improvement in the severity of depression," said Lavretsky. But greater benefits were noted among those participating in tai chi. This study shows that adding a mind-body exercise like tai chi, which is widely available in the community, can improve the outcomes of treating depression in older adults.With tai.chi, we may be able to treat other, coexisting medical conditions without exposing them to additional medications." What can be inferred from the passage? A. Tai chi is not a common way of exercise in the community in America. B. More and more people will suffer from depression in the near future. C. In the near future, tai chi will replace medicine in the treatment of depression. D. Either tai chi or a health education class does good to elderly people with depression. Answer: D. Either tai chi or a health education class does good to elderly people with depression.
The poorer mental function seen among alcoholics,many of whom also regularly smoke cigarettes,may be partly due to the long term effects of nicotine ,new research suggests. "People who are also smokers are at a much higher risk," Dr.Jennifer M.Glass of the University of Michigan's Addiction Research Center said. In her study,"Cigarette smoking has a bad effect on IQ and thinking," she said. This finding may seem counterintuitive ,since many smokers show that they feel quicker and focused after smoking. Indeed,research shows that improved mental functioning is one of the immediate effects of nicotine exposure. _ Studies show that up to 87 percent of alcoholics smoke cigarettes. Yet,few studies have looked into cigarette smoking as a factor that might explain the cognitive lack reported among alcoholics. To search for that association,Glass and her colleagues examined brain function among 172 men from the same area,including 103 men who abused alcohol. The team found that men with higher scores on the lifetime alcohol problems scale(LAPS)and those who reported a higher number of pack years of smoking both had lower IQ scores. Upon further research,the researchers found that smoking also appeared to be independently associated with weaker word and space reasoning. Thus,though smoking did not account for all of the decreased mental functioning observed among the alcohol abusers,it did seem to account for some of the effects,the report indicates. From the passage we can learn that . Answer: Some fish may contain harmful chemicals, which can be the result of both natural causes and water pollution. Mercury is a poisonous chemical, which occurs naturally in oceans and the Earth's crust , but also comes from man-made sources, such as farm chemicals, burning garbage, oil, coal, etc. Polyclilorinated bipheuyls (PCBs), a group of chemicals, can also be found in some fish. These man-made chemicals were used in many industries until 1977, when they were banned. PCBs were released or leaked into (lie tar and water and have bear transported around the globe. How do mercury and PCBs end up in fish and the food supply? When they arc released into the air, they attach themselves to particles .These particles settle on the ground and in the water and are eventually eater by micro-organisms. Small fish cat the micro-organisms, and large fish eat the small fish and on up the food chain. Because they can negatively affect your health, the U.S. Eavirotunental Protectioc Agency advises that kids younger than 15 years old avoid fish that cortain high levels of mercury and PCBs. These include shark, swordfish, king rrnackerel, and tilefish. There are also many types of fish that are good for you, but arc in danger of being wiped out because of ovcrfishing. Sonic are being fished in the wild so much that they cannot reproduce enough to survive.Others re being farmed in ways that are not environmentally friendly. These fish include red snapper.Atlantic salmon, bluefnn tuna. and king crab. Despite these problems, there are several fish that are both healthy and sustainable , such as Alaskan salmon, American catfish, Pacific cod, and several fans-raised fish and shellfish. Which of the fish is safe for children according to the passage? Answer: Hello, everyone. Because of the high rate of school violence in some areas, teenagers' safety becomes a serious problem. We are planning to set up an organization named School Watch to make sure that students have a safe school environment. Please be part of our plan! What is School Watch? School Watch is a volunteer project in our school. It helps us stop violence and improve the quality of school life. It will keep yourself and your schoolmates safe. The other members of School Watch care for you and your classroom, and you do the same for them. Is it for everyone? Anybody can become a member of School Watch because everyone has something to offer. What else can it do? School Watch makes it possible for us not only to help each other but also to make friends with each other. Some members may offer to help the schoolmates who have problems with their homework. Who is the School Watch? Our school will look for the School Watcher and give him or her lots of prizes. You could be the one! How do you start? To be part of this plan, the only thing you need to do is to talk to the director of the plan in your grade. You can check the official website _ if you want to get more information. Anyone can become a member of School Watch because _ . Answer: In 1959, when Jean Harper was in the third grade, her teacher gave the class an assignment to write a report on what they wanted to be when they grew up. She poured her heart into her report and expressed her dream of becoming an airline pilot. Her paper came back with an "F" on it. The teacher told her it was a "fairy tale". Jean was heartbroken and ashamed. As the years went by, Jean was beaten down by the discouragement and negativity she encountered whenever she talked about her dream. "Girls can't become airline pilots; never have, never will. You're crazy. That's impossible. "Finally Jean gave up. In her senior year of high school, her English teacher was a Mrs. Dorothy Slaton, a demanding teacher with high standards. One day Mrs. Slaton asked this question: "If you had unlimited finances, unlimited access to the finest schools, unlimited talents and abilities, what would you do?" Jean felt a rush of the old enthusiasm, and with excitement she wrote down the very old dream. The next thing that Mrs. Slaton said changed the course of Jean's life. The teacher leaned forward over her desk and said, "I have a little secret for you. You do have unlimited abilities and talents. When you leave school, if you don't go for your dreams, no one will do it for you. You can have what you want if you want it enough." The hurt and fear of years of discouragement disappeared all of a sudden. Jean felt thrilled and told her about her dream of becoming a pilot. Mrs. Slaton slapped the desk top. "Then do it!" she said. So Jean did. It didn't happen overnight. In her l0 years of hard work, even facing varieties of laugh, frustration and opposition, she never gave up her dream. Instead, she went on doing everything her third-grade teacher said was fairy-tale. Eventually, Jean Harper became a Boeing 737 captain for the United Airline Company. According to the passage, we can infer that _ . Answer: Mom was right! If you say thank you, for even the smallest gift or slightest show of kindness, you'll fell happy. Gratitude , says Robert A. Emmons, a professor of psychology at the University of California, is an extremely important element of happiness, In his most recent book, Thanks! (Houghton Mifflin, $30.95), Emmons uses the first major study on gratitude to prove mom's point. In acknowledging and promoting this much-ignored expression of thankfulness, he explains how people have benefited --even improved their health. As one of the leading scholars of the positive psychology movement, he admits gratitude may be difficult to express. He recommends you begin by acknowledging that life is good and full of events and elements that make daily existence a wonder. Second, recognize that the source of life's goodness is more than just you. That source may be your mom, a friend, partner, child, colleague at work or play, a caregiver or God --or any combination of these. Expressing gratitude should not be a reaction. Instead, it should be a state of mind, To feel grateful when life is a breeze and you have more than what you need is easy, To be grateful in times of crisis --anger, hatred and bitterness--is easier. Also, too many people are aware of life's blessings only after these are lost. It's crisis and chaos--danger, disease, disability and death -- that bring many individuals to realize just how dependent they are on others. Yet it's the way each of us begins life and ends it. It's too hard that so many people waste those decades in between laboring under the illusion that they are self-sufficient, says Emmons. I'm not a reader or advocate of self-help books, but I am thankful for the reference I found in a newspaper article to the research Emmons was conducting on gratitude involving organ donors and recipients . The chance discovery led me to this book. Mom implied that kindness seems to find its way back to the giver because life really is all about giving, receiving and repaying. So I'll follow her advice and say: Thank you, Professor Emmons. It will be easier for you to feel grateful when _ Answer:
Studies show that laughter is something that makes you feel calm or relaxed for both physical and psychological wounds though it may seem futile to laugh in the face of pain and fear. When Dan Rather interviewed comedian Bill Cosby just one week after his son, Ennis, was killed, Cosby said, "I think it is time for me to tell people that we have to laugh. You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, you can survive it." Call it a flashlight for dark times: laughter just seems to adjust attitude better than anything else. Inspirational speaker Steve Rizzo recalls a TV interview with an injured firefighter a few days after 9.11.The man had fallen more than 30 stories in one of the towers and had broken a leg. Everyone was crying, and the reporter asked, "How is it that you've come out of this alive?" He looked at her and without missing a beat, said, "Look, lady, I'm from New York and I'm a firefighter; that' all you need to know." "Everyone laughed and though the laughter was only a couple of seconds," says Rizzo. "Sometimes that's all you need to catch your second breath. Laughter gives you that couple of seconds. You're sending a message to your brain, and the message is: If you can still laugh even a little among the pain, you are going to be OK." Of course, there is a difference between laughing off a serious situation and laughing off the fear that results. The firefighter was doing the latter, states Rizzo, the author of Becoming a Humorous Being, and so should we. "If there is anything we have learnt from 9.11, it's how precious life really is," she says. "We have to send a message that our spirit won't die. One important thing that unites us is our ability to laugh." From the passage, we can know that Americans are_. Answer: greatly hurt by 9.11 Can you imagine living in the desert for a whole year, watching the activities of a group of busy ants? Deborah Gordon did exactly that. She finally found out that there were four main groups of workers in the ant team: cleaners, haulers , gatherers and security ants. Each group did their own job to finish the task of the whole team. Cleaner ants carried waste food from inside the nest to outside. Hauler ants walked on the top of the nest and cleared rubbish. Gatherer ants went out to find food for the whole team and security ants fought against anyone who wanted to hurt the members of the team. While she was watching the ants in the desert, Deborah found that the most interesting part was watching the ants dealing with difficulties, such as fighting against other insects that wanted to destroy their nest, or a big fire. At those moments, they would all stop what they were doing and go to help security ants to protect their home. What do we do when people around us meet difficulties? What have we done to turn our world into a better place? It's time to think. If there was a fire near their home, the groups of ants would _ . Answer: help to fight against the fire It seemed like there were quarrels every evening.My children were always fighting over something.They never agreed on who had last washed the dishes,or who had last picked the,TV program.I was tired of constantly being a judge. One day,I thought over what my life was like before marriage.I recalled my high school days when the terms"Odd "day/and"Even"day meant something.My class schedule changed by turns between "O" days and"E"days.On O days I might attend Physics and Maths. And on E days I'd go to another elective class,such as First aid or Art. So I explained our new system to the children."Jolee,you were born first,"I said. "Is one an odd number or all even one?" "It's odd,Mom." "And A1,you arrived second.Is two odd or even?" "It's even,Mom." "Ok,so Jolee,from now on,every odd day is automatically your own special day.That means you get to pick what to watch,or which board game to play.Al,the same applies to you on even days." He thought about it a minute,then said,"But there are more odd days than even ones in some months.Jolee will get'her day'two times in a row when a month ends in 31,and the next one begins with a one." "True," I said,"but that also means she'11 be taking the smelly,disgusting rubbish out,washing the dishes,and doing other less-enjoyable things two more days in a row,and you won't.It's part of life's give-and-take." For the first few days after that,whenever one kid shouted,"Mom!"I'd just call out,"Whose day is it?"That settled it.Soon.the quarrelling ended. Ah,the complete joy of peace and quiet ! What's the best title of the passage? Answer: The end of family quarrels In recent years, our parenting culture began to send the message that competence was important for building self-confidence. However, that same parenting culture made a big mistake by telling parents they should tell their children how competent they were. Children can't be convinced that they are competent. Only your children can build their sense of competence. However, you can do several things to encourage them to develop their own competence. First, you can give them opportunities to gain a sense of competence. You should allow your children to "get their hands dirty" in the daily life and find out what they are capable of. These daily experiences allow your children to develop specific competencies that will be helpful to them as they grow up. Also, the more individual competencies children develop, the more they will view themselves as globally competent people. Second, you can be sure that they gain the most value from their experiences. You can direct their focus to the competences that enabled those successes rather than some generic praise of the accomplishment itself. And you can also praise their accomplishments. A great difficulty for parents is allowing their children to be wrong or do something poorly in the mistaken belief that these experiences will hurt their sense of competence. In fact, whether they do it well isn't important because success isn't really the goal. Instead, the goal is their willingness to keep trying. Another mistake that parents make is that, after being unsuccessful when their children first try something, they try to correct them so they will succeed the next time they try. That's not to say that you can't lend a hand when they are struggling. But let them take the lead; if they really want your help, they'll ask for it. The passage is mainly about _ . Answer: the ways to help children develop ability You may not realize it, but you are doing much more than just studying when you are at school. School is also the place where you learn to get on well with people. But this is not always easy. What can you do if you just don't like one of your classmates? If you discover that you have problems getting on with your classmates or friends, the most important thing to learn is tolerance. Tolerance is the ability to realize and respect the differences in others. We can not change the way that other people do, so it is important to learn to live happily with them. Tolerance will make everyone get on better with each other. Getting to know someone may help you understand why they do things differently. Something different does not exactly mean that it is bad. Tolerance teaches us to keep a _ and open mind. You need to remember an old saying, "Treat others how you want to be treated". If you tolerate something, it does not mean that you have to like it. No one is asking you to change who you are or what you believe in. Tolerance just means that you should respect the differences in others and not try to make them change. It is important to practice tolerance, because it will make everyone's life easier. Learn to accept people for their different abilities and interests. The world is very different, and practicing tolerance in your own school and city can help make a difference. What is tolerance according to the passage? Answer: Accept people as they are.
"Oh,you must have been a spoiled kid.You must be really bossy.I wonder what you're going to be like to deal with?" That's often the response Angela Hult gets when people find out she's an only child,she told ABC News.Despite such negative remarks,Hult has decided to have only one child herself.And she's not alone. According to the US' Office for National Statistics,women approaching the end of their childbearing years had an average of 1.9 children in 2004,compared with 3.1 for their counterparts in 1976.The percentage of onechild families in Britain had risen from 18 percent in 1972 to 26 percent in 2007. But even though only children are becoming increasingly common,the traditional view that they're selfish,spoiled and lack social skills holds strong.Even parents of only children,like Hult,are made to feel guilty about having only one child.Worried that they're being selfish and endangering their child's future,they flock to online discussion forums seeking advice.Soon,however,they ask themselves:is this social prejudice really reasonable? "There have been hundreds and hundreds of research studies that show that only children are no different from their peers ," Susan Newman,a social psychologist at Rutgers University in the US,told ABC News. This raises another question:why are only children still viewed with such suspicion? "There is a belief that's been around probably since humans first existed that to have just one child is somehow dangerous,both for you and for the continuation of your race," Toni Falbo,a professor of educational psychology,told the Guardian."In the past a lot of children died.You'd have had to be crazy to only have one." Times,of course,have changed and infant mortality has largely reduced.So what do only children themselves say? Kayley Kravitz,a blogger for The Huffington Post,grew up as an only child and highly recommends the experience."Being an only child taught me the most valuable skill of all:the ability to be alone," she said. An only child like Kayley _ . A. must be difficult to persuade B. can possibly learn to be alone C. should value special skills D. need ignore bad experience Answer: B. can possibly learn to be alone China is the biggest market in the world, and many countries such as Germany, the USA, the UK and Russia do a lot of business in China. Let's have a look at some important tips to help you be successful when dealing with these nationalities. First, you must be punctual with Germans. Even 5 minutes late makes a bad impression. Being punctual is also very important in the USA. In the UK, it's important to be punctual for business meetings, but nobody expects you to be on time for a social event. Half past seven really means a quarter to eight, or even eight o'clock! With Russians, you should always be on time, though it is not unusual for them to be one or even two hours late! It is best to dress formally and wear dark colours when you meet people from all the four countries. In Russia, designer clothes are very common. Don't be surprised if you go to an office in the UK on a Friday and find everyone wearing jeans. Many companies have "dress down Friday", when people wear casual clothes. In Germany, first names are only used by family members and close friends, so be prepared to use titles and last names. In the USA you will usually be invited to use first names almost immediately. The British are quite informal and using first names in business is more and more common, especially among younger people. In Russia, however, nobody uses first names, so use titles and last names. In conversation, the British and the Americans value humour, and both like to talk about sport. The weather is also a good topic of conversation with the British and the Americans, but avoid talking about politics. In Russia, say positive things about their country, but avoid making complaints. The Germans, however, prefer to get straight down to business! So, use these tips, and you will be on your way to a successful international business career! The tips in this passage are probably given to people from _ . A. China B. the USA C. Germany D. the UK Answer: A. China I keep hammering _ because I keep seeing people who don't do it. 1. Look up English to Elvish. 2. Look up the Elvish word in the best Elvish dictionary you have, and, preferably, find out the context in Tolkien's language dictionary. 3. Change the word to suit rules of grammar: singular or plural, mutations, verb tenses, etc. You cannot leave out any of these steps. If you do, you're almost certain to have errors. Why you have to do step 2: Languages never match up one- to-one. English and Elvish are closer than usual, but there are still problems. And English has strange idioms: why are there no baths or beds in public bathrooms or restrooms? You can't translate literally . You have to understand the meaning behind each word. In Elvish this is even more true, since our dictionaries contain more or less questionable reconstructions, and words that Tolkien later threw away or replaced. Find the best one you can. Consider the word "fair". We tend to use it to mean "just". Tolkien tends to use it to mean "beautiful". In Elvish, these are two entirely different words. So when you look up "fair", you'll have to go to the Elvish dictionary to see that you've got the right one. Consider the nightmare of He left the bar. Is "left" the opposite of "right" (which also has two meanings) ? Is "bar" extruded steel , or something to do with law? You have to know what words mean in both languages. And you'd be amazed at how many people ignore step 3, forgetting that language is more than a string of words, and there are rules about how to fit those words together. You can't simply look up the word "I" and use it everywhere. Sometimes you need "me" or "my". There's a reason it takes a while to learn a language: you have to learn the rules. It drives me completely mad when people give a questionable translation they insist is right because "it's in the dictionary". A dictionary is a tool, a resource. but its entries should not be mistaken for a finished product. They are raw materials. Grammar is also very important because it _ . A. helps fit the words together B. takes a while to learn a language C. is a rule to obey D. is often forgotten in translating Answer: A. helps fit the words together Three--quarters of a million tourists flock to the white beaches every year,but this booming industry has come at a price.Poisonous smoke rising from open fires,rubbish made up of plastic bottles,packets...it'S a _ from the white sands,clear waters and palm trees that we associate with the Maldives ,the paradise island holiday destination set in the Indian Ocean. of its 200 inhabited islands,which are spread across an area of"35,000 square miles,99 are good resorts .So many tourists come every year,more than double the local population.Of these,over l 00,000 travel from the U K.The capital,Mal6,is four times more densely populated than London.Given these facts,it'S hardly surprising that the Maldives has a waste disposal problem. Y ears a90,when the tourists left,the government had to deal with a stream of rubbish.Their solution was to turn one of the islands into a dumping ground.Four miles west of Mal6 is the country's dumping ground,Thilafushi.What you are seeing here is a view of the Maldives on which no honeymooners will ever clap eyes.Each visitor produces 3.5 kg of waste per day.The country dumps more than 330 tons of rubbish on the island every day. Now,since many waste boats,fed up with waiting seven hours or more,directly offload their goods into the sea,the government of the Maldives has banned the dumping of waste on the island.S0,the waste boats ship the rubbish to India instead. What can we learn from the text? A. It iS much more crowded in Mal6 than in London. B. Another island will be used as a dumping ground. C. No honeymooners are willing to visit the Maldives. D. Waste on islands will be offloaded directly into the sea. Answer: A. It iS much more crowded in Mal6 than in London. When I was a kid, my only interest was watching television. But now, my interest is reading, thanks to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer s Stone, the first book I ever read that inspired me to read. This wonderful book pulled me in with its adventure. It's about a boy, Harry Potter, who discovers he's a wizard . After this, his life becomes full of uncertainty. He starts his new school and makes two best friends. Then Voldemort, the man who killed Harry's parents, comes to steal the stone that will extend his life. The three bravely defeat the bad guy. This was a life-changing book for me. After finishing it, I really started to enjoy reading. Ever since then, I don't ever put a book down before I'm finished with it. When I read a book, it inspires me and shows me a different world. It makes me excited. When I read, I never get bored. Books can also change my state of mind. Regardless of whether I'm angry, depressed, or stressed, a book will make me happy. Books took me out of my comfort zone. Since I started reading, I have learned that even if I'm not comfortable with something, I should try it out. It might turn out to be something I love doing. It might even become another one of my interests. Interest is a factor that can turn a job into a career. Hopefully, one day, I will get my dream job at a publishing house. Then, my interest would become my life, and I would have lived my life to its fullest. What will the author most probably become in the future? A. An editor. B. A teacher. C. A book seller. D. An adventurer. Answer: A. An editor.
I stood up to speak and my mind went blank .Has this ever happened to you? You may be nervous in front of an audience .You may be worried that you didn't prepare enough, You may have forgotten some of your facts. What can you do? Sometimes people prepare too much and become terrified if they can't remember the words they have practised. It is a good idea to bring some notes to help you organize, but don't memorize your speech. If you "go blank",begin by explaining the purpose of your speech, and the test will probably follow. The man who goes blank in front of the listeners should _ . begin with the purpose of his speech Tearing an object changes its what? configuration Many psychologists in the early twentieth century believed that humans use only 10 percent of their brains, and even the great Albert Einstein once wrote that most people use only a small portion of the grey matter between their ears. It's a theory that has often been put forward in television documentaries; magazines, advertisements and books over the past century. But nearly all scientists now agree the 10 percent theory is completely . In fact, they question how this figure was ever arrived at in the first place and what areas of the brain are supposed to be unneeded. The theory supposes that if 90 percent of the brain were removed, a person would Still be able to function normally, while in reality it is known that damage to even a small area of the brain can result in extremely serious physical injury different activities and that many areas of the brain are used at the same time for some complex activities or thought processes. Throughout the course of one day, most .areas of the brain are active at some time, even during sleep. The 10 percent theory suggests that certain areas o' the brain are not used, but scans slow activities throughout the entire brain and not in any separate part. The final argument against the 10 percent theory is the fact that doctors carefully map the brain before removing brain cancers so that they don't affect other essential areas. From an evolutionary point of view, it's highly unlikely butt our comparatively larger brains would have evolved from our ancestors if the extra areas were not needed. In fact, there is absolutely no evidence support the 10 percent theory. What can we infer from the passage? Our understanding of the brain has changed greatly in the past decades. Dear Lily, Welcome to our school for a visit. I am very glad to tell you how to get to our school. Here is the _ . When you walk out of the station, please turn left, walk on and pass a crossing. You should walk on till the first traffic light and turn right. Then you will find a park on your left side. Walk along the street and pass the park. Then you will see a bank. Across from the bank is a narrow lane .Just go into the lane and walk about 100 meters, and you are sure to get to our school gate, at which the board reads No.1 Middle School in both Chinese and English. Yours, Li Ming Where is the bank? Across from a narrow lane. One day, I happened to talk to a stranger on the bus. When he found out that I was from Chicago, he told me that one of his good friends lived there and he wondered if I happened to know him. At first I wanted to say that it was foolish to think like that, for from all the millions of people in Chicago, I could not possibly know his friend. But, instead, I just smiled and said that Chicago was a very big city. He was quiet for a few minutes, and then he began to tell me all about his friend. He told me that his friend was an excellent tennis player and that he even had his own tennis court . He added that he knew a lot of people with swimming pools, but that he only knew two people in the country who had their own tennis courts. And his friend in Chicago was one of them. I told him that I knew several people like that, for example, my brother and my next-door neighbor. I told him that my brother was a doctor and he lived in California. Then he asked where my brother lived in California. When I said Sacramento, he said that last year his friend spent the summer in Sacramento and lived next door to a doctor. The doctor had a tennis court. I said that my next-door went to Sacramento last summer and lived in the house next to my brother's. For a moment, we looked at each other, but we did not say anything. "Would your friend's name happen to be Roland Kirkwood?" I asked finally. He laughed and said, "Would your brother's name happen to be Dr. Ray Hunter?" It was my turn to laugh. The writer said that Chicago was a very big city. That means _ . he didn't know the stranger's friend
Question: Indoor and outdoor courts. Coaching from beginners to advanced, every day not evenings.Children only-Sat. mornings. SKIING Dry slopes--3 levels instructors at weekends and Fridays. Daytime parcitice. 8 years upwards. SWIMMING 2 pools I heated Olympic length. Tuition available. Women: Tuesday and Thursday. Men: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Children: Saturday Family day: Sunday GOLF 9 hole practice course. Professional Coaching. Lessons must be booked in advance in daytime. Evening practice. Minimum age -- 9 years. GYMNASTICS Maximum age--18 years. Children aged 5--10. Monday and Wednesdays. 4:00--6:00 p.m. 10--18 year-old. Friday evenings. Bar work on Sunday mornings. AND MUCH MORE Table Tennis, Snooker, Darts , Chess(everyday and evening), Cafe (all day),Bar(lunch time and evenings), Nursery(weekdays and weekends, not evenings). Centre open 10:00 a.m.--10:00 p.m. Daily. Interested? More details inside. Quote Card Number: 99. Where can we find this ad in your opinion? A. In a company. B. On a newspaper. C. In a park D. In a restaurant. Answer: B. On a newspaper. Question: Vein deposits of gold and silver are often formed in areas that have experienced which geologic process? A. igneous intrusion B. transport by water C. chemical weathering D. compaction by pressure Answer: A. igneous intrusion Question: Want a glance of the future health care? Take a look at the way the various network of people about patient care are being connected to one another, and how this new connectivity is being exploited to deliver medicine to the patient--no matter he or she may be. Online doctors offering advice based on normal symptoms are the most obvious example. Increasingly, however, remote diagnosis will be based on real physiological data from the actual patient. A group from the University of Kentukey has shown that by using personal data assistance plus a mobile phone, it is perfectly practical to send a patient's important signs over the telephone. With this kind of equipment, the cry asking whether there was a doctor in the house will be a thing in the past. Other medical technology groups are working on applying telemedicine to rural(countryside) care. And at least one team wants to use telemedicine as a tool for disaster need---especially after earthquakes. But there is one problem. Bandwidth is the limiting factor for sending complex medical pictures around the world, --CT photos being one of the biggest bandwidth users. Communication satellites may be able to deal with the short-term needs during disasters such as earthquake or wars. But medicine is looking towards both the second generation Internet and third-generation mobile phones for the future of remote medical service. Doctors have met to discuss computer-based tools for medical diagnosis, training and telemedicine. With the falling price of broadband communications, the new technologies should start a new time when telemedicine and the sharing of medical information, expert's opinions and diagnosis are common. The author mainly talks about _ . A. the use of telemedicine B. the on-line doctors C. medical care and treatment D. communication improvement Answer: A. the use of telemedicine Question: On a cold winter afternoon, Susan was walking home from a supermarket. She was feeling a little tired, as she was carrying her shopping bags. They were so heavy that she decided to have a rest in the park. She walked towards the gate of the park. She noticed a poor man walking out of a restaurant in front of her. The man was holding a paper bag. He walked to a rubbish bin and started looking through it. Susan suddenly felt sad. She knew this man would take all that he could get, so she went up to him and gave him some fruit. The man looked up in surprise and took what she gave him. A big smile appeared on his face and she felt very happy. Then he said, "Wow! First someone gave me this sandwich, then the orange juice and now some delicious fruit. This is my daughter's lucky day. Thank you, girl." Then he went away, singing a song. Just then, Susan understood what the saying "Giving is getting" really meant. Everyone in the world needs help, everyone can offer help and everyone will be helped by showing kindness. Giving sometimes doesn't cost much, but it means a lot to the people who you help. The man's happiness at that moment comes into Susan's mind every time she has the chance to help others. The poor man felt _ when Susan gave him some fruit. A. sad B. surprised C. interested D. kind Answer: B. surprised Question: Millions of people die of hunger in southern Africa every year, but when Zambia was offered thousands of tons of free maize by the US, the government politely said no. "We don't know whether the food is safe," said Zambia's commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Dipak Patel. His worries are shared by countries around the world that are in two minds about America's genetically modified(GM,)crops.Just last week, EU member nations were discussing whether or not to import GM sweet corn from the US. Ever since people started farming, they have tried to crossbreed plants to make them stronger or better tasting. At one time, only related plants could be crossed with each other. But when GM techniques were developed in the 1970s, scientists were able to put a single gene from a living creature into an unrelated creature. This means they can make crops more productive and resistant to disease by adding genes from other species.They can also create food with special characteristics, such as "golden rice", which is enriched with vitamin A. But many people believe GM foods are a health risk. At the moment, the official argument is that GM foods "are not likely to present risks for human health". But there are still many questions to be answered as the foods are produced in different ways. Some experts believe the genetic material added to plants can transfer to humans and give damage to our bodies. Further harm could be caused by the genes from GM plants crossbreeding with naturally produced crops. People in China are also getting worried about GM foods. More than 70 percent of the country's soybean oil is produced from imported GM soybeans. Meanwhile, an investigation last November found that 12 of 60 famous foods sold across the country were GM products. The government has begun to introduce a marking system for GM goods so that people can choose whether or not to eat them. Which is the best title for the passage? A. Harmful GM foods B. Advantages of GM foods C. GM foods, a health risk? D. the Techniques of GM foods Answer: C. GM foods, a health risk?
Eddie liked music very much when he was at school, but when he went to the university he decided to study medicine instead of music. When he passed his examinations and became a doctor, he had to work in a hospital for some time. There he discovered that a lot of patients were happier and caused less trouble if pleasant music was played to them When Eddie got an office and began to work for himself, he decided to keep his patients happy by having a tape recorder in his waiting-room play beautiful music for them. But soon after the tape recorder had been put in, Eddie's nurse heard a woman, who was sitting in the crowded waiting-room one morning, complained, "Here we're all waiting to see the doctor, and he's just playing the violin in his office instead of doing his work." From the passage we can see that _ . A. the woman thought Eddie was an unusual doctor B. the woman didn't understand music C. the woman did not understand what Eddie meant D. the woman hated to be kept waiting Answer: C Do you still remember the terrible earthquake in 2008 in Sichuan, which killed at least 87,000 people and left millions homeless? On the twelfth day after the earthquake, Premier Wen Jiabao said, "A new Wenchuan will rise from the ruins ." Now his words have come true. Three years has passed and the worst-hit areas in Sichuan have risen from the ruins. So far, 95% of the reconstruction projects have been completed. Nearly 3,000 schools, 1,000 hospitals and more than 5 million homes have been built. Now everyone has been provided with a home, a job and social security . Dong Xinjun, a villager in Qingchuan, said volunteers from Zhejiang taught him how to grow mushrooms and now he makes about 3,000 yuan more than before every year. Zhu Lihu, the headmaster of a village primary school in Qingchuan, told us that teaching equipment had been greatly improved. Now they have new classrooms, a library and a computer room with 20 computers. On May 8th, 2011, Premier Wen Jiabao made his 10th visit to Sichuan Province after the earthquake. He visited a lot of middle schools and neighborhoods. At Beichuan Middle School, Premier Wen _ a student named Zheng Haiyang, who lost both of his legs in the earthquake. The students told Premier Wen that their new school was very beautiful. And they would never forget that it was built with the hearts and strength of people across the whole country. Premier Wen believes that the people in Wenchuan have a "strong will" and a "bright future". They will never back down, but stand bravely on this land. How does the passage show us "Wenchuan has risen from the ruins"? A. By giving facts and examples. B. By comparing different places. C. By describing people's looks. D. By using volunteers' words. Answer: A How do you feel about watching other people work? Nothing is more refreshing on a warm summer day than watching someone else work. Right now,I'm sitting on my porch and watching young Beth baling the big field on top of the hill.She's been haying that field for over ten years.I know:I put her on the tractor when she was just twelve years old. She picked a great day for baling.It's not too hot,and there's a nice breeze.On Monday,when she cut the field,it was so hot I thought the corn would start popping in the field.Didn't stop her,though.She just stuck that big hat on her head,wrapped a wet handkerchief around her neck,and set to work.I remember when I would have done the same thing. While I'm here sucking a lemonade,Beth is driving the "hay train",a tractor pulling a baler and an old wagon.You'd think someone her size would never be able to see over the tractor.But somehow she manages.When she's finished,her tracks are very straight. The whole time she's haying,that dog of hers is working just as hard,running along beside her like he's afraid she'll drive away without him.Beth sure knew what she was doing when she trained him. The way the machine works is pure poetry.Each row is pushed into shape.When just enough hay is in a bale,it is wrapped up and fastened together.A second or so later,the bale comes flying out and into the old wagon.The person who invented that machine sure was some kind of genius. That's not to say it works perfectly.Every once in a while a bale misses the mark,especially when you are turning the machine at the end of a row.That means,of course,that you have to go back and pick up those bales and throw them into the wagon. I can remember when Beth's mother was her age.She looked an awful lot like Beth does now.Makes a man proud to see his daughter and granddaughter taking such good care of themselves. Well,I suppose I should get up and fill this glass again.Not much fun sitting here with an empty glass. In the eyes of the author,the sight of Beth baling hay is _ . A. uncommon B. beautiful C. unforgettable D. changeable Answer: B The Sewol ferry was carrying 476 people, most of whom were students from a high school near Seoul, when it sank off South Korea's southern coast on April 16. Only 174 survived, including 22 of the 29 crew members. The sinking left more than 260 people dead with about 40 others still missing. On Tuesday, one ordinary diver died at a hospital, government spokesman Ko Myung-seok said. He is the first death among divers organized following the ferry's sinking, according to the coast guard. The 53-year-old diver was pulled to the surface by his teammates after losing communication about five minutes after he began underwater searches, Ko said. It was his first search attempt, Ko added. Despite his death, divers are continuing their searches for the remaining missing people. Ko said that divers had searched all those 64 areas at least once and plan to visit them again to look for more victims. Darkness, floating rubbish, bodies, and cabins on board have made the search difficult, and divers entered the last three unopened areas on Monday night, Ko said. Investigators have made their first arrests of people who were not on board the Sewol when it sank. The three people arrested on Friday and Sunday are accused of failure to handle of cargo on the ferry well. In all, 19 people have been arrested in the investigation , 15 of whom were crew members accused of abandoning passengers. A leader was arrested on suspicion of malpractice related to company finances. Improper stowage and overloading of cargo is suspected as a possible reason why the ferry sank. The ferry was carrying about 3,608 tons of cargo, more than three times what it could safely carry. A ferry loaded too heavily could lose its balance making even a small turn. The sinking has caused a national sadness. On Sunday 1.1 million people paid respects at 131 memorial sites around the nation, according to a governmental funeral support committee set up for the ferry victims. Monday was a holiday for Children's Day, but various events were canceled or put off because of the ferry's sinking. Tuesday was also a national holiday in South Korea for Buddha's Birthday, and more people are expected to visit those mourning stations. You can find this passage on the _ section of a newspaper. A. sports B. business C. news D. entertainment Answer: C It was a hot summer day. My dad and I were getting ready to go out for a ride on the boat. Just then the phone call came, the call changed that sunny and beautiful day into a cold and dark one. When I saw my father answering the phone, he was crying. I'd never seen my dad cry before. My heart sank. What possibly could happen? "Max, I'm so sorry," I heard him say. That's when it hit me. I knew that Suzie had died. Max has been my dad's best friend for years. Suzie, his daughter, had a serious illness. She knew she was different from other kids. Although she couldn't live a normal life, she was still happy. When Suzie and I were little girls, we spent quite a bit of time together. When Suzie was ten, she had to live in a hospital. About eight months before she died, we talked at least twice a week on the phone until the end. Suzie was always so excited to talk to me and wanted to know everything I did and every thing I ate. When Suzie and I first started calling each other, I thought _ would be more of a burden on me, but I was completely wrong. I learned so much from her. She gave me more than I could ever give her. I will never forget her or the talks we had. I now know that I must never take anything for granted, especially my health and the gift of life. Which is the best title for the passage? A. The Gift of Life B. A Cold Dark Day C. Suzie's Death D. My Friend Suzie Answer: A
A recent research shows that physical activity may help students do better in their classes. The research comes because educators in some countries are reducing time for activities like P.E. class. Researchers go over the results of fourteen studies. Twelve were from the United States, one from Canada and one from South Africa. The studies appeared between 2009 and 2013. They included more than 55,000 children, aged six to eighteen. Thomas Singh, one of the researchers, says the studies showed a relationship between physical activity and scores on subjects such as math, English and reading. Ms. Singh offers some possible explanations : " There are, first, physiological explanations, like more blood flow, and so more oxygen to the brain. Being physically active means there are more hormones( ) produced like endorphins ( ). And endorphins make your stress level lower and your mood improved, which means you will perform better in class. Also, students who take part in organized sports learn rules and how to follow them. This could improve their classroom behavior and help them know what they should do. All in all, the finding tells us that physically active kids are more likely to do better in school. Ms. Singh says schools should consider the finding before they cut physical education programs. How many countries took part in the studies? A. 14. B. 12 C. 2. D. 3. Answer: D In October 2013, Davion Only made an appeal on the Internet. He had learned that his biological mothr had died not long before. "My name is Davion and I've been in foster care since I was born," he said, "but I'm not giving up hope. " The heartbreaking appeal spread quickly, and Only's foster agency received calls from more than 10,000 people. Only ended up travelling to Ohio to live with a family. But after Only got into a physical fight with one of his elder would-be brothers, the family changed their minds. Back in Florida, Only passed through four different temporary homes over the following year, until he called Connie Going, his adoption case worker, to make a special request. Only had known Going for nearly ten years, and had asked every year if she would adopt him, but she always hesitated. "I always believed there was a better family than us out there," Going said in an interview. But last July, when Only called and asked again if she might adopt him, Going said something felt different. "When he asked me, my heart felt this ache and I just knew he was my son," she said. So Going, 52, invited Only to start spending time with the rest of her family-her two daughters, Sydney, 21, and Carly 17, and a son Taylor, 14, who she also adopted out of foster care. Eventually, after seeing how well the arrangement was working, Going, who had rented a bigger home, started adopting Only. Only moved in with her family last December.He officially joined Going's family on April 22, 2015 when the adoption papers went through. "Today, I feel blessed and honored to have been chosen to be the parent of all my children," Going said. After Davion Only joined Connie Going's family, A. Connie Going bought a bigger house B. the four kids often had physical fights C. Connie Going didn't regret her decision D. another three kids were later adopted as well Answer: C "Whoosh!" The ball flew into the net and the game was finally over. This game had gone into overtime twice. Until the last goal was scored, no one had any idea which team would win. Dave felt so bad because his team had lost. He liked playing soccer, but he liked winning even more. Now the two teams should have a picnic together. Dave did not want to eat lunch with the other team. The other team would probably brag by talking about how they won the game. Dave went to the locker room to change out of his soccer clothes. There the coach talked to the team about what they had done well. They also talked about how they could improve. Then everybody walked outside towards the picnic table. One of the players from the other team was standing near the picnic table. He handed Dave a paper plate. "Hi, I'm Miguel," he said. "Hi," Dave replied, looking down at the ground. "You played great," Miguel said. "I didn't think we were going to win." Dave was surprised. Miguel was not bragging at all. "Thanks," Dave said to Miguel. "You played great, too." Dave felt happy. Dave promised himself that the next time his team won a game, he would not brag to the other team. It was wonderful to win, but it was even more important to be a good winner. What happened in the locker room? A. Dave and Miguel talked. B. Dave and his team ate lunch. C. The coach talked to the team. D. Dave put on his soccer clothes. Answer: C As is known to all, color1s appear in every language to express people's feeling and thoughts.Then, what is the situation in American English? Red is a hot color1.Americans may say they are red hot about something unfair.They are red hot when they are very angry about something.The small hot-tasting peppers found in many Mexican foods are called red hot for their color1 and their fiery taste.Fast loud music is popular with many people.They may say the music is red hot, especially the kind called Dixieland Jazz. Pink is a lighter kind of red.People sometimes say they are in the pink when they are in good health.The expression was first used in America at the beginning of the twentieth century.It comes from the fact that many babies are born with nice pink skin that shows that they are in good health. The color1 black is often used in expressions.People describe a day on which everything goes wrong as a black day.People or things on a blacklist are connected with things illegal now.But at one time, some businesses refused to employ people who were on a blacklist for belonging to unpopular organizations. The color1 green is natural for trees and grass.But it is an unnatural color1 for humans.A person who has a sick feeling in his stomach may say he feels a little green.A passenger on a boat who is feeling very sick from high waves may look very green. Sometimes a person may be upset because he does not have something as nice as a friend has.That person may say he is green with envy.Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars or greenbacks.Dollars are called greenbacks because green is the color1 of the back side of the paper money. When we say someone feels a little green, it means he/she _ . A. enjoys himself in boating B. is hit by a high wave C. has a stomachache D. likes trees and grass Answer: C We need a logo--a graphic image--that will be the perfect symbol of our great new Wellsville Skate Park. We would like those of you who are counting the days until the grand opening to design an appropriate logo that can be used on stationery, business cards, fliers, brochures, posters and T-shirts. An appropriate, well-designed logo will provide an opportunity for young artists to receive recognition as well as great prizes. If you are interested, here are the things you need to know: Logo Requirements * Design must be original . * Design can include no more than two colors. * The words "Wellsville Skate Park" must appear in the logo. * Logo should be submitted on 8x11 papers in every shape. Do not fold. Submission Details * Name and address of the designer must appear on the back of the logo design. * Contestants need to include a one-page written explanation describing the key features of the design. Deadline * Mail entries will be accepted between April 10 and May 15. Entries must be postmarked no later than May 15. * Winning designs will be posted on our website at www. wellsville. skatep. com on May 20. Prizes * First Prize: A digital camera * Second Prize: One-year pass to Wellsville Skate Park * Honorable Mention: A T-shirt with the prize-winning logo. MAIL ENTRY FORMS AND DESIGNS TO: Wellsville Skate Park Logo Contest Riverside Recreation Center 1295 New Rockford Hwy, Riverside, VA23226 According to Logo requirements, the submitted design must _ . A. include the full park name B. be in a round shape C. use at least four colors D. be based on simple ideas Answer: A
Lydia Sebastian achieved the top score of 162 on Mensa,s Cattell III B paper, suggesting she has a higher IQ than well-known geniuses Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. The comparison doesn't sit well with the British student, who's currently in Year 8 at Colchester County high school, a selective girl's grammar school in Essex, England. "I don't think I can be compared to such great intellectuals such as Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. They've achieved so much. I don't think it's right," Lydia told CNN. Lydia sat the test in her summer holidays, after raising the idea with her parents and pestering them for the best part of a year. It turns out the test wasn't that hard after all. "I was really nervous before the test and I thought it was going to be really hard. But as I started the test, I thought it was a bit easier than I thought it was going to be," she said. Lydia's not quite sure what she wants to do when she leaves school, although she's leaning toward something "based around Maths, because it's one of my favorite subjects. " "All I,m going to do is work as hard as I can, and see where that gets me," she said. To explain Lydia's mark's level, the top adult score in the Cattell III B test, which primarily tests verbal reasoning, is 161. A top 2% score which allows entry to Mensa, the club for those with high IQs would be 148 or over. Lydia scored 162, placing her in the top 1% of the population. What is Lydia's plan about the future according to the text? A She doesn't have to work hard with her high IQ. B She has a tendency to focus around Maths. C She is quite sure about what to do in the future. D She will drop out of the grammar school. Answer: B I worked for a short time as a cashier at a restaurant a few months ago. I also helped to clean up the tables when it was very busy. One night, just before Christmas, I found a large black wallet on the floor near one of the tables. I guessed I should check it to find out who was the owner, but I was very busy at the time. And I imagined that if there was something valuable in the wallet, the owner would be back. Sure enough, an hour later a man came up to the counter and asked if anyone had found a wallet. I asked him to describe the lost wallet, and after he described it exactly, I gave him the wallet. He expressed his thanks when I handed it to him. He asked me if I had opened it, and when I told him "no". At once he opened it and showed that it had nearly $ 800 in cash . He took out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to me and I was amazed at this. "A reward for your honesty," he said and then turned and walked away. Thinking about it later, I began wondering whether I would have been honest if I had known what was in the wallet! I thought that if I had no way to find the owner and no one returned to get it, I might keep it. But it also came into my mind that I actually saved someone's Christmas plans by finding and returning the wallet. The good feeling it gave me was worth more than anything could buy. Which of the following is true? A The owner of the wallet found a twenty-dollar bill gone. B The writer wasn't surprised when the man gave her a reward. C Nothing in the wallet was missing. D The man was very, very excited when he got his wallet back. Answer: C Li Shizhen was born in 1518. His father was a poor doctor. Li Shizhen often saw that people fell ill. He decided to study medicine so that he could be able to help people. Li Shizhen read many books about medicine. He found many of the old medical books to be full of mistakes. So his wish was to write a new one. He did his best to study medical science. He studied not only the herbs in his own garden, but also the wild ones. He set out many times on long journeys to collect herbs and talk with old farmers. He learned a lot from the working people. After many years of hard work and study, Li Shizhen finished his great work "Ben Cao Gang Mu" . At that time he was sixty. His book is now one of the greatest contributions of the Chinese people to the medical science of the world. Li Shizhen's father was_. A a soldier B a doctor C a teacher D a peasant Answer: B A large component of Earth's makeup is A stoned B markers C diamonds D ground material Answer: D This is a dangerous world we live in. The numbers of murders goes up every year;people are dying of cancer;more people contract HIV;more teens are using drugs;etc. You know this because you've heard all the statistics on the news. But do you really have an accurate idea what they mean? The numbers are going up, but how do they compare to the growth in population? Are more cases of these diseases being reported because of better testing techniques, or are the diseases more common? The fact is that without knowing the background, statistics mean very little. This growing trend of reporting only part of the information is becoming dangerous.For example, several years ago a high school student reported dangers of the chemical known as dihydrogen monoxide . This chemical, found in most cancerous tumors , is found in the blood of people drunk on alcohol, and causes complete physical and mental dependence for those who take the chemical even once. After reading his report, more than 75% of his Advanced Placement Chemistry class voted to forbid this dangerous chemical! Every one of the above statements is true, yet this chemical is necessary to all life on earth. The students made the mistake because they voted knowing only a few statements and statistics, rather than the chemical's full background. The point of this article is that one should be aware of what is and is not being said. When one finds a new fact or number, one should try to consider other important information before forming an opinion with only half-truths. Always remember that the author is trying to convince you of his or her own view, and will leave out information that is different to his view. For example, look again at the statistics that suggest skiing is safe. Only 32 people may die each year when skiing, while 897 die from lightning strikes, but which is really more dangerous? If you think about it, you will realize far fewer people go skiing each year than the number of people who are in danger of a lightening strike. When you think about it, skiing is more dangerous than you might at first think when looking at statistics. If we teenagers are to be left in this world, we had better be able to think critically, and form our own views, rather than be easily persuaded by another's. To be warned is to be prepared. Relative information is often left out because _ . A relative information is not that important B the author is trying to show what he or she says is true C too much information will make readers feel confused D readers are not able to analyze so much information at once Answer: B
Here are two pictures. You can see a man and a boy in one picture. Who are they? The man is Mr. Brown, and the boy's name is Jack. They are father and son. They are in Jack's room. Now let's look at the other picture. You can see a woman and a little girl in it. The woman is Jack's mother and the girl is her daughter, Ann. They're in Ann's room. You can see a photo of the family on the white wall. A clock is on the table. It's eleven. What's that on the floor? Oh, it's Ann's hat, but it looks *like a white cat. Jack and Ann are _ . Answer: In our world today, the media and entertainment industries are constantly focusing on beauty over brains. Movies, television shows, commercials, and magazines all make use of models and actors whose physical attributes will sell their product. As our country is trying to reduce the obesity numbers, eating disorder statistics continue to increase due to the push for thinner people. While obesity is a serious medical condition that can lead to many health problems, many of us try to lose weight for appearance purposes. Children as young as elementary school age have begun to worry about _ . In my opinion, it seems that "fat" has become the new"ugly". Two weeks ago, 37-year-old Wisconsin television reporter Livingston, who is 235 pounds, received an email from a man named Krause. In the email Krause attacked her, writing,"Your physical condition hasn't improved for many years. Surely you don't consider yourself a suitable example for this community's young people, girls in particular." Today, it seems that a vast majority of people care more about how they look and appear to their peers rather than what is inside. The truth is that every person is built differently; we all come in different shapes and sizes. Just because someone is heavier, that doesn't mean they eat large amounts of junk food around the day. Likewise, even though a person is thin, that doesn't mean they are necessarily healthy and fit. If you are reading this and you struggle with your weight or your appearance, please recognize that you are beautiful and special in your own way. You are worth so much more than you realize, and even if I don't know you, understand that I respect and support you. Beauty is not defined by size; it is defined by how we treat others and respect ourselves. In the words of the talented film actress Kirstie Alley, "There's a lot more to life than how fat or thin you are." What Kirstie Alley said means _ Answer: Which are likeliest to repel one another? Answer: True to their reputation as leisure-loving gourmets ,the French spend more time sleeping and eating than anyone else among the world's wealthy nations,according to a study published on Monday. The average French person sleeps almost nine hours every night,more than an hour longer than Japanese and Korean,who sleep the least in a survey of 18 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).Despite their siesta habit,Spaniards rank only third in the poll after Americans,who sleep more than 8.5 hours. And while more and more French people grab a bite at fast-food chains these days or,wolf down a sandwich at their desk,they still spend more than two hour's a day eating. That means their meals are twice as long as those of the average Mexican,who dedicates just over an hour a day to food,the OECD's "Society at a Glance" report on work,health and leisure in Asia,Europe and North and South America found.The Japanese,scrimping on sleep and burdened with long working hours,still manage to spend close to two hours a day eating and drinking,placing them third behind New Zealanders. Despite the limited amount of time Americans spend eating each day---about an hour and a quarter--U.S.obesity) rates are the highest in the 30 members of OECD. The Japanese like to spend what remains of their rare free time watching television or listening to the radio.This takes up 47 percent of leisure time in Japan.Norwegians spend the most time at leisure,just over a quarter of their day,while at the low end,Mexicans spend just 16 percent of their time having fun. The OECD has 30 members.The survey covers only the countries for which appropriate figures were available. In the 30 members of OECD,U.S ranks first at _ Answer: Bernice Gallego sat down one day this summer, as she does pretty much every day,and began listing items on eBay. She dug into a box and pulled out a baseball card. She stopped for a moment and admired the picture. "Red Stocking B. B. Club of Cincinnatti," the card read, under the reddish brown color photo of ten men with their socks pulled up to their knees. As a collector and seller, it's her job to spot old items that might have value today. It's what Bernice,72, and her husband, Al Gallego, 80, have been doing since 1974 at their California antique store. This card, she figured, was worth selling on eBay. She took a picture, wrote a description and put it up for auction.She put a $10 price tag on it, deciding against $15 because it would have cost her an extra 20 cents. Later that night she got a few odd inquiries---someone wanting to know whether the card was real, someone wanting her to end the caution and sell him the card immediately. The card is actually 139 years old. Sports card collectors call the find "extremely rare" and estimate the card could five, or perhaps, six figures at caution. Just like that, Bernice is the least likely character ever for a rare-baseball card story. "I didn't even know baseball existed that far back," Gallego says, "I don't think that I've ever been to a baseball game." The theory is that the card came out of a storage space they bought a few years back. It is not uncommon in their line of work to buy the entire contents of storage units for around $200. When she met with card trader Rick Mirigian, she found out what the card was-----an 1869 advertisement with a picture of the first professional baseball team, the Cincinnatti Red Stocking. "When I came to meet her and she took it out of a sandwich bag and she was smoking a cigarette, I almost fainted," Mirigian says. " They've uncovered a piece of history that few people will ever be able to imagine. That card is history. It's like unearthing a Mona Lisa or a Picasso." 69. From the passage we may learn that _ . Answer:
The scientist from the Lockheed Space Company work in Felton, California, with the help of a computer. But the computer is placed in Sunnyside, about 80 kilometers away. What scientists input is sent by telephone lines to the computer, and after a time, copies of the designs are needed back in Felton as quickly as possible Lockheed people have tried several ways of sending the prints, but the most effective seems to be by pigeon. Are pigeons really used to carry messages in these days? They are, and they send the prints faster and cheaper than any other way. Human messengers are much more expensive and slower than the pigeons. The road to Felton goes through the mountains, and the driving is not easy. An electronic printout system could do the work in Felton, but at a cost of 10 dollars a print. Pigeons carry the designs for about 1 dollar each. Now Lockheed people have ten pigeon messengers. The pigeons do the work, and they have made Lockheed more famous. You can often read the news about pigeons in the newspapers around the world. The passage is mainly about _ . A. Felton, California B. the scientists C. how to work with computers D. sending prints by pigeon Answer: D. sending prints by pigeon Many parents take on the role of being their children's preschool teacher and the responsibility of readying them for kindergarten. To achieve this goal, it is important for parents to introduce a variety of subjects in a positive and playful manner. "Learning should not be forced,"says Marion Godwin, who has taught first grade in Moorestown, N. J. for more than 30 years." It should be taught according to what they know and do best--and that is' play'. When teaching them, play games and have fun with the subject. And parents should always be looking for'teachable moments'." "You want a child to be a lifelong learner, so you want to show them learning is everywhere,"she says."If parents take the time to lay a strong educational foundation, their children will keep building on it." Introduce children to science with hands-on activities that interest them, such as growing plants from seeds, discussing animals and how to care for pets, and observing the chemical changes that occur during cooking", she says. "Sorting activities, simple patterns and counting games are a great way to teach children the basics of math, and taking them on field trips, singing songs and reciting rhymes also are ways to prepare them for the first day of school", she says. "I think children are naturals when it comes to computers," she says."Let them play educational games on the computer and teach them how to type their first names using the keyboard. When they are more familiar with using the computer, let them find pictures of animals and places on the web. " "Don't criticize the child," she says. "You can't force them to learn something. If they don't get something right, so what? Smile and be happy and make the experience joyful. Parents need to understand that if a child gets something wrong, they may think something is wrong with them. Keep working with them and when they get the right answer make sure you tell them how hard they worked to get the correct answer. " Marion Godwin tells us that we should teach the children according to their _ . A. subjects and needs B. level and interest C. teachable moments D. strong educational foundation Answer: B. level and interest Do you know how to use a mobile phone without being rude to the people around you? Talking during a performance irritates people. If you are expecting an emergency call, sit near the exit doors and set your phone to vibrate . When your mobile phone vibrates, you can leave quietly and let the others enjoy the performance. Think twice before using mobile phones in elevators, museums, churches or other indoor public places--especially enclosed spaces. Would you want to listen to someone's conversation in these places? Worse yet, how would you feel if a mobile phone rang suddenly during a funeral! It happens more often than you think. Avoid these embarrassing situations by making sure your mobile phone is switched off. When eating at a restaurant with friends, don't place your mobile phone on the table. This conveys the message that your phone calls are more important than those around you. Mobile phones have sensitive microphones that allow you to speak at the volume you would on a regular phone. This enables you to speak quietly so that others won't hear the details of your conversations. If you are calling from a noisy area, use your hand to direct your voice into the microphone. Many people believe that they can't live without their mobile phone. Owning a mobile phone definitely makes life more convenient, but limit your conversations to urgent ones and save the personal calls until you are at home. When you are calling in a noisy area, you are advised to _ . A. use a more sensitive microphone B. shout loudly into your microphone C. go away quietly to continue the phone call D. use your hand to help speak into the phone Answer: D. use your hand to help speak into the phone Most city parks are places where you can escape from big, ugly structures of metal and stone. The Manhattan High Line is different. Raised 25 feet above the ground, this large metal structure once supported a rail line. The line opened in 1934 to bring trains directly into factories. It was hardly used after the 1960s, and much of it was torn down. However, one part remained in a region of Manhattan called Chelsea. Chelsea was becoming high-class as restaurants, art galleries and apartments were built, but the ugly railway structure remained as _ . Everyone knew that at some time, it would have to be removed. But the High Line was not destroyed. In fact, now the old rail line serves as one of the most peaceful places in the city. It holds an elevated park, with beautiful gardens and great views of the city. The idea to turn the rail line into a park came from Joshua David and Robert Hammond. In 1999, they attended a meeting to decide how to deal with the High Line. David and Hammond were the only people at the meeting interested in saving the historical structure. Later on, when they asked railway officials to take them up to look at the High Line, they saw a mile and a half of wild flowers growing in the middle of the city, and they realized that the High Line had potential to become a park. There was growing interest in improving city centers, and so the project quickly developed and money for construction was easily collected. The first section of the High Line opened in 2009 and immediately became popular with tourists and locals alike. Each part of the park has a different atmosphere. Some areas are like balconies with wonderful city views. Where the rail line goes between buildings, trees are thickly planted. Other sections have wide lawns and walkways planted with wild flowers. Only the final section remains the way it has been for the last fifty years. What is the text mainly about? A. Protection of cultural relics. B. An unlikely place for a park. C. Improving city transport. D. Closing a train line. Answer: B. An unlikely place for a park. Basketball stars become hip-hop singers. It's true. In NBA, hip-hop music is very popular. Many of the players, like Shaquille O'Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers, write rap words when they travel on planes from one city to another. Some of them even have rap radio shows and others perform in music video. When some of the younger stars play basketball, they even try to look like hip-hop singers. "Hip-hop is just part of their culture," says one player. "All of us grew up listening to rap and playing basketball, and rappers grew up doing the same thing." Master P. is a famous rap star who wants to become a basketball player. Two NBA teams have invited him to join them. They enjoy listening to his music. An NBA player has become a rapper. He has made four successful rap albums . NBA has a closer connection to hip-hop than any other sports league. _ is just part of the NBA players' culture. A. Music B. Rapper C. Hip-hop D. Basketball Answer: C. Hip-hop
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 that? ABC means America -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 nationalities are Americans. So they think like Americans and do things like Americans. But they still have Chinese blood. Their parents, grandparents or 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"? A. They look like Chinese but think like Americans. B. They look like Americans but think like Chinese. C. They look like bananas. D. They like to eat bananas. Answer: A. They look like Chinese but think like Americans. Anger is good for you, as lon g as you control it, according to new psychology research. A new study from Carnegie Mellon University shows anger may help people reduce the negative impacts of stress and help you become healthier. "Here getting emotional is not bad for you if you look at the case of anger," said Jennifer Lerner of Carnegie Mellon. "The more people display anger, the lower their stress responses." Lerner studied 92 UCLA students by asking them to count back from 6,200. They must say out loud every thirteenth number. Researchers disturbed them by asking them to count faster or ask them other questions. If they made any mistakes, they had to restart from the very beginning. Many students felt depressed about making so many mistakes or got angry because the researchers were interrupting them. Lerner used a hidden video camera and recorded all their facial expressions during the test. The researchers describe their reactions as fear, anger and disgust. Other researchers recorded the students' blood pressure, pulse and production of a high-stress hormone called cortisol. People whose faces showed more fear during th e experiment had higher blood pressure and higher levels of the hormone. Both can have lasting effects such as diabetes , heart disease, depression and extra weight gain. When people feel fear, negative impacts increase, but when they get angry, those negatives go down, according to the study. "Having that sense of anger leads people to actually feel some power in what otherwise is maddening situation," Lerner said. Lerner previously studied Americans' emotional response to the 911 terrorist attacks two months after the incident. She found people who reacted with anger were more optimistic. These people are healthier compared with those who were frightened during the event. So in maddening situations, anger is not a bad thing to have. It's a healthier response than fear. The researchers made the experimented students angry by _ . A. recording their performance secretly B. asking them to count to 6,200 again and again C. disturbing them and making them start all over again D. criticizing them when they made mistakes Answer: C. disturbing them and making them start all over again 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. How did Adrian finally succeed in his study? A. He did a lot of outdoor activities. B. He was pushed hard to study every day. C. He attended private classes after school. D. He worked very hard both in and after class. Answer: D. He worked very hard both in and after class. Getting paid to talk about the World Cup is a great job. I'm not a football commentator , though-just an English teacher in Japan. I come to Japan two years ago, and didn't think I would stay, but Japan has that effect on you. _ . I think it's best to teach in a bigger city where there are other foreigners to mix with, rather than a small town where English teachers often complain of feeling like a goldfish in a bowl. Many people choose to live in Tokyo, of course, which is good for the nightlife factor. But I'd say that for general quality of living, cities of neither too large nor too small, like Sapporo where I live, are better choices. I teach English privately, which means I'm my own boss. If you want to devote yourself to private teaching, it's well worth doing a TEFL course first, because your lessons will be much better for it. The problem with private teaching is finding students; it took me a year to build up a full schedule of private lessons, so I started out teaching in schools part-time. Most of my foreign friends here work full-time for big English conversation schools. The salary is fine to live on, but whether you can save money depends on how much going out and traveling you do here. The schools are unwilling to take time off -even teachers with tickets for the England-Argentina game had trouble getting the day off. From the passage we know in Japan the writer likes to live in _ . A. Tokyo B. a small town C. a city of middle size D. a big city Answer: C. a city of middle size Sagrada Familia ( 2,056,448 visits/year) Opening hours: 09:00--18:00 (October--March); 09:00--20:00 (April--September) Admission: $ 11, or $ 10 with the Barcelona Card. Disabled Access: Yes. The temple have been under construction since 1882 and they've still got another 30 to 80 years to go before it will be finished. The project's vast scale and its special design have made it one of Barcelona's top tourist attractions for many years. La Pedrera (1,133,220 visits/year) Opening hours: November--February: 09:00--18:30; March--October: 09:00--20:00 Admission: $ 9.50. Save 20% with the Barcelona Card. Disabled Access: No. This building used to be called Casa Mila but nowadays it's more commonly known as La Pedrera. It is a unique modernist building in Barcelona and was made of bricks and had colorful tiles . It was built between 1906 and 1912 by famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi (1852--1926) and in 1984 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site with other Gaudi buildings in Barcelona. Visitors to La Pedrera can see the amazing 800 square meters attic with 270 brick arches that give you a feeling that you are walking inside the skeleton of a whale. The roof is equally impressive and is preserved exactly the way that it was built in 1912 with six staircases and seven chimneys each made in a unique style. Barcelona FC Museum (1,032,763 visits/year) Opening hours: 6thApril--4thOctober: (Monday to Saturday) 10:00--20:00; the rest of the year: 10:00--18:30 Admission: $ 8.50 for entry to the museum and $ 17 for a guided tour. Disabled Access: Yes. When you buy your ticket you have two options. You can buy a ticket for the museum to see the football stadium or you can buy a dual ticket for $ 15 where you get to see the museum and the scenes at the club. Miro Museum (518,869 visits/year) Opening hours: Check the web site for details as they vary depending on the time of the year. Admission: $ 8. Save 20% with the Barcelona Card. Disabled Access: Yes. This museum has a wide range of Miro's work dating back as far as 1914. This artwork collection not only includes his paintings but also a good selection of sculptures . L'Aquarium de Barcelona (1,375,271 visits/year) Opening hours: 09:00--19:00 (October--March); 09:00--20:00 (April--September) Admission: $ 7. Save 10 % on the entrance fee to the aquarium with the Barcelona Card. Barcelona Aquarium is a popular Barcelona attraction to take the kids and young ones. I have to admit I love the aquarium. Picasso Museum (887,958 visits/year) Opening hours: Check the website for details as they vary depending on the time of the year. Admission: $ 9 for main exhibition--extra for special showings. Save 50% with the Barcelona Card. Disabled Access: Yes. The museum has arranged Picasso's paintings in chronological order from his early days to his final works. Arranging the paintings in this way gives you a fascinating insight into the development of Picasso thinking over time and shows how he developed the distinctive designs that he is famous for today. Very popular art gallery. If you visit the stadium and the club with a tour guide in Barcelona FC Museum, you should pay _ . A. $ 25.5 B. $ 32 C. $ 42.5 D. $ 34 Answer: B. $ 32
It was once common to regard Britain as a society with class distinction. Each class had unique characteristics. In recent years, many writers have begun to speak of the 'decline of class ' and 'classless society ' in Britain. And in modern day consumer society everyone is considered to be middle class. But pronouncing the death of class is too early. A recent wide-ranging study of pubic opinion found 90 percent of people still placing themselves in a particular class; 73 percent agreeed that class was still a vital part of British society.; and 52 percent thought there were still sharp class differences. Thus, class may not be culturally and politically obvious, yet it remains an imprtant part of British society. Britain seems to have a love of _ . One unchanging aspect of a British person's class position is accent. The words a person speaks tell her or his class. A study of British accents during the 1970s found that a voice sounding like a BBC newsreader was viewed as the most attractive voice. Most people said this accent sounds 'educated ' and 'soft '. The accents placed at the bottom in this study, on the other hand, were regional city accents. These accents were seen as 'common ' and 'ugly '. However, a similar study of British accents in the US turned these results upside down and placed some regional accents as the most attractive and BBC English as the least. This suggests that British attitudes towards accent have deep roots and are based on class prejudice. In recent years, however, young upper midder-class people in London, have begun to adopt some regional accents, in order to hide their class origins. This is an indication of class becoming unnoticed. However, the 1995 pop song ' Common People ' puts forward the view that though a middle-class person may ' want to live like common people ' they can never appreciate the reality of a working class life. A recent study of pubic opinion shows that in modern Britain _ . Answer: A few days ago, I went to school with lots of books,hoping to get a locker . Suddenly, it started raining heavily. I hurried to pay for my locker, but I was disappointed when they informed me they only accepted cash. I was $ 7.00 short, which meant I had to carry the books back home. It would be an exhausting two-hour journey back home with all those books. An elderly gentleman nearby noticed my problem. He asked how much cash I needed. When I told him I was $7 short, he quickly took out the money from his wallet ."You don't have to pay me back ,"he said. I was speechless; I didn't know whether to take the money or come back with the books the next day. A young student who was working there noticed my hesitation. "He's really nice ,"said the student. I was starving this morning and he bought breakfast for me. He always helps people in different ways. The next day, I went to him and thanked him for trusting me and lending me the money. He said he forgot about it and didn't expect I would give it back. "I'm very happy," he said,"not because I'm getting my money back, but because this is the right way to go---whatever you get from this world, give it back as much as you possibly can. Spread kindness around the world with the smallest things you can do." Later, I found out he wasn't involved with any charity organizations. He has been performing these types of acts for years. Earlier, someone had done something incredibly kind for him and he has been spreading the kindness ever since. He taught me a very important lesson in life. We come to this world with nothing and we will leave with nothing. Whatever we own, it will become somebody else's and whatever we leave, it will become somebody else's. From the passage we can conclude that _ . Answer: A fixed wing aircraft can fly Answer: Which describes a specific characteristic necessary for survival in the desert? Answer: Scientists have not come close to understanding all the different kinds of life on the planet, but US researcher Craig Venter is already working on creating the first artificial life. Venter and his researchers made a breakthrough this August. They successfully moved the DNA of one type of bacteria to a yeast cell, changed it, then put it into another bacterial cell. "Bacteria have systems that protect them from foreign DNA," Venter explained to the BBC. In the experiment, the team managed to block this system. The experiment was performed on a simple type of bacteria called Mycoplasma mycoides. The team took the bacteria's genes and put them into a yeast cell. Putting the DNA in a yeast cell allowed the team to change the genes----in this case, taking out a gene that was not necessary for the bacteria to live. They then put the gene into a host bacteria cell. The cell went on to divide normally, producing new healthy bacteria. In January, the team created artificial genes of a new type of bacteria. Their next goal is to put the artificial DNA into a host cell to create a new species, according to a report inSciencemagazine. "If we don't make any errors, I think it should work and we should have the first artificial species by the end of the year," Venter said in the report. The first artificial life from is likely to be a simple man-made bacteria, to prove that the technology can work. But that form will be followed by more complex bacteria that turn coal into cleaner natural gas, or algae that can take in carbon dioxide and change it into fuel. Many scientists think it's good news to have this artificial life, but others are worried that the technology to create new organisms might end up in the wrong hands, with dangerous results. We can learn from the passage that _ . Answer:
Tokyo: The world's oldest man, retired Japanese silkworm breeder Yukichi Chuganji, died in his home at the age of 114, on Monday. Family members found him dead on his mattress. Born on March 23, 1889, Chuganji worked as a silkworm breeder and bank employee after leaving school. He also served as a community welfare officer. He had been in god health, talking daily with his family members. Washington: Every American dislikes people who talk on cell phones while driving, even those who do that kind of act. In the State of New Jersey, 84 percent of 968 cell phone owners said in recent telephone survey that they would support a state ban on the use of cell phones while driving. However, 42 percent of cell phone owners also said they used the devices "very often" or "sometimes" while driving. Although most agree that the banning is good, only 38 percent believed such a ban would be easy to enforce . New York: A woman in the US who was being attacked by a dog said she was saved from further harm when her 13-year-old daughter distracted the dog by screaming "You want a piece of me?" and kicked it repeatedly in the head. Jane Howell said she and her daughter, Elizabeth, were taking a walk around the neighborhood on Saturday evening when they came across he big dog, unchained. From the news we can infer _ . Answer: If you go to a fast food restaurant, you will probably see a lot of teenagers. Today, many teenagers are overweight, and this is because of their bad eating habits. Most teenagers are fond of food with a lot of fat, oil, salt and sugar. People call this kind of food "junk food". But bad eating habits go beyond fast food. We find many teenagers eat unhealthily. Some don't have breakfast before they go to school. During the day, some don't have a proper meal for lunch. In a recent survey at one school, scientists found that over two thirds of the students didn't follow a healthy diet. They didn't like vegetables, and many of them didn't like to eat fruits. They preferred to eat food with a lot of salt, sugar, or fat. Parents today also worry about their children's diet. Some doctors give the following advice: Teenagers shouldn't eat too much junk food. Teenagers shouldn't eat food with too much salt. Salt can cause high blood pressure in the future. Teenagers should eat food without much fat, oil and sugar. Teenagers need to eat some fruits and vegetables every day. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins and have little fat. Teenagers need to drink more milk. Milk will help their bones grow. Teenagers need to eat breakfast every day. It is good for their body and mind. Which of the following is RIGHT? Answer: Most people can only dream of living for 100 years, let alone fathering a child nearly a century after being born themselves. But that is apparently a reality today, as a 96-year-old Indian man claims to have fathered a child, his second in recent years. Ramajit Raghav and his 52-year-old wife, Shakuntala Devi, reportedly gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Ranjeet, on Oct. 5, according to the Times of India. Just two years ago, Raghav set the world record when he and Devi gave birth to their first son, Vikramajeet. "I didn't take any medicine. ... I just prayed to God to complete my family, either a boy or a girl," Raghav told the paper. India is often the source of unusual stories about a person's age. However, the life expectancy of the average Indian actually falls into the lower-third of UN global statistics (139 out of 194 counties), at 64.7 years. The average Indian man lives 63.2 years. By comparison, Japan has the longest worldwide life expectancy, with its residents living an average of 82.7 years. The US comes in at No. 38, with Americans living an average of 79.2 years. While male fertility rates are not as directly correlated to age as are women's, male fertility rates do decline with age, according to a study published in the 2004 issue of Human Reproduction Update. Raghav says that he credits his diet of butter, milk and almonds for his longevity, along with abstaining from drugs and alcohol. "I feel lucky to have two healthy sons. It will be tough, but I'm a happy man," he said. Interestingly, the previous record holder for world's oldest dad was also Indian: Nanu Ram Jog, who reportedly fathered his 21st at the age of 90. For his part, Raghav doesn't plan to set any more paternal records. He said. "I don't want more children, we can't afford it." Raghav set the world record for _ . Answer: Are you carrying too much on your back to school? I'm sure lots of your age will say "Yes". Not only the students in China have this problem, but children in the United States also have heavy school bags. Doctors are starting to worry about that younger and younger students are having problems as a result of school bags being too heavy for them. "It's hard for me to go upstairs with my bag because it's so heavy," said Rich Hammond, an 11-year-old student in the US. Rich is among students who have common school bags with two straps to carry them, but many other choose rolling bags. But even with rolling bags, getting up stairs and houses is still a problem for children. Many of them have hurt backs and necks because of the heavy school bags. But how much is too much? Doctors say students should carry no more than 10% to 15% of their own body weight. Scott Bautch, a black doctor, said children under Grade 4 should stay with 10%. But it is also important that older children don't stay with over 15%, because their bodies are still growing. "Children are losing their balance and falling down with their school bags," he said. Parents and teachers are starting to tell children to only take home library books that they will be reading at night. Some teachers are using pieces of paper or thin workbooks for students to take home. One of the best answers is, as some children said, to have no homework at all. From the passage we can learn that _ . Answer: 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's the reason that the eagle was disciplined? Answer:
There are two deaf men in a small village. One is Mr. White and the other is Mr. Black. They live near to each other. They are good friends. Mr. White and Mr. Black often talk together. They talk about all kinds of things. Sometimes they are worried about their hearing. But one thinks the other is much deafer. One day Mr. Black comes to see Mr. White. Mr. White is sitting on a chair, He is having a rest. Mr. Black stops at the door and asks, "Can you hear me?" There is no answer. Mr. Black goes nearer and asks again, "Can you hear me?" Again he doesn't hear any answer. Mr. Black is quite pleased. Still he goes nearer and asks for the third time, "Can you hear me?" Still there is no answer. At last Mr. Black goes up to Mr. White and calls, "Now I know you are much deafer than me. You don't hear my questions." "I'm much deafer?" says Mr. White. "No, I answer you three times. But you do not hear my answer." Which one is right? Answer: Mr. Black doesn't hear Mr. White's answer. Can you communicate with others when you live in a foreign country with no or little knowledge of its language? Of course, it is possible. You can communicate your moods and intentions to one another without words, because all human beings share a lot of common visual signals. These signals are as effective as words during communication. The gestures of the head play a key role in body language. The movements of eyes and eyebrows are as important as head movements in body language. Besides the gestures of the head or the movements of the eyes and eyebrows, the action of arms, hands and legs is also a large part of body language. Extending one's arm and shaking hands with others is a greeting in both formal and informal cases. This part of body language might date back to primary tribes . Like handshaking, there are still many other forms of body language presented by hands. Raising one's hand and making a circle with his thumb and for finger signals, that something is OK. Clasped hands raised above the head, a traditional picture accepted by sportsmen after winning a fight, is a display of triumph that grows out of a kind of feeling following a victory. Waving one's hands, a speaker can make his words more powerful and vigorous . Besides hand gestures, there are times when a person says something with his legs as well as with his head and eyes. The leg gestures often reflect one's attitude towards something or someone that person is with. According to the above facts, body language has offered a more reliable way to understand one's mind by means of gestures. Though it is soundless and wordless, once you understand it, you will feel the world is bigger than you realized. Which of the following is the proper title for this passage? Answer: Body Language They lived thousands of miles apart, and both died in 1616. This has led to a lot of studies comparing their works,which are still important to this day. To mark the 400th anniversary of Tang Xianzu and William Shakespeare's deaths, an exhibition called Dialogue Across Time and Space: Homage to Tang Xianzu and William Shakespeare is being held across 26 Chinese Cultural Centers in different countries from Sept 1 to December. Shakespeare's plays are always found in the British school curriculum, while Tang's best-known opera, The Peony Pavilion , continues to be performed worldwide. Both were "great men in the circle of world drama', according to Aoki Masaru, who put the work of Shakespeare and Tang together in his 1943 book A History of Chinese Literary Thought. Both shared a love for a journey of self-discovery. The difference is that Shakespeare's work shows people of all backgrounds and classes, while Tang's dramas come form a more aristocratic background. Tang's lines were sung mostly in family theaters. Shakespeare, however, had to sell tickets to whoever would buy them. That probably affected their writing styles. Though few can touch Shakespeare's range and richness of work, there is one area in which Tang's work may have been better. That's in the use of dreams, not only to tell a story, but also to explore ideas. The Peony Pavilion is set in the world of the characters' dreams, especially Du Liniang, the young lady who has not seen or gotten to know Liu Mengmei when she falls in love with him. After Liu has dreamed of her, he finds her portrait three years after her death and can't stop thinking about her. But for Du, a dream is a path to the freedom that young women of ancient China normally didn't have - the freedom to love someone without their families getting in the way. Shakespeare also famously used the stage to look at Philosophy in A Midsummer Night's Dream . But in a sense, the dream was Tang's stage. The writer wrote this article mainly to _ . Answer: make a comparison between Tang Xianzu and William Shakespeare In many countries, schools have long summer holidays, with shorter holidays in between.However, a new report suggests shortening school holidays to stop children forgetting what they have learnt during the long summer break.Instead of three school terms, it says, there should be five eight-week terms.And there should be just four weeks off in the summer, with a two-week break between the other terms. Sonia Montero has two children at primary school and works full-time.She supports the idea."The kids," she says, " have much longer holidays then and I can't afford to take several weeks off work, so I need someone to take care of them.But nobody wants the work in the summer holidays -- they all have holidays of their own. Not surprisingly, some young people disagree.Student Jason Panos says , "It's a stupid idea.I would hate staying at school in the summer.It's unfair, too.The people who suggest this had long school holidays when they were young, but now they want to stop us enjoying the summer.The kids in Spain and American have much longer holidays than here, but they don't forget everything they've learnt in a few months." Nadia Salib agrees."Sure," she says, "the first week at school after the summer is never easy, but you soon get back into it.The real problem round here is that kids get bored after so many weeks out of school, and then some of them start causing trouble.But the answer is to give them something to do, not make everyone stay in school longer." Why is Sonia in support of shorter school holidays? Answer: She can't get anyone to look after her children in summer. At three a.m., Jack Mills was sitting at the controls of the mail train. The train was made up of 13 cars. At the end of the train, 71 mailmen sat sorting the mails. Inside the second car, there were only five mailmen and 128 bags full of five-pound notes. This train had run more than 100 years without being robbed. At three minutes past three, Mills and his helper, David Whitby, saw a yellow warning light. They slowed the train, and then stopped. Whitby went to the telephone beside the track. It was out of order. Then he saw a man moving between the second and the third cars. Before Whitby could give a warning, he was knocked down by two men. Mills' cars with all the mailmen had been disconnected by the robbers. At the bridge, the bags of money were unloaded from the train and thrown into waiting trucks. One of the robbers who obviously knew the schedules of all the trains kept looking at his watch. At 3:45 he said, "That will have to be enough." The robbers drove away with more than 2,500,000 pounds. One of the robbers kept looking at his watch because _ . Answer: they had to leave before another train came
Jiang Nan, a full-time mother in Beijing, keeps a dozen or so cloth bags at home, carefully selecting one or two before heading out to get groceries. "Most of them were giveaways from advertising marketing campaigns, but others had been handed out in the street by various environmental protection organizations," she explained. Since June 2008 China has forbidden the production, sale and usage of plastic bags thinner than 0.025 millimeter , and retailers are not allowed to provide free plastic bags to their customers, no matter how thick they are. Many Chinese consumers like Jiang have learned to refuse plastic bags whenever possible in their shopping. "A plastic bag may only cost a few jiao, but it's more about how bad they are for the environment," Jiang said. The plastic ban is for the most part well carried out in big cities, and has been obviously effective in reducing white waste. On the first anniversary of the plastic ban Global Village of Beijing, an NGO environmental organization, shows that during the year of the ban the consumption of plastic bags fell by about 40 billion pieces in chain supermarkets alone, saving more than 1.2 million tons of petrol. However, enforcement shows rather less muscle in smaller cities, towns and countryside. In a remote town like Lichuan, the awareness of environmental protection is not as strong as that in big cities. Street vendors worry that they are likely to lose customers if they charge them for plastic bags. Seeing no significance in the issue, local government often turn a blind eye to banned bag trade in the market. There are still those who don't have an interest in living green. Cui Lin, another Beijinger, often forgets to bring a cloth bag when shopping, and has to buy plastic bags. "Anyway I think plastic bags are neater and cleaner, and I don't mind paying a couple more jiao," he shrugged. Mrs Yu, a vegetable vendor in Lichuan County, Jiangxi Province, recalled that before plastic bags became popular in the early 1990s, Chinese people always carried a bamboo basket when they visited the market. "Plastic bags are more convenient," she comments, and her view might be that of the tens of millions of people in the nation who still _ plastic bags, paid or free. This is suggested by her trade where piles of plastic bags are still passed out every day. What message does the writer mostly convey in the passage? A To reduce white waste is urgent. B The plastic bag ban has achieved great success. C There is still a long way to go for the plastic bag ban. D People's awareness of environmental protection should be stressed. Answer: C In order to distinguish fact from opinion, conclusions in experiments should be A recorded on a computer. B presented in bar graphs. C based on verifiable data. D organized in a table. Answer: C The designer of the Apple Computer, Steve Jobs, was not quite successful in his early years. He was not among the best students at school, and from time to time he got into trouble with either his schoolmates or his teachers. But he was full of new ideas, which few people saw the _ of. Things remained the same when he went up to college and he dropped out halfway. Steve Jobs worked first as a video game designer at Atari. He worked there for only a few months and then he set out to tour India. He hoped that the trip would give him more ideas and give him a change in life for the better. After he returned from India, he begin to live on a farm in California. And then, in 1975, Steve Jobs set about making a new type of computer. Along with his friend Stephen Wozniak, he designed the Apple Computer in his bedroom and built it in his garage . He gave the name "Apple" because it reminded him of a happy summer he once on an orchard in Oregon. His Apple Computer was so successful that Steve Jobs soon became worldwide famous. But unluckily, he died of illness in 2011. Steve Job's _ would be the most important thing for his lifetime success. A "failure" in school B stay on the orchard C travel on India D new ideas Answer: D Dogs like living with people. A dog can be a very good friend. He can do a lot of things for people. Some dogs help people to look after sheep, other dogs help them to find lost children. And some of the dogs can help the blind do things. Many years ago there was a ver dog. His name was Seeing Eye dog. Now we can see this kind of dogs all over the world. They are working for the blind. The Seeing Eye dog is strong ,good and easy to train .He helps the blind to walk from place. Before a dog becomes a Seeing Eye dog, he must go to a training school for about three months. First the dog has to learn to sit or stay when he hears the trainer's call. In his next lesson the dog learns to make his trainer across busy streets. The dog has many things to learn. And in every lesson he must do one thing again and again many times. At the end of the training schooled must take tests. When he passes the tests, the Seeing Eye dog will do things by himself. Now he can help blind people. The new master may be a man, a woman, or even a child. It takes the dog and his blind master about a month to learn to work and live together. How long will it take the dog and his blind master to learn to work and live together? A One year B Five years C About a month D A week Answer: C Surveys of American teenagers find that about half of them do not get enough sleep on school nights. They get an average of 60 to 90 minutes less than experts say they need. Experts say teens are biologically programmed to go to sleep later and wake up later than other age groups. Yet many schools start classes as early as seven in the morning. As a result,many students go to class feeling like Danny,16 years old. He plays two sports,lacrosse and football. He is an active teen--except in the morning. DANNY:"Getting up in the morning is pretty terrible. I'm just very out of it and tired. And through first and second period I can hardly stay awake." Michael Breus,a clinical psychologist with a specialty in sleep disorders says:"These aren't a bunch of lazy kids--although,you know,teenagers can of course be lazy. These are children whose biological rhythms,more times than not,are off."Teens,he says,need to sleep eight to nine hours or even nine to ten hours a night. He says sleepy teens can experience a form of depression that could have big effects on their general well-being. It can affect not just their ability in the classroom but also on the sports field and on the road because any tired driver is dangerous,especially a teenager with a lack of experience. So what can schools do about sleepy students?The psychologist says one thing they can do is start classes later in the morning. Eric Peterson,head of St.George's School in the northeastern state of Rhode Island,says,"In the end,schools ought to do what's the right thing for their students,first and foremost."And he wanted to see if a 30-minute delay would make a difference. did. According to the passage,which of the following is the chief cause of sleepy teenagers? A Persona haibits. B Early school hours. C Sports activities. D Too much home work. Answer: B
There was a heavy snow last night. Maria stayed at home. Her cousin Cara came to visit her. She came back from Beijing. She told Maria something about her vacation. "It was pretty good. "She said. Cara visited the Palace Museum and the Great Wall. She took a lot of photos. It was lunch time. Maria's parents were not at home. They decided to cook by themselves. Maria cooked noodles with some tomatoes and peppers . After Cara ate up the noodles, she said slowly, "I think it is delicious!" But Maria thought the food was too awful. She said," Cara, thank you, but I put too many peppers!" There are some _ with the noodles. Answer: peppers, tomatoes The ancient Olympic Games were held in a sacred valley at Olympia at western Greece. The earliest records of the Games go back to 776 B.C.. These contests were held every four years. They were important to the Greeks. When they took place, all wars were stopped. No one dared to break the truce of Olympic. Criers announced the names of winning athletes everywhere in the land. Artists made statues of them. Poets wrote about the Olympic heroes. The first Olympians raced the length of the stadium at Olympia--about 200 yards. But later other events were added:longer races, broad jumping, the javelin throw, the marathon race, and the discus throw. Then boxing, wrestling and horseback riding were also added. In the beginning, only Greeks competed in the Games. But in later centuries, athletes from other lands joined. In 146 B.C. the Romans conquered Greece. Soon the Games began to change. Under the Romans, they became rougher, wilder, and bloodier. Many professionals took part, which was against the spirit of the Olympics. Finally, Emperor Theodosius of Rome decided that the Olympics were a public danger. He died away with them after the Games of A.D. 392. They had lasted over 1,000 years. Fifteen hundred years passed. Then, in the 1890's, Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France began to interest nations in bringing the Games back. The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. They have been held every four years since then, except during the two world wars. The Romans took over the Olympics by _ . Answer: defeating the Greeks in battle What do you like? Different people like different things. Some people like loud music, other people don't. They think it is too noisy. They like soft music. Many people like sports, but they do not like the same sports. In some countries, cricket is a very popular sport. In others, it is not popular at all. No one plays it and few people watch it on TV. The World Cup is very popular. Millions of people watch the games on TV. Some people don't like doing sports. They just like to watch other people playing. Different people like different foods. Some people do not like meat. They eat most kinds of fruits and vegetables. Some people do not like potatoes and bread. They prefer rice or corn. Not everyone like the same colors. Most people have a favorite color. Some people like bright colors. Others prefer pale colors. The world is an interesting place because we all like different things. How many people like to watch the World Cup on TV? Answer: Millions of people The gift of being able to describe a face accurately is a rare one, as every experienced police officer knows to his cost. As the Lancet put it recently, "When we try to describe faces precisely, words fail us, and we resort to identikit procedures." Yet, according to one authority on the subject, we can each probably recognize more than 1,000 faces, the majority of which differ in fine details. This, when one comes to think of it, is a tremendous feat, though, curiously enough, ly little attention has been devoted to the fundamental problems of how and why we acquire this gift for recognizing and remembering faces. Is it an inborn property of our brains, or an acquired one? As so often happens, the experts tend to differ. Thus, some argue that it is inborn, and that there are "special characteristics about the brain's ability to distinguish faces". In support of this, they note how much better we are at recognizing a face after a single encounter than we are, for example, in recognizing an individual horse. On the other hand, there are those, and they are probably in the majority, who claim that the gift is an acquired one. The arguments in favor of this latter view, it must be confessed, are impressive. It is a habit that is acquired soon after birth. Watch, for instance, how a quite young baby recognizes his mother by sight. Granted that his other senses help - the sound, his sense of smell, the distinctive way she handles him. But of all these, sight is predominant. Formed at the very beginning of life, the ability to recognize faces quickly becomes an established habit, and one that is, essential for daily living, if not necessarily for survival. How essential and valuable it is we probably do not appreciate until we encounter people who have been deprived of the faculty. This unfortunate inability to recognize familiar faces is known to all, but such people can often recognize individuals by their voices, their walking manners or their spectacles. With typical human ingenuity, many of these unfortunate people overcome their handicap by recognizing other characteristic features. What is the first suggested explanation of the origin of the ability? Answer: It is something we can do from the very moment we are born. Peter Fern was mad on mountains. Climbing was the love of his life. Church towers, seaside cliffs, rock faces, ice mountains, anything --- "If it's there," he used to say, "then I want to climb it." so the news of his marriage gave me surprise. I'd never known him to take much interest in girls. Well, well, Peter Fern, a married man! I couldn't get over it. I wondered whether his wife would try to stop some of his risky adventures. She was French perhaps --- from that place where he usually spent his holidays. Chamonix, wasn't it? From Chamonix he's climbed Mont. Blanc on his seventeenth birthday, and one of the Aifuilles the day after! That was it, then; she was French, from a family, most of whom liked climbing. No doubt --- No other explanation. A month later I met them both in town. Anna surprised me because she was English. She was a dancer in the theatre. "never climbed more than sixty steps in my life." she told me. "Peter has his interests, and I've got mine. No problem." "None at all, " Peter said, smiling. "Where did you spend your honeymoon?" I asked. "Somewhere far from theater and mountains, was it?" "We had a week's holiday," Anna said, "I flew toprefix = st1 /New Yorkto see the drake Dancers on Broadway. a wonderful show!" Peter said, "Didn't want to miss the good weather. So I went toSwitzerlandand climbed the north face of the Eiger with Allen Dunlop. Great fun, the Eiger. Grand place for a honeymoon! I'll show you the photographs we took one day." Peter was mad on mountains means _ Answer: he enjoyed climbing mountains very much
"Little lies" sometimes come to easily to us that we don't even consider them to be lies. Read about these lies of everyday life: 1. Lying about your age or your kid's age to get a cheaper ticket. 2. Telling the host of a dinner party that the terrible food he prepared is wonderful. 3. Lying to your aunt about how much you love the gift she gave you---the one that you really hate. 4. Telling a friend with a terrible haircut that she looks great. 5. Lying to a friend about how much you want to see her again when you really don't 6.Telling the salesperson who calls when you're watching TV that you're very busy. Are these serious lies? Probably not, but if you would lie about your age to a stranger, what's going to stop you from lying about something more serious later? If we tell a lie or act dishonestly and get what we want, that might make us feel good today. But what about tomorrow? The future results of our lies are uncertain. Still, no one is saying that everyone can or should be completely honest all the time. More people lie, often for a good reason. Lies are told all the time and are part of our everyday social life. Many times people lie to protect the feelings of other people, and there's nothing wrong with that. Honesty is usually the best policy, but like any other policy, you have to make exceptions. According to the text, which of the following is TRUE? A. Some people are born liars. B. People often lie to avoid hurting others. C. Some people can be honest all the time. D. Little lies are not serious things. Answer: B Napoleon stayed in a small inn . The next morning, he went to thank the innkeeper. "You have served me well," said Napoleon. "I wish to reward you. Tell me what you want." "Sir, we want nothing," said the innkeeper. "But will you tell us something?" "What is it?" Napoleon asked. "We have heard a story," said the innkeeper, "that once during the war , a small village was taken by the Russians. You happened to be in the village. You hid while they looked for you. Will you tell us how you felt when they were looking for you?" Napoleon looked very angry. He called in two of his soldiers. Then he pointed to the door. The soldiers took the innkeeper and his wife out into the yard. At the end of the yard was a wall. The innkeeper and his wife were led to the wall. The soldiers tied the hands of the innkeeper and his wife. Napoleon watched, saying nothing. "Please, sir." begged the innkeeper, "Don't kill us! we meant nothing!" The soldiers moved back. The innkeeper saw them raising their guns. Then Napoleon called: "Ready! Aim!" The wife screamed. "Stop!" said Napoleon. He went to the innkeeper, "Now, you know the answer to the question you asked me just now, don't you?" Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? A. Five people are mentioned in this passage. B. In fact, Napoleon didn't hide when the Russians were looking for him. C. Napoleon was thankful to the innkeeper for his good service. D. The couple had thought they would be killed before Napoleon said "stop". Answer: B Hello, I'm Jones. I want to go to the following three places. I would like to visit Harpo Studios in Chicago, because it hosts The Oprah Winfrey Show. I really love Oprah Winfrey. I want to meet her. It doesn't snow in my country. Chicago is in the northeast of the USA. I'd like to be there, see snow. Paris is the most beautiful city in the world. I would like to visit its beautiful streets and the famous Eiffel Tower. Paris has many zoos. So I can go to the zoos and have a look at the animals. There are many cars on the streets, but I can take the subway to get around the city. On my summer vocation, I would like to go to Barcelona. First, there are many beautiful beaches. Second, there are well-known desserts and fruits in Barcelona. Jones would like to get around Paris _ . A. by car B. by bus C. by boat D. by subway Answer: D 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. Who can become the Home-coming Queen or King? A. The teachers who are kind to the students. B. The students who are popular with the students. C. The visitors who once studied in the school. D. The players who play best in the football team. Answer: B Sometimes having a teenager at home can be a real headache. Many teenagers smoke, drink, wear strange hairdos and even fight. Basically, they are often taking risks. Earlier studies have shown that teenagers are more likely to make _ decisions than people from any other age group, including children and adults. Is it that teenagers are too young to tell right from wrong? Not really. So what explains their risky behavior? According to Laurence Steinberg, a professor at Temple University, US, the reason is that teens care a lot about how their peers view them - that's the effect of "peer influence", reported Science Daily. As children enter their teenage years, they spend more time with their friends and classmates and also become more sensitive to their feedback . This sensitivity drives teenagers to concentrate on the short-term benefits of making risky choices and overlook the costs. In a test, a group of teenagers were asked to play a video driving game. When they played with their friends watching, they took more chances and drove more carelessly because that would increase their possibility of winning. But when they played alone, they tended to drive more safely. Why does pressure from peers have such a big influence on teens' behavior? As Steinberg sees it, a teenager's brain is like a car with a good accelerator but a weak brake . The "accelerator", the brain's ability to notice the benefits of things, is fully developed by teenage years while the "brake", the brain part related to controlling impulses and long-term thinking, is still immature . When teens are under the pressure of being judged by their peers, they tend to push hard on the accelerator. Given how weak the brake is, it is likely that they are going to end up in a crash. But the good news here, according to Steinberg, is that a violent teenager doesn't necessarily become a violent adult. About two-thirds to three-quarters of violent youth grow out of it. "They get more self-controlled," Steinberg told Live Science. Also, people who haven't committed a violent crime by age 19 are less likely to start doing it later, added Steinberg. Why are teenagers likely to take risks according to the text? A. They are too young to tell right from wrong. B. They are eager to challenge themselves. C. They care a lot about what their peers think of them. D. Their brains are more sensitive to thrilling events. Answer: C
Scandinavian eye color testifies to Answer: recessive genes being more common there In a book called Magnificent Obsession, by Lloyd C. Douglas, a description is given of people helping others but doing it secretly. When difficult problems worried an individual , friends nearby would meet to discuss possible solution without the individual knowing their actions. When a solution was agreed upon, one or two of the friends would carry out the plan and solve the problem secretly, to the great delight of the worried individual. The helpers would stand by privately , content with their success. No reward was given to the problem solvers, not even a sincere "thank you", because they were never known. This concept is popular today but in a different way. The phrase _ is now used when one person helps another. However, the person helped may not be able to repay the person or group that helped them. So rather than return the favor to their helpers, they are supposed to help someone else in the future, which means they pay it forward. It is a sense of responsibility which makes us want to give back in equal measure to the one who has helped us. But, in this case, the responsibility turns to helping someone in the future. Suppose your elderly grandmother pays part of your schooling. She may tell you there is no need to repay her because it is a gift from someone who loves you very much. Nothing would please her more than to have you use her money to get a good education. You may never be able to repay her for such a gift. However, she not only gave you some money, but she provided you with an example that you should also help other people who need it. People with serious needs are everywhere. Many are children who need better clothes, more books and even better schools. Some are elderly people who can't afford their medicine or a doctor's care. Consider how you can "pay it forward" rather than pay money back to your grandmother. From the passage we know _ . Answer: nowadays many people help others without being repaid Bright, Spacious Room Spacious, single furnished room in owner- occupied home is available now, for one and a half years. Ground floor flat. Five-minute walk to the town center and local bus services. Well-equipped shared kitchen, including washing machine. Shared shower& toilet. Large rooms, with high ceilings, a warm and pleasant home. Responsible for own food & cooking, washing, telephone, insurance, etc. No smoking or pets. Not suitable for children. WiFi available locally. Call Jenna on 85756624 if you are interested. One Bedroom Newly Refurbished Flat in Burnage A fantastic one-bedroom flat in the heart of Burnage is available for however long you want. The property has just been refurbished to a high standard. Situated above the pharmacy on Burnage Lane the property boasts a kitchen, large lounge, separate shower and toilet, and bedroom with in- built wardrobes. A must-see! Call Daniel on 70554323 at the weekend. Two Bedrooms Left in Four-bed House Share A great four- bedroom property in the heart of Fallowfield. Two Bedrooms left in a mixed student house. The property has a dining area, toilet, lounge and one bedroom on the ground floor, followed by three bedrooms on the first floor with an extra toilet. Very close to the main bus stop & local amenities : supermarket, Lloyds pharmacy and local launderette. Two minutes' walking distance to the centre of Fallowfield. The property is available from the 1 of July 2012 to 30 June 2013. Half rent for July/ Aug. We are a private landlord; so there are no agency fees! Jack welcomes you to call. Phone:22604322. Board and Lodgings Close to Boston, Lincolnshire We have a double room available on a board and lodgings basis from 1 of June, 2012 to 1 of May, 2013. Within a comfortable, peaceful farmhouse, set in lovely gardens and beautiful countryside. Share a bathroom with one other person only. Room has own TV with Freeview and access to wireless broadband,. Use of the garden and rest of the house. On the bus route to Boston and Horncastle. Free car parking space. All meals, bills, etc. included. Can cater for a variety of special dietary needs if required, Please call Alice at the weekend or after 7p.m. On workdays. Phone:42556755. Who should you contact if you want to rent long term? Answer: Daniel. Sarah Williams went to a boarding school. Here is one of the letters she wrote to her parents from the school. Wentworth Girls' School Beachside July 20th Dearest Mom and Dad, I'm afraid I have some very bad news for you. I have been very naughty and the school principal is very angry with me. She is going to write to you. You must come and take me away from here. She does not want me in the school any longer. The trouble started last night when I was smoking in bed. This is against the rules, of course. We are not supposed to smoke at all. As I was smoking, I heard footsteps coming towards the room. I did not want a teacher to catch me smoking, so I threw the cigarette away. Unfortunately, the cigarette fell into the waste-paper basket, which caught fire. There was a curtain near the waste-paper basket which caught fire, too. Soon the whole room was burning. The principal phoned for the fire department. The school is a long way from the town and by the time the fire department arrived, the whole school was in flames. Many of the girls are in the hospital. The principal says that the fire was all my fault and you must pay for the damage. She will send you a bill for about a million dollars. I'm very sorry about this. Much love, Sarah P. S. None of the above is true, but I have failed my exams. I just want you to know how bad things could have been! Why did Sarah write home? Answer: To tell her parents she had failed her exams. I bought a jasmine plant for my office. When I bought it, I was told it would bloom and the sweet smell would fill my office. I had the plant for two months, and every day I looked at it, but there weren't any flowers or pleasant smell. I was not happy, so I gave the plant to my friend Linda. One day, another friend Mary called and invited me to her office. When I walked in, her jasmine flowers surprised me. I reached out to touch the flowers. Mary cut some and gave them to me. I couldn't help smelling them. Surrounded by the sweet smell of only a handful of these flowers, I suddenly understood something. Mary bought her plant the same time I did. It took a year for her jasmine to bloom. I was so impatient for mine to bloom; regretfully, I gave it away. In a way my life is like the jasmine plant. I need to be patient and let things happen. Last Sunday Linda told me that she was going abroad the next week. Before she left, she returned the plant to me. This time I am going to wait. I have learned that when we want something in our life, we have to be patient. I am slowly learning to have that patience to wait for my jasmine to bloom. What has the writer learned from her experience? Answer: Patience is needed in life.
Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are now a part of everyday driving in many counties.These satellite-based systems provide turn-by-turn directions to help people get to where they want to go. But, they can also cause a lot of problems, send you to the wrong place or leave you completely lost. Many times, the driver is to blame. Sometimes a GPS error is responsible. Most often, says Barry Brown, it is a combination of the two. Barry Brown is with the Mobile Life Centre in Stockholm, Sweden. The center studies human-computer interaction, or HCI, especially communications involving wireless devices. He told us about an incident involving a friend who had flown to an airport in the eastern United States. There he borrowed a GPS-equipped car to use during his stay. "And they just plugged in an address and then set off to their destination. And, then it wasn't until they were driving for thirty minutes until they realized they actually put in a destination back on the West Coast where they lived. They actually put their home address in. So again, the GPS is kind of 'garbage in garbage out'." Mr. Brown says this is a common human error. But, he says, what makes the problem worse has to do with some of the shortcomings, or failures, of GPS equipment. "One problem with a lot of the GPS units is they have a very small screen and they just tell you the next turn. Because they just give you the next turn, sometimes that means that it is not really giving you the overview that you would need to know that it's going to the wrong place." The passage is mainly about GPS _ . A benefit B shortcoming C function D appearance Answer: B. shortcoming There are plenty of different parks to visit in the UK. All theme parks in Britain have cafes, restaurants, picnic areas and gift shops, so you'll still have plenty to see and do when you and the kids have been on enough rides. There are usually smaller "funfair" rides and games as well, so younger children won't get bored. Several theme parks also have other attractions next to them, e.g. water parks often open all year round, unlike the theme parks. Wherever you are in Britain, there's likely to be a theme park within one or two hours' drive, bus ride or train journey. Several theme parks even have accommodation so you can stay for a day or two if you want to make a trip into a short holiday. Prices for UK theme parks vary considerably; some have an entrance price which allows you to go on all the rides, while in others you have to pay for every ride individually. It can also make a difference whether you go during peak time or not. For example, tickets always cost more during school holidays and weekends than they do during the weekdays. Theme parks always get very busy during the summer months, so if you don't like crowds, it's usually a good idea to go earlier or later in the year! If you're thinking of visiting a UK theme park, it's worth having a look for special offers on tickets. Products such as chocolate bars and cereals sometimes have "buy one get one free" offers on theme park tickets, so keep a look out in shops and supermarkets. This passage mainly talks about all the following EXCEPT _ . A things to do B prices for theme parks C rules to obey D special offers Answer: C. rules to obey Mr and Mrs Smith have just opened a small restaurant. In order to attract customers, they put a notice in front of the restaurant, which said: "Meals on the house for three days." A foreign student who didn't know much English passed by the restaurant on the second day. It was lunchtime and he felt hungry. "Well, here is a restaurant. I'm going to have something to eat," he said. He saw the notice when he walked towards the restaurant. "American people are really strange. They even eat dinners on the house! But how can I get onto the top of the house?" he asked himself He looked around and found a ladder against a tree nearby. He was very glad. But as he reached the top, he heard someone shouting at him, "Hey, what are you doing up there?" Mr Smith was looking at him angrily. Beside him was a policeman. 'Doesn't your notice say 'Meals on the house for three days'? Is it just a joke?" the foreign student answered. On hearing this, both Mr Smith and the policeman burst into laughter. Do you know the meaning of on the house"? Why do Mr and Mrs Smith put up the notice? A Because they wanted to attract policemen B Because they wanted people to eat on the roof C Because they wanted to attract more customers D Because they liked to play jokes Answer: C. Because they wanted to attract more customers "China is expected to complete its first exploration of the moon in 2010 and will found a moon base just as we did on the North and South Poles," Ouyang Ziyuan, head of China's moon exploration program, promised during national science and technology week. After its first man in space, China plans a space laboratory, a lunar orbiter to look for valuable elements and minerals, robot landings on the moon and then the human touchdown. The price of space exploration is enormous. Russia and the US, the only two countries to have achieved manned flight, are struggling to keep their new investment, the international space station. But China, which has a long tradition in physics, mathematics and engineering, finds its doctoral graduates welcomed in the US and Europe for decades. And it has been able to learn from 40 years of pioneering successes and mistakes by the USSR and the USA. Space flight is a gamble and the stakes are high. If successful, China could become a member of the world's most exclusive club, set up a second home on the moon and get a powerful hand at the strategic bargaining table. Two designers from the Shenzhou III project said that 12 astronauts now are undergoing intensive training. One more unmanned space flight is planned before the first manned launch. Experts say that the Shenzhou spacecraft already provides China with a space vehicle capable of mounting a lunar program. Chinese scientists have also predicted that Mars will be the next target after the moon. We think that the Chinese astronaut will succeed in landing the moon in 2010 because _ . A China will ask for help from the USSR and the USA B two countries have set up a space station on the moon C China has a large population in the world D China has its tradition technology and advanced scientists Answer: D. China has its tradition technology and advanced scientists Where Are We Going, Dad? presents a new generation of men, in a break from Chinese tradition, now take an active role in their children's lives. Five star fathers and their children travel around China, riding camels through the western deserts, fishing off the east coast, and selling vegetables for their bus fare home in remote southwestern Yunnan province. One dad doesn't know how to do his daughter's hair, but give him a couple of days -- he'll figure it out. Another one must survive with his son for three days in the desert, where, because neither can cook, the two only eat instant noodles. These story lines are part of Where Are We Going, Dad? which, since its first show in October, has become one of China's most popular television shows, covering more than 600 million viewers each week. And searches for Where Are We Going, Dad? turn up over 40 million hits on Sina Weibo, China's Twitter. "In traditional Chinese culture, the common conception of parenthood is that the father is strict and the mother is kind. But on the show, we see fathers who are much gentler on their kids and more concerned with their upbringing," said Li Minyi, an associate professor of early childhood education at the leading Beijing Normal University. "An important question arises in this show for modern Chinese society -- what is the role of fathers in today's China?" "As they raise their children, parents are growing up at the same time," said Wang Renping, a popular education expert, in an interview with the Qianjiang Evening News. "They cannot use parenting styles from 20 years ago to guide the development of children born 20 years later." The attraction of Where Are We Going, Dad? lies in the chance to have a close look at the lives of popular Chinese stars and their children. Audiences fancy watching the failed attempts of star dads making dinner, braiding hair , and disciplining children -- tasks often left to mothers in a society still influenced by the opinion that "men rule outside and women rule inside." From the passage, we can draw a conclusion that Where Are We Going, Dad? is _ . A a TV show B a novel C a match D a news report Answer: A. a TV show
The power of humor and laugher is numerous. They entertain us and make us feel good. But, above all, we have discovered that humor and laughter are the best medicine. They relieve pain, reduce stress and anxiety, and are anti-aging and longevity facilitators . They are extremely necessary for helping us to find and maintain a balance between life and work. However, they are slipping away from us. We have become far too serious. The only ones who still enjoy humor, laughter, fun and play to the fullest are young children. Children tend to laugh an average of 200 times a day. For adults, however, it is a totally different story. In the 1950s people laughed on average 18 times a day. Today, we are lucky if we average between 4-6 times a day. As a matter of fact, a recent study found that people laugh 6 more times in the presence of one person but 30 more times in a group of people. You can get a chuckle from jokes you get on the Internet, but it is not the same as belly jiggling laughter (a deep laugh) you get when you interact with others. Socializing with friends and relatives was much looked forward to. However, this is no longer the case. In fact, the majority of people can hardly find time, nor do they have the _ towards socializing outside home. They turn to electronic media such as television, computers, the Internet, videos, CDs, and audio equipment, which can provide them with instant self-entertainment at the push of a button. The workplace does not fare much better. Due to the pressures to produce more in the same or fewer hours available and to compete, for example, in a manufacturing field with cheaper labor elsewhere in the world, humor and laughter in the workplace have gradually eroded away. I have developed a real appreciation, perhaps closer to a strong desire for the power of humor and laughter. This encouraged me to write my first book titled "The Power of Humor" and subsequently my second book titled "Kids Say the Goggonest Things" based on the natural humor, laughter, play and fun that kids experience and they freely share with parents, grandparents and teachers. From writing about humor and laughter, people start to ask me to speak up for them. To date, I have developed a number of humor-laughter topics that I use in my keynote presentations. You are invited to subscribe to my free monthly e-magazine "The Humormeister's Forum" by clicking on the Free Humor E-zine navigation button on the website. Which of the following articles can we most probably find in "The Humormeister's Forum"? A. The power of honesty. B. Don't be your own worst enemy. C. Live life purposefully: The relationship within. D. Funny Christmas stories to share with your loved ones. Answer: D Humming birds may help the growth of A. cars B. buildings C. ants D. tulips Answer: D March Break Leadership Camp The aim of this FREE program is to develop an awareness of race relations, diversity, an equal issue for students in Grades 6-8. Place: The Central Library Room Time: March 16&17, 2009 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm Pick up and hand in registration forms at the Central Library. All forms must be handed in by March 6th. Space is limited. Please send any questions related to the program to Becky George, the Public Library 905-831-6265 ext 6230 or email: pickering-younity@hotmail.com Free Your Space......Free Your Mind At the Central Library: Wednesday, May 13thfrom7:00 pm to 8:30 pm This time management course will help you to create more balance and time in your life. In today's increasingly stressful times, it is becoming more difficult to spend quality time with family and friends. This course will provide positive solutions and strategies to achieve peace. Book Club for Teens At the Central Library: Every 2ndThursday at 7:00 pm Do you enjoy reading? Part of the pleasure of reading comes from meeting with others to discuss characters, plots or style. Come to trade ideas and questions, and make new friends. This program is currently full but for more information, please call 905-831-6265 ext 6232. Computer Training Group computer classes for teens will be provided at the Central Library in March, April, and May. Registration starts at 9:30 am on Friday, March 6thfor the March session; Friday, March 27thfor the April session; and Friday, April 24thfor the May session. A valid Public Library card is required for all computer training sessions. Call the Central Library for more information or to register, 905-831-6265 ext 6243. Limit 10 participants per class. What do these four programs have in common? A. They are held in the same place. B. They are held at the same month. C. All of them are free of charge. D. All of them limit the number of participants. Answer: A Don't be surprised when strangers talk to you in Canada! You will find that many Canadians will smile at you as they pass in the street, or say something to you like "Hi!" or "How's it going?" Just reply with something similar. In the UK the reply would be "I'm fine", but in Canada they say "I'm good". In company, when someone is offering you a second helping of food or more wine, if you don't want any more, use the same expression-- "I'm good". In this case, it means "No, thank you. I've had enough". Most Canadians don't press you to eat more than you want. In restaurant, your plate will be cleared away almost immediately you have finished eating. When you go into a shop or store, the shop assistant asks you how you are or if they can help you, it is their way of being friendly and making conversation with the customers. Canadians eat early and go home early. When you are invited to a Canadian's home, you may be asked to arrive at 5:30 pm or 6 pm. But guests in Europe don't expect to arrive until 7:30 pm or 8 pm. Remember to take off your shoes and leave them inside the door without being asked. It's not a religious custom, but it's practical. In winter, there can be a lot of snow and dirt on your shoes, once you are in the warm house it melts and falls off, making a mess. Canadians tend to have light colored carpets or hardwood floors. If you're invited for dinner, it will be a full sit- down meal. Meat is usually barbecued in the freezing cold of winter. Do take something with you, like a bottle of wine. Arrive on time and don't stay over 10 pm. What can we learn from the passage? A. Canadians like dark colored carpets. B. In Canada, meat will not be barbecued even in the cold winter. C. You will always be asked to eat more food than you want in Canada. D. It is usually rude to stay over 10 pm in your Canadian friend's home. Answer: D Controlled burns help prevent wildfires by cleaning up A. dead foliage B. animal droppings C. wasp nests D. air pollution Answer: A
In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress. Others say that competition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people. I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth depended on how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs . The development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten. However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude. In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the common players, they are strongly against competition. Most of them are young people who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society. Teaching these youngsters, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem to find failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: " I may have lost, but it doesn't matter because I really didn't try." What is not usually accepted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot. Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken belief that one's self-worth depends on how well one performs in the competition. Both are afraid of not being valued. We can discover a new meaning in competition only as this kind of fear begins to disappear. What is the similar belief of the true competitors and those with a desire to fail? A. One's worth lies in his performance in the competition. B. One's success in competition needs great efforts. C. One's achievement is decided by his special skills. D. One's success is based on how hard he has tried. Answer: A Big Brothers Big Sisters is based on the simplicity and power of friendship.It is a program which provides friendship and fun by matching _ (ages 7-17) with a volunteer adult who can be both a role model and a supportive friend. Volunteer tutors come from all walks of life--married, single, with or without children. Big Brothers and Big Sisters are not replacement parents or social workers. They are tutors: someone to trust, to have fun with, to talk and go to when needed. A Big Sister and Little Sister will generally spend between one and four hours together three or four times each month for at least twelve months. They enjoy simple activities such as a picnic at a park, cooking, doing sports or going to a football match. These activities improve the friendship and help the young person develop self-respect, confidence and life direction. Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations can be found throughout the world. It is the largest and most well-known provider of tutor services internationally and has been operating for 25 years. Emily and Sarah have been matched since 2008. Emily is a 15-year-old girl who has experienced some difficulties being accepted by her schoolmates at school. " I was pretty sure there was something wrong with me." Emily's mum came across Big Brothers Big Sisters and thought it would be of benefit to Emily by "providing different feedback about herself other than just depending on schoolmates to measure her self-worth. Sarah wanted to get involved in a volunteer program. "I googled it and found out how to be a part of it. I thought it would be fun for me to get involved in making time to do something because sometimes it is all work and no play." Big Brothers Big Sisters has been of great benefit and enjoyment to both Emily and Sarah. They love and look forward to their time together and the partnership has certainly helped Emily be more comfortable in being the wonderful and happy girl she is! Why did Sarah want to get involved in the program? A. She felt a bit bored with her life. B. She used to be a volunteer. C. She needed a part-time job. D. She wanted to get a difficult job. Answer: A If you were to come up with a list of organizations whose failures had done the most damage to the American economy in recent years,you would probably have to start with the Wall Street firms that brought us the financial.From there,you might move on to the automakers in Detroit. But I would suggest that the list should also include a less obvious nominee:public education. At its top level,the American system of higher education may be the best in the world.Yet in terms of its core mission-turning teenagers into educated college graduates--much of the system is failing. The United States does a good job enrolling teenagers in college,but only half of the students who enroll end up with a bachelor's degree. So identifying the causes of the college dropout crisis m the world's largest economy matters enormously, and a new book called Crossing the Finish Line tries to do precisely that.Its authors are economists William Bowen and Michael.McPherson,and a doctoral candidate Matthew Chigoes.The first problem they diagnose is something they call tender-matching. It refers to students who choose not to attend the best college they can get into.They instead go to a less selective one,perhaps one that is closer to home or less expensive.About half of the low--income students with a grade-point average of at least3.5 in high school and an SAT score of at least 1,200 do not attend the best college they could have. "I was really astonished by the degree to which well--qualified students from poor families under-matched," said Mr.Bowen. In fact,well-off students attend the colleges that do the best job of producing graduates.Meanwhile,lower-income students-even when they are better qualified--often go to colleges that excel in producing drop-outs."It's really a waste,"Mr.Bowen said,"and a big problem for the country."As the authors point out, the only way to lift the college graduation rate significantly is to lift it among poor and working--class students. Instead,it appears to have fallen. What can be done? Money is clearly part of the answer. The passage is mainly about _ . A. problems with secondary American education and possible solutions B. America's financial crisis, its cause and influence C. low rate of American college graduation, its cause and its influence D. relationship between American education and its economy Answer: C 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 would be the best title for the text? A. Great Improvement of Just Eat B. Global Trend of Food Companies C. New Robots to Move on the Road D. Delivery Robots to Replace Takeaway Drivers Answer: D It's not often you get information about a destination from a heavy metal band, but in Debrecen, Hungary's second largest city, locals are used to having to make a noise to get heard. Just off the historic center, Roncs bar is a pub that also hosts live music. It has the atmosphere of a student party in an old building that might soon be knocked down. Roncs is owned by Hungary's best-known heavy metal rock band, Tankcsapda. Sometimes referred to as the "Hungarian Metallica", the band has taken a type of music that is famous worldwide and-through lyrics, album covers, and an annual New Year's party and concert-made it all about their home city. It's perhaps fitting that Tankcsapda should be seen as ambassadors for Debrecen-the city sometimes needs loud heavy metal rock music to get noticed. "Foreigners think that Hungary is Budapest and there's nothing else," is a familiar saying on Debrecen's[:streets. Debrecen has, at times, been more important than the current seat of power, with locals claiming it takes over in times of trouble. That doesn't quite add up. Debrecen survived an attack from the Mongols in the 13th century, the Black Death, 150 years of struggle against the Ottomans and numerous conflicts, and yet it[:has still only briefly been the country's capital twice. This happened for the first time after a short-lived revolution in 1849, and for a second time at the end of World War II. Today, Debrecen may not be well known to tourists, but that only adds to the charm of this relaxed city. It's a small place; the historical center is sized for strolling and regular cafe stops. There's also a view of Debrecen's mix of architectural styles, a result of the frequent large fires that back in the 19th century led the city's students to form one of Europe's first-ever fire brigades . You can also see traditional _ from the rooftops, featuring Islamic star and crescent moon symbols that once advertised to Ottoman invaders that the city preferred trading to fighting. Trade meant that Debrecen's skilled people became very successful and the city became famous for-among other things-fine foods, hats and clay pipes. In the early 19th century, 10 million clay pipes were reportedly made a year, with thousands bought for Britain's navy. Why are locals used to having to make a noise to get heard? A. Because they feel their city is too quiet and relaxed. B. Because they dislike it that the world only knows Budapest in Hungary. C. Because they think it helps create a powerful image of their city. D. Because all kinds of music bars bring their city alive. Answer: B
Some birds have scooped beaks, but others have sharp beaks such as Answer: "Who has more questions, a teacher or a student?"About this question a great learned man told his students that nobody does but a teacher. The students got puzzled. With a smile, the teacher drew the circles."Within the larger one is my knowledge of things and within the smaller one is yours. Out of the circles is still unknown to both of us. Since mine is larger, as you can see, the line that marks out the circle is longer. That makes it clear that who has more chances to face something still unknown." The students thought that _ Answer: A surprisingly high number of city citizens in China suffer from poor health and many die at an early age. Poor health with no sign of any identified disease, a condition known in China as "sub health," is on the rise. Sub health is marked by general weakness, low energy levels and a poor immune system. A survey held in 16 cities with over 1 million population showed high proportions of urban Chinese have been suffering sub health problems. The numbers are particularly high in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, with 75.31, 73.49, and 73.41 percent respectively of residents in poor health, the survey showed. The problem happens mostly among senior and middle-level managers, clerks and other white-collar workers with high education levels, said the website of the Red Cross Society of China. "The sub health condition, found in most cases among groups of people with a high educational level, will have bad effects on China's long-term development and progress if not dealt timely and properly," the website warned. A survey by the Chinese Academy of Sciences shows that the average life of Chinese intellectuals is 58 years, 10 years lower than the nation's average. This early death phenomenon may be increasing. Among Chinese people with high education in the 25-59 age group, the death rate for women is as high as 10.4 per cent. For men it is even higher: 16.5 percent. A report published by the China Sub Health Academic Seminar said the country's health is going through a transitional period and many long-term diseases have taken the place of infectious diseases such as SARS and flu as the main cause of death. "Bad working habits, poor disease prevention knowledge, not enough governmental investment and lack of health education are the main reasons," said Yang Xiaoduo, a healthcare expert with a local health association, who said China should race against time seeking measures to solve the sub health problem. The following are the symptoms of sub health EXCEPT _ . Answer: When the shooting of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was complete, it was much more than a movie wrap-up . Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley, toldThe Sunday Timesthat he's happy to have the time for romance now filming is over. Emma Watson, who is Hermione Granger in the movies, said she looked forward to "finally being free, being my own person" - a change signaled by her new haircut. Daniel Radcliffe, who has been the face of the boy wizard since 2001, said that he "did cry like a little girl" when the last movie finished. "It's like the ending of a relationship," he toldThe Vancouver Sun. "There's a sense of, 'God, what am I going to do now?'" He said he was eager to see "what life holds for him beyond Hogwarts". Along with the three actors, Harry Potter fans, now in their late teens, came of age with J.K. Rowling's characters. For them, the last film isn't just a goodbye to a decade of magic, but the close of their childhoods. "We are the Harry Potter generation," Canadian Andrea Hill, 19, toldThe Vancouver Sun."We started in elementary school, reading about a boy our age who was going through the same things we were going through. We grew up, so did he." For Emily Chahal, an 18-year-old student, the series has been an inspiring journey. "That first book was what started my love of literature. It was the inspiration for everything - really teaching me to appreciate my friends, and to face difficulties with a sense of courage," she said. "I have a sense of sadness. The end of the movies is kind of the end of my childhood, too." Fortunately, to the delight of die-hard fans, there are many things that keep the boy wizard alive. For example, in June this year, a Harry Potter theme park opened in Florida, US. Some schools in the US and UK also have Quidditch teams - players ride broomsticks. "We're not waiting anymore to see what happens to Harry next," Hill told The Vancouver Sun. She founded a Quidditch club at Carleton University in Canada. "We're still engaged in that magical world." The series has brought Emily Chahal all the following EXCEPT _ . Answer: Sarah looked up high. She could see the scissors up on top of the cabinet. If she could only reach them, she could cut the gum out of her baby sister's hair and her mom would never know. Her mom was still busy helping her brother take out the trash. Sarah quickly pushed a chair over to the cabinet. She climbed up on the chair and got the scissors. Then she hopped down and put the chair back at the table. Sarah ran to the bathroom and shut the door. While her sister sat on the floor, Sarah cut the gum and a big piece of Sally's hair, and then threw it into the trash. Sarah put on her dress, then she and Sally headed back to the kitchen for breakfast. Sarah had taken a drink of her chocolate milk when she heard her brother Kyle start to laugh and point at Sally's head. Their mother heard the laugh and turned around to see what was so funny. Sarah began to turn red before their mother even asked what had happened. "I did it," Sarah said in a quiet voice, "I'm sorry, Mom." What happened when Sarah's mother turned around? Answer:
A young girl is calling a neighbor a superhero because of what he did when she was trapped beneath a car. Nick Harris said he didn't know where he found the strength, but somehow he managed to lift a car off the 6yearold girl last week,earning himself the title of superman. "I just think it' s a Christmas miracle,"Harris said. Harris said he has tried time and again to recreate the surprising show of strength because instinct sent him running to the 6yearold' s aid. "I just ran over there,saw the tire on her,and lifted the car up to get her out from underneath the car,"Harris said. "I don't know how I did it. I've tried three or four times since then." Harris was dropping off his daughter at Eugene Field Elementary Friday morning when he saw a car back out of a driveway,pinning the girl under its tire. That girl turned out to be his daughter's best friend. "I was expecting her to have bad injuries,"Harris said. "I've had broken toes, because a car just backed over my foot. And here this whole car was on top of her. I wasn't expecting it to turn out as wonderful as it did." The first grader was flown to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City by an air ambulance ,but didn't have to stay long. "They all call me superman now,"Harris said. "I'm just a dad. I'm just a dad that was in the right place at the right time. And I was finally able to help and I did something good." Why was Harris called a superhero? Answer: A study reported: using a computer at home may be bad for a child's performance in math, science and English. It can't improve them. Children are spending more time chatting , playing games or sending and they aren't doing their homework. Li Jun, Hunan Now more and more people are buying and selling things on the Internet. Hackers around the world are interested in this. They often break in your system, but it's very difficult to find them. They even can take your money out of the bank. Xiao Yu, Guangdong I'm a 14-year-old girl in Tibet. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway was built in 2006. I can reach Beijing by train in about 48 hours. I can often go to visit my grandpa. Joma, Tibet I'm 13 years old. I want to invent a machine. My machine will _ the earthquake better and make people run to safe places. Lin Yan, Sichuan People in Tibet can get to Beijing _ in about 48 hours now. Answer: Reading is very important. World Book Day falls on April 23 every year. It encourages people, especially teenagers, to discover the pleasure of reading. It is also the day to honor great writers. Many countries celebrate World Book Day. On that day, millions of school children can buy books at a much lower price than usual in any bookstore in England. It has been done every year since 1998. World Book Day is also celebrated in China. Wen Jiabao, Premier of China, is an avid reader. He does lots of reading every day though he is very busy. On World Book Day 2009, he called on people to do more reading. Wen suggested that young people should spend more time reading. "Books can not change the world, but people can change the world by changing themselves through reading," he said. Reading helps us become more knowledgeable and smarter. Reading helps us to follow the latest developments of science and technology . Reading gives us information about other cultures and places in the world. Reading is also one of the most important ways to learn a foreign language like English. We all know that it is difficult to learn everything in the classroom, for example, the ways English people are living and working today can be learnt by reading. Books, magazines, newspapers and other kinds of reading materials can help us to know more about the outside world. Therefore, it is necessary for us to spend time reading every day. World Book Day was set up in order to encourage people to _ . 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!" Fred came happily into the exam room because _ . Answer: It is surprising that eating three meals a day--breakfast,lunch and dinner-has been a custom only since 1890. Before this time,people only had two meals a day--breakfast and dinner. In the 16th century,breakfast was only to break one's fast . But 200 years later it had become a large meal,not just for family,but for numbers of guests as well. It was a social event. It began at 10 a.m. and lasted until 1 p.m. Then breakfast began to be less popular. It became,instead,a lighter meal and was taken at a much earlier hour. By 1850 it had been pushed back to 8 a.m. and became a family meal. Dinner,however,went to the other way. In the 16th century it was eaten at 11 a.m. Years later,it had moved to the early afternoon,then to 5 p.m. By 1850 dinner time had reached 7 p.m. Lunch is a recent idea. It first appeared as a snack to fill the gap between breakfast and dinner. Breakfast became a family meal since the _ century. Answer:
Trip 1 Black Bear Count There have been fires in this area in the last few years and the Office of the National Park is not sure how many black bears are still living. Some bears have been seen since the fires, and the Office has asked for young people to help count them. The entire trip will last three hours. Bookings necessary. Cost: Free When: May 8 Trip 2 Garland Valley Bring your drink and lunch for this walk in a beautiful area of the Blue Mountains. Garland Valley is close to the town of Garland hut is part of the National Park. Many wild animals live in this area, including many rare birds. This is a great walk for bird-lovers. The trip lasts four hours. Bookings necessary. Cost: $ 15 When: May 8, May 15 Trip 3 Flashlight Adventure Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight and a pair of glasses, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the animals you will see on this trip . The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see. Numbers are strictly limited on night trips, so be sure to book early. This walk lasts two and a half hours. Cost: $ 12 When: May 8, May 15, May22 Equipment to be needed: * Please bring enough water and food for all walks. * Wear good walking shoes--no high heels. * Wear a hat for day walks. * Dress warmly for night walks. * Children must be with an adult. * Make sure your flashlight works well and bring extra batteries for night walks. * Follow all instructions from guides during the walks. The mountains are a dangerous place. Bookings: * Bookings for the above trips can be trade by telephone(893 -- 4847)or on the Internet at Where are these trips? In a park in the mountains. "It's really cool to have a dad who flies fighter jets,"thought 11-year-old Casey as she was watching him fly overhead. Living on an Air Force base was not as bad as some people might think. Casey rather enjoyed being around friends who had something in common with each other. They had their own school, bowling area, and movie theatre. She especially loved it when her dad would come home each day and greet her with a new joke and tickles. Today was different, though. When her dad walked into the room, he looked sad for some reason. He just kissed her on the forehead and told her mum that he needed to talk to her. Casey knew something was wrong. When her mum and dad came out of the other room, mum was crying. Dad sat down and began to explain that he has been called to go to Iraq to help with the war effort. Casey was so surprised that she couldn't speak for a moment. She began to feel tears in her eyes. How could she live without her dad for a whole year? Soon, the day came. Her dad was leaving. As Casey and her mom watched him climb up the steps to his cockpit, the tears began to flow and it felt like _ would never end. It was hard for Casey to believe that she wouldn't be seeing her dad for so long. They depended on him for so many things. Who would fix the broken window? Who would greet her with jokes and tickles at the end of the day? And then the thought hit her, " What if he doesn't make it home?" Casey began to sob more than ever. According to the story, one thing Casey enjoyed on the base was that _ . her friends had something in common with her Which of these human activities does not contribute to the extinction of species? restoration ecology Most Americans start to school at the age of five when they enter kindergarten . Children do not really study at this time. They only attend for half the day and learn what school is like. Children attend elementary school for the next six years. They learn to read and write and work with numbers. They also study the world and its people. After they leave elementary school, children go to junior high school for three years and senior high school for another three years. This is called secondary education. In some places, the children go to elementary school for eight years and high school for four. In all, elementary and secondary education together take twelve years to complete excluding kindergarten. ,. (2,10) Children should study how to _ . read, write and work with numbers ROME: The legend of Leonardo da Vinci is covered in mystery: How did he die? Are the remains buried in a French castle really those of the master? Was the "Mona Lisa" a self-portrait in disguise ? A group of Italian scientists believe the key to solving those puzzles lies with the remains, and they say they are seeking permission to dig up the body to conduct carbon and DNA testing. If the skull is undamaged, the scientists can go to the heart of a question that has fascinated scholars and the public for centuries: the identity of the "Mona Lisa." Recreating a virtual and then physical reconstruction of Leonardo's face, they can compare it with the smiling face in the painting. "We don't know what we'll find if the tomb is opened. We could even just find grains and dust," says Giorgio Gruppioni, an anthropologist who is participating in the project. "But if the remains are well kept, they are a biological record of events in a person's life, and sometimes in their death." Silvano Vinceti, the leader of the group, said that _ in charge of the said burial site at Amboise Castle early next week. Leonardo moved to France at the invitation of King Francis I, who named him "first painter to the king." He spent the last three years of his life there, and died in 1519 at age 67. The artist's original burial place, the palace church of Saint Florentine, was destroyed during the French Revolution and remains that are believed to be his were eventually reburied in the Saint-Hubert Chapel near the castle. "The Amboise tomb is a symbolic tomb; it's a big question mark," said Alessandro Vezzosi, the director of a museum dedicated to Leonardo in his hometown of Vinci. Vezzosi said that investigating the tomb could help identify the artist's bones with certainty and solve other questions, such as the cause of his death. He said he asked to open the tomb in 2004 to study the remains, but the Amboise Castle turned him down. The group of 100 experts involved in the project, called the National Committee for Historical and Artistic Heritage, was created in 2003 with the aim of "solving the great mysteries of the past," said Vinceti, who has written books on art and literature. Arguably the world's most famous painting, the "Mona Lisa" hangs in the Louvre in Paris, where it drew some 8.5 million visitors last year. Mystery has surrounded the identity of the painting's subject for centuries, with opinions ranging from the wife of a Florentine merchant to Leonardo's own mother. That Leonardo intended the "Mona Lisa" as a self-portrait in disguise is a possibility that has interested and divided scholars. Theories have existed: Some think that Leonardo's taste for tricks and riddles might have led him to hide his own identity behind that puzzling smile; others have guessed that the painting hid an androgynous lover. If granted access to the grave site, the Italian experts plan to use a tiny camera and radar to confirm the presence of bones. The scientists would then exhume the remains and attempt to date the bones with carbon testing. At the heart of the proposed study is the effort to discover whether the remains are actually Leonardo's, including with DNA testing. Vezzosi questions the DNA comparison, saying he is unaware of any direct descendants of Leonardo or of tombs that could be attributed with certainty to the artist's close relatives. Gruppioni said that DNA from the bones could also eventually be compared to DNA found elsewhere. For example, Leonardo is thought to have rubbed colors on the canvas with his thumb, possibly using saliva , meaning DNA might be found on his paintings. Even in the absence of DNA testing, other tests could provide useful information, including whether the bones belonged to a man or a woman, and whether the person died young or old. Even within the committee, experts are divided over the identity of the "Mona Lisa." Vinceti believes that a tradition of considering the self-portrait to be not just a faithful imitation of one's features but a representation of one's spiritual identity may have resonated with Leonardo. Vezzosi, the museum director, dismissed as "baseless and senseless" the idea that the "Mona Lisa" could be a self-portrait of Leonardo. He said most researchers believe the woman may have been either a wife of the artist's sponsor, the Florentine nobleman Giuliano de Medici, or Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a rich silk merchant, Francesco del Giocondo. The traditional view is that the name "Mona Lisa" comes from the silk merchant's wife, as well as its Italian name: "La Gioconda." Why does the author ask a couple of questions in the beginning? To arouse the interest of readers
Many people like to live in big cities, because there are a lot of interesting things to do and to see there. You can go to different kinds of museums, see plays and films. You can also buy things from all over the world. But there are serious problems in big cities, too. It is expensive to live there. Every year many people move to the cities to find jobs, to study at good schools and to receive good medical care. But sometimes these people can't find jobs or good places to live. Also it is hard to keep the cities safe and clean. Some people enjoy living in big cities. Others do not. Before people move to a big city, they should think about the problems of living there. :1. serious adj. 2. medical care 3. hard adj. ,. It is RIGHT for people to move to big cities _ . A with thinking how to move there B with thinking of the problems of living there C without thinking of the cost of living D without thinking of any problems Answer: B. with thinking of the problems of living there So the evening turned to night, and the night turned to morning. And before I knew it , the SAT was before me. I wasn't sure if I was ready, but I knew one thing: I wanted to get it over with. SAT for the students is like tooth pulling. For those smart Asian kiddos, it's like walking through the park: easy and carefree. _ As I arrived outside of the dining hall, already a mob of students were sitting, talking, or standing silently waiting to get in. Jones students are lucky not only to have such a testing center at school, but also the feeling of their home school where it feels comfortable and familiar. "ID, please," my former math teacher asked at the door. "Okay." She looked over my ID, checked off my name on her list, and pointed towards the dining hall tables inside. With hesitation, I picked up my feet and was directed to a large round table in the middle of the dinning hall. At least fourteen people could sit at this table but only four were allowed to take their test here. "I'm glad it's multiple choices." I heard one student say. All the questions on the test have five choices except for one math section where they have only four. If you get an answer wrong, you don't get any point, plus you get a penalty of a 1/4 point. If you don't answer a question, you don't get any point, nor penalties. When everyone had a seat and the actual SAT I booklet in front of them, the proctor of the test called for our attentions. "In front of you, you should have a SAT I test and a scantron . Please do not open the test booklet until I say so." He then went on to talk about the procedures, the amount of time, signature of honesty, etc. After thirty minutes of instruction reading, he gave us all a solemn expression before saying, "You may begin now. Good luck." I could hear a hundred booklets being opened and pencils scratching the surface. I looked to my right, I looked to my left, I did a quick prayer for whoever was in charge up in the heavens, and started my test. At least I wouldn't know my score until summer time. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A Fourteen students sat around a large round table, taking the test. B There were four math problems on the test. C You will lose more points if you get the answer wrong than if you give up the question. D The proctor announced the instructions as soon as the test began. Answer: C. You will lose more points if you get the answer wrong than if you give up the question. Heather Jack and her family, including her two children, usually spend the Christmas holidays preparing a feast--for others to eat. Last Christmas Eve, they went to a house in the neighborhood and prepared a dinner for an elderly woman and her son, who has muscular dystrophy . They stayed for an hour and chatted before heading home to prepare for a visit from Santa . "I think it is that kind of direct experience that many find so meaningful," says Heather, president and founder of The Volunteer Family, a Boston-based organization dedicated to matching families with volunteer opportunities, both during the holidays and year-round. "It's a great way for parents to involve the kids." In a holiday season that stretches from before Thanksgiving to just after the New Year, it's nice to hear stories about people with their children giving instead of receiving. Last December Gary and Debra Danoff and their two teenage sons drove to the Washington, D. C. Jewish Community Center(JCC) and spent Christmas morning in the Center's kitchen preparing a feast for homeless shelters. By choosing to prepare meals for the homeless, the Danoffs bring together a belief in community service with their love of cooking, "It feels good to prepare food with our kids for other people at Christmas," says Gary. "We want them to know that many people don't have the ability to go to the supermarket and pick the foods they want to eat and pay for them." The Danoffs were in good company. Across the city, at least 1000 volunteers with their children went across the region to provide food to the poor people as part of the D. C. JCC's annual "December 25th Day of Service", now in its 22nd year. What does "The Volunteer Family" do? A It matches families with volunteer opportunities. B It supplies food and service to the poor families. C It encourages parents to involve their kids in volunteer work. D It earns much money by organizing volunteer families. Answer: A. It matches families with volunteer opportunities. Half the world's population could face a shortage of food by 2100 due to climate change, a new report by US scientists warns. Rapid global warming is likely to reduce crop production in the tropics and subtropics , according to Professor David Battisti of the University of Washington. "The most extreme summers of the last century will become common," he says. "We must immediately create crops that can bear heat and drought if we are to adapt in time," he writes in Science journal. "The stresses on global food production from temperature alone are going to be huge," said Mr. Battisti. "And that doesn't take into account water supplies stressed by the higher temperatures." He worked with Professor Rosamond Naylor on Food Security and the Environment, to examine the influence of climate change on the world's food supplies. They predict there is a greater than 90% probability that by 2100, the average growing-season temperatures in the tropics and subtropics will be higher than any temperatures recorded there to date. "We are taking the worst of what we've seen historically and saying that in the future it is going to be a lot worse unless there is some kind of adaptation," said Professor Naylor. "This is a powerful reason for us to invest in adaptation, because it is clear that this is the direction we are going in terms of temperature and it will take decades to develop new food crop varieties that can better bear a warmer climate." "In the tropics, the higher temperatures could be expected to cut production of the primary food crops by 20-40%," the researchers said. Rising temperatures are also likely to reduce soil moisture , cutting production even further. Three billion people live in the tropics and subtropics now, and their number is expected nearly to double by the end of the century. "You are talking about hundreds of millions of additional people looking for food because they won't be able to find it where they find it now," said Professor Battisti. Crop failures would not be limited to the tropics, the scientists concluded. We can know from the text that _ . A the number of people living in the tropics is reducing B crop failures will be a global problem C temperatures will rise most in the tropics D new food crop varieties will be developed soon Answer: B. crop failures will be a global problem Millie is a little girl who is at the age of nine. She is a pupil in a primary school. She works hard at her subjects. In class, she takes an active part in all kinds of activities. She looks smarter than her classmates. One day, she was doing her homework after supper as usual. Her father was not in. Her mother was taking a shower in the bathroom. After she finished her homework, Millie asked her mother to check it for her, but her mother didn't answer her. A few minutes later, her mother was still in the bathroom. Millie felt strange. She knocked at the door. But her mother had no answer. She pushed the door open and found her mother lying on the floor. At the same time, she smelled something terrible. It was the gas. She quickly opened the window, turned off the gas and called 120 and 110 for help. Soon some doctors and policemen came and sent her mother to the nearest hospital. Her mother was saved at last. Why did the little girl know how to do that? That was because she had learned how to save herself and others in danger in school. We should be _ like Millie when we are in danger. A brave and calm B shy and afraid C worried and frightened D kind and strange Answer: A. brave and calm
Question: Every culture has a recognized point when a child becomes an adult, when rules must be followed and tests passed. In China, although teenagers can get their ID cards at 16, many only see themselves as an adult when they are 18. In the US, where everyone drives, the main step to the freedom of adult life is learning to drive. At 16, American teens take their driving test. When they have their license, they drive into the grown-up world. "Nobody wants to ride the cheese bus to school," said Eleanor Fulham, 17. She brought the pressure back to memory, especially from kids from wealthier families. "It's like you're not cool if you don't have a car," she said. According to recent research, 41% of 16 to 19-year-olds in the US own cars, up from 23% in 1985. Although, most of these cars are bought by parents, some teens get part-time jobs to help pay. Not all families can afford cars for their children. In cities with subways and limited parking, some teenagers don't want them. But in rich suburban areas without subways, and where bicycles are more for fun than transportation, it is strange for a teenager not to have a car. But police say 16-year-olds have almost three times more accidents than 18 and 19-year-olds. This has made many parents pause before letting their kids drive. Julie Sussman, of Virginia, decided that her son Chad, 15, will wait until he is 17 to apply for his learner's permit. Chad said he has accepted his parents' decision, although it has caused some teasing from his friends. "They say that I am unlucky," he said, "But I'd rather be alive than driving, and I don't really trust my friends on the road, either." In China, as more families get cars, more 18-year-olds learn to drive. Will this become a big step to becoming an adult? The passage mainly gives information about _ . A. an American culture B. a cultural difference between America and China C. a change in the Chinese culture D. the relationship between driving and a person's development Answer: A. an American culture Question: One day, a man who liked baked beans very much met a girl and fell in love with her. In order to avoid breaking wind in front of his newly-married wife, he gave up baked beans. They were married shortly thereafter. Months later, he smelled baked beans in a cafe on his way home. They were the best beans he had ever smelled! He could not resist and had three large orders of baked beans. All the way home he had gas. His wife seemed excited and a bit mysterious to see him. She _ him and led him to his chair at the dinning room table. Just as she was about to remove the blindfold, the telephone rang. Seizing the chance of her absence, he shifting his weight to one leg and let the gas go. He took the napkin from his lap and fanned the air about him. When he felt another wind coming on, he shifted his weight to the other leg and let it go again. Then he made a third fart. Yet somehow his wife didn't hear him. While keeping his ear on the phone conversation in the hall, he again fanned with force until he heard his wife saying goodbye on the phone, meaning the end of his freedom. Apologizing for taking so long a time, she asked if he had peeked . He assured her that he had not. At this point, she removed the blindfold and there was his surprise---- Twelve dinner guests seated around the table for his surprise birthday party! The man stopped eating baked beans because _ . A. his wife didn't hate his breaking wind B. it was difficult to find good ones C. his wife asked him to D. he didn't want to lose face before his wife Answer: D. he didn't want to lose face before his wife Question: For many of us, cartoon strips are simply one of our pastimes. The popular Japanese manga provides us with an escape from reality into a world of fantasy, adventure and romance.With much less text and pictures running for pages, it fits perfectly into today's fast, throwing away city lifestyle. But Tsai Chih-chung,a famous Taiwanese illustrator , doesn't agree.He believes cartoons can be a bridge connecting traditional Chinese culture and wisdom with the modern world in a much wittier and more acceptable way. He has interpreted Lao Zi, Confucius, Mencius,Zhuang Zi and Sun Zi and made their works accessible to a global audience. He has also produced two books about Zen , introducing oriental philosophy. His cartoons are humorous yet full of wisdom and are admired as an easy way to learn Chinese classics. After avoiding the public for ten years, Tsai made a comeback in late April with seven new works. But does his age, 61, work as a gap between him and his young readers? Tsai doesn't think so. The topics he has covered range from philosophy in a time of individuality to the learning and memorizing techniques used at school. "Every child is a genius and has the potential beyond his own imagination, " he said. If popular Japanese manga is purely for entertainment, Tsai's work, to a large extent, is to light the power of thinking in a light-hearted way. Tsai uses differenr forms of water to refer to people. In his eyes some people are like an ocean, some are like vapor, while others may be ice or rain. But in essence they share a similarity-human being's forever chasing for the true and the good. "The person who thinks over life issues is not necessarily a scholar or a philosopher," he said. "I've dedicated my whole life to thinking and individual freedom, not making a living." Compared to Japanese manga, Tsai's works are _ A. mainly designed for a pure time killer for all B. more popular with young readers in China now C. to inspire people to think in a cheerful way D. much more interesting and instructive Answer: C. to inspire people to think in a cheerful way Question: As an English teacher, one of the most common problems I've found with my students is their lack of confidence with speaking, and difficulty in understanding native speakers. Another problem could be that a foreign language taught in schools can sound quite different to what native speakers actually use. There are a few English words and expressions that I'd never heard until I came to China. The most common one in my experience is "How are you? I'm fine, thank you, and you?" I appreciate that although this greeting is much too formal for everyday use - it's easy to learn and helps build confidence. However, it can be a hard habit to break. I've seen many parents correct their kids if they don't use that exact phrase, as if simply replying "I'm fine" would somehow be rude. In fact I'm banning my students from saying that in the classroom, insisting a simple "I'm fine, thanks" is good enough. "Seldom" is another one that I find interesting. The first time a student told me "I seldom watch TV", my initial reaction was a stupefied look, followed by "Huh?" I then realized the student used "seldom" when it's more common for us to use "rarely." I was just as confused when I first heard a toilet referred to as a WC (water closet), another English term I'd never heard of back in Australia. Of course, my students know the other names for it like bathroom, toilet, washroom etc. so to prefer that name is an interesting choice. I don't mind that my students have substituted familiar English words with their own, far from it. It reminds me how creative they can be with not only their language, but with mine as well. It's healthy for English to evolve and change and I'm happy to add these new words to my vocabulary. One important lesson I've learnt is that textbooks can only help you so much. For further improvement you'd better practice with native speakers. The writer mentioned parents correcting their kids to show that in China _ . A. speaking English at home has become a habit B. the exact reply has been trained into a habit C. some parents are not qualified to teach English D. children don't always obey their teachers Answer: B. the exact reply has been trained into a habit Question: Two years ago ,Hannah Mighall ,then 13, survived a great white shark attack on Tasmania's north-east coast, but despite the terrible scars ,the shy yet courageous teenager is determined to get back into the water. It's been a long journey back for the brave girl, whose life was changed forever as she was on her surfboard 60 metres offshore at Binalong, Bay ,Tasmania. Her cousin ,32-yeaf-old syb Mundy ,was surfing nearby, "Suddenly, everything went quiet ,"Hannah ,now15,recalls of the day she almost lost her life, "I look down into the water and noticed a dark shadow under my board I knew instantly it was a shark." As Syb watched in horror, the five-metre shark put hundreds of sharp teeth onto Hannah's right leg,throwing her from her board, "I was attached to my leg-rope as the shark stared to pull me under the water",She shakes, "I was lying on my back with one leg under the shark's body and the other still in its jaws." Syb desperately punched the shark's nose and reached out to grab Hannah as the monster bit a huge chunk from the surfboard, "I was still attached to my board and was dragged back under the water again,"she says ,When she came up for air, Hannah dog paddled to Syb's board and he dragged her from the water to lie on his back ,"We looked down and saw the shark circling beneath us,"Hannah says. Hannah was rushed to the hospital by helicopter ,She needed more than 400 stitches on her leg and spent two weeks in hospital. Modest about her remarkable courage, Hannah owes her survival to Syb's bravery and the fact that great whites,despite their reputation as man-eaters, typically don't target humans ,After the attack ,Hannah earned the Sea Shepherd award for courage for speaking in defence of the shark "I was in his territory, she wasn't in mine,"she smiles. The reason why Hannah was awarded is that _ . A. She was brave to speak for the shark although she was severely injured by it B. She successfully escaped from a dangerous situation because of her courage C. She was courageous enough to go deep into sharks'territory and survived D. She has been determined to go hack into the sea where there are sharks Answer: A. She was brave to speak for the shark although she was severely injured by it
Once there was a man and a woman. They had been married for more than 60 years. They kept no secrets from each other except that the old woman had a shoe box under her bed. She told her husband never to open or ask about it. For all these years, he had never thought about the box. But one day the old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would never get better. The woman said it was time that he should know what was in the box. The old man took the shoe box to his wife's bedside. When he opened it, he found two beautiful doilies and some money. The money was $25,000. "When we got married, "she said, "my grandmother told me that the secret of a happy family was never to fight. She told me if every time I got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet one doily." The old man was so moved because only two doilies were in the box. He thought she had only been angry with him twice in all those years. "My dear," he said, "but what about all the money? Where did it all come from?" "Oh," she said, "that's the money I made from selling the doilies. So far, I have sold 2,500 doilies." From the story we know _ . A the old woman enjoyed crocheting doilies B the old man only made his wife angry twice C the old woman didn't follow her grandmother's advice D the old man was moved when he saw only two doilies in the box Answer: D. the old man was moved when he saw only two doilies in the box Are you an early riser or a night owl? Researchers from Aachen University in Germany believe that about 10 percent of people can be classified as "morning people", who feel more active and function best in the morning.Around 20 percent are night owls--people who naturally tend to stay up late and are more tired during the day.And the rest of us fall somewhere in between, according to New Scientist. Previous studies have suggested that early risers are more likely to be happy and healthy while night owls experience worse sleep as well as more depression and anxiety during the day. For a long time, scientists have been trying to find out what causes the differences between the two.A new study suggests that it isn't just people's habits--early risers and night owls actually have different brain structures. Led by Jessica Rosenberg at Aachen University, researchers scanned the brains of 16 early risers, 23 night owls and 20 people with intermediate sleeping hours.They found that the brains of night owls had less "white matter"--which speeds up the transmission of nerve signals -- in brain areas associated with depression. As you know, after people fly in an airplane from one time zone to another, they often suffer from a confused and tired feeling called "jet lag" because their body clocks are out of sync with the new time zone.It usually takes about a week for their bodies to adjust to the new time.But night owls always have difficulty syncing their bodies to the right time due to their brain structure."It's like they suffer from permanent jet lag," said Rosenberg. The good news is that it is possible for night owls to turn themselves into morning people.According to the researchers, night owls should try to spend as much time in the sunlight as possible and reduce their exposure to artificial light at night to force their body clocks to shift to a more normal rhythm. Jessica Rosenberg's research suggests that _ . A previous studies about night owls are wrong B night owls are affected by jet lag more strongly than others C white matter helps our brains work more efficiently D brain structure might determine people's chances of suffering from depression Answer: D. brain structure might determine people's chances of suffering from depression Peter sued Don for breach of contract. The court admitted testimony by Peter that Don and his wife quarreled frequently, a fact of no consequence to the lawsuit. Don seeks to testify in response that he and his wife never quarreled. The court A must permit Don to answer if he had objected to Peter's testimony. B may permit Don to answer, whether or not he had objected to Peter's testimony. C may permit Don to answer only if he had objected to Peter's testimony. D cannot permit Don to answer, whether or not he had objected to Peter's testimony Answer: B. may permit Don to answer, whether or not he had objected to Peter's testimony. California has a new program called the Digital Textbook Initiative. "Starting this fall with high school math and science, we will be the first state in the nation to provide schools with a state-approved list of digital textbooks." That was Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in June, talking about his effort to get schools to use materials available free online. He listed reasons why he thinks digital textbooks make sense. California approves traditional textbooks in six-year cycles. Digital ones can offer the latest information. They lighten the load of school bags. They save paper and trees, and make learning more fun and interactive. And above all, he said, they help schools with their finances. The state has had to make severe cuts in school spending because of deep financial problems. More than six million students attend California public schools. Earlier this year, California invited content developers to offer digital math and science materials for high schools. These had to meet at least 90% of the state's learning requirements. Specially trained teachers examined 16 textbooks and approved ten of them. Six of the ten were published by the CK 12 Foundation, a nonprofit group that had been developing digital science and math books for about two years. The foundation paid teachers and other education professionals to write and edit them. The money came from a group financed by the Khosla Family. California cannot require schools to use the digital textbooks. Individual school districts will have to decide for themselves. Susan Martimo, a California Department of Education official, says she does not expect widespread use right away. Her best guess is that some schools with a lot of technology will be the first to use them, but only in addition to their traditional books. School administrators point out that the texts may be free online, but students need a way to access them. Not everyone has a computer or electronic reader. Schools could print out copies, but that would not help the environment. Also, there is the cost to train teachers to use digital textbooks effectively. According to Susan Martimo, digital textbooks will _ . A come into fashion from now on B soon replace traditional books C first be adopted by well-equipped schools D surely be approved by school districts Answer: C. first be adopted by well-equipped schools Now is a great time to start thinking about how the 2015 Summer course offerings might help you complete your academic program at a faster rate and with less money! Whether you register for Summer not, we have some great activities and other special events planned for Rowan students, faculty and staff. Wehope you will join us! Registration Information Register online at Gwinnett Online Campus between March 16, 2015 and June l, 2015. Class Dates Online Summer School June 8, 2015 to July 6, 2015 GCPS offers free Academic Summer School for qualifying elementary and middle school students in Grades 3~8. Details 15-day session with no classes on Fridays, (NO classes on June12,June19,and June26) First day of class is Monday, June8,and last day is Wednesday, Julyl.(June8-11:June15-18, June 22-25,June 29-Julyl) ' The dates for elementary and middle school summer school are June 8 through July l with no Summer school on Fridays (15 days). Parents of suitable students will be _ that their children may participate in the free session and given specifics about location and hours. The free academic summer school is for students who did not meet promotion criteria at their grade level. Summer school will not be provided at every school, due to maintenance and construction at some schools and plans for combined "cluster" summer school sites, Participating students will be told of location for summer school. Most summer school sites will not offer transportation. Those schools with additional federal funding to offer transportation will tell parents regarding availability. If you take interest in the Summer course, _ A you can visit its website B you can go to the campus C you can register on July l, 2015 D you can complete a form Answer: A. you can visit its website
Question: Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of visiting with Deputy Superintendent Pedro Martinez, Principal Neddy Alvarez and her staff at Western High School, located in the Clark County School District, in Las Vegas. The school undertook a comprehensive effort to completely transform the culture of the school and added a motivated group of talented teachers. Western altered the school day to add opportunities for students to get additional credits toward graduation and created smaller learning groups. As part of these comprehensive changes, the school's leadership also focused on four main reforms to transform their school. First, improvements started with the change in the relationship between the school and students to create a caring atmosphere at the school. Using the "Capturing Kids' Hearts" strategies, school leadership and teachers began building a trusting environment and students and families described seeing changes aimed at improving student outcomes and ensuring the success of every student. The school day was altered to add more options for students to obtain additional credits toward graduation. Students and teachers were grouped into "houses," so that smaller groups of teachers and counselors could create one-on-one relationships with students. Teachers and counselors said that the altered school day provides time to address student's individual concerns and develop individualized learning plans to put every student on a path to graduation. The school also made changes to encourage parents to support school and encourage real dialogues between parents and the teachers and leaders at Western. Funded in part through the United Way, the school created a family engagement center to get parents more involved in their children's education, particularly parents of English language learners. Parents like Ally Gaona and Martha Mendez told me that they had a voice and the tools to engage in their children's learning and that they recognize that the main responsibility for their children's learning must rest with the parents. Parents were passionate about these positive changes and said that these changes signaled to the entire the community that the school was serious about family engagement. Students and teachers were grouped into "houses in order to _ . A. provide time to address student's individual concerns. B. add more options for students to obtain additional credits toward graduation.. C. create one-on-one relationships with students. D. develop individualized learning plans to put every student on a path to graduation. Answer: C Question: One day, there was a blind man called John sitting on a bench with a hat by his feet and a sign that read, "I am blind. Please help me." A reporter named Tom was walking by the blind man and stopped to see that the man only had a few coins in his hat. He put a few of his own coins in the hat. Without asking for permission, took the sign, turned it around and wrote a new message. Then he put the sign by the feet of the blind man, and left. Later that afternoon the reporter returned to the blind man and noticed that his hat was almost full of bills and coins. The blind man recognized his footsteps and asked if it was he who had changed his sign. He also wanted to know what the man wrote on it. The reporter said, "I just wrote the message a little differently." He smiled and went on his way. The new sign read, "Spring has come, but I can't see anything." What's the blind man's name? A. Tom. B. Sorry, I don't know C. Tony. D. . John. Answer: D Question: Part-time Waitress Busy cafe needs honest and good-looking waitress for weekends. Must enjoy working with a team and dealing with customers. Call Li Ling at 0732-8536724 after 6 pm. Delivery Person Young, healthy person able to deliver heavy boxes of books. Must have a driver's license and can carry heavy boxes. We're looking for a person for this position. Call Liu Fang at 0732-7887766 at any time. _ Wanted Kind, hard-working nanny wanted to look after three friendly children. Must be experienced and have childcare quail fications . Please call Chen Yiping at 0732-6774538 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m These are _ in the newspaper. A. notices B. ads C. stories D. news Answer: B Question: The host poured the tea into the cup and placed it on the small table in front of his guests,who were a father and his daughter,and put the lid on the cup with a clink.Obviously thinking of something.he hurried into the inner room,leaving the thermos on the table.His two guests heard a chest of drawers opening and rustling. They remained sitting in the sitting room,the ten-year-old daughter looking at the flowers outside the window,the father just about to take his cup,when the crash came,right there in the sitting room.Something was hopelessly broken. It was the thermos,which had fallen to the floor.The girls looked over her shoulder suddenly,shocked, staring. It was mysterious;neither of them had touched it,not even a little bit.True.it hadn't stood steadily when their host placed it on the table,but it hadn't fallen then. The crash of the thermos caused the host,with a box of sugar cubes in his hand,to rush back from the inner room.He looked foolishly at the steaming floor and blurted out. "It doesn't matter! It doesn't matter!'' The father started to say something.Then he said in a low voice,"Sorry I touched it and it fell." "It doesn't matter,"the host said. Later,when they left the house,the daughter said,"Daddy,did you touch it?'' "No.But it stood so close to me." "But you didn't touch it.I saw your reflection in the window .You were sitting perfectly still." The father laughed."Then how would you explain the cause of its fall?" "The thermos fell by itself , The floor is uneven. It wasn't steady when Mr. Li put it there. Daddy,why did you say that?" "That won't do,girl.It sounds more acceptable when I say I knocked it down.There are things which people accept less true it sounds." The daughter was lost in silence for a while.Then she said,"Can you explain it only this way?" "Only this way."her father said. It can be inferred from the story that the father A. didn't know Mr. Li very well B. was sorry that he hadn't told the host the truth C. didn't think Mr. Li would believe the truth D. was glad that he had told the truth Answer: C Question: A French wine producer is spreading the wealth with his workers after they discovered nearly $ 1milion worth of gold coins stored in the building's ceiling, according to a French newspaper. "One of the workers was attacking the building's ceiling when gold coins started to rain down on him, followed by sacks of gold, " Francois Lange, the head of a wine company in Les Riceys, France, told the reporter. It's not unusual to hear about treasure hunters searching the ocean for gold and other precious metals lost at sea, but finding $ 1million in your office ceiling is an uneasy thing and a valuable one too, given that demand for gold has reached a new height recently. In 2011, about 31 grams of gold was valued at $ 1,920.30. In all, 497 gold coins were discovered, raining down upon the workers who were busy repairing the building. Made between 1851 and 1928, the coins have a face value marking of $ 20 each. However, together they are now worth nearly $ 1million, according to the newspaper. Lange says he will keep half of the money for himself, and the other half will be shared with the workers who made the discovery. No one knows for sure who placed the coins in the building, but the newspaper reports the building was owned by a wine producer in the 1930s. People haven't known much about these coins for now but don't be surprised if this "buried" treasure story still has another chapter to be told. After all, the $ 1 million of gold coins once belonged to somebody. Just look at the recent legal case being argued between Spain and people who found more than $500 million worth of gold coins in a sunken ship. What can we learn about Francois Lange? A. He is a French wine producer. B. He is a reporter of a newspaper. C. He will have all the valuable coins. D. He is the head of the building workers. Answer: A
Beijing, July 25 (Xinhua) --- Two people found dead on a rain-flooded road in Beijing Sunday night are doubted to have been killed by lightning, as the heaviest rainstorm in 13 years hit the city from Sunday through Monday morning and is expected to last into Monday evening. The victims, a man and a woman were found dead on a road outside a plant in Nancai Industrial Park in Shunyi District at 9 p.m. Sunday. The northern district of Miyun recorded rainfall of 243 mm in 22 hours before 6 a.m. Monday, said Wei Jianmin, chief forecaster of the Beijing Observatory . He said the rain is important to fill up Beijing's important water source of the Miyun Reservoir , which has received 17 million cubic meters of water during the rain so far. Although the rain had little effect on traffic Monday, it caused a disorder in the city's busy air traffic. According to Beijing Capital International Airport's website, 329 flights were called off due to the rainstorm. Meanwhile, traffic on a rail link between Beijing and Chengde City in neighboring Hebei province was put off after several sections of the track were flooded in rainwater Sunday night. Workers are still rushing to clear the railway. The city acted Sunday evening to take measures against rainstorm-caused disasters. More than 6,000 people living in the hilly regions of Miyun and Pinggu districts in Beijing's outskirts were brought to safe grounds Sunday evening before floods threatened more than 10 villages and caused four landslides there. The China National Meteorological Center on Monday morning continued a rainstorm warning, forecasting rains to hit Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Liaoning and Hebei provinces in the north, as well as eastern Shandong and Jiangsu provinces in the next 24 hours. What is suggested in the passage? Answer: The capital would have rainstorm on Monday evening. Left-Handers' Day International Left-Handers' Day is August the thirteenth. The International Left-Handers Day, Web site says the Left-Handers Club started the holiday in 1992. It wanted left-handers around the world to celebrate. And it wanted to bring attention to the everyday problems of people who use their left hands. One of these problems is difficulty using equipment and tools, like scissors. In general, most tools and equipment are made for people who are right-handed. The Left-Handers Club tries to educate designers and producers to consider the safety of left-handed people when producing their products. Another problem is that many people have considered it bad to be left-handed. Some teachers and parents have tried to force children who used their left hands to use their right ones instead. Scientists do not really know why some people are left-handed. They have believed the reason is genetic.They say the gene increases the chance of being left-handed. It appears to play an important part in deciding which part of the brain controls different activities. In right-handed people, the left side of the brain usually controls speech and language. The right side controls feelings. However, the opposite is often true in left-handed people. Scientists believe the gene is responsible for this. The gene showed a link with left-handedness in nine to twelve percent of the population. About ten percent of people around the world are left-handed. _ of people around the world are left-handers. Answer: About 10% Henry is a naughty boy in Bayern, Germany. He has big eyes and a small mouth. One day, Henry is playing in front of a house. A woman comes up. She has small eyes. And she asks Henry, "Little boy, is your mother at home?" "Yes, she is." answers the boy. And Henry goes on playing happily. Then the woman goes over to ring the bell. The bell rings and rings, but no one comes to open the door. The woman gets angry and calls out to him, " You tell me your mother is at home, don't you?" "Yes," the boy answers. "My mother is at home, but this isn't my home." Then the woman stares at Henry. The boy says, "You have big eyes, too!" The woman goes over to _ after talking with Henry. Answer: ring the bell of the house Nathan Sawaya's childhood was a lot of fun. He drew cartoons, wrote stories, and played with plastic toy bricks . His grandparents bought his first set of toy bricks when he was five years old and he's been building with toy bricks ever since. He even took his building bricks to college with him! Instead of books and a computer, he had a model of Greenwich Village made of bricks on his desk. Nathan started as a lawyer but gave up His highly-paid job to become an artist that uses toys in his art. He uses toy bricks to build everything from the Statue of Liberty to Superman! He has more than 1.5 million colored bricks in his working room in New York which he uses to make pieces of art. He started by building small models but then decided to do something big and created a self-portrait . It took him two days just to build the eyes. Nathan's work has appeared in museums around the world. Children love his art because it is made out of the same toys that they play with at home and adults love his work because it is fascinating. Since it began in2007, Nathan's exhibition "The Art of the Brick" has been very popular with museum visitors everywhere. "I'm proud that I took a dream I had as a child, to become an artist, and I have actually made a job out of it," says Nathan. "To do what you love in life is the most important thing." What would be the best title for the passage? Answer: The Brick Artist Alzheimer's disease affects millions of people around the world. American researchers say the disease will affect more than one hundred million people worldwide by the year twenty fifty. That would be four times the current number. Researchers and doctors have been studying Alzheimer's patients for a century. Yet the cause and the cure for the mental sickness are still unknown. However, some researchers have made important steps towards understanding it. Several early signs of the disease involve memory and thought processes. At first, patients have trouble remembering little things. Later, they have trouble remembering more important things, such as the names of their children. There are also some physical tests that might show who is at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The tests look for proteins in brain and spinal cord fluid. The proteins appear to be found only in people with the disease. The protein tests correctly identify the presence of the disease in about ninety percent of patients. Now, a much simpler physical test to predict Alzheimer's risk has been developed. Researchers found that trouble with the sense of smell can be one of the first signs of Alzheimer's. Using this information, they developed a test in which people were asked to identify twelve familiar smells. These smells included cinnamon, black pepper, chocolate, paint thinner, and smoke. The study continued for five years. During this period, the same people were asked to take several tests measuring their memory and thought abilities. Fifty percent of those who could not identify at least four of the smells in the first test had trouble with their memory and thinking in the next five years. Another study has shown a possible way to reduce a person's chances of developing Alzheimer's disease in old age. Researchers in Chicago found that people who use their brains more often are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. Those who read a newspaper, or play chess or word games are about three times less likely to develop the condition. Researchers say they still do not know what causes Alzheimer's disease. But they say these findings might help prevent the disease in the future. Whats the current number of Alzheimers patients? Answer: 25 million

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